12-20 PE

ECHO

PRINCETON DECEMBER 2020 COMMUNITYNEWS.ORG

AT HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS MORVEN’S FESTIVAL OF TREES & MORE EVENTS FOR A SAFE AND FESTIVE SEASON, PAGE 14.

New Housing on the Way Plans are moving forward for three new developments — affordable housing included — on Terhune and Thanet roads.

Page 4

On the Bookshelf

Labyrinth Books presents livestreams featuring Hal Foster’s ‘Brutal Aesthetics’ and Peter Singer’s ‘Why Vegan?’

Page 11

Unfinished Pasts

Columnist Pia de Jong contemplates the ‘unfinished pasts’ left in the wake of the 1918 influenza epidemic.

Page 15

color to dye for Just like you, we recognize that color brings out the best in a fabulous hair cut. Goldwell products are gentle on the hair follicle and provide vibrant color with long lasting results.

Through innovative technologies, superior formulas and unsurpassed results, Goldwell is the brand of choice to many discerning stylists and creative colorists throughout the world.

LEADING OFF School news & notes: Incumbents prevail in School Board election

M

PHS principal to depart for Randolph position

J

essica Caruso Baxter, who has been principal of Princeton High School since July, 2019, will leave the district in January to become principal at Randolph High School in Morris County.

Baxter had served as an assistant principal at Princeton High School since 2012. An interim principal has not yet been named.

The district is also continuing its search for a new superintendent to replace Stephen Cochrane, who retired at the end of June. Barry Galasso is currently serving in an interim capacity. At the November 17 Board of Education meeting it was announced that seven finalists for the position had been invited to meet with board members in December.

ichele Tuck-Ponder and Beth Behrend, the two incumbents who sought re-election in this year’s School Board race, won re-election.

Newcomer Jean Durbin won the third open seat, left open as Jessica Deutsch chose not to run for re-election.

Results from the November 3 election, which were not certified by Mercer County until November 20, show Tuck-Ponder as the top vote getter, with 5,697 votes. Behrend, the current board president, received 5,490 votes, and Durbin received 4,522 votes.

None of the other candidates received more than 4,000 votes. Adam Bierman had the fourth highest vote total with 3,280. Other vote totals were he board also noted at its NovemPaul Johnson, 3,129; Karen Lemon, 2,887; William Hare, 2,585; and Henber 17 meeting that, so far as can dricks Davis, 1,601. be determined, there have not been any cases of in-school transmission of ther municipal races in Princeton COVID-19 since a hybrid remote and were uncontested, as Mark Freda in-person school schedule started two ran unopposed for mayor and incum- months ago. As a precaution schools bent Democratic council members Let- will operate remotely for one full week icia Fraga and David Cohen faced no after Thanksgiving. The hybrid schedRepublican challengers. ule is set to resume on December 7.

T

O 190 W itherspoon St | 609-683-4455 www.bbcolorstudio.com Appointment Only

Top Notch Medical Care On Your Doorstep Delivering on a reputation for providing excellent care, upscale service, engaging programs and an unparalleled, vibrant living experience, Maplewood Senior Living is proud to introduce its newest assisted living and memory care community, Maplewood at Princeton.

Located on the Penn Medicine Princeton campus.

Opening Summer 2021

833.269.1016 | MaplewoodAtPrinceton.com One Hospital Drive | Plainsboro, New Jersey 2Princeton Echo | December 2020

ECHO EDITOR Sara Hastings (Ext. 206) CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST Pia de Jong PRODUCTION Stacey Micallef SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Jennifer Steffen (Ext. 113) ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Mark Nebbia (Ext. 115)

An award-winning publication of Community News Service, LLC © Copyright 2020 All rights reserved.

CO-PUBLISHER Jamie Griswold

CO-PUBLISHER Tom Valeri

MANAGING EDITOR, COMMUNITY DIVISION Rob Anthes

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER Thomas Fritts

MANAGING EDITOR, METRO DIVISION Sara Hastings

Community News Service 15 Princess Road, Suite K Lawrence, NJ 08648 Phone: (609) 396-1511 News & Letters: hastings@princetoninfo.com Events: events@communitynews.org Website: communitynews.org Facebook: facebook.com/princetonecho Twitter: twitter.com/mercerspace 3,000 copies of the Princeton Echo are bulkdistributed to businesses in Princeton 12 times a year.

TO ADVERTISE call (609) 396-1511, ext. 110 or e-mail advertise@communitynews.org

Tony Tyan, DMD

Call today for an appointment!

(609)750-9500

A Confident Smile. A Better You

• Most PPO insurance accepted • Available Saturday and evening appointments • Invisalign and braces for children and adults

We are open and accepting new patients.

Proudly serving Mercer County for over 10 years

CALL US FOR A FREE CONSULTATION

609-750-9500

tyandmd@sweetsmileortho.com 666 Plainsboro Rd, Building 1100, Suite 1181 Plainsboro, NJ 08536

A proud member of:

PRODUCTION MANAGER Stacey Micallef DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL INITIATIVES Joe Emanski

www.khauto.com www.khauto.com www.khauto.com

COLLISION REPAIR SPECIALISTS

CERTIFIED MERCEDES-BENZ • AUDI • VOLKSWAGEN Advanced Aluminum Repair Center

COMMERCIAL AND FLEET SERVICES

609-588-0166 K H & 609-588-0166 K&H automotive automotive

TTAAKKEE I ITT I INN

23 Industrial Drive 23 Industrial Hamilton, NJ Drive 08619 Hamilton, NJ 08619

Providing Relief from ENT & Allergy Conditions – Close to Home Providing Relief from ENT & Allergy Conditions – Close to Home

Personalized care for your ear, nose, throat and allergy conditions can now be found

LOOKING FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS? Visit our website communitynews.org to get updates about your community all month long

COMMUNITYNEWS

close to home & Allergy.

Our specialists provide expert Personalized care at forPenn yourMedicine ear, nose,Becker throat ENT and allergy conditions can now be found evaluation, diagnosis and treatment symptoms to allergy, nose and sinus, close to home at Penn Medicine Becker for ENT & Allergy.related Our specialists provide expert voice and swallowing, ears and for hearing, sleeprelated and snoring, andnose neckand andsinus, thyroid evaluation, diagnosis and treatment symptoms to allergy, conditions – all in a safe environment. voice and swallowing, earsand andsecure hearing, sleep and snoring, and neck and thyroid conditions – all in a safe and secure environment.

Same day appointments available!

Schedule your appointment by calling 609.436.5740 Same day appointments available! or visiting PennMedicine.org/Becker Schedule your appointment by calling 609.436.5740 or visiting PennMedicine.org/Becker

Becker ENT & Allergy Becker ENT & Allergy

December 2020 | Princeton Echo3

REAL ESTATE

Plans for affordable housing, new residences move forward

By Sara Hastings

A

pprovals are falling into place for three significant developments along Terhune and Thanet roads that will help Princeton fulfill its affordable housing obligations.

At its November 2 meeting the Princeton council approved a new zoning designation, AH7, for the 2.36-acre parcel at 375 Terhune Road. The designation will allow for the construction of 24 townhouse units and six multifamily apartment units. Six of the units — 20 percent — would be below-market-rate affordable housing.

The 375 Terhune site, located directly across from Thanet Road near the intersection of Grover Avenue, currently holds a single-family home constructed in 1966 and last sold in 2017 for $940,000.

In 2018 the site was mentioned as a possible location for future affordable housing. But when the town introduced its affordable housing plan in December, 2019, 375 Terhune was not among the designated affordable housing sites.

Instead, plans took form for the redevelopment of Thanet Road to include a

A new zoning designation approved for the 2.36-acre parcel at 375 Terhune Road paves the way for the development of 24 townhouses and six multi-family apartment units on the site, with 20 percent of the units set aside for affordable housing. The rendering above shows the proposed orientation of the apartment and townhouse buildings as well as planned landscaping buffers.

number of new affordable units in two different complexes. The owner of the Terhune site, the Witherspoon Streetbased builder Roman Barsky doing business as 375 Terhune Road, LLC, sued the town, claiming that the report

used by the planning board and council to justify the designation of Thanet Road as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment was deficient.

The new zoning designation along Terhune Road reflects the settlement

of that lawsuit. Plans for the development include an access road to be constructed along the western boundary of the property. The roadway would include parallel parking spaces as well as a pathway for cyclists and pedestrians. There would be no direct vehicle access to dwellings from Terhune Road or Grover Avenue.

A landscaping buffer will be created between Grover Avenue and the development. Two 2.5-story apartment buildings, each a maximum of 35 feet tall and containing three units, would face Terhune. Behind them will be four three-story townhouse buildings, each 45 feet tall and consisting of six units.

Meanwhile, applications for the two proposed developments on Thanet Road are in the process of being considered by the planning board. The two apartment complexes will require the demolition of the largely vacant office buildings on the Thanet Circle cul-desac.

One of the proposed complexes, owned by AvalonBay, would consist of 221 residential units in a combination of townhomes and apartments in buildings up to four stories high.

Eleven of the units would be afford-

Offering savings in every department!

We are open following COVID-19 safety measures.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OF OUR FAMILY OWNED BUSINESS We look forward to helping you through whatever flooring or remodeling projects are on your to do list.

Thank you for your understanding and for supporting local business.

At Regent, your choices are unlimited...

•

Expires: 12-31-20

Carpet • Hardwood • Tile • Vinyl • Stone • Bathroom and Kitchen Remodeling • Window Treatments

#7 ROUTE 31 NORTH • PENNINGTON, NJ 08534 (609) 737-2466 regentflooringkitchenandbath.com Expires: 12-31-20

4Princeton Echo | December 2020

Expires: 12-31-20

Above, the 221-unit complex planned

by AvalonBay to replace the existing office buildings on Thanet Road. The mix of townhomes and apartments will include 11 affordable units, of which five are set aside for people with special needs.

The white space in the image above would contain the 80-apartment, all-affordable PIRHL Princeton Seniors development, pictured in the rendering at right.

able housing, and of those five will be specifically designated for people with special needs.

The second complex, known as PIRHL Princeton Seniors, is being developed by PIRHL, a Cleveland-based developer of single and multifamily housing. The 80-unit apartment complex contained in a single four-story building would be age- and incomerestricted, leading to a total of 91 affordable units in the two Thanet Road developments.

I

n a separate move, related to the substantial expected increase in residential housing along Terhune Road, the council introduced an ordinance at its November 16 meeting to reduce the speed limit along Terhune Road between Harrison Street and Meadowbrook Road from 30 miles per hour to 25.

The speed limit is already 25 miles an hour on the stretch of Terhune between Harrison Street and Mt. Lucas Road.

Between Meadowbrook and Snowden Lane, the speed limit remains 35 miles per hour. A hearing on the ordinance is scheduled for the Monday, December 7, council meeting.

Princeton Senior Resource Center plans expansion

T

he Princeton Senior Resource Center has announced plans to expand its operations with the acquisition of the 12,000-square-foot building at 101 Poor Farm Road in Princeton. The center would maintain its exiting home at the Suzanne Patterson Center and use the new facility as a gathering place for seniors featuring a learning center, technology lab, and administrative offices.

The nonprofit PSRC, founded in 1974, has 18 staff and more than 400 volunteers and is supported by donors, sponsorships, community part-

nerships, grants, and revenue from programming and special events.

Programming, which includes classes, lectures, social events, and volunteer work, has been fully virtual since March. A capital campaign is set to launch later this year to fund the purchase of the new building.

In a statement the PSRC’s executive director, Drew Dyson, explained the center’s vision “to develop a worldclass, multi-site senior center serving older adults across the region. With our THANET ROAD new facility supplementing our current space, we will have the means we need to continue helping older adults thrive.”

PLANNED DEVELOPMENT “The board of PSRC has been engaged in conversations for many years about our need for additional space for programs and offices as well as addi-

tional parking for our programs,” PSRC board president Joan Girgus said in a statement. “This new building, coupled with our existing location at the Suzanne Patterson Building, will enable us to serve the growing population of older adults in our region for years to come.”

For more information: 609-9247108 or www.princetonsenior.org.

SHEET NUMBER

PD-0 PD-1 PD-2 PD-3 PD-4 PD-5 PD-6 PD-7 PD-8 PD-9 PD-10

SHEET NAME

COVER PAGE 1ST FLOOR PLAN 2ND FLOOR PLAN 3RD FLOOR PLAN 4TH FLOOR PLAN ROOF PLAN ELEVATIONS ELEVATIONS SITE SECTIONS ENLARGED UNIT PLANS ENLARGED UNIT PLANS

Zoning Board updates PIRHL PRINCETON SENIORS

OWNER

PIRHL

5 COMMERCE WAY, SUITE 210E HAMILTON, NJ 08691 609.751.9664

ARCHITECT

CIVIL ENGINEER

WALLACE ROBERTS & TODD, LLC

ESE CONSULTANTS, INC.

1700 MARKET STREET, SUITE 2800 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19103 215.732.5215 wrtdesign.com

100 WILLOW BROOK ROAD SUITE 200 FREEHOLD, NJ 07728 732.272.0532

T

he board approved with conditions both applications heard at its October 28 meeting.

The first application, for a proposed new home to replace the existing strucLANDSCAPE ARCHITECT

MELILLO + BAUER ASSOCIATES, INC.

200 UNION AVENUE BRIELLE, NEW JERSEY 08730 732.528.0664

See ZONING, Page 6

December 2020 | Princeton Echo5

ZONING, continued from page 5

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP Barbara Blackwell $475,000 MLS# NJME299924

PRINCETON Kimberly A Rizk $895,000 MLS# NJME289468

PLAINSBORO TOWNSHIP Danielle Spilatore $599,000 MLS#NJMX120964

PRINCETON Linda Twining $1,219,000 MLS# NJME303772

NEwLY PRICEd

LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP Susan A Cook $699,000 MLS# NJME296474

PRINCETON Janet Stefandl $1,375,000 MLS# NJME302346

ture at 29 Green Street in the Witherspoon-Jackson Historic District, was approved with the exception of the applicant’s request to have a second driveway.

Variances granted include floor and lot area, rear, side, and driveway setback, impervious coverage, and a main entrance on the side of the house.

At the request of the Historic Preservation Commission, the applicant has also agreed to perform exploratory work to ascertain if any of the existing home can be salvaged.

The board also approved Trinity Church’s application to allow for office use at 22 Stockton Street, which sits in a residential zone. The space formerly housed Trinity Counseling Service, which has since moved to Nassau Street.

The variance was granted with the understanding that it is linked to the ownership of the property and must be used in furtherance of Trinity’s mission of promoting mental health and wellbeing for everyone in the community.

The stipulation came after neighbors in the Mercer Hill Historic District expressed concern that the office use might set a bad precedent, with the potential that a future owner of the property might seek to convert it to a law, real estate, or other generic type of office.

“Fall Is The Best Time For Cleaning!”

PRINCETON Janet Stefandl $839,000 MLS# NJME303326

PRINCETON Yalian ‘Eileen’ Fan $1,760,000 MLS# NJME303040

INTROduCING

NEwLY PRICEd

For immediate attention, call the Princeton Renata for all your housecleaning and organizing needs.

609-683-5889

T

he board considered two additional applications at its November 4 meeting.

At 44 Armour Road, BOGY Construction, on behalf of owner Kevin Dsuza, sought variances to allow for the construction of a new home in exception of the required lot width and with an additional variance to allow a front facade larger than 45 feet, side entry garage setback, and the maximum impervious coverage. The existing four-bedroom, four-bathroom, 3,500-square-foot home on the lot was last sold for $1.1 million earlier this year.

Some neighbors expressed concern about protecting the large trees that border the property and about how the proposed 4,500 square foot home would fit in with the neighborhood, but the application was approved with stipulations regarding stormwater management and on the condition that impervious coverage be reduced to its current level of 25.3 percent from the proposed 26.1 percent coverage.

The board also heard an application from 214 Bertrand Drive. Owners and applicants Amie Thornton and Craig Carnaroli sought a variance to permit an addition in exception to the required building height to setback ratio. The application was approved.

On November 18 the board heard an application from Darko Radojcic on behalf of the owner of 51 Aiken Avenue, Karen A. Sullivan trust. The applicant sought variances to permit the construction of a new two-story addition and to alter the roofline in exception to the required combined side yard setbacks.

The next Zoning Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 16, at 7:30 p.m. on Zoom.

GOT PROPANE?

Residential Cleaning Fully Insured

PRINCETON Barbara Blackwell $865,000 MLS# NJME304218

PRINCETON Sylmarie Trowbridge $2,795,000 MLS# NJME295572

Renata Z. Yunque, Owner/Manager cleanhousehappyhouse@gmail.com www.cleanhousehappyhouse.com

Choose the company many families switched to last season!

South Jersey’s MOST EXPERIENCED family-owned propane company since 1919!

FREE INSTALLATION in most cases

CallawayHenderson.com LAMBERTVILLE 609.397.1974

MONTGOMERY 908.874.0000

PENNINGTON 609.737.7765

PRINCETON 609.921.1050

Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Subject To Errors, Omissions, Prior Sale Or Withdrawal Without Notice.

6Princeton Echo | December 2020

427 North Main Street Vincentown, NJ Serving the Princeton area for over 20 years

609-859-2334

allensoilandpropane.com

HEALTH

DECEMBER 2020

@capitalhealthnj

HEADLINES

B I - M O N T H LY N E W S F R O M C A P I TA L H E A LT H

RIDER UNIVERSITY, CAPITAL HEALTH AND ROTHMAN ORTHOPAEDICS Partner to Support Health, Well-Being of Rider Students and Employees

An innovative partnership between Rider University, Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will provide health care services for students and staff on the school’s campus in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. As the official health care partner of Rider University, Capital Health will oversee the University’s student health center and provide primary care health services.

Rothman Orthopaedics, in its role as official sports medicine provider for Rider Athletics, will provide orthopaedic and sports medicine and support athletic training services.

To help students and staff manage their care and ensure they have access to the appropriate services and health education resources, Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will provide a health and wellness navigator who will act as a liaison between Rider University and its new clinical partners.

“I am very pleased that through this new partnership, our students and employees will collectively benefit from the quality services, expert staff and advanced technology of Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics now and into the future,” said Rider’s president, Gregory G. Dell’Omo, Ph.D. “In today’s pandemic environment, protecting the health and safety of our campus community is more important than ever.”

“We’re very happy to join Rothman Orthopaedics in providing important medical services to the students and staff at Rider University,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “In light of current events, finding health care that is safe and convenient is more important than ever, and our network of primary care providers are known throughout the region for delivering the highest quality care. In addition to making those services easily accessible on campus, our new partnership will also give our neighbors at Rider access to Capital Health emergency services and the growing number of specialty practices in our Capital Health Medical Group when they need us most.”

“This partnership will be great for all parties involved, and we are thrilled to partner with Capital Health on providing high-quality

orthopaedic care to Rider University student-athletes,” said Alexander R. Vaccaro, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A, President of Rothman Orthopaedics, Richard H. Rothman Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthopaedics, and Professor of Neurosurgery at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals. “Additionally, we look forward to educating the athletes on the latest evidence-based recommendations, prevention and treatment options which are essential for keeping all athletes safe.”

“Health care and education institutions are important pillars for any community, which makes this agreement particularly exciting,” said Samuel J. Plumeri, Jr., chairman of Capital Healthcare, Inc. Board of Trustees. “We’ve enjoyed a successful relationship with Rothman for several years now, and we couldn’t be happier to be joined with a partner like Rider University.

These highly respected organizations align perfectly with Capital Health’s values of integrity, excellence, and compassion and reaffirm our mission of improving the health and well-being of the communities we serve.”

Rothman Orthopaedics will work with Rider’s sports medicine staff to provide orthopaedic evaluations and surgical services (as needed), training room services, and game coverage to address sports medicine and orthopaedic issues at all home wrestling matches, all home men’s and women’s basketball games, and all home hosted championships. Rothman Orthopaedics will also provide a certified athletic trainer (ATC) to better serve Rider student athletes, and supplement the already strong training staff that Rider employs, in addition to providing education programs for Rider Sports Medicine staff. Capital Health will support the Rothman Orthopaedics Sports Medicine program at Rider by providing preseason medical evaluations, primary care and care at Capital Health’s Emergency Room when necessary. Capital Health and Rothman Orthopaedics will also coordinate wellness and preventative health sessions for club and intramural students to discuss concussion management and other topics of interest.

To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Princeton Echo7

Capital Health Surgeon Receives International Recognition for

EXCELLENCE IN ROBOTIC SURGERY

DR. CATALDO DORIA, medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center and physician director of Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery, was designated as a Surgeon of Excellence in Robotic Surgery (SOERS) by Surgical Review Corporation (SRC), an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing the safety, efficacy, and efficiency of surgical care worldwide. The SOERS program recognizes surgeons who demonstrate an unparalleled commitment and ability to consistently deliver safe, effective, evidence-based care.

With this designation, Dr. Doria joins a distinguished network of surgeons and hospitals worldwide performing robotic-assisted surgeries. In addition to serving as medical director of the Capital Health Cancer Center, he is a hepato-pancreato-biliary surgeon specializing in the treatment of benign conditions and cancers related to the liver, pancreas, and bile duct.

“Since joining us in 2018, Dr. Doria has worked tirelessly to advance Capital Health’s robotic-assisted surgery program,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Heath. “In 2019, he began offering robotic-assisted Whipple procedures to treat pancreatic cancer at Capital Health, giving us the distinction of being the only hospital in central New Jersey and the greater Philadelphia region to offer this innovative treatment. This was another major step forward in delivering innovative health care to the community, and Dr. Doria and our other surgeons who offer robotic-assisted surgery continue to build upon these advances.”

Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons to use miniaturized instruments and a 3-D camera for high-resolution images of

the surgical site. The platform seamlessly translates the surgeon’s hand movements into precise micromovements. The system cannot be programmed, nor can it make decisions on its own — it requires that every surgical maneuver be performed with direct input from a surgeon.

Throughout his career, Dr. Doria has pioneered new techniques for conditions that were once considered untreatable. He has helped develop and introduce a number of innovative procedures to treat patients that were not previously available, including bloodless liver surgery, liver auto-transplantation and robotic-assisted minimally invasive hepatobiliary surgery.

The volume of robotic-assisted surgeries is expanding as new surgical techniques and procedures are introduced and refined.

Considered minimally invasive surgery, it offers patients many benefits, including smaller incisions, lower risk of infection, less pain, and a faster recovery.

Capital Health remains unwavering in its commitment to provide patients cutting-edge health care and advanced cancer treatment.

It was among one of the first hospital systems to adopt robotic technology with the purchase of the da Vinci® Xi surgical system.

Dr. Doria was also recently named a winner in the Innovation Hero – Individual category of the NJBIZ 2020 Healthcare Heroes Awards Program.

To learn more Capital Health’s Center of Excellence in Robotic Surgery or the da Vinci® surgical platform, visit capitalhealth.org/davinci or call 609.537.6000.

CAPITAL HEALTH EARNS INTERNATIONAL HONOR FOR LACTATION SERVICES Capital Health recently earned recognition from the International on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. They continue that Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International assistance after the baby is born by helping families overcome Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) for excellence in lactation breastfeeding challenges, providing accurate information, and care. Lactation Services at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell continuing to support them as their baby grows. Capital Health received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition of its work to protect, IBCLCs are available seven days a week for inpatient care, phone promote, and support breastfeeding through staff education and support after discharge, and outpatient visits. training, and for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious Capital Health’s Lactation Center is part of Maternity Services at International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell, the most comprehensive certification. As a twice-designated Baby-Friendly Hospital, Capital maternity program in the area. In addition, the Regional Perinatal Health continues to demonstrate its commitment to providing the Center at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell provides highest level of breastfeeding care. neonatal care, including Mercer County's only Level III Neonatal “Supporting our new families as they learn how to feed their babies is Intensive Care Unit for at-risk births. To learn more, visit a unique privilege,” said Melanie Miller, Lactation Services coordinator capitalhealth.org/maternity. at Capital Health and an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. “Our goal at Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ Designates Capital Health is to provide compassionate and Capital Health a 2020 Blue Distinction Center + Program comprehensive support and education to all The Maternity Services Department at Capital Health Medical Center of our families. This international recognition – Hopewell was recently designated as a 2020 Blue Distinction demonstrates that our staff meets the highest Center + program for Maternity Care by Horizon Blue Cross Blue standards in lactation and clinical breastfeeding Shield of New Jersey. This designation is awarded by the Blue care. From the prenatal period through their Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) to providers that meet hospital stay and beyond, our families can feel quality-focused criteria that emphasize patient safety and outcomes. confident we are prepared to support them in meeting their individual goals.”

The BCBSA considers quality, cost, and access when awarding this designation in order The IBCLCs at Capital Health focus on to provide consumers with meaningful measures of expertise and value when selecting preventive care, so they are available during specialty care. By earning the Blue Distinction Center + designation, Capital Health pregnancy to assess and provide information demonstrates that it meets nationally established quality standards in maternity care.

8 Princeton Echo | Health Headlines by Capital Health

STATE-OF-THE-ART LUNG CENTER OPENS AT CAPITAL HEALTH As part of its commitment to providing leading-edge care, Capital Health has announced the launch of its comprehensive, state-of-the-art Lung Center located at Capital Health Medical Center — Hopewell.

The program is designed to address the need for integrated, comprehensive lung services in the region.

“The launch of the Lung Center is an another example of Capital Health’s commitment to providing the highest level of specialized care,” said Al Maghazehe, president and CEO of Capital Health. “We are delivering

extraordinary, patient-centered care for a broader range of patients and lung conditions — from asthma to COPD, emphysema, pulmonary hypertension, tumors and lung cancers. The Lung Center also gives patients access to a range of specialists who have significant experience and extensive training with the most advanced medical diagnostic tools and technology.”

As co-leads in the development of Lung Center, DR. DIANA KOLMAN, director of Interventional Pulmonology, and DR. AFRICA WALLACE, director of Thoracic Surgery, share a common goal — to identify and treat potentially life-threatening lung conditions early, when they are most treatable. “We know that getting a fast and accurate diagnosis of a particular condition and receiving timely treatment can be critical, especially when it comes to cancer,” said Dr. Wallace.

Comprehensive care at the Lung Center includes a multidisciplinary team of experts focused on each patient and their specific condition. The team includes physicians from

surgery, pulmonology, radiation oncology, and medical oncology as well as nurse practitioners, clinical researchers, and support staff. “Our goal is to provide the most effective treatment pathway with a holistic, integrated approach in order to achieve the best possible outcome,” said Dr. Kolman.

The Lung Center offers a full range of lung disease care, including lung cancer screenings, a lung nodule clinic, thoracic surgery, interventional pulmonology, pulmonary rehabilitation, and smoking cessation. To learn more about Capital Health’s Lung Center, visit capitalhealth.org/lung. To schedule an appointment or for more information on the Lung Cancer CT Screening, lung nodule clinic, pulmonary rehabilitation, or smoking cessation, call 1.844.303.5864.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Kolman, call 609.815.7390. For an appointment with Dr. Wallace, call 609.537.6000.

From left, Dr. Africa Wallace, director of Thoracic Surgery; Gina Petrone Mumolie, senior vice president, Hospital Administration; Dr. Diane Kolman, director of Interventional Pulmonology; and Rona Remstein, director, Oncology Services, officially open the new Capital Health Lung Center.

Capital Health Awarded National Honors for Breast Care Center for Comprehensive Breast Care earns third consecutive accreditation for high-quality care Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care has been granted accreditation by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers (NAPBC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This is the third consecutive NAPBC accreditation awarded to the Center.

The NAPBC is a consortium of national, professional organizations focused on breast health and dedicated to the improvement of quality outcomes of patients with diseases of the breast through evidence-based standards and patient and professional education.

NAPBC accreditation is granted only to those centers that are voluntarily committed to providing the best possible care to patients with diseases of the breast.

To achieve NAPBC accreditation, a breast center must meet the highest levels of breast care, quality standards, and proficiency in center leadership, clinical services, research, community outreach, professional education, and quality improvement.

“Because of this accreditation, patients can have confidence in our comprehensive, integrated program and ability to diagnose and treat a wide range of breast conditions,” said DR.LISA ALLEN, a fellowship trained breast surgeon and medical director of Capital Health’s Center for Comprehensive Breast Care. “Capital Health was the first hospital in New Jersey to offer molecular breast

imaging (MBI), an advanced imaging technology for the screening and diagnosis of breast cancer. We continue to make investments in advanced technologies and clinicians treating benign and cancerous conditions.”

The Center for Comprehensive Breast Care offers the full scope of breast care, from cancer to cysts, abscesses, lesions, breast pain and other breast-related disorders, and although the discovery of a breast abnormality can be shocking, Capital Health is focused on treating the whole patient, not just the disease. Highly trained and experienced physicians provide specialized, care such as nipple sparing surgery, hidden scar surgery, reverse lymphatic mapping to spare unnecessary removal of lymph nodes, and targeted treatment for the diverse types of breast cancer.

Breast cancer patients are cared for by a multidisciplinary team that collaborates closely to ensure they develop a personalized treatment plan that achieves the best possible outcome. A patient’s health care team may include a breast surgeon, radiologist, medical oncologist, radiation oncologist, plastic surgeon, genetics counselor, nutritionist, social worker, rehabilitation services, and more. Each cancer patient has a personal, certified breast nurse navigator, from the initial diagnosis through every phase of treatment. For patients, the NAPBC accreditation provides an extra level of confidence as they navigate the process of choosing a treatment provider. For more information, visit capitalbreast.org.

Health Headlines by Capital Health | Princeton Echo9

Capital Health Regional Medical Center Earns NATIONAL RECOGNITION FOR EXCELLENCE IN STROKE CARE Capital Health Regional Medical Center (RMC) has received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award. This award recognizes the hospital’s commitment and success in ensuring stroke patients receive the most appropriate treatment according to nationally recognized, research-based guidelines and the latest scientific evidence.

According to the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association, stroke is the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and a leading cause of adult disability.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, someone suffers a stroke every 40 seconds and more than 795,000 people suffer a new or recurrent stroke each year.

Capital Health Regional Medical Center earned the Get With The Guidelines®-Stroke Gold Plus Award by meeting specific quality achievement measures for the diagnosis and treatment of stroke patients at a set level for a designated period. These measures include evaluation of the proper use of medications and other stroke

treatments aligned with the most up-to-date, evidencebased guidelines with the goal of speeding recovery and reducing death and disability for stroke patients. Before discharge, patients should also receive education on managing their health, get a follow-up visit scheduled, as well as other care transition interventions Additionally, RMC received the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association’s Target: StrokeSM Honor Roll Elite award. To qualify for this recognition, hospitals must meet quality measures developed to reduce the time between the patient’s arrival at the hospital and treatment with the clot-buster tissue plasminogen activator, or tPA, the only drug approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat ischemic stroke.

If you or a loved one is experiencing signs and symptoms of a stroke, call 911 immediately.

To learn more about Capital Health’s commitment to providing advanced care for stroke patients and those with other complex disorders of the brain and spine, visit capitalneuro.org.

RADIATION ONCOLOGIST WITH EXPERTISE IN ADVANCED TREATMENT JOINS CAPITAL HEALTH CANCER CENTER DR. KHANH NGUYEN, a board certified radiation oncologist with nearly 20 years of experience providing state-ofthe art treatments for patients with prostate, lung, breast, and central nervous system tumors and other adult malignancies, has joined Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center – Hopewell.

Dr. Nguyen joins a highly trained team of experienced radiation oncologists at Capital Health that includes Dr. Timothy H. Chen, medical director of Stereotactic Radiosurgery, and Dr. Shirnett K. Williamson, medical director of Radiation Oncology Services.

“Our mission to bring expert physicians, advanced medical technology, and worldclass patient care close to home is driving tremendous growth at our Cancer Center,” said Dr. Cataldo Doria, medical director of Capital Health Cancer Center. “This expansion allows us to provide care for a broader range of patients, which is why we’re so excited to have Dr. Nguyen join our team. He brings significant experience and training in radiation oncology from some of the most respected institutions in the country right here to our community.

Now, our patients who require his services can receive the best possible care without having to travel across the country or to a large city like New York or Philadelphia.”

“Capital Health is well known in the region for its commitment to advancing patient care, but as an organization it recognizes that having the latest technology is just one part of the equation,” said Dr. Nguyen.

“I’m thrilled to be part of a team that doesn’t take a one-size-fits-all approach but instead blends technological expertise with compassion to provide care that is tailored to the specific needs of each person.”

Dr. Nguyen is an expert in advanced radiation oncology treatment modalities, including accelerated partial breast irradiation, stereotactic radiosurgery/ stereotactic body radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy/image guided radiation therapy, magnetic resonance imaging/magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and positron emission tomography/ computed tomography.

After completing undergraduate and graduate studies in physics at Harvard University, Dr. Nguyen received his medical degree at the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine (UCSD), where he completed a thesis with one of the pioneers in tumor immunology.

His internship in internal medicine at Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia

10 Princeton Echo | Health Headlines by Capital Health

was followed by a residency in radiation oncology at Fox Chase Cancer Center, where he trained with world leaders whose clinical research set the standards of care in breast and prostate cancer management.

Before joining Capital Health, Dr. Nguyen was a radiation oncologist at Bayhealth Medical Center in Dover, Delaware, where he implemented programs in high dose rate brachytherapy and stereotactic radiosurgery/ stereotactic body radiation therapy, as well as a multidisciplinary neuro-oncology clinic.

In academic settings, Dr. Nguyen served as an assistant professor in the Division of Radiation Oncology at City of Hope National Medical Center in Duarte, California. He also worked with Dr. David Townsend, inventor of the PET-CT scan, in the Cancer Imaging & Tracer Development Program at the University of Tennessee Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Dr. Nguyen has published research in peer-reviewed journals and presented lectures at national and international medical conferences. He is a member of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO), the American Radium Society, and the American Brachytherapy Society.

Capital Health Cancer Center, located at Capital Health Medical Center - Hopewell, is the area’s most advanced provider of cancer treatment. To learn more, visit capitalhealth.org/cancer.

ON THE BOOKSHELF

History, ethics on Labyrinth’s menu

A

O

pair of Princeton University n Tuesday, December 8, the interprofessors have new books nationally known moral philosoon the shelves and upcom- pher and Princeton bioethics professor ing livestream events with Labyrinth Peter Singer appears in a livestream to Books. discuss his newest book, “Why Vegan?”

Eating Ethically.” Singer appears in rt critic and Princeton University conversation with Andrew Chignell, a professor of art and archaeology professor of religion at Princeton who Hal Foster says his new book “Brutal teaches a course on the ethics of eating.

Aesthetics” — the subject of a WednesIn “Why Vegan?,” published earday, December 2, Labyrinth event lier this year by Liveright, a division — was “born of my puzzling over” a of W.W. Norton, Singer argues that paradoxical statement by 20th century humans’ behavior toward animals is a German cultural critic Walter Benja- wrong on the same level as racism or Hal Foster’s ‘Brutal Aesthetics,’ above,’ min: modernism teaches us “how to sexism. and Peter Singers ‘Why Vegan? Eating Singer explains the origins of his po- Ethically,’ right. survive civilization if need be.”

Calling it a riddle that its originator sition in his introduction: hadn’t really explained, Foster says the “My writings against eating animals “reference of ‘civilization’ seems clear go back forty-seven years. The fact that enough; it is the travesty of civilization they are appearing here suggests that authored by Fascism and Nazism, civi- they are still relevant today — and that’s lization turned into its opposite. This is the problem. It would be have been the barbarism, exploited by the dicta- so much better if we could put them tors that rose in the ruins of World War in the same category as arguments I, that Benjamin hopes, in a desperate against slavery: of historical interest, dialect, to counter.”

Foster continues exploring Ben- but no more than that today. Our ethics jamin’s thoughts and barbarism as a regarding animals are still a long way means to reveal his thematic compass from reaching that point. Nevertheless, with the question, “Yet what kind of the extraordinary spread of vegan food modernism teaches us to survive a civ- over the past decade, coupled with the ilization (that becomes) barbaric, and billions of dollars invested in developing plant-based alternatives to meat, what sort of survival could this be?”

Foster argues that the barbarism that has brought the goal of a vegan world Benjamin thought reached its apex in from fantasy to a possible future.

“People are shifting away from aniWorld War I was only a prelude of the barbarism to come — “the mass deaths mal products because of three main of World War II, the Holocaust, and concerns: animals, climate change, the hydrogen Bomb. Only then did and their own health. It was the first the positive barbarism that Benjamin of these that led me to become a vegglimpsed in modernist art, architec- etarian in January 1971. Shortly beGolden Paws offers: ture, and literature become necessity. fore that, I had learned some facts the way the animals I was eating activity with playtime and exercise Only then were artist and writers truly about Golden Paws Ad Content for RobbinsvilleFun Advance Maypackages 2018 Anniversary Issue forced ‘to start from scratch, to make a were treated before they were killed. I A selection of luxurious accommodations new star, to make a little go a long way,” talked about it with Renata, my wife.

We could not justify supporting those • A trained and caring pet care team to pamper your pet as Benjamin had written.

Foster focuses his exploration when practices through our purchases, so we Full service grooming to go home relaxed and refreshed he says he then became concerned stopped eating meat. At that time I was “with the turn, from the mid-1940s a graduate student in philosophy at the through the mid-1960s, to the brut University of Oxford,with a strong interest in ethics.

“Where We Treat Your Pets and the brutalist, the animal and Like crea-Gold.”

“The earliest writings in this book turely, as manifested in the world of the show how I developed position on Summer vacations aroundJean the corner…

Have you mademy your pet’s vacation plans yet? Golden Paws Pet Resort & Spa Frenchmen (painter andare sculptor) Dubuffet and (philosopher) Georges our relationships with animals. I am 8 Sharon Road, Robbinsville, NJ 08691 Bataille, the Dane (painter) Asger Jorn, not, strictly speaking, an animal rights advocate, because my views are not the Italian-Scot (sculptor) Eduardo www.goldenpawspetresort.com based and on attributing  and Fun activity packages with playtime exercise rights to animals.

Paolozzi, the Swedish-American (sculptor) Oldenburg.

Eachaccommodations of Instead, I argue that we should not sup AClaes selection of luxurious port practices that cause avoidable sufthese figures proposed a different ver A trained and caring pet care team to pamper your pet sion of brutal aesthetics, one that pares fering, as eating animals does. Despite  orFull service go home andhas refreshed that,relaxed my work been credited with art down reveals it togrooming be alreadytobare, triggering the modern animal rights so that they might begin again after the movement, and I don’t object to being compound devastation of the time.”

The Labyrinth livestream begins 6 considered an animal rights advocate in the popular sense of that term.” p.m. and features a discussion between Register online for the free 6 p.m.

Foster and Yves-Alain Bois, professor of art history at the Institute for livestream hosted by Labyrinth books.

Advanced Study. Register. Free. www. www.labyrinthbooks.com. labyrinthbooks.com.

A

“Where We Treat Your Pets Like Gold.”

Central Jersey’s Premier Pet Resort & Spa

Call us to make your reservations today!

(609) 259-1900

Dog & Cat Lodging Doggie Daycare Grooming & Spa Dog Training

December 2020 | Princeton Echo11

THE ARTS

At Cranbury Station, it’s the most wonderful time of the year

By Dan Aubrey

T

he pandemic may be putting a cloud over the 2020 holiday season but at the Cranbury Station Gallery on Hulfish Street in Princeton it’s still the most wonderful time of the year.

That’s where owner/operator Kathleen Morolda series of holiday images based on the lyrics of the “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” are on back on view, along with other holiday themed images, in her shop’s windows and on its walls.

Morolda says she started the series in 1997 by pairing a stylized watercolor of a row of snow covered homes with the song’s shortened title — “The Most Wonderful Time.”

She then followed up the next year by coupling a seasonally decked home with the song line “When friends come to call.”

From there Morolda continued an annual mixing of quaint holiday-ish scenes with lyric snippets — “With those Holiday Greeting,” “Glad Happy Meetings,” and “Christmases, Long, Long, Ago.” Then she added her own twist by bringing the season closer to home by using images also closer to home and

Kathie Morolda outside Cranbury Station Gallery on Hulfish Street.

from the region — that includes the tree lighting at Palmers Square, crowds gathering to attend McCarter Theatre’s “A Christmas Carol,” holiday shopping on Hulfish Street, and the seasonal shops in downtown Cranbury — near where she lives outside of town and operates her original gallery that gives the

Princeton one its name.

While Morolda stopped the series in 2011, she continues to display the work and use her original watercolors painting as the source of the collection of small prints — approximately 8 inches by 5 inches — displayed and sold in her shop.

Other seasonal images of snowmen and Christmas trees can be seen along the walls where she hosts Zoom sessions that help virtual attendees create holiday cards — like the Princeton holiday cards she sells along with her own work and paintings by Sydney Neuwirth.

“I met Sydney through the Princeton Ballet. My daughter was there. And Sidney was involved when they did a fundraiser. She donated a painting, and I donated a frame. We hit off and from there we started showing her work.”

Referring back to the street traffic, Morolda says it is sad to see how the pandemic has kept people from doing face to face business and hopes people don’t forget how important actual businesses are to the community.

And while she says she’s in “a good place” to offer community members the opportunity to purchase localized gifts for office parties or visitors the ability to purchase local gifts at affordable prices, she adds, “I have no idea of what will happen. We have nothing to compare this year with. But I am I am going to try my hardest.”

Cranbury Station Gallery, 15 Hulfish Street. 609-921-0434 or www.cranburystationgallery.com.

"Always Professional, Always Personal"

92 Elm Ridge Rd, Princeton (Hopewell Twp)

TERESA CUNNINGHAM MOBILE 609.802.3564 OFFICE 609.921.2600 BusyTC@gmail.com BusyTC.com

12Princeton Echo | December 2020

Agricola grows its brand

A

fthought od

gricola, the farmto-table restaurant that replaced the famous French restaurant Lahiere’s on Witherspoon Street, will soon have a second location in Morristown.

The restaurant is currently owned by the North Jersey-based Harvest Dining Group, which acquired the Fenwick Hospitality family of restaurants in 2019. In addition to Agricola the Harvest group also owns the Dinky Bar and Roots Ocean Prime on University Place.

But most of Harvest’s restaurants are in North Jersey, including Urban Table in Morristown, which was severely damaged by a sprinkler malfunction earlier this year after already being closed due to the pandemic.

Rather than reopen that restaurant, Harvest Restaurant Group head Chip Grabowski has decided to introduce the Agricola concept in Morristown.

An opening date has not been set.

for

Local Q offers Princetonians a barbecue fix

W

hile Tony Kanterakis looked to Greek cuisine to inspire his first Princeton restaurant, Local Greek, he took domestic inspiration for his latest venture. Local Q, which is currently operating out of

Local Greek’s Leigh Avenue space, offers Southern-style barbecue for takeout and delivery.

A statement on the restaurant’s website explains the inspiration and concept: “It was obvious to us that Princeton lacked a restaurant offering this kind of flavors. Well not anymore, Local Q is filling up the gap offering great BBQ along with the well known hospitality that characterizes Local

Greek.

“The recipe is simple, freshly made food, local ingredients, homemade sauces. Anthony Bourdain once said ‘Barbeque may not be the road to world peace, but it’s a start.’ Food brings people together, and that has been always our target in the Local Greek family. That is what we want to keep doing with adding Local Q.” Kanterakis plans to eventually open a separate location for Local Q. The chef behind these barbecue creations is Sally Korneygay, a long-time resident of the WitherspoonJackson neighborhood who has worked at Local Greek since it first opened.

The menu includes pulled pork, fried chicken, beef brisket, and baby back ribs ($14.95 to $18.95 for a platter) along with traditional sides such as macaroni and cheese, French fries, coleslaw, biscuits, cornbread, beans, and more.

Local Q, 44 Leigh Avenue. For more information: 908-854-3418 or www.localqprinceton.com.

ConTE’s pizza and bar

339 WITHERSPOON ST. PRINCETON, NJ 08540

(609) 921-8041

Voted TOP 33 IN PIZZERIAS NATION

by Thrillest™

Pizza • Salads Sandwiches • Pasta • Full Bar •

•

NOW SERVING GLUTEN FREE PIZZA AND PASTA!

Private Parties Available • Reunions • Birthdays • Anniversaries • Office Parties • Special Accommodations

www.CONTESPIZZAANDBAR.com

Dr. Alexander Kanevsky Restoring and Prolonging Life

Alexander Kanevsky, MD is accepting new clinical psychoanalysis patients at his Princeton office.

Assisted Living and Memory Care with

a whole lotta heart.

NOW OPEN! CALL TODAY TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AREA’S NEWEST ASSISTED LIVING AND MEMORY CARE COMMUNITY!

Appointments and initial evaluations by phone.

(609) 613-0225 “I have been under the care of Dr. Kanevsky for approximately 6 weeks.

In this short period of time, I have experienced tremendous changes, both physical and emotional. Dr. Kanevsky’s deep dedication, integrity, and vast knowledge of the human experience, body and many healing modalities allows for amazing healing to occur.” ~S.P.

1750 Yardville-Hamilton Square Road • Hamilton 609.241.9538 • TheLandingOfHamilton.com License Pending

366 NASSAU STREET PRINCETON, NJ 08540

(609) 613-0225 WWW.DRALEXANDERKANEVSKYMDNATURALHEALER.COM

December 2020 | Princeton Echo13

HAPPENING Holiday happenings

M

orven Museum & Garden’s annual Festival of Trees exhibit and celebration continues through January 10, 2021. Timed entry tickets, $10, are available Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The holiday tradition features a juried selection of trees and mantels decorated by community groups. Contributors to this year’s show include the Garden Club of Princeton, the Historical Society of Princeton, the Present Day Club, Princeton Public Library, and others.

Morven’s traditional holiday party has also been transformed with pandemic safety in mind. The museum hosts its first Winter Wonderland Preview Party on Thursday, December 3, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The mainly outdoor celebration includes a transformed garden, fireplace, and warming cocktails.

Tickets, $175 and up, are available online. www.morven.org.

P

vorites performed by pianists Christina and Michelle Naughton — twin sisters who were born in Princeton and made their PSO debut last fall — dancers of the American Repertory Ballet, and PSO musicians led by music director Rossen Milanov. As in previous years, members of the Princeton High School Choir under the direction of Vincent Metallo will lead the annual carol singalong.

The program includes selections from Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker performed by Christina and Michelle Naughton, arrangements of holiday favorites played by the PSO woodwind quintet, and Leroy Anderson’s Sleigh Ride recorded by the PSO brass ensemble in Princeton’s Palmer Square. The Princeton High School Choir performs Eric Whitacre’s “Sing Gently,” and a piano trio including PSO concertmaster Basia Danilow accompanies American Repertory Ballet dancers Nanako Yamamoto and Jonathan Montepara, as they perform The Nutcracker’s Grand Pas De Deux.

To register: www.princetonsymphony.org or 609-497-0020.

Get in the holiday spirit with live music in Palmer Square. Pictured at left are brass musicians from the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, which offers a free virtual version of its Holiday POPS! concert. Above, McCarter Theater offers A Christmas Carol @HOME in lieu of its traditional live production.

on Saturday and Sunday afternoons.

Performers include Courtney’s Carolers, a Bucks County-based group that spreads Christmas cheer; Harmonics Quartet, an all-female a cappella group; and Spiced Punch, a quartet that brings a taste of old-fashioned Yuletide with traditional tales, tunes, and toasts. All the while, Santa will be strolling the square.

Over on Hulfish Street, ice skating has returned for 2020. The synthetic rink will be open through February 28, 2021, on Thursdays and Fridays, 4 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays, noon to 3 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Fees, including skate rental, are $10 to $12. Masks are required.

While the kids skate, adults can enjoy a holiday beverage or snack from the Yankee Doodle Tap Room Skate Bar, which is open Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 3:30 p.m. Soup, chili, hot pretzels, cider, hot chocolate — spiked or not — and mulled wine are all availalmer Square and its shops and res- able for purchase. www.palmersquare. taurants are working hard to make com. the holiday season safe and special. hile McCarter Theater is not Outdoor concerts on the green are hosting any in-person perforcontinuing through December 20 mances this season, the magic of its trawith holiday-themed performances

rinceton Symphony Orchestra brings its annual Holiday POPS! concert to audiences in a virtual —and free — format this year. Online access to the performance will be available from December 5 through 20 at various times on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

The festive event features holiday fa-

P

AT YOUR SERVICE

6 Issues $59 PER ISSUE. For more information call 609-396-1511

W

ditional presentation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” can still be enjoyed from home.

The theater is offering A Christmas Carol @HOME, an interactive family experience that includes individually wrapped envelopes with scenes that can be performed together in person or virtually; character-sketch postcards; conversation cards to spark dialogue connecting the timeless themes in Dickens’ classic story with today; and online access to McCarter’s full production script and photo and video submissions of your own performances. Order by Monday, December 7, to ensure delivery by Christmas Eve. Boxes cost $40. www.mccarter.org.

L

ast but not least, the town of Princeton is offering a Winter Village from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays, through Christmas Eve. McCarter Theater has decorated vendor chalets in Palmer Square, Hinds Plaza, and outside the Garden Theater where shoppers can find handcrafted items and see artists at work.

For full event listings, visit www. princetoninfo.com/events.

SPECIALZING IN: groveplumbingllc@gmail.com

of Princeton, Robbinsville and Newtown

From minor plumbing repairs to complete remodels, Sewer replacement, Water Service replacement.

Experienced • Professional • Guaranteed Carpentry • Home Improvements • Lists

Office: (609) 779-1212 mrhandyman.com NJHIC #13V09854100/PA138189

14Princeton Echo | December 2020

• BEDBUGS •COCKROACHES •ANTS • WILD ANIMAL TRAPPINGS Residential & Commercial • MOSQUITO TREATMENT 91125B licenced and insured • AND MORE JOSEPH WALKER (OWNER) PHONE: (609)977-9950 email:IncrediblePestManagement@gmail.com www.IncrediblePestManagement.com

PARTING SHOT

Spokes in the wheel

By Pia de Jong

A

virus can take a long time to let its intentions play out. In the meantime, it can push a whole human life onto a different track. You sometimes don’t see that until a century later.

My “Grandma Amsterdam,” as my brothers and I called her, lived with our grandfather upstairs in an old house in North Amsterdam. I remember the tall, corkscrew staircase with a loose bannister halfway up. Inside you had to take off your shoes, otherwise the downstairs neighbors would complain.

There was no shower. My grandfather shaved over the sink in the kitchen. A small mirror was attached to the wall for this purpose.

When I was eight I went to stay there alone for the first time. I remember my grandmother froze when I sat down with her at night in my nightgown, hoping for a bedtime story. But my grandmother didn’t like fairytales.

When I woke up in the middle of the night, afraid of the shadows on the wallpaper, she told me to be brave. That would harden me against life, she said.

Death — she often talked about him — was a brutal creature who ran off with

your life without compassion.

Grandma was good at calculating.

When she went shopping, she had already calculated what she would have to pay before the cash register rang up the amount. She would have liked to study mathematics.

Her life as a housewife did not challenge her. I was in awe of her, bordering on fear, but mostly full of questions. Why didn’t she embrace her life?

Why this cynicism? Where were her thoughts taking her?

A

nd then there was that photo on the dresser of her as a young woman, sitting straight upright on a shiny new bicycle. Over the years, the contours of her life gradually revealed themselves to me, like a coin under tissue paper that you trace over with a pencil. My grandmother had been engaged once. Not with my grandfather, but with a banker. They wrote poems to each other about their love and their plans for the future. She taught herself French to go to Paris with him.

In 1918 he died of the Spanish flu, along with 20 million others. My grandmother was in shock for years.

She bought the bicycle with money

from their life insurance policy. She was well on her way to becoming a “spinster” when she was paired up with a local bachelor, my grandfather, just in time. Although they had three children together, I saw little tenderness between them or even a look of understanding. The litmus test for a good marriage, she once told me, is that you should be able to bear to wash your husband’s dirty underwear. That is quite different from reading the poems of her fiancé, which she kept until

Illustration by Eliane Gerrits

her death. The Spanish flu was a brutal actor who threw a monkey wrench into the finely tuned plans for her life.

When the dust cleared, it left her just like millions of other lovers who, in a shoebox in the attic, cherish the yellowing photos of an unfinished past.

Pia de Jong is a Dutch writer who lives in Princeton. Her bestselling memoir, “Saving Charlotte,” was published in 2017 in the U.S. She can be contacted at pdejong@ias.edu.

ENCORE! ENCORE! WEEKEND REWIND

Your Pet Matters Your Career Is Calling Master Your Finances Health 411 Catch up on the episodes you missed every Monday through Thursday at 9 a.m.

Listen on air @107.7 FM | Online @1077TheBronc.com On App @WRRC on Google Play and the Apple App store.

December 2020 | Princeton Echo15

ARE YOU THINKING OF SELLING in 2021?

A second opinion is always wise…

Call me for mine!

I have 37 years of Listing, Selling & Relocation Experience.

Cell: 609-658-3771 Heidi A. Hartmann Sales Associate

#1 Agent Princeton Office* *According to Gross Commission Income

16Princeton Echo | December 2020