[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”ACPs 50th”]
Photo Credit: Arts Council of Princeton
[Best_Wordpress_Gallery id=”5″ gal_title=”ACPs 50th”]
Photo Credit: Arts Council of Princeton
An Emotional Motorcade From Brooklyn Brings WTC Steel to Princeton for Memorial
A chunk of steel left after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and destined for a memorial to be created in Princeton arrived in town on Saturday, March 24, escorted from Brooklyn to Witherspoon Street by a procession of motorcyclists from several states. Draped in an American flag, the steel beam remnant was delivered to the Princeton Fire Department’s Station 63 firehouse and the Township Municipal Building, where membrs of the public and local politicians attended a ceremony marking the day.
“We had about 125 motorcycles, and several fire departments, taking part along the way,” said Bob Gregory, Princeton Borough’s Director of Emergency Services. “As the apparatus left New York City, a lot of fire departments were on overpasses as they came through. Locally, we had the Princeton Fire Department, of course, and Cranbury [fire department] covered the town while the apparatus was out.”
Also participating in the motorcade was the Princeton Fire and Rescue Squad, as well as Borough and Township police and Princeton University’s Department of Public Safety. “We had both mayors and some Council and Township Committee members, [Congressman] Rush Holt, and other politicians, at the welcoming ceremony,” said Mr. Gregory. “A pretty fair showing from the town came out to support it, easily close to 200 people altogether.”
It was last fall that Princeton Fire Department Deputy Chief Roy James made a presentation to Princeton Borough Council and Township Committee about his idea to establish a memorial in Princeton to those who perished on 9/11. Mr. James wanted to install a substantial piece of steel from the World Trade Center in a spot where people can gather to remember and reflect.
Kyle Rendall, an architect with KSS Architects of Princeton and a local firefighter, has been working on the project with Mr. James since its inception. While a site for the memorial has yet to be finalized, the area in front of Borough Hall, near the Battle Monument, is under consideration.
“We did a design for pricing, but we’re currently meeting in-house with partners to get input on what the design will look like,” Mr. Rendall said. “We want to make it a holistic and comprehensive design process. We’re looking to incorporate items into the design that will make it really help represent the loss.”
Mr. Rendall said the architects are taking some design notions from museums that memorialize the Holocaust and other such themes. The memorial would include a timeline, and incorporate three zones: research and learning, remembrance and contemplation, and general observation.
The steel beam around which the memorial will be designed will be housed at the firehouse on Harrison Street until the site is completed.
A recent outbreak of what appears to be norovirus, a gastrointestinal flu, is keeping Princeton and Rider University cleaning crews busy.
“Since January 29, we have seen a total of about 140 students with symptoms of gastroenteritis,” reported Princeton University Spokesperson Martin A. Mbugua at the beginning of the week. “The University has taken a number of measures to try to contain the spread of illness, including increased cleaning of bathroom facilities, and alerting members of the campus community through health advisories about the cases of illness and the need to take appropriate hygiene precautions to limit the spread.”
“The number of reported cases of norovirus among students continues to decline,” reported a Monday update from Rider University, where over 100 cases were originally reported. “We have had a total of 11 reported cases from Sunday morning, February 12, through Monday February 13 at 2 p.m. None of these were sent to the hospital.”
Apparently in response to suggestions that Rider should have been more aggressive in reacting to the outbreak, the update noted that local, county, and state public health officials “supported Rider’s decision to hold classes and events as scheduled.”
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes norovirus as a “highly contagious” viral infection that may be called by other names, including viral gastroenteritis, stomach flu, and food poisoning. The CDC notes that there is no vaccine to prevent the infection and there is no specific drug to treat people who are experiencing the diarrhea, vomiting, and/or stomach pain associated with the illness. “Most people get better within one to two days,” the CDC reports, although “dehydration can be a problem among some people, especially the very young, the elderly, and people with other illnesses.”
While there is no specific treatment for norovirus, adults infected with it may want to use an over-the-counter anti-diarrhea medicine. These are not recommended for children and babies. Everyone, however, is encouraged to drink water to prevent dehydration.
The infection, which is often associated with cruise ships, is believed to be spread by eating or drinking contaminated liquids; touching surfaces or objects that carry the virus, and then placing the hand in the mouth; and by sharing food, drinks, or eating utensils with an infected person. Hand-washing and, when soap and water are not available, the liberal use of hand sanitizers, appear to be the order of the day. By Monday, bottles of Purell had been placed on service desks all around the Princeton Public Library.
So far, so good: the outbreak appears to be limited to the Princeton and Rider campuses. “I can’t say we’ve that seen any cases,” said Pediatric Group doctor John Cotton. At Princeton Regional School (PRS) District offices, Cyd Trumbo said that they too had not had any reported cases of stomach flu, although a new link (“What is Norovirus?”) was added to the PRS website over the weekend.
“Knock on wood we have not been hit hard yet,” reported Princeton Senior Resource Center Director Susan Hoskins. “Hopefully people know to stay home when they feel ill. We have hand sanitizer available throughout the building and encourage people to use good public health prevention practices.”
Other advice for those who are anxious about contracting norovirus includes carefully washing fruits and vegetables, and thoroughly cooking oysters and other shellfish. Those who are already infected should not be involved in any food preparation. Both Princeton and Rider reported that dormitories and other buildings were undergoing careful cleaning and that food services were on alert.
The outbreak was not completely unexpected, according to Mr. Mbugua. “University Health Services plans for an increase in volume every February, since that is frequently a time when utilization of our services increases, so we have adequate resources to handle the number of students that we have been seeing,” he reported.
To the Editor:
I write to suggest that the Borough and U.S.P.S. reconsider the pending sale of the Palmer Square post office building.
The location and placement of this post office provide an occasion to use Palmer Square for non-commercial purposes for probably a few thousand local residents on a regular basis, making it a prime example of the pedestrian lifestyle so sought after today. While a new facility may be in the same general area, it is unlikely to provide the park-like ambience of the present one with its exterior landscaping, magnificent trees, and pleasant walkways, not to mention the concerts and other community functions on the lawn.
Newly constructed post offices tend to be sterile in terms of interior design and lighting. A new facility may be unable to provide large boxes or 24-hour lobby access. Repurposing of the current building will offer additional sad evidence of what used to be but is no more. A commercial owner will be primarily concerned with conveniences for its own employees and customers, not the general public.
Palmer Square, with the current post office and Nassau Inn at its center, is a venue of unsurpassed charm. It and the splendidly successful Hinds Plaza make the Borough a special place. This post office is emblematic of our heritage — historically, architecturally, and as an expression of public service. The financial challenges the U.S.P.S. faces are not the responsibility of the employees or patrons of this particular post office. Princeton should think twice before losing this urban jewel.
James P. Murphy
Witherspoon Street