Town Topics Newspaper, April 23, 2025

Municipality Endeavors To Make Safety a Priority On Local Streets, Roadways

Search for Missing PU Student Focuses on Lake Carnegie

Tenth Annual “Perspectives

On Preservation” Photo Contest Held by FOPOS 5

Trenton Walks! Offers

Many Opportunities

To Explore History and Nature 9

Arbor Day at Marquand Park Features Many TreeRelated Activities 12

PU Orchestra, Glee Club

Combine for Concert of French Music 17

Senior Standout Omene

Looking to Come Full Circle as Top-Seeded PU Men’s Volleyball Hosts

EIVA Tourney 28

After Waiting to Lead Hun Softball Pitching Staff, Murphy Starring

As the Raiders Have Started 8-0 . . .

32

At its most recent public meeting on April 14, Princeton Council passed an ordinance reducing the speed limit from 40 to 35 miles per hour on a portion of Cherry Hill Road between Mt. Lucas Road and a point 565 feet north of Foulet Drive.

This change, which makes the entire length of the roadway uniform at 35 miles per hour, is small but significant. According to Councilman David Cohen, it will likely be followed by future ordinances lowering speed limits in the center of town.

Cohen has been especially active in efforts to make the streets of Princeton safer for pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists. He applied for, and was accepted to, the 2025 Champions Institute, which is sponsored by Smart Growth America, a national organization that helps make communities affordable, convenient, and safe. Cohen is working on an action plan to make Princeton’s bicycle boulevard network more effective.

Created during the leadership of former Mayor Liz Lempert, the bicycle boulevard network is a loop of streets that connects the town’s schools. It includes low-speed, low-volume roadways designed to prioritize bicycle movement using a combination of signage, pavement markings, traffic calming, and/or volume management.

“The problem is that people don’t know what the bike boulevard is,” said Cohen. “Right now, it’s just these little green signs on the road. Nobody really knows what it means, so we will have a real education campaign.”

The bicycle boulevard network is mostly for streets that are used by local residents rather than visitors from out of town. “This is not something that was invented by Princeton,” Cohen said.

“This is nationwide. It’s actually approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.”

On some streets, advisory bike lanes — in which a single car lane is in the middle of the road, with bike lanes on either side — may be created. They already exist on some streets owned by Princeton University, including Lawrence Drive and College Road, Cohen said.

A Princeton University student was reported missing on Tuesday, April 22, according to a TigerAlert sent to the University community around 11 a.m. by the school’s Department of Public Safety. Lauren Blackburn, an undergraduate member of the class of 2026, was last seen at about 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 19 near Firestone Library.

Blackburn, 23, is 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weighs 170 pounds. He has brown eyes and black hair. According to the Department of Public Safety, when last seen he was wearing blue jeans with torn knees, a yellow T-shirt with a black, zippered hooded sweatshirt, and blue, flatbottom shoes.

According to a report by the ABC News affiliate WPVI, a search of Lake Carnegie began around 12 a.m. on Tuesday morning after a phone belonging to a missing student pinged in the area. It was not confirmed that the phone belonged to Blackburn.

On Tuesday afternoon, news

helicopters from ABC and NBC news stations were circling the area. The Princeton Alumni Weekly reported that an emergency vehicle towing two inflatable motorboats was seen on Washington Road heading toward Lake Carnegie. A Trenton fire truck and other emergency vehicles are reported to have been in the lakefront near the Harrison Street Bridge. Sonar units and drones from Hamilton Township, as well as K-9 units, were also being utilized.

The Princeton Police Department directed a query to the University’s Department of Public Safety, but said they were assisting in the effort.

Blackburn was a National Merit Scholar and a Gates Scholar at Corydon Central High School, in Corydon, Indiana. He graduated in 2019. In a local television news segment aired that spring, he said that he toured several universities before settling on Princeton when he was accepted early.

Tenth Annual Princeton Research Day Offers Abundant Learning Opportunities

With about 150 undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs presenting and several hundred curious spectators in attendance, the 10th annual Princeton Research Day (PRD) on May 8 will afford everyone a glimpse of some of the research that’s happening at Princeton University and a chance to learn about

something they didn’t know before. Taking place at the University’s Frist Campus Center from 12 to 4 :30 p.m., the event will be free and open to the public, and “a very interactive session,” according to Pascale Poussart, who is the University’s director of undergraduate research

Another safety-related effort for the municipality is Vision Zero, a national initiative geared toward reducing

of Princeton University women’s

team celebrate after they defeated Brown 15-13 last Saturday at the Class of 1952 Stadium to clinch a share of the Ivy League regular season crown. The Tigers, now 12-2 overall and 5-1 Ivy League, play at Dartmouth on April 26 as they look to earn the outright league title and the No. 1 seed going into the Ivy postseason tournament. For more details on the game, see page 27.

CHAMPIONSHIP MOMENT: Members

lacrosse

(Photo by Bill Alden)

Sounds of Spring Town Topics

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Celebrate Mother’s Day with a Joyful Family Concert!

community green fair

Sunday, April 27 (11 am - 3 pm)

RAIN O SHINE

PROJECT

Marking 100th Anniversary Of “The Great Gatsby” Students at Stuart Country Day School recently took part in the annual celebration of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The event was especially notable since this year marks 100 years since the book was published. Students assumed roles

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“GATSBY” PARTY: Students in the American Literature class at Stuart Country Day School celebrated the culmination of their reading of “The Great Gatsby” with a 1920s-themed party. based on character types in the book who would most likely attend a soiree at Gatsby’s mansion. After creating their written character profile as an admission ticket, they attended the party and interacted with one another in character, paying special attention to their character’s mannerisms and the details of their life experiences as someone from the 1920s.

Councilman Leighton Newlin holds one-on-one conversations about issues impacting Princeton from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on April 23 at the Palmer Square benches across from Rojo’s Roasters; and on April 30 at Tipple and Rose,

: At Princeton MarketFair, place used and broken electronics in bins near Center Court through April 27. Visit marketfairshoppes.com

: Princeton’s Shade Tree Commission is giving out tree seedlings at Hinds Plaza on April 26 from 12 to 5 p.m. Learn about their efforts and access such resources as the Recommended Tree Species List and the Do Not Plant List. Arm in Arm’s mobile food pantry is at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, on Monday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. Fresh produce, eggs, milk, frozen proteins, and quality baked goods as well as canned and boxed items and personal care items are available for those in

Sustainable Princeton offers residents and nonprofits in Princeton the opportunity to borrow sustainable home items such as electric landscape equipment, induction cooktops, and repair tools, for free, for up to two weeks. Visit sustainableprinceton.org for more information.

: The Dr. Esther Wollin Memorial Scholarship Fund is available to Jewish female, full-time students who will be or are already attending Rutgers University and raised by their Jewish mother in a single-parent household in the Eligibility is based on financial need. Submission deadline is June 2. Visit jfcsonline.org or call Joyce at (609) 987-8100.

: The Mercer County Board of Elections is recruiting new workers, who must be registered Mercer County voters or students 1617 years old. Bilingual residents are especially needed. The pay is $300. Apply at : To sign up for pool membership, camp offerings, and summer programs, visit register.communitypass. : Friday, April 25 is

With its lakes, rocky creeks, forests, and trails, the Mountain Lakes Open Space Area is a gold mine for nature photographers. The nonprofit Friends of

Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) has been making use of this natural fit for the past 10 years, inviting adult and student photographers to enter images in the “Perspectives on Preservation” photo contest.

Erdman, who ran the gallery at Princeton Day School for several years. The judges do multiple rounds, and are “quite decisive,” she said.

The 10th annual competition is officially underway. Photographers have until midnight on October 12 to submit shots taken in the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Mountain Lakes North, John Witherspoon Woods, Community Park North, Tusculum Preserve, Pettoranello Gardens, and the J. Seward Johnson Sr. Trail and Boardwalk.

“I’m not sure everyone knows that this is here,” said FOPOS board member Fran McManus. “But this area is like New Jersey — everything is compressed. You have lakes, mountain streams, a boardwalk, and trails, all of these ecosystems in this very small area. I love that, because you can get wonderful shots in this park that is walking distance from town.”

Photos that are entered tend to run the gamut, from tiny details like light hitting frost to birds in mid-flight. “Sometimes people get birds so beautifully framed,” said McManus. “One year, somebody caught a woodpecker flying across at eye level. I was like, ‘How do you do that?”’

McManus was particularly moved, in a recent year, by an unsolicited comment from a teenaged entrant in the 11-to-16 category: “I am grateful for the opportunity to explore my community and have really enjoyed this event,” he wrote. “I feel that things like these help our community to grow and appreciate the land around us and, at least for me, it has sparked my curiosity of searching for new trails.”

Once she receives the entries, McManus passes them along, stripped of all identification, to three judges: photographers Frank Sauer and Tasha O’Neill; and Jody

FOPOS lists photo tips for nature photography on its website and holds an iPhone photography workshop at Mountain Lakes in conjunction with Princeton Public Library. Last year, the library mounted a display to help budding nature photographers learn about taking good shots. “A lot has to do with patience, the time of day, and visiting multiple times,” said McManus.

Claudia Goldin

Continued from Preceding Page

Entries are judged on their aesthetic merit, creativity, and originality, as well as how they help celebrate the area as a refuge for nature and visitors. One winning photograph in the adult category (17 and up) will be chosen in each of the three categories, and the winners will receive $100 in merchandise from REI. In addition to the winning photographs, approximately 20 photos from the submissions will be selected for FOPOS’s annual photo exhibition in December at the Mountain Lakes House.

Student photographers can compete for gift cards from jaZams, LiLLiPiES, and the bent spoon. Photos can be taken any time of year during the past three years, as long as they have not been submitted in a previous FOPOS photo contest.

During COVID-19, McManus met winners in the park, one at a time, to present them with their awards. Last year, FOPOS was able to go back to announcing the winners at the photo exhibition in Mountain Lakes House.

“That was fun, because they really didn’t know until then that they had won,” she said. “It’s more exciting. The younger winners get a certificate that I make, and they accept it almost reverently.”

A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.

Question of the Week:

“What do you like best about bunnies?”

Visit fopos.org for more information.

—Anne Levin

Strawberry Festival Set For Peddler’s Village

April

Peddler’s Village in Lahaska, Pa., will present its 44th annual Strawberry Festival on May 3 and 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The weekend will include strawberry-themed food and beverages, including fresh-baked strawberry pies and desserts, live music and entertainment, food trucks, and activities.

This year, a pie-eating contest for adults and children will be held on both Saturday and Sunday beginning at 2:30 pm (registration begins at 11 a.m.) Peddler’s Village shops will be open until 8 p.m. on Saturday. Admission is free.

The Strawberry Festival will also include games, a bounce house, axe throwing, and kids crafts and face painting,. Live music will include performances by local musicians and performers, with special entertainment by Martin & Kelly on Sunday, May 4.

New this year, guests are invited to participate in The Great Strawberry Strut on Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Guests who come dressed in strawberry-themed outfits or costumes can check in at the kiosk on the Village Green for a chance to win prizes. All guests who participate are also entered into a giveaway to win a $100 Peddler’s Village gift card.

Following the Strawberry Festival weekend, Peddler’s Village restaurants will continue to feature strawberrythemed food and beverages every day in May. In June, Peddler’s Village, in partnership with the Central Bucks Chamber of Commerce, will be hosting Bucks Fever, a celebration of the region’s artistic, cultural, and historical heritage.

Visit Peddlersvillage.com for a complete schedule of events through the summer.

“They can jump and they are a symbol of Easter and they have ears. I like bunnies because they are cute.”

—Isebella, Princeton

“I love feeding them carrots.”

—Hanna, Princeton

“They hop and they are cute. I want a bunny that’s pink.”

Copies of Career and Family: Women’s CenturyLong Journey Toward Equity will be handed out to the first 100 in-person attendees.

STAFFORD LITTLE LECTURE

2023 Nobel Laureate; Henry Lee Professor of Economics, Harvard University

Safety

continued from page one

fatalities and serious injuries on roads. Work is currently underway to get a web page up that is dedicated to the initiative.

Cohen defined Vision Zero as “an approach that tries to use the tools at our disposal to prioritize safety when planning roads and making rules. Safety is the gold standard.”

Gathering and studying data is a big part of the effort. Cohen identified Washington Road as the location where the highest numbers of crashes and fatalities in Princeton take place. While improvements at the corner of Washington Road and Nassau Street have made a positive difference, “that was a first step,” he said. “There are many, many other things that need to be done on Washington, and the University has taken that upon themselves. There is more striping, but that is only the beginning. They have a comprehensive plan for the entire length of the road to accommodate all users.”

Portions of Nassau Street and Hamilton Avenue/Wiggins Street are also problematic, Cohen said. A raised crosswalk is planned for Nassau Street In front of Thomas Sweet Ice Cream shop, and the municipality has already embarked upon improvements for Hamilton Avenue between Harrison Street and Walnut Lane

“We’re aware of our high crash network, and are really working on making improvements,” said Cohen. “The website will help publicize that. It’s not just about engineering. The education component is very important.”

—Anne Levin

Rider/Giants Partnership Creates “Press” Opportunity

On April 9, Rider University students had the opportunity to participate in a mock press conference with Super Bowl-winning former New York Giants wide receiver Amani Toomer. Made possible through Rider’s partnership with the NFL team, the experience was part of a semester-long course dedicated to examining a range of marketing and communications tactics in relation to the Giants.

The press conference allowed students to practice their interviewing skills as part of a media scrum. Joined by Caleb Sink, manager of partnership activations for the Giants, Toomer answered a variety of questions about his experience with the media as a player, his transition from the NFL and how the media landscape has changed during his career. Sink provided

i nsight into how the Giants approach branding, social media and collaboration with individual players.

“We are proud to collaborate with the Giants to provide a number of exclusive opportunities for our students,” said Vice President of External Affairs Kristine Brown. “This partnership demonstrates Rider’s dedication to pairing classroom learning with real-world learning experiences.”

Since 2023, Rider has an official higher education partner of the New York Giants. In addition to opportunities like the mock press conference, Rider students are able to apply for parttime, full-time, and gameday internships with the Giants, and participate in case study projects with the team’s leadership as well as community service events.

To learn more, visit Rider. edu/nygiants.

Princeton-Blairstown Center

Names New President & CEO

The Princeton-Blairstown Center’s Board of Trustees has named Kerri Strauss as president and CEO.

Strauss most recently served as the center’s interim president and CEO following Pam Gregory, who retired in early January. During this time, Strauss has already cultivated relationships with key stakeholders, board members, and staff in order to serve the organization’s long-term objectives and vision for growth.

Kate Danser, trustee and chair of the Executive Search Committee, said, “The board is thrilled to continue working with Kerri to support PBC’s mission in this new chapter for the organization.”

Prior to the interim position at the Center, Strauss served at the helms of several nonprofits including the Editorial Freelancers

Association, United Way of Greater Union County, and United Way of Bradford County. While at the United Way, Strauss partnered with 48 local nonprofit organizations in Bradford County and the surrounding areas to maximize positive community impact, while focusing primarily on youth development.

“Having had the privilege of serving as the Center’s interim president and CEO since January, I have developed a profound appreciation for the mission of PBC and its transformative impact on youth,” she said.

“I am confident that my vision for growth positions me to create a lasting positive impact on the PrincetonBlairstown Center. I look forward to continuing to

serve the PBC community in this meaningful capacity.” Strauss is a licensed social worker who holds both a Master of Social Work and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania. TOWN

paper.

QUESTIONING A GIANT: Rider University students held a mock press conference with former New York Giant Amani Toomer, pictured at center.

(Photo by Peter G. Borg, Rider University)

Research Day continued from page one and one of the founders and organizers of PRD.

“It’s a celebratory event,” said Poussart. “Members of the public will be able to ask questions directly to the presenters. People can expect projects and presentations from across the four divisions — engineering, natural sciences, social sciences, and arts and humanities — and there will be popcorn involved.”

Early submissions for the May 8 showcase of research projects include a student playwright’s “choose-yourown adventure” style interactive production with collaborative storytelling; a student who repaired his grandmother’s old player

piano, merging technology of the past with a modern engineering solution that allows players to use phone apps on the device; a project from the Baby Lab that examines the brain activity of children and caregivers to investigate how infants and toddlers learn language so quickly; the project of a team of undergraduate researchers who have tracked the resource usage of ChatGPT to study how different AI users see the environmental impact of their ChatGPT usage; and much more.

April 30 is the final submission deadline for award consideration.

“It’s meant to be a very interactive event where the presenters are asked to talk about their work to a

broad public,” said Poussart. “They’re not talking to other experts in the field. They have to communicate clearly and effectively. They have to be engaging in describing their research and why it’s important and why we should care that they are doing research on this topic or that topic. Why is it important?”

She pointed out that undergraduate presenters are likely to offer projects based on their senior thesis or a research internship they did last summer or a writing seminar they took where they wrote a research paper, and graduate students may present on their doctoral research, while postdocs will likely be presenting the research they are currently working on.

to be held in Frist Campus Center at Princeton University from 12 to 4:30 p.m. on May 8. The event is free, interactive, and open to the public.

“For the presenters it’s an opportunity to practice their communication skills, to interact with audience members, and to answer questions,” said Poussart. “I think now more than ever it’s very important for researchers to be able to communicate broadly about why they do the research that they do, why it’s important, why we should care.”

Poussart emphasized that there are many ways for the general public to participate in PRD. On the weekend before the event, beginning at noon on May 2, all the three-minute video submissions describing the presenters’ research will be published online. Throughout that weekend members of the public can view the videos on the PRD homepage, and voting for the FitzRandolph Gate Award for the fan favorite video will be open from noon on Friday, May 2 to 9 a.m. on May 5.

On the Thursday, May 8 Research Day, the showcase of presenters takes place from noon to 1 p.m., where the audience can speak with the researchers and vote for their favorite poster presentation. The event continues with a reception from 1 to 2:30 p.m., followed by the awards celebration from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., which will include viewing of award-winning videos and Q&As with the presenters. A panel of PRD judges will evaluate the submissions for prizes and awards of up to $1,500.

Poussart noted the intergenerational, eclectic nature of PRD, with a mix of ages and academic levels and an amalgamation of disciplines. “It’s important to have all these populations presenting side by side,” she said. “We don’t put chemistry presenters in one area and engineers in another. It’s purposefully not organized by discipline so that wherever your path leads you, you’ll come across some unexpected projects.”

She went on to highlight the importance of celebrating the students’ accomplishments. “In my mind the measure of success for the event is how much of an audience we can give to our students, because the students have worked really hard on this research,” she said. “They care deeply about their work, and when we see a room full of attendees who are really curious and wanting to learn and giving these students an opportunity to share their work, share their passion, to me that makes for a successful event.”

She added, “It is honestly my favorite day of the year. It’s a really fun day when you’re sure to learn something new.”

To see and vote on the presenters’ videos, beginning about noon on May 2, or to register to attend PRD, which is free and open to the public on May 8, or to learn more about the event, visit researchday.princeton.edu.

—Donald Gilpin

Biologist and Educator

Promoted at Rider

Rider University has announced the appointment of Kelly Bidle as its next provost and vice president of academic affairs.

Bidle, who first joined the faculty in 2001, has served as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest academic unit, since 2019. She is a biologist and educator.

“Dr. Bidle has earned the admiration of her peers and students alike through her collaborative leadership, unwavering focus on student success, and her energetic approach to academic innovation,” said President Gregory G. Dell’Omo, “I have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead our academic enterprise forward.”

Throughout her career at Rider, Bidle has led numerous institutional initiatives, spanning academic restructuring, strategic planning, new program development, recruitment and retention, and facility renovations. She is a believer in the transformative power of higher education — especially when paired with pragmatic career development — and views this combination as a critical path to social mobility for students.

“I am honored to step into this role at such a pivotal time for Rider,” said Bidle. “I look forward to continuing our efforts to provide a rich, student-centered education that prepares graduates for meaningful careers and lives as engaged and informed citizens.”

Bidle’s scholarly work, which focuses on the molecular adaptations of microbes in extreme environments, has been widely published and was supported for over 20 years by the National Science Foundation. Throughout her tenure, she has served in numerous key leadership roles at the University, including as chair of strategic planning committees and the University’s promotion and tenure committee, and as Rider’s NCAA faculty athletics representative. Her service and leadership have earned her several of Rider’s highest honors, including the Nancy Gray Award for Campus Leadership and Service and the Frank N. Elliott Award for Distinguished Service.

In addition to her administrative leadership, Bidle has mentored more than 100 students conducting scientific research at Rider, many of whom have received prestigious fellowships and gone on to complete their education at professional schools or graduate programs at top institutions such as Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania.

Historical Society Names Interim Executive Director

The board of trustees of the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) announced the appointment of Elizabeth Monroe as the Historical Society’s interim executive director. 2025. Monroe succeeds Sarah Taggart, who is leaving HSP after leading the organization since July 2022.

“The board of trustees is pleased to welcome Elizabeth to this important role. Having served as a trustee since 2024, Elizabeth understands the Historical Society’s mission and operations and is well positioned to lead while the board conducts a search for a permanent executive director,” said Board President Douglas Chia.

“I am honored to be entrusted to navigate the Historical Society during this critical moment for the organization, which is dedicated to telling the stories of our truly historic town,” said Monroe.

“The board wishes to thank Sarah for her contributions to the Historical Society and the advancement of its mission during her tenure. As a result of her leadership and passion for history, participation and engagement in the organization’s programming have grown significantly over the past three years,” said Chia. “We wish her the best in her future endeavors.”

A longtime resident of Princeton, Monroe served as dean of students and taught within the History department at Princeton Day School (PDS) for 12 years. Prior to her tenure at PDS, Monroe taught at the undergraduate level at Seton Hall University, Stern College for Women of Yeshiva University, and Pratt Institute. In addition, she worked as an editor at George Braziller Publishers in New York City. Monroe earned an AB degree from Bowdoin College and a Ph.D. in art history from the University of Southern California. She also volunteers her time with the Academics, Talent, and Culture Committee of Foundation Academies in Trenton and the Princeton-Colmar Sister City Association.

“Where quality still matters.” 4621 Route 27 Kingston, NJ 609-924-0147

NEW APPOINTMENT: Kelly Bidle, a longtime faculty member at Rider University, is its next provost and vice president of academic affairs.

RESEARCH DAY: About 150 undergraduate, graduate school, and postdoc researchers will be presenting their discoveries at the 10th Princeton Research Day

(Princeton University, Sameer A. Khan/Fotobuddy)

Trenton Walks! Offers Many Opportunities

To Explore History and Nature in Trenton

Nine different walks throughout Trenton in the coming weeks will take participants through a park and a marshland, around downtown and into a variety of interesting neighborhoods, and back to the dramatic history of the American Revolution and the story of the D&R Canal.

Sponsored by the Trenton Green Team (TGT) and supported by the Mercer County Action Team (MCAT), the next series of walks begins this Thursday, April 24, and features a stroll on the Delaware & Raritan Canal State Park towpath and Greenway from the Battle Monument through downtown Trenton.

The April 24 noon walk, led by N.J. Conservation Foundation Central Jersey Project Manager and Trenton Walks! co-chair Tim Brill, will start and finish at the monument at 348 North Warren Street and will go for about two miles.

“We invite everyone who enjoys being in and of the Trenton community to join us on any and all walks,” said MCAT Circuit Coalition Leader Corey Hannigan.

Trenton Walks!, just starting its second year, organized and led 34 walks last year, twice a month in the winter and four or five times a month in the spring and summer, with anywhere from 10 to 25 people participating each time.

“We’ve had a lot of fun,” said Trenton Walks! CoChair Becky Taylor, who also serves as the co-chair

of the Cadwalader Park Alliance (CPA) and was formerly co-president of the Lawrence Hopewell Trail.

“I’ve worked in and around the Trenton area most of my career, and I have seen things on these walks that I’d never seen before. When you go on these walks you see things up close and personal. it’s really great.”

Taylor recalled one of the history-focused walks she attended last year. “I can’t tell you how thrilling it was to learn about the pivotal role of Trenton in the American Revolution,” she said. “George Washington routed the Hessians and the British troops in Trenton. I never knew any of this, and it was great to be on the scene where it had all taken place.”

The second walk of the series will be hosted by Taylor, Brill, and TGT leader Larry Paul on Sunday, April 27 at 3 p.m. It will leave from and return to 1399 Riverside Drive in Trenton’s “Island” neighborhood and proceed through Stacy Park along the Delaware River to the “Shaky Bridge,” which was built by Brooklyn Bridge builder John A. Roebling, next to Trenton’s Water Filtration Plant near Calhoun Street.

The Chambersburg and Villa Park neighborhoods are on the agenda for a walk led by Capital City Redevelopment Corporation Director Jeffrey Laurenti on Saturday, May 3 at 9:30 a.m. This walk of approximately three miles “will tour

this fascinating part of Trenton, showcasing the neighborhoods’ colorful past and vibrant future,” according to a Trenton Walks! press release.

A Wednesday May 7 noon walk led by Brill and Trenton 365 media personality Jacque Howard will leave from HUB 13 co-working space at 13 West Front Street and proceed along the Assunpink Creek Greenway through Mill Hill Park to Trenton City Hall and back. And on Friday, May 6, leaving from the intersection of Cadwalader Drive and Gordon Avenue at 4:30 p.m., Taylor, along with CPA Board Treasurer Randy Baum and CPA Board Secretary Jordan Antebi, will lead “an intentional ramble” through historic Cadwalader Park.

Plans to reconfigure N.J. Route 29 as an urban boulevard and to redevelop the area to provide a new mix of land uses and enhance pedestrian and bicycle access to the Delaware River will be the focus of a walk on Thursday, May 22 at noon led by Brill, New Jersey Future’s (NJF) Advocacy and Government Affairs Manager Sabrina Rodriguez-Vicenty, and NJF Community Outreach Specialist Ben Dziobek. The walk will leave from and return to the New Jersey Future office at 16 West Lafayette Street.

One history walk focusing on the Revolutionary War, one on the D&R Canal, and one nature walk around

Spring Lake in Hamilton Township are scheduled for June. On Sunday, June 1 at 3 p.m., Brill will lead a tour from the Battle Monument through downtown Trenton, focusing on the pivotal role of the First and Second Battles of Trenton in the Revolutionary War. The history of the D&R Canal, the railroads, and the highways of the Trenton area, as well as the current use of the canal as a water source for about one million N.J. residents, will be the subject of a Wednesday June 4 walk, which sets out from the Battle Monument at noon. Brill and N.J. State Parks, Forests, and Historic Sites Resource In -

terpretive Specialist Stephanie Vannais will lead the walk.

A Saturday, June 14 walk around Spring Lake led by Mercer County Park Commission Environmental Education Director Kelly Rypkema will feature a portion of the 3,000-acre Abbott Marshlands, home to a large variety of wildlife. Departing from the Tulpehaking Nature Center at 157 Wescott Avenue in Hamilton, the walk will cover about 1.4 miles with lots of time for observation and interpretation.

For more information, including maps and updates, visit Greater Mercer Transportation Manage -

ment Association’s “Trail Happenings” webpage at gmtma.org/trail-happenings

“We encourage others who would like to co-lead walks with us to let us know of their interest, and we also seek ideas for new walking routes,” said Brill, who can be reached at tim. brill@njconservation.org or (609) 947-8530.

Taylor added, “It’s really fun to walk with other people to enable people to get together for fun, interesting and healthy activities, and to celebrate the community. Come out and enjoy nature, history, beauty, and each other.”

—Donald Gilpin

THE “SHAKY BRIDGE”: The old bridge, designed by Brooklyn Bridge creator John A. Roebling, is just one of hundreds of points of interest on nine different walks in the coming weeks led by Trenton Walks! Participants can socialize while exploring the history, culture, and natural surroundings of

sections of Trenton. (Photo courtesy of Trenton Walks!)

Lauren Blackburn

“I will share an update when we know more, but in the meantime please hold Lauren in your thoughts as we attempt to locate him,” Calhoun wrote.

As of late Tuesday afternoon, the University was asking anyone with information about Blackburn’s whereabouts to call the Public Safety Department at (609) 258-1000.

—Anne Levin

CARING FOR TREE CANOPY: Trees in Trenton’s Cadwalader Park will get some restorative care on Friday, April 25.

Arbor Day Tree Planting In Cadwalader Park

The Cadwalader Park Alliance (CPA), in partnership with the City of Trenton, will be hosting a Arbor Day tree planting event this Friday, April 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to help restore the

Offering the finest quality of locally grown SHADE TREES & FLOWERING TREES

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From our farm to your yard

100-acre park’s tree canopy.

Supported by a grant from the PSEG Foundation and the Arbor Day Foundation, the event is one of several efforts to replace trees in the park and in Trenton more broadly, mostly with larger shade trees but also several native flowering understory trees as well, for a total of 35 to 40 trees.

Mercer County Leaders Oppose SEPTA Cuts

Mercer County elected officials and business leaders have denounced the potential SEPTA (Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority) cuts to New Jersey rail lines.

commute to work, attend school, access medical care, or connect to larger transit hubs,” said Ewing Township Mayor Bert H. Steinmann. “Reductions in SEPTA service would not only disrupt the daily lives of countless riders but also undermine the economic and environmental benefits of regional rail.”

“Trenton Train Station serves tens of thousands of commuters and is a critical transportation hub. The news of SEPTA shutting down service to Trenton will have a detrimental impact not only on our residents, but also on the economy of the greater Philadelphia region,” said Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora. “My administration is committed to making the preservation of SEPTA service to Trenton a top priority.”

SEPTA recently announced that if their budget shortfall is not addressed by the Pennsylvania Legislature that they would be forced to make major cuts in service, increase costs for riders, and lay off personnel. The decrease in service would include closure of the SEPTA rail lines at Mercer County’s Trenton and West Trenton stations.

“SEPTA’s latest news would be horrible for commuters going back and forth from Trenton to Philadelphia. With the price of cars and oil going through the roof at the same time, this will have a devastating effect,” said Hal English, President of the PrincetonMercer Chamber of Commerce. “Economically, it will seriously hurt Philadelphia’s concert and sports business.”

Offering the finest quality of locally grown SHADE TREES & FLOWERING TREES

Offering the finest quality of locally grown SHADE TREES & FLOWERING TREES

Same soil, same climate 13 acres of fine quality specimen plant material

Same soil, same climate 13 acres of fine quality specimen plant material

“As in every older urban center, a healthy tree canopy serves to reduce the urban heat island effect, clean pollutants from the air and reduce cases of asthma in children,” said Randy Baum, CPA treasurer and author of the grant application. He noted that tree canopy loss has been dramatic in recent years due to the Asian longhorned beetle, the ash borer and bacterial leaf scorch, a disease affecting trees’ vascular systems.

Police Blotter

From our farm to your yard

Currently offering 23 varieties of unique Redbuds & 23 varieties of Dogwoods

Same soil, same climate

From our farm to your yard

Currently offering 23 varieties of unique Redbuds & 23 varieties of Dogwoods

13 acres of fine quality specimen plant material

We grow unique and hard to find trees & shrubs

Same soil, same climate

Currently offering 23 varieties of unique Redbuds & 23 varieties of Dogwoods

13 acres of fine quality specimen plant material

We grow unique and hard to find trees & shrubs

Introducing the newest varieties available in the industry

Currently offering 23 varieties of unique Redbuds & 23 varieties of Dogwoods

Introducing the newest varieties available in the industry

We grow unique and hard to find trees & shrubs

At the event, staff will instruct volunteers on proper tree planting methods. A site contractor will pre-dig holes for the trees, and volunteers will assist in installing and mulching the trees and installing tree guards to prevent damage from deer.

Introducing the newest varieties available in the industry

We grow unique and hard to find trees & shrubs

Introducing the newest varieties available in the industry

A second planting in the park will be underway that day as well, with funding provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection for an additional 81 trees to be installed.

Cadwalader Park Alliance members will be on hand to talk about the park’s history and the important role trees play in defining the space, sequestering carbon, reducing urban heat and cleaning the air.

609.924.6767 • 4439 Route 27, Princeton • 2 miles north of Kingston Mon-Sat 9am to 5:30pm • Sunday 9am to 4pm ~

609.924.6767 • 4439 Route 27, Princeton • 2 miles north of Kingston Mon-Sat 9am to 5:30pm • Sunday 9am to 4pm ~ Delivery and Planting Available ~

609.924.6767 • 4439 Route 27, Princeton • 2 miles north of Kingston Mon-Sat 9am to 5:30pm • Sunday 9am to 4pm ~ Delivery and Planting Available ~

Volunteers are invited to join the event around 9:30 a.m. at the Ranger Station in front of Ellarslie, with an anticipated finish time of 2 p.m. Tools will be provided, as will coffee, water, and a light snack. Pre-registration is not necessary but is appreciated. Email Randy Baum at randybaum258@ gmail.com.

“SEPTA’s proposed cuts would have a devastating impact on Mercer County residents and those in the surrounding areas who rely on this line for their daily commute,” said Mercer County Executive Dan Benson. “As both county executive and former chair of the Assembly Transportation Committee, I’ve always believed in investing in — rather than divesting from — quality mass transit. That’s why my administration continues to prioritize issues like multi-modal transportation in Trenton and the redevelopment of Trenton-Mercer Airport in Ewing, which is already a regional asset. We will continue to strongly advocate for SEPTA to maintain its service to Mercer County.”

“The West Trenton Line is an essential transit link for Ewing residents and the greater Mercer County region. Many of our residents rely on this service to

On April 12, at 11:36 a.m., a Laurel Road resident reported that a silverware set was stolen by an unknown person or persons between April 2024 and April 2025. The estimated value of the silverware is approximately $900. There are no known suspects at this time.

On April 9 at 4:38 p.m., patrol officers responded to a business on Palmer Square West following a report of a shoplifting incident that had just occurred. The caller informed police dispatch that two female suspects stole several pieces of jewelry and fled south on Palmer Square West toward Nassau Street. Further investigation revealed that one of the suspects had taken a display tray containing 22 bracelets, which were collectively valued at approximately $13,160. The investigation is ongoing.

Featuring gifts that are distinctly Princeton! New products from Hoagie Haven!

Historians in Defense of Historic Princeton

We write as citizens as well as historians to express our deep concern about the preservation of historic Princeton.

Few if any American towns are as distinguished as Princeton, connected as it is to the breadth of our history. Its landmarks, beloved by tourists as well as townspeople, are many. Within a radius of less than a quarter mile sits a unique historic area that includes The Barracks, dating to ca. 1684 and the temporary residence of both James Madison and Alexander Hamilton a century later when Princeton was the fledgling nation’s capital.

Other highlights include Frog Hollow, site of important combat during the battle of Princeton, a turning point in the American Revolution; Morven, the estate of Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence; Marquand Park and Arboretum, dating to 1855; and Albert Einstein’s residence during his tenure at the Institute for Advanced Study from 1935 until his death in 1955.

We are distressed to learn that this remarkable neighborhood is now threatened by the construction of a massive, privately built luxury housing project, startlingly high in density, with provision for a 200-vehicle underground garage, and with minimal allowance for affordable housing.

For generations, Princetonians, assisted by the state and federal governments, have been wise and vigilant stewards of their town’s legacy. The municipality has balanced innovation and responsible growth with preservation of the historical elements that help make Princeton the distinctive place it is, a magnet for visitors from across the globe. Abandoning that stewardship now would be an irreparable blow to the prestige not simply of Princeton but of New Jersey and, ultimately, the nation at large.

The arrival of the 250th anniversary of the Revolution seems an auspicious moment to rededicate ourselves to the trust bestowed on us. In that spirit, we urge not simply Princetonians but all concerned citizens to oppose this destructive and ultimately self-destructive project.

Ken Burns, Independent Filmmaker, Florentine Films

Harold Holzer, Roosevelt House at Hunter College, CUNY

James M. McPherson, Princeton University

Jon Meacham, Vanderbilt University

Sean Wilentz, Princeton University

Brenda Wineapple, Columbia University

Tree-Related Activities for Families

Marquand Park will be celebrating Arbor Day 2025 with story time, a sing-along, a children’s book club, a scavenger hunt, and more this Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at its Children’s Arboretum on Lovers Lane.

Marquand Park Foundation Co-Chairs Evie Timberlake and Rebecca Flemer noted that the Foundation has recently “taken a sharper focus on education, trying to get children more involved with the environment.”

Timberlake added, “We want to get the younger generation involved. We want to make it fun for them. It’s nice that families return for this event each year.”

The Marquand Park Children’s Arboretum hosts family events in each of the four seasons. In addition to the Arbor Day celebration there will be “Made in the Shade” in July, “OAKtober” in the fall, and “Pines and Needles” in January.

“Often kids come to the park and just stay on the playground or in the sandbox,” said Flemer. “We want them to explore beyond the playground. There’s a lot more to see and do in Marquand Park.”

She went on to point out that a section of the park is a pinetum (an arboretum for pines and other conifers), and that there is an extraordinary number of unusual evergreen trees in Marquand Park. One of the activities in the winter “Pins and Needles” program will be learning how to tell

a spruce tree from a fir tree.

Flemer added, “We’re seeing some of our native trees disappearing and beech trees suffering from a new disease. It’s important that we talk about that. The landscape is changing.”

At Saturday’s Arbor Day event the Marquand Park Foundation will be presenting participants with free sugar maple saplings. Other activities on tap include tree bingo, journaling, and memory games.

“Discover the magic of trees, play in nature, and learn through hands-on exploration,” states a Marquand Park press release. The 17acre park is home to more than 140 different tree species from around the world.

The Marquand Park Foundation, established in 1954, supports planning and programs to preserve the park as an arboretum for the public to enjoy. The foundation works closely with the Municipality of Princeton, which owns the park, to support proper routine maintenance and to raise awareness, if special attention is needed, to the condition of trees and shrubs.

“Come out and see Marquand Park’s trees in every season and learn how important trees are in our lives,” the press release urges. “Whether you’re a firsttime visitor or a long-time friend of the park, there’s always something new to see, do, and enjoy together at Marquand!”

Visit marquandpark.org for further information.

—Donald Gilpin

ARBOR DAY CELEBRATION: Children of all ages are invited to an Arbor Day celebration at Marquand Park’s Children’s Arboretum on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. There will be story time, a sing-along, a children’s book club, free sugar maple saplings, and more.

609-977-5872

“Aces for Alexander” Tennis Tournament

Alexander’s Wish For Kids announces the inaugural “Aces for Alexander” tennis tournament, taking place on Sunday, May 4, at the Mercer County Park Tennis Center. This community event coincides with what would have been Alexander’s 18th birthday, and aims to uplift local youth through educational support.

“Alexander should be turning 18 this May and preparing for college,” said Michelle Emerson, founder of Alexander’s Wish For Kids. “While we deeply miss him, we’re channeling our love into something meaningful — helping other young people achieve their dreams.”

Proceeds from the tournament will fund $1,500 scholarships for graduating high school seniors entering college in fall 2025. Scholarships are available to students living in Mercer County, and in Bucks County, Pa., who demonstrate financial need, academic achievement, community service, and leadership. Applications are open now through May 15 at alexanderswish.org/ scholarship.

The event begins with a warmup at 12 p.m. Men’s and women’s doubles is at 12:30 p.m., followed by doubles finals and lunch (included for all players) at 2 p.m. Mixed doubles is at 3 p.m.

Registration is $100 per player for one division; $150 for two. The registration deadline is April 28. Players of all levels are invited to participate in this day

Brunch &

of friendly competition and community spirit. Visit alexanderswish.org to register. For those unable to attend, donations can be made at alexanderswish.org/donate.

Alexander’s Wish For Kids is a registered 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting children and families through scholarships and community initiatives.

Indoor Adventure Park Opens in Lawrence Urban Air Adventure Park, the nation’s largest indoor adventure park operator, is opening its 200th location in Lawrence Township on April 25 and 26. The April 25 event starts with a ribbon-cutting at 3 p.m., followed by a special free play for teachers, first responders, and their families from 4-8 p.m. The grand opening celebration on April 26, for the public, begins with live entertainment at 8 a.m. Doors open at 10 a.m. A dance contest, face painting, balloon artists, and other features are planned. Located at 2495 Brunswick Pike, the park will feature trampolines, ropes courses, Urban Air’s Sky Rider, Adventure Slides, Battle Beams, laser tag, Flip Zone Bumper Cars, the Leap of Faith, Spin Zone Bumper Cars, DropZone, and more. The park also includes a fast-casual café offering freshly prepared pizza, snacks, drinks, and ICEEs. Visit urbanair.com for more information.

Tell them you saw their ad in

Music at GRADUATE BY HILTON

Brunch: Saturdays & Sundays 10:00 am - 3:00 pm

Indulge in our delicious brunch menu that’s perfect for a weekend outing. Whether you’re in the mood for savory or sweet, we’ve got something for everyone!

Music: Thursdays | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm Fridays | 7:0 0 pm - 10:00 pm Select

| 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Relax and unwind with live music from local talent while enjoying great food and drinks.

(Photo courtesy of Marquand Park Foundation)

NJSBS Spring Button Show

Presents Life on Buttons

On Saturday, May 10

the New Jersey State Button Society (NJSBS) will host its Spring 2025 Button Show and Competition, “Pictorials: Presenting Life on Buttons,” at the Union Fire Company and Rescue Squad, 1396 River Road in Titusville. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

When the average person thinks of buttons, they see their utilitarian purpose — a row of ordinary white buttons on a blouse or a simple brown button on a coat. However, when a button collector refers to their buttons, they see so much more.

Often the stars of a button collection, “pictorials,” also known as picture buttons, are adorned with images or illustrations on their faces. Their themes include an abundance of subjects, including noteworthy people, places, historical events, hobbies, art, and more, all representative of the times in which they were made.

Many examples of pictorials will be on display during the show. One such an exhibit will feature an antique wedding necklace adorned with hand painted silk picture buttons, courtesy of NJSBS President Pam Muzio, who acquired the piece at auction. There are also four judged competitions, as well as a popular vote competition which highlights historical symbols, events and locations related to New Jersey.

Founded in 1941, when a nationwide interest in button collecting was surging, the NJSBS helps its members to study, collect, and enjoy garment buttons from the present and centuries past. The NJSBS Spring Show is open to the general public. Admission and parking are free. Email ButtonsInNewjersey@gmail.com for more information.

Tree City Designation

By Arbor Day Foundation

For the 29th year in a row, the Arbor Day Foundation, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters, has named the Municipality of Princeton a 2025 Tree City USA in honor of its commitment to effective forest management.

In celebration, the town’s Shade Tree Commission will be giving out free tree seedlings in Hinds Plaza on Saturday, April 26 from 12 to 5 p.m.

“We’re proud to receive this designation for nearly three decades. In 1976, Tree City USA established the standard for towns and cities across the United States to measure their progress as tree canopy stewards,” said Deanna Stockton, deputy

administrator, “and Princeton continues to exceed that standard, as it fulfills its commitment to address key environmental challenges through strategic planning.”

To achieve and maintain Tree City USA status, Princeton employs a municipal arborist and trained tree care professionals who manage a rigorous shade tree ordinance, coordinate essential spring and fall tree planting projects, and lead educational efforts at Arbor Day events and Community Night Out. As part of these efforts, the team has also developed publicfacing tools — such as the Recommended Tree Species List and the Treekeeper’s Inventory — to help residents make informed decisions and stay engaged in caring for Princeton’s tree canopy.

In 2024, Princeton concluded an Urban Tree Canopy Assessment to gain a comprehensive understanding of the current state of the canopy and identify opportunities for future tree planting. “The study clearly indicates canopy enhancement should be prioritized,” said Municipal Arborist Taylor Sapudar. “This is a challenge of vital importance to our community, one that we intend to address as we update our five-year Community Forestry Management Plan this year. Princeton is truly fortunate to have the support of elected officials and the necessary staff and resources to care for our trees and forests.”

In addition to having dedicated staff maintain and advocate for Princeton’s tree canopy, municipal officials have made strategic land preservation a top priority, through the acquisition of critical open spaces, such as the 153-Acre Wood and the newly acquired 90-acre Lanwin property.

“Princeton is committed to protecting its forests through proactive open space acquisition and management,” said Inga Reich, municipal open space manager. “These efforts rely on the ongoing stewardship and funding support of partners like the Friends of Princeton Open Space, Friends of Herrontown Woods, and the Ridgeview Conservancy, as well as collaboration with County and State agencies.”

stormwater and flooding, provide critical habitat for native wildlife, and play a role in carbon sequestration. Trees are absolutely essential to the longevity and resiliency of our community. We are proud to have received the Tree City USA status for the 29th year in a row.”

Daily Countdown to 250 By Battlefield Society

In anticipation of the 250th anniversaries of the United States, the state of New Jersey, and the Battle of Princeton, Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) has introduced a daily countdown of the Revolutionary War until the 250th anniversary of the battle, unveiled a new website on which the daily countdown will be introduced, and announced that PBS will launch their 2025 Battlefield Tour Series on May 18.

In addition, PBS announced that local historian and author Larry Kidder will deliver three special presentations this year. The countdown began on April 19, the first day of the war when Crown forces fired on Massachusetts farmers and artisans at Lexington and Concord, Mass.

The Battlefield tours, led by historical interpreters at Princeton Battlefield State Park, will be offered during the 2025 season on May 18 and, 26, June 1, July 13, August 10, 24, September 14, and October 12 and 26.

Kidder, will make three special presentations on the Battle of Princeton, on June 15, July 17, and September 28, discussing the experiences of the Clarke family, on whose grounds the Battle was fought, at the first presentation; the military action that led to the Battle at the second; and close out in the third with human stories about those involved in the Battle.

Hosted at The Farminary, Princeton Theological Seminary’s 21-acre sustainable farm, this series features scholars, activists, and artists interviewed over dinner. They are paired with a world-class chef who prepares the meal with a portion of the produce coming straight from the farm. Each event is capped at 24 people for a more intimate experience.

No big presentations. Just big ideas and delicious food.

Fall 2025 will also see the planting of Princeton’s first microforest, which will add more than 1,500 native trees and shrubs to a mere 5,000 square feet of underutilized lawn at Quarry Park.

Commenting on the importance of the Tree City USA designation, Mayor Mark Freda said, “The diversity and beauty of Princeton’s trees not only enhance the visual appeal of our neighborhoods, but also support public health, help manage

“The fight on our hallowed battlefield didn’t happen in a vacuum,” sais PBS President Ben Strong. “To really understand how we got here on January 3, 1777, we have to start at Lexington, move on the Siege of Boston, the Battle of Long Island, the retreat across New Jersey, the Crossing, Trenton and then here. Our new website will help everyone track the progress of the war until it literally landed on Thomas Clarke’s doorstep and then the doorsteps of the rest of Princeton. The old website gave its all for many years, but the new site will allow us to share more information, educate people more efficiently, and just looks cool and modern.”

To view the new website, visit PBS1777.org.

Get the scoop from

Dinner guests can anticipate an insightful exploration of how modern technologies and digital platforms commodify human attention, a concept Princeton scholar D. Graham Burnett refers to as "attention fracking." We’ll discuss the historical evolution of attention, emphasizing that the current crisis stems not solely from technological advancements but also from

BEST OF BUTTONS: An assortment of pictorial buttons will be on display at the New Jersey State Button Society Spring Show on Saturday, May 10 in Titusville.

Noting That Pedestrian-Vehicular Safety Depends On Appreciation for Sensitivities of All involved

To the Editor:

Late morning on a sunny summer day in August 2019 a truck driver looked right, turned left, and lethally crashed into my friend who was crossing the street on the walkway just in front of Princeton University Library.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, in 2023, 7,318 pedestrians were killed in traffic crashes nationwide, 171 of those in New Jersey. But what drives this plot? And who is perpetuating the problem?

There are four mutually antagonist actors.

The first are the car/truck drivers. Their goal is to get where they want as fast as possible: beat a yellow light, quickly change direction if a parking spot materializes, abruptly change lanes avoiding an apparent traffic jam, and make a sharp, un-signaled turn when they remember where they are going. Often these actors sit in their weatherprotected, 200 horsepower vehicle and honk, regardless of the perceived obstruction, ranging from another vehicle to a limping walker. (Has anyone ever quantitated honkefficacy, the time saved per minute of honk?) Once there, they often swing the driver door into the street and then mosey to the curb, or, if the whim arises, cross the street diagonally to their destination. Now apart from their car, they will take on a new role.

These second actors — the stroller, walker, jogger — apostate vehicular drivers, also have a mission and need a compliant environment, accessible sidewalks and safe street crossings to satisfy their “getting and spending” for the day. They expect and demand short traffic lights, and very patient drivers: they become indignant when drivers toot their horn, or speed through a blinking-yellow-light as they wait.

The third actors are the bicycle, motorized scooter, or skateboard riders. These participants, the most contrary, play all the roles: they act as pedestrians if sidewalks are available, as pedestrians if the stop sign is “red,” or as vehicle drivers if the light is green at any corner.

The fourth actors are the dreamers, the cell phone

gamers, the bouncing ear-phone wearers who dart out into traffic wherever and whenever the passion arises. In a college town like ours the car driver cannot predict or anticipate when these walkers might bolt into the street with no regard whatsoever to vehicular traffic. These participants also demand safety assurance but apparently scoff at any personal responsibility.

But what drives this plot? and who is perpetuating the problem? Who? Why, those of us who participate in the dynamics of urban travel, namely, all of us.

Something there is about the intense frenzy of urban vehicular traffic and pedestrian movement that foments impatience and lack of empathy for the “other guy.” Pedestrian-vehicular safety depends on our individual appreciation for the different sensitivities of the actors involved. Only after we realize this irony — our collective and individual responsibility and lack of empathy — will we begin to address and eliminate the tragic statistic.

BUZZ STENN Bayard Lane

Letters to the Editor Policy

Town Topics welcomes letters to the Editor, preferably on subjects related to Princeton. Letters must have a valid street address (only the street name will be printed with the writer’s name). Priority will be given to letters that are received for publication no later than Monday noon for publication in that week’s Wednesday edition.

Letters must be no longer than 500 words and have no more than four signatures.

All letters are subject to editing and to available space.

At least a month’s time must pass before another letter from the same writer can be considered for publication.

Letters are welcome with views about actions, policies, ordinances, events, performances, buildings, etc. However, we will not publish letters that include content that is, or may be perceived as, negative towards local figures, politicians, or political candidates as individuals.

When necessary, letters with negative content may be shared with the person/group in question in order to allow them the courtesy of a response, with the understanding that the communications end there.

Letters to the Editor may be submitted, preferably by email, to editor@towntopics.com, or by post to Town Topics, PO Box 125, Kingston, N.J. 08528. Letters submitted via mail must have a valid signature.

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Books

Author Speaks at Public Library On Harnessing Nature to Heal

Author Jaap de Roode discusses his recently published book, Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves, on Wednesday April 23 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library. A book signing is to follow. The event is co-sponsored by Princeton University Press.

Ages before the dawn of modern medicine, wild animals were harnessing the power of nature’s pharmacy to heal themselves. Doctors by Nature reveals what researchers are now learning about the medical wonders of the animal world, states the publisher (Princeton University Press, $27.95). The author argues that we have underestimated the healing potential of nature for too long and shows how the study of self-medicating animals could impact the practice of human medicine. Drawing on illuminating interviews with leading scientists from around the globe as well as his own pioneering research on monarch butterflies, de Roode demonstrates how animals of all kinds — from ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars — use various forms of medicine to treat their own

ailments and those of their relatives. De Roode asks whether these behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals — it can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits.

De Roode is Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Biology at Emory University, where he is director of the Infectious Diseases across Scales Training Program, which trains graduate students in interdisciplinary science to study and control infectious disease. He received his MSc. in population biology from Wageningen University in the Netherlands and his Ph.D. in evolutionary biology from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. He is interested in the ecology and evolution of infectious diseases, and currently studies infectious diseases of monarch butterflies, honey bees and humans. He is also on the board of directors of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, where he helps establish pollinator gardens, and provides milkweeds and nectar plants for members of the trail.

Bildner Center Program on Bible’s Role in Social Reform

Use of the Bible to support political positions is often associated with conservative groups, but the Bible has also long been a source of political fervor for progressive American voices and has played an instrumental role in advancing social reform movements.

Join Claudia Setzer of Manhattan University, in conversation with Gary A. Rendsburg of Rutgers University to explore how abolitionists, women’s rights supporters, contemporary climate activists, and other political progressives interpreted (and interpret) the Bible’s narratives to support their struggles. The program, “The Progressives’ Bible: How Scriptural Interpretation Built a More Just America,” will be held on Tuesday, April 29, at 7:30 p.m. at the Douglass Student Center, 100 George Street, New Brunswick.

Free and open to the public, the Toby and Herbert Stolzer Annual Lecture is presented by the Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life at Rutgers University. Advance registration is required at BildnerCenter.Rutgers. edu Free campus parking is available.

Setzer’s book, The Progressives’ Bible: How Scriptural Interpretation Built a More Just America (Fortress Press, 2024), emphasizes the activism of women, especially women of color, like Maria Stewart, Septima Clark, and Fannie Lou Hamer, while also considering contemporary social justice movements that draw strength from a range of biblical and religious traditions.

Setzer, professor of religious studies emerita at Manhattan University, is a leading scholar of the Hebrew Bible and New Testament. Rendsburg is Distinguished Professor of Jewish Studies and History and the Blanche and Irving Laurie Chair in Jewish History at Rutgers University.

The Allen and Joan Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life connects Rutgers University with the community through public lectures, symposia, Jewish communal initiatives, cultural events, and teacher training in Holocaust education.

Brunch Features Book

Based on WW II History

Author Jennifer Coburn discusses and signs copies of her recently released novel, The Girls of the Glimmer Factory , on Sunday, May 4, from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee and pastries.

The book is a tale of resistance, friendship, and the dangers of propaganda, based on the real story of Theresienstadt, a model ghetto where Nazis plan to make a propaganda film, involving two childhood friends, one a Jewish young resistance member, and the other a believer in the Nazi cause, working on the film.

Coburn is the author of Cradles of the Reich , a historical novel about three very different women living at a Nazi Lebensborn breeding home at the start of World War ll. She has also

Jennifer Coburn published a mother-daughter travel memoir, We’ll Always Have Paris , as well as six contemporary women’s novels. Coburn has contributed to five literary anthologies, including A Paris All Your Own. She lives in San Diego, Calif., and volunteers with So Say We All, a live storytelling organization, where she is a performer, producer, and performance coach. She is also an active volunteer with Reality Changers, a nonprofit that supports low-income high school students in becoming the first in their families to attend college.

The program is presented with support from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Panel Discusses “Great Gatsby” At Labyrinth Books Event With the question “What’s so great about The Great Gatsby ?” presented, scholars Maureen Corrigan and Anne Margaret Daniel, and moderator Alfred Bendixen, founder of the American Literature Association, will consider the novel on the 100th anniversary of its publication, its history, and its author, F. Scott Fitzgerald. The event is on April 28 at 4:30 p.m., at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street. Registration is free but requested at labyrinthbooks.com/events/gatsby100-panel.

Those who register will be admitted first. Remaining seats will be filled at 4:25 p.m. on a first-come, firstserved basis.

Bendixen is best known as the founder of the American Literature Association, for which he continues to serve as executive director. Much of his scholarship has been devoted to the recovery of 19th-century texts, particularly by women writers, and to the exploration of neglected genres, including the ghost story, detective fiction, science fiction, and travel writing. He currently teaches for the Department of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Princeton University.

Corrigan is The Nicky and Jamie Grant Distinguished Professor of the Practice in Literary Criticism in the Department of English at Georgetown University. She received her Ph.D. and M.A. from the University of Pennsylvania with a concentration in the social criticism of John Ruskin and William Morris. She received her B.A. in English from Fordham University. For the past

35 years, Corrigan has been the weekly book critic on the Peabody Award-winning NPR program “Fresh Air.’’ Her book, So We Read On: How The Great Gatsby Came to Be and Why It Endures was selected as an Editors’ Choice by The New York Times Book Review. Her literary memoir, Leave Me Alone, I’m Reading, was published in 2005.

Daniel teaches literature and humanities at the New School University in New York City. She has written on topics from Oscar Wilde’s trials to F. Scott Fitzgerald, Bob Dylan, and contemporary music. Her edition of Fitzgerald’s previously unpublished short stories I’d

Die for You and Other Lost Stories was published by Scribner in 2017; her Norton Library edition of The Great Gatsby in 2022; and her second edition of Tales of the Jazz Age for Oxford World Classics in 2023. She is currently at work, with Jackson L. Bryer, on an edition of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald’s selected letters; and on a book of essays about Bob Dylan. This event is presented in collaboration with Princeton University Library’s celebration of The Great Gatsby at 100, a suite of on- and off-campus programming inspired by the library’s significant Fitzgerald and Gatsby-related holdings.

On Shakespeare’s Birthday, Smoking Is the Unintended Consequence

An open pack of premium cigarettes was thus a centerpiece of Hindenburg advertisements.

—Edward Tenner

who shared the same fate as another passenger in the doomed air-ship’s smoking lounge. “Cigarettes may be harmful to your health” advisories remained in the future.

Even before I read about those advertisements in Edward Tenner’s new book Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge : Essays on Unintended Consequences (American Philosophical Society Press $34.95), my interest in vintage cigarette ads had been stirred by a Broadhurst Theatre Playbill from 1934, three years before May 6, 1937, the day the Hindenburg crashed and burned on landing at Lakehurst N.J. Naval Air Station, killing 35 of the 97 passengers. By specifying the proportion of fatalities, Tenner leaves it up to us to assume that most of the victims were in the smoking lounge at the time (“under 7 million cubic feet of flammable gas”), a possibility underscored by a pointed reference to satirist Bruce McCall’s drawing of a Hindenburg prospectus showing a skeleton in an officer’s uniform asking elegant passengers, “Zigarette?”

The Playbill

Passed down by my parents, who once dreamed of writing Broadway plays together, the Playbill for Men In White , Sidney Kingsley’s drama about doctors, love, abortion, and medical ethics, features three cigarette ads in its 22 pages, the first a two-page spread wherein the “Warner Bros.” star Joan Blondell testifies to the “throat-ease and flavor” of Old Golds, my two-pack-a-day mother’s brand for life. Another two-page spread (“Get a LIFT with a Camel!”) shows two unidentified young women, one frowning (“Tired? Then light a Camel!”); the other smiling, radiant, cigarette in hand. On the back cover an older, fashionably dressed woman is saying, “Frankly, one of the chief reasons why I enjoy Chesterfields is the fact that I don’t get little crumbs of tobacco in my mouth.”

The Unmentionable Consequence

The ancient Lucky Strike sales pitch — “So round, so firm, so fully packed, so free and easy on the draw” — was all about those “little crumbs.” As for Old Golds, I once threw a pack out the car window while my mother was driving me to school, so sure was I that they were killing her. She died (“complications of emphysema”) at 67. Joan Blondell’s husband Dick Powell, the musical comedy pretty boy turned tough private eye and a well-known chain smoker, died of lung cancer at 58. You could think of anyone

“Unintended Consequences”

Asked for an example of “unintended consequences” by an interviewer in Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge, Tenner cites the filter cigarette’s “bridging of health care and consumer behavior,” adding, “Smoking one is just as unhealthy as smoking an unfiltered cigarette because of the way the smoker compensates for lower nicotine by inhaling more deeply.” Tenner calls it “a common theme. People tend to offset the benefits of some safety feature by behaving more dangerously.”

My mother briefly fell for the filter idea before coming home to Old Golds. One ongoing “unintended consequence” I’m dealing with at the moment is the way the cigarette theme has taken over a column that runs on Shakespeare’s birthday, all because of Tenner’s thoughtprovoking title. While I’ve not been able to identify the brand of “premium cigarettes” featured in the ad, Camels is mentioned in a Hindenburg blog, which is my cue to admit that every time I look at the table on my right I see the battered package of Camels that was in my uncle’s pocket when his B-52 crashed on a training flight in 1944. Of all the personal effects found on the body of my mother’s beloved brother, the memento she saved is a half-smoked pack of cigarettes.

discovered, the two-word line Draper comes up with in the early 1960s actually was in use as far back as the 1930s when Lucky Strike was endorsed by stars such as Spencer Tracy and Clark Gable, who played the role of a surgeon in the film version of Men In White In Mad Men’s pilot episode, Draper is doing some research in a popular New York night club, asking a waiter what brand he smokes; when he says “Old Golds,” Draper asks him if there were no more Old Golds in existence, would he consider another brand, like Luckies, for instance? After the waiter says how much he loves smoking, noting that his wife read that it “will kill you,” Draper wonders how do you convince people to keep on loving something that may be killing them? As the scene ends, he’s aiming a gaze worth a thousand words at the living tableau of people at the bar and in the lounge area, all of them smoking.

“Mad Men”

Lucky Strike, my brand for 10 years before I bailed out of the smoking lounge at 25, looms large for Jon Hamm’s Don Draper in the HBO series Mad Men. With his agency Sterling Cooper about to lose a goldmine as the Lucky Strike contingent exits the conference room, he calls them back and nails the deal with some inspired poetry on human happiness and the phrase, “It’s Toasted.” As I’ve since

Shakespeare Smoking

It’s Shakespeare’s birthday and all I can think about is cigarettes. Why am I haunted by the scent of new mown Virginia tobacco whenever I think of The Tempest ? Why do I see Jimmy Cagney’s Bottom and Olivia de Havilland’s Hermia lighting up during a break while filming A Midsummer Night’s Dream ? Cagney did ads (“There’s nothing tough about my throat — that’s why I smoke Old Golds”). For the divine Olivia the magic brand was Chesterfields. When I googled “Shakespeare and Smoking,” I landed on Esquire’s August 2015 Entertainment page, where Jill Krasny quotes from a study in The Independent about the chemicals indicative of cannabis found in pipe bowls and stems in Shakespeare’s Stratford-uponAvon garden. Also referenced is an issue of Country Life magazine that cites John Gerard’s 1597 engraving, Herbal, in which “The Fourth Man” is William Shakespeare. The article refers to various kinds of tobacco introduced to Elizabethan England. It’s hard not to think of the allcaps LIFT in the Camel ad. You have to

believe Shakespeare smoked, whether the lift was delivered by tobacco, cannabis, or the elixir Falstaff celebrates in The Merry Wives of Windsor that “ascends me into the brain; dries me there the foolish and dull and crudy vapours which environ it; apprehensive, quick, forgetive, full of nimble, fiery, and delectable shapes; which delivered o’er to the voice, the which is the birth, becomes excellent wit.”

Imagine Caliban on Prospero’s island in The Tempest, telling himself: “Be not afeard. The isle is full of noises. Sounds, and sweet airs that give delight and hurt not. Sometimes a thousand twangling instruments will hum about mine ears, and sometime voices that, if I then had waked after long sleep, will make me sleep again. And then, in dreaming, the clouds methought would open and show riches ready to drop upon me, that when I waked I cried to dream again.”

The Shadow Knows

“The Shadow: Pathfinder of Human Understanding,” the last essay in Why the Hindenburg Had a Smoking Lounge , first appeared in the Spring 2021 issue of Raritan Quarterly Review. After referring to the joint creation of a picture of a black hole (“eight radio telescopes, two hundred astronomers at thirteen institutions”), Tenner mentions “a larger black area” beyond the black hole itself, both researchers and journalists called its shadow.” In Tenner’s words, “No other metaphor would capture the idea of secondary darkness” The creation of that composite image “has become the most striking confirmation of Alfred Einstein’s general relativity theory in a hundred years.”

After detailing how humanity “has made the shadow a tool: to record time in space, to compress three dimensions into two, and to make the unseen visible,” and after noting that “the peaceful global use of shadows has so far prevailed,” Tenner rounds toward a conclusion inspired by the discovery “of countless exoplanets,” including one that is “potentially earthlike.” Thus the Shakespeare’s birthday question is Edward Tenner’s “Will we ultimately decode messages from its possible extraterrestrial citizens? if so, it may be a shadow that first pointed us in the right direction.”

—Stuart Mitchner

In an Editor’s Note in the Winter 2025 Raritan, which was founded in 1981 by Richard Poirier, Jackson Lears reports “the sad news” that the review “will cease publication after the Late Spring 2025 issue.”

PU Orchestra and Glee Club

Combine for Concert of French Music

Spring is always a time of renewal, and for college students the season may mean an opportunity to enjoy a break from the academic race to the end of the semester. For the members of the Princeton University Orchestra and Glee Club, the early months of this spring have meant hard work and preparation as the two ensembles came together for a presentation of 20th-century pieces. This past weekend’s performances of Francis Poulenc’s Gloria and Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé showed precision, musicality, and crisp playing in the annual Stuart B. Mindlin Concerts.

Friday night’s performance (which was repeated Saturday night) in Richardson Auditorium juxtaposed two French composers linked by their use of Impressionistic compositional devices as well as a unique scoring for chorus. Early 20th-century composers in France often added choral forces as wordless voices for effect — distinctly evident in Ravel’s 1912 ballet Daphnis et Chloé. Fifty years later, Poulenc’s 1960 six-movement Gloria drew on voices to the fullest to convey a liturgical test. Led by Orchestra conductor Michael Pratt, the University Orchestra and Glee Club were precise from the outset of the Gloria , with short decisive conducting gestures from Pratt eliciting a crisp sound. Off-beat rhythms were meticulous from the Glee Club, and it was unmistakable that this piece was a good fit for these singers.

Throughout the six movements, the singers of the Glee Club, prepared by University choral specialist Michael McCormick, kept endings exact, often accompanied by clean winds and brass. Poulenc may have tried to get away from the blurred harmonies and atmospheric sound of his predecessors, and the unexpected rhythms and imaginative instrumentation recalled the Paris music of Igor Stravinsky. Adding an elegant color to the music were wind and brass solos, including bassoonist James Dyson and hornist Clara Conatser. Stepping out from the Glee Club as soprano soloist for this work was Princeton University junior Talia Czuchlewski. Singing in the third, fifth and sixth movements, Czuchlewski displayed a light and clear sound, hitting top notes with ease. Poulenc’s orchestration was a lush palette through which to sing, and Czuchlewski easily handled her role in the music.

Maurice Ravel composed Daphnis et

Chloé as a ballet on a Greek dramatic theme for Sergei Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Although not a great success at its premiere, the score has since been regarded as a model of the French Impressionistic style, with excerpts subsequently extracted by Ravel into two orchestral suites. The University Orchestra performed the complete ballet Friday night, with the Glee Club singing from the Richardson balconies as a Greek chorus adding musical color and shadings. Divided into three theatrical sections and a variety of “danses,” Daphnis is a mastery of orchestration, with wind and brass solos giving life to the characters in the mythological storyline. Opening with subtle harp arpeggios against low strings, the “Introduction et Danse religieuse” were marked by elegant solo lines from flutist Audrey Yang and hornist Spencer Bauman. Ravel’s instrumentation was renowned for its “sunrise” effect, with which the Orchestra rose to full volume amid the ebb and flow of dynamics.

As conducted by Pratt, the dances of the ballet flowed smoothly into one another, and tempos effortlessly shifted. Yang’s flute solo playing reappeared throughout the ballet, often as exotic melodies and just as often answered by Bauman’s solo horn lines. Clarinets and bassoons were frequently paired, with principal clarinetist Kyle Tsai providing solid solo playing. The University Glee Club, prepared by Gabriel Crouch, sang wordless accompaniment in several movements with a choral sound that resonated cleanly through the hall.

The Orchestra musicians played with quite a bit of vibrato at times, creating a particularly rich viola and cello sectional sound. Ravel’s score called for an especially prominent group of flutes, which Friday night also included two piccolos and alto flute. The Orchestra’s eight percussionists came to the forefront in the final “Bacchanale,” with the Glee Club providing intense singing from the balconies. Swirling wind lines and refined horns aided in bringing the extensive ballet to a close. As with each concert at this time of year, both Pratt and Crouch acknowledged the graduating seniors in the Orchestra and Glee Club, with students congratulating their colleagues and the audience marveling at the laundry lists of academic degrees and certificates the musicians had compiled while still finding time for a great performance.

—Nancy Plum

Performing Arts

Jerry Rife, conductor of

Oldest Community Band

To Celebrate Milestone

on the podium at a concert that also marks the 135th year of the band on May 18. different pieces since 1990, the year of the first Anniversary Concert.

The Blawenburg Band, New Jersey’s oldest community band, will celebrate its 135 years of performing as well as the 40th year of conductor Jerry Rife’s leadership at its Anniversary Concert in Kendall Hall on The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) campus, 2000 Pennington Road, Ewing, on Sunday, May 18, at 3 p.m.

The concert is free, but donations are welcome. On the program are traditional band marches, show tunes, and more.

Founded in 1890, the band was named for the village where it was based in for many years, the historic village of Blawenburg in Montgomery Township. The band began with a handful of musicians who gathered weekly in the upper room of the village blacksmith and wheelwright shop.

Today, the band has over 80 members, and Rife has conducted over 1,500 concerts, averaging 20 per year. Under his direction, the band has played over 400

Band members practice every week during the school year to prepare for their performances. They perform two large concerts each year, the Anniversary Concert in the spring and the Holiday Concert in December. In addition, the band plays a concert series in Hopewell Borough during the summer months and at many smaller venues throughout the year.

Much of the success of the band comes from Rife’s belief that in rehearsals and concerts, the band members must have fun mixed with a lot of playing. “They come to play,” Rife recently said of the band members, “so that’s what we do each week.”

Rife earned a Ph.D. in musicology at Michigan State where he also served as assistant professor. In 1984, he began teaching at Rider University, and served as professor and Fine Arts Department chair for nine years. He holds the rank of

Moonface Martin (a.k.a., Public Enemy 13) to stay on board, the comedy gets rolling with mistaken identities, a comical disguise, and blackmail — along with music and dancing.

This classic musical was updated in 2022 with a new book (2022) but still features Cole Porter’s iconic score, including I Get A Kick Out of You, You’re the Top, and Anything Goes.

Garden Theatre Announces Summer Film Screenings

professor emeritus of music. Rife quickly discovered the Blawenburg Band upon coming to New Jersey, and after playing clarinet for a year, he became its conductor in 1985. Under his direction, the band has played concerts at Princeton University, Longwood Gardens, the Sousa Centennial Ceremony, and the White House. For more information, visit blawenburgband.org.

All Aboard at Kelsey For “Anything Goes”

The Mercer County Community College (MCCC) Academic Theater and Dance program presents the musical comedy Anything Goes, April 25-May 4 at the Kelsey Theatre on the college’s West Windsor Campus.

The show follows the antics of Billy Crocker, who stows away on the S.S. American when he learns his love interest, Hope, is on board and bound for England to marry the wealthy Lord Evelyn Oakleigh. When Billy borrows an unused ticket and passport from gangster

“This is the largest cast we have ever had—a monster of a show,” said Jody Gazenbeek-Person, coordinator of the Theater and Dance program at MCCC. “It’s a mixture of students and community members, as it is important to have our production open to community members. In educational theatre, performers get a deeper learning experience because of the prestigious educational backgrounds of the production team — director, choreographers, vocal coach, designers, stage manager, etc. Also, almost everyone on the production team for Anything Goes has done a considerable amount of professional work in the entertainment industry, so this knowledge is passed on to the performers throughout the rehearsal process.”

Shows are Friday, April 25 and May 2, and Saturday, May 3, at 8 p.m., and Sunday, April 27 and May 4 at 2 p.m. at the Kelsey Theatre on MCCC’s West Windsor Campus, 1200 Old Trenton Road. Tickets are $26 for adults and $24 for children and students.

Visit kelseytheatre.org.

The Princeton Garden Theatre has announced the 2025 lineup of the annual Hollywood Summer Nights program. Featuring 34 films that showcase over 75 years of cinematic history, the season will include classic literary adaptations, political satires, sci-fi and fantasy spectacles, and much more. Each film will be exhibited as originally intended: on the big screen.

Opening the series on May 28 is Planet of the Apes , followed by The Maltese Falcon on May 29. The season will close on September 10 with Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove: or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, and Christopher Nolan’s Memento on September 11. Each film will begin at 7 p.m. with select titles receiving encore screenings on Sunday afternoons.

Sprinkled throughout Hollywood Summer Nights are titles for the Garden’s year-long series on film music – Keeping the Score. Entries include the opening night movie, Planet of the Apes , as well as Wuthering Heights (1939), Return of the Jedi , Rocky , and The Graduate. As a special treat, there will be a presentation of The Lord of the Rings:

The Fellowship of the Ring, first in its theatrical version on June 26 and its extended cut on June 29.

The Garden’s ongoing collaboration with Turner Classic Movies’ writer Hannah Jack for the Deep Focus Online Seminar series will continue with pictures personally curated by Jack: Rebecca on June 4, The Manchurian Candidate on July 3, Bad Day at Black Rock on July 31, and a Sunday matinee showing of Oklahoma! on August 24. Deep Focus is supported by a grant from the Vesta Fund.

Joining the Garden’s audience on June 17 for a screening of Sunset Boulevard will be Michael Schulman, author of Oscar Wars , a history of the Academy Awards. Schulman will engage in a discussion following the film.

The Garden will be paying tribute to the late Gene Hackman by screening a new restoration of The Conversation on August 20, followed by The Royal Tenenbaums on August 21.

The complete schedule, which includes favorites like Casablanca , North by Northwest , and Raiders of the Lost Ark, can be found at princetongardentheatre. org/hsn.

Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.

SAIL AWAY: Cast members of the Mercer County Community College Academic Theater and Dance program rehearse the upcoming production of “Anything Goes,” which runs April 25-May 4 at the Kelsey Theatre on the college’s West Windsor Campus.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY:

the Blawenburg Band, celebrates his 40th year

“Not Your Run of the Mill” Photo Show at Phillips’ Mill April marks a month-long celebration of fine art photography at the historic Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa., which wraps up with a final exhibit spotlighting the work of the Mill Photo Committee members who organize the annual juried exhibition each year.

The “Not Your Run of the Mill Photo Show” is on view through April 27. The Mill Photo Committee is comprised of both professional and amateur photographers who meet and share their interests in all things photography throughout the year. Like the juried exhibition, the Photo Committee show fills both levels of the Mill, upstairs and down, with works of photographic art on the walls, as well as dozens of matted prints in the portfolio bins.

Gallery hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. with extended hours on Friday and Saturday until 8 pm. Phillips’ Mill is located at 2619 River Road in New Hope, Pa. For more information, call (215) 862-0582. Or visit phillipsmill.org.

Art Station Celebrates

34 Years of Open Studios

The Art Station, 148 Monmouth Street, Hightstown, will celebrate its 34th year of open studios on Sunday, May 4 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Art Station welcomes the public to tour its historic building, view the art, and meet award-winning artists during its semi-annual open studios. Enjoy light refreshments and conversation, and learn what inspires the artists and about their creative process. Visitors will also have the opportunity to

enter a drawing for a door prize.

The eclectic art mix at the Art Station includes painting, drawing, fiber art, mixed media, collage, assemblage, sculpture, video, jewelry, and ceramics. Artwork will be available for purchase.

The Art Station artists include Murray Becker, Anne Ciemnecki, Karen Cybulski, Ingrid Davis, Roy Fisher, Gary David Fournier, Marisa Keris, Kathleen Hurley, Liao, Claudia Luongo, Jane Nieman, Mary Jane Puleio, Tehyla Richman, Anne Steinhorn, Joy Sacalis, Chanika Svetvilas, Susan Winter, and Juanita Yoder. For more information, visit artstationstudios.com.

Talk on Photography Of Edward H. Stokes

The Trent House Association will host a talk by Gary Saretzky illustrating photography of the mid-19th century with a special focus on the work and life of Edward H. Stokes. This free talk will be given on Sunday, April 27 at 2 p.m. in the Trent House Visitor Center, located at 15 Market Street, Trenton. Free parking is available behind the property off William Trent Place.

The last private owners of the Trent House, then known as Woodlawn, were the Stokes family. Edward Harris Stokes was born in 1824. He became an accomplished artist, photographer, and daguerreotypist in the 1850s. After his marriage to the wealthy heiress

sociation, which is supported by the generosity of its donors; by grants from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, the New Jersey Cultural Trust, the New Jersey Historic Trust, the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission with funding from the New Jersey Historical Commission, and the Bunbury Fund and the New Jersey Arts & Culture Renewal Fund of the Princeton Area Community Foundation; and by contributions from NJM Insurance Group and Orion General Contractors. For more information, visit williamtrenthouse.org.

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Roberto Lugo: Orange and Black” through July 6. Artmuseum. princeton.edu.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Imagine-Observe” through May 4. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Metamorphosis,” “Precious Virtues,” and “Now and Then: Amazigh Resurgence” through May 3. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen” and “Japan to Manhattan” through May 4. Gallery 14.org.

Lambertville, has “Awakenings” through June 20. Greenbuildingcenter.com.

Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection” and “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Princetonhistory.org

Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” through December 31, 2026. Mercermuseum.org.

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show” through May 5, “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real” through July 27, and “Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural” through September 14. Michenerartmuseum .org

Milberg Gallery at Firestone Library, Princeton University, has “The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ’59 Collection & the Age of Reason” through June 8. Library.princeton.edu/ lapidus2025.

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Historic Morven: A Window Into America’s Past” (ongoing). Morven.org.

The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, has “Held Together” through June 5. Catherinejmartzloff.com.

Phillips’ Mill, 2619 River Road, New Hope, Pa., has “Not Your Run of the Mill Photo Show” through April 27. Phillipsmill.org.

Silva Gallery of Art, Pennington School, 113 West Delaware Avenue, Pennington, has “The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America” through June 6. Pennington.org.

Silverman Gallery of Bucks County Impressionist Art, 4920 York Road, Holicong, Pa., has “David Stier: Refuge” through May 4.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has paintings by Rooma Sehar through May 6. Paintings by Alessandra Morabito are at the 254 Nassau Street location through May 6. Smallworldcoffee.com.

Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, has “Cultural Connections: Eastern European Artists from the Greater Trenton Area” through June 8. Ellarslie.org.

West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Member Show: Your visual Story Through Art” through May 31. Westwindsorarts.org.

TOWN TOPICS

is printed entirely on recycled paper.

Permelia Wood in 1860, Stokes retired from this business to become active in Trenton civic affairs and investments, while his nephew, Stockton Stokes, remained a photographer for many years in Trenton and Philadelphia. This illustrated lecture by Gary Saretzky explores both the early history of photography in Trenton and the life of Edward H. Stokes, who became one of the wealthiest men in Trenton.

Saretzky, archivist, educator, and photographer, worked as an archivist for more than 50 years. He has published more than 100 articles and reviews on the history of photography, photographic conservation, and other topics, including “Nineteenth-Century New Jersey Photographers” in the journal , New Jersey History , Fall/Winter 2004, a revised version of which is available at saretzky.com.

The William Trent House Museum is a National Historic Landmark in the Crossroads of the American Revolution National Heritage Area and on the Washington-Rochambeau Revolutionary Route National Historic Trail and on the New Jersey Black Heritage Trail. The museum is dedicated to sharing the authentic history of the house, property, and people with our communities, connecting the past with today and tomorrow. Owned by the City of Trenton, it is operated by the Trent House As -

Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street,

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Roberto Lugo/Orange and Black

Saturday, April 26

Artist Demonstration

12–2 p.m. | Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street

Join Roberto Lugo a for a wheel-throwing demonstration. Visitors will decorate a pre-thrown vessel with visual motifs that combine classic patterns and elements of hip-hop and streetwear.

Open Mic

3 p.m. | Hinds Plaza

Roberto Lugo will be a featured performer for this special Porchfest-edition of Story & Verse, the Arts Council of Princeton’s monthly open mic, being held outdoors on Hinds Plaza. Co-sponsored by the Arts Council of Princeton, the Princeton Public Library, and the Princeton University Art Museum.

Lugo’s work is currently on view in the exhibition Roberto Lugo / Orange and Black through Sunday, July 6 at Art@ Bainbridge.

Artist Roberto Lugo. Photo: Jeff Evans

“JAPANESE MAPLE Leaves”: This photo by Sharlene Holliday is featured in the “Not Your Run of the Mill Photo Show,” on view through April 27 at Phillips’ Mill in New Hope, Pa.

The Arts Council of Princeton presents

1. 102 Witherspoon Street

12-12:45pm The Conversation Americana/Folk

1-1:45pm Westrick Music Academy: Princeton Boychoir and Princeton Girlchoir Classical

2-2:45pm Music, Loud! Rock/Metal

3-3:45pm Gaia Raga World

4-4:45pm Ashford King Americana/Folk

2. 254 Witherspoon Street

12-12:45pm Jersey Blues Band Blues

1-1:45pm Cousin Oven

Acoustic/singer-songwriter

2-2:45pm RPG Jazz Project Jazz

3-3:45pm Ecclesia Musicians Collective Acoustic/singer-songwriter

4-4:45pm Fake Pockets Alternative

3. 94 Birch Avenue

12-12:45pm Frances De Vargas Americana/Folk

1-1:45pm Mixt Acoustic/singer-songwriter

2-2:45pm Naked Hugs Alternative

3-3:45pm Matt W. Charles, Petrie the Bold

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 4-4:45pm Damsel Americana/Folk

4. 225 Birch Avenue

12-12:45pm Rob Ehee

Acoustic/singer-songwriter

1-1:45pm 93DCRISTO Hip Hop

2-2:45pm Maria Palmer with Paul Pessutti

Acoustic/singer-songwriter

3-3:45pm The Aguille Collective Hip Hop 4-4:45pm Breaknrecords Band R&B/Soul

5. 287 Witherspoon Street

12-12:45pm Hickory Americana/Folk

1-1:45pm Olivia Eden

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 2-2:45pm Caleb Holt Pop/R&B

7. 107 Moore Street 12-12:45pm XRoadRunner Alternative 1-1:45pm Marilyn’s Kitchen World 2-2:45pm Starikova Rock/Metal 3-3:45pm Mandy Valentine Country/Classic Rock 4-4:45pm Too Cool to Bluff Classic Rock

8. 39 Moore Street 12-12:45pm S. Hunter Gray

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 1-1:45pm American Religion Rock/Metal 2-2:45pm Tony & The Trees Blues 3-3:45pm Bomber Jacket Alternative 4-4:45pm BTE Classic Rock

9. 30 Chestnut Street 12-12:45pm Crown Acoustic Americana/Folk 1-1:45pm Fish & Whistle Bluegrass 2-2:45pm Helen O’Shea Americana/Folk 3-3:45pm Redbird Blues 4-4:45pm Loose Bricks Classic Rock 10. 45 Linden Lane 12-12:45pm Isabella Romanello

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 1-1:45pm Sourland Mountain String Band Bluegrass 2-2:45pm Dan Kassel Classical 3-3:45pm Gabe Parsons

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 4-4:45pm Close Drive Alternative 11. 302 Nassau

SATURDAY, APRIL 26 @ 12-6PM

3-3:45pm Ruby West Alternative 4-4:45pm Gravity Hill Band Alternative

6. 17/19 Jefferson Road

12-12:45pm Greg McGarvey

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 1-1:45pm Hubbell Benson Alternative 2-2:45pm Leon and the Combo du Jour Classic Rock

3-3:45pm Georgia Owen

Acoustic/singer-songwriter 4-4:45pm Jo Wymer Band Classic Rock

Town Topics | Mark Your Calendar

Wednesday, April 23

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilmember Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at Palmer Square benches, across from Rojo’s Roasters.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton University Farmers’ Market , Firestone Library/ Chapel Plaza. Fresh produce and other goods from area farmers and businesses. Pumarket@princeton.edu.

6 p.m.: The Board of Trustees of Princeton Public Library meets at the library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

6 p.m.: Author and biology professor Jaap de Roode discusses his book Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes and Other Animals Heal Themselves. At Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: Psycho is screened at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, as part of the “Keeping the Score” film series. Gardentheatre.org/score.

Thursday, April 24

5:30 p.m.: Wine and Design: Sips and Make Your Own Planter Night, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Pam Mount and Reuwai Mount Hanewald lead the session over a flight of Terhune wine. $50 includes wine, plants, container, and materials. Terhuneorchards.com.

5:30-7:30 p.m.: Business After Business held by Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber at Eden Autism, 2 Merwick Road. Princetonmercer.org.

6-8 p.m.: Screening of Framing the Panthers followed by a conversation with Dhoruba Bin Wahad, Robert Boyle, and William Clements at Robertson Hall 002, Princeton University. Free. Library.princeton.edu.

6:30 p.m.: Stand Against Racism, Y Center and YWCA Princeton, Paul Robeson Place. Annual community gathering culminates the “Steps 4 Equity” initiative. Winners of competitions will be announced; there will be performances and speakers. Ywcaprinceton.org/ steps4equity.

10:30 a.m.-12 p.m.: People & Stories/Gente y Cuentos holds a weekly event titled Our Common Ground: Literature and Poetry in Community with People & Stories at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.libnet.info/ event/13266655.

7 p.m.: Overview of the Basics of Homeschooling by a panel of experienced homeschooling parents, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7:15 p.m.: Monty Python’s Life of Brian is screened at Princeton Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, as part of the ProfPicks series. Princeton University Professor Anel Padilla Peralta speaks. Princetongardentheatre.org.

7:30 p.m.: An Evening with Fran Lebowitz at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place. Mccarter.org.

Friday, April 25

2 p.m.: “Katrina’s Cabaret: A Blood Dazzler Production” at Hearst Dance Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Multidisciplinary performance of music, poetry, dance and visual art examining the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

6 p.m.: Open Mic Night for Princeton High School students at this teens-only event, Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

7 p.m.: Comic Mark Normand presents “Ya Don’t Say” at State Theatre

New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $35-$159.75. Stnj.org.

Saturday, April 26

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Arbor Day Celebration at Marquand Park Children’s Arboretum, Lover’s Lane. Educational programming, scavenger hunt, story time, and more. Marquandpark.org.

10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Health and Family Fun Fair at Trenton Thunder Ballpark, Route 29, Trenton. Sponsored by the Children’s Home Society of New Jersey. Activities, healthy cooking demonstration, storytime in the dugout, lunch, and more. Free but registration required at chsofnj.org.

10 a.m.-3 p.m.: Earth Day Land Stewardship Volunteer Event at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Preserve, 57 Mountain Avenue. Sponsored by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Help perform riparian and forest restoration and plant native species. Fopos.org.

10 a.m.: Herb and Garden Class at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Led by Tannwen Mount. Free but registration necessary. Terhuneorchards.com.

11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Lambertville ShadFest . Food, arts and crafts, kids’ games, live music, and more. Lambertvillechamber.com.

12-5 p.m.: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Chris P. Terhuneorchards.com.

tour of new gardens, information about native plants, invasive plants, composting, and more. Free. Fpnl.org.

7:30-9 p.m.: Westminster Jubilee Singers perform at Rider University’s Gill Chapel, 2083 Lawrenceville Road. Vinroy Brown conducts psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. $20 ($15 students and seniors). (609) 896-7777.

Sunday, April 27

10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Foraging as Stewardship: Garlic Mustard at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, 57 Mountain Avenue. Sponsored by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Fopos.org.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Party Like It’s Your Earth Day Celebration , presented by Sustainable Princeton and Morven Museum and Garden at Morven, 55 Stockton Street. A day of sustainable, Earth-friendly activities. Rain or shine. Free.

11 a.m.-5 p.m.: Lambertville ShadFest . Food, arts and crafts, kids’ games, live music, and more. Lambertvillechamber.com.

12-3 p.m.: Clothing Swap hosted by Wull & Oak and Stylebook Closet App, 10 East Broad Street, Hopewell. Music, pizza, mending repairs, and more. Wullandoak.com.

12-5 p.m.: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Michael Montemurro. Terhuneorchards.com.

4 p.m.: The 34th Annual Amy Adina Schulman Memorial Lecture at The Jewish Center, 435 Nassau Street. Rabbi Michael M. Cohen speaks on “Cultivating Hope in a Time of Conflict: Building the Foundation for a Future of Peace.” Register at aasmf2025.eventbrite.com.

Monday, April 28

7 p.m.: Westminster Organ Studio Recital at Rider University’s Gill Chapel, 2083 Lawrenceville Road. Free. (609) 896-7775.

Tuesday, April 29

9:30 and 11 a.m.: Read and Pick Program: Chickens. At Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil road. Stories and a visit with chickens for kids pre-school to age 8. $12. Terhuneorchards.com.

7:30 p.m.: Claudia Setzer talks with Rutgers professor Gary A. Rendsburg about the book The Progressives’ Bible: How Scriptural Interpretation Built a More just America at the Douglass Student Center, Rutgers University, New Brunswick. Sponsored by the Bildner Center for the Study of Jewish Life. BildnerCenter. Rutgers.edu.

7:30 p.m.: Princeton University Wind Ensemble Spring Concert at Princeton High School Performing Arts Center, Walnut Lane. Premieres and other works by Gustav Holst, Shelley Hanson, Mark Ford, and Leroy Anderson. $7 and $15. Puwe.princeton.edu/ events.

12-6 p.m.: Porchfest music festival on front porches throughout Princeton. Free and walkable. Visit artscouncilofprinceton.org for a full schedule of events.

2-4 p.m.: Friends of Princeton Nursery Lands Celebration of Native Plants , at Mapleton Preserve, 145 Mapleton Road, Kingston. Grand opening of two Eagle Scout projects,

2-5 p.m.: Mystical Sounds Peace Concert at the Nakashima studios, 1847 Aquetong Road, New Hope, Pa. Annual fundraiser featuring musicians Taoufik Ben Amor and Gaurav Shag. Nakashimafoundation.org.

3-5 p.m.: “Building Princeton” in the barn at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road. Teams of family and friends compete to recreate iconic structures such as Nassau Hall and Einstein’s house with LEGOs. Princetonhistory.org.

Wednesday, April 30

11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilmember Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at Tipple and Rose, 210 Nassau Street.

11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton University Farmers’ Market , Firestone Library/ Chapel Plaza. Fresh produce and other goods from area farmers and businesses. Pumarket @princeton.edu

3 p.m.: Concordia Chamber Players perform works by Joaquin Turina, William Grant Still, and Johannes Brahms at Trinity Church, 6587 Upper York Road, Solebury, Pa. Concordiaplayers.org/ tickets.

3 p.m.: “Beyond the Fanlight: Music in Georgian Dublin” presented by the Practitioners of Musick in a program sponsored by the Princeton branch of the English-Speaking Union at the Center for Modern Aging, 101 Poor Farm Road. Legacy.esuus.org/princeton.

3 p.m.: Westminster Chapel Choir presents “Step into the World,” an evening of choral music, at Rider University’s Gill Chapel, 2083 Lawrenceville Road. $15-$20. (609) 896-7775.

1-3 p.m.: Land Stewardship Volunteer Session at Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, Mountain Avenue. Sponsored by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Help remove invasive species, do spring planting, and more. Fopos.org.

7 p.m.: Whiplash is screened at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, as part of the “Keeping the Score” film series. Gardentheatre.org/score.

7 p.m.: PSO Soundtracks Talk: The Signum Quartet gives an interactive talk at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Includes performances of 140-note #quartweets by professional and student composers as well as premieres. Presented by the Princeton Symphony Orchestra. Princetonsymphony.org.

Spotlight on Lambertville Town Topics

Lambertville Welcomes Shad And Visitors to Weekend ShadFest

Lambertville, known for funky antique shops, eclectic art galleries, and savory restaurants, is also known as a passing home for a fish swimming upstream in the Delaware River: the shad.

Lambertville will celebrate its shad during its 42nd annual ShadFest, Saturday, April 26 and Sunday, April 27, both days from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., in a townwide festival with local art, food, music, crafts, and vendors.

But the celebration is about more than the actual shad, a fish not found on a lot of menus because the deboning is a chore in itself. The shad declined in population about 50 years ago and never got back to where the haul used to be.

But the fish — the topic of John McPhee’s book The Founding Fish — has been a Delaware River mainstay in varying stages of population, and the ShadFest celebrates not only its return, but what it signifies.

“It keeps people connected to our world,” said Steve Meserve, whose greatgrandfather, Captain Bill Lewis, bought the former American Shad Fishery in 1888 and renamed it Lewis

Fishery. Fourth generation owner Meserve runs the fishery, the last commercial shad operation on the Delaware River. Like his greatgrandfather, Meserve is an advocate for the river, and appreciates the legacy of what the shad has meant to the history of the area.

“There’s the community aspect,” he said. “It’s a touch point in time. We can’t dictate when we do it (catch the shad) like other activities, because nature provides it for us. But the environment is fragile, as we have seen.”

Attention to shad “raises awareness of the environment,” and for kids, offers a picture of where food comes from,” he said.

Meserve will be demonstrating netting shad during the ShadFest, off the island at Lambert Lane and Coryell Street, where people can watch from the shore.

The fishery is the only one licensed to catch shad with nets on the Delaware River.

Meserve said there will be a video as well, in case people don’t catch the demonstration.

In the early days of the Lewis Fishery, shad was a commercially popular fish along the East Coast and

supported related businesses as well. But changing river conditions resulted in a gradual decline in the species. According to the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, quoted by the Pew Trust in a 2017 article, the East Coast shad catch dropped 50 million pounds in 1896 to around 10 million pounds in the 1950s. In fact, said Meserve, in 1953 and 1956 no shad were caught. “My great grandfather raised the alarm,” he said.

In the 1960s it was determined that pollution around Philadelphia killed the oxygen upstream, and the concern led to pollution control regulations instigated by Bill Lewis, and eventually to the 1972 Clean Water Act, which established guidance for regulating pollutant discharges into U.S. waters.

The fish trickled back upstream, and in 1982, Lambertville decided to celebrate the return of the shad.

The shad population ebbs and flows. Meserve explained that the decline could be due to increases in predatory species in the river, among other reasons, such as changing river depths. Shad serve as

prey for bigger fish, such as striped bass and cod, and other wildlife. Meserve is working with biologists and environmental agencies to learn what might be behind the current drops.

In the last couple years, the population, he said, “has been good, not returned to historic high at the turn of the 20th century, but good enough so that they sometimes throw shad back because there is not a high demand. Some people buy it directly from the familyrun fishery; but very few restaurants have them on their menus.

Lambertville Station is one of the few restaurants with shad on the menu during the ShadFest weekend, said a restaurant spokesperson. A 2021 video made by MeatEater (B-Side Fishing) shows Lambertville station Chef Chris Beall cooking shad roe wrapped with bacon, and sautéing fresh shad filets placed in a hearty sandwich. The restaurant will offer a beer garden and shad of some style during the ShadFest.

Meserve said he enjoys smoked shad and roe, or shad grilled with a marinade. Some bake it for hours to melt the bones, but the fish loses its character in that process, he said. He recalled the days of Lambertville fish bakes, but what

was served was dependent on the catch.

Meserve, who has a “day job,” tries to take his boat out some 30 times during the 10-week spring season. Sometimes the fish is available for orders after the boat comes in.

Elizabeth Pacelli, director of the Greater Lambertville Chamber of Commerce, which runs the ShadFest, noted that this year, a bank parking lot that held a food court will not be available, and food trucks will be throughout the festival. “It’s cool and it should make it a better experience, she said.

Music groups will perform and there is monitored bike parking behind the justice

Center on south Union Street. Some children’s activities will accompany the shad demonstrations.

Said Pacelli: “It’s a great, longstanding community event. As much work that goes into it, it is exciting and raises money for scholarships. You see people, enjoy a lot of music — it is a fun way to spend the day.” Visit lambertvillechamber. com/shad-fest for information on parking, dining, and activities.

Dining options from the Chamber website can be found at lambertvillechamber. com/dine.

–Wendy Greenberg

Continued on Next Page

STEWARD FOR THE SHAD: Steve Meserve, the fourthgeneration owner of the legendary Lewis Fishery off the Delaware River in Lambertville, is seen in a boat on the Delaware River, where he nets shad, a fish with a long history in the Delaware.

(Photo courtesy of Steve Meserve)

Spotlight on Lambertville Town Topics

Music Mountain Theatre Carries on Long-Held Lambertville Tradition

Music Mountain Theatre (MMT) has continued a Lambertville tradition of providing theater to the community, offering a variety of musicals, plays, and special events for adults and children each calendar year.

Executive Director Virginia “Ginny” Brennan wants people “to have a wonderful experience” and not only to return, but feel a part of Lambertville’s theater community.

To that end, this Sunday, April 27, at 7 p.m., the community will have input into future productions during the “By Popular Demand” concert. At that annual event, musical numbers are introduced from shows suggested for next year (2026), and the titles are labeled on fishbowls where audience members can donate and show support for the show they would like to see produced. The winning show is announced at the Annual MMT Game Night.

But there is a lot to see before 2026, including the play POTUS (until May 4); Pippin (May 9 to May 25); Hair (May 30 to June 15); Young Frankenstein (June 20-July 6); The Sponge Bob Musical (July 11 to August 3); Man of La Mancha

(August 8 to August 24); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (August 29 to September 21); Death Trap (September 26 to October 12); Sweeney Todd (last year’s “fishbowl” winner, October 17 to November 2); Annie (November 7 to November 23); A Christmas Carol (November 28 to December 14); and a big band holiday concert (December 19 to December 21).

And those shows are in addition to 14 children’s theater productions (currently, Finding Nemo until May 3, followed by Snow White ). The children’s shows are under an hour.

Auditions are held several times a year. Actors and singers only rehearse for two-three weeks before the opening. The children’s theater performers start rehearsals on a Monday, and by Friday, they are ready to go. This quick turnaround evokes the fast-paced summer stock seasons — a tradition with which Music Mountain Theatre has a connection.

Brennan, who always had a passion for theater, opened the Downtown Performing Arts Center in 2001. She was formerly the artistic director and general

manager for children’s theater at Bucks County Playhouse. In 2010, the Downtown troupe performed in open air at Washington’s Crossing, Titusville, and as she recalled, dealt with bugs, heat and even snakes.

In 2019 she passed a warehouse on Route 179, envisioned a theater, and owner Mike Strober helped turn it into the theater it is today. The first show was a version of Phantom of the Opera.

It seemed like fate when she learned the site was adjacent to the former St. John Terrell’s Lambertville Music Circus, which was fondly called Music Mountain. “It’s just a phenomenal history, I love it,” she said. Music Mountain’s lobby has a scrapbook of programs from the old summer stock theater in the round that had 2,200 seats under a striped circus tent, the first of its kind.

In fact, Brennan said, her favorite story about Terrell, who died in 1998, and went by the nickname Sinjin, shows how a community’s theater benefits a community. He paid his staff in silver dollars, she said, and when he later mentioned it around town, the merchants understood how the theater contributed to the local economy.

Brennan too, believes the theater contributes much to the local economy, and

culture. “It’s a community theater, in that sense,” she said.

Brennan works alongside her son, Producing Director Jordan Brennan, his husband, Artistic Director Louis Palena, and a board from the community, and they work with local youths in the junior resident company ages 13 to 18, and volunteers and interns, some of whom have become staff.

Musical theater, tap, jazz, and ballet classes are given. “I’ve seen some amazing kids come through,” she said. As a former employee of the Bucks County Intermediate Unit (she holds a psychology degree), she also works with differentlyabled individuals in a theater class, some of whom she has known for years.

Brennan’s hope for the future is to maintain Music Mountain’s success, and keep going. “To me, it is continuing to do what we are doing, continuing to be important to the community and bringing in new people with a variety of shows that appeal to a variety of ages.

“We want the audience to have a great experience and to come back. We are honored to honor the theater history in the area.”

Music Mountain Theatre is located at 1483 NJ-179 in Lambertville. Its website is musicmountaintheatre.org, and its box office can be reached at (609) 397-3337 or email boxoffice@musicmountaintheatre.org.

—Wendy Greenberg

Sip and Shop at Kalmia

Clubhouse

The Kalmia Club is holding a sip and shop pop-up fundraiser, on Friday, May 2, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the Kalmia Clubhouse, 39 York Street. Some of the items for sale will include affordable jewelry, summer shoes, gifts, baby clothes, custom-fitted bracelets, and refreshments. This one evening-only event is

presented by Attachments and Sage of Flemington and raises funds for the women’s club, which was established in 1862.

The Kalmia Club’s annual Hidden Gardens of Lambertville Tour, a self-guided walking tour that explores the private gardens of the community, will be held on June 14. For more information about the events, email kalmiaclub@gmail.com

A MUSICAL TRADITION: Music Mountain Theatre’s many productions include “The Scarlet Pimpernel,” shown here, and an array of shows spanning all genres. The theater is located adjacent to the former Lambertville Music Circus, which ran in the summer under a tent. (Photo courtesy Music Mountain Theatre.)

Area Artists Step Up for Annual ShadFest Poster Auction

Lambertville’s creative community illustrates the power of art as it steps up for an original poster auction that accompanies the annual ShadFest on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27, and provides scholarships for area high school students.

The posters depicting Lambertville and the ShadFest will be on view at First Presbyterian Church, (7 North Union Street, on August 26 and 27, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days, with a silent auction during the weekend, and a live auction beginning Sunday at 3 p.m.

Each year area students who live in the South Hunterdon Regional High School or New Hope-Solebury High School sending districts who are planning to pursue a college degree in the arts apply for the Jim Hamilton ShadFest Scholarship, a highly competitive selection process. Local artists donate original works of art, which the public purchases through an auction to fund two $25,000 scholarships.

The Jim Hamilton Memorial ShadFest Scholarship is funded by the ShadFest Poster Auction, an event made possible by the Greater Lambertville Chamber of Commerce, the community of artists who donate their work, the patrons who purchase the art, and the volunteers. The artists are both professional and amateur, many are nationally and internationally recognized.

Hamilton, who died in 2018, was a restaurateur and designer, referred to as a visionary who designed showrooms for Oleg Cassini, Diane von Furstenberg, and Ralph Lauren; windows for Tiffany & Co.; displays and lighting for Steuben Glass; the launch of the Ford Mustang at the 1964 World’s Fair; and stage and film sets. As a teenager he worked on scenery at St. John Terrell’s Music Circus in Lambertville, and worked his way up to set designer, then attended Brown University, Rhode Island School of Design and majored in fine arts at Yale. In 1956 he co-founded a studio in Lambertville in a former skating rink, producing scenery for Broadway shows and built touring sets for David Bowie, Tina Turner, the Rolling Stones and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey circuses. From designing restaurants, he opened Hamilton’s Grill Room, and he also created the Lambertville ShadFest. Hamilton’s Grill Room closed in 2022 after 30 years.

In the early 1980s, Hamilton, one of two men helming the Lambertville Area Chamber of Commerce, parlayed the shad returning upstream in the Delaware River into the annual ShadFest. They arranged for the first art auction, and the first auctioneer was St. John Terrell, who founded the Bucks County Playhouse and the Lambertville Music Circus, according to the poster auction website. The first art

auction was on the back of a hay wagon in the North Union Street parking lot. Examples of the posters submitted for this year are at shadfestposters.org/2025-

The message from the committee is: “It is our hope that as you browse the auc tion you will buy a piece of art to fund the scholar and also discover the joy of collecting and visiting local artists again and again to add to your collection.”

—Wendy Greenberg

HomeFront Art on View at Union Coffee

‘Blossom and Grow,’ an art exhibit from HomeFront in Lawrence Township, runs through April 29 at Union Coffee, 49 Union Street, Lambertville. The pop-up show celebrates the beauty and power of the spring and transformative nature of per sonal growth and expression in a series of paintings and mixed-media collages. The original works were created by HomeFront artists and are for sale. Each purchased work directly funds the art ist and future art therapy programs at ArtSpace. For more information, to preview or purchase artwork, visit homefront-artspace.com.

Spotlight on Lambertville Town Topics

Fisherman’s Mark Celebrates New Inclusive Playground

Join Fisherman’s Mark for a community ribbon-cutting ceremony on 3, at 11 a.m. to celebrate and unveil a playground that truly belongs the community.

The playground at Lam bertville Academy, 85 North Main Street, a program of Fisherman’s Mark Social

Services, is a safe, inclusive play space not just for students but for the entire Lambertville community. Thanks to the generosity of the Where Angels Play Foundation, the playground will feature new equipment, enhanced safety surfacing, and expanded accessibility. For the first time, it will be open to the public after school hours, allowing families to enjoy it on weeknights after 6 p.m. and weekends. This project has been years in the making, made possible by local organizations, businesses, and generous donors who recognize the importance of safe play spaces for children. It will include a new climbing structure for ages 2-5; poured rubber surfacing for safety and accessibility; and public access.

Fisherman’s Mark invites the community to pay it forward by supporting Where Angels Play Foundation, an organization that has built more than 50 playgrounds in communities affected by loss and hardship, creating lasting spaces of joy, healing, and community.

Fisherman’s Mark is a community-based nonprofit dedicated to providing essential social services, food security, and early childhood education. Lambertville Academy, its early childhood education program, fosters learning and development in a nurturing environment.

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Johanna Furst Studio artist • gallery • classes

“DAFFODILS”: O il

Johanna Furst Art

Princeton’s Flourishing Whole Earth Center Is Celebrating a Mega 55th Anniversary

Fifty-five years and still going strong!

This is the story of Princeton’s Whole Earth Center.

Indeed, its remarkable journey began 55 years ago, when a group of concerned citizens decided to take action. So, on the original Earth Day, April 22, 1970. Barbara Parmet, Hella McVay, Florence Falk, Margot Sutherland, and Susanna Waterman founded The Whole Earth Center.

IT’S NEW To Us

It has been an extraordinarily successful venture, and all the while focusing on a very worthy mission. Helping the environment and helping to provide people with healthy and safe food has been the priority from the beginning.

Located at 360 Nassau Street, the not-for-profit organization is operated by a non-salaried five-member board of trustees, and fulland part-time paid staff of 65. Enormously popular, it has become the “go-to” gathering place for the community.

Long-term Relationships

“We have long-term relationships with customers,” points out general manager Jennifer Murray, who has been with Whole Earth since the late 1980s. “So many are regular customers and are also generational. We are seeing sons and daughters of our original customers. We have really established enduring friendships.

“In addition, there is longevity with our staff, and they are multi-cultural, so there is lots of input regarding food and different cuisines.”

President of the board of trustees Laura Huntsman agrees, adding, “There is an unspoken bond that exists among our customers, staff, and management

team, board, and the community. I think it is similar to the bond within a dedicated ensemble cast of a wonderful stage production who have all grown together as a family, over time, and where each member plays a very important role. For many people, Whole Earth is a second home, where everybody knows your name, and actually cares about your health and happiness.”

Major goals from the outset included offering food and other products without chemical additives or preservatives, bulk food free of excess packaging, and providing information on environmental and agricultural issues. These goals have only become stronger as the years have passed, and as new customers of all ages have been drawn to Whole Earth’s priorities.

A full service grocery store, Whole Earth provides everything from local honey to organic produce to 100 percent grass fed beef, free range chicken, specially milled flour, homeopathic remedies, and natural cosmetics.

It also has a thriving bakery and vegetarian deli, both for takeout and indoor dining at Whole Earth’s informal cozy cafe.

Healthier Options

Store manager and wellness department buyer Audrey Braam has been a part of the Whole Earth team since 1987, and has watched it evolve over the years.

“I came to Whole Earth as a bread baker, and it was a pleasure to provide people with something I had prepared. It was very personal. Now, my mission continues with providing healthy vitamins and supplements and helping point people in the right direction for better health with our healthier options.”

She also points out the care and attention Whole Earth takes to provide all those healthy options.

“All of our products, whether supplements, cosmetics, grocery, frozen,

meals, pizza, pot pies, breads, waffles, and bent spoon ice cream by the pint.

or refrigerated, are carefully vetted, with regard to quality, ingredients, packaging, place of origin, and company standards. Is it a local company? Are we supporting good environmental practices by buying these products? Is the product certified organic? Are the ingredients certified nonGMO? Corn, cotton, and soy are all very high on the GMO list, and we avoid those ingredients.”

Braam reports that many paper products — such as paper towels, toilet paper, and facial tissue — in Whole Earth are tree-free, and made from bamboo.

In addition, she notes, “Our cosmetics are not tested on animals. There are no bad dyes, harsh perfumes, or preservatives. We carry certified organic lines of soaps, lotions, and face care products, also essential oils, and sun tan lotions, among others.

Steady Growth

“The wellness products have had a steady growth” Braam continues. “People are realizing that what they put on the body actually goes in the body. We also make an effort to reduce packaging with all our products.”

“We ask ‘What’s good for the earth?’” adds Jan Murray. “We try to help you live with a minimal impact on the environment.” This is reflected in every aspect of Whole Earth’s operation, even in the composting of the store’s own organic waste products, she explains.

The focus on zero waste and buying only what you need is emphasized in the bulk department. More than 300 items, with over 170 spices and herbs, as well as baking supplies, flours, grains, seeds, rice, nut butters, beans, condiments, coffee, tea, dried fruit, and much more are all in bulk.

Here, you can buy just what you need — from a tablespoon to a tubful.

The Whole Earth bakery is a treasure, filled with low sugar items baked from scratch every day. The bakers start with organically grown whole grain flours, and then include organic sugar, local honey, maple syrup, and molasses to prepare delicious muffins, scones, cookies, cakes, cupcakes, and more.

Customers line up at the deli to sample the latest vegetarian dishes also made from scratch every day. Sandwiches, salads, soups, and hot entrees tempt the taste buds, with the popular egg salad, Colby cheese melt sandwiches, and veggie burgers all favorites.

Full Selection

In addition to the fresh produce, grass fed beef, free range chicken, and organic dairy, Whole Earth has a full selection of packaged goods and frozen items. The packaged goods contain no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or sweeteners. Items made with bromated or bleached flours, high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, or artificial fats are not carried.

The frozen aisle features individual and family-style

A full selection of environmentally-friendly cleaning supplies, including laundry soaps, dish soaps, all-purpose cleaners, etc., are all available.

Dairy products offer a profusion of milk options, including from sheep, goats, and cows, as well as almond, coconut, hemp, and flax.

Eggs, yogurt, and small farm artisanal cheeses are obtained from local producers. The focus on dairy is grass-fed, antibiotic- and hormone-free products.

Whole Earth has a tradition of partnering with small producers, points out Murray. “We carry a selection of products from local producers such as Sourland Bakery in Hopewell, whose bread we have on Sunday. We also have Bread & Culture’s bread from Flemington available on Friday.

“In addition, Kai’s Natural Skincare Collection from Trenton is another popular product.”

Community Focus

Seasonal items — such as seedlings, soil, and seeds for vegetables, herbs, and flowers —are available from mid-April to mid-May, and compost and worm products for the garden are also in stock.

A community focus has been an essential part of Whole Earth’s operation from its earliest days. It has a history of working with local businesses, nonprofits, and community institutions to promote biking, environmental education, and hunger relief.

As Murray explains, “Our Random Acts of Community biking program for the last 20 years is part of this. We randomly offer a packet with gift cards from five different businesses for people who arrive on a bike. We do this five times a week as part of our program. This year, 29 businesses, plus McCarter Theatre Center and the Princeton Recreation Department, have partnered with us, and have contributed gift cards. It’s a really nice surprise with incredible gifts for people.”

The idea of community is also key to Huntsman. “Whole Earth benefits so many different communities,” she observes. “The community of New Jersey shoppers who seek healthy organic food to eat and healthy products to use. The community of people who care deeply about our planet, our state, and our local environmental issues.

A community of local businesses who have bonded together, and with which we partner and support. The community of organic New Jersey farmers, whom we support and purchase our goods from; communities of environmentally active Princeton University students, and other university students whom we support. The list of ‘communities’ who benefit from Whole Earth’s existence is long!”

Great Time College student and Princeton resident Luisa Boekelmann a former Whole Earth employee, agrees. “I love how Whole Earth values and cares for the community,” she says. “I like so much about it: their focus on healthy and local foods

SUCCESS STORY: 55 years of providing customers with fresh, safe, nutritionally sound organic food and environmentallyfriendly products is a remarkable achievement. Princeton’s Whole Earth Center continues to offer healthy choices and helpful information every day. Shown, from left, are deli manager Carmina De Leon, perishables manager Jervis Doctor, and produce manager Bona Thiel.

and how they promote environmental sustainability. I had a great time there!”

In addition, Whole Earth is involved in the Princeton schools’ Edible Gardens program, as well as sponsoring the Environmental film festival at the Princeton Public Library.

Educating the public is important to Whole Earth, and it offers a monthly newsletter on its website, providing important information on environmental issues, and alerting the public to actions they can take.

“We are one of the oldest organic environmentally-friendly stores in the country, and the only one in Princeton,” points out Murray. “We also have a relationship with INFRA, which includes more than 300 nationwide independently owned natural food stores. We all come together to share ideas and information.”

Whole Earth’s products are conveniently arranged and clearly marked for easy shopping. In addition, keeping prices affordable is a priority, and special sales are regularly held. As Murray reports, “With our everyday price program, we can offer lower cost organic products. We have everyday specials and also monthly sales. Also, our bulk department offers real affordability.

“In addition, one of our goals has been to raise money for environmental organizations. We emphasize giving, and because people shop with us, we can afford to donate to environmentally-focused organizations.”

A Passion For It

Whole Earth’s ability to support the environment in so many ways is of major importance, she adds.

“I love it that we are able to support the environment by giving people healthy food and healthy ingredients for people who like to cook. Our work requires a lot of energy. Finding new

products and getting everything done is ongoing. You have to have a passion for it!” Braam agrees, explaining, “It also requires flexibility and readiness to adapt to changing conditions. We are so proud and happy to be there for all the people who rely on us, and we are constantly evolving.”

And ultimately, it is all about teamwork. The Whole Earth Center is a team, a smoothly functioning organization, filled with individuals who share a commitment for healthy food, a healthy environment, and providing customers with educational information supporting these goals. This has been its mission from the beginning, starting on that first Earth Day long ago, and it has continued without interruption to this day, and surely will into the future.

As Huntsman states, “We plan on surviving whatever is next, going forward through thick and thin. I hope for a very successful future.”

Whole Earth is open Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. For further information, call (609) 924-7429. Visit the website at wholeearthcenter.com.

—Jean Stratton

S ports

Whiteway Produces a Senior Day to Remember,

Helping PU Women’s Lax Top Brown, Earn Ivy Title

In her freshman season for the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team in 2022, Sophie Whiteway contributed three draw controls on the program’s Senior Day to help the Tigers defeat Yale and clinch the Ivy League regular season title.

Last Saturday, Whiteway came up big on her Senior Day, tallying two goals along with four draw controls and two ground balls as No. 5 Princeton topped No. 18 Brown 15-13 at Class of 1952 Stadium to clinch a share of the Ivy regular season crown as it moved to 12-2 overall and 5-1 Ivy.

For Whiteway, there was pleasant sense of déjà vu as she reflected on her regular season home finale.

“I think all of the seniors were super excited; our freshman year we were here on’52 for the championship game,” said midfielder Whiteway. “We are just super excited to get it back to Princeton and really just close it out and have a win. It gives me the sense that the career has gone one full circle. We started our Ivy League career with a title where and we are ending it with one.”

While Whiteway has hit some bumps in her career, being a constant on the Tiger draw control unit has helped keep her on track.

“I have had a lot of ups and downs,” said Whiteway, a 5’8 native of Potomac,

Md. “But I knew that I have always had that role on the draw and winning the ball for the team and just stepping up in big games. I think I play best under pressure. I think today was a great game for our whole team, and me and we are just going to keep that going.”

In reflecting on her Princeton lacrosse experience, Whiteway has been influenced by some great players along the way.

“It is just the people; I know from freshman year. Kyla Sears, Marge Donovan, and Sam Fish, those were big players,” said Whiteway. “They inspired us. Now we have players like McKenzie Blake and Haven Dora. We just keep bringing in amazing people to this program. We leave and we hope we can be inspiring to the younger class and help get them back here one day.”

Coming off a tough 15-12 loss at Penn last Wednesday night, Whiteway and her teammates were determined to give their all against Brown.

“I think on Wednesday we had more to give and today Senior Day was emotional,” said Whiteway. “We left it all out on the line. We show up when the game is close. We all love each other so we were doing it for each other.”

Trailing 3-1 to the Bears late in the first quarter, the Tigers showed up at both

ends of the field, going in a 5-0 run as they seized momentum.

“Our defense was amazing, Amelia [Hughes] made great saves,” said Whiteway. “The attack was putting the ball away when we needed it. On draw controls, Abby Roberts stepped up big. We all just worked together really hard.”

Taking most of the draws, Whiteway had her work cut out as Brown built an 11-4 edge in draw controls in the first half. By the end of the contest, the foes were knotted at 16-16 in that stat.

“The draw is a battle always, you are going to be up, you are going to be down,” said Whiteway, who now has 212 draw controls in her career, second all-time in program history behind only Marge Donovan’s total of 214. “I think it was just continuing to fight hard. We were down at half by a lot and we got it even by the end of the game. Fighting is always important.”

In addition to fighting for draw controls, Whiteway scored two key goals against Brown, a tally that gave Princeton a 4-3 lead and a second score that put the Tigers up 11-9 to end the third quarter.

“I just saw my teammates make space for me, the shot clock was running down and I knew I had to take it,” said Whiteway in assessing her first goal. “I am just happy

it went in. It was the same thing on the second goal.

Our teammates are so amazing on attack that it opens up space for other players. Knowing that, we have to step up. It is Senior Day, there is no better time to step up and make that play for the team.”

Princeton head coach Jenn Cook lauded her seniors for what they have contributed this season.

“This senior group has just done such an incredible job leading this team from the moment we stepped on campus this year,” said Cook, whose Class of 2025 includes Tia Reaman, Sam Whiting, Nina Montes, Mia James, Paige Vegna, and Sarah Nelson in addition to Blake and Whiteway. “They were really getting everybody on the same page and ready to compete. They were hungry and supported each other. It has just been awesome to see. The result of today is all of their leadership and hard work and belief since September.”

Giving those seniors a special sendoff helped inspire the Tigers against Brown.

“It was an important game, I think there was just a lot of love,” said Cook. “They wanted to play for each other and especially for the senior group. They really wanted it for each other and you saw that today.”

Despite the early deficit against the Bears, Cook sensed that her squad would eventually show its game.

“I think playing with confidence and knowing that if we settle in and play our game on both sides of the ball, this game is ours,” said Cook. “I thought they did a really good job, having that confidence, belief and composure.”

Cook credited Whiteway with doing a very good job in the win. “She battled all day today,” said Cook. “Those possessions were huge for us in the third and fourth. I am just so happy for the day that she had.”

With Princeton clinging to an 11-9 lead heading into the fourth quarter, the Tigers started the period with a 3-0 run to give them a cushion heading down the stretch.

“That was huge,” said Cook. “It just gives you momentum and they continued that momentum.”

The one-two attacker punch of Blake and junior Jami MacDonald helped fuel the late run as Blake ended up with three goals and two assists while MacDonald scored four goals.

“They started to really wear them down and those opportunities started to open for them,” said Cook, who also got three goals from sophomore midfielder Colette Quinn. “They buried the ball, it was awesome to see.”

At the defensive end of the field, junior Dylan Allen, senior Vegna, and freshman Zoe Bye along with goalie Hughes helped stymie the Bears.

“Dylan was unbelievable, I thought she did great today,” said Cook. “Brown is a really tough offense to play against, they dodge really hard. I thought Dylan did a great job managing them. Overall, our defense did a good job

the Ivy League regular season crown. The Tigers, now 12-2 overall and 5-1 Ivy League, play at Dartmouth on April 26 as they look to earn the outright league title and the No. 1 seed going into the Ivy postseason tournament.

executing our game plan. Amelia came up with big saves when she needed to.I thought Paige had a great game. Zoe coming up with that charge at the end was big. It was a good game all around.”

It was good day all around as the program clinched its 17th Ivy regular season crown.

“That is what this group that has been here for three years has really been talking about,” said Cook, whose team plays at Dartmouth on April 26 as it looks to earn the outright league title and the No. 1 seed and the right to host the upcoming Ivy postseason tournament. “It is the first one for these seniors since their freshman year. They have wanted this and they talked about it and put that work in. They have just been incredible leaders. They

wanted it and it showed.”

Looking ahead to the postseason, Cook believes the Tigers need to keep showing that work ethic in order to produce a deep run.

“We have to continue to build momentum, continue to execute the game plan at a high level and continue to play for each other,” said Cook.

Whiteway, for her part, is confident that the Tigers will continue executing at a high level.

“I think it is just keeping the momentum,” said Whiteway. “We know what we have on this team. We are ready to play anyone and bring that on the field wherever we go.” —Bill Alden

Tell them you saw their ad in

WHITE LIGHT: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player Sophie Whiteway, right, goes after the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, senior midfielder Whiteway came up big on her Senior Day, tallying two goals along with four draw controls and two ground balls as No. 5 Princeton topped No. 18 Brown 15-13 to clinch a share of

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Senior Standout Omene Looking to Come Full Circle

As Top-Seeded PU Men’s Volleyball Hosts EIVA Tourney

Nyherowo Omene is hoping to end his Princeton University men’s volleyball career the way it began — with an Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Asso

ciation (EIVA) Tournament championship

The Tigers last won the tourney in 2022 when Omene burst onto the scene in a promising freshman year. But Princeton hasn’t been able to win it since then.

“The historical significance isn’t lost on me,” said Omene.

“This is the second time in Princeton history that we’ve hosted the tournament. And while we did win my freshman year, to host and have the potential to win is an extra special thing so it’s really cool.”

Last Friday, senior pin hitter Omene led Princeton with 19 kills as it topped Penn State 3-1 (25-22, 2527, 25-18, 25-23) to clinch the EIVA regular season title and the No. 1 tournament seed and right to host. Fellow senior Henry Wedbush added 42 assists in the win.

A day later, Penn State beat Princeton 3-0 in the regular season finale with Omene sitting out the game as the Tigers finished 14-10 overall, 10-2 in the EIVA.

The top-seeded Tigers have a quarterfinal bye and will host the winner of No. 4 seed George Mason and No. 5 Charleston in a semifinal contest on April 24 at Dillon Gym. The final is set

for Saturday evening at Dillon with the winner earning the league’s automatic bid to the upcoming NCAA tournament

“The regular season is nice because you get to host and that’s really exciting and special,” said Princeton head coach Sam Shweisky. “But now you gotta do the work. Now you gotta win the tournament. So this is just one step. What we’re trying to do is win this tournament and get to go to the NCAAs. So we’re in my mind just kind of just trucking ahead.”

Omene has been looking forward to this since the Tigers won three years ago. The 2022 title still holds a special memory and is inspiration for this year’s squad. Whereas Omene was new to it as a freshman, he now is a key leader for Princeton, which needs the 2024 firstteam All-EIVA selection to play up to his potential.

“Knowing that me and Henry and our manager Mason (Tate) were there when we won and won in incredible fashion gives us the context for how special it is and how cool it is to do what we did,” said Omene. “So I think for me it’s not added pressure of oh, I have the last chance to this, it’s more so I’m trying to use that to inform how I lead the rest of this team. And I think so far it’s been working really well.”

Omene, who hails from South Holland, Ill., is a 6’7 force on the court. He’s a quiet leader though he has been more outspoken this

season, and Wedbush leads with more fire and visibly wears his passions on his sleeve while orchestrating the offense. Together, they have led Princeton to an outstanding season.

“They both lead in such different ways, but the combination is incredible,” said Shweisky. “I’d say most guys probably have one of the two of them that they can lean on, they kind of gravitate more to one camp or the other, but it’s great. It’s great when you know that every guy on the team has a captain that they can kind of confide in and lean on and for support and for guidance.”

Omene knew things would be a bit different in his final collegiate season. There’s a natural elevation of expectations that comes with being a senior.

“The level of play that I’m expected to play at has not changed, but there’s an added level of responsibility and leadership that I share with Henry Wedbush on the court as well that I think has changed this season a little bit,” said Omene. “But in terms of the volleyball, the volleyball is the same that I’ve been playing since freshman year in high school and I think that actually grounds me to not get you sucked into the moment and the highs and the lows and the stats and all that.”

Omene has always let his game do the loudest talking. He led Princeton in blocks his first two seasons, then

Strange Life: Women, Porcelain, and Other Vessels

Thursday, May 1, 5 p.m.

100 Arthur Lewis Auditorium, Robertson Hall

What is the racial logic behind the history of ornament? How do the decorative arts, often seen as frivolous, become a heated site of contestation over human value? Distinguished author and Professor of English Anne A. Cheng will trace a centuries-long conflation in the Euro-American imagination between porcelain— one of the early global commodities of transpacific desire and exchange—and Asiatic femininity. Reception to follow.

this

fell

are next in action when they host an EIVA

this season put together his finest all-around year yet. He leads the team in kills with 346 — more than 100 more than No. 2 Mason Rice, is tops among Tigers with 36 service aces, is second in digs with 127 and third in blocks with 64.

“Nyherowo has been incredible,” said Shweisky. “His numbers are incredible, but just the way he carries himself — his poise on the court — is tremendous.”

Omene is aiming to be at his best in his final games at Dillon Gym before he’ll pursue a career in finance in Los Angeles after graduation. He’s trying to convey the importance of each moment to his less experienced teammates.

“I think the key is remembering that it doesn’t have to be pretty, it doesn’t have to be polished,” said Omene. “You just have to survive and advance. So that comes with an extra level of grit and determination with these matches and just digging and finding that extra gear, doing whatever you have to do to, again, survive and advance.”

For Princeton, this year’s success has come about a little differently than some years. Alumni who have come back to watch the Tigers have marveled at their defense. There’s been a different

buy-in from the players this year that has made their defense something special.

“Defense, that’s where grit comes from and that’s where things start to turn on when you’re down,” said Shweisky. “And that’s been a really big, big difference we had.”

Defense was always a specialty that came easily to Shweisky as a player at Vassar College, but he’s had a harder time getting that to translate to his players. Assistant coach Joe Norton has found a statistically sound blocking defensive system that the players have picked up on this year. Norton has found a way that connects well with the players.

“I give Joe a lot of credit,” said Shweisky.“He’s come in with some really nice fresh ideas and has been a great trainer at the gym. And the guys have responded really well.”

Princeton will be prepared to respond to the ebb and flow of the EIVA Tournament games. The Tigers lost a meaningless game to Penn State in the season finale, and their only other loss this season has come early in the year against Charleston.

“Different teams have different styles, different teams present different challenges,”

said Shweisky. “Charleston has similarly one guy who’s like a 6’9 outside hitter. They have a really fast explosive guy outside. George Mason has got a really strong middle and a lefty that does some different things. So it’s really just stylistically and kind of being ready to game plan and mentally prepare for whichever one comes out of that match. But in terms of talent, all these teams are loaded with talent and any night, any team can go off and be spectacular. So we’re just trying to prepare for all of it.”

Princeton is hopeful that they are the ones celebrating on their home court Saturday. The Tigers have been No. 1 in the EIVA for much of the year, and they spent much of the season focusing on the process of developing, and that came with positive results. Now as EIVA Tournament hosts, they hope to reaffirm that top spot.

“A lot of guys on this team have worked hard for this opportunity,” said Omene. “While we’re really excited we’re also putting our heads down and looking towards the light at the end of the tunnel, which is to win the conference and make a run at NCAAs.”

—Justin Feil

FRIENDS ANNUAL MARY PITCAIRN KEATING LECTURE

FLYING HIGH: Princeton University men’s volleyball player Nyherowo Omene (#25), right, leaps to make a hit in a game

season. Last Friday, Omene led Princeton with 19 kills as it topped Penn State 3-1 (25-22, 25-27, 25-18, 25-23) to clinch the Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA) regular season title. The Tigers, who

Gym with the victor advancing to the final on April 26. (Photo by Andee Fagan

PU Sports Roundup

PU Softball Goes

1-2 Against Columbia

With its bats going quiet, the Princeton University softball team dropped two out of three games in a three-game series with visiting Columbia last weekend.

After winning the opener 2-0 on Friday as Brielle Wright hurled a shutout, the Tigers lost 2-0 and 3-1 in a doubleheader last Saturday.

The Tigers, now 15-15 overall and 12-3 Ivy League, play at Monmouth in April 23 before heading to Philadelphia, Pa. this weekend for a three-game set against Penn with a doubleheader on April 26 and a single game on April 27.

Princeton Baseball

Loses 2 of 3 Against Brown

Giving up a total of 25 runs, the Princeton University baseball team went 1-2 in a three-game series against visiting Brown last weekend.

In a doubleheader on Saturday, Princeton defeated

Brown 8-6 in the opener before falling 7-4 in the nightcap. On Sunday, the Tigers rallied for three runs in the bottom of the ninth inning to force extra innings only to fall 12-8 in 10.

Princeton, now 10-26 overall and 6-8 Ivy League, heads to New England this weekend for a three-game series at Yale with a doubleheader on April 26 and a single game on April 27.

Tiger Women’s Open Crew

Defeated by Yale

Suffering its first loss of the spring, the No. 4 Princeton University women’s open crew varsity eight fell to No. 5 Yale last Saturday in the race for the Eisenberg Cup.

Yale posted a winning time of 6:03.8 over the 2,000-meter course on Lake Carnegie with Princeton coming in at 6:07.3.

The Tigers are next in action when they host nonconference foes Syracuse, Tennessee, and Ohio State on April 26.

Men’s Lightweight Crew Tops Penn for Wood-Hammond Trophy

Prevailing in a tightlycontested battle, the No. 4 Princeton University men’s lightweight varsity eight edged No. 2 Penn last

Saturday in Philadelphia to win the Wood-Hammond Trophy.

The Tiger top boat covered the 2,000-meter course on the Schuylkill River in a time of 6:21.4 to edge Penn, who came in at 6:21.8.

Princeton hosts the annual Harvard-Yale-Princeton regatta on April 26 at Lake Carnegie.

Princeton Men’s Heavyweights Falls to Harvard

Coming up short in the race for the Compton Cup, the No. 8 Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity eight fell to No. 4 Harvard last Saturday.

The Crimson posted a winning time of 5:28.0 over the 2,000-meter course on Lake Carnegie with Princeton finishing at 5:31.0.

The Tigers head north to New Haven, Conn. this weekend to compete against Yale and Cornell in the race for the Carnegie Cup.

Tiger Men’s Tennis Defeats Brown

Ending its regular season on a high note, the Princeton University men’s tennis team defeated Yale 4-2 last Saturday and then topped Brown 4-0 a day later.

THE PETER PRINCIPLE: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Peter Buonanno races upfield in recent action. Last Saturday, freshman midfielder Buonanno tallied three goals and one assist against Penn to help No. 2 Princeton rally from a 7-4 halftime deficit to earn a 12-8 victory over the Quakers. The Tigers, now 10-2 overall and 4-1 Ivy League, wrap up regular season action by hosting Yale on April 26.

FOR JOY: Members of the Princeton University women’s

Princeton had a winning score of +4 868, 16 strokes better than runner-up Harvard. It marked the eighth Ivy crown for the Tigers, who will learn their NCAA Regional destination on April 23 via the NCAA Selection Show live on the Golf Channel.

The Tigers, now 21-8 overall and 5-2 Ivy League, will await the NCAA Men’s Tennis Selection Show on April 28 to learn their assignment for the national team tournament.

PU Women’s Tennis Tops Brown in Finale

Alice Ferlito starred as the Princeton University women’s tennis team defeated Brown 4-2 last Sunday to wrap up its 2025 campaign.

Sophomore Ferlito posted a straight-set win at first singles and helped Princeton win the doubles point. The Tigers ended the spring at 10-11 overall and 3-4 Ivy League.

PU Soccer Goalie McCamey

Signs with Gotham FC Coming off a first-team AllIvy League season that saw her help the Tigers win the Ivy League title and Ivy League Tournament title, senior goalie Tyler McCamey has signed with Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League, becoming the sixth Princeton alumna active in the NWSL.

McCamey signed as a shortterm injury replacement with Gotham, which is four games into its season. Last fall in her final campaign for the Tigers, McCamey registered eight shutouts, had a goals against average of 0.65, and a save percentage of .833, both the best in the Ivy League.

McCamey has four former Princeton teammates in the NWSL, including Madison Curry ’24 (Seattle Reign), Heather MacNab ’25 (North Carolina Courage), Aria Nagai ’24 (Utah Royals), and Pietra Tordin ’26 (Portland Thorns), all of whom join the longest-tenured active Tiger in the league, Tyler Lussi ’17 (North Carolina Courage).

Princeton Men’s Soccer Names 2025 Captains

Jack Hunt and Giuliano Fravolini Whitchurch will serve as the 2025 captains of the Princeton University men’s soccer team, the program announced earlier this month.

The two seniors were elected by their teammates

to lead for the 2025 season. Whitchurch, who hails from San Diego, Calif., started all 19 matches for the Tigers last season, playing a team-high 1,717 minutes. A standout on the Princeton back line, Whitchurch helped the Tigers to one of the best defenses in the Ivy League. Whitchurch was also named to the 2024 first team All-Ivy, and was named to the All-Ivy Tournament Team after helping Princeton win its first-ever Ivy League Tournament Championship.

A leader on the field and in the classroom, Whitchurch also earned CSC Academic All-District honors.

Hunt, a fellow California native from Coronado, started all 16 games that he appeared in for the Tigers last season. Starring in the Tiger midfield last fall, Hunt was named to the All-Ivy Honorable Mention list.

a Princeton tradition!

When: Sunday, May 4, 2025 from 2-3:30pm with refreshments to

Where: Arts Council of Princeton 102 Witherspoon Street

Featuring: Barbara Banks

Hattie Smith Black

John Broadway

Lois Craig

Barbara Flythe

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

JUMPING

golf team jump for joy after they placed first at the Ivy League Championships last Sunday at the Royal Palm Golf Club in Naples, Fla. Junior star Catherine Rao led the way for the Tigers, finishing third individually as she carded a 4-under 202 in the three-round event. In the team standings,

(Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

Arts Council of Princeton and Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society present

Cecelia Hodges Audrey Mack

James “Jimmy” Mack

Robert Rivers, MD

Dorothy Stevens

Charles Streater

Marilyn Yates Johnetta Woods

With Beatty Providing Production, Leadership, PHS Boys’ Lacrosse Primed for Stretch Drive

Brendan Beatty fired in a pair of goals as the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first five minutes of its clash at Notre Dame last week.

PHS senior midfielder Beatty and his teammates were hoping that history would repeat itself as the Tigers built an early 3-0 lead in its 2024 meeting with the Irish on the way to a 21-11 win.

“Obviously that is the goal, that is the mentality,” said Beatty of the team’s quick start in the April 15 contest.

But the Irish turned the tables on PHS this year, building a 6-5 halftime lead and pulling away to a 13-8 victory.

“We looked at stuff in film, they replicated it out here and we just didn’t pick up on it,” said Beatty, whose team ended up with four goals and two assists in the defeat. “We beat ourselves, that is pretty much it. We have to keep our energy high. We have to stay composed on the bench and stay composed on the field. They probably had five man-up goals and we just can’t get penalties like that.”

Coming into the night riding a four-game winning streak, PHS had been playing with a lot of energy.

“It was being tight as a team, we are a really tight team in the locker room,” said Beatty. “We all love each other, it is a smaller bunch than we have been used to. We are all buying into what coach [Chip] Casto and coach [Peter] Stanton

are saying. They are great role models for us.”

In edging powerhouse Northern Highlands 7-4 on April 12, the Tigers displayed that buy-in.

“We gritted it out, we played our brand of lacrosse which is what we should have done out here,” said Beatty. “Every single game where we step into the field it is to play Princeton Tiger lacrosse and we didn’t do that tonight.”

Beatty has been striving to help PHS produce a strong brand of lacrosse.

“Braden Barlag, Matthew Thomson, and I are trying to work together to put the ball in the back of the net,” said Beatty. “Sometimes I have to be disciplined in my shots. I have to take better shots and have better shot selection.”

Having committed to attend the University of Vermont and play for its Division I lacrosse program, Beatty is working hard to hone his game.

“I am just trying to get bigger, faster, and stronger,” said Beatty. “I have been working on my accuracy with my shot and being a good leader with the younger guys.”

Beatty is primed to make a big impact at the college level. “I cannot wait for Vermont, I am going to have a blast up there,” said Beatty. “The coaches are going to help me a lot and being surrounded by the other great guys that are at that program and going against

them every day is going to evolve my game.”

Coming into the Notre Dame contest, PHS head coach Casto believed his squad was primed for a big game.

“Today was the end of a four-game stretch, we had played very well in the last three,” said Casto. “The win over Northern Highlands was tremendous. We were prepared, we played well. We thought we were prepared tonight.”

Casto’s feeling was reinforced when the Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead.

“That is what we like to do,” said Casto. “We have scored first in every game we have played this year which we have never done so that is positive.”

But things went awry from there as the Tigers made some unforced errors and got called for a number of penalties.

“But we really started to make mistakes, our own mistakes,” said Casto. “Emotionally we lost ourselves. When you play a team like this, you know they move the ball and have lots of guys who can shoot. When you make mistakes, they are going to capitalize and they certainly did.”

In Casto’s view, PHS can take some valuable lessons from the defeat.

“We have to learn to manage the game better, especially when we start losing or some team goes on a little hot streak,” said Casto, whose team topped Montgomery 13-5 last Saturday

in improving to 5-4. “I think they went on a four or fivegoal run there. They played very well.”

Casto credited Beatty with providing more for the program than just very good play.

“The best part really is, beyond the goals, is his leadership and h is his ability to bring the team back together,” said Casto of Beatty, who tallied a team-high 40 points on 26 goals and 14 assists through the first

eight games this season.

“It will be interesting to see how he leads the team the next couple of days. He and Braden Barlag have been doing a great job.”

With PHS hosting Hightstown on April 24, playing at WW/P-North on April 26, and then hosting Hopewell Valley in April 29, Casto is confident that things will come together for his squad and that it will get another shot at Notre Dame.

“We are resilient, we will

come back fighting,” said Casto. “It is early and we really hope to see them again late.”

Beatty, for his part, is hoping to end his high school career on a high note.

“I am just enjoying the next two months with my best friends and enjoying my time of high school lacrosse,” said Beatty. “And with doing that, I am trying to get better as I get to Vermont.”

—Bill Alden

DODGE BALL: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Brendan Beatty looks to dodge a defender in a game earlier this season. Last week, senior midfielder and University of Vermont commit Beatty tallied four goals and two assists in a losing cause as PHS fell 13-8 to Notre Dame. The Tigers, who defeated Montgomery 13-5 last Saturday in improving to 5-4, host Hightstown on April 24, play at WW/P-North on April 26, and then host Hopewell Valley in April 29. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Sparked by Junior Star Hester’s Aggressive Play, PHS Softball Aiming to Be More Competitive

Even though the Princeton High softball team trailed Monroe 14-2 in the bottom of the fifth inning last Monday and faced getting run-ruled, Natalie Hester wasn’t about to give up.

PHS junior shortstop Hester legged out an infield grounder to get on base and proceeded to steal second and third.

“I was trying to get something going, the stolen bases were to try to pump up the team and to get something rolling,” said Hester.

Although Hester ended up getting stranded as PHS lost 14-2 to move to 1-5, she liked the way the Tigers fought in defeat.

“We lost six seniors last year so we are bringing back a new team,” said Hester, who is batting .312 with three runs and six RBIs so far this spring. “I think we battled pretty well under the circumstances.”

As a three-year starter, Hester is aiming to fill the leadership void left by those seniors.

“I am looking to be more vocal, making sure everyone stays in the game and is ready at the first pitch and keeps it going,” said Hester.

Having come to PHS from Indiana in her freshman year, Hester has gone to great lengths to keep playing for the high-powered Indiana Magic Gold club program.

“I fly to the tournaments in the summer and fall,” said Hester. “It is a lot, no social time just softball and school. This is my eighth year with them. I know them pretty well so I stuck with them.”

Hester will be sticking around in the area as she has committed to attend Rutgers and play for its Division I softball program.

“I was looking at Illinois, Rutgers and Notre Dame, I chose Rutgers because of the head coach (Kristen Butler),” said Hester. “I feel like it was a good team and they could help me get better. I like the east coast, I want to stay here.”

PHS head coach Marissa Soprano believes her team has been getting better even

as it has taken its lumps in the early going.

“We lost a lot of seniors from last year so we are still trying to figure out who will be covering the defensive positions and just making sure that they play solid softball,” said Soprano. “They played really well last week. Against Notre Dame especially (a 7-3 loss on April 15), they performed really well. We are just trying to teach them that they can hang with good teams and make sure that they have confidence going in and play to the best of the ability.”

Soprano credits Hester with being a catalyst for the Tigers.

“She hits the ball really hard, she can beat out the infield single to get on base,” said Soprano. “Her speed really helps us in terms of trying to get momentum and runners in position to score.”

In reflecting on the loss to Monroe, Soprano acknowledged that some defensive lapses hurt PHS.

“We made a few mistakes that gave the other team extra bases and extra outs and we want to eliminate that moving forward,” said Soprano. “We are working on more solid defense. We were talking to the girls about being able to have more solid innings and not giving them extra bases so that we can stay more competitive in games.”

Sophomore catcher Eko Brown has been competing hard with her glove and bat this spring, playing well behind the plate and hitting .353.

“She is so solid behind the plate, she really works well with Erin [Pilicer],” said Soprano of Brown. “She has great picks back there to help keep the runners in place. She has done a really good job at the leadoff spot. We like her there.”

The pair of sophomore outfielder Simryn Patel and freshman infielder Mia AbramsSartor have been doing some good things.

“Sim has been a good spot in left so far this season, she is also very aware of the strike zone which helps us,” said Soprano. “We are really excited to see Mia on the team this year. She has been pretty

sold at third base and she also catches. That is a good addition to have someone as a backup in case we need it.”

With PHS hosting Robbinsville on April 24 and Holy Cross Prep on April 26 before playing at Hightstown on April 28, Soprano is looking for her squad to sharpen up in the field.

“We just have to make sure our defense is solid, we talked about having more 1-2-3 innings and making sure that if there is a mistake having just one,” said Soprano. “We tell them you are going to make physical mistakes but we want to make sure that you pick your teammates up and get the next out.”

Soprano likes the way her players have been picking each other up as they have gone through the ups and downs this spring.

“They are a good group, they are very close which helps,” added Soprano. “I think it will translate as we get further into the season of working well together.”

For Hester, coming from the Midwest to join the PHS group has been a very good experience.

“It definitely has been different,” said Hester. “I love the girls, it is a great team atmosphere.”

—Bill Alden

COMING IN CONTACT: Princeton High softball player Natalie Hester makes contact in a game last season. Junior star shortstop and Rutgers commit Hester is batting .312 with six RBIs to provide a spark for PHS. The Tigers, who lost 14-2 to Monroe last Monday to move to 1-5, host Robbinsville on April 24 and Holy Cross Prep on April 26

April 28.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

After Waiting to Lead Hun Softball Pitching Staff, Murphy Starring as the Raiders Have Started 8-0

Anna Murphy patiently waited for her chance to be the ace of the pitching staff for the Hun School softball team and she is determined to make the most of that opportunity.

“I have definitely been looking forward to it since freshman year with Lexi here and everything, it is big shoes to fill,” said senior right-hander Murphy, referring to former Hun record-breaking standout Lexi Kobryn, who is now pitching for the Villanova University softball team.

“It feels pretty good to have the team behind my back. I knew I had to work hard on the offseason. I think we all worked hard here in the weight room together and got it done.”

Last Thursday against rival Blair Academy, Murphy got it done in the circle, striking out eight and giving up five hits with no walks as the Raiders prevailed 6-1.

In the early going, though, Murphy had to work out of jams in both the first and second innings, yielding a run in the latter.

“I just have to dig deep and hopefully have a good field behind me and trust that I can get it done and that I have the perseverance to get it done,” said Murphy. “It was a lot of curve balls, just keeping everything low in the zone and then switching it up with some offspeed stuff and something higher up in the zone every so often.”

Murphy got in a zone in the last two innings, pitching a 1-2-3 inning in the sixth and then striking out the side in the seventh.

“As we started to hold them, they were getting a

little bit rowdy but that just pumped me and my team up,” said Murphy. “I just felt really calm, cool, and collected. I was really relaxed out here.”

Developing her breaking stuff has helped Murphy keep cool in the circle.

“I throw a curve ball with a lot of drops,” said Murphy. “I like to throw screwball and get them inside.”

Murphy’s batting helped the Raiders get the win against Blair as she stroked a two-run single in the first inning.

“I was just trying to be aggressive and stay compact at the plate,” said Murphy. “It was just putting the ball into play and hitting the ball hard.”

Hun is playing well collectively, having improved to 8-0 after sweeping Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) in a doubleheader last Saturday, prevailing 7-2 and 10-6.

“I think we kind of just clicked from the beginning as soon as we started in Florida,” said Murphy. “We all just got along really well. I don’t know if it was because were working out together. It is just a really good group of hardworking girls.”

The team’s senior group which includes Emma Eisenberg, Brianna Riviello, Kailey Jacobs, and Sophia Troiano in addition to Murphy are working hard to make their final campaign one to remember.

“We definitely want to make the most of it and go out and have a winning season,” said Murphy. “We are really close, we are just trying to soak it in while we can.”

This fall, Murphy will be going on to Haverford College where she will be competing for its Division III softball program.

“I chose Haverford because I am from the Philly area,” said Murphy.

“It is a good academic school and it is in a great area. It is close to home too. I really like the coach there (Kate Gatti), she pitched at Villanova. Her and I get along really well.”

Hun head coach Kathy Quirk liked the way her players performed against Blair.

“They just supported each other and showed enthusiasm, it is just a great day,” said a smiling Quirk. “We made contact with the ball. Sometimes it went to them and we made them have to make a play.”

Quirk is enthusiastic about the stellar pitching she has been getting from Murphy.

“I have to say I didn’t know how she was going to be this year,” said Quirk. “She had some arm problems and is working through it. She is giving me 100 percent on the mound. Today I thought she was phenomenal. The last inning, striking out three people, that was big. I think she is gaining her own confidence. She knows that she has a good defensive team behind her. I have always said that we have been defense-oriented. They are supporting her and doing everything that we need.”

The top of the batting order also supported Murphy in the win over Blair. Leadoff hitter Sam Jolly went 1 for 2 with one run and one RBI while No. 3 hitter Eisenberg went 1 for 2 with two runs and two RBIs and cleanup hitter Jacobs was

2 for 3 with one run and one RBI.

“They are just doing a nice job,” said Quirk. “They have all been making contact and they have been working hard. Yesterday we put the pitching machine out.”

Reflecting on her squad’s undefeated start, Quirk believes it is the product of an all-hands-on-deck approach.

“I think it is just playing as a team,” said Quirk, whose team hosts Lawrence High on April 26 and the Peddie School on April 29. “Last year it was Lexi, Lexi and don’t get me wrong, she was great, but this year, it is a team game. They have to make the plays, Lexi was striking out 10, 11 girls a game. They are just working

hard. I am just very pleased and I hope it continues.” Murphy, for her part, believes that focusing on a positive culture has helped spark Hun’s great start.

“It just keep working hard,” said Murphy. “It is picking each other up when we make a mistake and doing a lot of team bonding stuff outside.”

—Bill Alden

MURPHY’S LAW: Hun School softball pitcher Anna Murphy fires a pitch in recent action. Last Thursday, senior Murphy produced a stellar effort in the circle as Hun defeated the Blair Academy 6-1, striking out eight and giving up five hits with no walks. Hun went on to sweep Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) in a doubleheader last Saturday, prevailing 7-2 and 10-6. The Raiders, who improved to 8-0 with the wins, host Lawrence High on April 26 and the Peddie School on April 29.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

While Hun Girls’ Lax Has Taken its Lumps, New

Head Coach Schwartz is Seeing Growth

In taking the helm of the Hun School girls’ lacrosse team this spring, Samantha Schwartz’s coaching approach has centered on one main theme.

“The thing that I have been driving home with our girls is that everything is effort-based,” said Schwartz, who joined the Hun program midway through last spring as an assistant coach and previously had stints coaching club in New York, Michigan, Texas and Pennsylvania, and high school coaching in Michigan and Texas.

“That is what determines games — 50/50 balls and possession time. That is important. If you can win stat group, there is more of a chance of you winning the game. This is all within your control so your effort and your hustle is something you can control. That is what we are trying to build on.”

Last Wednesday against the Hill School (Pa.), the Raiders displayed effort and hustle, trailing 2-1 midway through the first quarter.

“We came out of the gate and we were really competitive,” said Schwartz. “The draw controls didn’t go our way but we had girls around the ball. That was really good to see.”

Hill, though, reeled off five straight goals over the rest of the period to break the game open on the way to an 18-4 victory.

“Hill played a great game, it is hard to come back from a deficit when you get five goals against you but they didn’t quit throughout the whole game,”

said Schwartz. “They kept battling back and staying competitive.”

The one-two punch of junior midfielders Keaton Vales and Emma Stowe played well in defeat for Hun as they each tallied two goals.

“They went all out around the crease, really trying to drive our offense,” said Schwartz of Vales and Stowe. “They were some of our leaders out there. Keaton did some really good draw controls. They come out with some good 50/50 balls for us. Emma has a nice shot, she has gotten so much better even from last season. She is truly taking on that leadership role on our offense.”

Goalie Julia Wolfe held the fort, making several saves in the face of the Hill onslaught.

“Julia is a wall, she has been playing lights out all year,” said Schwartz. “She is also one of our leaders, she has been a real solid foundation back there for us.”

Due to her experience with the program last season, Schwartz knew what she was getting into this spring.

“We are a really young team, we are really new to the sport as well,” said Schwartz, noting that the program graduated seven seniors last year. “We have had to go through some growing pains of just learning the sport and then bring it up to the level of some really high, tough competition. I already knew them a bit. It was really cool because I saw what we were trying to build and grow here. The head

position opened up and I was ready to take that on and fill that role.”

While the Raiders, who lost 13-12 to the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday in moving to 0-9, have been enduring some painful moments, Schwartz is seeing growth in the squad.

“As the games have been going they are bonding as a team, they are starting to rally behind each other,” said Schwartz. “Every single game we are playing it more from start to finish. We are playing all the way through and still trying to stay positive and learn how to be teammates as well.”

Despite the record, the Hun players have remained positive.

“That is the one awesome thing about this group, they will always be there and support each other and cheer each other on,” said Schwartz. “Wins or losses, they are there for each other.”

With the Raiders playing at the Shipley School (Pa.) on April 24 before hosting the Blair Academy on April 26, Schwartz is confident that the wins will start coming.

“Going forward, we are definitely trying to get that first step on the 50/50, we are starting to get in the scrum,” said Schwartz. “That is awesome to see but we have to be able to maintain it. I think that is going to be our key and if we can get that, we can get the momentum and get those possessions and the rest is going to fall into place.”

—Bill Alden

STOWE

Dry Needling for Knee Arthritis

Redcord Neurac

Baseball : Will Kraemer had a big day as Hun swept a doubleheader from Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday, winning 17-4 and 14-2. Senior shortstop and Pepperdine commit Kraemer went 4-for-7 overall, with a homer, two triples, four runs, and seven RBIs for the Raiders, now 9-2. Hun hosts Immaculata on April 26, plays at Seton Hall Prep on April 28, and hosts Allentown on April 29.

Boys’ Lacrosse : Earning its first win of the season and the first in the tenure of new head coach Joe Donnelly, Hun defeated the Peddie School 15-4 last Thursday. The Raiders, who lost 13-7 to Springside Chestnut Hill (Pa.) last Saturday to move to 1-8, host the Blair Academy on April 23, Princeton Day School on April 24, Seton Hall Prep on April 26, and the Pennington School on April 28.

Lawrenceville

Baseball : Gray Devine starred as Lawrenceville edged Friends Central (Pa.) 3-2 last Saturday. Devine got the win on the mound with six strong innings and also contributed an RBI as the Big Red improved to 3-9. Lawrenceville faces Notre Dame and Lawrence High on April 26 with both games taking place at Lawrence and then hosts Hamilton West on April 29.

Softball : Emma Sung had a big day as Lawrenceville edged Kent Place 5-4 last Monday. Sung knocked in two runs and pitched a com -

plete game with 10 strikeouts for the Big Red, now 7-3. Lawrenceville hosts the Blair Academy on April 26 before playing at Gill St. Bernard’s on April 28.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Running into a buzz saw, Lawrenceville lost 16-3 to Sacred Heart (Conn.) last Wednesday. The Big Red, now 8-3, play at Pennington on April 24.

Pennington

Baseball : Suffering its first loss of the season, Pennington fell 12-1 to the Hun School last Thursday. The Red Hawks were held to three hits in moving to 11-1. Pennington will look to get back on the winning track as it hosts the Blair Academy in April 26 and plays at the Peddie School on April 29.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Jumping out to an 11-2 halftime lead, Pennington rolled to a 17-4 win over Lawrence High last Thursday. The Red Hawks, who moved to 3-3 with the victory, host the Lawrenceville School on April 24.

PDS

Baseball : AJ Doran starred as PDS edged Ewing 6-5 last Monday to post its first victory of the spring. Freshman Doran went 3 for 5 with one RBI for the Panthers, now 1-9. PDS hosts Bound Brook on April 23, WW/P-North on April 24, and Somerville on April 26 before playing at WW/P-South on April 28.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Shelby Ruf came up big as PDS defeated Stuart Country Day 14-9 last Thursday. Senior star and Merrimack commit Ruf scored four goals to help the Panthers earn their first win of the season. PDS, which fell 17-3 to Allentown last Monday to move to 1-5, hosts WW/P-North on April 23 before playing at Peddie on April 25 and at WW/PSouth on April 28.

Boys’ Tennis : Jaylen Peng provided a highlight as PDS competed in the preliminary rounds of the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament last Monday at the Mercer County Tennis Center. Senior Peng posted a pair of wins to advance to the semifinals at third singles.

The semis and finals are slated for April 23 at the Mercer County Tennis Center.

PHS

Baseball : Chase Hamerschlag and James Schiavone each had two hits but it wasn’t enough as PHS lost 8-2 to Nottingham last Monday. The Tigers, who moved to 6-4 with the defeat, host Hightstown on April 24, South River on April 26, and Somerville on April 28.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Sparked by Quinn Gallagher, PHS defeated Lawrence High 15-3 last Monday. Junior star Gallagher tallied two goals and three assists to help the Tigers improve to 6-3. PHS plays at Allentown on April 25 and at Notre Dame on April 28.

Boys’ Tennis : Enjoying a banner day, PHS came up big as it competed in the preliminary rounds of the Colonial Valley Conference (CVC) tournament last Monday at the Mercer County Tennis Center. The

Tigers advanced to the semifinals in all five flights of the event with Garrett Mathewson making it at first singles, Andrew Kuo at second singles and Aashil Patel at third singles along with Shaan Zaveri and Tacto Yamada at first doubles and Matt Chen and Emil Kapur at second doubles. The semis and finals are slated for April 23 at the Mercer County Tennis Center.

Girls’ Golf : Jacqueline Zang starred in a losing cause as PHS fell 168177 to the Lawrenceville School last Monday at the Mountain View Golf Course. Zang carded a three-over 38 in the ninehole match for the Tigers, now 5-1. PHS faces Robbinsville on April 23 at the Princeton Country Club, competes in an in-season tournament the Meadows at Middlesex Golf Club in Plainsboro, and then faces Allentown on April 28 and Hightstown on April 29, with both of those matches to take place at the Springdale Golf Club.

Stuart

Lacrosse : Allison Lee starred in a losing cause as Stuart fell 14-9 to Princeton Day School last Thursday. Senior star and Williams College commit Lee tallied seven goals for the Tartans, now 0-4. Stuart plays at the Ranney School on April 25 before hosting Steinert on April 28.

1st-Ever Princeton Triathlon

Scheduled for June 7

The first-ever Princeton Triathlon is being held on June 7 and will include a super sprint triathlon, super sprint triathlon relay, duathlon, and aquabike which are for all ages 13 and above along with a youth triathlon event for those ages 7-12.

All events start and finish at the Community Park Pool at 380 Witherspoon Street in Princeton with primary parking at the Community Park School at 372 Witherspoon Street.

Packet pickup, check-in and transition opens at 5:30 a.m. on June 7 with warmup opening and pre-race briefing beginning at 6:45 a.m. The triathlon swim start and duathlon run start are slated to start at 7 a.m.

For race information and to register, log onto runsignup.com/Race/NJ/Princeton/PrincetonTriathlon.

All participants will receive a shirt upon checking in on race day along with a medal upon finishing.

Beneficiaries of the event are Dare2Tri (national nonprofit organization that aids disabled athletes), Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad, and the Princeton High Triathlon Club. Princeton Post 218 Baseball Holding Player Evaluation

The Princeton American Legion Post 218 baseball team is holding a second player evaluation/workout at

Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great old-school bar that also happens to serve some of New Jersey’s best pizza, thin-crusted and bubbly. The restaurant hasn’t changed much since then; even the tables are the same. It’s a simple, no-frills space, but if you visit during peak times, be prepared to wait well over an hour for a table.

Smoyer Park in Princeton on April 27 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.

The program is open to all interested high school players from Princeton High, Princeton Day School, Hun School, WW/P-South High, WW/P-North High, and Notre Dame High, or any players who live in the towns of Princeton and Cranbury. In addition, college-aged freshman born in 2006 are also be eligible to play.

The Mercer County American Legion League (MCALL) season runs from late May through mid-July and involves playing approximately 20 games with teams from around the Greater Mercer County Area. The competition level is high and all players will receive adequate playing time to develop their game.

The summer fee is $645. Scholarships are available. For more information on the program and to RSVP for the tryouts, contact Jon Durbin at jonwdurbin@ gmail.com.

“Where quality still matters.” 4621 Route 27 Kingston, NJ 609-924-0147 riderfurniture.com

Mon-Fri 10-6; Sat 10-5; Sun 12-5

ON A ROLL: Princeton Day School boys’ lacrosse player Landon Lewis controls the ball in recent action. Last Thursday, sophomore attacker/midfielder Lewis scored three goals to help PDS edge Princeton High 11-10 and post its third straight victory. The Panthers, who moved to 3-3 with the win, play at the Hun School on April 24 before hosting WW/P-South on April 28. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Obituaries

Helen Linda Mahler

Helen Linda Mahler, beloved wife, mother, and grandmother, known to all as Linda, died peacefully at home in Stockton, New Jersey, on March 14. She was 73.

Linda was born on January 5, 1952 in Long Branch, New Jersey, to Harry and Helen Mahler. Her childhood in Highlands, New Jersey, was spent on the beach and in the ocean. She graduated from Mater Dei High School in New Monmouth, NJ, where she was captain of the cheerleading squad, homecoming queen, sang in a folk band, and appeared on stage in a production of The King and I.

On graduating from The College of New Jersey (then Trenton State College) with an English degree, Linda married and relocated to New Hope, Pennsylvania, where she raised two children, Katie and Mike. She worked briefly as a teacher at New Hope-Solebury Elementary before she took a position at Princeton University as a College Administrator, a job she loved and was loved in, where she became known across campus for her warmth, humor, and deep care for students. She was a second mom to many hundreds of students over the years, often inviting them to share holiday meals with her family. The final chapter of her career was spent as a fundraiser in the office of Annual Giving, where she reconnected with some of the same students she knew from their freshman year who were then adults making gifts to the university. For those efforts, she was made an Honorary Member of the Princeton University Class of 1993. In 2003, Linda remarried to Edward (Ted) Champlin, a Professor of Classics at Princeton University. After some cajoling, she con vinced him to move into what became their dream house in Stockton, New Jer sey. There they spent many happy years entertaining old friends and new, build ing a community that often centered on their daily trips to Rojo’s coffee shop. With Ted she travelled the world, and with him she was happy to return home; she loved the beauty and serenity of the rolling farmland land around her. She also loved and was proud to be a part of the community she found in Lambertville—she delighted in bumping into friends on the towpath or on the street. She was famous among her friends and family for her tomatoes, her love of the Phillies and Eagles, her love of reading, and her cooking. Her cosmo

cocktails were incomparable, and she was known to deliver them to the door of friends in need. “They contain Vitamin C,” she often said. Her 70th birthday present to herself — a rare extravagance in the form of a convertible Mini Cooper in a color called “Zesty Yellow” — was known to turn heads and smiles around town.

Linda was a fearless survivor of breast cancer for 21 years. She kept journals of her medical journey, great piles of notes about her treatment history, and she shared her story online, building a community on social media. Her final years were spent caring for her beloved husband, who suffered from Alzheimer’s and predeceased her by two months. In the face of these hardships, Linda was naturally kind, loving, and funny. Elegant and beautiful, she had a rebellious spirit and was a proud feminist. She was a tireless advocate for democracy and equality. Most of all, she will be remembered for how she loved her family, for her easy warmth and boundless interest in the goings-on of her children and grandchildren, for the time she spent with them, which she cherished most of all, and for the legacy of quiet kindness she leaves in her absence. She died at home, her two loving children by her side.

Linda was predeceased by her parents, Helen and Harry, brothers Peter and Harry, and husband Ted.

Linda is survived by her daughter, Katie Loughran and son-in-law Joe Ujj of New Hope; son Mike Loughran and daughterin-law Megan Johnson of Philadelphia; three grandchildren: Mimi and Eero Ujj of New Hope, and Hugo Loughran of Philadelphia; sister Dawn Stout of Rumson and niece Sarah Stout of Hoboken; and two stepsons, Alex Champlin of Toronto and James Champlin of Queensland, Australia.

For information about a celebration of life in memory of Linda and her husband Ted, please email her son, Mike Loughran at michaeljamesloughran@gmail.com.

Donations in Linda’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

owner was shocked to discover his customer was not an aged professor but a curious teenager. Ted would channel his passion into a lifelong career, completing a bachelor’s in modern history and master’s in classics at the University of Toronto before earning his doctorate at the University of Oxford.

An expert in Roman society, culture, politics and law, Ted joined the faculty of Princeton University in 1976 and retired in 2016. He was at home in the classroom, teaching more than 40 different courses while sharing his wit, insight, and love of antiquity with generations of students. Beyond the lecture hall, Ted served the University as master of Butler College and chair of the Classics Department. He was named an honorary member of the class of 1984.

Brent Shaw, the Andrew Fleming West Professor in Classics, Emeritus, of Princeton University, called Ted “a prince amongst the modern historians of the Roman empire. He combined the very best of high technique with the most creative ways of seeing things.” Shaw said his inbox has been flooded with memorial emails from scholars around the world.

Ted was a masterful writer, whose books probed unilluminated corners of Roman history and upended common perceptions of famous figures. For his seminal biography Nero, he scoured ancient manuscripts to demonstrate that Rome’s most notorious megastar was the mastermind of his own theatricality.

He began his last book, a study of the emperor Tiberius, in 2007 before setting it aside due to illness. In 2022, Ted’s longtime friend Robert Kaster approached him with the idea of bringing the book to fruition. Tiberius and His Age: Myth, Sex, Luxury, and Power was published in November of 2024 to glowing reviews, with Champlin as author and Kaster as editor.

Ted was happiest when making children laugh, but his warmth and mischievous humor were unforgettable to all who met him. For years he was a familiar sight around Princeton, sharing a sly remark with students and colleagues, skim latte

Edward “Ted” James Champlin

Edward “Ted” James Champlin, beloved husband, father, historian, and longtime member of the Princeton community, died of cardiac arrest at Hunterdon Medical Center on December 23, 2024. He was 76. Born in New York City and raised in Toronto, Ted devoured the histories of England, Rome, and Greece throughout his childhood — at one point ordering so many old texts from a British bookseller that the

nancial Services Executive, died on Friday, April 11, 2025, in Naples, Florida. Arcuni was born February 20, 1939, in New York City, and was also raised in New York.

He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1956, Fordham College in 1960, and Fordham University Law School in 1963. A standout debater, Arcuni served as President of the Fordham Varsity Debating Team.

He completed Army ROTC training and was recognized as a “Distinguished Military Graduate.” Arcuni was a First Lieutenant, and served as an Officer on the Staff and Faculty of the Judge Advocate General’s School at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA.

In 1965, Arcuni joined Citicorp as a trainee, and he became one of the youngest Vice Presidents in 1971. He ran Citicorp’s first Private Banking Units on Wall Street and then spearheaded International Private Banking with market management responsibility for Asia Pacific and Latin America.

In 1978, Arcuni joined Bankers Trust Co., serving as a Senior Vice President, with global responsibility for International Investment Management and International Private Clients. During his time at Bankers Trust, he served on the Boards of Financial Institutions in Africa and Europe.

His first wife, Evelyn Leary, predeceased him, with whom he had two children, Philip and Suzanne. Arcuni then married Susanne V. Popkin.

Tony and Susanne divided their time between Princeton, NJ, Skillman, NJ, and Naples, FL. They were members of the Country Club of Naples, the Nassau Club, Springdale Country Club, and Cherry Valley Country Club.

He is survived by Philip Arcuni, son, Suzanne Arcuni, daughter, children from his first marriage; second spouse Susanne V. Arcuni; grandchildren Tyler Boissevain, Natalie Boissevain; Stepson Daniel Popkin; Shobnah Patel, wife of Daniel, and granddaughter Dilhara Popkin; sister, Anita Ferrante; and brother Oreste Arcuni.

Continued on Next Page

Featuring gifts that are distinctly Princeton Scarf by Spriha Gupta www.princetonmagazinestore.com

His final decades were spent in the rolling countryside of Stockton, New Jersey, growing vegetables with his wife, Linda Mahler, cycling along the towpath, and making mischief with his step-grandchildren, Mimi and Eero — often attending their sporting events and performances. He was a much-loved fixture at Rojo’s coffee shop in Lambertville where his sly remarks found a new audience of friends and neighbors.

Ted is survived by his sisters Elizabeth Champlin, Marion Jensen and Minota Austin; sons Alexander and James; stepchildren Michael Loughran and Katie Loughran; and step-grandchildren Mimi Ujj and Eero Ujj.

Donations in Ted’s honor may be made to Doctors Without Borders.

While working for Citicorp and Bankers Trust, he lived with his family in Chappaqua, NY. The Arcuni family were members of the Whippoorwill Country Club and Seven Bridges Field Club, where he served as President.

In 1986, Arcuni and Family, were relocated to Princeton, NJ, by the Prudential Insurance Company of America, where he served as Corporate Vice President and Executive Vice President of Prudential Affiliated Investors.

In 1989, New Jersey Governor Thomas Kean asked Arcuni to manage the State’s Pension Funds. Arcuni served as Deputy Director of the Division of Investments, within the NJ Department of Treasury. During his tenure, the NJ Pension Fund, according to SEI, was the top performing Public Sector Fund in the United States.

In 1995, Arcuni joined Merrill Lynch/Bank of America, and served as First Vice President – Investment, and Senior Financial Advisor.

In his later years, after retiring from the Corporate world, Arcuni served as an arbitrator for securities cases.

Reba Jordan Lippincott

Reba Jordan Lippincott, just one month shy of turning 91, passed away while residing in Charlotte, NC, near her younger son. She lived in Princeton, NJ, from 1970 until September 2023. She was born and raised in St Albans, WV, the eldest of four siblings. Education was always an important part of her life. She graduated third in her high school class. She attended West Virginia University (WVU) with hopes of going to medical school. Upon graduating, she was admitted to the Women’s Medical College of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia where she spent three semesters; thereafter, she worked for a pharmaceutical company as a lab technician in Philadelphia where she met her husband-to-be. She was a stay-at-home mother until 1974 when she returned to school at Rutgers University to earn a Masters of Library and Information Science. After earning that degree, she worked for 23 years as an education media specialist (high school librarian) in the Watchung Hills Regional School District in northern NJ. Her husband had an

MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and both of her children have postgraduate degrees. She also had some input into the education of her two grandsons. She lived for her family. Later in life, she took many trips and went on many bike rides and hikes. Her husband died in 2005, but she continued with biking and hiking. She became a big sports fan.

She was a serious follower of the New York Yankees and WVU’s football and men’s basketball teams.

In 2008 she joined the Women’s College Club of Princeton and became active in the organization that provides college scholarship awards to deserving young women in the surrounding Princeton area. In 2012 she became the club’s President. She took that job very seriously.

Reba is preceded in death by her parents, Gordon T. Jordan and Mary Katherine Jordan; her husband, Clair (Buzz) Lippincott; and her brother, Charles T. Jordan. She is survived by her sons, Jeffrey and Clark (Lisa); sisters, Julia Elcan and Mary Jo Santrock (John); grandsons, Connor (Dani) and Cole (Katie); sisters-in-law, Ann Jordan and Shirley Lippincott; and many nieces and a nephew. Her final resting place will be at the Princeton Cemetery in downtown Princeton, NJ. Memorial donations may be made to The Women’s College Club of Princeton (wccpnj.org) or curingkidscancer.org. Raymer-Kepner Funeral Home is assisting the family. Kepnerfh.com.

Tommy Williams, a beloved fixture in the Mercer County golf community and a passionate champion of Princeton, died at his home Saturday, April 19. He was 73.

A proud native of Jersey City, where he was raised in the Montgomery Gardens projects, Tommy retired after nearly three decades as an insurance agent for the Nelson & Ward Company, based in Iselin.

After settling in Princeton with his wife, Wendy, in 1996 Tommy became what could accurately be described as the soul of the Mercer County Golf system, generously sharing his knowledge and passion of the game with friends and struggling newcomers and strangers.

Tommy was a gifted and patient teacher, especially with first timers. His devotion was boundless – he could be found on the course helping someone improve their chipping game (his specialty) after the rain chased everyone else back to the clubhouse. He was widely popular with veteran players often shout-

ing his name across fairways, thrilled to get his attention and share their scores.

Tommy played courses all over France and Ireland on his frequent travels to both countries with his wife and friends. He also played throughout the United States, with Torrey Pines near San Diego, Calif., his particular favorite.

Tommy was also one of the original regulars at the nowclosed Little Taste of Cuba on Witherspoon Street, a cigar lounge where often regaling friends and customers with his golf course exploits and tall tales. His good nature, charm, and decency were infectious.

Tommy also was a great booster of the Princeton com munity and fan of F. Scott Fitzgerald. His passion for the author’s work led him to inspect Fitzgerald’s original manuscripts at Princeton University’s Firestone Library, an inspiring event that he often mentioned with pride.

on Wednesday, April 23, at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home, 40 Vandeventer Avenue. Princeton. A period of storytelling and reflection about Tommy will begin at 730 p.m. Visitors are urged to bring their stories and a smile.

Theodora Wei

Tommy is survived by Wendy Williams, his wife of 30 years; his daughter, Mellissa Carbone Moser, grandson, August Moser and son-inlaw, Peter Moser of Mountain Lakes, N.J.; his brother Michael Williams, Sr., and sister-in law Ruth Williams, of East Windsor; nephews Michael Williams and Nicholas Williams; step-brother Jerry Bohrer, sister in-law Joanne Bohrer; nephews Jack Bohrer and Jerry Bohrer and a niece, Nicole Donio. He is predeceased by his mother, Mary Bohrer, and father, Robert Bohrer; and two sisters, MaryEllen Rozzell and Patricia Brennan.

An “Irish Wake” service will be held between 4 to 9 p.m.

Theodora “Teddi” Wei, 82, of Princeton, died suddenly of a cardiac event on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, in Lisbon, Portugal, while traveling with her beloved husband, Fong. Born in Seymour, Connecticut, she had resided in Princeton for over 50 years.

A proud alumna of the Vassar College Class of 1964, Teddi was deeply committed to education, history, and the arts. She began her career as a middle school history teacher in Newton, Massachusetts, and then Scarsdale, New York, and later earned her master’s degree in counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After living in Chapel Hill and Montgomery, Alabama, she and her family settled in Princeton in 1974.

In addition to her consulting

work for various nonprofits, Teddi was a passionate and effective fundraiser, setting a class giving record for her 50th Vassar reunion and playing a role in McCarter Theatre’s capital campaign that concluded in the early 1990s. She also served on the boards of McCarter Theatre, Young Audiences, and Opera New Jersey, and was an enthusiastic patron of local arts communities. A lifelong learner, Teddi regularly audited classes at Princeton University in her favorite subjects — literature, philosophy, and history — and remained engaged through organizations like the Women’s Investment Group (WIG), the Present Day Club, and her reading circle.

Teddi had a love of opera, classical music, theater, good food, and travel, and visited more than 70 countries. She was fiercely independent yet deeply devoted to her family and friends, offering her full presence to those in her life.

Daughter of the late Harry Zopko and Julianna Cymbolic, she is survived by her husband of 58 years, Dr. Fong Wei, and their sons, Christopher and Alexander Wei. She is also survived by daughters-in-law Michelle Christman and Katie Wei, and grandchildren Atticus, Imogen, Oliver, and Lily. A Celebration of Life will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 31, 2025, at Prospect House, Princeton University.

For those wishing to honor her memory, donations may be made to the Princeton Symphony Orchestra, McCarter Theatre, or the Princeton Public Library.

DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS SERVICES

The Rev. Canon Dr. Kara Slade, Assoc. Rector SUNDAYS

8:00 am: Holy Communion Rite I 10:30 am: Holy Communion Rite II 5:00 pm: Choral Evensong or Choral Compline

The Rev. Paul Jeanes III, Rector

33 Mercer St. Princeton • 609-924-2277 www.trinityprinceton.org

904 Cherry Hill Rd • Princeton, NJ 08525 (609) 466-3058

Saturday Vespers 5pm • Sunday Divine Liturgy Pescantified Liturgy Wednesdays during Lent 6pm 930am • www.mogoca.org

To advertise your services in our Directory of Religious Services, contact Jennifer Covill jennifer.covill@witherspoonmediagroup.com (609) 924-2200 ext. 31

Town Topics CLASSIFIEDS

YARD SALE +

TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!

Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon tf

HOUSECLEANING: Experienced, English-speaking, great references, reliable with own transportation. Weekly & bi-weekly cleaning. Green cleaning available. Call Susan at (732) 873-3168. 05-28

HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396. tf

LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate. Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860. tf

JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON

Property Maintenance and Specialty Jobs

Commercial/Residential

Over 45 Years of Experience

• Fully Insured • Free Consultations

Email: joeslandscapingprinceton@ gmail.com

Text (only): (609) 356-9201 Office: (609) 216-7936 Princeton References • Green Company HIC #13VH07549500 tf

HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST:

Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130 tf 24/7 PROFESSIONAL

NURSES AND AIDES

Personal care, nutrition, social activities, support, respite care & family relief. Live-in and live-out in the greater Princeton and other NJ areas. Personal Home Care of Hillsborough (609) 216-5000 or (908) 306-0985 tf

TK PAINTING: Interior, exterior. Power-washing, wallpaper removal, plaster repair, deck staining. Renovation of kitchen cabinets. Front door & window refinishing. Excellent references. Free estimates. Call (609) 947-3917. 07-30

HOME HEALTH AIDE/COMPANION AVAILABLE: NJ certified and experienced. Live-in or live-out. Driver’s license. References available. Please call Cindy, (609) 227-9873. 04-30

Knotty pine bookcases a specialty! SKILLMAN FURNITURE CO.

609-924-1881

Elevated gardens • Slat tables Writing desks • Small furniture repair skillmanfurniture.com skillmanfurnitureco@gmail.com tf

ABG CLEANING CO.

Leave the cleaning to us!

20 years experience

Good references

Call us for a free estimate! (609) 651-2259 or (609) 955-1239 05-07

REUNIONS RENTAL

Steps from Nassau Hall

Fully Furnished Pristine Studio High Speed Internet $400 per nite 3 nite minimum alittlebird@me.com 05-07

BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613. tf

TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIEDS GET TOP RESULTS!

Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go!

We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE: I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. tf

WE BUY CARS Belle Mead Garage (908) 359-8131 Ask for Chris tf

WHAT’S A GREAT GIFT FOR A FORMER PRINCETONIAN?

A Gift Subscription!

Call (609) 924-2200, ext 10 circulation@towntopics.com tf

YARD SALE + TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!

Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know!

Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon

tf

HOUSECLEANING: Experienced, English-speaking, great references, reliable with own transportation. Weekly & bi-weekly cleaning. Green cleaning available. Call Susan at (732) 873-3168. 05-28

HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396.

tf

LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING &

POWER WASHING: Free estimate.

Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860.

tf

JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON

Property Maintenance and Specialty Jobs

Commercial/Residential

Over 45 Years of Experience

• Fully Insured • Free Consultations Email: joeslandscapingprinceton@ gmail.com

Text (only): (609) 356-9201 Office: (609) 216-7936 Princeton References

• Green Company

HIC #13VH07549500

HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST:

tf

Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130

tf

24/7 PROFESSIONAL

NURSES AND AIDES

Personal care, nutrition, social activities, support, respite care & family relief.

Live-in and live-out in the greater Princeton and other NJ areas.

Personal Home Care of Hillsborough (609) 216-5000 or (908) 306-0985 tf

TK PAINTING: Interior, exterior. Power-washing, wallpaper removal, plaster repair, deck staining. Renovation of kitchen cabinets. Front door & window refinishing. Excellent references. Free estimates. Call (609) 947-3917.

07-30

HOME HEALTH AIDE/COMPANION AVAILABLE: NJ certified and experienced. Live-in or live-out. Driver’s license. References available. Please call Cindy, (609) 227-9873. 04-30

Knotty pine bookcases a specialty! SKILLMAN FURNITURE CO. 609-924-1881

Elevated gardens • Slat tables Writing desks • Small furniture repair skillmanfurniture.com skillmanfurnitureco@gmail.com tf

ABG CLEANING CO.

Leave the cleaning to us! 20 years experience Good references Call us for a free estimate! (609) 651-2259 or (609) 955-1239 05-07

REUNIONS RENTAL

Steps from Nassau Hall

Fully Furnished Pristine Studio High Speed Internet $400 per nite 3 nite minimum alittlebird@me.com 05-07

BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613.

tf

TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIEDS GET TOP RESULTS!

Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go!

We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com

ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE:

I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. tf

Employment Opportunities in the Princeton Area

Legal Notice:

Take notice that in accordance with NJSA 39:10-16*, application has been made to the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, Trenton, New Jersey, to receive title paper authorizing the issuance of a New Jersey Certificate of Ownership for the following vehicle.

Make: Bee trailer Year: 1993

VIN/HULL Identification number: 1B910HE91N1277081

Objections, if any, should be made in writing to the Chief Administrator of the Motor Vehicle Commission, Special Title Unit, PO Box 017, Trenton, New Jersey, 08666-0017.

Franklin Twp Fire District 4 - Kingston 2025 Meetings

In-person at the Parish House, Kingston Presbyterian Church, 4565 Route 27 at 6:45 pm Google Meet: meet.google.com/min-ukvm-vir

May 20, Regular Meeting

June 17, Regular Meeting

July 15, Regular Meeting

NO MEETING IN AUGUST **

September 16, Regular Meeting

October 21, Regular Meeting

November 18, Regular Meeting

December 16, Regular Meeting with Budget Approval

January 13, 2026, with Budget Adoption

February 21, 2026, Annual Election February 24, 2026, Regular Meeting

Now or Never: The Spring Rush to Buy Before Inventory Shrinks

The five weeks after Easter and leading up to Memorial Day represent the height of the spring home buying season a period when buyer urgency peaks and competition is at its strongest. With school calendars, relocation plans, and summer timelines driving decisions, many buyers are eager to secure a home now so they can close and move in by early summer. This urgency is creating a fast moving, competitive market, with well priced homes often receiving multiple offers within days. Buyers who are serious about landing a home this season need to act quickly, have financing lined up, and be ready to make strong, clean offers.

While it’s common to assume more inventory will follow after Memorial Day, that’s not always the case. In fact, many sellers aim to list earlier in the spring to capitalize on peak demand, meaning the flow of new listings often slows as summer approaches. As buyer activity remains high and new inventory begins to taper off, competition could intensify. For those looking to buy, the time to make a move is now before options nar- row and bidding wars become the norm.

Celebrate Earth Week by Taking Action for our Environment

A message from Jim Waltman, Executive Director of The Watershed Institute

Fifty-five years ago, on the original Earth Day, twenty million Americans marched and rallied to bring attention to our imperiled environment This Earth Week let’s redouble our efforts to protect our fragile planet

April 22, 1970 is still believed to be the largest day of protest in US history At that time, many of our waterways were dumping grounds for raw sewage and industrial pollution Some of our rivers, most famously the Cuyahoga near Cleveland, even caught fire

Earth Day was both a massive “teach-in,” orchestrated to educate Americans about threats to public health and our environment, and a broad platform of advocacy for solutions to these problems

President Richard Nixon responded within months by creating the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and that same year, Congress passed the Clean Air Act. The Earth Day movement also inspired Congress to pass the Clean Water Act, the Safe Drinking Water Act, the Endangered Species Act, and other critical environmental laws. These laws were signed by Republican Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, with overwhelming public support.

Substantial progress has been made since the first Earth Day to protect our water, land, and air. The Watershed Institute is proud to have helped secure scores of protective measures at the state and local level and to instill an ethic of environmental protection by connecting tens of thousands of people to the natural world through engaging education programs and community science initiatives

We still have a long way to go

But with global warming bearing down on our communities, much more must be done. We need more action to help our communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change, more support to transition our economies away from fossil fuels towards clean, renewable energy sources, and more focus on preserving our declining biological diversity

Tragically, this year, the federal administration in Washington, D.C. has adopted a starkly different posture towards the environment than its predecessors. The new administration is threatening to fire thousands of government employees and cut billions of dollars from programs that protect Americans’ health and environment, undo decades of environmental protections, and erode civil liberties that are inextricably linked with environmental protection

Take action today!

The powerful history of Earth Day should embolden us to resist efforts to reverse the environmental progress that has been made over the last 55 years. Let your Senators and Representatives know that you care about environmental protection and urge them to resist efforts to roll back these measures.

Let’s also redouble efforts to make progress on these issues at the state and local level. The Murphy Administration has proposed a suite of measures to protect New Jersey’s residents from flooding, water pollution, and other manifestations of climate change. The most important of these pending proposals is a package of reforms called the REAL (Resilient Environments and Landscapes) Rule.

I hope that you will get outside with friends and family to explore natural areas like The Watershed Institute’s 950-acre nature reserve near Pennington, volunteer, or join organizations dedicated to protecting our natural environment. Please also contact your Senators and US Representative to urge them to resist efforts to roll back federal environmental protections and contact Governor Murphy to urge him to adopt the proposed REAL Rule

Learn the name of your US Representative and ways to contact them by scanning here.

Learn more about the REAL rules by scanning here

Contact Governor Murphy by scanning here

Exquisite Princeton Home Exudes Timeless Elegance

Welcome to 56 Cradle Rock Road, this 6 bed, 6.5 bath home is where timeless architectural details blend seamlessly with inviting living spaces. Situated on a peaceful cul-de-sac in the coveted Rushbrook section of Princeton, this beautifully crafted six-bedroom home offers elegant finishes and a layout designed for comfort and style. Its prime location provides easy access to Downtown Princeton, highly rated schools and the commuter train station with direct connections to both NYC and Philadelphia. As you enter, the foyer greets you with crown moldings, light oak flooring and tasteful designer details. The formal living room, with a gas fireplace and custom built-ins, sits across from the elegant dining room, featuring wainscoting, a crystal chandelier and large picture windows. The family room, complete with a wood-burning fireplace and French doors leading to a wooded back terrace, is perfect for relaxation and entertaining. A bedroom with a full bath on this floor is ideal for a guest suite. The chef’s kitchen includes a large island, Dacor stove, double Wolf ovens, granite countertops and a farmhouse sink. Enjoy your morning coffee in the Breakfast Pavilion with vaulted ceilings and views of the back terrace. Upstairs, the primary suite is a private retreat with double walk-in closets and a primary bath with a Jacuzzi tub and oversized shower. Five additional en-suite bedrooms offer ample closet space and plantation shutters. The third-floor game room provides additional space for leisure, fun and games. Additional features include a circular driveway, central vacuum system, high-efficiency geothermal HVAC system and an unfinished space above the garage, awaiting your creative touch. Located minutes from Princeton’s finest amenities, 56 Cradle Rock Road is truly a home of distinction.

Helene C. Fazio Senior Sales Associate Global Luxury Specialist SRES, CRP, CLHMS, CNAS, CNMS, CNBS, CNHS

Coldwell Banker Realty 10 Nassau Street | Princeton, NJ 08542

Cell: (609) 658-3277 | Office: (609) 921-1411

Helene.Fazio@coldwellbankermoves.com helenefaziosellshomes.com