NEW HOTEL IN TOWN: The Graduate by Hilton Princeton, which has an entrance on Chambers Street, opened in August and doubled the number of hotel rooms in town. It is one of many new businesses that opened in 2024.(Photo by Andrew Frasz)
By Donald Gilpin and Anne Levin
In 2024 Princeton saw another year of major ongoing construction projects, accompanied by a certain amount of controversy; 15 new businesses coming to town; a sharp focus and significant progress on environmental issues; a more peaceful year than last in the Princeton Public Schools; a year of accomplishments along with a certain amount of turbulence at Princeton University; and an abundance of both hope and fear for the new year.
The opening of the Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel and the Triumph Restaurant & Brewery, the completion of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project in downtown Princeton, and the final stages of the Alice and Avalon Princeton construction on Harrison Street near the Princeton Shopping Center were major development milestones, and the approval of a PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement with Herring Properties for construction of apartments on the former Princeton Theological Seminary property suggests that the building momentum will be continuing into 2025 and beyond.
There were demonstrations in town, most significantly in support of Princeton’s immigrant community following a July 10 raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, and on the Princeton University campus, where the Gaza Solidarity Encampment occupied McCosh Courtyard then Cannon Green for a total of about three weeks.
A December 19 discussion at the Nassau Presbyterian Church on “Strengthening Rights in Immigration, Healthcare, Environment, and Law,” with a panel including some of New Jersey’s leading officials, reflected both priorities and concerns that Princeton and the state carry into the coming year.
WORTH THE WAIT: What used to be Princeton’s post office on Palmer Square has been transformed after an extensive renovation into the sleek new location of Triumph Restaurant & Brewery. (Photo by Anthony Stull)
Development and Construction
If 2023 was the year when parts of downtown Princeton resembled a construction site, 2024 was the year when things began to get back to normal. While there is still plenty of building going on, most of it is taking place outside of the Central Business District.
The much-anticipated Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel at 10 Chambers Street finally opened in August and became an immediate hit with visitors and locals, many of whom had suffered from traffic tie-ups and road closings due to the extended construction. The hotel was the first to open in Princeton since the Nassau Inn began operations nearly 90 years ago.
The newest of the collegiate-inspired Graduate chain, which was acquired last spring by Hilton, the hotel’s memorabilia-filled lobby has been welcoming to all. Ye Tavern, the lobby restaurant named after a bar said to have been located in the spot nearly a century ago, is especially popular.
The hotel encompasses 20 Nassau Street, a former office building that dates from 1918, and a large section behind it on Chambers Street, where smaller structures were demolished to make room for new construction. The demolition and construction process took longer than expected, but most agree that it was worth the headaches and the wait.
A few blocks away at the site of the former post office on Palmer Square, Triumph Restaurant & Brewery welcomed its first guests at the end of June after an extensive renovation, and has been going strong ever since. Originally built in 1934, the post office was targeted for closing in 2013. Two years later, it was relocated to a smaller location behind the 7-Eleven on eastern Nassau Street.
That made room for the move of Triumph from its previous home, a former bowling alley on Nassau Street, to the historic post office site. The Planning Board gave its approval in 2017, but it was another seven years before the sleek new restaurant could open its doors.
About 20 percent of the building has been restored, and about 80 percent completely reconstructed to fit the new needs of a restaurant and brewery. The historic WPA mural, painted in 1939 in the lobby, is on loan from the U.S Postal Service and now illuminated with special lighting.
The municipality announced the official completion of the Witherspoon Street Improvement Project on December 10. The three-phase initiative resurfaced and restriped the roadway, raised crosswalks, widened and repaved sidewalks, and made this main thoroughfare of downtown Princeton tidier and more user-friendly. Parking along the street has been restored, and the speed limit has been lowered, from Nassau Street to Valley Road, to 20 miles per hour. A few tweaks remain, including raingarden plantings and the installation of pedestrian lighting, both scheduled for 2025.
Developer James P. Herring’s plan to build 238 apartments on the former Tennent/Roberts/Whiteley campus of Princeton Theological Seminary took a major step forward on December 19, when Princeton Council voted to approve an ordinance granting Herring Properties a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement. This makes the developer exempt from taxes for 30 to 35 years, during which 95 percent of payments are made to the municipality, and five percent to Mercer County. Herring’s plan includes 48 units that are designated affordable.
The news was welcome to some, unwelcome to others — specifically some residents of the surrounding neighborhood who are members of the Princeton Coalition for Responsible Development. The final plan is still subject to review from the Planning Board.
A proposed development at the other end of town, in the historic Jugtown district, drew considerable concerns in 2023 from residents opposed to the four-story, 20,000-square-foot addition of 15 apartments at the Hornor House, located at the busy corner of Nassau and Harrison streets. In May of this year, the neighbors got a proverbial shot in the arm when Preservation New Jersey included the property on its “10 Most Endangered Historic Places.”
The designation came just a week before the issue was set to go before the town’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) for review. After two hearings, the HPC voted to reject the proposal.
With construction of The Alice and Avalon Princeton on Harrison complexes almost finished, Princeton Shopping Center is morphing from a tired-looking outdoor mall with lots of empty parking spaces into a multi-use neighborhood of market rate and affordable housing. The town’s efforts in this direction were recognized by New Jersey Future in October, which gave the municipality with a Smart Growth Award for “the Terhune Harrison Mixed Use Village.”
One of six initiatives to be so honored, the project was described as “a transformational redevelopment knitting together several residential and commercial sites to form a revitalized suburban mixed-use village with affordable housing.” And speaking of affordable housing, the fourth-round obligations of New Jersey’s fair housing laws were released in October. Princeton’s goal was set at 276, to be built by 2036. Cranes and construction vehicles have also been busy this year at the former site of SAVE animal shelter on Herrontown Road, where 64 affordable units are being built.
HALLOWEEN SPOOKTACULAR: Pumpkin painting was among the children’s activities at the annual event on October 19 in the courtyard of the Princeton Shopping Center. Trick-or-treating, live music, a pet costume contest, balloon artists, and more were also featured. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Retail and Restaurants
According to Experience Princeton’s annual report for 2024, 15 new businesses were welcomed to Princeton this year. Among them: eateries Pastiamo, J.S. Foodies, and the Princeton Shopping Center Starbucks outlet, which took the place of the former Bon Appetit gourmet store. The 300 Witherspoon location of Sakrid Coffee closed during the year, but the 20 Nassau Street café remains open and highly popular, especially with its proximity to the Graduate by Hilton Princeton hotel.
Lilly Pulitzer, Hermès, and Faherty added to the high-end fashion offerings on Palmer Square. Alo, which sells luxury activewear, brought the former Kitchen Kapers site, empty since the pandemic, back to life.
Municipal Actions
Princeton Council’s approval in January to consolidate the Civil Rights Commission, the Human Services Commission, and the Affordable Housing Board into one single committee was controversial, to say the least. Emotions ran high among some who had served on those committees, and Council members endeavored to assure them that the goal was to make dealing with issues of racism, equity, and homelessness more efficient.
The ordinance was amended to change the entity’s name from the Community Services Advisory Committee to the Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing, Human Services, and Racial, Social, and Economic Equity.
Council passed an updated ordinance on outdoor dining in March, replacing the sidewalk cafes ordinance dating back to 1974. The new measure recognizes changes brought on by such factors as the widening of sidewalks on Witherspoon Street, and the increased demand for outdoor dining that was particularly strong during the COVID-19 pandemic. The approval applies to thoroughfares other than Nassau Street, which is overseen by the New Jersey Department of Transportation since it is a state right of way.
A discussion by Council in October about revitalizing Hinds Plaza raised concerns among Council members and the public, who like the 20-year-old plaza just fine as it is. The consultant Arterial LLC’s report suggesting removal of the honey locust trees in the plaza was particularly distressing to some. Additional proposals included providing more space for public events by extending the square to the edge of Witherspoon Street, a new stage for performances or speeches, and moveable seating. Work will continue on the redesign before any action is considered.
Another proposal that raised hackles was the vote by Council to remove the informational kiosks on Nassau Street at the intersections with Witherspoon Street and Vandeventer Avenue. At an October meeting, some members of Council spoke in favor of taking away the “eyesores,” which are papered with messages and announcements, and replacing them with some sort of digital displays. But others expressed concerns about first amendment concerns.
During a public hearing at the next meeting, several residents spoke up against the idea, citing the free speech issue. While no final decision has been made about how the kiosks will be replaced, Councilwoman Michelle Pirone Lambros assured the public at a recent meeting that their concerns were being considered.
Council approved a resolution in late November to pay for the study of the Princeton Fire Department’s headquarters at 363 Witherspoon Street. On the list are future space needs, environmental issues, HVAC and ADA-compliance issues, accommodations for staff, and more. Since it opened in 1992, the building has had leaks and other problems. A concept plan is expected to be completed within six months.
The November 15 ribbon-cutting on Princeton’s newest open space preserve, the 153-acre expanse formerly known as the Lanwin tract, was a proud moment for local government and environmental officials. Located in the northwest corner of Princeton, with frontage on Province Line and Cherry Valley roads, the parcel was at one time targeted for a housing development. But through an agreement struck in October 2021 between the town, Bryce Thompson, and Lanwin Development, it was acquired for $8.775 million and set aside for conservation and passive recreational use.
The long saga of the future of the Westminster Choir College’s former Walnut Lane campus moved toward closure in October when Council approved the second of two ordinances authorizing the acquisition of the property by the town. Westminster, which is part of Rider University and has been operating from Rider’s Lawrence Township campus, remains the subject of several lawsuits.
Just what the town will do with the site, should the purchase go according to plan, remains to be seen. While some faculty from Westminster Conservatory of Music and the Westminster
Community Orchestra, both of which still operate from the Walnut Lane campus, expressed concerns about the future if the town takes over, Councilmembers reassured them that a proper planning process is in place.
FARM FUN: Children enjoyed riding trikes at Terhune Orchards’ Bunny Trail Spring Festival on April 1. The play area was one of the many attractions at the annual event celebrating spring. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Health Issues
With COVID-19 now considered “endemic,” and managed like other respiratory viruses, public health responses are focusing on routine prevention, most notably vaccinations, and treatment strategies such as Paxlovid, that reduce the severity for high-risk individuals.
It seemed like a healthy year for Princeton with respiratory illnesses increasing as the winter season approached, but the numbers of severe cases remaining relatively low.
In early December Princeton Deputy Administrator/Director of Health Jeff Grosser stated that flu, COVID-19 and RSV numbers are likely to peak in the winter months. RSV activity in New Jersey was recently reported by the New Jersey Department of Health as relatively high, and COVID-19 remains a concern, he said, but “the response to COVID is now integrated into the broader management of seasonal respiratory illnesses.”
Grosser emphasized the importance of vaccinations, “your best defense against severe illness,” along with good hygiene, using proper respiratory etiquette, eating healthy, and getting enough sleep.
He added, “Remember, we’ve made tremendous progress in managing respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, and public health measures continue to improve as we navigate the seasonal peaks.”
SERENITY AFTER THE STORM: Geese and ducks gathered amidst the beauty of the Millstone River after a snowstorm on January 19. (Photo by Melissa Bilyeu)
Sustainability
With predictions of worsening storms and devastation from weather-related events all over the world, concerns about sustainability and resiliency continue to grow. In October, Princeton Council heard a progress report on the town’s five-year-old Climate Action Plan from the nonprofit Sustainable Princeton. Executive Director Christine Symington and other staff members told Council that they were making significant progress in reaching the goals of the plan, specifically in solid waste collection.
The town hired a community compliance officer to help facilitate changes in leaf, branch, and log collection. A Sustainable Homes Expo and eCommuterFest were held during the year.
In response to the loss of more than a million trees due to an invasive insect, the Sourland Conservancy and volunteers have been busy since 2000, installing deer “exclosures” and planting more than 50,000 native trees and shrubs. In 2024, the Conservancy celebrated the planting of its 10,000th oak tree.
CELEBRATING PI DAY PRINCETON: Albert Einstein reenactor Bill Agress, rear, gathered with young participants in the Einstein Look-Alike contest on March 9 at Princeton Public Library. Presented by the Princeton Tour Company, the event was one of many scheduled in honor of Einstein’s birthday, March 14 (3.14) — the numeric equivalent of pi. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Nonprofit Initiatives and Milestones
Princeton-area nonprofit organizations were in the news throughout the year, providing ongoing support, staging popular events, and contributing in many ways to the community’s vibrancy and well-being.
Celebrating major milestones in 2024 were the Princeton Public Library, which observed the 20th anniversary of its move into the new Sands Library Building next to the transformed Hinds Plaza; Morven Museum and Garden, which celebrated its 20th anniversary in May, as well as a number of cultural and historical events throughout the year, culminating in the December Festival of Trees; the Jewish Center, which on May 4 commemorated its “Diamond Jubilee,” 75 years in Princeton; the Watershed Institute, based in Hopewell Township, which marked 75 years of protecting water and the natural environment; and the D&R (Delaware and Raritan) Canal State Park, with its towpath extending from New Brunswick to Trenton and beyond, which celebrated its 50th anniversary with a series of events from March to November.
The Pennington United Methodist Church hosted a year-long celebration of its 250 years in the Pennington area with community worship services, a hymn festival, performances, and receptions.
Princeton Battlefield State Park, with major funding from the state and additional support from the American Battlefield Trust, the Princeton Battlefield Society, and others is underway with the creation of new tourist-friendly historical signage and an array of additional upgrades, as the park prepares for the upcoming 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
Sustainable Princeton was constantly in the news in 2024, working with the schools, residents, businesses, local government, and other organizations, sponsoring a wide range of events throughout Princeton in carrying out its stated “mission to inspire the community to develop and implement solutions that positively impact the environment.”
Among other busy environmental organizations focusing on Princeton in 2024 were Friends of Princeton Open Space, based at the Mountain Lakes Preserve and prioritizing preservation of land and biodiversity in Princeton, and Friends of the Herrontown Woods, “Princeton’s first and most whimsical nature preserve,” both of which carried out a busy year of events and productive initiatives.
CELEBRATING PRIDE: Despite the excessive heat, the annual Princeton Pride Parade, sponsored by the Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice (BRCSJ), made its way from the Municipal Building on Witherspoon Street to an After-Party at the Princeton YMCA on June 22. (Photo courtesy of BRCSJ)
The Bayard Rustin Center for Social Justice offered programs and events supporting the LGBTQIA+ community on a daily basis throughout the year, and in June hosted its sixth annual Pride Parade and After-Party.
For 10 days in August, the Witherspoon-Jackson community hosted its annual Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program, offering a variety of cultural, spiritual, educational, civic, and athletic events honoring local individuals and celebrating the community.
DRIBBLE DRILL: Kamau Bailey led youngsters in a dribbling footwork drill on August 10 at the Joint Effort and Bailey Basketball Academy Youth Basketball Clinic at Princeton Middle School. The skills clinic was part of the annual 10-day Witherspoon-Jackson Joint Effort Princeton Safe Streets Summer Program. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)
Also in the Witherspoon-Jackson district, the Paul Robeson House of Princeton is nearing completion of its extensive renovations and has announced an April opening of what will be an expanding educational and cultural center preserving the Robeson legacy.
MASTER CARVER: Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) fall Artist-in-Residence Nathan Jackson, right, a nationally renowned Alaskan Tlingit artist, worked with his wife, Dorica, on the ACP’s new totem pole at a public carving demonstration on September 20. Made from western red cedar, the 8-foot-high work will permanently reside in the ACP front lobby. (Photo by Jeffrey E. Tryon)
The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) seemed to be generating news stories almost every week throughout the year, with thousands of residents and visitors attending its events, exhibitions, classes, and workshops. The ACP also created several murals on Spring Street and elsewhere for the enjoyment of the community.
The Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action completed another extremely busy, productive year with forums, webinars, demonstrations, conferences, and multifaith services, as well as its candidate briefings and 2024 Peace Voter Guide leading up to the 2024 election.
FINAL TAKEOFF: Princeton High girls’ swimmer Kyleigh Tangen takes off to do the anchor leg in the 400-yard freestyle relay on February 25 as PHS battled Chatham in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) Group B state final at the Rutgers Aquatics Center. Tangen and the Tigers fell just short of a second straight state title as they lost 89-81 to the Cougars to end the winter at 14-1. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)
Princeton Public Schools
Following a rather turbulent year in 2023, Princeton Public Schools (PPS) enjoyed a productive, relatively calm 2024 under the dependable, sure-handed leadership of Interim Superintendent Kathie Foster. With two newly-elected Board of Education (BOE) members stepping up on January 1, the district looks forward to a major Facilities Bond Referendum on January 28, the selection of a new permanent superintendent by the spring, and another year of top-notch teaching and learning, innovation, creativity, and progress.
Foster, who became acting superintendent in late 2023, was, in July 2024, authorized by the BOE and approved by the state to serve as interim superintendent until July 2025. The BOE launched its search for a new superintendent in August, and was reportedly interviewing candidates during the past month. It is expected to share information with the public early in 2025, and to select a new PPS leader by March 2025.
The $89.1 million bond referendum, if approved by voters in the January 28 vote, would address aging infrastructure and space needs as the town anticipates about 1,000 units of new housing in the next several years, with additional population growth and state-mandated development also expected in the near future.
The BOE has provided a number of information sessions, as well as building tours, to help inform the public before the January vote. The proposal calls for expanding and upgrading school buildings at Community Park and Littlebrook elementary schools, expansion and renovation at Princeton Middle School, and renovations at Princeton High School. After reductions through state aid, the referendum is expected to have a tax impact of about $543 annually for the owner of a home at Princeton’s average assessed value of $853,136.
Sustainability was one major theme for the year as PPS announced in September that all six schools had been awarded certification from Sustainable Jersey Schools for their numerous green initiatives, which reduced the schools’ carbon footprint.
MOVING ON: Princeton High School saw 366 seniors graduate on June 14. As the graduation season ended, it was on to summer academic and construction projects at Princeton Public Schools. (Photo courtesy of Princeton Public Schools)
Among the other news stories coming from the Princeton schools were numerous awards and accomplishments by talented students of all ages and their teachers; a new Cor Cordis (the heart of hearts) Center for Exceptional Leadership at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart; and an innovative series of podcasts from Princeton Montessori School, offering practical advice for parents.
Princeton High School 2010 graduate Evan Gershkovich was the focus of one of the biggest local and international news stories of the year. That story reached a happy resolution on August 1, when Gershkovich was released from a Russian prison as part of a prisoner exchange and returned to the United States.
The 33-year old Wall Street Journal reporter, who grew up in Princeton and was co-captain of the PHS boys’ soccer team, had been arrested in March 2023 on charges of espionage that were widely disputed and condemned. He was detained in the notorious Lefortovo Prison for 16 months.
ECLIPSE EXCITEMENT: Hundreds gathered in Palmer Square on April 8 for the Total Solar Eclipse Viewing Experience hosted by the Princeton University Astrophysical Sciences Department, the Council on Science and Technology, and the Office of Science Outreach. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Princeton University
In many ways it was not an unusual year for Princeton University, which remained on top of national rankings. And as University President Christopher L. Eisgruber reported in his “State of the University” letter early in the year, Princeton continued to carry out its exceptional scholarship and research, its ongoing expansion and increasing socioeconomic diversity, the construction of new facilities for the School of Engineering and Applied Science and Environmental Studies, and the Art Museum, as its academic excellence “increased substantially across every segment of its undergraduate population.”
The new Meadows Neighborhood on Washington Road across Lake Carnegie is up and running with a full complement of graduate student housing and athletic teams; Princeton’s professors and students won numerous national and international awards, including Professor John Hopfield’s Nobel Prize in Physics “for foundational discoveries and inventions that enable machine learning with artificial neural networks,” and the University continued to make voluntary contributions to the town of Princeton, totaling about $50 million over the past five years.
CALM ON CANNON GREEN: It was quiet on May 7 at the Gaza Solidarity Encampment at Princeton University, but activity was expected to heat up in the evening as protestors gathered for a rally and town hall meeting. The demonstration continued through mid-May. (Photo by Donald Gilpin)
Princeton University, however, was not immune to turmoil and controversies that arose locally, nationally, and globally — and created some of the major news stories of the year.
For nearly three weeks in late April and early May hundreds of Gaza Solidarity Encampment protesters occupied first McCosh Courtyard, then Cannon Green behind Nassau Hall, and at one point moved into the Clio Hall administration building, where 13 students were arrested.
There were charges of Islamophobia, countered by protests against antisemitism, rallies, lectures, art installations, banners and posters, various gatherings, and a hunger strike as protesters highlighted the Palestinians’ plight. The students were not permitted to sleep outdoors or to set up tents, and the numbers of protesters fluctuated significantly, eventually dwindling with the onset of reading period and final exams, along with the increased involvement of University administrators, who demanded removal of the encampment in time to prepare Cannon Green for official end-of-year events.
By late night on Wednesday, May 15, the encampment had ended, though the student leaders would continue to pursue their demands: 1) for divestment and dissociation from companies involved in Israel’s military and apartheid policies and 2) that charges and disciplinary action against the students who had been arrested be dropped.
This longest demonstration in Princeton’s history was at times disruptive, angry, and less than civil, but it did seem to resolve peacefully and avoid the extremes of protest activity at other universities that resulted in several resignations of university presidents.
In attempting to resolve another issue with wide-ranging reverberations, the Princeton University Board of Trustees announced in October that the statue of founding father and former University President John Witherspoon would not be removed from its prominent place in Firestone Plaza, despite Witherspoon’s ownership of slaves.
The decision followed a debate and deliberation process of more than two years, and still on the table are the questions of whether the statue should be moved from its present location and how it should be “contextualized” with the addition of “a more complex and accurate history” of Witherspoon. The Campus Art Steering Committee is currently considering those questions.
In a clash engaging a substantial impassioned segment of the local populace, the University disputed with community members over its decision to end the lease of the Nassau Swim Club (NSC), located on University-owned land on Springdale Road between the University and the Institute for Advanced Study.
Despite appeals by the NSC Board, a petition signed by more than one thousand locals, and many letters to Town Topics describing the pool as a great asset to the community, the University stood by its decision to terminate the lease in April, citing the NSC’s financial difficulties in recent years, including its failure to make tax payments and meet debt obligations.
“Nassau Swim Club is a Princeton tradition,” wrote one NSC board member, “and has a devoted community of past and present members.”
Another campus controversy culminated on May 14 when Princeton graduate students, reversing what seemed to be an earlier position, voted 652-391 against unionization. The previous week the University’s postdoctoral researchers voted by a margin of 484 to 89 to join a union with the United Auto Workers (UAW).
At Princeton University’s 277th commencement ceremony on May 28 in Princeton Stadium, Eisgruber urged the graduates to “lean into life,” as they, along with the University itself, have surely done and continue to do.
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY P-RADE 2024: Point Marshals Rob Wolk ’91, left, and Bruce McBarnette,’80, center, were among the participants in the annual Reunions Weekend event on May 25. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)
Elections
The presidential election dominated the nation’s headlines in 2024, but locally it was competition for the Board of Education (BOE) of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) that attracted the most interest and passion, in a year when school issues quieted down from the 2023 conflicts over the dismissal of the high school principal and the resignation of the superintendent of schools.
With incumbent BOE members Betsy Baglio and Brian McDonald stepping down and Mara Franceschi running for a second term, the field was open with three seats on the line. Franceschi was the top vote getter, indicating perhaps a vote of confidence for the current BOE, and new candidates Chris Santarpio and Ari Meisel also won three-year BOE terms that start on January 1.
Municipal government elections saw three Democratic candidates running unopposed, with Mark Freda winning another term as mayor, Leighton Newlin another term as Councilman, and McDonald moving to occupy the Council seat held by Eve Niedergang, who had announced that she would be retiring on December 31 after six years in office.
Democratic candidates also came out on top in Princeton’s 12th Congressional District, where Bonnie Watson Coleman coasted to reelection for her sixth term, and in the New Jersey race for the U.S. Senate where Andy Kim defeated Republican candidate Curtis Bashaw.
Princeton voted for presidential candidate Kamala Harris over winner Donald Trump by a 83-16 percent margin, and Harris won the New Jersey electoral votes, but Republicans made substantial gains. The coming year promises to be interesting with all 80 New Jersey Assembly seats up for grabs, and numerous candidates stepping forward to get on the ballot in the governor’s race to follow Phil Murphy, since he is not permitted to run for a third term.
Departures and Appointments
After nearly 25 years with the Princeton Police Department — three as chief — Jon Bucchere retired in August from the force. Taking Bucchere’s place was former Captain Chris Tash. Also retiring this year was Lt. Benjamin Gering. Like Bucchere, Gering first served the department as a patrol officer in 2000.
Effective December 31, Councilwoman Eve Niedergang stepped down from the governing body after two terms in office. Known for her dedication to issues focused on the environment and social justice, Niedergang is continuing her work as a coordinator of volunteers for The Watershed Institute.
In November, Princeton University said farewell to Lou Chen, founder of the Trenton Arts Program (TAP), when he accepted the job of CEO of INTEMPO, a Connecticut nonprofit that engages immigrant families through classical and inter-cultural music education. Chen’s work during his days as an undergraduate with young instrumentalists at Trenton High School was the foundation for the TAP program, which he expanded to include dance, theater, and singing.
Less than six months after former Executive Director Jill Barry departed Morven Museum & Garden, Rhonda DiMascio was named to the post in February. A veteran museum and gardens leader, New Jersey native DiMascio served as executive director of Friends of the Laurel Hill Cemetery in Philadelphia for past four years before taking over at Morven.
Witherspoon Media Group, which encompasses Town Topics newspaper and Princeton Magazine, said farewell to longtime Editor-In-Chief Lynn Adams Smith, who retired at the end of 2024 after 27 years working at the newspaper, and 15 publishing the magazine.
COW SERENADE: Cows were celebrated and honored at the Annual Cow Parade festival at Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrenceville on November 2. The tradition comes from the Swiss Alps, where the cows are brought down from the mountains to the lower pastures each fall, with elaborate decorations. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Losses
Within a few months this past summer, Princeton lost several of its most distinguished personalities. Ingrid Reed, a public policy expert and pioneer in civil rights, passed away on July 27 at the age of 88. Author Landon “Lanny” Jones, former managing editor of People magazine and numerous other publications — the man who coined the phrase “baby boomer” — died on August 17 at age 80. Just a week later on August 24, former Princeton Township mayor and elected official Bernard Miller, who was an aeronautical engineer, died at age 95.
Among the many others with impressive Princeton connections who died during the year were longtime Town Topics Associate Editor Barbara Johnson, Princeton High School fencing coach Aaron Sam Blanchard, Princeton University Professor Paul M. Lion III, photographer Pryde Brown, Princeton University scholar Victor Brombert, Princeton Girlchoir founder Janet Westrick, and pharmaceutical executive David Penman Jacobus.
Also: scholar and physicist Charles Edward Bush, inventor and entrepreneur George A. “Arky” Vaughn III, Princeton Public Schools teacher and coach Norman C. Van Arsdalen, scientist and health policy consultant Richard “Dick” Bergman, opera singer Donald Craig Sheasley, scholar and attorney Richard D. Kuhn, scholar and author Donald Bernard Gibson, and executive and devoted Princeton University alumnus Peter E.B. Erdman.
