WORLD-CLASS NJ AI HUB: Gov. Phil Murphy and Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber have announced that Microsoft and CoreWeave will join the state of New Jersey and Princeton University as founding partners in the NJ AI Hub to be located on Alexander Road in West Windsor. (Rendering courtesy of Janisak Biddle Architects)
By Donald Gilpin
Princeton University and the state of New Jersey will be joined by two corporate tech giants, Microsoft and CoreWeave, in the creation of a “state-of-the-art” NJ AI Hub, “a collaborative ecosystem that integrates world-class research, innovation, education, and workforce development,” according to an announcement last Friday by Gov. Phil Murphy.
The Hub will be located in space provided by Princeton University at 619 Alexander Road in West Windsor and, the governor’s press release stated, “will help position New Jersey as a leading East Coast center for AI innovation.”
“The addition of Microsoft and CoreWeave as founding partners of the NJ AI Hub demonstrates how government, higher education, and the corporate sector are coming together to advance AI innovation and the regional innovation ecosystem — two of Princeton’s highest priorities,” said Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber. “I’m eager to see many of the state’s other excellent colleges and universities join this effort as its development continues.” more
By Donald Gilpin
In unofficial results from a Tuesday, January 28, special election, Princeton residents cast their ballots in favor of all three parts of a plan that will provide $89.1 million for renovation and expansion in the Princeton Public Schools (PPS).
“This outcome shows that voters understand that the continued success of Princeton Public Schools is vital to the community,” said Interim Superintendent of Schools Kathie Foster. “With these improvements, our district can prepare for growth and prioritize the neighborhood elementary schools and innovative educational experiences that our community values.”
Expressing her gratitude for the Princeton voters’ support, PPS Board of Education (BOE) President Dafna Kendal wrote in a February 3 email, “The passage of the three referendum questions will allow us to address capacity issues at several of the schools, ensure the HVAC systems at PHS (Princeton High School) are functioning safely and efficiently, and plan for future student enrollment growth.” more
By Anne Levin

Michelle Pirone Lambros
Michelle Pirone Lambros is running for reelection to Princeton Council, on which she has served since 2020. The primary election is June 10, and the general election takes place on November 4.
Two seats on Council are up for grabs: One held by Lambros; the other by Council President Mia Sacks. While Sacks has yet to formally announce her candidacy, she will be running for reelection, she said Tuesday.
A native of Princeton, Lambros has served as Council’s liaison to Experience Princeton, the Pedestrian Bicycle Advisory Committee, and the Recreation Committee. She chairs the Princeton Public Art Ad Hoc Committee, the Communications Committee, and the Infrastructure and Operations Committee. She is also the Fire Commissioner and serves on the Finance Committee, among others. more
MORVEN GOES MODERN: Mid-century, that is. Philip Johnson’s famous Glass House in New Canaan, Conn., is among four featured in the annual upcoming “Grand Homes & Gardens” series. (Library of Congress Public Domain Image Collection)
By Anne Levin
Over the past five years, staff at Morven Museum & Garden who plan the annual Grand Homes & Gardens lecture series have surveyed audiences about what subjects, and eras, they might like to learn about in the future. More often than not, requests are for the mid-century modern period of architecture and design.
Morven has responded. This year’s series, starting February 26 at 6:30 p.m., is “The Quality of Doing: Mid-Century Modern Grand Homes & Gardens.” Led by four scholars, three of whom will be in person and one via Zoom (all lectures are offered in hybrid format), the series takes viewers from Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House in Connecticut to the experimental Case Study Houses in southern California. more
FEEDING THE COMMUNITY: Volunteers will be working with HomeFront team members in their Choice Market food pantry during HomeFront’s Week of Hope, February 10-15. Members of the community are invited to visit or volunteer for any of the many educational and volunteer activities offered during the week. (Photo courtesy of HomeFront)
By Donald Gilpin
HomeFront’s 2025 Week of Hope starts on February 10 and offers six days full of volunteer and educational events where participants can make a difference in helping local families that are experiencing poverty and homelessness.
“During the Week of Hope, we invite the community to come visit or volunteer, create some community, explore the challenges we face, and learn how you can support what we are doing at HomeFront to make a difference,” said HomeFront CEO Sarah Steward. more
By Anne Levin
When novelist Jodi Picoult sits down for a chat with Princeton University English Professor Sophie Gee at Princeton Public Library on February 13, the focus will be on William Shakespeare rather than Picoult’s own impressive output of some 29 bestselling books.
A graduate of Princeton’s Class of 1987, Picoult will be in town to take part in an episode of Gee’s podcast “The Secret Life of Books,” which Gee will be recording in the library’s Community Room.
The public is invited. While Picoult will not be signing copies of her latest book, By Any Other Name, she and Gee will be available to answer questions at the conclusion of the podcast. more
By Stuart Mitchner
Let the devil play it!
—Franz Schubert (1797-1828)
The finale to Schubert’s Wanderer Fantasy, based on his song “Der Wanderer,” has been described as “technically transcendental” with a “thunderous” conclusion. It was also infamously difficult to play, so deviously demanding that Schubert himself reportedly threw up his hands during a recital and yelled “Let the devil play it!”
I’m beginning this article on Schubert’s birthday, Friday January 31, looking ahead to the Wednesday, February 5 birthday of William Burroughs (1914-1997), who ventured into “Let the devil play it” territory when he linked the killing of his common-law wife Joan Vollmer to “the invader, the Ugly Spirit,” which “maneuvered me into a lifelong struggle, in which I have had no choice except to write my way out.” According to his introduction to Queer (Penguin 1985), Vollmer’s death during the drunken William Tell fiasco of September 6, 1951, opened the way to his breakthrough work Naked Lunch — if you believe him when he says he’d never have become a writer “but for Joan’s death.”
In a January 1965 Paris Review conversation reprinted in Writers at Work: The Third Series (Viking Compass), Burroughs frames the killing in the context of guns and gun violence in Mexico City, recalling it, as if offhandedly, “And I had that terrible accident with Joan Vollmer, my wife. I had a revolver that I was planning to sell to a friend. I was checking it over and it went off — killed her. A rumor started that I was trying to shoot a glass of champagne from her head, William Tell style. Absurd and false.”
He can’t say “I killed her” or even “it killed her.” Just “killed her.” The suggestion that “it just went off” is coming from a lifelong gun owner; witnesses at the scene not only agree about the William Tell scenario but remember Joan jesting just before the shot was fired: “I’m turning my head; you know I can’t stand the sight of blood.” more
AERIAL PERFORMANCE: At McCarter Theatre, a world premiere by choreographer Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman is on, and above, the stage February 7 and 8.
Noli Timere, which is Latin for “be not afraid,” is a world premiere spectacle coming to McCarter’s Berlind Theatre for three performances February 7 and 8. The production is the result of a five-year collaboration between choreographer and Princeton University Professor Rebecca Lazier and sculptor Janet Echelman.
Presented in partnership with the University’s Lewis Center for the Arts, this aerial performance fuses contemporary dance, avant-garde circus, and large-scale sculpture “to explore the fragile interconnectedness of our world,” according to a press release. Set to an original score by French Canadian composer Jorane, the piece features eight multidisciplinary performers soaring up to 25 feet in the air within the net sculpture. more
CHORAL CONDUCTOR: Donald Nally is now the head of choral studies for Westminster Choir College of Rider University. (Photo by Charles Grove)
Donald Nally ’87 has been named director of choral studies for Westminster Choir College of Rider University. The three-time Grammy Award winner joined the full-time faculty this fall as conductor of the Westminster Choir and the Westminster Symphonic Choir and head of the graduate conducting program.
In his new role, he will guide undergraduate and graduate students and help set the trajectory for the College’s choral ensembles. He will continue to work with graduate conducting students in the Master of Music program. Nally studied with Joseph Flummerfelt and earned his Master of Music degree from Westminster Choir College. more
In a concert sponsored by Princeton University Concerts (PUC), the Takács String Quartet and pianist Sir Stephen Hough will come to Richardson Auditorium to perform a program of music by Beethoven, Brahams, and Hough on Thursday, February 20 at 7:30 p.m.
This will be Hough’s long-awaited PUC debut and the Takács String Quartet’s 10th PUC concert. The program features Beethoven’s String Quartet in F Major, Op. 18, No. 1; Brahms’ Quintet in F Minor for Piano and Strings, Op. 34; and Hough’s Les Six Rencontres, which he wrote specifically for the Takács Quartet. Part of the ensemble’s 50th anniversary season, the artists are bringing this program only to PUC and to The Royal Conservatory in Toronto. more
INTRIGUE AND MORE: J.B. Priestley’s “Dangerous Corner” is on stage at ActorsNET in Morrisville, Pa., through February 16. Pictured are actors Nicholas Pecht and Alyssa Capel.
ActorsNET presents J. B. Priestley’s thought-provoking drama Dangerous Corner, running through February 16 at the Heritage Center in Morrisville, Pa. Described as “a masterful exploration of time, truth, and the consequences of our choices,” the drama, which is one of Priestley’s “time plays,” invites audiences on a journey of revelation and intrigue.
“This ‘time play’ focuses on the fact that all our actions and choices have a ripple effect on those around us, like tossing a stone into a pond,” said Director Cat Milone. “Sometimes, if the stone lands differently, even ever-so-slightly, the impact could ripple out in an entirely different way and change the course of our lives and those around us. I think that’s something we can all relate to. Everyone has a moment in their lives where they think, ‘if only this one small thing had been different, I might not be where I am today.’” more

Renée Fleming
(Photo by Andrew Eccles)
The Princeton Symphony Orchestra (PSO) has announced that soprano Renée Fleming will perform at the 2025 Princeton Festival on Saturday, June 7 in a concert led by music director Rossen Milanov.
Fleming’s appearance is part of the annual festival’s opening weekend. This year’s event, on the grounds of Morven Museum and Garden, runs June 6-21.
“Renée Fleming is an extraordinary artist, beloved by audiences around the world,” said PSO Executive Director Marc Uys. “It is a singular honor to present her at the Princeton Festival. Hearing her voice in the intimate setting of our Festival pavilion, surrounded by the beautiful gardens and summer evening sky, will be pure magic.” more
CALLING ALL SWIFTIES: Traci Marie stars in a live show that pays tribute to Taylor Swift’s recent tour, at State Theatre New Jersey on February 14.
State Theatre New Jersey presents “Are Your Ready For It? A Taylor Experience Starring Traci Marie,” paying tribute to Taylor Swift’s iconic Eras Tour on Friday, February 14 at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $25-$49.
The show features a live band tribute to the most successful tour in music history. Swift has been ranked by Billboard as one of the greatest artists of all time, alongside other legends like the Beatles, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. Swift has proven herself as a music icon, being the first and only artist to win a Grammy for Album of the Year four years in a row. more
“I’LL MAKE ME A WORLD”: Works by Clifford Ward are coming to Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton May 18 through January 11, 2026. A “Prologue” exhibition is on view at Artworks Trenton now through April 12.
This spring, Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton will present “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World,” an exhibition guest curated by Noah Smalls, in the Museum Building from May 18 through January 11, 2026. Spanning over a decade of creative work, much of which was created at Clifford Ward’s studio on the GFS campus, this exhibition presents a rich tapestry of themes and concepts in his expansive practice. Ward is inspired by a diverse array of cultural influences, including contributions from the African diaspora, Australian Aboriginal people, and Native American and Maori cultures.
His work often explores geometry, Cubism, mythology, and anthropomorphism. Together, these myriad influences, themes and concepts transcend temporal and geographical confines, resonating with the collective human experience. more
“THE FLOWER SHOW”: This work by local artist Catherine J. Martzloff is featured in “Held Together,” her solo exhibition on view at the Nassau Club through June 5. An opening reception is on Sunday, February 16 from 3 to 5 p.m.
“Held Together” featuring works by local artist Catherine J. Martzloff, is on view at the Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, through June 5. The exhibition explores themes of resilience, renewal, and the beauty found in piecing life’s fragments back together.
“Held Together” features still lifes and reassembled compositions, blending vibrant hues with familiar objects — pitchers, bowls, and vessels — transformed through layered brushstrokes and unexpected color pairings. These paintings honor the quiet strength required to mend life’s pieces and celebrate the potential for fresh beginnings. more
Isles, Inc., a community development and environmental organization, has announced a request for proposals (RFP) for artists to design and complete an innovative mural project in Trenton’s Old Trenton Neighborhood. The project aims to transform a vacant lot at Perry and Montgomery streets into an engaging community space through public art.
The selected artist or team will create a mural on a 20-foot wide by 8-foot-high freestanding structure. The project, budgeted between $2,500-$3,000, emphasizes community engagement and seeks to uplift the neighborhood through creative expression.
“This mural project represents our ongoing commitment to revitalizing Trenton’s neighborhoods through arts and community engagement,” said Tyquan Benton, project manager at Isles. “We’re looking for artists who can not only create compelling visual art but also engage with community members in the creative process.” more

Dan Aubrey
The life and loves of noted ninth century beauty Annette Savage will be the topic of a talk on Saturday, February 9, 2 to 4 p.m., at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. Titled “Le Jeu de l’Amour,” the program, led by journalist and writer Dan Aubrey, will explore how Napoleon’s brother and former King of Spain, Joseph Bonaparte, and his American mistress, Annette Savage, found passion and pain in the Trenton and Bordentown region of New Jersey.
Savage was 18 when she met Bonaparte. He had fled Europe following Napoleon’s defeat and arrived in her native Philadelphia. The year was 1818. Savage accompanied Bonaparte when he moved to the Trenton/Bordentown region to build his Point Breeze mansion and estate.
The couple became the parents of two daughters. The eldest, Pauline, was killed in an accident in 1823 and is buried at St. Michael’s Episcopal Church in downtown Trenton. She was later recognized as a member of French royalty. Although Bonaparte ended the romantic liaison with Savage, he continued to support and communicate with her until his death in 1844. Savage died in 1865. more
“UNCANNY VALLEY OF EVERYDAY LIFE”: Works by Princeton artist Margaret Koval will be featured at ArtWRKD Gallery in Newtown, Pa., February 7 though February 23.
ArtWRKD Gallery in Newtown, Pa., presents “The Uncanny Valley of Everyday Life,” artist Margaret Koval’s debut solo exhibition with the gallery, February 7 through February 23. This series of new paintings offers an exploration of the disquieting and surreal landscape of contemporary America, presenting an arresting gaze into the deep strangeness of where we live now.
The disquiet starts with the paintings themselves, which both depict and embody the show’s title. Executed with oils on high-grade burlap, their physical presence tricks the eye into seeing textiles — tapestries, needlepoints, or thread-worn rugs. Paint is slathered onto the back of the canvas and forced through the open-weave material. What extrudes out the front appears as loops of yarn, colored threads, or sometimes like the rematerialized pixels of the digital photographs which are the source material for much of Koval’s imagery. more
TAKING A DIP: This young swimmer is developing her aquatic skills under the careful guidance of an experienced instructor at the Goldfish Swim School – Princeton. “The water in the pool is salt-generated into chlorine, and this is gentler on the skin. Nex-Gen chlorine generators produce liquid chlorine from salt,” says BillieJo Goudy, general manager and safety coordinator.
By Jean Stratton
It’s never too soon to get into the water!
That is the underlying principle of Goldfish Swim School — Princeton, which teaches children from 4 months to 12 years old to swim.
The sooner children get into the water, the better. This helps them to overcome any fear they may have, points out BillieJo Goudy, general manager and safety coordinator of Goldfish Swim School – Princeton, located at 311 Nassau Park Boulevard, Unit 5. more
INDIVIDUAL ACHIEVEMENT: Princeton University women’s squash star Zeina Zein, left, enjoys the moment with Princeton head coach Gail Ramsay after she won the College Squash Association (CSA) individual national championship last week in New York City. Sophomore Zein topped Stanford’s Riya Navani 3-0 (16-14, 11-4, 11-8) in the final which took place on January 28 at Grand Central Station. Zein is the first Tiger individual champion since 2001, when Julia Beaver ’01 won the last of her three national titles. The national individual championship trophy is named the Ramsay Cup after coach Ramsay who won the national title in all four years of her collegiate career at Penn State. (Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)
By Justin Feil
It was still early in the season and early in her career, but Zeina Zein captured her first women’s College Squash Association (CSA) individual national championship last week.
The Princeton University sophomore from Alexandria, Egypt, avenged a pair of earlier losses to become the first Tiger champion since 2001 when Julia Beaver ’01 won the last of her three national titles. Zein’s Princeton teammates made the trip up from school to see her finish off Stanford’s Riya Navani in three games — 16-14, 11-4, 11-8 — at Grand Central Station in New York on January 28. more
SENIOR MOMENT: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Travis Petrone looks to pass the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, Petrone tallied four points and had four assists on his Senior Day as PHS fell 69-46 to Sayreville. The Tigers, who moved to 2-16 with the loss, are starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week where they were seeded 12th and slated to play at fifth-seeded Ewing in a first round contest in February 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
As Travis Petrone was honored last Saturday afternoon during the Senior Day ceremony for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team, his thoughts turned to elementary school.
“Senior Day was awesome, it is one of the last times I will ever get to go on the basketball court with my childhood friends Jonny Feldman and Griffin Ettenberg,” said senior guard Petrone. “I have been friends with them and playing basketball with them since the first grade. It is awesome to start a varsity game with them.”
Petrone and his teammates knew they faced an awesome challenge taking on Sayreville who brought a 15-2 record into the contest. more
SPEARHEADING SUCCESS: Princeton High girls’ hockey player Cassie Speir controls the puck in recent action. Last Monday, senior star Speir tallied two goals and an assist as PHS defeated Newark East Side 4-0 in the quarterfinal round of the Annis Cup. The Tigers, who improved to 4-6 with the win, will play at Madison in the Annis Cup semis on February 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
Standing just off the ice at Hobey Baker Rink, Cassie Speir was overcome with emotion last week as she reflected on playing her final regular season game in the building for the Princeton High girls’ hockey team.
“My sister is a sophomore and she became the team manager because we are really close, I am going to miss her a lot next year,” said Speir with her voice cracking and tears coming to her eyes. “It is an amazing rink and I am so lucky to play here.” more
OH YES: Princeton University women’s hockey player Emerson O’Leary tracks down the puck in recent action. Last Friday, junior forward O’Leary tallied the game-winning goal and had two assists as Princeton defeated Dartmouth 3-2 in overtime. The Tigers, who defeated Harvard 2-0 last Saturday to improve to 16-8-1 overall and 10-7-1 ECAC Hockey, play at Clarkson on February 7 and at St. Lawrence on February 8. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)
By Bill Alden
Emerson O’Leary has emerged as a key playmaker for the Princeton University women’s hockey team.
Skating on a line with Issy Wunder and Mackenzie Alexander, junior forward O’Leary was second on the team in assists with 22 coming into last Friday’s game against Dartmouth. more
SENIOR MOMENT: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Travis Petrone looks to pass the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, Petrone tallied four points and had four assists on his Senior Day as PHS fell 69-46 to Sayreville. The Tigers, who moved to 2-16 with the loss, are starting play in the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) Tournament this week where they were seeded 12th and slated to play at fifth-seeded Ewing in a first round contest in February 4. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
By Bill Alden
As Travis Petrone was honored last Saturday afternoon during the Senior Day ceremony for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team, his thoughts turned to elementary school.
“Senior Day was awesome, it is one of the last times I will ever get to go on the basketball court with my childhood friends Jonny Feldman and Griffin Ettenberg,” said senior guard Petrone. “I have been friends with them and playing basketball with them since the first grade. It is awesome to start a varsity game with them.” more