Town Topics | Princeton's Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946

January 15, 2025

Works by Charles David Viera Coming to Trenton City Museum

“ON A SHORT LEASH”: This acrylic painting is featured in “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30 at the Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie. An opening reception is on January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The Trenton City Museum at the Ellarslie will present “Charles David Viera: Selected Works 2006-2025,” on view January 24 to March 30. The exhibition will feature works selected by Joan Perkes and Janis Purcell from Viera’s paintings and drawings created from 2006 to the present. The public is invited to an opening reception on Saturday, January 25 from 4 to 6 p.m.

The artworks chosen include a variety of paintings and pastel drawings from this versatile artist, some of which have never been exhibited locally before and several acquired from personal collections. more

12th Annual “Youth Art Exhibition” at Phillips’ Mill

“YOUTH ART EXHIBITION” Anagha Kannurpatti of Council Rock High School North in Newtown, Pa., took First Place in the Works on Paper category for “Illumination” in last year’s student exhibition at the Phillips’ Mill Community Association.

Twelve years after its debut, the “Youth Art Exhibition” at Phillips’ Mill Community Association continues to showcase the artwork of area high school students. It will be on view at the historic mill on weekends January 26 through February 16, from 12 to 4 p.m. The show can also be viewed online at www.phillipsmill.org/art/youth-art-exhibition.

Art teachers at 24 area high schools curate the artwork, submitting paintings, works on paper, photography, digital art, and 3-dimensional work. The schools participating this year are Central Bucks High School East, Central Bucks High School West, Central Bucks High School South, Council Rock High School North, Council Rock High School South, Ewing High School, George School, Hillsborough High School, Holy Ghost Preparatory School, Hopewell Valley Central High School, Hunterdon Central Regional High School, Neshaminy High School, New Hope-Solebury High School, Notre Dame High School, Pennsbury High School, Princeton Day School, Solebury School, Stuart Country Day School, The Hun School, The Pennington School, Upper Dublin High School, West Windsor-Plainsboro North, West Windsor-Plainsboro South, and Villa Victoria. more

“Splendid By Design”

This oil painting by Mike Mann is featured in “Trio,” his joint exhibition with Judith Marchand and David Horowitz, on view through March 3 at the Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville.

PU Women’s Hoops Edges Harvard in Dramatic Fashion As Chea’s Buzzer-Beater Makes the Difference in 52-50 Win

BUZZER-BEATER: Princeton University women’s basketball player Ashley Chea looks to unload the ball in a game earlier this season. Last Saturday, sophomore guard Chea drained a buzzer-beating shot to provide the margin of victory as Princeton defeated Harvard 52-50. The Tigers, now 11-4 overall and 2-0 Ivy League, host Dartmouth (8-7 overall, 2-0 Ivy) in January 18 before playing at Columbia (11-4 overall, 2-0 Ivy) on January 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

The fans at Jadwin Gym rose to their feet last Saturday afternoon as Ashley Chea’s last-second shot flew through the air with the Princeton University women’s basketball team locked in a 50-50 tie against Harvard.

While many in the crowd of 1,961 held their breath, Princeton sophomore guard Chea and the rest of the Tigers had no doubt that her step-back jumper would be good. more

PU Men’s Basketball Overcomes Injuries, Illness In Edging Harvard 68-64 to Open Ivy Campaign

OPENING STATEMENT: Princeton University men’s basketball player Xaivian Lee soars to the hoop for a layup in recent action. Last Saturday, junior star guard Lee scored a game-high 22 points to help Princeton defeat Harvard 68-64 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 12-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy, play at Dartmouth (7-7 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 18 before hosting Columbia (11-3 Ivy, 0-1 Ivy) on January 20. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Justin Feil

Road games in the course of an arduous Ivy League men’s basketball campaign are never easy.

Add in some injuries and illness and the Princeton University men’s hoops team had a test of its toughness, making it pleased to get out of Boston with a 68-64 win at Harvard in its Ivy season opener last Saturday. It marked Princeton’s seventh straight win over the Crimson. more

After Being Sidelined for 2 Months Due to Injury, Rubin’s Return Giving a Lift to PU Men’s Hockey

BACK IN ACTION: Princeton University men’s hockey player Tyler Rubin, left, chases down the puck in a 2022 game. Last Friday, junior defenseman Rubin scored a goal in a losing cause as Princeton fell 4-2 to Quinnipiac. The Tigers, who lost 3-0 to Quinnipiac on Saturday in the second game of a home-and-home set to move to 6-8-1 overall and 3-5-1 ECAC Hockey, host Cornell on January 17 and Colgate on January 18. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Tyler Rubin wasn’t fazed even though the Princeton University men’s hockey team found itself trailing Quinnipiac 3-0 in the second period last Friday night.

“We were in the same situation last weekend and we have a lot of belief in ourselves in how we compete and our detail,” said Princeton junior defenseman Rubin, referring to a rally by the Tigers against New Hampshire on January 4 which saw them claw back from a 3-0 deficit to knot the game at 3-3 before losing 4-3. more

With Junior Guard Bess Emerging as Top Scorer, PHS Boys’ Hoops Making Progress Despite 2-7 Start

RISING STAR: Princeton High boys’ basketball player Michael Bess Jr. floats with the ball in a game last season. Junior guard Bess has emerged as the go-to scorer for the Tigers this winter, averaging a team-high 20.0 points a game. PHS, who moved to 2-7 with a 60-44 win over Pioneer Academy last Saturday, plays at Robbinsville on January 16 and at WW/P-North on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Michael Bess Jr. was part of the supporting cast last winter in his sophomore season for the Princeton High boys’ basketball team.

Making his varsity debut, Bess was the third leading scorer for the Tigers behind senior stars Jahan Owusu and Jihad Wilder. more

Stewart Comes Up Big on his Senior Night, Helping PDS Boys’ Hoops Edge Willingboro

TURNING THE CORNER: Princeton Day School boys’ basketball player Adam Stewart, left, looks for room along the baseline last Friday as PDS hosted Willingboro. Senior star Stewart scored eight points in the game to help the Panthers edge Willingboro 36-35. PDS, who improved to 4-5 with the win, plays at South Brunswick on January 16 before hosting Trenton Central on January 21. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Adam Stewart beamed as he was introduced last Friday on his Senior Night for the Princeton Day School boys’ basketball team.

With posters of Stewart and fellow senior Abdoulaye Seydi on the wall in the gym and joined by his parents, Stewart soaked in a loud ovation from the crowd packing the stands. more

Senior Goalie Donoghue Comes Up Big As Hun Boys’ Hockey Ties Notre Dame 1-1

By Bill Alden

Patrick Donoghue and his teammates on the Hun School boys’ hockey team were primed to get off to a good start in 2025 when they hosted Notre Dame last Wednesday in their first action of the new year.

“We were ready,” said senior goalie Donoghue. “We had practice yesterday and were fired up for our first game. We came in guns blazing.”

In the first period, Donoghue was on fire between the pipes, making 12 saves as Hun jumped out to a 1-0 lead on a goal from Bailey Cook assisted by Ezra Broomer and Andrew Darst. more

January 8, 2025

Fire Away

More than 50 reenactor regiments participated in the 2025 Experience the Battle of Princeton event on Sunday morning at Princeton Battlefield State Park on Mercer Road. Attendees share what brought them to the reenactment in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)

Mike LaSusa To Be New Schools Superintendent

By Donald Gilpin

The Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE) voted on the appointment of School District of the Chathams Superintendent Mike LaSusa as the next superintendent of PPS at a special board meeting on Wednesday, January 8 at 5:30 p.m.

Kathie Foster has been serving as acting/interim superintendent since November 2023, following former Superintendent Carol Kelley’s resignation after just over two years at the helm. Foster will continue to lead the PPS until July 1, when LaSusa will take over to serve a term of a minimum of three and a maximum of five years.

An Ad Hoc Superintendent Search Committee launched the superintendent search in August, held numerous forums, and conducted a community survey in collaboration with a search firm in the following months, and has been reading applications and confidentially interviewing candidates over the past two months. more

RSV Levels Rising; Local Health Officials Assess the Situation

By Donald Gilpin

Runny noses, coughing, sneezing, fever — respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) cases are on the rise, with cold-like symptoms that are often mild but can cause severe illness in some people, including babies, older adults, and the immunocompromised.

RSV is the leading cause of childhood illness and hospitalization in infants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which also recently reported that more than half the counties in New Jersey have a “very high” percentage of emergency department visits for RSV. Emergency room visits for RSV in Mercer County were described as “moderate.”

Penn Medicine Princeton Medical Center Emergency Medicine Chair and Faculty Medical Director Colleen Marchetta, DO, FAAEM, reported, “Post-holiday, we have already seen a significant increase in patient visits to our Emergency Department for respiratory illnesses.” more

After Nearly Two Years of Chats, Leighton Newlin is Still Listening

By Anne Levin

During his first run for a seat on Princeton Council in 2021, Leighton Newlin spent a lot of time walking through every neighborhood in town, talking with people about issues that were on their minds. He was halfway into his first term on the governing body when it struck him that few of those people were showing up at Council meetings to ask questions or air their concerns.

“I realized that some people felt intimidated by Council meetings,” he said. “And I thought, if people have questions but are reluctant to ask them, maybe I’ll go out and try to talk to them at a different place every week, and see what the response is.”

That was in April 2023 — the official debut of “Leighton Listens.” On almost every Wednesday since, Newlin has visited a local gathering spot to do just that — listen. Since the first session at Hinds Plaza, at which five people showed up, Newlin has been hearing about issues of concern from a range of people, some of whom have become regulars. more

Conservation Organization Receives Grants To Promote Private Land Stewardship

LAND STEWARDSHIP AT HOME: Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space Executive Director Jenn Rogers, center, is shown with the organization’s Vice President Mark Bean and his wife Samantha, in front of a rain garden they established as part of the Community Conservation Program.

By Anne Levin

Thanks to two grants totaling $101,250, The Friends of Hopewell Valley Open Space (FoHVOS) have the resources to involve more property owners in land conservation.

The Princeton Area Community Foundation’s Bunbury Grant program and the Open Space Institute and Land Trust Alliance’s Land and Climate Program have donated funds to support the expansion of the nonprofit’s community partnerships in the conservation of privately-owned land, as well as continued stewardship of properties owned by the organization. more

Special Connections Support Group at CMAP Helps Parents of Adults with Special Needs

By Donald Gilpin

About a year ago, John George, a “semi-retired” clinical psychologist who lives in Blawenburg, was talking with a friend who has an adult child with special needs.

“The child was on and off his meds,” said George. “The child does quite well and has a job, but sometimes my friend and his wife get concerned when the child goes off their meds.” The child “comes home and “takes a while to get stabilized again.”

Elaborating on some of his friend’s concerns, George continued, ”He’s about 70 and he and his wife talked about the difficulties they have as they get older and look toward their retirement and about this child who will eventually need someone to keep an eye on him when they’re no longer around. Not just to keep a roof over the child’s head, but also someone who will care.”

George, who has been in practice in both New York and New Jersey for over 40 years, added, “It’s not just the practical things, but who will really care about this person.”

People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos Earns Top Rating from Charity Navigator

By Anne Levin

People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos has begun 2025 with a pleasant surprise: a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, the nation’s largest evaluator of charities.

“One of our donors mentioned to me that she hadn’t seen us on Charity Navigator,” said Debra Lampert-Rudman, the organization’s executive director. “So I went and filled out the forms. And lo and behold, we were four-star. It’s a milestone for us. I think Charity Navigator is something the public generally looks to.”

Based at spacious new offices in the Wall Street office complex off Route 206 north of downtown Princeton, the 53-year-old organization reaches youth, adults, and seniors in diverse social service agencies through eight-week programs focused on literature and poetry. Participants meet in prisons, homeless shelters, alternative schools, libraries, and senior centers. The goal is to transform lives through literature. more

Launching the New Year With “The Great Gatsby” and “The Catcher in the Rye”

By Stuart Mitchner

I was crazy about The Great Gatsby, Old Gatsby. Old sport. That killed me.

—from The Catcher in the Rye

I woke up from a nap five minutes before midnight, turned on the TV, and there was Times Square packed with Happy 2025-top-hatted, rainwear-cloaked revelers under a delirium of color that swarmed into futuristic formations every time I blinked my eyes. At first the signs were meaningless, nameless, wordless, New Year’s Eve on Mars, like a vision of the place I loved as a 14-year-old seen through the eyes of old Rip Van Winkle emerging from a showing of A Star Is Born on a rainy night in 1954. What does it mean, all this dazzling stuff? Where’s a familiar face? Where’s Judy Garland? Where’s any legible meaningful remnant of lost New York? Then, wonder of wonders, a floodlit sign for The Great Gatsby comes into view on the first day of the novel’s 100th year, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece is in lights, and Broadway makes 20th-century sense again….

Now it’s as if Times Square is being submerged in Francis Cugat’s hallucinatory cover art for the first edition of Gatsby, that deep all-consuming blueness descending on the rainy chaos of celebration, two narrow witchy eyes with golden neon pupils peering above an emerald teardrop and the red lips of a siren, luring us between the covers to one of Gatsby’s epic parties where “men and girls” are coming and going “like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars” while “the cars from New York are parked five deep in the drive, and already the halls and salons and verandas are gaudy with primary colors and hair bobbed in strange new ways, and shawls beyond the dreams of Castile.” more

Sutton Foster to Perform at State Theatre New Jersey

TRIPLE THREAT: Actress, singer, and dancer Sutton Foster comes to the State Theatre New Jersey on January 31. The Tony Award-winning artist will perform from her extensive Broadway catalog. (Photo by Jenny Anderson)

State Theatre New Jersey presents “An Evening with Sutton Foster” on Friday, January 31 at 8 p.m. Foster will perform songs from her Broadway hits including The Music Man, Anything Goes, and Sweeney Todd. Tickets range from $39-$69.

Foster most recently starred in the Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress, reprising the role after leading the New York City Center Encores! adaptation. Prior, Foster starred as Mrs. Lovett in the Broadway revival of Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street opposite Aaron Tveit.

Foster starred as Marian Paroo in the 2022 Broadway Revival of The Music Man, earning her seventh Tony Award nomination and the 2022 Drama League Distinguished Performance Award. more

Laurie Berkner Band Returns to McCarter

BACK IN TOWN: Laurie Berkner brings her band to her hometown of Princeton for a special “Greatest Hits” concert on Saturday, March 1 at McCarter Theatre.

The Laurie Berkner Band will return to Berkner’s hometown with a “Greatest Hits” concert for families at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 1 at McCarter Theatre. Prior to the event, Berkner will give a special solo, sensory-friendly, “relaxed performance” at 11 a.m., joined by dancer Michelle Esch.

“I can’t wait to come back to the McCarter Theatre,” said Berkner. “It’s such a thrill to have made playing at my neighborhood theater from childhood into a yearly tradition. And I’m so grateful that my partnership with the theater allows me to present both a sensory-friendly show (for those who prefer less stimulation) and a full-band show. Both experiences are uniquely special and being able to share them with my fans brings me so much joy.”

CREEPY AND KOOKY: “The Addams Family” musical brings Gomez, Morticia, and the rest of the clan to State Theatre New Jersey January 24-26. (Pamela Raith Photography)

State Theatre New Jersey presents the musical comedy The Addams Family for four performances on Friday, January 24 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, January 25 at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sunday, January 26 at 2 p.m.

Following the show on January 24, there is a cast party with food, music, and giveaways in the STNJ Studio. Tickets for the cast party are $10. Show tickets range from $40-$105. more

“Unwavering Grace” Art Exhibit at Stuart’s Considine Gallery

“MONIZA”: This painting by Mari Keeler Cornwell is featured in “Unwavering Grace,” on view January 18 through February 15 in the Considine Gallery at Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart. An opening reception is on January 18 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, the all-girls independent day school for PS-12 at 1200 Stuart Road, has announced its upcoming winter gallery exhibition, “Unwavering Grace,” featuring the work of artist and Stuart alumna Mari Keeler Cornwell ’96. The exhibit will showcase Cornwell’s evocative acrylic paintings that celebrate the strength, resilience, and unique stories of women from diverse backgrounds.

“Mari’s show exemplifies Stuart’s commitment to fostering creativity and empowering voices through art,” said Andres Duque, gallery director. “Her work not only highlights her artistic mastery, but also reflects the powerful influence of the women who have inspired her life and career.”

“I’ll Make Me a World” Coming to Artworks Trenton

Artworks Trenton has announced an upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World, prologue.” It will run February 1 through April 12, with an opening reception on February 1 from 6 to 9 p.m., offering visitors a unique opportunity to experience Ward’s artwork.

The exhibition brings together selected works from multiple series of works by Ward, celebrating the intersection of his artistic journey with the imaginative and forward-looking spirit of Afrofuturism. Curated by Addison Vincent, artistic director of Artworks Trenton, this exhibition represents a unique collaboration between Artworks Trenton and Grounds For Sculpture (GFS), located in Hamilton. The Artworks Trenton exhibition is a first look at select pieces to be featured in GFS’ upcoming exhibition, “Clifford Ward: I’ll Make Me a World.” The exhibition at GFS is guest curated by Noah Smalls and will be on view in its Museum Building from May 18 to January 11, 2026. Expanding on the Artworks Trenton exhibition, GFS will display Ward’s work in a larger context, revealing the complete narrative and the interconnectedness of his greater oeuvre. more

Call for Art: Princeton Public Library Exhibition

The Princeton Public Library is is seeking submissions of art of all types for “Our Natural World in 8×8: An Art and Poetry Exhibition.”

Artwork of any type, inspired by an original poem or one that is in the public domain, may be submitted through March 1. Entries should be 8-by-8 inches in dimension or be able to stand on an 8-by-8-inch surface.

Selected works from three age categories, adults included, will be displayed in the Main Lobby April 1-21 to coincide with the Princeton Environmental Film Festival and Earth Day.

All types of art are welcome including painting, drawing, sketching, sculpture, mosaic, and collage. The use of recycled or repurposed, environmentally friendly materials is strongly recommended.
For additional details and an entry form, visit princetonlibrary.org/PEFF.

“Dual Nature” Art Exhibit at Tulpehaking Nature Center

“DUAL NATURE”: Beatrice Bork’s “Winter Nap” and Joe Kazimierczyk’s “Whispering Sky” will be on view January 19 to February 28 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center in Hamilton. An opening reception is on January 26 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.

Tulpehaking Nature Center at Abbott Marshlands invites art enthusiasts and nature lovers alike to “Dual Nature,” an art exhibition that explores nature from two distinct perspectives. Featuring the work of animal artist Beatrice Bork and landscape artist Joe Kazimierczyk, “Dual Nature” will be on view January 19 through February 28.

In “Dual Nature,” both artists reveal their unique approaches to capturing the natural world, bringing together Bork’s watercolor wildlife portraits and Kazimierczyk’s oil landscapes. Bork, known for her expertise in capturing the spirit and beauty of animals, relies on firsthand observation in the field to inspire her works, creating narratives that invite viewers into the intimate lives of her subjects. Her meticulous watercolors highlight the essence of the animals she observes, blending detailed renderings with expressive backgrounds that evoke a sense of the spiritual and poetic, seamlessly merging precision with artistic sensitivity. more

Sparked by Career Game from Senior Forward Hill, Tiger Women’s Hoops Tops Cornell in Ivy Opener

PARKING IN THE PAINT: Princeton University women’s basketball player Parker Hill goes up for a shot in a game last season. Last Saturday, senior forward Hill posted career-highs in points (18) and rebounds (9) to help Princeton defeat Cornell 72-39 in the Ivy League opener for both teams. The Tigers, now 10-4 overall and 1-0 Ivy, host Harvard (12-1 overall, 1-0 Ivy) on January 11. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Parker Hill was fired up to start her final Ivy League campaign for the Princeton University women’s basketball team as it hosted Cornell last Saturday afternoon.

“This is where we define our season, this is where we make our run for the postseason,” said Princeton senior forward Hill. “This is where it all really counts.” more