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Opportunities: Calls for Donations

Princeton Public Library is seeking donations of yarn to be used in kits to be distributed as part of this year’s Knit for Others program. Donations of full, or nearly full, skeins of clean, untangled yarn will be collected throughout the month of August.

All types of yarn, wool and acrylic, will be collected at the Welcome Desk on the first floor or second-floor Information Desk. Darker colors, rather than pastel or neon shades, are preferred. Bringing the yarn in a bag is appreciated.

August 29. During this event, partners will provide on the spot health services, community resources and backpacks filled with new school supplies.

In advance of the event, the school district is holding a school supply drive in to fill the backpacks that will be distributed. Below is a list of requested supplies.

We invite you to help us support the local community! The Museum has a collection bin at our main entrance. Deadline for donation drop off is August 21. Questions can be emailed to Amy.Stevens@sos.nj.

Between The Lines

The kits will include yarn and a simple pattern for a winter hat or pair of mittens. They will be available while supplies last to those who would like to contribute to the library’s annual fall collection of hand-knit or crocheted winter wear items that are distributed to local organizations.

This year marks the library’s 16th annual Knit for Others program. Nearly 650 items, including hats, mittens, scarves, sweaters, and afghans were distributed as part of the program in 2024.

More information: www.princetonlibrary.org.

The New Jersey State Museum is participating in Trenton Public Schools’ 10th Annual Back to School Extravaganza on Friday,

U.S. 1 WELCOMES letters to the editor, corrections, and criticisms of our stories and columns. E-mail your thoughts directly to our editor: hastings@princetoninfo. com.

gov.

Composition books

Spiral notebooks

Crayons

Colored pencils

Markers

Sticky Notes

Pencil cases

Pencils/erasers

Scissors (for elementary school)

3-Ring binders

Loose leaf paper

Index cards

Highlighters

Calculators (for high school)

Dry erase board & markers

Pocket folders

Glue sticks

Hand sanitizer

Tissues

Call for Photographs

The Mercer County Library System (MCLS) is excited to announce the 2025 Amateur Photo Contest, inviting amateur photographers of all ages to share their unique perspective on this year’s inspiring theme: Our Vibrant World.

This year’s theme encourages residents to showcase the colorful, diverse, and dynamic moments that make our world extraordinary. Whether it’s the beauty of nature,

the energy of community life, or the vivid details of everyday scenes, participants are asked to capture what “vibrant” means to them.

“It’s always a pleasure to view the incredible range of photos submitted by our talented residents,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “I can’t wait to see how the members of our community portray the vibrancy of our County and our world.”

The contest is open to all amateur photographers who live, work, or attend school in Mercer County. Entries will be accepted from Monday, August 11 through Monday, September 15. Submit your photograph to your local branch! A panel of judges from each branch will choose three photos, which will then be evaluated by a final panel. Prizes will be awarded for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.

Come share your vision and help us celebrate Our Vibrant World! For full contest guidelines and submission details, please visit www. mcl.org.

Call for Art

Terhune Orchards invites local artists to be part of its Fourth Annual Fall Art Show, held in thehistoric 250-year-old barn. This year’s theme is “50 Years of Terhune Orchards,” honoring five decades under the Mount Family.

Past shows — Celebration of Old Trees (2022), Barns (2023), and Everything That Grows (2024) — have showcased incredible talent and creativity, with last year’s exhibit featuring over 60 stunning pieces.

This year, artists are invited to submit one or two original works of scenes around Terhune Orchards over the years. All visual art mediums are welcome. Photography

must reflect a creative, artistic interpretation — not simple snapshots.

Drop off pieces framed and ready to hang at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, by Wednesday, August 27. All media is accepted. Before you bring your artwork to the farm, make sure you fill out the submission form. Up to two entries per artist are permitted, but please submit one form per piece.

The art show takes place in the 250-year-old red barn from September 6 until December 7. An opening and meet the artists event is set for Sunday, September 7, at 1 p.m. Artists may sell their works; buyers will contact artists directly. Visit www.terhuneorchards.com/ event/art-show-sale/ for more information and to submit artworks.

SURVIVAL GUIDE

Business Meetings

Wednesday July 23

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Shawn Donelson, office equipment sales process presentation; and Tahiv Grantham, notary and social media promotion of your business. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Business After Business Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, Princeton, 609-924-1776. www.princetonmercerchamber.org. Network with fellow Chamber members and guests in a warm, relaxed atmosphere while enjoying light fare, beer and wine. Register. 5 to 7 p.m.

Thursday July 24

Networking, BNI Tigers Chapter, Conference Center at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3237. www.bninjpa.org. In-person meeting. Speaker: Marie Bardzilowski, banking. 7 to 8:30 a.m. Networking, BNI Top Flight, Town Diner, 431 Route 130, East Windsor, 609-4438222. www.bninjpa.org. 7 a.m.

Business Plan for Bank Financing, SCORE Princeton, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. princeton.score.org. Free in-person workshop led by Parag Nevatia takes a look at the very basics of an effective Business Plan when applying for bank financing in addition to different types of Business Loans available in the market. Nevatia is founder of EZ Funding Solutions, a Business Finance Advisory Company. Register. 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Friday July 25

Networking, BNI Driven, Elks Lodge #2622, 1580 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609585-9610. www.bninjpa.org. Speakers: Therese Hollander, banking; James Cavalucci, renovations. 7 a.m. Networking X-Factor BNI, VFW 133, 485 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, 908421-6151. www.bninjpa.org. Guests always welcome. RSVP suggested. Contact distinguished@rocketmail.com for more. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

JobSeekers, Professional Service Group of Mercer County, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. www.psgofmercercounty.org. Marty Latman presents “In Transition: Now What Do I Do?” 10:15 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Tuesday July 29

Buying a Franchise or an Existing Independent Business Princeton SCORE Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. princeton.score.org. Jack Armstrong is the president of FranNet of New Jersey and has owned that business for the last 28 years. Free workshop includes: Common myths and truths about franchising; ownership options like professional advisory services, manufacturing, social entrepreneurship, education, home services, passive owner models, medical practices, health and wellness business; how to do due diligence and build a professional team; pros and cons of buying a franchise or an existing business; government regulations for franchises; how to safely research and select the right business for you; how to finance your business; and available resources and services to help you through the process. Register. 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Wednesday July 30

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Allison Scharf, director consultant chapter review; and Fred Voza menus, business cards, and mailers. 7 a.m.

Thursday July 31

Networking BNI Tigers Chapter, Conference Center at Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3237. www.bninjpa.org. In-person meeting. Speaker: Robert Flani-

Brian Blair, top, and Diana Rogers are part of the Princeton Chamber’s ‘Greening of Trenton’ panel discussion on Thursday, July 31.

gan, mortgages. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Networking, BNI Top Flight, Town Diner, 431 Route 130, East Windsor, 609-4438222. www.bninjpa.org. 7 a.m.

Trenton Economic Development Series, Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber of Commerce, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Executive Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-924-1776. www.princetonmercerchamber.org. “Sustainable Futures: The Greening of Trenton” spotlights the innovative green initiatives already taking root in Trenton — and the exciting projects still to come. Introductory discussion by Tom Szaky, founder and CEO, TerraCycle, followed by a panel session with Brian Blair, general manager, Trenton Renewable Power; Jay Watson, senior fellow For conservation, New Jersey Conservation Foundation; Szaky; and Diana Rogers (moderator), executive director, Greater Mount Zion Trenton Community Development Corporation. Register. Breakfast served. 7:30 to 10 a.m.

Midsummer Meetup, Experience Princeton, The Meeting House, 277 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.experienceprinceton.org. Evening of socializing among Experience Princeton businesses, property owners, stakeholders, partners, and volunteers. Light refreshments and beverages provided. Reservations are required; nametags provided for registered guests at the door. Register. 6 p.m.

Friday August 1

Networking, BNI Driven, Elks Lodge #2622, 1580 Kuser Road, Hamilton, 609585-9610. www.bninjpa.org. Speaker: Shawn Donelson, education. 7 a.m.

Networking, X-Factor BNI, VFW 133, 485 Cranbury Road, East Brunswick, 908-4216151. www.bninjpa.org. Guests always welcome. RSVP suggested. Contact distinguished@rocketmail.com for more. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

JobSeekers Professional Service Group of Mercer County, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.psgofmercercounty.org. Nora Walsh presents “Hiding in Plain Sight: Library Resources to Help with Your Job Search.” 9:45 a.m. to noon.

Saturday August 2

Mid-Day Toastmasters Club, , Hickory Corner Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, 908-421-6151. 4139.toastmastersclubs.org. Nonprofit dedicated to effective oral communication and leadership development. Meeting also accessible via Zoom. Visit tinyurl.com/zoomwithmidday. 10 a.m.

Wednesday August 6

Networking, BNI Falcons, IHOP, 610 Route 33, East Windsor, 877-264-0500. www.bninjpa.org. Hybrid meeting. Speakers: Vera Silva, business and personal insurance topics; and Fran White, first inperson presentation, health insurance products and services. 7 to 8:30 a.m.

ART FILM LITERATURE DANCE DRAMA MUSIC

PRE VIEW summer Fiction 2025

The Fabric of Life

Quilters

by Christina Kales

The persistent chirping of her cell phone irritated Debbie. Her friends knew she carefully guarded the earliest moments of her day, sitting in her garden, sipping her first cup of coffee. Only a scam call she thought as she blocked out the noise. But a second immediate call got her attention.

The caller ID identified her friend Jen and, as she quickly returned Jen’s call, Debbie suspected something was wrong. Quiet, levelheaded Jen would never interrupt Deb’s morning ritual. Jen’s voice wavered when she answered at the first ring. Before she even finished her first few words, Deb responded to the tremulous note in Jen’s voice, knowing her friend was in trouble, serious trouble. She put down the still warm coffee, moved through her kitchen, picking up her car keys enroute. Jen’s home was just blocks away and Deb would be there in minutes.

Debbie and Jen had met years earlier in an afternoon quilting class at the community center. Both had young, middle school daughters whose schedules suddenly abounded with after school meetings, band rehearsals and sports activities. Relieved from their school pick ups, both moms used the extra afternoon time to take on a new hobby, as they enrolled in a beginner quilting class. Neither woman considered herself a particularly talented seamstress, but they bonded over creative class discussions of patterns and color choices.

The two friends took different approaches to quilting as suited their decidedly different personalities. Jen, Debbie noticed, took careful, detailed notes in the class and fixated on measurements, always double checking before every cut. Debbie eschewed math, often eyeballing seam widths and blithely adding new fabric to a border when her guesstimates ran short. She preferred using simple patterns with even squares that allowed her to experiment with placement and color choices. She fanaticized about spending an entire day wandering through a fabric store, surrounded by texture, pattern design and color.

Jen dreamed of completing a large, complicated quilt using various challenging quilting techniques like paper piecing and appliqués. Her ideal day would be spent totally engaged in a creative process within her sewing room. When the class ended, the two

Pondering

I have gone to the hills to catch the sunrise

Only to discover it had already ascended

Running to the sea, observing the impetuous high tide

To find the water at lowest ebb

Rushing through work to see the sunset

To find the sky cloaked in ebony

Wandering through my garden with eager feet

To gaze and ponder at the opening rosebuds

Instead, seeing their tender petals falling, one by one

Saddened by chances lost — another chance will remain

Perhaps the saddest of all — having searched with an aesthetic soul

Was finding a world absorbed with hungry pockets

And people with days that contain too few hours

Funny, their clocks look no different than mine ...

— Lynn Kearns

Kearns lives in South Brunswick and is a member of her library’s poetry workshop.

new friends surveyed the group display of completed, small quilts.

Debbie noted that her borders seemed wavy as opposed to Jen’s precision, knife edge straight lines. Not surprised, Jen asked her friend if she had squared the quilt. When Deb feigned confusion, Jen smiled, understanding her friend had taken yet another short cut to the finish. Her questioning looks prompted Debbie’s Gees Bend explanation for irregular seams and both women laughed.

When the class ended, the now friends continued to meet regular-

deb always bought much more Fabric than her chaotic Quilt designs reQuired. she knew Jen was Far more disciPlined and organized in her Fabric Purchases, never wasting time or money on sPur oF the moment decisions

ly for coffee, often sharing pictures of their latest projects. Debbie sewed small crib quilts and quilted pillow tops always choosing batik fabrics and scrappy designs. Jen dove with abandon into queen size sampler quilts with multiple designs elements and techniques.

The women offered each other encouragement as well as realistic assessments. On one project, Deb

suggested Jen incorporate red in her color complement to create contrast. Come shop in my stash Deb suggested, knowing her exuberant fabric collection encompassed dozens of reds. Deb always bought much more fabric than her chaotic quilt designs required. She knew Jen was far more disciplined and organized in her fabric purchases, never wasting time or money on spur of the moment decisions.

As their daughters grew through adolescence and careened into their teenage years, Deb and Jen’s coffee meet ups often moved from solving problems with their quilt projects to sharing lessons as solutions to life’s more prickly family issues. Sometimes it was Jen’s ordered approach that provided the necessary salve. Often, Deb’s whirlwind and chaotic experience raising three older boys provided just the perfect patch for a complicated puzzle Jen experienced with her daughter. Over time, the bond between the two women became unbreakable as they developed mutual respect for the strength of one another’s differences and approaches to life.

That morning Deb turned into Jen’s driveway, marveling as always at the carefully curated flower beds across property’s borders. As with her quilting, Jen’s sense of organization and calm permeated her every living space. Unlike Deb’s garden, there was not a weed in sight. No stray seedling would dare grow here Deb thought as she shook her head.

She assumed Jen would be on the rear deck and there Deb found

essential stuFF

Just as only the day before yesterday we learned that dark matter was the essential stuff of the cosmos, though invisible, unseen, inferred,

Now we learn that bacteria are a central fact of our bodies — think of it, wrap your mind around it — we may be simply coat hangers for a thousand strains of bacteria that define who we are in healthy bodies.

Not only that.

Within the human tribe we are so very different from one another — EACH OF US WITH TEN TRILLION GOOD BACTERIA —

That’s the collective debt in dollars in America times three, the galloping national debt. That we know so frigging little about the geography of our bodies — and the universe — makes us wonder how little we know about anything.

— Scott McVay Scott McVay graduated with an AB in English Literature in 1955 at Princeton University, served in Berlin with the CIC on civilian status, worked for Princeton University for 11 years, was engaged for years with seven foundations, was the 16th president and CEO of the Chautauqua Institute, created the McVay Poetry Trail with his wife Hella on the Greenway Meadows in Princeton with 50 poems, 25 women and 25 men with theme of awe and wonder in natural world from a dozen different lands and cultures. He has published 11 papers on whales and whale conservation in scientific journals from Scientific American (1966) to Science, “Songs of Humpback Whales,” which discovery was made with his wife Hella, and a memoir, Surprise Encounters with Artists and Scientists, Whales and Other Living Things.and a book of 99 poems, Whales Sing and Other Exuberances.

her friend hunched over with her arms tightly wrapped around her. As Deb gently touched her shoulder, Jen lifted her tear-stained face and barely whispered to Deb that her husband Jake had left her.

Jen’s marital problems were well known to Debbie. Like other empty nesters, stresses that had been papered over for years now became blazingly apparent. Words never spoken in the presence of their child found voice. And, while devoted to their now absent daughter, they had increasingly grown apart as Jen retreated to her sewing room for hours on end.

Shocked into silence, Deb knew nothing in her stash of life experiences could remedy this.

She wrapped her arms around Jen, encasing her in the silent comfort only a close friend could provide. This, Deb knew, was a life crisis that would need more than strengthened seams and ripped out and re-sewn stitches. The mistakes could not be quilted over to fade from sight. Jen’s crisis was a gaping, ragged hole that ruined the de-

sign of her life and no mere patch could correct.

Encouraging her friend, Debbie suggested another way. Jen would need to craft an entirely new pattern, one with bold colors and a fresh start, a creation entirely her own. They would do it together, she assured Jen, solving the puzzles one day at a time with no Gees Bend shortcuts. No matter how inspirational those quilts had been hanging on a wall, today’s reality required a blend of approaches that only these two women could bring. While the collaboration might seem uncomfortable to Jen, the final product would be admirable and life sustaining, no matter how long it took.

Together, she urged Jen, we will create something new, unique, and beautiful.

Dr. Christina Kales lives in Pennington with her husband Bob and dog Ginger. She is a quilter, better than Deb but not as talented as Jen. She teaches art history at the Evergreen Forum, CMAP, Princeton.

Location, Location, Location

the house on cherry hill road tells its stories chaPter 1

by Rebecca Pack Burr

Well, according to some records, I was born in 1720. Others have it in 1748.

Needless to say, I’m quite old by now. In fact, I no longer technically exist in material form, but in the quantum reality I am eternal. In the hearts and minds of many Princetonians, past and present, I live on in memory. And they live in mine.

Princeton had been barely named when I came into being, and was only a stop on the way between Trenton and New Brunswick on the King’s Highway. There was a tavern on that road that made it a place. Greenland’s Tavern.

I was a two story farmhouse in the beginning. Two rooms, one above, and a large fireplace. A young family grew old there. And over generations, so did I. The Reverend John Witherspoon, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, moved in down the road around the time of The Revolution. There were only a few of us back then. Cherry Hill Road was country. Merchants referred to us as the big white farmhouse on the hill. I didn’t have a number then.

But my mind keeps returning to the 1960s and on to the present day. Those are my most heart-felt memories. The last family. Fiftytwo years we had together. After the vacancy. After the Second World War, the previous family dispersed, leaving me without human companionship for two decades. The last living son on the land was Harry. He had moved into a cottage on the property near the woods. No plumbing or electricity, but a phone line. He heated cans of food on the old iron wood burning stove, and that’s the way he wanted it even after the new owners took over. Actually, I prefer the word custodians to owners; over time, that’s the truer word. I mean, death seems to dictate that, don’t you think? Did I own the residents? No, I sheltered them. Harry was never altogether all together after the Great War. The mustard gas had its effect. For some reason, he was in Boston for a time. There he was married to a young lady — a surprise to all, ” Dear Mother Married to day I supose the boys will be shocked when They see this . . .” She was as ordinary as he was. Both wore eyeglasses. They were happy. Punctuation was not a thing with them. Or spelling. Sister Martha wrote letters home from the State Village for Epileptics at Skillman. Dear Mama I am getting along allright…How is Frank Harry Alonzo and Arthur Tell Mary and Ruth to come see me again they are welcome…Ma I am out of stamps…1918. Twice during my first 200 years, rooms were added. And as I grew, so did my awareness. In the beginning, I heard mostly the Bible, the only book they had. And news of the day came via tradesmen and foot travelers, and much later, the radio. We did hear of the big events; the battles nearby for independence from England, the comings and goings of governors and statesmen, and the laying

down of the Canal, and the Straight Turnpike, later called U.S.1, which, in time, brought more and more people to settle up here on the hill, and so a small stone schoolhouse was built on the big curve halfway into town. With a house next door for the teacher. Masses of orange Daylillies grew alongside the road in Summer. Harry was the reason for the 20 year absence of people, and also the reason I was finally purchased. Every prospective buyer needed for him to be removed from his cottage. Every buyer until 1966, when Mr. Joe and Ms. Maggie said, “Why?” Why should the old man have to go from the only home he knew? And he was old by then.

Sold.

Me, in a state of dishabille, as you might imagine; being broken into and vandalized and neglected, nesting on seven acres at the top of Cherry Hill Road. Dinah, the middle daughter, cried when she first saw me. Tears not for me, but for the prospect of living in a place so different from her elegant dreams. Bekka, the eldest, was intrigued by the artifacts left behind, and the energy remains of the ones who lived here before. I wish I could have regaled her with stories of the music and dancing and wistful moments around the wind-up Victrola record player. Mary and Ruth, especially. It was stolen. Sad. Bekka had her mom’s old record collection from the 1930’s. I would have loved to hear that music again on the old machine. Can you hear it?

There were bibles and bedpans, disintegrating leather suitcases full of letters and needlework; an ancient shotgun, and Harry’s WW1 army kit and uniform. In the kitchen was the iron wood stove, and the large, ornately carved oak dining table, and on it, a box of Kellog’s corn flakes with the rooster … hmmm, I wonder who left that out? So quiet for so long! The matching china hutch, and linen chest were still there, untouched by thieves. All locally made, for they were ordinary people; educated to the eighth grade or better, and doing well as skilled workers. So much to be done! I was uninhabitable. For two and a half years, during my make-over, the three girls appeared every school morning on my doorstep, the construction site, to wait for the school bus. Miss Burke, a vice principal at the high school, and girl’s disciplinarian, knew what was up, but looked the other way. That was just the beginning of the drama! All the noise and ruckus and laughter and plenty of heartache — I held them all through the years. You’ve heard tell of the fly on the wall; I was the wall. All the walls. Inescapably one with all of life inside and out. It felt so — literally, restorative, to be restored. Recalled to life, to use Dickens’s words; they read a lot, and the youngest daughter, Jessie, spoke French. But, to have years of debris scraped away, and sagging, arthritic joints put back in place, to be lifted from the fate of all matter, to the purpose I once had, and actually raised in stature, given more responsibility by additions, doubling my size — I felt elevated and humbled at the same time.

Move-in day was the end of November in 1968. All my doors were gloriously open, and my rooms were filled again with the energy and purpose of human habitation. I would say, it was one of the best days of my life, because

until I knew emptiness, I didn’t really understand the joy of fullness. Boxes were set on the polished wood floors. Furniture was there to stay. The lights were on! I really loved the crystal chandelier that hung in the two story high entryway. Probably Mr. Joe and I were the ones most in awe of its brilliance.

It would have been just before Thanksgiving. I would learn that holidays were a time of trouble for this family; perhaps an inauspicious time to launch, as it were.

The eldest daughter was nowhere to be seen. As I gleaned, she had left the home in Trenton at the beginning of the school year, with only the clothes on her back, a toothbrush, and a job in Professor Bruce Albert’s biochemistry lab on campus.

Eventually, she did turn up, and took up residence again with the family. Bringing in the sounds of Bob Dylan, The Beatles, and all of Motown, the girls would be dancing, spiraling, spinning on the polished parquet floor of the partially furnished living room. I was shaken to my core on the mighty ocean of sound from the speakers of the RCA console stereo and television. Television! Literally an eye opener for me.

The girls took an interest in Mr. Harry, a couple of times inviting him into the house for a cup of coffee. Instant Taster’s Choice was what they knew how to make. Ahh, the aroma of coffee again! I missed that. He was a reluctant guest in his old home. In fact, at 87, and of dwindling faculties, he was more probably a clueless guest. I, of course, remembered him as a boy and a young man, a bit prankish. But, sadly, he was beyond sharing recollections. It would have been nice, and I think that’s also what the girls were hoping for; stories of his life and mine. He brought the scent of wood fire inside. Indeed, the oldest part of me, at the end of the cool marble hall, was forever infused with the ancient, ashy breath of the remaining stone fireplace.

On Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter, he put on a cleaner shirt and a suit jacket, and walked into town for an early dinner. It might have been Renwick’s that was serving on holidays. He walked straight and tall, as I watched him walk down the long driveway. Proud. Once in a while, he had a friend named Mitzi staying overnight. That is what the telephone line was all about — to call a cab for her. I never met her, but once caught a glimpse of fuschia shoes, and a fur coat.

I enjoyed the everyday hub-bub of life ; all of it, including the fights and arguments, except when I was threatened with bodily harm, as I could not duck. The old dining room furniture had also been restored; the large round table was back in its place as though it had never left; and this room that was the kitchen, was now called the dining room. The piano stood where the old stove used to be. Almost all of them played, livening up many a gathering. The ancient wood floors of my original rooms were cleaned and shined. I so much looked forward to family mealtimes, where events of the day would be thrown about, where everyone would tell their adventures, and the news of the moment. That is really how I ever knew anything about the world down the hill and beyond.

Alas, everyone was on a different timetable. Different feeding patterns. It wasn’t often I was able

along the ‘neck road

I drive the ‘Neck Road, an eye out for the farmhouse sitting near Cranbury Brook, a mystery far off the road across fields of corn.

The farmer died a few years ago.

Finally, someone has moved in.

Someone not from here.

People with money, I hear.

This is the morning talk at the luncheonette where we meet to drink coffee and, perhaps more so, to gossip.

Why do we care about this farmhouse?

For God’s sake, one can hardly see it from the ‘Neck Road.

Because a newcomer, with money, from some other place – North Jersey, Brooklyn, or the Island of Staten? –will mess up the view.

Expanding the farmhouse, adding lights, shining into faces of townsfolk.

The farm is not ours, but we feel we own the scene.

We were here first.

— Joseph Sapia

Joe Sapia, 68-years-old, often writes about “Old Central Jersey.” He lives and writes at Helmetta-Jamesburg, where his maternal family settled around 1900.

to relax and enjoy an everyday family dinner conversation, but the dinner parties were definitely worthwhile occasions, as the family circle of friends, acquaintances, associates and strays was global. People they met on their travels were invited to stay, or at least come over when visiting the U.S. George from Estonia they met in Sweden. In 1973, they went to China with a group from the NY Academy of Sciences. So, of course, during the next few years, came several Chinese travelers.

“Ni hao?” I picked up a few words.

Thewarmest parties were with family and friends. A lively evening of food and drink, politics and good fellowship would frequently be ignited by the merest excuse — a knock on the door on a Saturday evening. Mr. Joe’s closest friend, Mr. Walt, and Ms. Rosemarie: We just came from a lecture on campus, or a play at McCarter. A bottle of wine would be opened. A tray of pastries might appear. Mr. Joe would find some delicacy in the fridge he’d been saving for just such an event. Well, this went on for the next 50 years. The girls popped in with boyfriends, and sometimes friends were already there, hidden away in the secret places only they and I knew about. Then. The teenagers here in my last decade, of course, found them all; their parties tended to revolve around hide-and-seek, dancing, and rollicking fun that spread out into the woods; on a midsummer

night or in a snowy starlit wonderland, or around a bonfire in the driveway.

Back to the 1960s. What was called the generation gap caused all kinds of turmoil in daily life, especially affecting the femalesthe curfews, and the howit-looks, and girls-can’t-do-that, and so on. The dress code at the high school was especially concerned with skirt length for girls, often landing ours in Miss Burke’s office for enlightenment. Decades later, when Bekka’s kids were here, some of the boys did wear skirts to school. Usually midi length. It was a patriarchal family, and yet, the girls and all the younger ones were encouraged to speak up at those parties. Express their views. Was it entertainment, to let the teenagers reveal their minds? And did they? Yes, of course they did, because they knew things, and knew that they knew things. The adults asked probing questions that they never did when one-on-one, but all of them together — it seemed more like curious inquiry than inquisition. They seemed earnest. It would have been a time to bridge the gap. Was there a lot of drug taking among their friends? Was there dating with University students? Was there a political underground at the high school? Was the gap bridged? Eventually, it always is.

Throughout my time, generation after generation, I have had to

Continued on page 16

index to Poets & writers

Prose: Rebecca Pack Burr, 5; Karen Carson, 16; Wendell Collins, 16; Arlene Gralla Feldman, 20; Christina Kales, 4; John Kizzie, 21; Joanne Sutera, 18; Clark Linden Westfield, 20.

Poetry: Francis Barry, 19; Vida Chu, 19; Carolyn Foote Edelmann, 18; Elane Gutterman, 18; Dwyer Jones, 17; Lynn Kearns, 4; Lavinia Kumar, 19; Scott McVay, 4; Leonora Rita Obed, 17; Christine Piatek, 20; Cat Phillips, 16; Asha Rani, 19; Joseph Sapia, 5; Ellena Verasco, 21; Sharon Wang, 19; Bill Waters, 18; Maria Xu, 17.

DAY-BY-DAY EVENTS, JULY 23 TO AUGUST 6

Event Listings: E-mail events@princetoninfo.com

While many venues have returned to hosting in-person events, others are still taking place online. Event descriptions specify if an event is being held virtually or in a hybrid format. To include your virtual or in-person event in this section email events@princetoninfo.com.

Wednesday July 23

Outdoor Concerts

Concerts on the Landing, Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. www.nj.gov/state/ memorial. Trenton legend Ernie White performs a free lunchtime concert on the steps of the War Memorial. Concert moves inside in case of inclement weather. Noon to 2 p.m.

Music on the Patio: A Celtic Serenade with Theresa Morrow & Ken Malberg, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, Nancy S. Klath Center for Lifelong Learning, 101 Poor Farm Road, Princeton, 609-751-9699. www.cmaprinceton.org. Refreshments served. Register. $10. 6 p.m. Plainsboro Summer Blast Concert Featuring: “The Little Mermen” Plainsboro Recreation & Cultural Center, Plainsboro Municipal Grounds, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. The “Little Mermen & The Princess Pals” bring Disney’s beloved songs to life with a fun rockin’ twist. Featuring Live Disney Hits, Face Painting, Fun Games, giant inflatables and more. Free. 6 p.m.

On Stage

Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Musical comedy blending Jewish and Italian traditions as the sisters are hired to cater an event at a Jewish funeral home. $50 and up. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. To Catch a Thief. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Dancing

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Paul Morris with Blue Jersey. $15. 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Wellness

Wild Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.

History

Twilight Garden Tour, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven. org. Horticulturist-led tour of Morven’s gardens followed by light refreshments on the pool house porch. Register. $20. 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Play Ball!

The Lambertville Historical Society presents a baseball game between the Logan Club of Lambertville and the Flemington Neshanock played using 1864 rules on Saturday, August 2, at Ely Field in Lambertville.

Lectures

The Paint Diva Method with Cindy Gelormini Mercer County Library. events.mcl.org. Have you ever walked into a paint store and become completely overwhelmed with too many color choices? Ever made a mistake choosing the wrong color and now you’re afraid to choose your own paint colors again? Cindy Gelormini, the Paint Diva, will speak about the 5 mistakes people make when painting their homes, and how to fix them using the method outlined in her recently published book, The Paint Diva Method. It’s a practical step by step way to choose paint colors that makes the process of color selection incredibly simple and stress free. Learn how to choose colors for walls, ceilings and trim, which paint to use, which finish to use and how to sample colors correctly. Register for link to program. 7 p.m.

Heritage Lecture Series, Delaware River Greenway Partnership. www.delawarerivergreenwaypartnership.org. “Fish Tales,” presented by Travis Pantaleo of the Cooks Creek Watershed Association. Via Zoom. Register. 7:30 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Stewardship Session Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos. org/events-programs. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship team to perform ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal. Register. 1 to 3 p.m.

Socials

Jersey Art Meetup Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review

and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

Thursday

July 24

Live Music

Gary Cavico Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Live music and $2 off wine by the glass. 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Open Mic Evening, Faherty, 7 & 11 Palmer Square West, Princeton. stores.fahertybrand.com/nj/ princeton/PLS53/. Come with something creative to share, or your listening ears. Families welcome. Light refreshments served. Register to perform. Free. 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Music in the Park, Lawrenceville Main Street, Weeden Park, Lawrenceville. www.lawrencevillemainstreet.com. Concert, food for sale, games and activities for kids, and more. The Beagles with Joy performs. 6 to 9 p.m.

On Stage

Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters Bristol Riverside Theater 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Musical comedy blending Jewish and Italian traditions as the sisters are hired to cater an event at a Jewish funeral home. $50 and up. 2 p.m.

Frankenstein Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $35. 7:30 p.m.

Lectures

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Rocky. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Movies Under the Stars, City of Trenton, Breunig Avenue Park, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org.

Screening of “Sonic the Headgehog 3.” 8 p.m.

Summer Film Series: “Into the Wild” Princeton University Art Museum, Blair/Joline Courtyard, Mathey College, Princeton University. artmuseum.princeton. edu. This year’s selection of outdoor film screenings features three films noted for their representations of nature, inspired by the exhibition Léni Paquet-Morante: Extract / Abstract, on view at Art@Bainbridge from July 19 through November 9. Bring a blanket or chair; popcorn provided. “Into the Wild” (2007) is an absorbing fact-based portrait of a college grad (Emile Hirsch) who throws it all away to become a back-to-nature wanderer in the early 1990s. Adapted from the Jon Krakauer bestseller. Free. Rain date July 30. 8 p.m.

Food & Dining

Afternoon Tea with The Secret Tea Room, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven.org. Enjoy your choice of tea or infusion accompanied by freshly baked scones, tea sandwiches, dessert, and a sparkling drink with views of the 200-year-old mansion’s historic gardens. Register for noon or 2:15 p.m. seating. $50 includes optional tour. Noon to 3:30 p.m.

Farm Markets

Princeton Farmers Market, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www. princetonfarmersmarket.com. More than 30 vendors including local organic produce, pasture raised meat and eggs, farmstead cheeses, fresh baked goods, empanadas, all-natural dog and cat treats, homemade jam, oldworld style pickles, fresh flowers, handcrafted jewelry, knife sharpening, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Thursday Night Nature Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Lecture series held via Zoom. Topic is “Seeing the Forest for the Bees: habitat elements for native bees in deciduous forests” with Kass UrbanMead. Register. $15. 7 to 8 p.m.

Socials

Wine & Arrangements, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Join owner Reuwai Mount Hanewald for an evening of wine & flower arrangements. Pick flowers from the flower patch. Enjoy wine tasting as Reuwai leads the group in floral arranging in the winery. Flowers, vases, wine tasting flights are included in the cost of the program, $40. Additional light bites and wine available for purchase. Register. 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Friday July 25

Live Music

Open Mic Night, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. 4:30 to 8 p.m.

Sunset Sips & Sounds, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music by Foglight. Light fare, wine, and wine slushies available. 5 to 8 p.m.

Bad Hombres Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. R&B/contemporary. 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.

Live Music on the Patio, Yankee Doodle Tap Room, Nassau Inn, 10 Palmer Square East, Princeton. www.nassauinn.com. Paul Plumeri performs. 6 to 9 p.m. Outdoor Concerts

Summer Concert Series, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. www. princetonshoppingcenter.com. Live music in the courtyard by local bands and a pop-up beer garden from Triumph Brewery. Free. 6 to 8 p.m.

Summer Concert Series, Hopewell Valley Golf Course, 114 Pennington-Hopewell Road, Hopewell, 609-964-7393. www. hvgc.com. Free concert by the Strange Brew Crew. Bring your family and a lawn chair. 6:30 p.m. Best of the Eagles Mercer County 2025 Summer Concert Series, Mercer County Festival Grounds, Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. www.mercercounty.org. $5 entrance fee. Free parking. Food and drinks available for purchase. No outside food or drink permitted except sealed water bottles. 6:30 p.m.

Live at the Library, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. www.plainsborolibrary.org. Rising Smoke performs classic rock on the patio outside the front entrance. 7 p.m.

On Stage

Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $35. 7:30 p.m.

Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Musical comedy blending Jewish

Arts Council’s Princeton Sketchbook Club Returns for Third Year

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) has announced the return of the popular Princeton Sketchbook Club for its third iteration. This beloved community initiative invites participants of all ages and experience levels to contribute their creativity to a growing public collection of unique sketchbooks contributed by artists of all skill levels.

Each member of the Sketchbook Club receives the same 8×5” sketchbook — a blank canvas ready to be completely customized with the participant’s unique take. At the conclusion of the project, all completed books are added to the Princeton Sketchbook Library, a permanent collection housed at the Arts Council and open to the public six days a week.

and Italian traditions as the sisters are hired to cater an event at a Jewish funeral home. $50 and up. 8 p.m.

Family Theater

Little Red Riding Hood, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www. musicmountaintheatre.org. Join Little Red Riding Hood on her journey to Granny’s house. Along the way she meets some of your favorite characters all while avoiding the Big Bad Wolf. $13. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Free Friday Shows, Trenton Circus Squad, Trenton Circus Squad Factory, 675 South Clinton Avenue, Trenton. www.trentoncircussquad.org. Cotton candy, snow cones, and popcorn available for purchase. Proceeds help keep program free for all youth. 1 p.m.

Dancing

Dancing Under the Stars, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. Members of

Since its launch in 2021, the project has welcomed more than 300 submissions, showcasing a wide variety of styles, mediums, and voices. From graphite and pen drawings to collage, painting, and writing, no two books are alike. The project emphasizes accessibility and inclusivity: there is no jury or selection process, and all sketchbooks are accepted into the collection.

“The Sketchbook Club holds such a special place in my heart”, shares Melissa Kuscin, ACP Director of Programming and Events and Sketchbook Club founder. “At its core, the project is a joyful reminder of how creativity lives in everyone, whether it’s right at the surface and ready to explode onto the page, or needs some gentle coaxing.”

While many contributors are local to New Jersey and participate in monthly ACP-hosted Sketch-Ins, the project continues to expand na-

tionally, with participants of all ages and experience levels returning their completed sketchbooks by mail. Since the project’s inception, sketchbooks have been sent to artists in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Rhode Island, Maine, Virginia, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Texas, Ohio, Illinois, Arizona, Oregon, Washington, and California. The result is a truly collaborative and diverse reflection of the creative spirit.

“It’s so incredibly powerful to share your work in a welcoming space, whether you’re participating from right here in town or you’re across the country. For those local, the added benefit of getting together with such lovely fellow artists is the cherry on top. I implore you to check us out if you’ve been itching to get hands-on or meet new friends.”

Books are $10 for local pick-up

Artists of all ages and abilities are invited to contribute to the third iteration of the Art’s Council’s Princeton Sketchbook Club.

and $15 for domestic shipping. All proceeds benefit community arts programming in Princeton and beyond.

Sketchbooks are now available. A series of Sketch-Ins will be held bi-weekly on Tuesday evenings. View a full schedule of events, learn more, and register to participate by visiting the Arts Council’s website.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton. org

July 25

Central Jersey Dance demonstrate basic steps and lead others in an evening of dancing to recorded music of all kinds on Hinds Plaza, weather permitting; or Community Room. 7 to 10 p.m.

Friday Night Folk Dance, Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $10. 8 p.m.

Literati

FOPOS Book Club: Animal, Vegetable, Miracle Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes House, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos.org/ events-programs. Discussion of Barbara Kingsolver’s novel “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” led by Diana Newby, FOPOS board member and faculty member in Princeton University’s Writing Program. An award-winning fiction writer with degrees in biology and ecology, Kingsolver is known for novels that expansively explore human connections to the environment. Conversation followed by a snack prepared with edible invasive berries foraged from the Preserve. Register. 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Food & Dining

Farm Markets

Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moongrown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Saturday July 26

Live Music

Weekend Music Series, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. by Ragtime Relics. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m.

The Strange Brew Crew and Bardown, Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Classic/contemporary rock at 1 and rock at 5:30 p.m. 1 to 8:30 p.m. Cafe Improv, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-8777. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Local music, poetry, comedy. $2. 7 to 10 p.m.

The Discoteks Dance Party, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-3937300. www.coopersnj.com. With DJ David Matrix. Dinner and a show. Register via EventBrite. $15 and up includes buffet dinner options. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Summer Music Series, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www. palmersquare.com. Erik Daab Trio performs. 1 to 3 p.m.

Summer Music & More, West Windsor Arts, Nassau Park Pavilion, 510 Nassau Park Boulevard, West Windsor. www.west-

An opening reception takes place Sunday, August 3, for a summer exhibition by members of the Creative Collective at the Gourgaud Gallery in Cranbury. Clockwise from above are ‘In the Water Garden’ by Margaret Simpson, ‘Fireworks in Motion’ by Elaine Rosenberg,’ and ‘Old Lady in Flower Market’ by Amelia Chin.

windsorarts.org. Opening band: Dan Kassel and Friends, featuring Peter Sandler. Andy B.AND SoulFolk is the latest musical venture from New Jersey-based musician Andy Bernstein (aka Andy B), the longtime front man of Indie Roots Rockers, The VooDudes. Second of three in a free, family-friendly summer concert series celebrating local music and art. Hands-on art activities for all ages and an outdoor setting perfect for a picnic. 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Summer Concert Series, City of Trenton, Trenton Marine Terminal Park. www.trentonnj.org. Performance by Paul Plumeri. Refreshments and ice cream available. 6 p.m.

The Midnighters, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www.groundsforsculpture.org. The Midnighters Band, a local guitar and violin duo, perform a wide repertoire of instrumental and vocal music that ranges from traditional classical and cocktail jazz to contemporary pop to vintage rhythm & blues and soul at the Van Gogh Cafe. Free with museum admission. 6 to 8 p.m.

Music in the Alley, Halo Pub, 9 Hulfish Street, Princeton, 609921-1710. www.halofarm.com. 6 to 9 p.m.

World Music

Elida Almeida Blue Curtain Princeton High School PAC, 16 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www. facebook.com/BlueCurtainConcerts. From Cape Verde. Free. 8 p.m.

Art

The Mind of the Maker: Figure Drawing and Painting Practice Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-8777. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Across centuries and continents, artists have gathered to draw and paint the human figure—a timeless practice rooted in observation, discipline, and community. First day for exhibition that celebrates the ongoing tradition as it lives in our own backyard through classes offered weekly at ACP. On view through August 9. 9 a.m.

Dance

Koi Release Ceremony, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www. groundsforsculpture.org. Celebrate new additions to the koi pond and the Buddhist practice of fangsheng (from Mandarin Chinese for “releasing life”) with the modern group dance Holy Shower by Sunshine Dance. Free with museum admission. 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

On Stage

Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters, Bristol Riverside Theater,

120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org.

Musical comedy blending Jewish and Italian traditions as the sisters are hired to cater an event at a Jewish funeral home. $50 and up. 2 and 8 p.m.

Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $30 to $35. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

Family Theater

Dancing

English Country & Contra Dance Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Lesson followed by dance. $15. 7 to 10:30 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Summa’ Sizzla’, New Jersey Punk Rock Flea Market, New Jersey Expo Center, 97 Sunfield Avenue, Edison. www.punkmarket.com. All-day indoor festival celebrating DIY spirit, creative rebellion, and punk rock attitude. 250+ curated vendors from across the U.S.; live music and sideshow performances; on-site tattooing and piercing from professional artists; food truck court; hands-on workshops; special guests, pop-ups, giveaways, and other surprises. $20 in advance; $15 at the door. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mercer County 4-H Fair, Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, Howell Farm, 70 Wood-

ens Lane, Hopewell. mercer. njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/. Animal shows, live music, farm tours, exhibits, children’s activities, hayrides, magic shows, and pony rides. Plenty of food and drink, including homemade ice cream, available for purchase. Opening ceremony at 1 p.m. 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Craft Fairs

Local Craft Market, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Vendors offering handmade goods, art, jewelry, home décor, and more, plus a food truck from The Fry Boss. 1 to 6 p.m.

Food & Dining

Pam’s Annual Freezing, Canning, and Preserving Class, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrenceville, 609-9242310. www.terhuneorchards.com. Free. Rain or shine. Register. 10 a.m.

Farm Markets

Farm Market Blue Moon Acres 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moongrown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pennington Farmers Market, Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31, Pennington. www.penningtonfarmersmarket.org. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and more from local producers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

West Windsor Community Farmers’ Market, Vaughn Drive Lot, 877 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction. www.wwcfm.org. Up to 50 farms and other vendors on site selling fresh produce, meat, sweets, beer, tea, bread, pickles, and more. Live music and other special events weekly. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Farmers Market, Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Montgomery Township Municipal Cen-

ter, 100 Community Drive, Skillman, 609-915-0817. www.montgomeryfriends.org. Jersey Fresh produce and farm products, baked goods, sauces, fibers, honey, flowers, coffee, and music. Rain or shine. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wellness

Beyond Words I: Pearls of Wisdom West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. www.westwindsorarts. org. Free, family-friendly workshop created especially for those impacted by cancer offers a nurturing space for creative self-expression and connection. Guided by licensed art therapist Deborah Rice and inspired by the artwork of Priscilla Snow Algava, participants will use collage to explore themes of resilience, hope, and healing. Register. Free. 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

For Families

Saturdays in July/Sabados en julio Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, 609-989-1191. www.ellarslie. org. Breakfast and snacks, arts and crafts projects, museum exploration, and stories about the park and museum for ages 5 to 12 accompanied by an adult. Register; space is limited. Free. 9 a.m. to noon.

Lectures

July 14 - The Origins of Bastille Day/Le 14 Juillet les Origines de la Fête Nationale, Alliance Francaise, Princeton United Methodist Church, 7 Vandeventer Avenue, Princeton. allianceprinceton.com. French history seminar delivered in English by Jean-Baptiste Berthelin. Register. $60. 11 a.m.

Outdoor Action

ter. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 to 3 p.m.

Princeton Canal Walkers Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting. Free. Register to canalwalkers@googlegroups.com for notices of weather-related cancellations. 10 a.m.

Sunday July 27

Live Music

Weekend Music Series, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Live music from 1 to 4 p.m. by Bill O’Neal & Andy Koontz. Lunch fare, homemade treats, ice cream, and wine by the glass available. Noon to 5 p.m.

HVV Jazz Band Hopewell Valley Vineyards, 46 Yard Road, Pennington, 609-737-4465. www. hopewellvalleyvineyards.com. Jazz. 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.

World Music

Summer Carillon Concerts: Music that Paints the Silence, Princeton University Carillon, 88 College Road West, Princeton, 609-258-7989. Austin Ferguson of Missouri. Free. 1 p.m.

On Stage

Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $30. 2 p.m.

Curtains, Somerset Valley Players, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough, 908-369-7469. www.svptheatre.org. Musical comedy whodunit is set in the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959 when Boston’s Colonial Theatre is playing host to the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage, the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan. $24. 2 p.m. Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters, Bristol Riverside Theater, 120 Radcliffe Street, Bristol, Pennsylvania. www.brtstage.org. Musical comedy blending Jewish and Italian traditions as the sisters are hired to cater an event at a Jewish funeral home. $50 and up. 3 p.m.

Family Theater

The Odyssey Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Kid-friendly version of Homer’s epic adapted by Lucy Shea. $22.37. 11 a.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Mercer County 4-H Fair Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension, Howell Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell. mercer. njaes.rutgers.edu/4h/fair/. Animal shows, live music, farm tours, exhibits, children’s activities, hayrides, magic shows, and pony rides. Plenty of food and drink, including homemade ice cream, available for purchase. Opening ceremony at 1 p.m. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Craft Fairs

Local Craft Market, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-3716000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. Vendors offering handmade

Elida Almeida, a singer from Cape Verde, performs on Saturday, July 26, at the Princeton High School Performing Arts Center.

goods, art, jewelry, home décor, and more, plus a food truck from The Beach Shack. Noon to 5 p.m.

Food & Dining

Vedic Cultural Immersion: Prasadam Distribution & Kirtan Princeton Bhakti Vedanta Institute, Princeton Family YMCA, 59 Paul Robeson Place, Princeton. www.bviscs.org. Distribution of free, vegetarian meals in the garage with the red tent entrance to the left of the Y entrance. 1 to 3 p.m.

Gardens

Heirloom Garden Cooking for Community D&R Greenway Land Trust, Discovery Center at Point Breeze, 101 East Park Street, Bordentown. www.drgreenway.org. Hear how the re-creation of the property’s historic garden now benefits the local community and tour the exhibits at the Discovery Center and explore the surrounding grounds. Register. $20 per person supports the garden’s growth and the Discovery Center’s outreach program. 2 p.m.

Wellness

Free Class, Yoga4Sobriety, Plainsboro Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. Yoga4Sobriety.com/schedule. Free 12 step-based yoga class. Beginners welcome; no experience required. Bring a mat and an open mind. No registration required for in-person attendance; visit website for access via Zoom. 9 to 10:15 a.m.

Monday

July 28

Film

Monday Movie Matinees Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. Films that reflect “Color Our World,” the theme of this year’s Summer Reading program for adults, are screened on Monday afternoons. “Fried Green Tomatoes” (1991, PG-13, 2 hours, 10 minutes): A neglected housewife makes an unexpected

friend at a nursing home, where she hears a true tale about an independent woman in 1920s Alabama, who ran the town diner, served food to people of color and protected her sister-in-law from an abusive spouse. 2 to 4:15 p.m.

Good Causes

Arm In Arm Mobile Food Pantry, Mercer County Library, Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville. www.arminarm.org. Food and personal care products made available to those in need. No registration required. The Lawrence Township Health Depart-

Tuesday July 29

Live Music

At the Capital Health Cancer Center, our expertise goes beyond research and technology—we’re leaders in compassionate care. Our uniquely collaborative system allows us to build a treatment plan around what’s best for you and your loved ones. Now as an NCI Community Oncology Research Program (NCORP) affiliate site, we’re able to offer access to leading clinical trials from top institutions around the world. It’s the advanced care you deserve, right where you are.

ment, the Mercer County Board of Social Services and the Mercer County Nutrition Program will have informational tables. 2 to 4 p.m.

Acappella Chorus Rehearsal, The Gardenstatesmen, Plains-

SōSI Puts Contemporary Percussion Front & Center

Since July 13, 28 percussion and composition students from colleges and conservatories around the country as well as Hong Kong and Australia have been rehearsing daily as members of the Sō Percussion Summer Institute, SōSI, founded by Princeton University’s Grammy-winning Performers-in-Residence, Sō Percussion.

Eric Cha-Beach, Josh Quillen, Adam Sliwinski, and Jason Treuting — the four musician/composers who are Sō Percussion — recognized the lack of a summer festival devoted solely to contemporary percussion chamber music, so they decided to fill that gap in 2009. Now there are more than 375 SōSI alumni.

Last week, I had the privilege of visiting their home base, the University’s Woolworth Center for Music Studies. I say “privilege” because every student I spoke with was articulate, thoughtful, and purposeful. Their words spoke more about their personal values than the musical attributes which earned them a place at SōSI 2025.

On the day of my visit, the small ensembles and their student composers were preparing for a July 18 concert at Small World Coffee on Witherspoon Street. They were rehearsing their “portable pieces,” works using mostly “found objects” as instruments that they could carry: wine glasses, decks of cards, egg shakers, a viola outfitted with the inner workings of music boxes, and a toy piano.

Gian Torrano Jacobs, the composer of “Iced Tea and Coffee,” is a classically trained harpist who somehow found his way to contemporary percussion. “It’s so refreshing, it’s not every day that you get to hang out with people that have such a niche interest,” says Jacbobs. Thinking about the little time you’re normally allotted to work with musicians before they perform your work, he explains, “Here, you get to really hang out with the musicians, play through it and workshop it, kind of massage the notes. What you start with is not necessarily what you come out the other side with, so that’s what I really like about this. It teaches you how to communicate with performers with respect and a collaborative spirit.”

Nicole Galicia, a percussion student at Ithaca College, notes, “It’s not even been a week, and I feel like I’ve been here for weeks, which is really nice. The big part of what I love about this is the community we’ve formed in just a few days. I’ve played percussion chamber music at school, but this is my first time at a festival dedicated just for it.” She relishes the process: “Being able to take it one step at a time, try something new even if it feels uncomfortable, or [just] talking to so many new people, I’ll apply that mindset when I go back to school.”

Jalen Jamal, a percussionist from Colorado State University, now sees himself as a composer first. He takes to heart what the

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boro Recreation Center, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro, 609-462-3371. Male acapella chorus invites all guests to rehearsals to sing or listen and stay as long as they wish. Call to confirm before visiting. 7:30 p.m.

Art

Painting in the Capital City City of Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture, Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. www.trentonnj. org/rec. Canvases, paint, and brushes will be provided. Participants will be shown different techniques of mixing and applying colors and textures. 6 to 8 p.m.

Dancing

Tuesday Night Folk Dance Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

by Lori Goldstein

four members of Sō Percussion have related, that “the people they enjoy being around when they’re not making music are the people that they make the best music with.”

Jamal has found that to be true at SōSI. “We’re here for two weeks, and you have to start talking to people. That aspect makes us trust each other. I can throw a bunch of things at the ensembles I’m working with and know that they’ll either say, ‘I cannot do it that way, we can figure it out, we’ll work on this,’ or ‘I’m gonna get it, I’ll take care of it, we’ve got this.’ The trust we build with each other in such a short time makes everything more free, it makes you feel ready to create music in a way that you want to,” he notes.

Kate Galyen, from the University of Michigan, recalls that she was one of the only female percussionists during high school, and sometimes it would be hard having to be a section leader of guys who would say, “I don’t want to listen to her.” “But now that I’m in college, it’s definitely easier with more women around,” she says. “On every instrument you get that empowerment, and my professors are really supportive and really love that representation. It’s a collaborative environment, the same as this program. It’s all about collaboration, not hierarchy.”

Anya Zions, a percussionist from Indiana University, was “happily surprised by the number of women” in this summer’s SōSI. She has had substantial chamber music experience in college, but says she is excited to be exposed to new things like electronic music and how to vocalize during a piece — something she likens to acting, which she enjoys. I also got a chance to speak with Russell Makowsky, the chairman of Sō Percussion’s board of directors. Sō Percussion “know so many people throughout the percussion new music community, because they’ve expanded their network in so many ways. From that perspective, I think it’s a great thing. And as a board member, I love to see the expansion of the universe [with which] this ensemble is affiliated.”

In between rehearsing and performing, SōSI students are coached by Sō Percussion, Andrea Mazzariello of the Carlton College composition department, and Princeton faculty members Ayano Kataoka and Clara Warnaar. They also listen to talks given by guest artists Caroline Shaw, Angélica Negrón, and Becca Stevens, as well as by Dmitri Tymoczko, Donnacha Dennehey, and Nathalie Joachim of the Princeton faculty.

The excitement this year, Sō’s 25th anniversary, is a visit by 89-year-young Steve Reich, one of the founding fathers of contemporary percussion music, whose groundbreaking piece, “Drumming,” will be performed by Sō and SōSI students at the Lewis Center for the Arts on Friday, July 25, at 7 p.m. Also on the program are the Grammy Award-winning “Narrow Sea,” composed by Pulitzer Prize-winner Caroline Shaw, with

Food & Dining

Café con Pan/Coffee with Bread, William Trent House, 15 Market Street, Trenton. www.williamtrenthouse.org. Free event in collaboration with the Trenton Puerto Rican Community & Friends Organization celebrates the Puerto Rican custom of welcoming visitors to their homes with coffee and bread and is an activity of the Trent House’s “Esta Es Su Casa/ This Is Your Home” initiative. All welcome to relax on the lawn or stroll the garden. Water and kidfriendly beverages provided as well as bread and pastries. 5:30 p.m.

Farm Markets

Robbinsville Farmers Market, Miry Run Recreation Area, 66 Sharon Road, Robbinsville, 609924-9529. www.robbinsville-twp. org. Fresh local fruits & vegetables and other fresh foods, as well as household, flower, and pet items, plus weekly special events. 3:30 to 7 p.m.

Kids Stuff

Summer Kids Club: Plasma,

Students participating in the Sō Percussion Summer Institute rehearse with a selection of unique instruments. The final performances of the festival take place Friday and Saturday, July 25 and 26.

vocalist Becca Stevens and Adam Sliwinski as pianist. Selections from guest composer Angélica Negrón’s “Inward Pieces” will be heard, sung by Beth Meyers and Becca Stevens, with Amanda Baker on the piccolo.

Saturday, July 26, is designated the “Day of Sonic Exploration,” when SōSI offers five free concerts, featuring music that has been played during the course of the Institute, every hour on the hour at five popular Princeton locales. The first concert begins at 11 a.m. at the Princeton Record Exchange with pieces first heard at the Small World Coffee concert. At noon in the Princeton Library, Sō Percussion will perform “Note to Self” by Princeton faculty composer Nathalie Joachim and “Melodic Concept III” by Kendall Williams, a graduate student in Princeton’s composition department. SōSI students will perform Caroline Shaw’s “Taxidermy” — a piece she composed for Sō Percussion when she was a graduate student in their composition class — as well as “Count to 5” by Angélica Negrón.

The 1 p.m. concert at Hinds Plaza will include a steel band. At 2 p.m. in Labyrinth Books, there will be a listening party for the seventh album in the series, “A New Age for New Age,” recorded by SōSI 2024 participants and staff alongside live performances. In 2019, Clara Warnaar founded the series, which aims to reimagine New Age music by commissioning more than 60 artists to offer

Physics, Fusion, Oh My!, MarketFair, 3535 Route 1, West Windsor. www.marketfairshoppes.com. Interactive activities and entertainment for all ages based on a weekly theme. Kids storytime follows at Barnes & Noble. Free; parents must stay. 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Free Tour Princeton Aiport, 41 Airpark Road, Montgomery, 609921-3100. www.princetonairport. com. Fun and educational 30-40 minute tours designed for ages 5 and up to inspire young minds and introduce them to the real people, planes, and possibilities that make flying such an amazing experience. See planes, sit in the pilot’s seat, learn about flying and maintaining planes, ask questions, and take pictures. Canceled in case of bad weather. 10:30 a.m.

Outdoor Storytime, Princeton Public Library, Princeton Shopping Center Courtyard, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. This interactive storytime features books, songs, rhymes and movement for kids 18 months and older, accompanied by an adult. Bring a blanket. 10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Sports

fresh interpretations of the genre. At 3 p.m., walk to jaZams toy store for a fun program of pieces from the Small World Coffee concert. The festival culminates with the SōSI Composers Concert at 7:30 p.m. in Lee Hall at the Lewis Arts Complex on the University campus. The student composers are Gian Torrano Jacobs, Spencer Kennedy, Rachel Lewindon, Lili Namazi, Jalen Jamal, and Sebastian Zhang. Both evening concerts on July 25 and 26 are free. Register via tickets. princeton.edu/event/ssi-concert-featuring-music-of-reich-shaw-negron-d05dpa

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. West Virginia Black Bears. $12. 7 p.m.

Wednesday July 30

Outdoor Concerts

Concerts on the Landing, Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. www.nj.gov/state/ memorial. Scott Hornick Jazz Trio performs a free lunchtime concert on the steps of the War Memorial. Concert moves inside in case of inclement weather. Noon to 2 p.m.

Family Theater

The Odyssey, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Kid-friendly version of Hom-

er’s epic adapted by Lucy Shea. $22.37. 11 a.m.

Film

Princeton Student Film Festival, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Teens and adults are invited to view screenings of original short films by filmmakers ages 14-25. Filmmakers who attend will participate in post-screening Q&A sessions. 6 to 8:45 p.m.

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Alien. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Dancing

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Michael Karcher with Princeton Pickup Band (PUB). $15. 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Gentle Yoga: Yoga to Connect with Yourself and Nature

Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Gentle yoga that builds body awareness, strength, flexibility and a better understanding of how humans connect to and reflect natural systems with Priscilla Hayes. Register. Pay what you can, $8 and up. 8 to 9 a.m.

Yoga in the Garden, Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven. org. All-level donation-based Vinyasa yoga class held outdoors in the garden (indoors in case of rain). Bring a yoga mat, towel, and water bottle. Register. 6 p.m.

Outdoor Action

Stewardship Session, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos. org/events-programs. Volunteers work under the guidance of the FOPOS stewardship team to perform ecosystem restoration and invasive species removal. Register. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Socials

Jersey Art Meetup, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Princeton Comic Makers presents: JERSEY ART MEETUPS (JAM), a weekly social event connecting creatives within the greater Central Jersey area through a shared passion for sequential art and new media. Attendees may use this open workshop space to draw, write, and develop their own artwork, with an opportunity to receive peer review and feedback from other members if desired. Illustrators, animators, writers, and generalists are all welcome to join and discuss their art and career goals, share learning resources, promote current projects, or find friends and collaborators. Must be 16+ to attend. Free. 7 to 9 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. West Virginia Black Bears. $12. Noon.

Thursday July 31

Live Music

Art of Plant Based Nutrition, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-8777. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Dr. Scott Stoll explains his plant-focused approach to wellness. Dr. Columbus Batiste explores the Seven Key Pillars of Heart Health — spirituality, exercise, love, food, intimacy, sleep, and humor — and their role in community and individual well-being. A segment with Rev. Dr. Natalie Mitchem, RDN and Certified Lifestyle Medicine Professional and Karina Pearse, MS underscores the impact of food on Brain Health, followed by cooking demonstrations and a food tasting featuring easy recipes for wellness, disease prevention, and recovery. A portion of ticket sales supports the Mt. Pisgah AME Church mission to empower communities and build health equity. Register. $30. 6 to 8 p.m.

Summer Jam Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Cats On The Bus Band with Brian Elliot and The Realty Check Experiment Band alternate for two sets each. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

On Stage

Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray

Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $35. 7:30 p.m.

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Bad Day at Black Rock. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Movies Under the Stars, City of Trenton, Edgewood Avenue Park, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org. Screening of “A Minecraft Movie.” 8 p.m.

Summer Film Series: “Moonrise Kingdom”, Princeton University Art Museum, Blair/Joline Courtyard, Mathey College, Princeton University. artmuseum.princeton.edu. This year’s selection of outdoor film screenings features three films noted for their representations of nature, inspired by the exhibition Léni Paquet-Morante: Extract / Abstract, on view at Art@Bainbridge from July 19 through November 9. Bring a blanket or chair; popcorn provided. In “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012) The year is 1965, and the residents of New Penzance, an island off the coast of New England, inhabit a community that seems untouched by some of the bad things going on in the rest of the world. Twelve-year-olds Sam (Jared Gilman) and Suzy (Kara Hayward) have fallen in love and

decide to run away. But a violent storm is approaching the island, forcing a group of quirky adults (Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray) to mobilize a search party and find the youths before calamity strikes. Free. Rain date August 6. 8 p.m.

Farm Markets

Princeton Farmers Market Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 55 Witherspoon Street, Princeton, 609-924-9529. www. princetonfarmersmarket.com. More than 30 vendors including local organic produce, pasture raised meat and eggs, farmstead cheeses, fresh baked goods, empanadas, all-natural dog and cat treats, homemade jam, oldworld style pickles, fresh flowers, handcrafted jewelry, knife sharpening, and more. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Lectures

Thursday Night Nature, Bowman’s Hill Wildflower Preserve, 1635 River Road, New Hope, PA. www.bhwp.org. Lecture series held via Zoom. Topic is “What happens when a critical conservation decision is based on a flawed model?” with Kevin Shoemaker, Ph.D. Register. $15. 7 to 8 p.m.

Schools

Evergreen Forum Fall 2025 Open House, Center for Modern Aging Princeton, 101 Poor Farm

The musical comedy ‘Oy Vey! It’s The Calamari Sisters’ comes to Bristol Riverside Theater for shows from Wednesday through Sunday, July 23 through

Road, Building B, Princeton. www.cmaprinceton.org. Meet the fall semester course leaders while learning about their course material before registration. Then, sit in on special one-hour lectures to get a in-person or virtual feel for what Evergreen Forum courses are like. Light refreshments served; all attendees will be entered to win a free class this fall. Noon to 4 p.m.

Socials

Six Degrees of Morven Trivia Night Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.morven.org. Evening of general trivia questions, from sports and music to history and popular culture, that all have some connection to Morven.

Foursies!

‘Voice Lessons’ Marks a Homecoming — and an Opportunity

With a skill set ranging from theater performance, playwriting, and voice coaching to sound design and carpentry, Allison Spann keeps busy and finds work but is in constant search of a place to show off her talents, get seen by powers that be, and move to the next rung of her career.

That place usually begins with the backyard of her Brooklyn apartment, where she stages readings and tries out new material and song arrangements to friends she also cooks for. The next stop is often Princeton, where Spann, who grew up in nearby Cranbury and was educated at Princeton High School and Princeton University, from which she graduated summa cum laude in 2020, has appeared in shows and concerts in every venue from the Lewis Center and Richardson Auditorium to a creative home at the Princeton Summer Theater. At the latter she has appeared in shows, pre-and post-pandemic, the last one being a 2022 production of “The Great Gatsby,” which contained a surprise.

Daisy Buchanan, the focal character Spann played with a touch of Tennessee Williams informing F. Scott Fitzgerald, sang. Beautifully and intelligently. So beautifully that I, reviewing the production, wrote I would love to see Allison Spann in a full cabaret.

That day has arrived. Spann’s self-written cabaret show, “Voice Lessons,” comes to Princeton Summer Theater and its home at the on-campus Hamilton Murray Theater for three performances — 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, August 1 and 2, and 8 p.m. on Sunday, August 3 — the first two following immediately after PST’s production of “Frankenstein" finishes its bows.

“The second ‘Frankenstein’s’ cast is off the stage, my music director, Vince DiMura, and I will launch into a set of jazz standards meant to entice the ‘Frankenstein’ audience to stay and partake of ‘Voice Lessons,’” Spann said during a rambling two-hour telephone conversation covering myriad subjects from her Brooklyn backyard where time and mosquitoes eventually ended our talk.

Spann nominates herself a “diva,” who has put hard work and study, a lot of it in Princeton, to cultivating her voice. Not only is she

by Neal Zoren

into the vocal mechanics that add to the through-line of her show, but she is a performer who embraces all eras and genres of music.

“Voice Lessons” will begin with jazz but flow into opera, Bizet no less, and theater music, and songs from the Great American Songbook. It fits Spann’s clearly expressed attitude that music allows for vast, eclectic choices and doesn’t have to defined by what might be popular at a time.

From Spann’s outlook, a singer or performer should not be limited to one mode or period of music. The history of composing, including Spann’s own works, encompasses an amazing variety of forms, styles, sounds, rhythms, and songs. Why not enjoy them all, learn them all, perform them all? Why can’t someone sing a canon that includes Poulenc, Stevie Wonder, and Jule Styne?

Spann says “Voice Lessons” is meant as a showcase of all of her abilities, including her knowledge of theater sound. Spann wants to tour “Voice Lessons.” She wants to have it seen by the increasingly fewer movers and shakers who might take it to New York and change her status from gifted ablebodied seaman to a star who displays her broad view of performance, not to mention her experience, education, hard work, and creatively to a wide.

The ambition is not blind or unfounded. From her days at a Princeton high school and later Princeton University, where she was in a jazz band, studied choral work at Westminster, and performed in “Candide” and other shows, Spann has been training her herself to entertain on the level she says will be seen in “Voice Lessons.”

Heck, as a believer that one person can do what another person can do, she can even build/design a set and take care of sound and lighting.

Spann says she also wants “Voice Lessons” to open her audience’s eyes to the possibilities of the world. She hopes they will get a sense of how people are all connected and have a stake in each other.

The songlist for “Voice Lesson” proves Spann acts on her beliefs. It includes the jazz set, a “ringer” to hold the “Frankenstein” audience while others follow in, and moves into Micaela’s great aria from Bi-

Team of all sizes welcome; awards will be given. Snacks and beverages served, including a signature mocktail. Register. $10. Ticket includes visit to current exhibit from 5 to 6 p.m. 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www. trentonthunder.com. West Virginia Black Bears. $12. 7 p.m.

Friday

August 1

Live Music

Sunset Sips & Sounds, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com.

Live music by Mark Miklos. Light fare, wine, and wine slushies available. 5 to 8 p.m.

Seven Band Dance Party, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609-

zet’s “Carmen,” “Je dis que rien ne m’epouvante” (I tell you I’m afraid of nothing), Wonder’s “Superstition, into Charli xcx’s “Party for You,” and Kander and Ebb’s “Maybe This Time” from “Cabaret” among others.

“I want to entertain while displaying my vocal mechanics and range of expression,” Spann says. “My taste and choices go into many directions. I don’t see why music or a show has confine itself to one thing or one kind of song. My voice can go anywhere, Why not let it?”

There’s that diva again.

Now to get it seen by the right people.

“I’m daunted by the current attitude in New York City that only those already known or who happen to be nepo kids can find an agency and move to the next level.

“I can’t worry about givens like that. My job is to continue to hone my talents and get myself seen and appreciated. I have to do the work. If the entry isn’t welcoming, I have to make myself welcome. That’s why ‘Voice Lessons’ is so varied. That’s why I learned sound design and other technical skills, so I can make myself useful anywhere in live theater.

“Being able to do a lot keeps me working, but I came to a point where I knew I wanted to perform and primarily perform live. Entertaining an audience by singing and acting is the role I want most. Realizing that, it’s up to me to put that in the forefront and make something happen in that direction.”

That doesn’t mean Spann is idle regarding other pursuits. She is ac-

393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. With DJ John Rossi. Reservations recommended. 7 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Summer Concert Series, City of Trenton, Stacey Park, 1399 Riverside Drive, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org. Performance by Robert Ruffin. Refreshments and ice cream available. 5 p.m.

Summer Concert Series, Princeton Shopping Center, 301 North Harrison Street, Princeton. www.princetonshoppingcenter. com. Live music in the courtyard by local bands and a pop-up beer garden from Triumph Brewery. Free. 6 to 8 p.m.

Yacht Rock Gold Experience, Mercer County 2025 Summer Concert Series, Mercer County Festival Grounds, Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. www.mercercounty.org. With special guest Elliot Lurie. $5 entrance fee. Free parking. Food and drinks available for purchase. No outside food or drink permitted except sealed water bottles. 6:30 p.m.

Live at the Library, Plainsboro Public Library, 9 Van Doren Street, Plainsboro. www.plainsborolibrary.org. Briz & The Revival present soul music on the patio outside the front entrance. 7 p.m.

Pop Music

Because You’re Mine, Passage Theater,

Allison Spann is pictured at far right portraying Daisy Buchanan in Princeton Summer Theater’s 2022 production of ‘The Great Gatsby.’

tive among her friends as an interior designer — “I’m good at fitting a lot into the small apartments that are all over New York,” she notes.

She is also a playwright, composer, and producer. She and onetime Princeton Summer Theater director and manager Maeli Goren have written a play based on Quran Barry’s novel “We Ride Upon Sticks.” It is set in the town where the 17th century Salem witch trials took place but tells a story about a girls’ field hockey team playing a tournament there in 1989, before, Spann says, “there was the language we have today to describe situations and feelings people may have. I think we counted 13 percent of the words available today were not used in 1989.”

The hockey team has a winning streak, and rather than credit skills, rivals suspect some magic involved with the victories. Also, the young women on the team are learning about their identities and about labels and definitions others may impose that cannot accurately denote the person being defined.

Spann and Goren have done a reading in the same Brooklyn backyard where the mosquitoes became pesky.

“So much is going on,” Spann says, “but my priority is to fix my career and set it in the direction I want it to go.

“That’s why ‘Voice Lessons’ is

Sheryl Liebman Fisher, the juror for Ellarslie Open 42, is joined by TMS installation captains Janis Purcell and Carol Hill to discuss the progression of this year’s exhibit on Sunday, August 3, at the Trenton City Museum.

Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre.org. Featuring singer/multi-instrumentalists Matt Cusack and Allison Kelly celebrating the greatest duets, love songs, and love stories in country music. Part of the Trenton Presents series. $38. 7 p.m.

Art

Celebrating 50 Years of Terhune Orchards, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com. First day for show featuring customers’ photographs of their favorite moments at Terhune. On display in the barn through August 24. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Travels with Thomas George, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Opening of a retrospective art sale of works

being recorded in Princeton. I relish the relationship with my audience, and I want that to be part of what producers see when I distribute footage of the show to them.

“Performing live and capturing the joy in that is far better, I think, than going into the sterile atmosphere of a studio and taping the show there. Besides all being more spontaneous, it shows the value of collaboration.”

Spann likes working with others. Among her achievements is putting together a 2021 summer series, just as the pandemic was reverting to a more normal existence, that featured a ’40s-style big band. There is no end of what is on Spann’s mind and in her consciousness. That’s why the two hours on the telephone flew by with time being no object. “Voice Lessons” is a distillation of how she wants audiences to see her as a complete entertainer. It sounds a ride worth looking forward to. (And not on sticks …)

Voice Lessons, a cabaret by and with Allison Spann, runs 10 p.m. August 1 and 2 and 8 p.m. August 3 at the Princeton Summer Theater in the Hamilton Murray Theater on Princeton’s campus. General admission is $15 ($17.09 with taxes and fees). www.princetonsummertheater.org

by the internationally recognized, Princeton-based artist whose work is included in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, the National Gallery of American Art, the Tate Gallery, and many other museums and major collections in the United States and abroad. Sale continues through August 3. 5 to 7 p.m.

On Stage

The Ballad of Mulan, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. The Ancient

Chinese tale of Mulan is brought to life in a unique multi-disciplinary performance by Huaxia Chinese School at Plainsboro. This drama is enhanced by poetry, music, songs, dances, and Chinese martial arts to create a stunning performance, narrated in Chinese and English. $17.50 7 p.m. Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $35. 7:30 p.m.

The Spongebob Musical, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. $35. 8 p.m. Curtains, Somerset Valley Players, 689 Amwell Road, Hillsborough, 908-369-7469. www.svptheatre.org. Musical comedy whodunit is set in the brassy, bright, and promising year of 1959 when Boston’s Colonial Theatre is playing host to the opening night performance of a new musical. When the leading lady mysteriously dies on stage, the entire cast and crew are suspects. Enter a local detective, who just happens to be a musical theatre fan. $24. 8 p.m.

Allison Spann’s Voice Lessons, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater.org. Join former dazzling starlet turned flailing music teacher Allison Spann for a reclamation ritual disguised as a comedic musical revue featuring original compositions alongside selections from Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, Carmen, and the Great American Songbook alongside original compositions. Spann, a Cranbury native, is an alumna of Princeton High School, Princeton University, and Princeton Summer Theater. $17. 10 p.m.

Family Theater

Disney’s Moana Jr., Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org. Join Little Red Riding Hood on her journey to Granny’s house. Along the way she meets some of your favorite characters all while avoiding the Big Bad Wolf. $13. 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Film

Movie Nights on the Green, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Outdoor screening of “Shrek.” 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Dancing

Friday Night Folk Dance Princeton Folk Dance, Suzanne Patterson Center, 45 Stockton Street, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. Lesson followed by open dancing. No partner necessary. $10. 8 p.m.

Farm Markets

Farm Market, Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moon-grown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Socials

Trivia Night, Working Dog Winery, 610 Windsor Perrineville Road, East Windsor, 609-371-6000. www.workingdogwinerynj. com. With Sam the trivia guy. 6 to 8 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www. trentonthunder.com. Mahoning Valley Scrappers. $12. 7 p.m.

Saturday August 2

Live Music

The Gab Cinque Band, Cooper’s Riverview, 50 Riverview Plaza, Trenton, 609393-7300. www.coopersnj.com. Rock and dance party. 9 p.m.

Outdoor Concerts

Summer Music Series, Palmer Square Green, Princeton. www.palmersquare.com. Swingadelic performs. 1 to 3 p.m.

Music in the Alley, Halo Pub, 9 Hulfish Street, Princeton, 609-921-1710. www. halofarm.com. 6 to 9 p.m.

Pop Music

Because You’re Mine, Passage Theater, Mill Hill Playhouse, 205 East Front Street, Trenton. www.passagetheatre.org. Featuring singer/multi-instrumentalists Matt Cusack and Allison Kelly celebrating the greatest duets, love songs, and love stories in country music. Part of the Trenton Presents series. $38. 7 p.m.

On Stage

The Ballad of Mulan, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-5703333. www.kelseytheatre.org. The Ancient Chinese tale of Mulan is brought to life in a unique multi-disciplinary performance by Huaxia Chinese School at Plainsboro. This drama is enhanced by poetry, music, songs, dances, and Chinese martial arts to create a stunning performance, narrated in Chinese and English. $17.50 1 and 4 p.m.

Frankenstein, Princeton Summer Theater, Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater. org. Based on the famed Gothic novel by Mary Shelley. $30 to $35. 2 and 7:30 p.m.

The Spongebob Musical, Music Mountain Theater, 1483 State Route 179, Lambertville. www.musicmountaintheatre.org.

When the citizens of Bikini Bottom discover that a volcano will soon erupt and destroy their humble home, SpongeBob and his friends must come together to save the fate of their undersea world. $35. 3 and 8 p.m.

Family Theater

The Amazing Max, Bucks County Playhouse, 70 South Main Street, New Hope, Pennsylvania. www.bcptheater.org. Magician Max Darwin’s high-energy, family friendly, laugh-out-loud interactive magic show. $35 and up adults; $20 and up children. 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Dancing

Line Dancing: Move, Groove, and Connect, Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton. www.groundsforsculpture.org. Program offers easy-to-follow steps set to upbeat music, encouraging physical activity, coordination, and social connection. Register. $30 includes park admission. 3 to 5 p.m.

Good Causes

Music of the Night, Villa Victoria Academy, 376 West Upper Ferry Road, Ewing. www.villavictoria.org. Enjoy an entertaining afternoon with John D. Smitherman and his orchestra as he sings all of your Broadway favorites. Hear songs from Les Miserables, South Pacific, Man of La Mancha, 42nd Street, West Side Story, Phantom of the Opera, and more. Smitherman is one of the original Three American Tenors. Register. $25 benefits the all-girls Catholic school. 3 p.m.

Comedy

Wine & Comedy Night, Old York Cellars, 80 Old York Road, Ringoes. www.oldyorkcellars.com. Comedy hosted by Helene Angley. Reservations required. $27.50. Food available for purchase. 7 to 10 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Just Peachy Festival, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-9242310. www.terhuneorchards.com. Take a

pony ride around our pasture. Have fun with games and barnyard tractors, Little Tikes

Farm Store & Junior Mechanics Shop, rubber duck races, and other interactive, hands-on fun including a scavenger hunt. Live music by Zuko Phillips Cohn & Star. Register. $15 and up for ages 3+. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Farm Markets

Farm Market Blue Moon Acres, 11 Willow Creek Drive, Pennington, 609-737-8333. bluemoonacres.net. Selection of Blue Moon-grown Certified Organic produce, micro greens, eggs, rice, Herbarium body care products made with herbs grown on the farm, as well as an array of products from other local vendors. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Pennington Farmers Market Rosedale Mills, 101 Route 31, Pennington. www.penningtonfarmersmarket.org. Fresh fruits, vegetables, and more from local producers. 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Farmers Market, Montgomery Friends of Open Space, Montgomery Township Municipal Center, 100 Community Drive, Skillman, 609-915-0817. www.montgomeryfriends.org. Jersey Fresh produce and farm products, baked goods, sauces, fibers, honey, flowers, coffee, and music. Rain or shine. 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Wellness

Beyond Words II: Open Collage Studio, West Windsor Arts Council, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor. www.westwindsorarts.org. This free, family-friendly dropin workshop is part of our Beyond Words series and is designed for anyone affected by cancer and their families. Participants will engage in the accessible and expressive art of collage-making as a way to explore themes of hope, resilience, and connection. No artistic experience is necessary, and all materials are provided. The workshop is facilitated by Licensed Creative Arts Therapist, Deborah Rice, in a compassionate and supportive environment. Register. 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Bucks County Playhouse presents ‘The Amazing Max,’ a family-friendly interactive magic show featuring Max Darwin, on Saturday, August 2.

For Families

Butterfly Festival, The Watershed Institute, 31 Titus Mill Road, Pennington. www. thewatershed.org. Insect zoo, butterfly and bug parade, tours of the Kate Gorrie Butterfly House, food for purchase, and more. Register for morning or afternoon session. $10. 9:30 a.m. to noon or 12:30 to 3 p.m.

Outdoor Action

BioBlitz, Friends of Princeton Open Space, Mountain Lakes Preserve, Mountain Avenue, Princeton. www.fopos.org/ events-programs. A BioBlitz is a community science event where volunteers work to-

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August 2

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gether to find and identify as many species as possible in a specific area over a short time. Participants learn about some of the apps they can use to identify plants and animals (iNaturalist and Merlin Bird Id). Then split into teams to explore different parts of the Preserve. Observations will be added to a dedicated iNaturalist project or recorded manually to help build an inventory of the living species that the stewardship team will use in the future to inform restoration efforts. 10 a.m. to noon.

Princeton Canal Walkers, Turning Basin Park, Alexander Road, Princeton. 3 mile walk on the towpath, weather permitting. Free. Register to canalwalkers@googlegroups.com for notices of weather-related cancellations. 10 a.m.

Shopping News

YART Sale, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Ceramics, jewelry, textiles, printmaking, and affordable art supplies at a flea market-style fair. Peruse 30+ vendors selling seconds, misprints, discontinued designs, and one-of-akind items at studio clean-out prices. Propagate Studio’s mobile RV Art Supply Thrift Shop on-site with a “take what you’ll use, pay what you can” model for creative thrifters 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sports Vintage Baseball, Lambertville Historical Society, Ely Field, Lambertville. www.lambertvillehistoricalsociety.org. Two vintage baseball teams, the Logan Club of Lambertville and the Flemington Neshanock, play a game using the rules and equipment from 1864. Free; donations welcome. Hotdogs, chips, and soda sold to benefit the Kalmia Club of Lambertville. 11 a.m.

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Mahoning Valley Scrappers. $12. 6 p.m.

Sunday August 3

Outdoor Concerts

Stephanie Chin and Laurie Davis, Princeton Public Library, Hinds Plaza, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonlibrary.org. Two solo artists take the stage for this edition of Listen Local. Laurie Davis opens the show with classic rock songs and Stephanie Chin performs a set of inspirational R&B songs. 3 p.m.

World Music

Summer Carillon Concerts: Music that Paints the Silence, Princeton University Carillon, 88 College Road West, Princeton, 609-258-7989. Lisa Lonie of Pennsylvania. Free. 1 p.m. Art

EO42 Juror’s Talk, Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, Cadwalader Park, Trenton, 609-989-1191. www.ellarslie.org. Juror Sheryl Liebman Fisher, associate director of Gallery Henoch, is joined by TMS installation captains Janis Purcell and Carol Hill to discuss the Ellarslie Open’s progression from 500 diverse, multi-genre entries to the vision that emerged during the juror’s selection process to the layout and installation that realized that vision into a live exhibition. With Q&A. Light breakfast fare provided. Register. $15. 10 a.m.

Summer Exhibition, Gourgaud Gallery, 23A North Main Street, Cranbury. www.cranburyartscouncil.org. Opening reception for show by members of the Creative Collective Art Group in-

The Arts Council of Princeton’s annual YART Sale, a flea-market style fair featuring affordable art supplies, takes place Saturday, August 2.

cluding acrylic paintings, oil painting, watercolor, colored pencil, collage and mixed media. On view through August 29. 1 to 3 p.m.

On Stage

The Ballad of Mulan, Kelsey Theatre, Mercer County Community College, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor, 609-570-3333. www.kelseytheatre.org. The Ancient Chinese tale of Mulan is brought to life in a unique multidisciplinary performance by Huaxia Chinese School at Plainsboro. This drama is enhanced by poetry, music, songs, dances, and Chinese martial arts to create a stunning performance, narrated in Chinese and English. $17.50 1 and 4 p.m.

Allison Spann’s Voice Lessons, Princeton Summer Theater Hamilton Murray Theater, Princeton University. www.princetonsummertheater.org. Join former dazzling starlet turned flailing music teacher Allison Spann for a reclamation ritual disguised as a comedic musical revue featuring original compositions alongside selections from Cabaret, Sweeney Todd, Carmen, and the Great American Songbook alongside original compositions. $17. 8 p.m.

Fairs & Festivals

Just Peachy Festival Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-924-2310. www. terhuneorchards.com. Take a pony ride around our pasture. Have fun with games and barnyard tractors, Little Tikes Farm Store & Junior Mechanics Shop, rubber duck races, and other interactive, hands-on fun including a scavenger hunt. Live music by On the Fly. Register. $15 and up for ages 3+. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wellness

Free Class Yoga4Sobriety Plainsboro Municipal Building, 641 Plainsboro Road, Plainsboro. Yoga4Sobriety.com/schedule.

Free 12 step-based yoga class. Beginners welcome; no experience required. Bring a mat and an open mind. No registration required for in-person attendance; visit website for access via Zoom. 9 to 10:15 a.m.

History

Princeton History Walking Tour, Historical Society of Princeton, Princeton Battle Monument, 1 Monument Drive, Princeton. www. princetonhistory.org. Walk around downtown Princeton and the University campus as you learn about historic sites in the area, including Nassau Hall, University Chapel and Palmer Square. $20. Register. 2 to 4 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder, Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Mahoning Valley Scrappers. $12. 5 p.m.

Monday August 4

Good Causes

Arm In Arm Mobile Food Pantry Mercer County Library, Lawrence Headquarters Branch, 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville. www.arminarm.org. Food and personal care products made available to those in need. No registration required. The Lawrence Township Health Department, the Mercer County Board of Social Services and the Mercer County Nutrition Program will have informational tables. 2 to 4 p.m.

Tuesday August 5

Outdoor Concerts

Summer Concert Series, City of Trenton, Cadwalader Park, Parkside Avenue, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org. Performance by Men of Soul. Refreshments and ice cream available. 5 p.m.

World Music

Summer Sound Journey, Office of Religious Life, Murray-Dodge Hall, Princeton University. chapel. princeton.edu. Ruth Cunningham, a sound healing practitioner, offers composed and improvised music for meditation, contemplation, and prayer. Free. 5:30 p.m.

Art

Painting in the Capital City, City of Trenton Department of Recreation, Natural Resources and Culture, Cadwalader Park, West State Street & Parkside Avenue, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org/rec. Canvases, paint, and brushes will be provided. Participants will be shown different techniques of mixing and applying colors and textures. Part of National Night Out. 6 to 8 p.m.

Film

Movies Under the Stars, City of Trenton, Cadwalader Park, Trenton. www.trentonnj.org. Screening of “Mufasa, the Lion King.” 8 p.m.

Dancing

Tuesday Night Folk Dance

Princeton Folk Dance, Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton. www.princetonfolkdance.org. No partner necessary. $5. 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.

Farm Markets

Kids Stuff

Read and Pick: Peaches, Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road, Lawrence, 609-924-2310. www.terhuneorchards.com. Read books highlighting peaches followed by an educational component. Everyone picks a small container of peaches. Register. $12 per child includes all materials. 9:30 and 11 a.m.

Summer Kids Club: Wildlife & the Preserve, MarketFair, 3535 Route 1, West Windsor. www. marketfairshoppes.com. Interactive activities and entertainment for all ages based on a weekly theme. Kids storytime follows at Barnes & Noble. Free; parents must stay. 10 to 11 a.m. Free Tour, Princeton Airport, 41

Airpark Road, Montgomery, 609921-3100. www.princetonairport. com. Fun and educational 30-40 minute tours designed for ages 5 and up to inspire young minds and introduce them to the real people, planes, and possibilities that make flying such an amazing experience. See planes, sit in the pilot’s seat, learn about flying and maintaining planes, ask questions, and take pictures. Canceled in case of bad weather. 10:30 a.m.

For Families

Princeton’s Annual Community Night Out, Municipality of Princeton, Community Park Pool, 380 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.princetonnj.gov. Enjoy food, games, music, and entertainment for all ages. Pool open until 7:30 p.m. Explore police vehicles and equipment. 5 to 8 p.m.

Lectures

Lecture: “Remembering Hiroshima and Nagasaki”, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www. princetonlibrary.org. Panelists discuss the importance of nuclear threat reduction and the need for nuclear disarmament. The Solidarity Singers of NJ perform songs of peace. 6 p.m.

Wednesday August 6

Outdoor Concerts

Concerts on the Landing, Trenton War Memorial, 1 Memorial Drive, Trenton. www.nj.gov/state/ memorial. Rob Silvers - 80s Undercover performs a free lunchtime concert on the steps of the War Memorial. Concert moves inside in case of inclement weather. Noon to 2 p.m.

Film

Hollywood Summer Nights, Princeton Garden Theater, 160 Nassau Street, Princeton, 609279-1999. www.thegardentheatre.com. Heat. $13.50. 7 p.m.

Dancing

Contra Dance, Princeton Country Dancers, Suzanne Patterson Center, 1 Monument Drive, Princ-

eton. www.princetoncountrydancers.org. Sunny Lawrence with Princeton Pickup Band (PUB). $15. 7:30 to 10 p.m.

Wellness

Socials

Joint Effort Witherspoon-Jackson Community Princeton Safe Streets, Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, Princeton. www.artscouncilofprinceton.org. Barbara Hill Day, a special evening of recognition, remembrance, and celebration. Highlights include: Recognition of the NJ Bill establishing Paul Robeson’s birthday as a state holiday; Jim Floyd Memorial Discussion; Chip Fisher Memorial Art Exhibit with exhibiting artists Kirstan Fitzpatrick and Aaron Fisher; Youth Scholarship & Award Presentation. All are welcome to honor community leaders past and present while supporting the next generation. 5 to 7:30 p.m.

Sports

Trenton Thunder Arm & Hammer Park, Route 29, Trenton, 609-394-3300. www.trentonthunder.com. Frederick Keys. $12. 7 p.m.

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adjust my thinking about right and wrong. It does come down to that on issues. Not so much on individuals — so many bands of nuance with humans. You might think an old house like me would be alarmed at change, and set in my ways. Maybe other houses in town held up established views long past their time. But, you see, I was in on it all; the arguments and discussions, from 1776 when we were wondering about the benefit of living under a distant monarchy, until, ultimately the will of the people decided the matter, and formed a republic. Truthfully, because of the human influences around me at the time, I, myself was unsure. After the fact of the actual violent birthing, the Revolution, I saw clearly why it had to be. Ever since then, I have paid attention more critically to the events and sentiments of the day, listening ever more closely to the many voices heard inside my walls, and out. Enough for now. This was but a sketch, which, of course leaves out almost everything. And yet, I will continue to tell the stories, one way or another.

Rebecca Pack Burr grew up in Trenton and Princeton and is keeping up treasured friendships, old and new. Her three kids attended Princeton schools. She is a writer and award-winning filmmaker.

Princeton real estate

by Wendell Wood Collins

Browne Cooper was a moniker made for real estate. She was named for her grandfather, Ashley Browne, reflecting the tendency of Southern families to bestow oldest daughters some vestige of the family patriarch, just in case no male heirs were in the cards. ABC was also a fun monogram for towels and stationery, not that anyone wrote letters or thank you notes anymore.

Driving down Nassau Street, she noticed with envy a slew of real estate signs flaunting friends’ names and faces. Why couldn’t she hang a shingle and make a bundle? Taking the real estate exam was why. She despised exams, haunted by dreams that she forgot to drop a class, never attended it and had to take the final, even though she graduated a decade ago.

“It’s not that hard,” her best friend Julia insisted, having recently aced the exam. Julia was outgoing, had good taste and a knack for networking, so real estate was a natural fit.

They met at The Meeting House, a neighborhood haunt, to brainstorm how to pass the exam in the fastest and most painless way possible. Browne was low on cash, her rent was going up, her parents done with supporting their adult daughter, and her current “tech” receptionist job was boring and dead-end.

A tall, 30-something guy approached their high top and offered to buy them drinks. Browne grinned back. “We don’t accept drinks from strangers,” she replied.

“I’m Russ, so now I’m not a stranger,” he quipped. “And who are you lovely ladies?”

Julia looked at Browne and rolled her eyes. “I’m Julia and this is Browne. I’ll have a Margarita, rocks, no salt, and Browne will have an Aperol Spritz.”

Russ flagged a passing waiter to pass along their order, then pulled up a spare stool from a neighboring table to join J and B.

“Is Russ your real name or just your handle for pickups?”

Russ laughed, pulled out his wallet and proudly flashed his Real ID. “Russell Mayhew Phillips at your service. Born and bred in Birmingham, Bama, Roll Tide. Just moved to the Garden State for work. Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, what brings you to mine?”

A Casablanca fan, Browne beamed and replied, “Real estate.”

“Now you are speaking my language. Do tell.”

Browne and Julia laid their cards on the table, sharing their real names and their conundrum: how to afford a nice lifestyle when one’s means are totally stretched, without having to resort to cannabiz.

“Real estate is where it’s at,” Russ shared. “Interesting clientele, entertaining colleagues, good pay if you hit it big, and you control your own destiny.”

“What makes you an expert?” Julia asked.

“I watch Selling Sunset? Well, I also follow real estate, as an industry. I’m an analyst at Prudential. Real estate is revolutionizing in a big way,” he shared conspiratorially. “Anyone on top of that will be the real estate king.”

“I think you mean real estate Queens,” Browne replied.

“That too! So, wannabe-queens, care to learn more?” Russ asked, downing the remains of his gin and tonic in two gulps.

“Sure,” Julia said.

Russ waved for another round, even though the girls had barely started their first drinks, and shared the future of real estate: technology, AI, and specifically, DRONES.

Justa few NJ Transit stops north, a scrum of Rutgers computer geeks hunched over the shoulder of Professor Adrian Yi, resident guru of real estate data science.

“How is the machine learning project for the Atlantic Highlands tech buildout?” Dr. Yi asked no one in particular.

“We’re about done with estimating occupancy and revenue per unit,” replied one of the minions in his midst.

“What does ‘about done’ mean exactly?” Yi asked of the apparently clueless minion.

“Python had an update and slowed us down, but it’s almost done,” replied the short, dark haired pimply guy wearing a FanDuel shirt (free bling from the Rutgers Tech Career Fair).

“Python thrives in open source -- no updates needed. You are off of this project. Who else can move this forward, and quickly?” Yi barked.

A slight red-head stepped forward, raising their hand. “I’d be happy to.”

“And who are you?” Yi asked, exhausted from the tiresome exchange.

“Mason Sullivan, sir. But you can call me May.”

May was a freshman genius from Edison who had turned down a full ride at MIT to stay closer to home. They had been coding almost since birth, had programmed one of the first drones in their neighborhood, and their mother was the top producing real estate salesperson in Belle Meade. They had the trifecta background for a project like this.

Dr. Li stared at May, then shook his head, got up and steered them back to their workstation.

“We’ll get you share drives in a few. Check out this paper and give me your thoughts in asap.”

“Yes sir!” May replied, excited for their first big break.

May holed up in an empty conference room, its surrounding white board walls jammed with stochastic calculus equations and code. She pored over the paper from the Data & Society Research Institute on Housing & Civil Rights, sadly an oxymoron:

As a metric for identifying good and bad data practices, participants discussed access and transparency as important characteristics. For example, the Census is transparent about their data collection methods and makes their data available publicly. Thirdparty datasets rarely provide this level of access and transparency, and so it is difficult to know whether their data collection and analysis practices might violate civil rights. It was noted that while the Census has tended to undercount communities of color, they provided those error rates to the public and worked to address those issues transparently.

“Excuse me, Dr. Yi.”

Dr. Yi strolled over to May’s cubicle and stood hovering over their workstation.

“What?”

“The Census database has been hacked.”

“Impossible. That dataset is impenetrable.”

May bit their bottom lip and scrolled down. “I guess I misread it. Let me take another look.”

“Good idea. We haven’t got a lot of time. If you want to just move on to the next paper, I’d let this go.”

Russ woke in a haze, the afterglow of Bombay Sapphire pounding in his temples. He blinked, groaned, sat up and reflected on the previous night’s progress. He had scored big. It was time to reap the rewards.

“Zup?” he texted his new besties J&B. A minute passed and then his phone dinged.

“Russ is a bad influence” Browne replied.

“I need coffee” Julia chimed in. They all agreed to meet at Small World at 11. His plan was in motion.

“What do you mean you don’t have to get your real estate license to work in real estate?” Browne asked, incredulous.

“Homes.com is hiring a marketing assistant, no experience needed,” Russ shared. “A friend sent me the LinkedIn posting in case I knew of anyone.”

Browne followed up, applied, sailed through the interview with flying colors and started her new job a week later.

Eight miles south, the nondescript industrial complex lurked on a side road off of 295 west of Trenton. Convenient to the highways and the airport with cheap rent and expansive power sources, it was the perfect front for Russ’s newest endeavor. A fintech entrepreneur friend had unloaded crypto GPUs for pennies on the dollar during a recent Bitcoin crash, so all Russ had to do was find some coders for this project. He had considered a remote operation, but having everyone together made more sense, keeping the firewall intact and escape routes narrow if not nonexistent.

He advertised the venture the cryptic way most start-ups did –“Angel-funded Seed B tech startup seeking advanced coders in Python Java AWS and/or C++ all welcome. Must be available asap and entrepreneurial in spirit.”

the man on the corner

He stands passively beside a cardboard sign: FAMILY IN NEED at an intersection near where I shop.

It may be a Tuesday, a Sunday

He’s always there

He was there last summer when we reached 105 and on the coldest winter day. If I have cash and if the traffic flow allows I reach out with a $10 bill folded for easy transfer.

He thanks me

I’ve started saying, “Hi” I don’t know who he is or what he does with the money

My family disapproves

It’s grocery money!

That’s when I mention the $10 bag of sunflower seeds in my trunk for the birds...

— Cat Phillips

Phillips has been published in The New York Times, US I, Parks and Points, Kelsey Review, Wisconsin Review, and other journals. She meets with other poets at the Lawrence Library to share their love of reading and writing poetry.

(As in, unemployed and hungry and willing to work for next to nothing). He was surprised at how many qualified candidates fit the criteria. His fake email box was full of resumes and Github links and even a few earnest cover letters likely written by career advisors or Chat GPT.

It had taken only a few Google Meet interviews to find what he was looking for. Crafty, creative, but not so snoopy that they ever asked who their real employer was and what would happen to all that data they were mining.

And not a single candidate made eye contact. These techies were WAY on the spectrum, the perfect profile for online poker players, wearing baseball hats and mirrored sunglasses, blocking out the windows to their souls and/or card hands. These tech gurus were ripe for the picking, given not many other options available to them. If they interviewed at Meta, Microsoft, or a crypto trading firm, AI HR would reject them after their first Hirevue interview.

They showed up when they were told to, albeit unshaven and jittery from living off of expresso. And they could code. Game on.

Russ gazed over the warehouse of coders and pondered his escape plan, once things were underway. Costa Rica was at the top of his list, a lovely spot that welcomed Americans (and their strong dollars) and required little or no Spanish to get by. He had already started shopping for a jungle villa for the day he would cash in. Maybe he could launch a similar venture down South, say in neighboring Panama.

Another Happy Hour was definitely the fastest way to move his project forward. After a series of drinks nights, Russ learned the ins and outs of Homes.com, the firm’s intranet site, properties, marketing plans, and most importantly, the weaknesses in the firm’s security wall.

“I have an idea,” Russ shared, spinning his stool at the Mediterra bar.

“You and your ideas!” Julia balked.

“Let’s go to Browne’s office and house shop.”

“Who wants to go to an office after work? I spend too much time there as it is,” Browne replied.

“Come on, it’ll be fun, come on, I’ll drive and save you your Uber fare and get you home safely.”

Lured by the Uber savings, they headed to the Palmer Square garage and his newly detailed black Tesla. Purring down Witherspoon, they pulled into the firm’s parking lot off 206, and headed to Browne’s office floor.

Browne showed Julia the conference room and kitchen with free food and drink, while Russ snuck into Browne’s cubicle area.

After dropping off the girls, Russ made a quick call. “We’re set,” he said, pocketing the thumb drive now loaded with petabytes of data from the firm’s share drive. Floor plans, home security codes, Internet of Things appliance timing instructions, calendars of showings, all in the palm of his hand.

Monitoring the grid in the Rutgers datalab, May Li noticed an awry power surge and pondered its source. Hacking pharma and finance would be tricky given the firewalls, but real estate data was up for grabs for the highest bidder. May shared their concerns with Dr. Li, whose research would greatly benefit from a CoStar real estate conglomerate grant should billions of dollars be saved by avoiding a critical data breach.

Afew months later, Russ was lounging at a poolbar on the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica when a group of suits walked in. He looked around for escape routes but found none.

“Russell Phillips, you are under arrest for corporate espionage.”

Russ choked on his mojito, his sunburned face drained of color.

Back in Princeton, Julia and Browne met for their weekly happy hour and wondered whether their old friend Russ would figure out who turned him in.

Wendell Wood Collins works at The College of New Jersey in development and alumni engagement and lives in Ewing. She has been an active member of the Princeton writing community including Room at the Table and Princeton Writes.

the

Private eyes

oF Palmer sQuare case # 221b: it’s sweeter to buy local

by Karen Carson

Amy Molloy scarfed down the last of her caramel, apple toasty a la mode, crushed the Jammin’ Crepes bag, and rolled over onto her non-arthritic side.

“There’s nothing worse than a man who thinks he’s funny when he’s not,” she thought, watching the comforter rise and fall.

Amy had known Thaddeus since high school when he was the only boy who could make her laugh. Out loud! That was a big deal in a family of stoics who never seemed

to perspire. Yes, Thaddeus was a funny guy. A class clown. Talented, though. He’d gotten a standing ovation as Danny in “Grease,” then again as Conrad in “Bye, Bye, Birdie,” and every year thereafter at Princeton Summer Theatre. How often had Amy snuck out the side door of the public library to meet him minutes after her mother had dropped her off to study?

Funny was enough back then. Not now. After graduating in the top ten of their high school class (how he managed it with all that clowning around, she could never figure out), Thaddeus went to Rider, then off to Rutgers Law School at Camden. In a moment of weakness, he let his dad convince him to join the police academy to “hold up the family tradition.” Thaddeus put in his time — not loving it, not hating it — then retired at 60. Now, he led his own lecture series in Princeton Adult School’s Program in Law and Public Affairs and Princeton University’s Community Auditing program. On weekends, he tried to recapture his youth by doing stand-up at a popup comedy club that used space at the McCarter Theater.

“Amy!” Amy could hear Vicky clearly over the dog’s anguished howls.

“Biffle! Be quiet! You’ll wake the whole neighborhood!” Vicky warned.

Amy snapped on the porch light, and opened the door. Reluctantly.

“Vicky, it’s 2:00 in the morning! What are you doing here, and why did you bring that animal with you!?”

“Biffle has been on the couch all day watching ‘Law and Order’ reruns. He’s seen every episode. He needs some exercise,” Vicky said. Biffle tried to explain himself in the only way he knew how: He barked. Incessantly.

“That’s it! That’s it! You asked for it, Mister!” Amy opened the tiny utility closet off the downstairs bathroom, and dragged out her ancient Hoover. The cord was just long enough to reach the front door.

“Mess with me will you, Pizza Dog!”

When the vacuum roared to life, a terrified Biffle scampered away, trembling behind Vicky, too traumatized to make a sound.

“Why do you do that, Amy? Why? Biffle likes you. He looks forward to coming here, and you treat him this way. Why?”

Amy spied a pink scarf over pink sponge curlers from a window next door.

“Everything’s fine, Mrs. Trumble. You can go back to bed. Everything’s all right!” Amy rolled her eyes in the direction of her retreating neighbor. Vicky giggled.

“You see? Do you see, Vicky? I’m surprised she hasn’t called the cops! This block is filled with busy bodies!”

“Oh, come on, Sag.” (They were both dramatic Sagittarians). Vicky petted Biffle, who rolled over on his back for a belly rub.

“All right. I’m sorry. You can be such a pain sometimes, but…come here,” Amy said, opening her arms to the dog who, finally given the green light, suddenly leapt into her lap, licking her face.

“Eeeeew!” Amy shrieked, turning her head to avoid the dog’s dripping tongue, but laughing in spite of herself. “What are you and Biffle doing out this hour?”

“I’d finished up all the paper work, returned everyone’s texts and emails, and even watered your baby cactus. Liz had already left, so…”

“…so, you read her calendar and thought you’d do some detective work on your own.”

Since Vicky McClain was wealthy, most people kept their

distance from her except for Liz, Jackie, and Amy. That’s why they had become such good friends. That and her feeling indebted to Amy for tracking down her deadbeat ex-husband. Finally. Even though Vicky had discovered that Wyatt was indeed…dead. She’d hired Amy, a local private investigator, to find him.

Since there wasn’t much money left from Wyatt’s estate, Amy had persuaded Vicky to market a line of canine accessories she’d already been making for friends. In a short time, Vicky’s line of custommade dog collars, doggie sweaters, leashes, and protective winter socks were selling out to wealthy clients, and were available in Palmer Square at Bella Boutique, Zoe, Nick Hilton, and Hermes. Despite her newfound wealth, Vicky preferred to stay in the same small one-bedroom she’d lived in since before her windfall. A natural multi-tasker, she insisted on becoming Amy’s assistant. For free.

Five years ago, Amy Molloy had put out a shingle on Nassau Street, opening her own private investigation business after retiring from teaching at Princeton Day School. She was ready to begin anew with a new career and, hopefully, new adventures.

Vicky spied the half-full liter of Pepsi on the coffee table, and poured the remains into a nearby glass. She tried to stretch her legs out on the couch, but her dog refused to move. She eased off her

‘Fenton dubois, the belgian heiress to the schadenFreude artisan conFectionery Fortune, wants to set uP shoP right here in the sPot where the bank used to be and she’s serious!’

Manolo Blahniks and rubbed her toes.

You’d think someone could design a shoe that you could wear all day and look good too, she thought. Like the 18-hour bra. Genius!

“So, what’s this case for Daphne Trent PettiJohn? Not a robbery, I hope. Biffle and I love her shop.”

“No, nothing like that. Maybe worse. Fenton Dubois, the Belgian heiress to the Schadenfreude Artisan Confectionery fortune, wants to set up shop right here in the spot where the bank used to be. And she’s serious!”

“Why there? Sweetie’s Shoppe has been on Nassau Street forever! Daphne dropped everything when her parents died and moved back here to keep the shop going. She gave up her whole life!”

Vicky wrapped her cashmere cardigan around her shivering dog.

“I know,” Amy said. “Everybody loves Sweetie’s. It’s an institution. We all had our birthday parties there when we were kids. I still have to mail a box of salted caramels to my Aunt Manya every Christmas, or she worries. One year I forgot and she thought I’d died!”

“Sweetie’s is the only genuinely dog-friendly candy shop I know of,” said Vicky. “They have the only doggie snacks my Biffle will eat. I tried once to give him a biscuit from the grocery store, but he just turned up his nose and left the room! What are you going to do, Amy?”

A sleepy Thaddeus emerged from the bedroom, leaned into the door jam, and ran his hand through shoulder-length, salt-and-pepper locks, his mustache even grayer. He grinned.

“Hullo, Thaddeus,” Vicky smirked. “I hear you drew a big crowd at The Comedy Corner last Saturday night. Six people, huh? Wow! Is that some sort of record? Soon you’ll need a private security guard to keep your fans away!” When she rubbed Biffle’s belly, he opened one sleepy eye.

Can’t get anything past my dog, she thought.

“Amy, here’s that sweater I borrowed. Call Liz,” she whispered, ignoring Thaddeus.

He was the only ex-cop she knew who looked down on private investigators. He called them “kiddie cops.” Deadbeats without the courage or brains to be a real officer.

“Let’s go, Biff. Off to bed with you.”

Vicky lifted him from the couch where he’d been playfully nipping at Amy’s toe around the hole in her sock. When they got outside, the jewels on his leash winked in the darkness as Vicky guided the dog through the sculptured hedges to her car.

The office was chilly. Amy clicked on the link to the historical archives. The entry read:

“Cesar Trent was the first Black man in antebellum Princeton to own property. In 1795, he owned the property that the Bank of America had recently vacated at 90 Nassau Street. Trent often worked for a prominent landowner, and like his contemporary, Peter Scudder, had often transacted business with prominent citizens affiliated with Princeton University (then known as College of New Jersey). Trent died in 1813, after his properties had been seized, allegedly for nonpayment of property taxes. The Somerset County sheriff sold some of Trent’s land for $70 in 1814.

When Edgar Palmer, heir to the New Jersey Zinc fortune planned to build the original Palmer Square, Baker Street was demolished in 1929; its houses moved to Birch Avenue. Construction of the square was delayed until 1936 due to the Depression.

The tip of Jackie Della Paola’s white cane tapped the threshold of the open office door. Amy looked up, smiling.

“Jackie! Right on time! Thanks so much for coming!”

“The best part about owning your own hardware shop is that you get to close up for lunch whenever you want!” he declared. He took a deep breath.

“Umm…ground rib eye on a potato roll, Vermont white cheddar, griddled onions, and rosemary aioli,” he said, sniffing the air.

“And Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups! Crunchy!” he added, triumphantly.

“Amazing!” answered, Amy.

“Abracadabra!” Jackie waved his hand with a flourish.

“Hey, I may be blind, but my sense of smell has always been spot on. And besides, you eat the same lunch every Tuesday, Amy: the 1865 burger from the Dinky Bar and Kitchen. And don’t think I can’t hear you open and close your top desk drawer and crinkle candy wrappers!” Jackie felt the back of Vicky’s empty chair, then sat down.

“Where are Vicky and Liz?” He laid his shoulder bag down neatly, collapsing the white cane, and placing it in the groove of the bag.

“Liz is interviewing Miss Suni Emmanuel at The Waxwood. She’s lived in those condos since they’d been renovated when it used to be the Princeton Nursing Home,” Amy told him.

“I bet Miss Emmanuel knows people who remember The Witherspoon School when it was the first integrated school under the Princeton Plan in 1948,” Jackie remarked.

Continued on following page

Gods Among Us

Promethean

As the celestial winds rush through

Its flame tail flickers in the air

Ever unfurling with eagerness

Her arms reach towards the eternal

The dying light of an eon in her hands

As the dark sun rises

So too does her dress fly

Sitting by the edge of existence

Where the worlds converge

Her heavenly repose makes a mockery

Of the Divine.

Xu grew up in South Brunswick and is now residing in New Brunswick. She has been writing creatively for fun since she was a young child. She has a background in psychology and cognitive science and has published research on social-emotional learning. She aspires to figure out her career interests one day. She loves to write, read, play video games, cook, and bake in her free time.

a homeless aPollo

Day comes to the unholy city:

A homeless Apollo pushes a shopping cart

Piled high with flaming refuse

Along an alley,

Burning his possessions to light the world.

A god fallen to earth, no longer chariot master

In the clouds, but still somehow

The bearer of dawn.

Starting at the head of First Street,

He trundles his Phoebus wagon uptown,

Spreading the brightness of day from

The lowest to the highest.

Sometimes he drinks too much,

And the police van takes him to jail overnight; Then the day is overcast and bleak

While the son of Zeus snores.

— Dwyer Jones Jones lives in Lawrenceville. His work has been published in the Journal of NJ Poets, Big Hammer, Arbella, Black Swan, and Maelstrom. He has been a featured poet at poetwednesday in Woodbridge, the longestrunning poetry series in the United States, and the Knitting Factory in New York City. He has been reading at poetry series in NJ and NY since 1987.

nudge

Succulent, yes — That Garden State Persephone

Selling pomegranates at her Lawrence Road

Fruit stand

Urban contemplative

Fleece igloo

Walking her imaginary pig on a leash

The agitated rudder of a stalwart sow

Stephen Hawking

Overheard It from Einstein

On a Mercer Street

In the Supernatural Midlands

—Hades is the author of Singularity

He abducted Lovers Lane and folded up that street

As an accordion map

A patchwork portal

Where Persephone shakes her

Hair

And unleashes

Her pot-bellied pig

in Ewing.

— Maria Xu

— Leonora Rita Obed Obed lives

Chance Encounters

one singular sensation

by Joanne Sutera

Tap, tap, tap. “Okay, people, pay attention,” the choreographer shouts over the pounding piano, “…again, step, kick….”

I move to my mark on the stage and line up with the other hoofers in the chorus line.

“Step, step, shift, turn,” I feel the momentum. A spotlight illuminates us. My swaddled legs kick in time with the other dancers. Did I stretch? I feel the rush, and I sweat struggling from the effort. Camphor fills my nostrils. I tip my imaginary hat. The music hits a crescendo. Bend at the waist. Turn. Smile. Is anybody watching? Am I gesticulating too much? I want to burst into song.

I love to sing, but for now I hum quietly. No one suspects. The orchestra erupts as I pick up the pace.

the recumbent bikes, holding court with a friend. If he talks too long, he won’t hit his 45 minutes. I ignore him. My goal is one hour. Will Chorus Line last?

An older group of women arrive. They shuffle across the lot, clutching their gym bags like life preservers. I pick up my pace, imagining the dancers — young, sharp, alive. On the next machine, a balding woman wheezes. Her breath sounds like it’s being dragged from somewhere deep. I speed up. I don’t want to hear it. Don’t want to be it. Turn, spin, smile. “One, singular sensation…” echoes.

the music hits a crescendo. bend at the waist turn smile is anybody watching?

“I really need this job…”

Thud! A hairy guy in the corner drops his weights, jolting me. The chorus line disappears. I’m in the gym, back in the moment.

My iPad’s perched on the lip of the treadmill; earbuds plugged in.

I’d set the pace at 3.5 — fast enough to do three miles in an hour. At first, I thought I’d watch a lecture, maybe one on free will to fuel an ongoing debate with John. But I can’t focus — maybe hormones, maybe something else. So, I settle on music. A Chorus Line. I warm up again, try to disappear into the beat. But through the window, life intrudes. Autumn leaves float to the pavement. A group of preschoolers walks past, each clutching a guide rope. One boy pulls the hair of the girl in front. She smacks him. I smile. The teacher intervenes.

I think of the kids’ futures — John’s writing about education. He’s in the gym too, lingering near

Continued from preceding page

The score ends. The treadmill slows. I cool down, muscles trembling. Three miles. Feels like ten. I spot John in the lobby, waving. I close the iPad. Step off the machine, knees aching. I need to stretch. Maybe an ice bath. But then I see it. A dance flyer, taped to the side of the check-in desk.

Community Theater Auditions — A Chorus Line. Next week.

My breath catches. I stare at the bold black letters. They’re doing my show.

“Ready?” John calls. I don’t answer right away. My reflection in the glass catches me off-guard — flushed, tired, older than I feel inside. But beneath the sweat and age and ache, there’s still something pulsing. Still alive. I pick up the flyer. Fold it. John frowns. “What’s that?”

“Nothing,” I say. But it’s not. For the first time in ages, it feels like something.

As we walk out into the crisp air, I hum under my breath. Not just the tune — The words.

“I really need this job.”

Joanne Sutera lives and writes fiction and poetry in New Jersey. She belongs to several writing groups. She is published in U.S.1, The Kelsey Review, Paterson Literary Review and US 1 Worksheets.

“35 Quarry Street has sure seen a lot of history, hasn’t it? If those walls could talk,” Amy wondered.

“My grandfather used to tell us about Miss Vann’s ice cream parlor on Witherspoon. Ice cream made from real cream!” Jackie leaned back in the chair.

“I was just a little boy when my Uncle Mario took me to Jimmy Mack’s Barber Shop on John Street. Mr. Mack was always so nice to me. You know, back then nobody even wanted to be bothered trying to cut a little blind Italian kid’s hair. Most barbers were afraid I squirm and get cut. I couldn’t have been more than five when Mr. Griggs closed his restaurant on Witherspoon. He used to give me a whole quarter for helping him make fried egg sandwiches. He even took me once to the University Campus Club where he used to clean and shine shoes before he retired. We snuck into the library once too. ‘Jackie’, he’d say, ‘if you work hard, you’ll be going to college one day too. You can do anything you want to do. You may not be able to see, but you have a sharp mind.’ Really nice man. I asked him what it was like when he was in college, but he got really quiet and changed the subject. I was just a little kid. I didn’t know how things were, you know?”

“I remember Mr. Griggs”, Amy said. “Nice man. Vicky’s over at the townhomes

my lucky ghazal

At the D&R canal, my friend & I saw a herd of turtles sunbathing on a log. Lucky photo. Only later, my hand searching my pocket, I couldn’t find the car key

In the heat of walking, I removed the jacket. Of course, I buttoned the pocket holding the key but over 7000 steps, somehow, I left behind my key

My friend inquired if I had a spare. Without my asking, she drove me home and back to the canal and my car. Her rescue, so kind for a backup key

Alone, I retraced our detour into the secluded woods. A shadowy figure emerged. An attacker? No (I breathed), a birdwatcher. Almost a foolish bind for a key

Back at the canal, I searched for the spot where I photographed the turtles. Alas, too many logs and not one turtle. Time to get resigned to the lost key

I don’t need to tell you the high price of replacing an electronic key. The situation could have been worse. So never mind the lost key

Elane’s philosophy: Life’s a passage. Some doors are open, others are shut. Some keys found, others not; just find your way to unwind after a lost key.

— Elane Gutterman

Gutterman uses poetry to embellish the (big and small) dramas of life. Per the ghazal form, there is a repeating word closing each couplet and a rhyme preceding the end word. Gutterman is a founding Board member and current Literary Committee Chair of West Windsor Arts. Her first poetry book, Tides of Expectation, was published by Kelsay Books (2022). Three of her poems published in literary magazines/journals have been nominated for a Pushcart Prize.

summer triP

Sitting under a striped beach umbrella, SHE is absorbed in a paperback novel.

Off to the right and closing fast, HE is running toward her at full speed, his eyes fixed on the plaid kite trailing behind him.

Destiny is like a word problem: if one train heads east and another heads west on the same track, will two strangers fall in love at the point of impact?

Shouting a warning that goes unheard, I can’t help but wonder about inexorable forces and immovable objects (and the dubious taste of pairing stripes with plaid).

— Bill Waters

Bill Waters is a published writer of short poetry and compressed prose. His work has appeared around the world in print and online journals as well as locally in Hopewell Valley Neighbors magazine and on outdoor signs. He and his wife Nancy reside in Pennington, where their lives are ruled by two cats.

almost...

once in an Island Beach autumn beside a bountiful beach plum a curious fox came near enough to touch because my friend and I had been merrily singing an ancient lay honoring strawberries/wine as we sampled that unknown fruit I sat right down onto sand knowing — if I could just remain

on Paul Robeson Place. She put together a little fundraiser for the animal shelter. Biffle gets to show off his costumes for a group of community volunteers and patrons.”

“Don’t tell me she’s got that poor dog modeling again!”

“Doggie sweaters with matching leashes and carry-ons!” Amy said.

“Poor Biffle! I’m starting to really feel sorry for him. We can only hope Vicky doesn’t get any ideas about Easter bonnets! You know, that party on the Green is really going to be something. My customers have been talking about it. Sweetie’s Shoppe is having a pinata party for all ages! You get to learn how to make your own taffy and name the new flavor of the month. The winner gets a free Sweetie’s tee shirt and a guest spot on that podcast soap opera, “Every Day’s a Good Day!” The Annie Dae Nau Band is playing all afternoon. They’re pretty good. Let’s do that exercise workshop, ‘Stretch With Gretch(en)’, Amy? You in?”

A cellphone bleeped.

“That’s you, Amy. I’m not expecting any hardware store emergencies at my shop. Michele can handle things until I get back.”

Concerned, Amy looked at her phone. She scrolled for a long time.

“You okay? What’s up?”, Jackie asked.

“Liz texted me. She had coffee with Daphne Trent PettiJohn and her lawyer.

Fenton Dubois has been texting and harassing her and really putting pressure on her to close the business. This woman is an heir-

still enough, long enough — the rogue would lay his pert head in my welcoming lap but my friend had a Princeton appointment in purported real time

I re-live this missed miracle every subtle fall

— Carolyn Foote Edelmann Avid about nature, Edelmann has covered nearby outdoors excursions, as well as history and art, for The Times of Trenton, U.S. 1, The Packet Publications, and a range of nature magazines.

ess, for goodness sake! She’s claiming that Daphne’s family never actually owned the land that Sweetie’s sits on!”

“Well that’s just ridiculous!” Jackie protested.

“Sweetie’s is a family business. It’s been operating for years from that location. Now Fenton Dubois is claiming that the property has been the City’s all along. As far back as Cesar Trent himself. Dubois claims Trent never paid taxes on the property back then so any deeds even to this day have long been null and void.” Amy clicked on the magnifier.

“I’ve got something!” she shouted, startling Jackie who nearly choked on the “emergency” candy he’d stolen from Amy’s secret hiding place — the hollow door stopper he’d nearly tripped over.

Amy read from the screen:

“Jude, a servant of Ralph Sansbury, slave holder and alumnus of Princeton University, then known as College of New Jersey, was also a cook and housekeeper for many college students and professors. Cesar Trent left her $40 in his will. It is believed that with help from her employer, Jude used this inherited sum along with savings, to purchase and run a small ice cream business out of her place of residence at 221B Baker Street. It is also believed that in 1808 Jude was prepared to be a witness in court to prove the innocence of Cesar Trent, accused of theft and sentenced to imprisonment and hard labor. Jude witnessed the actual theft by Sheriff Jacob’s own son, a student at the

College. Jude’s employer, Ralph Sansbury, had in his possession, the original receipt of Trent’s property payment kept in a family Bible, which he gave to Jude, who disappeared months later and was never heard from again. (This may have been vindication for a New Jersey Supreme Court case Trent had won in the 1780s against John Sanderson over the sale of a horse). It is noted that Ralph Sansbury also issued manumission certificates for slaves in West Windsor whose owners agreed to set them free.”

“That’s it!” Amy decided, grabbing the sports jacket draped over the chair. “We’ve got to find that Bible! I’ve got your coat. Come on, Jackie!”

“Where are we going?” Jackie asked, hurrying to the door.

“To 221B Baker Street, of course!”

“Now how are you going to do that, Amy? Baker Street doesn’t exist anymore. It was demolished along with Jackson Street when Palmer square was built. Are you chasing ghosts now?”

“Paul Robeson Place, my friend,” Amy said, picking up her car keys. “The Residences at Palmer Square! I’m texting Vicky right now to let her know we’re coming!”

They recognized Vicky’s silver Porsche at the Hulfish Garage and saw her as they approached 20 Paul Robeson Place.

“The resident elevators are out,” Vicky explained. “The repair company is here.”

“Where’s Biffle?” Amy asked.

“Oh, my goodness! Biff? Biff!” a frantic

to bee or not to bee

What a pleasure to sip my tea

On my patio; gaze upon such beauty

Swaying sun drenched trees

Blossoms fly in the breeze

I sit and smile in sheer enjoyment

Breathe the fresh air, experience atonement

A little bee starts to dance around me

Disturbing my perfect reverie

Hither and thither, above and below

Up in the Air

Never staying in one place for my swatter’s throw I decide to ignore it; focus on my beverage

Appreciate the bee’s gifts and pay homage

Maybe it’s teaching me how to be still

Feels like a battle of the wills

Perhaps if I send it lots of love

It will fly far away and above

But no it seems to like me

Always in such close proximity

I watch it from the corner of my eye

Finally surrender with a sigh

I greet and accept my new pet

We can coexist on this planet

A symbiotic relationship, as I fumble

For its name, of course my Beloved Bumble.

— Asha Rani

Rani is a retired homemaker and math teacher. She raised her family in Montgomery and moved to Monroe after retiring. She has always loved English literature, especially writing poetry.

homesense store, Princeton, nJ

Tired after dropping the limping old men to have coffee talk with their ancient friends, I went to buy placemats at a Homesense and there I found it — as though heaven sent — a wood-sculptured motor-bike exactly my size, ready for me to climb on, so that I could fly, and before you knew it I was in imaginary skies to embrace new worlds with my world-weary eyes. The tops of trees held many a surprise — canopies for sale and tables to accessorize. Monkeys straightened and held up signs inviting me to sit — they were my allies!

I parked my motor expertly on a branch saw they had prepared me a delicious lunch then parrots and macaws asked me to dance, their colors and wings giving a new chance to fly with them on a mat of colored feather, and so I visited the world of nether until it was time for that seat of leather, to motor me back to where life is measured.

I left the bike in the Homesense store, hoping I’d placed it where it had been, thought I’d come again, ride it some more. Perhaps I need a new soup tureen?

—

Lavinia Kumar

Lavinia Kumar’s 2nd Edition of “Spirited American Women: Early Writers, Artists, & Activists” contains referenced-based biographies near 100 women, 10 from New Jersey. She is author of three poetry books and four chapbooks.

Vicky shouted. She found the dog in the damp, unfinished basement, determinedly digging away at the base of an exposed support beam. His baby blue, bedazzled sweater still spotless after an hour of posing for selfies with his admirers.

Finally, the dog managed to pull from the concrete a ragged, oversized dinner napkin, the size of a laptop, and black with soot. Without a trace of tasty crumbs to tempt him, Biffle lost interest and left the room. Vicky stooped down to unwrap the centuries-old parcel that had been wrapped with care.

Jackie came into the basement, then Amy, cradling a confused Biffle in her arms. Presenting the precious relic to them, Vicky carefully opened the heavy cover, its binding still, remarkably intact.

Amy began to read the elaborate colonial script to Jackie:

“To Ralph Sansbury. Translated out of the original tongues…”

lawrence library butterFly garden

– After Emily Dickinson

We dance with native drums the autumn leaves — our wings they flutter like the butterflies the forest softly sings.

We save the withered blooms their hidden gems we seek wait for their rebirth in spring from nature’s mystic peak.

We learn from Indian lore the secrets of the land how best to sow the seeds with caring eyes and hands.

We plant our New Year hope before the winter snow and thank the sun for lighting up the wisdom we now know.

A brown parchment leaf delicately drifted to the floor. Vicky picked it up.

Yes. It was, indeed, a handwritten receipt for payment of taxes for the property at 90 Nassau Street, Princeton, New Jersey.

“Signed by Cesar Trent and Ralph Sansbury, Judge of Common Pleas, and Peter Scudder (executor to Cezar Trent) on this day of our Lord, February 8, 808.” Amy, Daphne PettiJohn, and her lawyer would later, of course, verify the dates and signatures with the New Jersey State Archives tax ratables, the New Jersey State early land records project database.

“So, Trent really did pay his property taxes after all. I had a feeling he was railroaded. 90 Nassau Street was rightfully his. Looks like Fenton Dubois will have to find another angle if she wants to boot Sweetie’s out,” Jackie said, tentatively petting Biffle.

“She should have known better,” Vicky insinuated, skimming through the ancient Bible. “Everyone in town Is behind Daphne

— Sharon Wang

“As a Pushcart-nominated poet and librarian at Mercer County Library’s Lawrence Headquarters Branch, I am deeply committed to fostering literary engagement within my community,” Wang writes. Her poetry has been featured in Kelsey Review and US 1 Worksheets, and she leads poetry programs at the library, including a poetry writing workshop. She also contributes to monarch butterfly conservation efforts through an educational tagging initiative, inspiring public awareness and ecological stewardship.

resurrection

It’s six a.m. and the pool is open. The lifeguard bends at the water’s edge and scoops out a motionless white moth. She places it gently on the tiled floor granting it peace at its last breath.

A sunbeam streams through the glass panels, highlighting the moth’s gossamer wings. I lower my cell phone to focus. The moth shoots up, flutters between the glass doors, and vanishes.

Vida Chu grew up in Hong Kong, came to America for college, and stayed. She has lived in Princeton for 58 years. She has poems published in US 1 Newspaper, Kelsey Review, The Literary Review, US 1 Worksheet, and The Princeton Magazine. Her books of poetry are “The Fragrant Harbor” and “The Thirteenth Lake.” She worked in the Brain Bio Center in Skillman for 18 years. After retirement she swims daily at the Princeton YMCA.

Jet thoughts

When I’m in flight, I like to see The diamond towns and cities appear, Until they’re boxed again by night. Then I wish I were at liberty To gather such gems from far and near, And always keep them in plain sight. But when I’m home and longing to be Abroad again hence freed from mere Existence — just to watch the flights Of birds or jets encourages me To look beyond another year Devoid of rich, far-flung delights.

— Francis Barry

Born and raised in north Philadelphia, Barry moved to New Jersey more than 25 years ago, bringing his love of literature with him. Barry thanks Dick and Jane of his first grade reader with igniting his interest in the written word.

Trent PettiJohn. Doesn’t that snooty heiress know how loyal we are to our local businesses? Sweetie’s will be here forever, if I can help it!”

Amy pulled her coat collar up against the draft. I don’t know, Sag. We’re just Davids against a Goliath!”

“She doesn’t know who she’s dealing with!” said Vicky. “She’s got money? Well, thanks to your billion-dollar idea and to my star, Biffle, so do I! And the whole town is behind us! Biff, here’s your reward for finding the Bible and solving the case!”

Vicky pulled a small House of Cupcakes bag from her oversized leather tote, and carefully removed a red velvet cupcake. But when she tried to feed it to her dog, Biffle turned to looked at Amy instead, laying his head on her shoulder.

“It’s your favorite,” Vicky coaxed. “It’s vegan, too. You try,” she said, giving the cake to Amy.

Amy pinched off a tiny piece of the cake

and put it in her palm. Biffle licked her palm clean then licked Amy’s cheek!

“I’m jealous!” Vicky teased. “Looks like you’ve made a new friend!”

Jackie opened his white cane as they headed to the garage.

“Amy, I just thought of something. Jude’s address was 221B Baker Street. You’re a mystery fan. Isn’t that address familiar to you?”

Puzzled, Amy stopped to consider.

“We’re going to have to start calling you Sherlock Holmes!” laughed Jackie. They were hungry. It was time for lunch. With a master’s degree from Rider University, writer, playwright, and showrunner Karen Carson is also a regular contributing writer for Trenton Daily. Her work has also appeared in The Kelsey Review. She is a retired station manager/co-producer of New Jersey’s first free broadcast news service for the blind

— Vida Chu

Signs of the Times

out there in the garden — a metaPhor

by Arlene Gralla Feldman

Mother nudges Father awake and says, “Something is crying out there in the garden.”

“Jheez, Mother, what the hell time is it?”

“It’s three o’clock in the morning,” Mother says, “and Something is crying out there in the garden.”

“Now, Mother —”

Mother begins to sob.

Something sobs louder.

“I just can’t stand it any longer. Night and day Something is crying. My heart is breaking.”

Mother attempts to stifle her sobs.

Something does not.

“O. K.,” Father whispers. “Now stop crying, and follow me.”

He puts on his eyeglasses, slips on his slippers and throws on his robe.

Mother does the same.

Father stretches his arms, antennae-like, into the darkness in front of him.

As Something’s cries become louder, Mother quickly steps behind Father.

She puts her right hand on his right shoulder and her left hand on his left shoulder. Mother and Father silently march from the bedroom, through the foyer and into the kitchen to the backdoor.

In the backyard, Father reaches for the garden hose which he hands to Mother.

Father turns on the water faucet.

Mother directs the water on Something in the garden.

Father walks to mother’s side and places his arm about her shoulders.

Something stops crying.

Mother and Father smile at one another.

The night is peacefully quiet.

Mother and Father return to bed.

Father lies down.

Mother does the same.

Father places his hand on Moth-

er’s right breast.

Mother lifts Father’s hand by the wrist and places it on Father’s chest.

Father shrugs and turns on his side.

Mother turns her back to Father’s back.

Father begins to snore. So does Mother.

‘Is that Something I hear crying in the garden — again?” Mother asks, setting aside her teacup.

“No, it’s Nothing,” replies Father, as he peers over the newspaper.

“I’m sure it’s Something,” Mother says, as the cries become louder.

Father listens carefully.

Mother does the same.

“Well, I’ll be —” says Father, dropping the newspaper to the table.

“It’s Something and Nothing!” they say in unison.

Father takes Mother’s hand and leads her into the garden.

They water Something and Nothing, but the crying does not stop. The crying does, in fact, become louder and more hysterical as Something and Nothing are joined by the uncontrollable sobbing of Anyone and Anything, and Everyone and Everything.

All day Mother and Father try to satisfy the garden creatures, but by dark, the water supply is depleted and the maddening sobs continue.

Mother and Father are weary and at a loss as to what to do. Frustrated and exhausted, they turn from the garden, go into the house and collapse on the bed.

Father rests his hand on Mother’s right breast.

As Mother turns her back to Father, his hand slides from her breast and comes to rest on the quilt.

Father falls asleep.

Mother tosses and turns.

The mass hysteria in the garden continues.

Mother shakes Father awake and says, “There must be some way to stop the crying in the garden!”

“Jheez, Mother, what the hell time is it?”

“It’s three o’clock in the morning, Father, and they are still crying in the garden. I can’t stand it any longer. I’m exhausted. There must be a way. I can’t take it any longer.”

Mother begins to sob.

The creatures sob louder.

Father sits up in bed and whispers, “O. K. Now stop crying and follow me.”

Father gets out of bed, puts on his eyeglasses, slips on his slippers and throws on his robe.

Mother does the same. Mother follows Father into the garden.

As the cries reach a crescendo, Mother and Father cross the cobblestone path to the tool shed. Father opens the latch, flings open the door, and reaches inside.

Father hands the sickle to Mother and takes the machete for himself.

Mother and Father swing and swipe at Something. The cries and sobs turn into shrieks and groans.

Mother and Father thrash and slash at Anyone and Anything, and at Everyone and Everything, until Nothing is left. Father takes one last swat at Nothing and suddenly the garden is still.

Quiet.

At last.

Mother and Father return to bed.

Father lies down and Mother does the same.

Father places his hand on Mother’s right breast.

Mother turns to Father and sighs.

Feldman is a retired New York City High School English teacher. She has a master’s of fine arts in fiction writing from Brooklyn College. Feldman has been published in various venues, including U.S. 1 Summer Fiction issues and The Kelsey Review. An excerpt from her novella, “One God or Another,” was published in the anthology, “Two Worlds Walking: Short Stories, Essays & Poetry by Writers with Mixed Heritages,” edited by Diane Glancy and C. W. Truesdale (New Rivers Press). During the COVID Pandemic Feldman developed a blog as a creative writing outlet in which she recorded her dreams (arlron9.wixsite. com). Feldman lives in an active adult community in Monroe Township where she is an associate editor of her community newspaper.

For the birds

by Clark Linden Westfield

If you’re reading this, I suppose I’ve reached the end of the line. If it weren’t for the birds, I wouldn’t have made it this far. Along the way, I’ve learned that walking the sanity tightrope puts one just a misstep away from the abyss...

I gave up watching the news once the results were certified in November, when I began drifting down the path toward my own certifiable state. Canceled the cable subscription, the newspaper subscription, switched from NPR to satellite radio to avoid the newscasts. Began to take an interest in celebrity shenanigans I had avoided my entire adult life...’wonder what Jason and Travis Kelce are up to today?’ Began jonesing for Khloe Kardashian’s Crumbl Cookies. The birds were my backup system, and my savior, for a time. That and, in hindsight, the reassurance of the ritual that evolved

two months in sPring

Hours, days, two months of contradictions, joy and sorrow swinging sharp edges of a copper pendulum, to and fro’ —which wins out—joy or sorrow? I cannot say.

There was birdsong, beautiful and new, bright yellow breasts and wings of bluest blue, smiling bills and white eye rings, crests of red on the tiniest of heads and the quickness of step eluding fair view.

There were birthdays followed by death followed by birthdays followed by death and the silence that death orders, and there were hands that were held and hearts too and the matter-of-fact review of what is known to come, death and talking of it, all on the same day.

Cold followed heat followed rain followed chill, brushing the landscape with pale watercolors until the seams of spring burst into bud, canopy and frill like fireworks in the summer sky.

There were taxes due and anxiety over benefits due and what is to become of this nation we inhabit.

People lifted off the streets, carried away, whereabouts unknown, fear, tears, anger, bewilderment at what has become of this nation we inhabit.

Family shared meals and remembered days gone by as they do time and again and again, work in community continued celebrating joy and the promise of possibility and the relentlessness of need and the bewilderment of what has become of this nation we inhabit.

There was music, laughter, friends and poetry, children wide-eyed in amazement at words in a book, concern for the earth and a promise to aid, support for our future, our buildings and grounds, indifference, commitment, vulgarity too, all packed together—these days passing through, months filled with gifts, filled with sorrow and joy, which one prevails, I just cannot say.

— Christine Piatek Christine Piatek is retired from the workforce and enjoys writing in many forms, including poetry. She has had poems published here in the Summer Fiction/Poetry edition in prior years, in last year’s US 1 Worksheets, and on Spillwords.com.

around their care and feeding and the ever-changing accompaniment that their Spring arrival and their harmonious — and sometimes cacophonous — birdsong brought tranquility to my day.

My routine started at first light, when if I were lucky I would awake to the trill of a wren. How is it that the tiniest of birds belt out the sweetest songs? Then I’d throw on some clothes and head out to the shed where the seed (black oil and “Wild Bird Mix”)

the birds were my backuP system, and my savior, For a time. that and, in hindsight, the reassurance oF the ritual that evolved around their care and Feeding

are kept in critter-proof containers. And oh yeah, the suet and the hummingbird feeder went inside a bin as well. It didn’t take long for me to learn that leaving them out over night virtually guaranteed I’d awaken to an empty suet feeder or a smashed up hummingbird feeder in the morning, sometimes both. Hey, I know that raccoons gotta eat, but not on my dime. People told me not to feed birds

in the summer, especially not to put out the suet, but maybe those people are stronger than I, and didn’t depend on their constant presence the way I did.

On mornings that I was really, really lucky, I’d spot one or, on a super special morning, a pair of bald eagles atop a tall locust tree to the east, greeting the sun. Exhilarating.

Getting sleepy now, but I have to tell you about the hummingbirds before I go.

The arrival of hummingbirds was the best, even better than spotting the eagles. The anticipation of their arrival. The mad rush to boil up some sugar water and hang up the feeder the first time I’d spot them. The wonder of knowing that these tiny, delicate creatures traveled thousands of miles to my back yard, despite the mindless, relentless destruction of habitat all along the way. Their fierce defense of their territory against any and all come-latelys.

So tired, but I realize that I need to keep them fed, need to keep them safe, need to find someone who’ll carry on for me after I go.

The antidote is in a bottle, in the drawer of the nightstand next to the bed. If it’s not too late, would you…

Clarke Linden Westfield lived in Lawrenceville. His alter-ego George Point is a frequent contributor to U.S. 1.

PRE VIEW

henchman 13

by John Kizzie

act i

Agent Daniel Warlock was a blood-stained mess. His face and scalp were caked in shades of dried brown blood and fresh, still seeping, crimson. Beneath his torn clothes peeked bruises and cuts on his arms and legs; his hands were raw at the knuckles – a vibrant example of “you should see the other guy, or guys.” However, Warlock, sitting in a neat, orderly, well-manicured 16th floor office of the Intel Central HQ was a stark contrast to his battered appearance.

“Once again, you just couldn’t follow orders could you, Warlock?” Intelligence Central Senior Officer (ICSO) Edward Mathias’ eyes locked on the wrecked man sitting across from him.

“I can explain, sir…” Daniel began as he wiped his face with his shredded sleeve.

“No! You let me explain! You were ordered to simply follow Viper and report on his movements. That order made sense because, oh let me think; he has a small army of about 20 or so henchmen covering his ass and we would need an assault team to take him!” Mathias’ brown forehead glistened. As he pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the forming beads of sweat, he raised his left hand with a stiffly pointed finger to keep his best agent quiet. He pushed the handkerchief through his thinning, tightly curled grey hair and continued. “Dan, you are our best agent. You have pulled this country’s ass out of the fire a dozen times, but your recklessness is costing lives and this department millions, and one day, your bull-in-a-Chinashop approach is going to blow up in all our faces! Until further notice, you are suspended. It is with pay, so don’t push your luck.”

Daniel stood up, his legs wobbly. “Sir, Viper is planning to crash our information networks; if he’s successful, the entire eastern seaboard crimefighting network will collapse. Files of fingerprints, DNA, and video evidence will be corrupted. How can you ask me to walk away from this mission? I know I can be reckless, but as you said, my style gets the job done.”

“Not this time Warlock, and don’t think we are not aware of what is going on here. The only reason you didn’t bring Viper down in your take no prisoners raid is because of his insurance.”

“His insurance?” Warlock’s face feigned surprise.

“He has Cassia as a hostage keeping you at bay. Yes, we know everything about your screw up and not too well-kept feelings for her means you are compromised; now, we must figure out how to get her out, alive. Altogether, another reason for you to take your butt home.”

“Yes, sir.” Warlock’s consent sounded earnest, though Mathias suspected it was not.

“This time, we got your back, Warlock. Now, get to the infirma-

Their Lots in Life

ry, and then take your ass home.” Orders given, the ICSO stood and nodded toward the door. Warlock knew that there was nothing more to say.

act ii

“Hey, new guy, put down that damn book; you’re paid to lookout, not to read. Sides, we got new orders. Viper says we gotta stay on duty for the rest of the night. He’s got some kind of precious cargo, and he’s expecting company to come and get it, if you get my drift.” Dex, the crew boss, approached. A short, thick squat of a man, the fading light made the scars on his face more severe. Henchman 13 turned all his 6’ 5” frame to face him. He closed the book and dropped it in a cubby shelf in the adobe fence.

“I can lookout and study at the same time. I heard you coming, and sorry, I can’t stay. I got a test in the morning,” Henchman 13 firmly stated.

“What kinda test you talking about? Like high school? Man, how old are you?”

“Thirty-one, and it’s a college test. Don’t want to be no bodyguard for the rest of my life.”

“Is that how you see this gig?” Dex began. “You must be blind, man. Look around you. Hell, I make six figures a year, tax-free.”

Henchman 13 looked around the grounds. Viper’s Spanish villastyled compound was “wedding ready clean.” Topiary shaped like animals and insects dotted the landscape along the curling driveway. Off in the distance, Henchman 13 could see the stucco and adobe mansion with sweeping arches, wrought iron fences, and floor to ceiling windows. The man has money — lots of it.

With that, Henchman 13 smiled. “It’s nice, but a lot of that is dirty money from what I hear, so what you gone do if someday Viper goes down?”

“Goes down? The man has lawyers up the wazoo, and he has us to protect him. I got his back and he’s got mine. I’ll go down with him, but again, that ain’t gonna happen any time soon,” Dex firmly stated.

“Then, why you trying to get me to stay overnight?” Henchman 13 asked.

Dex took a deep breath. “How much did you used to make a night as a bouncer in the City? Here’s triple.” He took out a wad of $100 bills and peeled off six of them and stuffed them in Henchman 13’s shirt pocket.

Henchman 13 said nothing.

Dex smiled. “You know this is easier. Just look tough, keep people off Viper’s back, and rake in the money. Why even go back to school?” In the long quiet that followed, they both did their job and looked around for “company.” After a 360o spin, Henchman 13 spoke.

“You ever follow college basketball?” he asked.

“Only March Madness. Couldn’t put a winning bracket together to save my life,” Dex offered.

Henchman 13 continued. “A few years back, college basketball was my life. I was one of the point guards for Rider University. During my freshman year, the team got some attention cause of me. I was a college freshman starting right out of high school. I knew I was on my way to the NBA, or, at worse, the D league or European leagues. Either way, I would get to play basketball for money. Lots of money, money I could do things with, like take care of my folks. At the time, my dad had diabetes and kidney issues, and my mom was carrying the family. I was playing basketball, but I knew I was gonna make it to the pros and take over caring for my family.”

“Yeah, you and every other sonuv-a-bitch that’s touched a basketball in college,” Dex snorted.

“Hey, man, I broke freshman scoring, steals, and minutes records. I was just about to get an agent on the side.”

“So, what? You didn’t get drafted.”

“I didn’t even make it to the second season. We had a preseason scrimmage at Princeton, just down the street from us. Got there early, box dinners from some place called Olives; good stuff, and I was feeling pretty good. I like Princeton. Well, I liked Princeton, but it’s the play my career ended. I tore my knee up in the second quarter for a damned scrimmage.”

‘i needed more surgeries, but once i started Failing classes and i wasn’t Playing, i had nothing going For me. i had nothin’.’

“Don’t tell me; they couldn’t fix you up.”

“They could and kinda did, but while I rehabbed, something I was keeping hidden came out. The school found out that I couldn’t read or write; functionally illiterate, they called it, me.”

“How’d you get into college?”

“By being good at basketball, cheating, and I was getting help; I always got help. Even at Rider I had tutors. I didn’t even know what it meant to be illiterate. Everything was over my head because I couldn’t read or write. I started failing classes. I just couldn’t make up for all that lost time.”

“And that was it? So, you gave up on making it to the pros.”

“I needed more surgeries, but once I started failing classes and I wasn’t playing, I had nothing going for me. I had nothin’.”

“Ugh,” Dex grunted. “So, why

it’s cold out there

It was 2016 and after a wild blizzard and three days of shoveling she was reading an article about kids not wanting to earn money shoveling snow. It made her think of how years ago she hired two kids to clear the snow for her. She didn’t have enough cash so she gave them each a check. A while later the bank called and asked if she had written those checks. She assured the employee that she had given the boys the checks. But after she got off the phone she wondered if the bank would have called if those two teenagers were white. And what made it even sadder, they had walked well over a mile to cash them.

It is not a fair world, never was but maybe someday.

— Ellena Verasco Versaco lives in Trenton and retired from the police department as a community affairs detective 15 years ago.

you going back to school? You can’t ball anymore, you got a good job here, why the hell bother yourself with school and studying?”

Silence. Henchman 13 wasn’t expecting to be confessing. Yet, over time he had learned that people need to share and once started, it was difficult to stop. Plus, he was leaving the organization after passing the test. Telling Dex this would make it easier to leave tomorrow.

Henchman 13 continued, “You ever been embarrassed, Dex? I mean really embarrassed.” Dex said nothing. So, he resumed. “A year into my college career, I find out I was illiterate, could barely read, could barely write. I knew I couldn’t read or write that good, but I thought it wouldn’t matter once I made the pros. Still, I always thought I would have time to get it together. I could take some of my money, hire a tutor, close the gap.”

“I was happy justa get out of high school,” Dex offered.

“Well, I had 12-plus years of school, and all I got to show for it was the look on my momma’s face when she learned that I couldn’t read or write, and there was no way to make money other than using my body to intimidate people. My father died, so he didn’t know about it, but my mother, while she said she understood, I recognized the shame in her eyes.

“After I dropped out of Rider, I lived in Princeton for a while, I worked at a grocery store called McCaffrey’s, the Princeton Public Library, any place that needed a big, strong body. Eventually, I starting bouncing at Club Nouveau in the city, and that’s when I ran into you. Well, I’m done. Tonight’s gonna be my last with this organization.” Henchman 13 took the money Dex had placed in his shirt pocket and stuffed it in Dex’s jacket pocket. “You keep the money. Not making the pros hurt me, but being illiterate hurt my mother, and I want to see her eyes light up

when I cross that stage in a couple of weeks with my associate’s degree, then, one day, a bachelor’s degree. Seeing me get those degrees just might replace the hurt of my early failures, so I got to take this test in the …” Before he could complete the statement, what sounded like firecrackers in the distance interrupted him. Henchman 13 and Dex ran toward the sounds.

ePilogue: two days later

ICSO Edward Mathias, Post Mission Log, June 26, 2025:

“I recommend Agent Dan Warlock for special commendation. While his methods are impulsive and relentlessly violent, he has brought an end to Viper’s, aka Vincent Issac Petrulus’, unlawful empire. Viper’s plan to destroy our information network was thwarted, and his control of the east coast drug trade is no more. His money laundering operations are collapsing, and his political cronies are being arrested as I record this log entry. On a personal note, he saved Agent Cassia Armas; although, she stated during her debriefing, she had freed herself before he interfered. She and agent Warlock are on a well-deserved vacation. Given Agent Daniel Warlock’s commitment to justice, Viper is dead, as is his lover, Shayla Kaporov, as well as all of his 22 henchmen. Their deaths are of no consequence. Close log entry.

John Kizzie is a guitarist with a studio called the Guitar Lesson Spot in downtown Princeton. He has also taught English and guitar classes at the University of St. Elizabeth in Morristown. He has previously published short stories in U.S 1 and is currently working on his third recording project and first novel. His wife, Amy, is a prolific creative artist making jewelry and other artistic home decor pieces.

INTER CHANGE

ClOsing tHe ACHievement GaP

As the school year ends, many families across our region will look forward to a fun-filled summer for their children. Yet, for many young people, especially those from low-income households, summer is a time when affordable childcare is scarce, and opportunity and achievement gaps are widened.

At the Princeton Area Community Foundation, we believe every child deserves to thrive year-round. That’s why, for the third consecutive year, we are investing in summer initiatives and calling on our fellow community leaders, policymakers, and funders to join us to help expand these vital programs.

This year, the Community Foundation awarded $487,500 in Summer Initiative grants to 21 outstanding local nonprofits that are creating programs to prevent summer learning loss and provide safe, enriching environments and affordable childcare for working families.

We’re able to help fund these wonderful summer programs because of generous donors in our community, and we’d like to thank everyone who contributed.

Yet, every year, we find that our nonprofit partners could serve more children if additional funding had been available. That is true again this year, leaving some of our most vulnerable families without viable options.

The need remains profound.

State data shows many of our students could benefit from summer academic support.

According to the latest available School Performance Reports from the New Jersey Department of Education, about one-third of public-school students in Mercer County are economically disadvantaged. This economic vulnerability is compounded by academic challenges.

The 2023-2024 report shows that in Mercer County’s K-12 districts, proficiency rates in English Language Arts (ELA) varied dramatically, from a low of less than 10 percent in one district to a high of 77 percent in another. Four districts had proficiency rates under 50 percent.

For third graders — who started kindergarten in September 2020, during the pandemic — the ELA proficiency rates are more concerning: in six districts, less than half of those children met expectations.

This matters deeply.

Reading proficiently by the end of third grade is a critical predictor of future academic success, including high school graduation rates. According to the National

by Mathieu Nelessen and Nelida Valentin

LiFe in tHe Fast Lane

Edited by Sara Hastings

Mercer County Provides Vehicles for Senior and Disabled Transportation

Mercer County has provided several municipalities with new 20-seat buses to enhance local transportation services for seniors, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, announced Dan Benson, Mercer County executive, on July 10.

“We’re ensuring that everyone in Mercer can access the critical services they need, whether that’s a medical appointment, a community center, or a food pantry,” Benson said in a media release.

East Windsor, Ewing, Trenton, and West Windsor each submitted requests to Mercer County for new ADA-compliant, handicapped-accessible buses designed to serve residents with mobility challenges. The City of Trenton received two vehicles, and each of the other municipalities received one.

Summer Learning Association, “by fifth grade, summer learning loss can leave lowincome students 2.5 to 3 years behind their peers,” with lifelong consequences.

These challenges show that students need to be supported year-round.

That’s why we’re partnering with several local school districts to transform several schools into Community Schools, an evidence-based model that provides support to students and their families, addressing not just academics, but other needs, including health and social services. Community Schools have been shown to improve attendance, academic achievement and graduate rates, according to The Learning Policy Institute.

Many of our grantee partners are providing similar wrap-around services to children and their families through their summer programs, including academic support, fun activities, transportation, meals and trauma-informed care.

Ensuring that all young people in our region have access to enriching summer programs and year-round support is our community’s collective responsibility. If we work together, we can close opportunity gaps and build a stronger future where every child has a chance to thrive.

Mathieu Nelessen is the President & CEO of the Princeton Area Community Foundation. Nelida Valentin is the Community Foundation’s Vice President of Grants and Programs.

The county says that the new vehicles were funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Community Development Block Grant Covid-19 program.

“Transportation remains a major barrier to healthcare and socialization for many of our seniors, who still live independently but may no longer drive,” said Ewing Mayor Bert Steinmann.”

“Trenton is a city that depends heavily on public transportation, and with nearly 30 percent of our residents lacking access to a personal vehicle — a percentage likely even higher among our senior population — reliable transit options are essential,” said Mayor W. Reed Gusciora. “From microtransit and NJ Transit buses to the train station and T.R.A.D.E., our residents rely on a robust network to stay connected. The addition of these senior buses, generously provided by Mercer County through ARPA funding, is another critical step toward ensuring transportation equity.”

Also announced last week: the Mercer County Board of Social Services unveiled a new Community Outreach Van aimed at expanding access to county services. The van will travel to neighborhoods across Mercer County, intending to bring BOSS resources directly to residents — particularly those who face barriers to transportation.

“This initiative opens the door for residents who may not otherwise engage with us to learn how we can support them,” Benson said.

MCBOSS director Jeff Mascoll emphasized the importance of outreach in raising awareness and ensuring accessibility.

From left, West Windsor Council Vice president Linda Geevers, Council President Andrea Mandel, Mayor Hemant Marathe, County Executive Dan Benson, Council Member Sonia Gawas, and Council Member Dan Weiss accept delivery of West Windsor’s new bus.

“Their support of our Trenton Neighborhood Initiative — especially the Connect pillar — will help us bring people and possibilities closer together in meaningful, lasting ways,” Maghazehe said. “TNI is all about partnerships, and its success is made possible through investments like these.” Launched in 2022, the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative is built on four core pillars: Live, Work, Grow and Connect. Each pillar focuses on improving quality of life and economic opportunity for Trenton residents in specific areas of need.

The grant from the Credit Union of New Jersey, distributed over three years, will directly support TNI’s Connect pillar, which is dedicated to enhancing access to web-based resources and fostering social cohesion among residents by investing in digital literacy and education platforms.

The funding will also bolster efforts to create stronger linkages between individuals, services and opportunities throughout the city of Trenton.

“At Credit Union of New Jersey, we believe that financial wellness and community wellness go hand in hand,” said Andrew Jaeger, president and CEO of the Credit Union of New Jersey. “That’s why we are proud to support Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative with a $75,000 commitment over the next three years.”

“The Board of Social Services provides essential support in areas such as food assistance, financial aid, employment services, and more,” said Mascoll. “But too often, people simply have difficulty connecting with us. This outreach van gives us the opportunity to connect with individuals and families in their own communities — and ultimately improve their quality of life.”

The Community Outreach Van will begin operations this summer, with a rotating schedule of stops throughout Mercer County.

Credit Union of N.J. Awards $75,000 Grant to Support Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative

Capital Health’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative (TNI) has received a $75,000 grant from the Credit Union of New Jersey to expand programs and services that promote digital equity.

“We are incredibly grateful for the Credit Union of New Jersey’s continued commitment to advancing community well-being,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health.

“In particular,” Jaeger said, “we are excited to invest in the Connect pillar, which aims to close the digital divide for seniors in Trenton. Access to technology is no longer a luxury — it’s essential for managing finances, accessing health care and staying connected with loved ones.”

He added that by helping to expand digital access and literacy, the Credit Union of New Jersey is helping empower its neighbors to live with greater independence, dignity and opportunity.

“Many of our members at Credit Union of New Jersey live in the North Trenton area,” said Katie M. Sapio, director of business development for the Credit Union of New Jersey. “Our mission is to ensure that they have the knowledge and ability to be in control of their financial lives.”

“It was only natural for our credit union to contribute to Capital Health and the Trenton Neighborhood Initiative so that steps are taken to make a healthy Trenton,” Sapio said.

The Trenton Neighborhood Initiative addresses housing stability, workforce development, educational growth and social connectivity through community partnerships and philanthropic investment.

For more information, visit capitalhealth. org/trenton-neighborhood-initiative.

PACF President & CEO

Mathieu Nelessen

U.S. 1 ClassiFieDs

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Officials from Capital Health and The Credit Union of New Jersey celebrate the donation of a $75,000 grant for the health system’s Trenton Neighborhood Initiative. Pictured, from left, are Katie Sapio, Credit Union of N.J. director of business development; Gary K. Chizmadia, CUNJ chairman of the board; Andrew L. Jaeger, president/CEO of CUNJ; Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health; Suzanne Borgos, Capital Health senior vice president of strategy and business development; Dr. Pamela Pruitt, Capital Health manager of community connections and Institute of Urban Care; Dr. Eric Schwartz, vice president of community health and transformation for Capital Health; and Thomas J. Valeri, vice chairman of the CUNJ board (Valeri is also a co-publisher of U.S. 1).

Management Moves: Younity Welcomes Three New Board Members

ounity (formerly Womanspace), Mercer County’s leading nonprofit agency supporting victim-survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, has announced the appointment of DuEwa Edwards-Dickson, CSW, MPA, Tushar Garimella, Ph.D., and Sherri Goldberg to its board of directors. Each appointee brings deep expertise in public service, scientific innovation, and community-based nonprofit work — all rooted in a shared commitment to building a compassionate response for all who experience crisis and trauma.

DuEwa Edwards-Dickson, a human services professional with more than 30 years of public service in Mercer County and the City

of Trenton, has long worked to ensure safety and dignity for marginalized individuals and families. As former deputy director of human services for the county, she oversaw a division that included homeless services, youth programs, and emergency supports — housing thousands of residents through coordinated crisis response.

She now serves as chief of supportive services at the Rescue Mission of Trenton and sits on the boards of the United Way of Greater Mercer County and Princeton Junior School. A Certified Social Worker and MPA graduate of Rutgers University, she brings a legacy of community empowerment rooted in love, service, and resilience.

“Joining Younity’s Board is both a professional and personal honor,” said EdwardsDickson. “I believe deeply in providing hope and dignity to those experiencing crisis. Younity’s mission mirrors everything I’ve stood for — compassionate service, connection, and helping people rebuild their lives.”

Tushar Garimella brings 20 years of expe-

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New Younity Board Members DuEwa EdwardsDickson,above, Sherri Goldberg, and Tushar Garimella.

rience in the pharmaceutical industry, where he has focused on clinical pharmacology and pharmacometrics to improve patient outcomes. He holds a Ph.D. in pharmaceutical sciences from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and began his industry career at Abbott Laboratories, followed by a position at Bristol-Myers Squibb. He currently serves as executive director and oncology portfolio lead in quantitative clinical pharmacology at Daiichi Sankyo Inc.

Throughout his career, Garimella has supported global regulatory submissions and led efforts in both early and late-stage drug development across diverse therapeutic areas. His work has contributed to more than 30 publications and 50 scientific abstracts. His dedication to innovation and improving health outcomes reflects Younity’s mission of removing barriers to healing for vulnerable populations.

“I am very keen to contribute to the mission of Younity by spreading the message of the critically important work that the organization does,” said Garimella. “At the same time, I want to help improve the functioning of the organization in any way I can.”

Sherri Goldberg is a nonprofit leader with more than 20 years of experience dedicated to removing barriers to healing and building stronger communities. As director of community & family services at the Jewish Renaissance Foundation in Perth Amboy, she leads programs that promote family stability, community revitalization, and economic opportunity.

She holds dual master’s degrees in criminal justice and public administration from

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Rutgers University and has been appointed to the Middlesex County Workforce Development Board and the NJ Corrections Ombudsperson Advisory Committee. She also serves as board vice president for the Wellspring Center for Prevention.

“Younity’s impact on victim-survivors and families is deeply inspiring,” said Goldberg. “I’m honored to support an organization that shows up for people during their hardest moments and removes barriers to safety, healing, and hope.”

Nathalie S. Nelson, president and CEO of Younity, welcomed the new trustees:

“DuEwa, Tushar, and Sherri each bring invaluable insight, heart, and expertise to our work. Their leadership will help Younity grow stronger and more responsive, ensuring that every victim-survivor who turns to us is met with dignity, care, and the chance to reclaim their future.”

For more information, visit www.younitynow.org.