January 22, 2025

Edison Film Series Presents Special Screening

Bimpé Fageyinbo
(Photo courtesy of Yuri Alves)

On February 6 at 7:30 p.m., the Thomas A. Edison Media Arts Consortium, in collaboration with the Lewis Center for the Arts, presents a film screening and panel on top award-winning filmmakers and poets living and working in New Jersey. The event is at the James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Admission is free.

“Themes and Journeys of Artists and Filmmakers in New Jersey” includes a premiere screening of three award-winning short films from the Thomas Edison Film Festival (TEFF) collection produced, directed and/or performed by the five panelists: writer/director Seyi Peter-Thomas, poet Cortney Lamar Charleston, filmmaker Moon Molson, filmmaker Yuri Alves, and artist Bimpé Fageyinbo, moderated by TEFF director Jane Steuerwald.

The films to be screened are How Do you Raise a Black Child? by Peter-Thomas in collaboration with Charleston; The Bravest, the Boldest by Molson; and Freedom for Freedom by Alves featuring Fageyinbo. The films are recent additions to the Thomas Edison Film Festival collection. TEFF is an international juried competition celebrating all genres and independent filmmakers across the globe.  more

Family Matinee Series at Garden Theatre

The Garden Theatre has announced the spring lineup of the $5 Family Matinee series for spring.

Included in the lineup of family-friendly and nostalgic films are American animation along with two live-action tales. All screenings are $5 and are free for members of the nonprofit community.

The screenings begin on January 25 with Adventures of Milo & Otis. Disney’s modern ode to old-school animation, The Princess and the Frog, follows up on February 22. Next the Garden takes audiences back to the silent era on March 22 as Charlie Chaplin entertains at The Circus. Next on April 12 is The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, and on May 17 the big screen becomes a time machine to prehistoric Earth in Don Bluth’s The Land Before Time.

The $5 Family Matinee series is underwritten by jaZams, McCarter Theatre Center, Color Me Mine Princeton, and the Princeton Public Library. Tickets can be purchased at the box office at 160 Nassau Street, or at princetongardentheatre.org/family.

Lambertville Historical Society Presents Plein Air Plus Auction

PLEIN AIR PLUS: Among several plein air works that will be auctioned to benefit the Lambertville Historical Society and the James Marshall House Museum on February 1 is “Running Dog” by Annelies van Dommelen, shown here.

Plein Air Plus, artistic interpretations of historic Lambertville and neighboring river towns, is an annual fundraiser by the Lambertville Historical Society (LHS). This year, it will take place at Rago Arts and Auction Center on Saturday, February 1 from 4:30 to 7 p.m. More than 55 pieces will be featured during the event, held as a silent auction to benefit LHS and the James Marshall House Museum.

All works will be on display and minimum bids will be set. Bidding will close at 6:30 p.m., sharp, with winners announced by 7 p.m. Plein Air Plus will also feature live music by the local band The Lifters, hors d’oeuvres, and beverages. There is a $25 suggested donation, $15 donation for LHS members. more

“Manifesting Beloved Community” Exhibit Now at West Windsor Arts

“WISDOM”: This work by Pat McLean-Smith is featured in “Manifesting Beloved Community,” on view through March 1 at West Windsor Arts in West Windsor Township.

For the fourth consecutive year, West Windsor Arts, in partnership with Art Against Racism, invited artists to present their vision of an equitable and caring world, one not tainted by the misjustices of structural racism. Their artworks are now on display at the arts center in an exhibition called “Manifesting Beloved Community,” inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s global vision of a nonviolent, love-centered world without poverty, hunger and social injustice. Throughout his lifetime, King spoke of a healed planet.

“We are honoring Dr. King’s legacy with this exhibition, which will be on display through March 1,” says Aylin Green, executive director of West Windsor Arts. “Each year, we also sponsor a day of service on the MLK holiday so that volunteers are surrounded by the impactful work of this show as they package donations to be given to local service organizations.”  more

Call For Art: 16th Annual TrashedArt Contest 

TRASHED ART CONTEST: Artists and artwork from the TrashedArt 2024 Contest are shown at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System. Art in this year’s contest will be on display in March and April.

In March and April, art will be displayed for the 16th Annual TrashedArt Contest at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System (MCLS). Patrons will have a chance to view photographs of the artwork and vote for the “People’s Choice” awards in-person at each of the nine branches and virtually on the MCLS’ website. Winners will be announced at the TrashedArt Contest Reception at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch on Tuesday, April 22 at 6:30 p.m.

“The TrashedArt Contest celebrates Earth Day by encouraging our residents to turn ordinary trash into extraordinary art,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m thrilled that Mercer County Libraries can continue to host this contest, and I can’t wait to see what creative works our contestants produce.” more

With Lee Coming Through Again in the Clutch, PU Men’s Hoops Edges Columbia in Stunning Rally

STEPPING UP: Princeton University men’s basketball player Xaivian Lee flies in for a layup during a game earlier this season. Last Monday, junior guard Lee scored a game-clinching 3-pointer in the waning seconds as Princeton rallied from a 20-point deficit to edge Columbia 71-67. Two days earlier, Lee drained the game-winning 3-pointer in an 81-80 win over Dartmouth. The Tigers, now 14-4 overall and 3-0 Ivy League, host Cornell on January 25. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

By Bill Alden

Xaivian Lee displayed a flair for the dramatic last weekend for the Princeton University men’s basketball team.

On Saturday, junior guard Lee drained a game-winning step back 3-pointer as Princeton edged Dartmouth 81-80.

Two days later against visiting Columbia, it was a case of déjà vu as Lee fired in a 3-pointer with 10 seconds left in regulation to put Princeton up 69-67 on the way to a 71-67 win, capping a furious comeback as the Tigers rallied from a 20-point deficit. more

Nweke Following in Her Sister’s Footsteps, Emerging as a Standout for PU Women’s Hoops

SISTER ACT: Princeton University women’s basketball player Toby Nweke puts up a shot last Saturday against Dartmouth. Freshman guard Nweke scored a career-high 10 points to help Princeton defeat the Big Green 63-39. Nweke is following in the footsteps of her older sister, Chet ’24, who emerged as a key performer for the Tigers, helping Princeton to win three Ivy League titles. Princeton, which fell 58-50 at Columbia on Monday night to move to 12-5 overall and 3-1 Ivy League, plays at Cornell on January 25. (Photo by Shelley Szwast, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

By Bill Alden

Having been first exposed to the Princeton University women’s basketball team as an 11-year-old, Toby Nweke has been dreaming for years about joining the program.

Nweke started attending games to watch her older sister, Chet ’24, who emerged as a key performer for the Tigers, helping Princeton to win three Ivy League titles. more

Wang Scores 1st Goal to Provide a Highlight As PU Men’s Hockey Endures 0-2 Weekend

MILESTONE MOMENT: Princeton University men’s hockey player Brendan Wang controls the puck in a 2022 game. Last Friday, junior defenseman Wang scored his first career goal in a 6-2 loss to Cornell. The Tigers, who lost 6-4 to Colgate to move to 6-10-1 overall and 3-8-1 ECAC Hockey, host Bentley for a two-game set on January 25 and 26. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Brendan Wang, it was a moment that was nearly three years in the making.

Making his 57th appearance for the Princeton University men’s hockey team last Friday night as it hosted Cornell, junior defenseman Wang scored his first career goal as he converted on a power play in the third period. more

PHS Boys’ Hockey Rebounds From 1-5 Start, Opening 2025 Action with 3 Straight Victories

GETTING AFTER IT: Princeton High boys’ hockey player Liam Campbell goes after the puck in a game earlier this season. Junior forward Campbell has helped PHS post three straight wins in 2025 after a 1-5 start. In upcoming action, the Tigers, who moved to 4-5 with a 4-3 win over Paul VI on January 13, will look to keep on the winning track as they face Hopewell Valley on January 22, Robbinsville on January 24 and South Brunswick on January 27 with all three games to be played at the Mercer County Skating Center. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Getting off to a 1-5 start in December action, the Princeton High boys’ hockey team reached a crossroads as it headed into 2025.

“Going into the New Year, we had one practice on the 29th of December,” said PHS head coach Rik Johnson. “I was going to do a lot of evaluation, checking to see where we are at. We lost five in row, the wheels were kind of falling off the bus there. We had good numbers, a lot of guys showed up.” more

Junior Star Winters Steps Up Her Offensive Game, Giving PHS Girls’ Hoops a Lift in Rough Stretch

TAKING IT TO THE HOOP: Princeton High girls’ basketball player Anna Winters puts up a shot in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, junior guard Winters scored 14 points in a losing cause as PHS fell 52-47 to Monroe. The Tigers, who moved to 8-5 with the loss, play at Trenton Central on January 23, at Delaware Valley in January 25, and at Princeton Day School on January 28. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

For Anna Winters and her teammates on the Princeton High girls’ basketball team, their 45-38 loss to Robbinsville last Thursday proved to be a microcosm of a tough week.

After enjoying a smooth ride in starting 8-2 this season, PHS hit some bumps in the road, falling 52-43 to Notre Dame on January 14 and 52-47 to Monroe last Saturday in addition to the setback to the Ravens. more

With Barber Providing Outside Shooting, PDS Girls’ Hoops on an Upward Trajectory

SHOOTING STAR: Princeton Day School girls’ basketball player Sophia Rae Barber dribbles upcourt in a game last season. Last Friday, junior guard Barber scored nine points to help PDS defeat WW/P-South 34-27 as it won its third straight game. The Panthers, now 7-4, play at Trenton Central on January 22 and at Lawrence High on January 23 before hosting Princeton High on January 28. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Sophia Rae Barber got off to a rough start as the Princeton Day School girls’ basketball team hosted Hamilton West last week.

PDS junior guard Barber scored just two points in the first half of the January 14 contest and ended up on her knees vomiting in a bucket behind the Panther bench just before halftime. more

Junior Star States Leading the Way for Stuart Hoops But 2-6 Tartans Need Supporting Cast to Step Up

DRAWING A CROWD: Stuart Country Day School basketball player Taylor States, right, looks to make an inside move in a game last winter. Last Friday, junior forward States posted a double-double with 19 points and 17 rebounds but it wasn’t enough as Stuart lost 35-32 to Hamilton West. The Tartans, who moved to 2-6 with the loss, host Haddonfield on January 23 and WW/P-North on January 27. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

With the Stuart Country Day School basketball team having lost five of its previous six games as it hosted Hamilton West last Friday, the Tartans came out firing.

Stuart jumped out to a 10-3 first quarter lead as junior star forward Taylor States scored six points and her younger sister, freshman guard Lia, added two. more

January 15, 2025

Quiet On Campus

Princeton University’s Nassau Hall got a light dusting of snow on Saturday morning. Spring Term classes begin on January 27. (Photo by Thomas Hedges)

Community Welcomes New PPS Superintendent

By Donald Gilpin

Michael LaSusa

Last week’s special meeting of the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE), which has grappled with more than its share of difficult issues over the past few years, was unusual in both tone and content.

“Everybody is smiling,” said BOE Chair Dafna Kendal as she opened the meeting. “It’s my ninth year as a Board member, and I’ve never had a meeting like this. Thank you all for indulging me.”

The upbeat mood continued for the full 33 minutes of the meeting as the BOE unanimously appointed Michael LaSusa as the next PPS superintendent before adjourning for celebratory cake and refreshments with the group of about 50 enthusiastic supporters gathered in the Valley Road administration building conference room. more

Preservation Commission Endorses Proposal for Witherspoon Project

By Anne Levin

Following a review by Princeton’s Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) that stretched into two sessions last week, Hillier Properties LLC was given approval to take its application for restorations and construction of several properties in the Witherspoon-Jackson neighborhood to the next step.

The proposal will go in front of the Planning Board at a Zoom meeting on Thursday, January 23 at 7 p.m., where there will be an opportunity for more public comment.

Witherspoon Hall was nearly two thirds full at the initial HPC meeting on January 8. Architect J. Robert Hillier, publisher of Town Topics newspaper, gave an overview of the project, which involves the restoration of several houses and other buildings he owns — 15 on Witherspoon Street and one on Quarry Street — and construction of new buildings behind them. The goal is to preserve the architectural character of the existing buildings; the newer structures, which will contain apartments, would be in a more contemporary style. more

Service Opportunities, Cultural Events, Religious Services, and More on Tap for MLK Jr. Day

By Donald Gilpin

Next Monday, January 20 is a federal holiday honoring the life and legacy of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., a civil rights leader and renowned proponent of nonviolent resistance in his quest for racial equality and justice. Many events and service opportunities will be held in the area, as Princeton and the U.S. celebrate King’s life, work, and beliefs.

“As we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., we are reminded that the dream he shared was not merely aspirational — it was a call to action,” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin wrote in a January 13 email. “Today, in the face of profound division, fear, and uncertainty, his words, and his work, demand more of us than ever before.”

He continued, “Dr. King’s legacy teaches us not to surrender in the face of adversity but to rise above it. We shall overcome — not because it is inevitable, but because we are determined. We are winners. more

Princeton University Center For Human Values

Kingston Historical Society Hosts Talks On Different Aspects of Town’s Heritage

SMALL BUT SIGNIFICANT: One of the oldest communities in Central New Jersey, Kingston — depicted on this early map — is the subject of three events taking place at the Kingston United Methodist Church. The first is on January 19 at 2:30 p.m.

By Anne Levin

Thinking about what might engage history-minded members of the public during the winter months, members of the Kingston Historical Society (KHS) came up with a new idea.

“Tea Time Talks” on three winter Sundays — starting this Sunday, January 19 at 2:30 p.m. — are 15-minute lectures at the Kingston United Methodist Church, each with a different focus. Afterward, there is time for tea and conversations with the presenters. more

Resolution Approved at Council Meeting is First Step in Renovation of Community Park South

By Anne Levin

A resolution authorizing an agreement with a consulting company for the revamping of Community Park South was among the actions taken at a brief meeting of Princeton Council on Monday evening, January 13.

Council voted unanimously to give The Bowman Consulting Group $709,201.50 for the first phase of the initiative, which involves renovation of the 26-acre expanse bordered by Route 206, Birch Avenue, Community Park School, and Community Park Pool. The project has been on Princeton’s “to do” list since the mid-1980s, officials said.

The contract with Bowman is for the entire three-phase program, but the town can’t afford to do it all at once. more

Henry “Hank” Pannell Devoted His Life to Serving His Princeton Community

By Donald Gilpin

Henry F. Pannell

Henry F. Pannell, who died at his home on December 21, 2024 at the age of 85, is remembered in many tributes over the past weeks as “an activist and visionary, who spent his life giving back to the community that raised him as a child,” as stated in his official obituary published on legacy.com by Campbell Funeral Chapel of Trenton and originally delivered as a eulogy by Kathryn Watterson.

“Henry ‘Hank’ Pannell was not just a man of Witherspoon-Jackson; he was Witherspoon-Jackson — a cornerstone of our neighborhood, a keeper of its stories, and a builder of its future,” Councilman Leighton Newlin told the congregation gathered for the December 31 funeral at the First Baptist Church of Princeton.

“Hank was a true gentleman and a mentor to me all my life,” said longtime Princeton resident and former Councilman Lance Liverman. “I’ve known him all my life. You could always learn from him, and not just one thing, but many things.”

 more

Dylan’s Idiot Wind: Still Blowing, From the Fires of L.A. to the Capitol

By Stuart Mitchner

Blowing through the buttons of our coats / Blowing through the letters that we wrote / Idiot wind / Blowing through the dust upon our shelves….” The next lines, and the last, of Bob Dylan’s song are “We’re idiots, babe / It’s a wonder we can even feed ourselves.”

If the Dylan of Rough and Rowdy Ways truly contains multitudes, “we’re idiots” means everybody. In his 2004 memoir, Chronicles: Volume One, Dylan claims that his 1975 album Blood On The Tracks was “based on Chekhov short stories,” a reference that resonates in the Chekhovian sensibility behind that line. It’s said that Dylan’s revised the lyric over the years, but however you read it, the wording covers a lot of beautiful and unbeautiful universal ground, not just the relationship between the singer and his wife.

Meanwhile the idiot writing this column has been busy for days on an article about the new film A Complete Unknown. Besides being fixated on New York in January 1961 when the city was buried in snow and you could ski on lower Fifth Avenue, I’ve been staring over my shoulder at the devastation the idiot winds of Santa Ana have inflicted on my wife’s Pacific Palisades homeland. more

Winter Ensemble Concerts By Youth Orchestra of NJ

GUEST FLUTIST: Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, will perform with the Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey on January 19 at Kendall Hall, The College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The Youth Orchestra of Central Jersey (YOCJ) will hold its Winter Large Ensemble Concert on Sunday, January 19 at 8 p.m. with YOCJ’s Symphonic Orchestra featuring soloist Patrick Williams, associate principal flutist of The Philadelphia Orchestra, at Kendall Hall, the College of New Jersey, Ewing.

The YOCJ’s Saxophone Choir will also perform at that concert. Earlier in the day, at 3 p.m., the Wind Symphony, Sinfonietta String Orchestra, and Pro Arte Orchestra will play. more

The Crossing Performs Work by David Lang

David Lang
(Photo by Peter Serling)

On Tuesday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m., The Crossing, a three-time Grammy Award-winning chamber choir, performs David Lang’s poor hymnal at Richardson Auditorium. The concert is presented by McCarter Theatre.

In poor hymnal, Lang wonders “if the hymns of a community that did not want to forget our responsibilities to each other, and that wanted to make our responsibilities to each other the central tenet of our coming together, might be different from the hymns that we are singing now.”

Premiered in December 2023 in Philadelphia, the concert-length work immediately entered The Crossing’s canon. Lang is a winner of the Pulitzer, Grammy, Bessie, and Obie awards, and an Academy Award nominee. A co-founder of the Bang on a Can collective, his work has been performed at concert halls and theaters around the world, including numerous times at Lincoln Center.

Tickets are $43-$68. Visit Mccarter.org.

Happy Birthday

With his friend violinist Leila Josefowicz by his side, Princeton Symphony Orchestra Music Director Rossen Milanov was surprised by a birthday cake rolled on stage at the start of his 60th birthday concert at Richardson Auditorium on Saturday, January 11. Before starting the program of music by Stravinsky and Tchaikovsky, the orchestra and Josefowicz also performed “Happy Birthday” with the audience joining in.

ACP to Host Art Workshop In Honor of MLK Jr. Day

ART MAKING AT ACP: The Arts Council of Princeton will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop led by artist Tamara Torres on Monday, January 20 from 1 to 3 p.m. The event is free and open to all ages.

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) will honor Martin Luther King Jr. Day with an art-making workshop, food drive, and community gathering, free and open to all ages.

In this workshop, artist Tamara Torres will lead participants to explore color’s varying effects on emotions and, together, discuss ways to express feelings through abstract art. Participants will spend 10 minutes to create freely on a sheet of paper, allowing themselves to express their feelings without the constraints of perfection, rules, or judgment. Afterward, they’ll be challenged to tear up their paper and use the pieces to create a new collage that represents a different perspective, transforming it into something new. This exercise encourages conversations about changing perspectives and looking at things in a fresh way.  more