February 19, 2025

Junior Clarke Provides Inside Punch in Losing Cause As Hun Boys’ Hoops Falls to Peddie in MAPL Quarters

By Bill Alden

When the Hun School boys’ basketball team hosted Peddie in the Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) quarterfinals last Thursday, Seth Clarke spent some of the first half lying on the ground, using a foam roller to deal with some lower back pain.

But when Hun junior forward Clarke was on the court in the first half, he sparked the fourth-seeded Raiders, scoring 15 points as they jumped out to a 40-28 lead over the fifth-seeded Panthers, overcoming an early 11-3 deficit.

“It was rough going down, we fought through adversity, kept our heads up and did what we had to do,” said Clarke. “My boys trusted me and I trust in God. It worked out.” more

PDS Girls’ Hockey Clicks on All Cylinders, Routing Oak Knoll 7-0 in Librera Cup Final

CREASE CONTROL: Princeton Day School girls’ hockey goalie Kelly Stevens guards the post in action this winter. Last Thursday, junior goalie Stevens made nine saves to help PDS defeat Oak Knoll 7-0 in the Librera Cup final. The Panthers, now 10-2-1, play Kent Place on February 19 at the RWJBarnabas Hockey House in Newark before starting play next week in the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state tournament. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Even though the Princeton Day School girls’ hockey team started the winter short-handed with just nine skaters and one goalie, Jamie Davis was confident that his squad could do some big things.

Noting that two key players, forwards Eibhleann Knox and Brynn Dandy, were slated to return from injury in the new year, PDS head coach Davis believed that things would come together by the time the Panthers got into postseason action. more

February 12, 2025

Tree Tapping

Sandy Ogg, right, a volunteer at Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell Township, led a demonstration at the Maple Sugaring event held Saturday at the farm. Attendees share what they learned in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Town to Hire Planning Firm for Westminster Campus

By Anne Levin

At its meeting on Monday night, February 10, Princeton Council took another step toward figuring out the future of the former campus of Westminster Choir College.

Council approved a resolution authorizing the hiring of the Newark consulting firm Topology “for professional planning services related to the Westminster Choir College property, including the adaptive reuse of historic buildings on the property,” according to a memo to Council members from Princeton Planning Director Justin Lesko.

The professional service agreement is for work in four phases, the first of which is expected to take place for up to 15 months and not exceed $115,000. more

Share My Meals Forms New Partnership with Public Schools

FIGHTING FOOD INSECURITY: Share My Meals and Princeton Public Schools are making sure surplus meals from the schools are going to Princeton residents in need. From left are Peter Torino, Pomptonian Food Service manager; Shannon Barlow, PPS food systems literacy coordinator; and Tracy Hart, Pomptonian operations manager. (Photo by Krista Galyon)

By Anne Levin

Share My Meals (SMM), the Princeton-based nonprofit dedicated to fighting food insecurity and reducing food waste, has formed a new partnership with Princeton Public Schools (PPS).

The collaboration allows for surplus prepared meals from the district’s schools to be safely recovered and redistributed to families and residents in Princeton on a weekly basis. The first deliveries were made on January 10. more

Democratic Candidates For Governor to Debate In Princeton on Feb. 16

By Donald Gilpin

With primary day less than four months away and a slew of candidates from both parties vying to be the next governor of New Jersey, the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO) is hosting a Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Forum at 7 p.m. on Sunday, February 16 at the Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street.

Mayors Ras Baraka of Newark and Steve Fulop of Jersey City, former Montclair Mayor now New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Head Sean Spiller, and former State Senate President Steve Sweeney will take the debate stage on Sunday to promote their views in the race to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, who is completing his second four-year term, the limit for New Jersey governors.

U.S. Representatives Mikie Sherrill and Josh Gottheimer, who are also in the race, will not be present, but State Senator John McKeon will be standing in for Sherrill. Mia Sacks, Princeton Council president, will moderate the proceedings, which will also be livestreamed to the PCDO Facebook page. more

Learning French at Princeton High School Involves Some Turns on the Dance Floor

DANCING EN FRANÇAIS: Princeton High School students learn West African dance steps from teacher Janelle Wilkinson, far left, who teaches both French and dance. Making movement a part of the French curriculum provides a unique perspective that students clearly enjoy. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

By Anne Levin

It would make sense to assume that the curriculum of a high school French course is focused on France. But the language is spoken widely in other parts of the world, inspiring Princeton High School (PHS) French teachers Janelle Wilkinson and Gyselle North to broaden the perspective of the classes they teach to three levels of students.

“The French-Speaking World of West Africa” is the theme of the course for French levels 4-6, this month and next. Since Wilkinson also teaches dance at PHS, she has started a unit for the students on West African dance. Last Friday, Wilkinson had students out on the floor of the school’s dance room, learning elements of such dances as the Zaouli from the Ivory Coast, and the Dogon mask dance from Mali — taught all in French, of course. more

PU Donates Technology Equipment to Enhance Education in New Jersey Prisons

By Donald Gilpin

More than 300 students at the East Jersey State Prison and at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women will be using 52 laptops and other technology equipment donated by Princeton University, as they gain skills for transitions to college campuses and the job market.

The gift will be used to equip mobile computer labs in the two state prisons as part of the New Jersey Scholarship and Transformative Education in Prisons (NJ-STEP) consortium and will enhance the work of the Princeton University Prison Teaching Initiative (PTI), according to a Princeton University press release.

“Because of this important donation, our students at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women and at the East Jersey State Prison facility will now have the opportunity to access these laptops as part of their coursework,” said New Jersey Department of Corrections (NJDOC) Commissioner Victoria L. Kuhn, as quoted in the release.  more

On Lincoln’s Birthday: Lights and Shadows, Sandburg, Shakespeare, and Black History

By Stuart Mitchner

Not often in the story of mankind does a man arrive on earth who is both steel and velvet, who is as hard as rock and soft as drifting fog, who holds in his heart and mind the paradox of terrible storm and peace unspeakable and perfect.” With these words the poet and Lincoln biographer Carl Sandburg began his address to a joint session of Congress on the 150th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birth, February 12, 1959.

Sandburg made sure to mention some hard truths up front, including the fact that early in his administration, Lincoln “took to himself the powers of a dictator.” As commander of “the most powerful armies till then assembled in modern warfare,” he “enforced conscription of soldiers for the first time in American history. Under imperative necessity he abolished the right of habeas corpus. He directed politically and spiritually the wild, massive, turbulent forces let loose in civil war.” And after failing to get action on compensated emancipation, “he issued the paper by which he declared the slaves to be free under ‘military necessity.’ In the end nearly $4 million worth of property was taken away from those who were legal owners of it, property confiscated, wiped out as by fire and turned to ashes, at his instigation and executive direction.”

On a key date in Black History Month, whether you’re thinking 1959 or 2025, it’s striking to hear emancipated human beings referred to as “property confiscated.” No less striking is the idea of a poet addressing a joint session of Congress in the same room that would be overrun by a lawless (recently “emancipated”) mob during the January 6, 2021 insurrection.  more

McCarter Theatre Presents Award-Winning Vocal Ensemble

By Nancy Plum

Fresh off its win of a fourth Grammy award, the Philadelphia-based professional chamber vocal ensemble The Crossing performed in Richardson Auditorium last Tuesday night as part of McCarter Theatre Center’s classical music series. Choruses often specialize in the works of specific composers or time periods, and The Crossing, under the direction of Donald Nally, has built a stellar reputation as an ensemble dedicated to new repertoire. Each of the 16 voices in The Crossing is not only capable of solo performance but is also able to combine with the other Crossing singers to create a unified and impeccably-tuned choral palette.

The Crossing came to Richardson to present a single work — the 14-movement poor hymnal of New York composer David Lang. A collector of old hymnals, Lang has written a piece addressing the question of whether the community messages conveyed by hymns of the past are the same as today. Lang’s a capella choral work, commissioned by both The Crossing and a chorus from the Netherlands, fused texts inspired by the Bible and contemporary writings with choral writing well suited to The Crossing’s precise vocal style and technique.

Soprano Anika Kildegaard opened the work with a solo rendition of Lang’s reflective poem on “a poor man.” Members of The Crossing require solid vocal independence and confidence to successfully contribute to this level of choral performance, and Kildegaard commanded the stage well as a lone singer controlling the pace in delivering the text.  more

PSO Chamber Series Continues With Valencia Baryton Project

TRIO WITH A TWIST: Most people are unfamiliar with the baryton, a 17th- and-18th-century string instrument that is the focus of a performance by the Valencia Baryton Project on February 27 at Trinity Church. (Photo by Greg Kindred)

On Thursday, February 27 at 7 p.m., music of the baryton will be showcased at a concert by the Valencia Baryton Project at Trinity Church, 33 Mercer Street. The concert is part of the Princeton Symphony Orchestra’s new chamber music series.

The baryton is an ancient and little-known 17th- and 18th-century string instrument, a cross between the viol da gamba and lirone, with 10 resonating and plucked srings down its back. The baryton gives the traditional string trio an entirely new dimension. The Project’s trio consists of Matthew Baker on baryton with violist Brett Walfish and cellist Ismar Gomes.  more

Film Series Focuses On Experimental Work

“Seeing the Big Picture: An Experimental Film Series organized by Princeton University Professor Christopher Harris features 16mm analog films by internationally celebrated experimental filmmakers working at the forefront of artists’ films in a variety of idiosyncratic forms, using handmade methods and unconventional materials.

This series of nine screenings running through April 14 at the James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street, includes Learning to Be Human, a special program showcasing rare 16mm educational films from the late ’60s and early ’70s on loan from the Harvard Film Archive. Each screening is followed by an in-person conversation with the visiting artist.

Screenings are February 10, 17, and 24; March 3, 17, and 31; and April 7 and 14 at 8 p.m. Admission is free. more

Westminster Community Orchestra Presents “Winterlude” Concert

YOUNG SOLOISTS: Westminster Conservatory piano students Divya Streekumar, left, and Amanda Wu are featured in a program by the Westminster Community Orchestra of February 23.

Ruth Ochs leads the the Westminster Community Orchestra in a program on Sunday, February 23 at 3 p.m. in a program titled “Winterlude,” in Hillman Hall, in the Cullen Center, on the Westminster campus, Walnut Lane.

The concert will feature Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 in D Major and Borodin’s Overture to Prince Igor, as well as the second-place winners of the Westminster Conservatory Piano Concerto competition. Amanda Wu will perform the first movement from Haydn’s Concerto in D Major; Divya Sreekumar will perform the second and third movements from Bach’s Concerto in F Minor. more

Teacher Humor is Topic of New Brunswick Show

EDUCATED COMEDY: Eddie B. brings the Teachers Only Comedy Tour 25 to State Theatre New Jersey on March 1.

State Theatre New Jersey presents “Eddie B. — Teachers Only Comedy Tour 25” on Saturday, March 1 at 8 p.m.

In a matter of hours after Eddie B., the teacher comedian, created a series of comical videos titled “What Teachers Really Want to Say” educators all over the country realized that they were not alone, and finally had someone to joke about the things they were reluctant to say out loud.  more

“Masterworks in Motion” By New Jersey Ballet

THREE CHOREOGRAPHERS: Jerome Robbins “In the Night” is on a program that also includes works by George Balanchine and Peter Martins, to be presented by the New Jersey Ballet at two programs on February 22.

On Saturday, February 22, New Jersey Ballet will present “Masterworks in Motion” at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC), with two performances at 2 and 7:30 p.m. The program features George Balanchine’s Concerto Barocco and Tarantella, Jerome Robbins’ In the Night and Peter Martins’ Hallelujah Junction.

“This program highlights the beauty, innovation and versatility of ballet,” said Artistic Director Maria Kowroski., a former principal dancer with the New York City Ballet. “From Balanchine’s neoclassical precision to Robbins’ emotional depth and Martins’ contemporary energy, these works showcase the full range of the art form. It is an honor for our dancers to share these masterpieces with audiences.” more

Swan Lake

Fans of the full-length classic ballet are in luck. New York City Ballet’s production by Peter Martins is at Lincoln Center’s Koch Theater February 19-March 2, and the Philadelphia Ballet’s version by Angel Corella is at Philadelphia’s Academy of Music March 6-16. Both productions take their cue from the original, choreographed in 1877 by Marius Petipa. Shown here is New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns, with dancers in the company. (Photo by Erin Baiano)

Garden Theatre and YWCA Collaborate on Screening

The Garden Theatre and YWCA Princeton are hosting another free screening to commemorate Black History Month on Sunday, February 16 at 11 a.m.

A new restoration of Alma’s Rainbow will be screened at the Garden, 160 Nassau Street. Dominique Jean-Louis, the Chief Historian of the Center for Brooklyn History at the Brooklyn Public Library, will lead a post-film discussion.

Alma’s Rainbow is one of the first feature films to be written, produced, and directed by an African American woman – Ayoka Chenzira. It is a coming-of-age picture about Rainbow Gold, a Brooklyn teenager who searches for meaning as she confronts her newfound feelings for boys, unrealistic beauty standards, and the fundamental question of women’s autonomy over their own bodies. The film is a significant contribution to ’90s independent Black cinema and remains relevant in contemporary discussions. more

Actor/Comedian Tracy Morgan Comes to New Brunswick

STAND-UP GUY: Tracy Morgan brings his comedy act to State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick on Saturday, February 22.

State Theatre New Jersey and The Stress Factory Comedy Club present Tracy Morgan on Saturday, February 22 at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $39-$69.

In May 2024, Paramount+ announced that Morgan will star in the upcoming half-hour comedy series CRUTCH, set in the world of CBS’ hit comedy The Neighborhood. The series centers on Francois “Frank” Crutchfield, a Harlem widower whose empty nest plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home.

In August 2023, Morgan released his latest standup special for Max titled Tracy Morgan: Takin’ It Too Far. Known for starring on seven seasons of NBC’s 30 Rock, Morgan appeared opposite Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin as Tracy Jordan, the unpredictable star of “Liz Lemon’s” hit variety show, TGS with Tracy Jordan. Morgan received an Emmy nomination in the Supporting Actor category for his work on the show and was nominated multiple years for the Supporting Actor NAACP Image Award.  more

“Yesterday’s Dreams” Exhibit At Michener Art Museum

“STILL LIFE”: This work by Howard Humbert is part of “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real,” on view at the Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., February 15 through July 27.

The Michener Art Museum in Doylestown, Pa., celebrates the legacy of Bucks County art collector Lewis Tanner Moore in a new exhibition on collecting Black art, “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real.” Moore (1953-2024) championed the work of Black artists throughout his life, challenging arts institutions to prioritize diversity in their collecting and exhibition practices.

On view from February 15 through July 27, “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real” includes paintings, photographs, sculptures, and works on paper by 35 artists from the collections of Moore and Michener Art Museum. more

Awards Presented at Youth Art Exhibition

“WINDOWS AND MIRRORS”: This oil painting by Richa Palle of West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North was awarded first place in the painting category in the 12th annual Youth Art Exhibition at Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa.

Local artists of the future were honored at the 12th annual Youth Art Exhibition awards ceremony at Phillips’ Mill on January 25. One hundred and forty-nine works of art representing 147 student artists from 24 Pennsylvania and New Jersey high schools were reviewed by esteemed artist Freda Williams, who selected first, second, and third place winners and honorable mentions from five categories of work — painting, works on paper, photography, 3-dimensional work, and digital art. A Best in Show was also announced and a People’s Choice award — voted on by visitors to the gallery — will be announced at the close of the exhibition. The show runs through February 16.

Best In Show was awarded to Kathryn Sweeney of Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Pa., for her colored pencil drawing, Silent Sound. In her juror’s comments, Williams said she was “deeply impressed with the image’s overall presentation.” She marveled at the skill applied to making such a complex picture with colored pencil adding “The medium was extremely well and effectively handled. The detail speaks of the attention required to achieve the end result and the perspective was unusual.” more

Art At Small World

Works by award-winning wildlife photographer Rebecca DePorte, whose favorite subjects are animals with fur or feathers, are on view through March 4 at the 254 Nassau Street location of Small World Coffee. All photographs were taken in the animals’ natural habitats, none in captivity.

Last Call for ACP Porchfest Applications

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) announces that the fourth annual Princeton Porchfest will take place on Saturday, April 26 from 12 to 6 p.m. Applications for performers and porch hosts are due by February 13.

Porchfest is a walkable music festival where neighbors offer up their front porches as DIY concert venues. Local performers play 45-minute sets throughout town during this day-long celebration of music, art, and Princeton hospitality. Last year’s event attracted thousands of music lovers. more

“Members Exhibition” at Gallery 14 in Hopewell

“MEMBERS EXHIBITION”: This work by Jill Mudge is featured in the current exhibition on view at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell through March 2.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell presents its “Members Exhibition” through March 2.

The exhibition features works by the member artists Rebecca DePorte, Hopewell; Jill Mudge, Pennington,; Nanci Hellmuth, Bensalem, Pa., Charles Miller, Ringoes; Philip “Dutch” Bagley, Elkins Park, Pa.; Martin Schwartz, Cranbury; Joel Blum, East Windsor; John Stritzinger, Elkins Park, Pa.; Barbara Warren, Yardley, Pa.; David Ackerman, Hopewell; and Bennett Povlow, Elkins Park , Pa.  more

New Exhibition Opening in PU Library’s Milberg Gallery

Princeton University Library (PUL) opens a new exhibition in the Milberg Gallery at Firestone Library on February 19.

“The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ’59 Collection & the Age of Reason” celebrates the collecting achievements of Sid Lapidus, Class of 1959. Lapidus has dedicated many years to the acquisition of rare books that trace the emergence of Enlightenment ideas and their influence on politics, medicine, and society, creating a powerful tool for understanding the concepts that have shaped modern American society.

The exhibition is curated by Steven A. Knowlton, librarian for history and African American studies at Princeton University Library. According to Knowlton, “This exhibition showcases Sid’s careful curation of a collection that meaningfully addresses the questions of human liberty in the Age of Reason, and by extension, includes interesting works on medicine and science. Sid was also very considerate in how he donated his collection, placing books with libraries where they would best complement and extend collections to promote research. The exhibition also includes a number of items on loan from these institutions.” more

Non-Surgical Care of Musculoskeletal Pain Is Princeton Spine & Joint Center’s Specialty

NON-SURGICAL OPTION: “Our focus is non-surgical musculoskeletal care and interventional pain management. The first step in the treatment of any problem is an accurate and comprehensive diagnosis. Our goal is to work with you to diagnose and treat the causes of your pain, safely maximize your function, and improve your quality of life.” Dr. Grant Cooper, M.D. (second row, fourth from right) and Dr. Ana Bracilovic, M.D. (first row, third from right), co-directors of Princeton Spine & Joint Center, are shown with their staff. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

By Jean Stratton

An icy sidewalk, driveway, or pathway can be treacherous, and a current reminder that winter is still with us!

Falling on the ice is no fun, and as Dr. Grant Cooper, M.D., co-director of Princeton Spine & Joint Center, explains, “Every season brings its own hardships. In the winter, people may slip on the ice or injure themselves shoveling snow.”

Not to mention skiing, sledding, and ice skating accidents, etc. Injured ankles, arms, legs, knees, shoulders, and hips may result, and Cooper and the team at Princeton Spine & Joint Center are ready to help.

Whatever the season, alleviating spine and musculoskeletal pain through non-surgical treatment is the specialty of the Center. Established in 2008 by Cooper and his wife and colleague, Dr. Ana Bracilovic, M.D., the Center now has two offices, located at 601 Ewing Street and 256 Bunn Drive in Princeton. more