January 29, 2020

University’s New Outreach Program Facilitates Collaborations With Trenton

TAKING IT TO TRENTON: Violinist Stefan Jackiw’s visit last year with the Trenton Central High School Orchestra was an impetus for Princeton University’s new Neighborhood Project, which expands collaborations in the arts and other areas between the University and the capital city. The University has established a full-time position to oversee the new focus linking Trenton and the campus community. (Photo by Sonya Isenberg)

By Anne Levin

When famed orchestra conductor Gustavo Dudamel took part in a residency at Princeton University in 2018-2019, he made sure to work meaningful time with young music students in Trenton into his busy schedule. The positive impact of these collaborative sessions was felt not only by the students in Trenton, but also by members of the University community — so much so that a formal program has been launched to take it to the next level.

The Neighborhood Project is a five-year pilot program between Princeton University Concerts (PUC) and Trenton Central High School. This educational initiative is designed to connect well known musicians on PUC’s series with students from neighboring, low-income communities. It is a collaboration with Trenton Arts at Princeton, supported in large part by The Gustavo Dudamel Foundation.

Students this season are getting the opportunity to study and interact with professionals including violinist Stefan Jackiw, pianist Conrad Tao, and tap dancer Caleb Teicher. As the program unfolds, the University is seeking a full-time person focused solely on facilitating work not only with Trenton, but with surrounding areas of Mercer County where there is need. The job is advertised on the University website as assistant director for regional affairs, based in the Office of Community and Regional Affairs. It was posted in December. more

Talbots on Nassau Street Now Closed, Future Plans Remain Uncertain

By Donald Gilpin

Talbots women’s clothing store, a mainstay for Nassau Street shoppers for many years, closed after business last Saturday, January 25. Future possibilities for that space or for Talbots relocating in the Princeton area are uncertain.

“We have enjoyed Talbots’ tenancy at Palmer Square for many years, however their lease was up and it had become evident that we need to make building-wide improvements. We are taking this opportunity to do so,” wrote Palmer Square Management Vice President Lori Rabon in an email. “We wish them well in their future endeavors and hope that someday they may return.”

Palmer Square Management Director of Marketing Jamie Volkert stated that “for confidentiality reasons we cannot discuss any future plans at this moment.” The building upgrades would include HVAC, mechanical, and electrical work, and will not affect neighboring tenants on Nassau Street, she pointed out.

With an 80 percent off sale for its last few days, business at Talbots last Thursday afternoon was brisk. More than a dozen buyers lined up at the check-out registers, many purchasing multiple items. By early Friday afternoon there were more than 30 people in the store, most apparently regular Talbots patrons, with a steady flow in and out and lines of 10 or more buying shoes, accessories, and a variety of women’s apparel. more

Panel Discussion on Anti-Semitism Provides Historical Perspective

By Anne Levin

Karina Urbach never thought she’d have to study anti-Semitism in her own time. But Urbach, a native of Germany, has become increasingly aware of the rise in violence against Jewish people and institutions during her time as a Visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) School of Historical Studies, where she has been since 2015.

To help understand the troubling trend and put it in historical perspective, Urbach has organized a panel discussion of noted historians taking place at the IAS on Wednesday, February 5 at 5:30 p.m. As of this past Monday, there were already 280 people signed up to attend “The Impact of the Past: Anti-Semitism — Past and Present” in Wolfensohn Hall.

Serving on the panel are Deborah Lipstadt, author and Emory University professor; Julie Gottlieb, professor in modern history at Britain’s University of Sheffield; and Daniel Finkelstein, a member of Britain’s House of Lords and associate editor at The Times of London. Urbach will serve as facilitator.

“I’m so flabbergasted that I have to read about these violent events taking place in the U.S. and in Europe,” she said during an interview in her office in Fuld Hall at the IAS. “Look at this,” she said, pushing printouts about the reissue of Nazi propaganda books for children being offered by Amazon in the United States and the United Kingdom. “The people publishing these awful books should see we are serious and will fight against this horrible behavior.” more

Shining On: From Mozart to Lennon, Schubert to Kobe

By Stuart Mitchner

If you take the long view, this week begins with the birth of Mozart on January 27, 1756 and ends with the birth of Schubert on January 31, 1797.

If you’re looking for something more passionately immediately here and now, something to give you the energy to break through a writing slump to the other side of the impeachment trial and the mind-numbing miasma of talking heads (on or off pikes), you turn to a song John Lennon composed and recorded in record time 50 years ago, January 27, 1970. At first it’s fun to give yourself up to outrageous fantasies, like blasting Lennon’s relentless, in-your-face message at full bi-partisan volume from a dozen speakers located above the head of the chief justice: “Instant Karma’s gonna get you, gonna knock you right on the head, better get yourself together, pretty soon you’re gonna be dead…. Why in the world are we here? Surely not to live in pain and fear.”

What makes the song surpass any of Lennon’s more famous anthems is the inspirational chorus, “We all shine on like the moon and the stars and the sun.” Good luck imagining both sides of the Senate chamber of horrors rising en masse singing “We all shine on.” Try picturing Adam Schiff gazing prayerfully over Mitch McConnell’s stone wall singing acapella “Imagine a brotherhood of man” or “Give Peace a Chance.” Speaking for myself, to stand with a group of people at an antiwar protest singing “All we are saying is ‘Give peace a chance,’” is too much like Oliver Twist in the poor house food line mewling, “Please, sir, can we have another nice warm bowl of peace and understanding, sir, please.”  more

Concert Marks Anniversary Of Auschwitz Liberation

Gregory Feldmann

A concert celebrating the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, featuring banned music of the Third Reich, will be held Sunday, February 16, 2:30 p.m., at a private residence in Princeton.  Hosted by Princeton Adult School (PAS), the concert is being in advance of a performance of the program on February 27 at Weill Recital Hall, in New York’s Carnegie Hall.

“Degenerate Music/Entartete Musik”  is a concert, conversation, and reception with vocalist Gregory Feldmann and pianist Nathaniel LaNasa, both of whom will be making their Carnegie Hall debut this spring. The Princeton event was arranged through the connections of PAS board member Alta Malberg, herself a singer. She is president of Joy of Singing, whose mission is to promote knowledge and love of classical song literature, as well as an appreciation of the performers and composers of classical song. She became familiar with the Feldmann/LaNasa team at the Joy in Singing’s 2019 International Art Song Competition. more

Comedy of Errors

ActorsNET presents “Spider’s Web,” which is London’s second longest-running murder mystery, at the Heritage Center Theater in Morrisville, Pa., January 31-February 16. The action focuses around an English diplomat’s wife who discovers a dead body in the drawing room, at a most inconvenient time. The theater is at 635 N. Delmorr Avenue (Route 32), near the Calhoun Street Bridge.  Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $18-$22. Call (215) 295-3694 or email actorsnet@aol.com. 

On Stage at George Street

The play “Midwives” by Chris Bhojalian, based on his best-selling novel of the same name, is a story about a pregnancy that goes wrong, but not in a hospital — in a home. Pictured, from left, are cast members Michael Cullen, Molly Carden, John Bolger, Ellen McLaughlin, Lee Sellars, and Armand Schultz. The play is on view at George Street Playhouse, 9 Livingston Avenue in New Brunswick, through February 16. (Photo by T. Charles Erickson)

Chinese Calligraphy, Art At Plainsboro Library

“BLUE BONNETS”: Paintings and calligraphy by artist Peter Chung will be on view in the Gallery at the Plainsboro Public Library from February 1 through February 26. An artist reception is scheduled for February 8 from noon to 2 p.m.

Artist Peter Chung will exhibit paintings and award-winning Chinese calligraphy in the Gallery at Plainsboro Public Library from February 1 through February 26. The subjects of his paintings — both Chinese paintings and Western- and Eastern-influenced oil-based paintings — include landscapes, wildlife, figures, still lifes, and architectural subjects.

An artist reception on Saturday, February 8, from noon to 2 p.m., will kick off the library’s 2020 Chinese New Year celebration.

Chung’s calligraphy has been described as “fluid, poetic, and elegant artistry.” His oil paintings, ranging from realistic to semi-abstract, capture a light that can be softly focused or sharply edged. Another artistic interest includes Chinese seal engravings (referring to the carving of a seal or stamp traditionally used as a signature on artwork or other documents). more

Malevich Painting on View at Zimmerli

“TWO PEASANT WOMEN”: This c. 1928-1930 oil painting by Kazimir Malevich is on view at the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers in New Brunswick through May 17.  On loan from the Moscow-based cultural project Encyclopedia of the Russian Avant-Garde, it supplements the broad collection of Russian art at the museum.

The Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers is now exhibiting the oil painting Two Peasant Women (1928-30) by Kazimir Malevich, a loan from the Moscow-based cultural project Encyclopedia of the Russian Avant-Garde, through May 17. The painting welcomes visitors at the entrance of the museum’s George Riabov Gallery, which features Russian art created from the 14th century to the early 1950s.

“We are really honored by this opportunity to supplement the broad Russian art collection of the Zimmerli Art Museum with works of some of the most significant artists of the Russian Avant-Garde,” said Irina Pravkina, founder of the Encyclopedia of the Russian Avant-Garde. “The unflagging international interest to this period in Russian art could be explained by the uniqueness of avant-garde artists and by their huge influence on the development of world art.”

“We are extremely grateful to the Encyclopedia of Russian Avant-Garde for the opportunity to display this late Malevich painting in our galleries,” said Zimmerli Director Thomas Sokolowski. “Even given the richness of our Norton and Nancy Dodge Collection of Nonconformist Art from the Soviet Union, combined with and the Riabov Collection and Claude and Nina Gruen Collection of Contemporary Russian Art, this addition enables our visitors the chance to see a major master of early 20th-century Modernism in Russia.” more

“Creation Myths” Exhibit at Art@Bainbridge

“AMERICAN DREAM”: In “Creation Myths,” on view through June 7 at Art@Bainbridge at the historic Bainbridge House, 158 Nassau Street, artist Hugh Hayden explores history, slavery, and the creation of the America we know today through a series of site-responsive surrealistic installations.

Artist Hugh Hayden explores history, slavery, and the creation of the America we know today through a series of site-responsive installations at Art@Bainbridge, the Princeton University Art Museum’s gallery space in downtown Princeton featuring the work of emerging contemporary artists.

Challenging issues of home, craft, and the politics of materials, Hayden reimagines the domestic spaces of Bainbridge House, which dates to 1766, through meticulously constructed surrealistic sculptures.

Titled “Creation Myths,” the installation responds to the history of Bainbridge House by creating distinct but interconnected domestic spaces. In the “kitchen,” iron skillets fused with casts of African masks consider the enslaved cooks who helped create American cuisine; in the “study,” a claw-machine arcade game filled with cotton bolls references the quintessential act of slave labor; and in the “dining room,” an oak table covered in large-scale thorns evokes the unattainability of the American Dream. Together, these spaces craft a narrative — part fiction, part history — that evokes themes of cuisine, leisure, and education and explores the intersections of these themes with slavery’s complex legacy. more

“A Good Pie is Personal” At Pizza Den, the Popular Nassau Street Pizza Parlor

MADE TO ORDER: “We are set apart by our hospitality and great customized pizza. Customers know that the owners are always here. We answer the phone ourselves, and we customize each pizza to every person’s taste. I am very hands-on — whether I’m out front helping the customers, or in the kitchen.” Aginah Maltabes co-owner of Pizza Den, is shown getting a pizza all ready to go to a happy customer.

By Jean Stratton 

The personal touch is on display at Pizza Den. Owners Aginah and Costa Maltabes are always on hand to be sure that customers receive their favorite pizza, made to order to their taste.

“Pizza is the number one food in the world,” says Aginah Maltabes. “Everyone likes it. It tastes good. It is a kind of comfort food. And at Pizza Den, we make sure it is exactly the way you like it.

“At Pizza Den, we believe a good pie should be personal,” she continues. “The dough is made in-house, using organic, unbleached flour. You can taste the difference in every bite. We also offer a gluten-free crust.”

Opened in 2018 at 242 1/2 Nassau Street, Pizza Den is tucked in next door to Hoagie Haven. Small in size, it is large in flavors and hospitality. Primarily a takeout establishment, it does have small tables for eat-in, and is also available for private parties. more

PU Men’s Hoops Tops D-III Foe Rutgers-Camden As Kellman Stars In Tune-Up for 1st Ivy Weekend

BREAKOUT PERFORMANCE: Princeton University men’s basketball player Keeshawn Kellman puts up a shot in a game earlier this season. Last Sunday, freshman forward Kellman scored a career-high 20 points to help Princeton defeat Division III foe Rutgers-Camden 87-41 in its return from the exam break. The Tigers, now 7-8 overall and 2-0 Ivy League, resume league play this weekend when they host Dartmouth on January 31 and Harvard on February 1. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Keeshawn Kellman has kept his head down and paid his dues in going through his freshman season with the Princeton University men’s basketball team

“Every day, whether it is practice or a game, I just try to contribute to the team and create a positive environment,” said Kellman, a 6’8, 220-pound native of Allentown, Pa. “I work as hard as I can and do everything that is asked of me.”

Last Sunday, that work paid dividends as Kellman scored a career-high 20 points to help Princeton defeat Division III foe Rutgers-Camden 87-41 before 1,576 at Jadwin Gym in its return from the exam break.

“I felt good finishing around the rim,” said Kellman, reflecting on a performance which saw him go 9-of-11 from the floor and 2-for-2 from the foul line as the Tigers improved to 7-8 overall.

“There are some things I need to sharpen up on — as always — my ball screen defense, dealing with fatigue, setting up my  teammates better, taking care of the ball. It really felt good.” more

Sophomore Aguayo Shows Improvement As PHS Girls’ Hoops Defeats Nottingham

STEPPING UP: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Sofia Aguayo looks for an opening in recent action. Last Friday, sophomore forward Aguayo tallied a game-high 12 points to help PHS defeat Nottingham 38-10. The Tigers, who moved to 3-9 with a 51-32 loss to South Brunswick on Saturday, play at Robbinsville on January 31 before hosting Princeton Day School on February 1 and Notre Dame on February 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sofia Aguayo is getting up to speed in making the adjustment to starting for the Princeton High girls’ basketball team.

“It has been a challenge but I have worked very hard and I make a conscious effort,” said sophomore forward Aguayo, who played mainly on the JV as a freshman with a few appearances on varsity. “It is a lot faster and a lot more things to learn.”

Last Friday evening, Aguayo showed how much she has learned, tallying a game-high 12 points with nine rebounds as PHS pulled away to a 38-10 win over Nottingham.

In reflecting on the win, Aguayo acknowledged that it took some time for PHS to get into a rhythm. more

Adjusting to Demands of D-I College Wrestling, PHS Alum Bobchin Learning the Ropes at Rider

ROUGH RIDE: Alec Bobchin, top, dominates a foe on his way to winning the Region 5 title at 138 pounds last February in his senior season at Princeton High. Bobchin went on to place fourth at 138 in the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships. This winter, Bobchin has moved up to the college level at Rider University where he is redshirting, which prohibits him from competing in the Broncs’ dual meets but allows him to wrestle in open tournaments. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Alec Bobchin equaled the best finish by a Princeton High wrestler ever at the NJSIAA State Wrestling Championships when he placed fourth at 138 pounds last March.

Six months later Bobchin started over when he joined Rider University’s Division I wrestling program.

“When I came into Rider, I was humbled very fast,” said Bobchin. “Going from the best guy in that practice room to coming into Rider and being like everyone else, it’s really pushed me to try to get back to where I want to be.”

It didn’t take long for Bobchin to figure out how different it would be in college. The challenge was laid out immediately.

“First day of preseason,” said Bobchin. “Our first workout. It was hard.” more

PHS Track Competes Hard at County Meet, Laying Foundation for Success This Spring

SPOILS OF VICTORY: Princeton High girls’ track star Kendall Williamson shows off the medals she earned for winning the 55-meter dash and the 200 at the Mercer County Championships last weekend at the Bennett Center in Toms River. Sophomore Williamson’s heroics helped the PHS girls’ squad take fourth in the team standings at the event won by Lawrenceville.

By Justin Feil

Ben Samara saw championship potential in the Princeton High School girls track and field team four years ago.

Now the Tigers are trying to gear up to make that a possible come spring.

“I like to make bold predictions and way back when this senior class came in as freshmen, I started calling it the ‘2020 Plan,’” said PHS head coach Samara.

“We were going to round this group out and go after a county or sectional title. Over the last few years, we’ve had some heartbreak losing some of our athletes to things outside of track, or unavoidable things, but we’ve managed to loop in some of these freshmen and sophomores that came even after we started talking. That’s kept this 2020 Plan on track. We’re really, really excited for the spring and quietly confident we can make that plan a reality.” more

Passing Test with Victory Over Lawrence, PHS Girls’ Swimmers Primed for Counties

FLYING HIGH: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Cami Davis shows her butterfly form in a meet earlier this season. Last week, Davis won the 50 freestyle and took second in the 100 butterfly to help PHS defeat Lawrence 97-73 and improve to 10-2. In upcoming action, the Tigers will be competing in the Mercer County Championships from January 30-February 1 at WW/P-North. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For the Princeton High girls’ swimming team, its meet at Lawrence High last week was a good test as it girds for the Mercer County Championships.

“We had very similar records going into it; they were 8-2 and we were 9-2,” said PHS head coach Carly Misiewicz reflecting on the January 21 meet.

“I knew they had a really strong team this year; they have a really good group of freshman girls. I knew it was going to be a challenge.”

PHS proved to be up to the challenge, posting a 97-73 win over the Cardinals.

“It was nice to come out on top,” said Misiewicz. “We always had a cushion. Maybe they would take first in an event and we are going two-three-four.” more

Joining PHS Boys’ Swimming for the Homestretch, Gifted Freshman Baytin Making Immediate Impact

By Bill Alden

Daniel Baytin didn’t waste any time making an impact for the Princeton High boys’ swimming team.

Joining the squad in January for the homestretch of the season, freshman Baytin has emerged as a force for PHS.

He won both the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke to help PHS defeat Notre Dame 92-78 on January 17 and then repeated that double win against Lawrence last week to help the Tigers pull away to a 94-76 victory over the Cardinals and improve to 11-1.

Baytin has found a home with the PHS program. “I really like Princeton High in general,” said the 6’4 Baytin, who competes year-round for the X-Cel Swimming club and also stars in summer meets for the Nassau Swim Club Lemmings. more

PDS Boys’ Hockey Tops Lawrenceville 3-2 in OT As Senior Cecila Comes Through with Golden Goal

GOLDEN GOAL: Princeton Day School boys’ hockey player Chris Cecila controls the puck last Thursday evening as PDS faced Lawrenceville at Hobey Baker Rink. Senior defenseman Cecila scored the winning goal as the Panthers prevailed 3-2 in overtime against the Big Red. PDS, who defeated Malvern Prep (Pa.) 3-2 last Monday to improve to 6-8-1, play at Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) on January 29 and host Seton Hall Prep on January 31. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Chris Cecila hadn’t scored a goal all season as he hit the ice for the Princeton Day School boys’ hockey team last Thursday evening when it hosted Lawrenceville at Hobey Baker Rink.

By the end of the night, senior defenseman Cecila was gliding on the ice for a curtain call demanded by the throng of PDS students on hand after he broke through with his first goal to give the Panthers a riveting 3-2 win in overtime against the Panthers.

For Cecila, getting the winning tally in the heated rivalry was a dream come true. “I could not have dreamt what happened here,” said Cecila.

“It was our last opportunity. I just wanted us to get the win for the fans because they are incredible.”

It took an incredible effort for the Panthers to overcome the powerful Big Red as they battled back from deficits of 1-0 and 2-1 to ultimately force overtime in a frenzied atmosphere that saw the student sections from each school standing, cheering, and pounding on the glass throughout the contest. more

With Evaldi Starring at Both Ends of the Ice, Hun Boys’ Hockey Battling Through Injuries

ALL OVER THE ICE: Hun School boys’ hockey player Eddie Evaldi brings the puck up the ice last Wednesday as Hun hosted the Portledge School (N.Y.). Playing both defenseman and center, junior star Evaldi scored two goals in the game but it wasn’t enough as Portledge prevailed 5-3. The Raiders, who defeated Notre Dame 11-3 last Monday to improve to 6-8-2, host St. Joe’s Prep (Pa.) on January 29 and St. Augustine on January 31 before playing at Gloucester Catholic on February 3. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Eddie Evaldi’s long-sleeve compression T-shirt was sweat-soaked and he was short of breath standing in the lobby of Ice Land Skating Center after the Hun School boys’ hockey team hosted the Portledge School (N.Y.) last Wednesday.

The junior star had reason to be fatigued as he took shifts on both offense and defense and was all over the ice as Hun battled valiantly in falling 5-3 to Portledge.

The versatile Evaldi has been relishing his double duty. “My role is basically just do whatever the coach [Ian McNally] wants me to do; I am out there a lot,” said Evaldi.

“For the first part of the game I was centering the two lines and I was playing some shifts at defense. In the second part of the game I went back to the defense. It is like that every single game; I love it.” more

January 22, 2020

Celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.

The Princeton University Chapel Choir performs at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service of Recommitment on Sunday morning at Princeton University Chapel. The service was one of many area events honoring Dr. King’s legacy. (Photo by Erica M. Cardenas)

Watson Coleman, Benjamin Lead King Celebration

2020 VISION: Princeton University Professor of African American Studies Ruha Benjamin urged a standing-room-only crowd of 150 to “look beyond the symptoms to the root causes of what ails us as a society” at the Arts Council of Princeton’s Martin Luther King Jr. celebration on Monday morning.

By Donald Gilpin

An overflow crowd of about 150 packed into the Arts Council of Princeton’s (ACP) Solley Theater Monday morning to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to hear speeches by Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman and Princeton University Professor of African American Studies Ruha Benjamin.

“This is a day when we ask ‘What have I done to make the world a better place?’” said ACP Interim Executive Director Jim Levine in welcoming the visitors and introducing the speakers. “We are gathered here to celebrate the life of a man who gave his life to make the world a better place.”

Watson Coleman and Benjamin had some ideas on making the world a better place. “Love trumps hate all the time,” said Watson Coleman in emphasizing the country’s need for King’s message. “He spoke up against evil when he saw it. He tried to motivate us to understand that we were all in this together.” more

Steel Beam From 9/11 To Be Installed at PFARS Headquarters

A PERMANENT MEMORIAL: From left: Princeton Fire & Rescue Squad (PFARS) President Mark Freda, Engine Company No. 1 President William Shields, and former Princeton Fire Department Deputy Chief Roy James have been working to make the installation of a 9/11 memorial at the PFARS site a reality. The steel beam, a remnant of the World Trade Center attacks, has been displayed inside Engine Company No. 1 for the past few years.

By Anne Levin

Eight years ago, Roy James first broached the idea of bringing a nine-foot fragment of steel, salvaged from the World Trade Center, to Princeton. James, who is the former deputy chief of the Princeton Fire Department, wanted to create a permanent memorial to those who perished when the twin towers were destroyed on September 11, 2001.

The proposal has been met with significant roadblocks since that time. But current plans call for the twisted fragment to be permanently installed outside the new headquarters of Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad (PFARS) on Mt. Lucas Road. A spot has been reserved for the beam, and a fundraising campaign is underway.

“We’ve waited all these years, and we wanted to make sure it’s done right,” James said this week. “To us, it’s a monument for many people who lost their lives that day, and after.”

Nine people from Princeton died on 9/11. James’ wife, who used to work at the World Trade Center, could have been one of them. But pregnant and on bed rest at the time, she stayed home that day. James was haunted by the possibility of what could have been — not just for his wife, but for numerous people he spoke with who, for various reasons, didn’t go to work that day and avoided the disaster.

A motorcyclist, James began taking part in memorial rides to commemorate the disaster. He and William D. Shields, who is president of Princeton Engine Company No. 1 on Chestnut Street, rode together in one of them and were struck by the surges of support from those who lined the sides of the roads they passed through. more

PPS Holds Community Forum Saturday; All Invited to Help Shape District Plans

By Donald Gilpin

Projected to grow by several hundred students over the next five years, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) is planning for the future and has invited everyone to a community forum on Saturday, January 25 from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Princeton High School (PHS) cafeteria.

The forum will be led by consultants from Milone & MacBroom (M&M), a planning firm hired last fall for $140,000, which has been reviewing the district’s enrollment projections, facility needs, and educational programs. During the forum M&M will share their findings and then facilitate small group discussions to hear about the community’s goals and priorities.

In the coming months, M&M plans to collaboratively generate a vision for the district schools and, by early June, to provide a range of recommendations that are educationally and economically sound.

With the ongoing issues of tight budgets and overcrowding, and PPS still in the process of implementing construction and maintenance projects associated with a $26.9M December 2018 referendum bond issue, Saturday’s forum promises a large turnout with plenty to talk about.

In seeking to encourage as much participation as possible in the planning process, PPS has widely disseminated information and publicity for Saturday’s forum. “There are no preconceived outcomes to this process,” said PPS Superintendent Steve Cochrane at a meeting last month. “We will be generating and considering multiple options collectively as a community.” BOE President Beth Behrend emphasized the Board’s focus on “data-based decision-making.” more

Popular Morven Series Will Feature Grand Homes from Maine to Palm Beach

HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVED: Dumbarton Oaks, a mansion in Washington, D.C., that housed the conference resulting in the formation of the United Nations, is the first to be profiled in Morven’s Grand Homes & Gardens Distinguished Speakers Series beginning February 27.

By Anne Levin

Last year’s Grand Homes & Gardens Distinguished Speakers Series at Morven Museum was such a success that it has returned for a second season. This year’s talks, to be held at 6:30 p.m. the evenings of February 27 and March 5, 10, and 19, will take participants from the Rockefeller Gardens in Seal Harbor, Maine and fabled Newport, Rhode Island, to Dumbarton Oaks in Washington, D.C., and Henry Flagler’s Palm Beach, Florida, estate.

“Launched just last year, the series quickly became a favorite with armchair travel to some of the most sumptuous estates in the country,” said Morven’s Executive Director Jill Barry. “Each speaker brings the inside story to our guests with visuals that will make you long to see them in person.”

First on the schedule is “Dumbarton Oaks: Home & Garden of Humanities.” The stately brick mansion, site of the conference where world leaders gathered to form the United Nations in 1944, is now a research institute, library, museum, and garden affiliated with the Faculty of Arts and Sciences of Harvard University. The estate was originally the residence and spectacular garden of Robert Woods Bliss and his wife, Mildred Barnes Bliss, who donated it to Harvard in 1940. Dumbarton Oaks Director Jan M. Ziolkowski will speak on the Blisses’ world-class collection of Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art, and the historic garden, which was designed by Beatrix Jones Farrand, known locally for her years as consulting landscape architect at Princeton University. more

Princeton Follows Up on Resolution To Protect, Support Migrant Families

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Council’s passage of a resolution last week calling on the White House, Congress, and the state of New Jersey “to reunify migrant families, release them from detention, and afford them due process in immigration proceedings” was a significant statement of support, and it may be just a preliminary step in making Princeton a truly “welcoming” community.

“I, like so many others across the nation, have been horrified at the inhumane treatment of migrants at our borders, in detention centers, and in the interior of the country,” said Afsheen Shamsi, who drafted the resolution with help from Farrin Anello at the ACLU-NJ and Adil Ahmed at Make the Road NJ. “I believe that we all have an obligation to speak up against this injustice and to call on our elected officials at every level to reunify migrant families and allow them to go through immigration proceedings with legal representation.”

She continued, “This is an issue for every person of conscience, every business, every corporation, every institution, and all of our elected officials. We all need to raise our voices, and I am so grateful to Mayor Lempert and all of our leaders in Council for raising their voices. Princeton is truly a wonderful community due to our leadership on the fair, just, humane, and inclusive treatment of migrants in our community.”

A copy of the resolution has been sent to the Mercer County freeholders, the 16th District New Jersey assemblymen and senator, Governor Phil Murphy, U.S. Representative Bonnie Watson Coleman, U.S. Senators Cory Booker and Robert Menendez, and President Donald Trump. more