COMMUNITIES OF LIGHT: Votive candles cover the steps of the Nassau Presbyterian Church during last year’s community-wide lighting in support of victim-survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Sponsored by Womanspace, the event will take place this year on December 3 and 4. (Photo courtesy of Womanspace)

By Donald Gilpin

Thousands of votive candles will be lighting homes, streets, businesses, and municipal buildings on the nights of December 3 and 4, sending a message of support and solidarity to survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Mercer County.

“Flickering lights throughout Mercer County reflect that we’re here for our survivors, that they’re not alone, and that we support them,” said Womanspace President and CEO Nathalie Nelson. “It’s also to raise awareness, bringing domestic violence and sexual assault out of the darkness and into the light.”

Nelson pointed out that the numbers of victims are increasing, with Womanspace, which is sponsoring this 22nd annual Communities of Light event, having answered 6,777 calls for help so far this year.  more

By Donald Gilpin

In a closely contested Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) election, two challengers, Eleanor Hubbard and Adam Bierman, and an incumbent, Beth Behrend, have won the three available seats, defeating two-term incumbent Michele Tuck-Ponder and challenger Rene Obregon Jr.

Provisional and late mail-in ballots are still being counted, and the outcome will not be official until November 22, when Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello intends to certify the results.

Hubbard was the top vote-getter with 4,120 votes (24.98 percent), followed by Behrend at 3,369 (20.43 percent), Bierman at 3,276 (19.86 percent), Obregon 3,215 (19.49 percent), and Tuck-Ponder 2,514 (15.24 percent). more

By Donald Gilpin

Kathie Foster (Princeton Public Schools)

Kathie Foster has been appointed acting superintendent of the Princeton Public Schools beginning November 14, during the leave of absence of Superintendent Carol Kelley, whose resignation goes into effect August 31, 2024.

Foster, who served as interim principal at Princeton High School (PHS) from March through September this year and as the district’s interim assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction from December 2021 through June 2022, was officially appointed acting superintendent by a 9-0 vote of the Board of Education at a special meeting lasting less than 10 minutes on Monday, November 13. She will be paid a per diem rate of $1,100.

“We know Kathie to be a kind leader, a creative problem-solver, and an effective communicator,” the BOE wrote in a November 8 email to the PPS community. “We are confident that Kathie will keep the best interests of all students at the forefront, and that she will provide experienced and steady leadership to all administrators and staff.”

Foster, who served as superintendent of schools in Robbinsville from 2016 until her retirement in 2020, stepped in as PHS interim principal in March just before spring break, following the sudden dismissal of Frank Chmiel. more

By Donald Gilpin

“I’ve been here for nine years, and I’ve never seen anything like this,” said HomeFront Development and Engagement Director Meghan Cubano, reflecting on her organization’s recent work with thousands of local clients who are suffering from hunger and homelessness.

“Want to help? You can help,” was her theme and the headline of a recent HomeFront flier for Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, which is currently underway at HomeFront and around the country. HomeFront is offering a variety of different events and opportunities at its Lawrenceville and Ewing locations to get informed and to volunteer over the next few days and into the holiday season.

Cubano described the waiting room at HomeFront’s Lawrenceville headquarters, packed with hungry Central New Jersey families waiting for food. “We’re serving about 200 families in four-hour shifts throughout the week,” she said. “In the past year there have been more than 21,000 visits to our choice food pantry, people looking for groceries, produce, meat, dairy, diapers, baby wipes. It’s really about meeting those basic needs.” more

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By Donald Gilpin

With only six of 22 precincts reporting by press time last night, the outcome of the hotly contested race with two incumbents and three challengers vying for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education was uncertain. At press time Eleanor Hubbard had received 1,708 votes, incumbent Beth Behrend 1,532, Adam Bierman 1,378, Rene Obregon Jr. 1,241, and incumbent Michele Tuck-Ponder 1,141.

The unofficial totals so far do not include provisional ballots and some mail-in ballots.

Princeton voters have apparently approved the PPS $13 million facilities bond proposal with a total of 1,908 to 751 votes as tallied at press time.

In the 16th legislative district race for New Jersey state Senate, incumbent Democrat Andrew Zwicker leads his Republican challenger Michael Pappas by 57 percent to 41.6 percent, with Libertarian Richard J. Byrne running a distant third with 1.4 percent out of about 57 percent tallied so far.

With two positions in the state assembly 16th district on the line, incumbent Democrat Roy Freiman, and Mitchelle Drulis, also a Democrat, were leading their Republican rivals Ross Traphagen and Grace Zhang. With about 53 percent of the results in, Freiman had 28.6 percent of the votes, Drulis 28.3 percent, Traphagen 21.5 percent, and Zhang 21.5 percent.

In the race for Mercer County executive, taking the seat of Brian Hughes, who is stepping down at the end of the year after serving in the post for the past 20 years, Democrat Dan Benson seems to be coasting to victory with a lead of 16,590 (82 percent) to 3,489 (17 percent) over Republican Lisa Marie Richford.

In the race for Mercer County sheriff, Democrat John “Jack” Kemler appears to have won a fifth term with 16,459 votes so far, besting Republican Bryan “Bucky” Boccanfuso with 3,292 votes, and Unaffiliated Drew L. Cifrodelli with 273 votes.

The incumbent Democrats on the Mercer County Board of Commissioners also appeared to have held onto their seats, as Lucylle Walter and John Cimino received 16,263 and 16,314 votes respectively to 3,559 and 3,495 votes respectively for their Republican challengers Joseph Stillwell and Denise “Neicy” Turner.

Unopposed Democratic incumbents David Cohen and Leticia Fraga have successfully reclaimed their seats on Princeton Council for a third three-year term.

Update: In unofficial results, Eleanor Hubbard with 3,955 votes, incumbent Beth Behrend with 3,221, and Adam Bierman with 3,181 votes have defeated Rene Obregon Jr., 3,103 votes, and incumbent Michele Tuck-Ponder, 2,399 votes, for three seats on the Princeton Public Schools Board of Education.

By Donald Gilpin

As the fighting in Gaza continues into its second month, with the death toll mounting and no sign of a resolution in sight, groups and individuals at Princeton University and in the larger community, coming from a wide range of political and personal positions and perspectives, continue to respond, expressing their anger, grief, and hopes in many different ways.

Approximately 1,400 were killed in the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, and about 240 more are being held as hostages. Gaza’s Health Ministry says that the death toll since the Israeli bombing there now exceeds 10,000. more

By Donald Gilpin

Carol Kelley

Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Superintendent Carol Kelley’s resignation, effective September 1, 2024, and her request for a paid leave of absence from October 27, 2023 through August 31, 2024, were approved by the PPS Board of Education (BOE) at a special board meeting on Monday, October 30.

In the third item on the agenda of the 25-minute meeting, Rebecca Gold, PPS interim assistant superintendent of human resources, public information and community relations, was appointed interim superintendent until November 30, 2023.

Kelley had announced her resignation on October 27 in an email to PPS staff, stating that “for personal and professional reasons, I must take some time to reset and recenter myself.” Her email was followed later that day by an email from the BOE to the PPS community announcing Kelley’s leave of absence and resignation and thanking her for her service to the district.

Monday night’s BOE vote was 7-1 on the questions of Kelley’s resignation and leave of absence, with Michele Tuck-Ponder in opposition in both cases. The vote on Gold’s appointment was 7-0 with Tuck-Ponder abstaining. more

By Donald Gilpin

Registered voters in Princeton have many opportunities to exercise their right to vote, with early voting in progress since last Saturday, October 28, and continuing through next Sunday, November 5; Election Day polls open on Tuesday, November 7, from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.; and vote-by-mail ballots due by 8 p.m. on Election Day.

There are seven local, county, and state contests and a school bond referendum on the Princeton ballot, and Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello emphasizes that every single vote can make a difference.

“Who represents you makes a huge difference in your taxes and in policies that you will live with,” she said in an October 30 phone conversation. “We have learned over the past few elections that who leads you does matter and does make a difference.”

She continued, ”I’ve seen elections where candidates have won by one or two votes. It happened in Princeton in the School Board. It happened in Trenton last year with the city council. I’ve seen it many times. Don’t think our vote doesn’t matter. It absolutely matters, and it’s important that we take advantage of this opportunity that has been fought for by many.” more

By Donald Gilpin

Archbishop John C. Wester
(Courtesy of Archdiocese of Santa Fe)

Israel, Gaza, Ukraine, and Lewiston, Maine — sad to say, the timing for the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Action’s (CFPA) 44th Annual Conference and Multifaith Service for Peace could not be more appropriate.

“With two hot wars underway; mass shootings in the U.S. averaging two per day; and nuclear weapon build-ups planned by the U.S., Russia, and China; this is an incredibly important period to educate the public about peace issues,” said CFPA Executive Director the Rev. Robert Moore.  “I encourage all interested people to attend the Multifaith Service and/or Conference for Peace to be more empowered to advocate for peace policies more effectively.”

Sponsored by the CFPA along with 38 area religious and civic groups, the November 12 event will feature Archbishop John C. Wester, leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Santa Fe, preaching at the Multifaith Service for Peace at 11 a.m. in the Princeton University Chapel, followed from 1:30 to 4 p.m. by a hybrid Conference for Peace at Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane. Conference speakers will include Princeton University Senior Research Physicist and Professor of Public and International Affairs Emeritus Frank von Hippel; social justice advocate and co-founder of the women-led peace group Code Pink Medea Benjamin; and March For Our Lives Senior Policy Associate Elena Perez; as well as Wester. more

By Donald Gilpin

The Washington Road Bridge replacement project, under construction since late July, is nearing completion, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT), which anticipates that Washington Road will reopen “sometime after October 31.”

Washington Road has been closed between Faculty Road and Tiger Lane while the NJDOT has replaced the bridge over the D&R Canal. Motorists have taken alternate routes, most likely Alexander Road/Alexander Street or Harrison Street, into and out of town.

NJDOT Press Manager Steve Schapiro has stated that a specific date for reopening has not yet been set. A gas main on the east side of the bridge has to be relocated, and more work remains on the bicycle/pedestrian section of the bridge. That part may open after the main bridge reopens to vehicular traffic. Original projections anticipated completion of the $9.4 million project by sometime in October.

The NJDOT has been in regular communication with local Princeton authorities, as well as Princeton University, regarding the project. The NJDOT will provide advanced notice before reopening the bridge. more

By Donald Gilpin 

When Princeton residents mail in their ballots or vote early October 28 to November 5 at the Princeton Shopping Center voting site or at one of the other sites in the county, or vote on Election Day, November 7 at their assigned polling sites, they will be making choices in seven local, county, and state elections, as well as voting yes or no on a bond referendum.

On the Princeton ballot are candidates for Princeton Council; for state Senate and general assembly in Legislative District 16; for Mercer County executive, sheriff, and Board of Commissioners; and for members of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

Also on the ballot is a $13 million PPS bond proposal to improve security and technology infrastructure and address major maintenance projects. PPS is inviting community members to tour Princeton High School areas targeted for improvement on Thursday, October 26 from 7-8 p.m., and on Saturday, October 28 from 10-11 a.m.  Visitors can check out the cafeteria, which would be renovated to create more seating for students and allow for more efficient lunch lines. The guided tour may also include the athletic field and track scheduled for resurfacing and the EcoLab, another area in need of repairs. more

By Donald Gilpin

Fatima Abella (Photo by Daytwan Coates Hall, DCH Media)

Ramping up its outreach to non-traditional students and to New Jersey community college students seeking to transfer to four-year institutions in particular, Princeton University has launched the Transfer Scholars Initiative (TSI).

Forty students from seven community colleges participated in the pilot TSI session from June 26 to August 18 this past summer and most followed up on the weekend of October 14-15 with a two-day “bootcamp” on the Princeton University campus to work on their college transfer applications.

“It was important to me because it’s my first time applying with the Common App,” said Hudson County Community College (HCCC) student Fatima Abella, who attended the bootcamp as well as the eight-week summer program.

Abella, who is majoring in cybersecurity and described herself as the poet laureate in her school, commented on the recent two-day session. “The process was broken down with an emphasis on the parts that took a lot of time to complete, such as requesting letters of recommendation, writing our personal statements, highlighting experiences, etc. We were asked to share our drafts with our cohorts and we gave each other feedback. The professors were also attentive to any specific questions we had.” more

By Donald Gilpin

With Election Day less than three weeks away, two incumbents are competing with three new candidates for three positions on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE).

The candidates’ names might be listed on the back of the ballot, but the competition for Princeton School Board often generates the most interest, the most heat, and the most lawn signs of any election.

Incumbents Beth Behrend and Michele Tuck-Ponder are both running for their third term on the Board, and Adam Bierman, Eleanor Hubbard, and Rene Obregon are challenging. The campaign so far has been lively, with considerable media coverage and two candidate forums just last week. Extensive information on the candidates’ views and platforms is available at vote411.org, sponsored by the League of Women Voters, and at princetonptoc.weebly.com, sponsored by the Princeton Parent-Teacher Organization Council.

Town Topics asked each candidate to respond by email to five questions: about the merits of incumbency and experience vs. change, “new blood,” and new perspectives; about transparency and collaboration; about public trust in the Board; about district finances and the current bond referendum; and about the strengths of their particular qualifications and potential contributions to the Board.

The questions and the candidates’ responses follow. (Behrend and Tuck-Ponder note that they are writing as individuals, not on behalf of the Board, of which they are members.) more

“PRINCETON STANDS WITH ISRAEL”: About 400 people, many wearing or carrying Israeli flags, attended a vigil in support of Israel on Thursday evening, October 12, outside the Frist Campus Center at Princeton University. (Photo by Summer Pramer)

By Donald Gilpin

Over the past ten days, repercussions from the October 7 terrorist attacks on Israel and the war in the Middle East have been felt acutely in the Princeton area as they have been felt throughout the world.  more

By Donald Gilpin

Morven Museum & Garden, Dorothea’s House, and the Princeton Battlefield are slated to receive a total of approximately $1.198 million from the New Jersey Historic Trust for projects intended to save and promote historic sites.

There are 71 projects throughout the state that are on this year’s list of grant award recommendations.  The New Jersey Historic Trust, an affiliate of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), recently approved a total of more than $14 million in grant recommendations from the Preserve New Jersey Historic Preservation Fund.

Morven, former home of Richard Stockton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was awarded funds for three different projects, as it gears up for the United States Semiquincentennial (250th anniversary celebration) in 2026. more

By Donald Gilpin

Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart announced last week that, due to financial challenges, it will be closing at the end of the 2023-24 school year.

The school, located on a 50-acre campus on Great Road, was founded in 1999 in seeking to meet the need for a “values-based” private school for boys in grades K-8, according to the Princeton Academy website.

A letter to the Princeton Academy community signed by the school’s Board of Trustees Chair Olen Kalkus and Head of School Alfred (Rik) F. Dugan reports, “Princeton Academy continues to face financial challenges brought on by changing demographics and rising costs.”

The letter notes that the board had been pursuing various options to keep the school open, including sales of assets, efforts to increase enrollment, additional support from donors, and possible mergers with other institutions.

The letter continues, “However, despite our best efforts to find workable solutions, and after careful consideration, reflection, and discernment, the Board of Trustees has unanimously made the most difficult decision to close operations of Princeton Academy of the Sacred Heart at the end of the current school year.” more

By Donald Gilpin

Helene Lanctuit
(Tamara Gillon Photography)

Growing rapidly on its mission to serve the food insecure and reduce the environmental impact of food waste, Princeton-based Share My Meals has appointed Helene Lanctuit as its first chief executive officer.

Founded in 2020, Share My Meals has doubled the number of meals recovered in just the past year, distributing an average of 6,000 meals a month collected from 40 food donors.

Lanctuit intends to accelerate that growth. “It’s the best moment for me to step in,” she said. “I’m very happy to be leading this organization. There’s so much potential, and the staff is amazing.” more

By Donald Gilpin 

Now through November 7, Princeton voters will be weighing in on a School Board race with two incumbents and three challengers competing for three open positions, a $13 million school bond referendum focused on safety measures and facilities improvements, and several other area election races.

Some residents are sending in vote-by-mail ballots. Others will vote early in person at Princeton Shopping Center and six other locations in Mercer County from October 28 through November 5. And regular polling places will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 7. Visit vote.nj.gov or contact the office of the county clerk at mercercounty.org for more information, including deadlines and forms.

In the race for three-year terms on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE), Beth Behrend and Michele Tuck-Ponder are seeking reelection for a third term, while Adam Bierman, Eleanor Hubbard, and Rene Obregon are campaigning to join the BOE for the first time. Three seats are up for grabs. more

By Donald Gilpin

Dedicated to “enabling curiosity-driven exploration and fundamental discovery,” the Institute for Advanced Study (IAS) is setting forth in its 2023-24 school year with an eclectic mix of extraordinary scholars from a wide assortment of backgrounds and disciplines.

Ranging from post-doctoral scholars to distinguished professors, 272 new and returning residents are on campus, working alongside 25 permanent faculty and 20 emeriti faculty, representing 47 different countries and 105 institutions. They are all based in one of the Institute’s four schools: Historical Studies, Mathematics, Natural Sciences, and Social Science.

The School of Mathematics is hosting a special year on p-adic arithmetic geometry, with a fall workshop November 13-17 and a spring workshop March 11-15. IAS math professors Bhargav Bhatt and Jacob Lurie are organizing the workshops and other p-adic-related events, seeking to “bring together a mix of people interested in various facets of the subject with an eye towards sharing ideas and questions across fields,” according to an IAS press release.

For the School of Social Science, this year’s theme seminar is focused on “the platform,” exploring how and why digital services or websites have grown in size, power, and influence in global society.  more

By Donald Gilpin

W. Jason Morgan
(Princeton University, Denise Applewhite)

W. Jason Morgan (1935-2023), a pioneer in the field of plate tectonics and a Princeton University professor of geology and geophysics from 1966 to 2003, will be honored on Saturday, October 7, with a Celebration of Life at the Princeton University Chapel, followed by a luncheon and memorial symposium at Guyot Hall on the University campus organized by the Department of Geosciences and the Morgan family.

Morgan, who received his Ph.D. from Princeton in 1964, was the Knox Taylor Professor of Geology emeritus and a professor of geophysics emeritus. He died at his home in Beverly, Mass., on July 31, 2023.

Described in a geosciences department statement as “an enormously influential figure in shaping our understanding of the movements of our planet’s surface and its interior,” Morgan was awarded the National Medal of Science in 2002 “for his development of the theories of plate tectonics and of deep mantle plumes, which revolutionized our understanding of the geological forces that control the Earth’s crust and deep interior and consequently influence the evolution of the Earth’s life and climate.” more