Town Topics Newspaper, May 1, 2024.

Fusion Energy Week

Starts May 4; PPPL to Hold Groundbreaking Event 5

Autism Awareness Alliance Hosts Celebratory Gathering 7

Teaching Piano to Senior Citizens is Inspiration for Young Volunteer . . . . 10

PSO Presents Evening of Chamber Music 17

Former Quinnipiac, Cornell Assistant Syer

Named as New Head Coach of PU Men’s Hockey 26

Huang Guts Out Title at Second Singles in MCT, Helping PHS Boys’ Tennis Take 2nd in Team Standings 30

University Gaza Protest Continues Into Day Six, With Total of 15 Arrests

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment pro-Palestine demonstration at Princeton University entered its sixth day on Tuesday, April 30 after a tense Monday evening during which protesters marched from their previous base in McCosh Courtyard and occupied Clio Hall for several hours before settling on Cannon Green, directly behind Nassau Hall.

In an email sent to the Princeton University Community at 10:30 p.m. Monday, following the arrest of 13 people, University President Christopher L. Eisgruber noted that all 13, including ve undergraduates, six graduate students, one postdoctoral researcher, and one person not affiliated with the University, received summonses for trespassing and have been barred from campus. Two other demonstrators, both graduate students, were arrested at the start of the demonstrations on April 25.

“The students will also face University discipline,” he added, “which may extend to suspension or expulsion.” There were no injuries reported during the incident.

Eisgruber went on to describe the disturbance at Clio Hall, which houses the Graduate School administration, as “completely unacceptable” and “deeply upsetting to many people, including especially the staff of the Graduate School.”

He added, “Everyone on this campus needs to feel safe and be safe. Faculty, students, and staff must be able to conduct University business without disruption, harassment, or threat.”

The Gaza Solidarity Encampment, calling on the University to divest from companies with ties to Israel, started early Thursday morning, April 25. The two graduate students who were arrested then were putting up tents in violation of University policy in the courtyard between McCosh Hall and the University Chapel.

Over the past ve days, up until Monday evening’s occupation of Clio Hall, the demonstration had for the most part avoided any breach of University regulations.

An Instagram post on Monday from Princeton Israeli Apartheid Divest stated, “Princeton has refused to bargain over our demands through any channels of communication since October. We are taking our demands directly to

BOE Expected to Approve Referendum Proposal

At its meeting on Tuesday night, April 30, which took place after press time, the Princeton Board of Education (BOE) was expected to approve a proposal for a $85 to $89.5 million facilities referendum, planned for December 2024 or January 2025, and also a 2024-25 budget of $119.2 million.

The referendum proposal, for new construction and renovation at Community Park Elementary (CP), Littlebrook Elementary (LB), Princeton Middle School (PMS), and Princeton High School (PHS), is anticipated to be submitted to the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE). The speci c dollar amount, which could be smaller with the inclusion of potential state aid, and the nal form of the referendum questions will be determined after the NJDOE reviews the application and advises which portion of the costs is eligible for state funding.

Preliminary estimates indicate that

additional tax for this referendum would be $551.70 on the average assessed Princeton home of $848,037, according to a Princeton Public Schools (PPS) press release.

This referendum, if approved, would provide an additional six classrooms for both CP and LB, the two elementary schools closest to Princeton’s new and planned housing units.

Also, both schools would add more exible small group rooms and expanded, updated core spaces. PMS would also add classrooms and core spaces, and renovations at PHS would include improvements to the HVAC system and repurposing of space to create three new classrooms.

Though no new construction is planned at Johnson Park Elementary (JP) or Riverside Elementary, the new classrooms at LB and CP would accommodate more neighborhood students to mitigate increasing enrollment pressures at JP and Riverside. The new classrooms at CP,

a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) school, would allow the reintroduction of traditional classes for neighborhood students who are not part of DLI.

“We have worked hard to come up with a plan to maintain small class sizes with a focus on neighborhood schools,” said Acting Superintendent Kathie Foster, as quoted in the PPS press release.

“Working closely with our architects, demographers, and the community, we have developed a plan to add enough classrooms to welcome and accommodate new students as our community continues to grow,” she continued.

The referendum plans have gradually evolved, with modi cations incorporated based on suggestions from the community and the PPS staff. “We value input from our parents, our staff members, and community members,” said Foster. “When possible, we incorporated their suggestions into the plan.”

Council Hears Report On Present and Future Of Climate Action Plan

At its meeting on Monday night, April 29, Princeton Council was given a progress report on the town’s Climate Action Plan (CAP), which was adopted in 2019 to reduce carbon emissions and help the community become more climateresilient. Sustainable Princeton, which has been leading the effort, delivered the presentation.

Among other items on the agenda was the adoption of a resolution appointing nine members to the Princeton Advisory Committee on Affordable Housing, Human Services, and Racial, Social and Economic Equity. The committee was formed after the controversial consolidation in January of the former Civil Rights Commission, Human Services Commission, and Affordable Housing Board.

Council also passed ordinances related to loading zones and parking on Chambers Street once construction of the Graduate Hotel is completed, and license agreements for the new Hermes and Faherty stores, among other issues. Resolutions included a shared service agreement with Princeton Public Library for information technology services, a consulting agreement for community solar development, a contract for bicycle-safe grates and curb piece faceplates, and an urban tree canopy assessment.

Continued on Page 7

(Photo by Sarah Teo)

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TOWN TOPICS

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Nytro Marketing Agency Produces Podcast on AI Nytro Marketing, a Princeton-based global marketing agency, has introduced a new daily podcast that leverages AI to transform the latest tech news into digestible audio content.

The podcast, titled “AI in Marketing,” showcases Nytro Marketing’s proprietary Voice Stream technology, which automates the conversion of text into scripted voice, complete with custom introductions and conclusions. Stan Berteloot, head of strategy at Nytro Marketing, spends just 10 minutes each day curating news for the podcast.

very positive. People are extremely surprised at the voice quality and said that they barely noticed that it’s an AI talking.”

The “AI in Marketing” podcast not only demonstrates Nytro Marketing’s innovative approach to integrating AI in marketing strategies but also highlights the broader potential applications of the technology.

unanimously to add Scotia MacRae, Hayden Smith, and Rukshana Taraporewala to its board of trustees.

MacRae previously served on the FOPOS board, and offers expertise in public relations, development and publishing. Smith, a retired lawyer and former Marine who has done much to serve the Princeton community, has long appreciated walking his dogs around Mountain Lake and its woodland trails. Taraporewala brings an international business perspective, and has volunteered with FOPOS as a nature steward since 2019.

“Our Voice Stream AI Solution handles everything from scripting to voice conversion and even manages the episode’s titles, descriptions, and customized artwork before publication,” Berteloot said. “Interestingly, the feedback we have received about the AI-generated voice are

“Voice Stream can extend beyond daily news briefings,” Berteloot said. “Imagine converting newsletters or blog posts into engaging, short-form audio streams. This technology opens up new possibilities for any content-producing organization to reach audiences more effectively.”

Visit nytromarketing.com for further information.

FOPOS Adds Three Trustees to Board

On Sunday, April 28, Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) voted

“Scotia, Hayden, and Rukshana bring a diverse skill set and an enthusiasm for the outdoors that I’m sure will help advance FOPOS’s mission to preserve, restore and maintain our precious natural lands and help us get that message out to the community at large,” said Wendy Mager, FOPOS president.

Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin

Hinds Plaza Concept Design Open House : On Thursday, May 2 at 7 p.m., the municipality is hosting this interactive workshop where attendees can come and go as they please. Key topics will include materials, furniture, issues and concerns, trees and landscaping, and lighting. In the Community Room of Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street.

Recycling Buckets Available : Mercer County Improvement Authority has announced that free buckets are available again for residents. In Princeton, buckets can be picked up at 27 North Harrison Street. Princetonnj.gov.

Recreation Department Summer Jobs : Apply for work at Community Park Pool in customer service, day camp, or on lifeguard staff. Visit Princetonnj.gov/982/ Seasonal-Employment.

Nominations Sought : For the 2024 Annual New Jersey Immigrant Entrepreneur Awards, sponsored by the NJ Business Coalition. The deadline is June 1. Visit njbusinessimmigration.org/nominations.

WORM TEA: In honor of Arbor Day, Scott Zielinski of Woodwinds Associates applied worm tea to the future site of the Marquand Park Natural Meadow. Woodwinds Worm Tea is an organic liquid compost that improves the soil biology and nutrient availability to plants.

INNOVATION CENTER: The Princeton

Plasma Physics Laboratory will be holding a groundbreaking ceremony on May 9 for its new $109.7 million Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), as Fusion Energy Week features a number of engaging activities, in-person and virtual, for the general public. The above rendering of the PPIC building, scheduled for completion by 2027, shows the three-story North Wing with the roof garden to the left, and the South Wing laboratory building.

Fusion Energy Week Starts May 4; PPPL to Hold Groundbreaking Event

The first-ever Fusion Energy Week, a worldwide initiative to inform and engage the pubic with the world of fusion energy, is coming up, and the Princeton Plasma Physics Lab (PPPL) will be kicking off activities on May 4 with a pop-up Science on

Saturday presentation on the quest for fusion energy at the PPPL since 1951.

PPPL Science Education Department Head Arturo Dominguez, who is one of three leaders of the U.S. Fusion Outreach Team and one of three organizers of the week’s activities, noted that there are events scheduled in person and virtually all over the world, with information and registration available at usfusionenergy.org.

Dominguez described plans for a teaching lab that will accommodate students, teachers, and community members for workshops on plasma, fusion, and STEM activities. “It will be a welcoming space that will bring in folks from the community to participate in the stateof-the-art research that we do here at the lab. I’m very excited about it,” he said.

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On Thursday, May 9 at 11 a.m., PPPL will be holding a groundbreaking ceremony for its new $109.7 million Princeton Plasma Innovation Center (PPIC), which will be funded by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).

Expected to take three years to complete, PPIC will be the PPPL’s first new building in about 50 years and will provide new laboratory and office space at a time when PPPL is expanding its research mission and increasing its staff. It will replace the Theory Wing, which has housed theoretical physicists for about five decades, and part of the Administration Wing.

In this Saturday’s PPPL event titled “Lyman Spitzer’s Legacy of Innovation in the Quest for Fusion Energy,” Greg Hammett, principal research physicist in computational science at the PPPL, will trace the early history of fusion research and the

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“PPIC will not only be a beautiful gateway into our national laboratory, but it will also be a sustainable building,” said PPPL Director Steve Cowley, as quoted in a press release. “Sustainability is at the heart of our mission to achieve fusion energy as a clean, safe, and virtually limitless source of energy. PPIC will provide space for our fusion energy research and for research into plasma science applications in microelectronics, quantum computing, and sustainable technologies.”

The new building will have multiple laboratories of different sizes for PPPL researchers and collaborators, as well as additional collaboration spaces, space for science education programs, and offices. The concept of the building, according to the press release, is to “express and embody plasma/fusion science with references to energy, solar light, and magnetism.”

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(Rendering courtesy of SmithGroup)

impact of Spitzer, who conceived of an innovative approach to fusion energy and in 1951 founded what became the PPPL.

Dominguez, who describes Fusion Energy Week as “a grassroots effort to try to get the word out there about fusion,” will be teaming up with scientists from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories in California to host a Fusion 101 Webinar on Monday, May 6, from 3 to 4 p.m.

Dominguez and Tammy Ma, plasma physicist at the Livermore National Ignition Facility, will be guiding participants through the current state of the fusion industry, how fusion works, what outstanding challenges still exist, and what main approaches to fusion energy systems are attracting attention around the globe.

For more information and registration for this and other Fusion Energy Week events, visit usfusion energy.org.

A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national

Question of the Week:

“What’s your favorite style of music?” (Asked Saturday at the Princeton Porchfest) (Photos by Sarah Teo)

“Amazing things are happening right now in fusion energy science and technology,” the fusion energy website states. “Fusion energy has never been closer to appearing on the electrical grid, which has the potential to completely transform the global energy market. In the collaborative world of modern science, we all have an opportunity to not only watch this amazing transformation happen, but to be a part of it.”

—Donald Gilpin

West Windsor Farmers Market Opens May 4

The weekly West Windsor Community Farmers Market returns to the Vaughn lot on the southbound side of the Princeton Junction train station on Saturday May 4, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Weekly markets continue, rain or shine, through Thanksgiving.

Along with the markets, there will be a composting subscription service and knife sharpener (first and third Saturdays of the month). “It continues to be an absolute thrill to create a pop-up downtown every Saturday for just about everything you need to do a one-stop farmers market shop,” said Market Manager Chris Cirkus.

The roster of participants includes new farms and vendors such as Chickadee Creek Farm, Nomad Pizza, Giuliano & Dorina, The Foraged Feast, and WooRi Mart. Returning vendors include Jeff’s Organic Produce, Jammin’ Crepes, LoRe Pasta, Catalina Empanadas, Bebe’s All Natural, and Tico’s Juice Truck.

For a complete list and more information, visit wwcfm.org.

JUNCTION BARBER SHOP

33 Princeton-Hightstown Rd Ellsworth’s Center (Near Train Station) 799-8554

Tues-Fri: 10am-6pm; Sat 8:30am-3:30pm

“Grateful Dead, plus bluegrass, blues, and Cajun.” —Chuck Bischoff, Chatham

“Alternative music. I like 104.5 a lot because I like the band Loser, and Green Day.” —Kristy Cox with Wyatt Bowman, Princeton

“Hip-hop.”

—Saagar Govil, Fort Lee

Magdalena: “Classic Rock.” —Alexander and Magdalena Manasson with Wookie, Princeton

Christine Symington, executive director of Sustainable Princeton, said the presentation on the Climate Action Plan was designed as an overview; a more detailed report will be available later this week. The plan is to be updated in 2028.

Since the CAP was first created, there has been a dip down in greenhouse gas emissions, due in some measure to the fact that people were confined to their homes during the pandemic. “We don’t want to have another pandemic just for the sake of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. We want to make consistent lifestyle and habit changes to maintain the greenhouse gas emission reduction,” said Alex Dill of Sustainable Princeton.

Symington, Dill, and other staff members reported that 493 Princeton households and 57 local businesses have completed energy efficiency audits, and that number is expected to rise.

There have been 313 solar installations, representing a 73 percent increase since 2019. These initiatives have been promoted by activities including the Green House Tour, held last September. The date for this year’s tour is September 28.

The biggest drivers of greenhouse gas emissions are the built environment and the way we get around, Symington said. “Reducing the number and length of vehicle trips and increasing the number of people moved per vehicle, and increasing the number of clean vehicles on our streets, will significantly

reduce Princeton’s transportation-related emissions.

And the combination of compact development built with green building features close to transit and supporting zero emission vehicles has the most potential to reduce energy use.”

The report included a list of completed and in-progress work on the town’s bicycle mobility plan and pedestrian improvements. Some 3.5 miles of bike and pedestrian paths have been completed; another 4.2 miles are to be built in the next two years. Electric shuttle buses, 20 public charging stations for electric vehicles, and Princeton University’s addition of an off-road cycle track and onroad two-way cycle track on Washington Road are among other improvements in the report. The town’s retention of a full-time arborist, street tree inventory, and the preservation of the final Lanwin tract were also noted.

“There is still work to do to make our community less car dependent,” Symington said. “Some say we aren’t moving fast enough. But I feel it is important to recognize what has been accomplished.”

Members of Council praised the report.

“So many of the things I do I rely on you guys to educate me to provide data, provide support, and provide counsel, to work with the community,” said Councilwoman Eve Niedergang. “This is such an important partnership we have, absolutely crucial to what we do.” “Sustainable Princeton

and the work that you do always seeks to acknowledge equity, social justice, and environmental justice,” said Councilman Leighton Newlin. “You pay attention not to just some neighborhoods, but all neighborhoods in Princeton.”

“Tonight is one of those nights where I am feeling so proud that not only is the Climate Action Plan a thing, but it’s far enough where we’re evaluating the progress,” said Council President Mia Sacks, recalling the years when a CAP was under discussion but had yet to be formed.

Councilmembers Newlin and Leticia Fraga spoke before the vote on the resolution creating the new advisory committee, which is made up of nine members and two alternates. Terms are staggered to ensure continuity so that they don’t all expire at the same time. To form the committee, they drew names, “literally out of a hat,” said Fraga.

She called the group “a dynamic and diverse group of individuals. This dedicated team will bring together a wide range of backgrounds, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses, and life experiences.”

Join IAS Director and Leon Levy Professor David Nirenberg in conversation with mezzo-soprano Joyce DiDonato on topics ranging from female authors in opera to the future of the arts. A master class with rising star Jeysla Rosario Santos and collaborative artist Justina Lee will be followed by audience Q&A.

The first meeting of the group is currently being organized, and their names will be listed on the princetonnj.gov website. “This is an overarching and collaborative initiative that will address critical areas of stabilization for the least, the forgotten, and the sometime-lost among us,” Newlin said.

—Anne Levin

or email karen@chefkarenryfinski.com Spring calendar

Pre-registration is required, available using QR code. https://www.ias.edu/form/directorsconversation-may-2024

BOE

continued from page one

Foster went on to praise architect George Duthie, principal at Fraytak Veisz Hopkins Duthie PC, for his innovative plans and responsiveness to the community, and she thanked demographic planners Michael Zuba and Pat Gallagher.

Duthie was scheduled last night to present to the BOE and to the public updated architectural plans designed to provide enough classroom and common area space for students for at least the next five to seven years.

“This referendum maximizes the use of existing spaces and will add the needed capacity for additional students who are projected to enroll in our schools,” said BOE President Dafna Kendal. “This will allow us to take advantage of the state aid formula that favors renovations over new construction.”

Emphasizing meeting the needs of the growing community “in a fiscally responsible way,” Kendal, described the plan as “a well-thought-out and reasonable way to address the growth that we are seeing in the community, including

the building of new homes that is already underway.”

If approved by the NJDOE and by Princeton voters, bidding on the project could begin in early 2025 with the first phase of renovation beginning in June 2026 and all work completed by December 2027 or January 2028.

2024-25 Budget

The PPS budget for the coming school year, which was also expected to be approved at the April 30 meeting, includes a $108.6 million operating budget, $4.8 million for debt service, and a $5.8 million special revenue fund that is not funded by local taxes.

With the new budget the estimated increase in the effective school tax levy for Princeton taxpayers for the 2024 calendar year would be less than 2.3 percent.

“I am pleased that we have a budget for the next school year that allows us to maintain our educational excellence while minimizing tax increases,” said Foster.

PPS Business Administrator Matt Bouldin noted, “In the face of wide-ranging cost pressures, Princeton Public Schools has effectively managed school budget impacts to our taxpayers while

delivering on our educational mission. Over the past nine years, 2015 through 2024, PPS has limited the effective school tax increase to 1.94 percent annually.”

In 2024-25 PPS will receive $5.8 million in state aid, an increase of about $477,000 over the current budget year. The operating budget for the district will increase by $2.33 million.

The appropriation for Princeton Charter School (PCS) for 2024-25 is $8.1 million, a 4.5 percent increase in expenses. Salaries and benefits for the district, along with funding for PCS, account for 83 percent of all PPS expenses.

Bouldin pointed out the effects of inflation, with the district facing higher employment, energy, and transportation costs. PPS transportation costs have increased by 69 percent in the last three years.

The local tax levy is expected to account for 81 percent of the district’s revenue in the upcoming fiscal year, with state aid making up 8 percent and tuition from the Cranbury School District adding 5 percent of revenue, Princeton University adding 2 percent of revenues, and miscellaneous revenue amounting to 1 percent of the total.

“The Board is grateful to the administration for the time they spent reviewing staffing levels across the district and making adjustments as needed to ensure that we had the appropriate staffing levels at each school,” said Kendal. “Our first commitment is always to the students and maintaining educational excellence.”

—Donald Gilpin

Terhune Orchards on Cold

Days this weekend, May 4 and 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Kite Days at Terhune Orchards This Weekend Terhune Orchards celebrates spring with Kite Days on May 4 and May 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

Children can use their imaginations to make and decorate their own kites. Choose from a colorful assortment of pre-made kits in the form of birds, butterflies, and more, or bring your favorite kite from home. Whichever kite you choose, there will be a rainbow of colors in every shape and size floating through the air above the orchards.

Visitors can have a great time playing on the farm in springtime. Take a pony ride. Join in the fun of oldfashioned games and children’s activities in the barnyard. This weekend, kids will get to play in Terhune’s playhouses — Little Tikes Farm Store and Junior Mechanics

Shop, and can get to know some of the barnyard animals. Special this weekend is the Pet and Play Experience – hands-on visits with cuddly animal friends and baby goats.

Sheep shearer Joel Markevey will shear Terhune’s sheep in the barnyard on Sunday. Kids can take home a piece of real wool fleece.

Hungry kite fliers will find farm fresh lunch and snacks at Pam’s Food Tent. Listen to the sounds of country music as your kite dances in the wind — local bands will play from 12 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Adults can enjoy a visit to the Wine Orchard where tasting flights, wine by the glass, and wine slushies will be available to toast to spring.

Terhune Orchards is located at 330 Cold Soil Road. Admission required (age 3 and up). Admission tickets must be purchased for all entry to farm including winery and farm store at terhuneorchards.ticketspice.com/kiteday. For more information, call (609) 924-2310 or visit terhuneorchards.com.

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HIGH FLYING FAMILY FUN:

Soil Road hosts its annual Kite

continued from page one administration to force Princeton to the table NOW!” The post urged students and faculty to join a sit-in at Clio Hall.

The protesters have also called for a ceasefire in Gaza, “a condemnation of Israel’s genocidal campaign against the Palestinians,” and a cessation of the University’s association with Israeli academic institutions and businesses.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have been taking place at universities across the country in recent weeks, with a number of those protests, notably at nearby Rutgers University and Columbia University, escalating into clashes with the authorities.

In its coverage of Monday’s occupation of Clio Hall, The Daily Princetonian student newspaper reported that at least 15 protesters entered Clio at 5:23 p.m. At about 5:30 p.m. University Department of Public Safety (PSAFE) officials warned intruders that they would be arrested if they did not leave the building.

PSAFE eventually exited with two protesters, a graduate student and a researcher in the Princeton Neuroscience Institute, and took them onto a TigerTransit bus, as a large group of demonstrators blocked the path of the bus, banging on its windows and yelling, “Let them go.”

By 6:26 p.m. 11 people remained inside Clio Hall, according to The Princetonian, and four municipal Princeton Police Department

GAZA SOLIDARITY ENCAMPMENT: Pro-Palestine demonstrators at Princeton University moved into the sixth day of their “encampment,” moving the demonstration from McCosh Courtyard to Cannon Green between Nassau Hall and the Whig and Clio halls. Thirteen protesters were arrested on Monday evening during a takeover and sit-in in the Clio administration building.

(PPD) vehicles arrived. PPD

Captain Chris Tash noted that the PPD was called for support “just in case,” but did not have to get involved.

Two Princeton professors, Max Weiss of the History Department and Zia Mian, co-director of Princeton’s Program on Science and Global Security, urged students blocking the bus to disperse. The professors then entered the bus, and shortly afterwards, at 6:50 p.m., the two protesters who had been detained on the bus were released.

About 75 protesters remained on the steps of Clio Hall. Students who had been arrested were apparently escorted by PSAFE officers to their dorms and given 10 minutes to get items from their dorm that they needed. The crowd eventually dispersed from the Clio Hall steps, and the sit-in continued on Cannon Green between Clio and Nassau Hall.

On Cannon Green on day

six of the Gaza Solidarity Encampment, the protesters have organized supplies and food on tables, and placed canvases on the ground.

There are posters —“Free Palestine,” “Boycott, Divest, Sanction,” “Save Gaza,” and more — as well as Palestinian flags attached to trees

and elsewhere on the green. Classes at Princeton University ended last Friday, final exams start next week, and as this week’s reading period proceeds, the standoff between University administrators and the demonstrators continues.

—Donald Gilpin

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Isles Honors Leaders

At Spring Celebration

Tickets are on sale for Isles’ Spring Celebration and annual fundraiser to support the nonprofit’s work in Trenton and beyond. The event is on Saturday, May 4, from 6-9 p.m. at the Social Profit Center at Mill One, 1 North Johnston Avenue in Hamilton Township.

“We can’t do our work without the help of the larger community,” said Sean Jackson, Isles CEO. “Your support helps make our garden season possible, enables us to connect our students with job opportunities, and ensure that the lead paint contamination in local homes gets removed. We need your help to keep expanding our impact.”

The 2024 Community Award will be presented to Stacy Denton, the Youth College Director at Mercer County Community College. There she leads Trio programs and supported hundreds of students from Trenton and the surrounding communities progress through the academic pipeline from middle school to postgraduate programs. She is also active in a variety of community organizations where she is a leader in supporting the community.

“We’re thrilled to recognize Stacy, who helps ensure that students have the help and encouragement they need to succeed,” said Jackson.

Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman is being recognized with the Leadership Award. “We know that Mercer County, indeed all of New Jersey, has benefited from Bonnie Watson Coleman’s vital

and critical role in both the State legislature and for the past nine years in the U.S. Congress,” said Jackson. “She has a been a valuable partner for Isles through all these years of public service. From securing federal funding to help clean up lead paint contamination to ensuring continued support for Isles’ high school GED program, Bonnie has been a fierce advocate for the community we serve and we’re proud to recognize all she’s done to change lives in Trenton and beyond.” Visit isles.org for ticket information.

On April 26, at 3:24 a.m., subsequent to a motor vehicle crash on Bayard Lane, a 25-year-old male from Montgomery, was placed under arrest for Driving While Intoxicated. He was transported to Princeton Police headquarters where he was processed, charged accordingly, and later released.

On April 9, at 4:54 p.m., subsequent to a call for a suspicious person unlawfully entering a vehicle on Moran Avenue, a 32-year-old male from Manville was arrested after he was found to have scaled a fence and defiantly entered a property where children were present, according the Princeton Police Department. He was charged with Defiant Trespass, Disorderly Conduct, and Obstructing the Administration of Law. The individual charged was released pending a future court date.

Join Mutts creator, Patrick McDonnell and learn how his animal characters, and yours, can promote love and empathy for all animals. Meet some of the animals who reside at the Watershed Reserve. Patrick and his friends will help you think like an animal and create your own comic strip with your own animal characters. This session will provide insight into the fascinating lives of our animal neighbors as well as some guided creative drawing time.

his occasion marks The Watershed Institute’s 75th Anniversary a testament to our enduring commitment to conservation, advocacy, science and education.

We co Le will honor outstanding leaders an partners for their invaluable ntributions with The Edmund W Stiles Award for Environmental adership and The Richard Rotter Award for Excellence in Environmental Education

d

Teaching Piano to Senior Citizens

Is an Inspiration for Young Volunteer

Pranayaa Jeyaraman has been taking piano lessons since she was in first grade. Since February, the Woodbridge Academy Magnet School sophomore has been spending some of her time at the keyboard with enthusiastic students who happen to be decades her senior.

They are residents of the senior living community Maplewood at Princeton, and they study with the Monroe Township resident on Saturday afternoons. Results have been so positive that Pranayaa was among those

honored last Saturday, April 27, at an appreciation luncheon, where she was given a certificate and a special key chain hand-made by Maplewood residents.

“I wanted to apply what I’ve learned and help others at the same time,” she said this week. “A lot of people in the senior center are lonely, I think, and this is a way to help. It’s been good for me, too.”

Wanda Garrin, Maplewood’s lifestyle director, said volunteers at the senior center usually do things like

office work, or play games with the residents.

“It’s so special to have someone that actually knows how to play the piano and is willing to share that love of music with residents,” she said. “Pranayaa is so young but so mature. And she’s so patient with our residents. She has the most beautiful smile. For her to sit there and let them make their mistakes and let them learn, it’s just beautiful. I sit in my office and hear them playing, and my heart is full. I get goosebumps.”

Among Pranayaa’s students is 93-year-old Juanita Nevola, who always wanted to learn to play the piano. “When I was a little girl, we had a piano,” she said in a press release from Maplewood at Princeton. “But only my brother got lessons. I fiddled with the keys and I taught myself ‘Mary Had a Little Lamb.’ My children are so happy I’m taking lessons that they got me a keyboard of my very own, so I can practice in between lessons.”

Also quoted is resident Cynthia Hendrickson. “I’m really enjoying learning piano with Pranayaa,” she said. “I appreciate how patient she is with me. When I wanted to sign up for lessons, it was because I wanted to do something to improve my cognition.”

Another one of Pranayaa’s students is 90-something Angela Mattson. “It has always been my dream, since I was a young girl, to play the piano,” she said. “But I was one of 14 children, so there wasn’t enough money for lessons. Now that this opportunity has been given to me, I say, ‘Why not?’ I need to try.”

While Pranayaa does encounter the occasional memory lapse among her students, it doesn’t faze her. “I think two of the people I worked with weren’t in the memory care unit, but they were starting to lose their memory. I started to realize that after a few classes, they’d ask me for my name again. But always in the beginning of the lesson, I try to repeat what we’ve done before. So, you build upon that. It’s not one new thing every week.”

While Pranayaa had six students at one point, she currently works with four. Most of them have no prior experience at the keyboard. But they have been exposed to music in some form.

“One student, Andrew, said his son used to play piano, so he had a piano in his house. With him, I could start a little more advanced,” she said. “Another student’s daughter plays piano and bought her a book with some old songs like ‘If You Knew Susie,’ which she likes. If you know a song, it’s a lot easier to stay interested.”

Old Barracks Museum Earns National Recognition

The Old Barracks Museum in Trenton has achieved accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums. Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community as well as high standards in stewardship, ethics, and innovation.

“I am exceptionally proud that the AAM has recognized the dedication and work of the Old Barracks staff and board of trustees,” said Michelle Doherty, executive director of the museum. “The staff works together to bring history to the public through interpretive programs, exhibits, and preservation. Through this accreditation process, the museum had a chance to examine its methods and practices and ensure that we are meeting our mission in the best possible manner. The Old Barracks is a unique site that can provide living history demon-

strations as well as exhibits and programs that tell the story of not just the barracks itself, but also of New Jersey from 1758 through the present both on and off the battlefield.”

The process of accreditation takes over a year. It answers two main questions: How well does the museum present its mission and goals? How well does the museum meet national standards and best practices? It includes an in-depth, internal self-study, as well as study by peer reviewers. The museum is one of 33 across the nation awarded accreditation this round.

“The Old Barracks Museum is a National Historic Landmark and a premier historic site in Trenton,” said Lisa Willever, president of the Old Barracks Association. “This accreditation highlights the museum’s unique ability to share the importance of New Jersey’s history through interpretation, education, and preservation.”

In the future, Pranayaa hopes to continue with music while going into the health care field. “These opportunities to connect with these people I don’t know, and get to know them, have been an all-around nice, holistic experience,” she said. “They have shown me that it’s never too late to learn.”

—Anne Levin

ADVERTISING SALES

Witherspoon Media Group is looking for an advertising Account Manager to generate sales for our luxury magazines, newspaper, and digital business.

The ideal candidate will:

Establish new and grow key accounts and maximize opportunities for each publication, all websites, and all digital products.

Collaborate with the sales and management team to develop growth opportunities.

Prepare strategic sales communications and presentations for both print and digital.

Develop industry-based knowledge and understanding, including circulation, audience, readership, and more.

Prepare detailed sales reports for tracking current customers’ activity and maintain pipeline activity using our custom CRM system.

Positions are full- and part-time and based out of our Kingston, N.J. office. Track record of developing successful sales strategies and knowledge of print and digital media is a plus.

Compensation is negotiable based on experience. Fantastic benefits and a great work environment.

Please submit cover letter and resume to: lynn.smith@princetonmagazine.com melissa.bilyeu@witherspoonmediagroup.com

NEVER TOO LATE: Residents of Maplewood at Princeton have been taking piano lessons from 15-year-old high school sophomore Pranayaa Jeyaraman, who was among those honored last week for their volunteer work.

GALA PERFORMANCE: At its April 13 fundraising gala, held at Jasna Polana, Princeton Symphony Orchestra trustee and Glenmede Trust attendee Mark Nurse is shown with with Michelle Nurse and Music Director Rossen Milanov. The Elegance Quartet, wearing Regency dress, performed, and guests took part in a “Royal Raffle.” All funds raised benefit the PSO’s music, education, and community programs, as well as the Princeton Festival.

(Photo by T. Kevin Birch)

Autism Awareness Alliance Hosts Special Celebratory Gathering

According to a March 2023 report by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the rate of children identified with autism spectrum disorder is one in 36 children nationally. Here in New Jersey, it is one in 35. This and other statistics related to the developmental disorder inspired Sean (Shenyao) Xu, a sophomore at the Hun School, to help families — especially Chinese families — deal with the issue. Last Saturday, April 27, the 15-year-old, who moved to Princeton from China with his family a few years ago, helped organize a special “Beyond the Spectrum” event with the nonprofit Autism Awareness Alliance of Princeton.

Marking National Autism Awareness Month, the

celebration brought some 128 people to the Dinky Bar & Kitchen. The day was made possible through a collaboration with the Princeton Child Development Institute and contributions from local student advocates and their families.

In the crowd were 62 children with autism, their families, and local high school and college volunteers. Also on hand was Mayor Mark Freda, who “praised the strong community turnout and expressed his excitement for future events aimed at building connections and enhancing autism awareness,” according to a press release. “While completing the ceremonial eye-dotting ceremony to initiate the [traditional Chinese] Lion Dance, he expressed deep appreciation for the

community’s diversity.”

The Lion Dance team came from Wan Chi Ming Huang Gar Institute, based in New York City. “In China, lions are considered auspicious creatures that ward off evil and harm,” Sean said. “Before the Lion Dance performance, there is always an eye-dotting ceremony symbolizing the infusion of life into the lion. A lion that has been ‘dotted’ comes to life, symbolizing the warding off of evil, bringing good fortune, and a prosperous life. Firstly, we dot the left eye, symbolizing gleaming with golden light. Secondly, we dot the right eye, symbolizing sparkling with silver light. Thirdly, we dot the forehead, symbolizing fame spreading far and wide. Lastly, we dot the lion’s mouth, symbolizing peace all

“BEYOND THE SPECTRUM”: Members of the Princeton Police Department were among those on hand to help out at this special Autism Awareness Alliance event on Saturday, April 27 at the Dinky Bar & Kitchen.

over the world. Mayor Mark Freda completed every step before the Lion Dance.”

Sean said he has spent the past few months communicating with more than 60 families about the event. He is planning to create a club at Hun to further awareness of autism and establish community connections.

Among the speakers was Princeton University senior and autism awareness advocate Whitt Harper, who detailed his personal experience living with the disorder. “He told a really touching story,” said Sean. “He has gotten a lot of help from people at Princeton [University] and he talked about how important it is to have a supportive community.”

Putting the event together, Sean had help from close friends in Virginia and Florida, one of whom he has known since elementary school. “I told her what I was doing and asked her for help, and she said, ‘I’m in.’”

Preparations for the celebration began at 6:45 a.m.

“We had a lot to set up,” Sean said. “The balloons were actually a big part, and it was really a challenge. There was so many — more than 300 — and we nearly ran out of helium.”

Just before the start of the event, the office of Congresswoman Bonnie Watson Coleman delivered a proclamation recognizing contributions of the Autism Awareness Alliance. Police officers on hand “not only ensured safety, but also engaged with attendees, taking pictures and promoting community support,” according to the release.

Sean said he hopes the celebration will be the first of many. “I want to make this an annual event,” he said, “doing something maybe bigger next year. It’s in the planning stages right now. We will definitely engage more people in our community, and it will be even better.”

—Anne Levin

Annual Sigmund Award Goes to Watson Coleman Womanspace will present the 28th annual Barbara Boggs Sigmund Award to U.S. Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman on May 30. The award will be presented at The Boathouse at Mercer Lake, in Mercer County Park, at an event being held from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Womanspace provides help for women, men, and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence. Watson Coleman is being honored for her advocacy, dedication, and achievements in advancing gender equality, empowering women, and supporting initiatives that promote a more just, equitable, and violence-free community for all. Among the legislation she has introduced are The Healthy MOM Act, the End For-Profit Prisons Act, the Customer Non-Discrimination Act, and The Pursuing Equity in Mental Health Act. Previous honorees include Cokie Roberts, Diane Sawyer, Ann Richards, Nina Totenberg, Lindy Boggs, Star Jones, Lee Woodruff, Tamron Hall, Joe Torre, Elizabeth Smart, and Troy Vincent Sr. Tickets, sponsorships, and tributes are available. Contact Rebecca Leoni, manager of development operations, at RLL@womanspace.org.

The

“Refresh” of Hinds Plaza Provides Opportunity to Increase its Bene ts

To the Editor:

Belatedly, we recently learned that a consultant has working on a plan to “refresh” Hinds Plaza, the small square of public space created by the design and construction of the new Princeton Public Library and dedicated for the use of all Princetonians 20 years ago. The library has grown into our community’s living room, and the plaza has become its equally valued front porch.

On May 2, the town Council will unveil the consultant’s proposal for refreshing this beloved community asset. Let’s go beyond surface updates and make the most of this opportunity to increase the benefits this central common space brings to all of us.

One approach would be to install underground geothermal wells to eliminate the library’s reliance on fossil fuel and greatly lower its heating, cooling, and lighting costs. Adding solar panels could offset the library’s electricity consumption. Beyond putting as many solar panels on the library roof as possible, solar panels could be creatively combined with decorative structures to provide definition and shaded areas for the plaza. Hinds Plaza has so much more to offer our town than a pleasant landscape. We have a world class example of geothermal electrical systems on the Princeton campus just across Nassau Street, and a community-wide commitment to environmental sustainability to build on. Let’s go!

BETTY AND BILL WOLFE

Hawthorne Avenue

Arts Council Extends Thanks for Successful Princeton Porchfest 2024

To the Editor:

This past Saturday, the Arts Council of Princeton proudly presented the third annual Princeton Porchfest. If the past three years have proved anything, it’s that Princeton is not only an incredibly talented community, it sure knows how to have fun!

We want to thank each of our porch hosts for welcoming us to your homes and each performer for your contributing your skills. Most importantly, we want to thank every Porchfest-goer who turned up to exemplify exactly what makes Princeton so special. Familiar faces and new friends alike turned out to support and enjoy the show.

Bringing live music to the streets of Princeton was made possible with the unending support of Princeton University, the

municipality, Mayor Freda, Princeton Council, Princeton Police, porch hosts, musicians, our generous sponsors, and YOU. Porchfest epitomizes the Arts Council’s mission of building community through the arts, bringing friends, families, and neighbors into the streets to connect and enjoy. Thanks to your support, it did just that.

For a full list of sponsors, please visit artscouncilof princeton.org.

ADAM WELCH

Executive Director

MELISSA KUSCIN

Marketing and Program Manager

Thanking Those Who Supported Trinity Church Choirs’ English Tea Fundraiser

To the Editor:

The English Tea given in support of the Trinity Church Choirs’ 2026 trip to England was a wonderful event on April 21. Guests enjoyed a traditional English tea of sweets and savories, followed by a beautiful choral Evensong service in the church.

Arts Council of Princeton Witherspoon Street www.princetonmagazinestore.com

The combined Trinity choirs will be singing daily services for a week at both Ely Cathedral and Westminster Abbey in 2026. We thank all of you who joined us and enjoyed this afternoon with friends and our choirs.

PEGI STENGEL

Prospect Avenue

SYLVIA TEMMER

Hamilton Avenue

Co-chairs

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.

With the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) model, customers purchase shares of produce at the beginning of the season.

For $350, you’ll receive a weekly share of produce (7-10 lbs./week) for 13 weeks from June through August.

Shares are picked up each Thursday afternoon at the Farminary.

Fellow, AAMLFellow, AAML

Fellow,RisingAAML Star

New “Looking For Legends” Book For Those Intrigued by Adventure

Whether you’re an armchair traveler, an occasional tourist, a seasoned globetrotter, a daring adventurer, or an intrepid explorer, there’s something for you in Looking For Legends: Let Us Take You Somewhere You’ve Never Been Before, and Introduce You to Our Friends by Barbara Scott and Tom Tarantino (Whole Wide World Publishing, $60 paperback; $80 hardcover) . Joined at the heart by a love for travel and adventure, Scott and Tarantino provide witty commentary

as they circumnavigate the globe in a book that is part travelogue, part history, and part good, old fashioned, action story. According to the publisher, these married travelers spanned the globe for 25 years and discovered that travel is more than anticipating and planning the journey, reaching the destination, or seeing the sights. It’s about the people you meet along the way. Within these pages are the incredible individuals they found — the towering legends who truly lived.

Complete with original, hand-drawn maps and more than 150 images, Looking For Legends takes readers to places that will exceed their wildest dreams. Trek through the Empty Quarter with Wilfred Thesiger. Dance the tango with Ricardo Guiraldes. Unlock the secrets of the Rosetta Stone with Jean-François Champollion. Discover an invisible country across the top of the world with Knud Rasmussen. Find the 15th EightThousander with Reinhold Messner. Live through hell with Anna Akhmatova. Hunt a man-eating tiger with Jim Corbett. Ingest the Plants of the Gods with Richard Evans Schultes, and many more.

Scott is a multisport athlete, equestrian, coach, mentor, and explorer, all while being a grandmother to eight and great-grandmother to 15. She has traveled to more than 50 countries, been to places high and low, and knows how to go along in order to get along.

Tarantino, a Princeton University alum, is an entrepreneur and private investor. He says his extensive library of more than 5,000 books allows them to travel even when they stay at home.

What happened after the Bronze Age collapsed? In a sequel to Eric Cline’s bestselling 1177 B.C., the professor of classics and anthropology at George Washington University continues the story in his new book, After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations (Turning Points in Ancient History).

Cline will speak with author-illustrator Glynnis Fawkes, who has a new graphic novel adaptation of Cline’s earlier book, at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street, on Monday, May 6 at 6 p.m. The event is co-presented with Princeton Public Library and co-sponsored by Princeton University’s Center for Collaborative History.

Get ready to ride! Get Ready to Ride!

We are celebrating National Bike Month! Five times in May we will wait at a randomly chosen Princeton street corner to give the first 6 bicyclists who ride by over $60 in gift cards from local businesses. Participating businesses include:

Whole Earth Center

Mediterra • Eno Terra • Teresa Caffe • Terra Momo Bread Company • Albariño

Nassau Street Seafood • Blue Point Grill • Witherspoon Grill • Kristine’s

Yankee Doodle Tap Room • Nassau Inn • Miya Table & Home

Meeting House • Triumph Brewing • Orvana

Homestead Princeton • Princeton Tour Company

bent spoon • small world coffee

Tipple & Rose • Tico’s Eatery & Juice Bar

Princeton Soup & Sandwich • Labyrinth Books

Jammin’ Crepes • Hinkson’s • Olives

LiLLiPiES • Princeton Record Exchange

Olsson’s Fine Foods • jaZams

Princeton Recreation Department

Princeton Corkscrew Wine Shop WONDERING

Praise for After 1177 (Princeton University Press, $32), comes from, among others, Barbara Cifola of American Historical Review, who wrote that “[T]his work masterfully incorporates the present state of research into a welcome reevaluation of a period less known to the general public, the crisis of Late Bronze Age civilization.

. . [E]ven more brilliant is the spin on the similarities between the predicament of this area three millennia ago and now.”

Fawkes is the authorillustrator of Charlotte Brontë before Jane Eyre and Persephone’s Garden , among other books, and her comics have appeared on the website of The New Yorker. She has worked as an archaeological illustrator around the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, and teaches at the Center for Cartoon Studies in Vermont.

Late Bronze Age History is Topic for Author Eric Cline

HSP Book Talk in Honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day

In honor of Holocaust Remembrance Day, author Michelle Weinfeld discusses her book, From Generation to Generation: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Identity in the Aftermath of the Shoah, on Wednesday, May 8 at 7 p.m., at the Historical Society of Princeton’s Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road. The event is co-sponsored by the Princeton Public Library.

The book (New Degree

Press, $17.99) explores the intersection of values, history, and identity as Weinfeld’s story is interwoven with that of her grandfather, Poppy, a Holocaust survivor. Poppy’s account of loss and rebuilding, layered with Weinfeld’s journey to self-acceptance in the face of antisemitism, demonstrates that trauma does not affect only the individual, but can transcend generations. Books will be available for

purchase. A percentage of all proceeds from this book will be donated to The Museum of Jewish Heritage: A Living Memorial to the Holocaust in New York City.

New Date for Author, Activist Stacey Abrams

Known as a political leader in her home state of Georgia, Stacey Abrams is a New York Times bestselling author. She discusses her latest novel, Rogue Justice: A Thriller, as part of Princeton University’s J. Edward Farnum Lecture Series on Wednesday, May 8, at 7:30 p.m. at Richardson Auditorium on the Princeton University campus, in a rescheduled event. Free tickets are required, and can be obtained at tickets.princeton. edu/online.

The event is co-sponsored by Princeton University, Labyrinth Books, and the Princeton Public Library. Free copies of Rogue Justice will be handed out to the fi rst 500 in-person attendees.

In Rogue Justice, (Penguin Random House, $18 paperback), Supreme Court Clerk Avery Keene is back, after unraveling an international conspiracy in While Justice Sleeps. Drawn from today’s headlines and woven with her insider perspective, the suspense novel is well reviewed. New York Magazine calls it a “thoroughly compelling take on the machinations of Washington and those covetous of power,” while the Washington Post writes that Abrams “delivers another smart, zippy thriller; in Keene, she’s created a dogged and determined hero who could take down a whole slate of bad guys between her morning latte and a late lunch.”

May 13-14

Free and open to the public

PETER SINGER FAREWELL CONFERENCE

Monday, May 13

Maeder Hall, Room 002: panel discussions on “Utilitarianism” (10–11:45am) and “Freedom of Expression” (1:15–3:00pm)

Richardson Auditorium: Conversation with Andrew Chignell and Tania Lombrozo (3:30–4:15pm) and “Animals” (5:00–6:30pm)

Abrams served as minority leader in the Georgia House of Representatives and was the first Black woman in U.S. history to become gubernatorial nominee for a major party. Abrams has launched multiple nonprofit organizations devoted to democracy protection, voting rights, and effective public policy. She has also co-founded successful companies, including a fi nancial services fi rm, an energy and infrastructure consulting firm, and the media company Sage Works Productions.

Poet Dickman Conjures Portland in New Volume Award-winning poet Michael Dickman returns to his home in the Pacific Northwest in his latest volume. The Princeton University faculty member at Lewis Center of the Arts appears at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street, on Tuesday, May 7 at 6 p.m. to talk about Pacific Power and Light: Poems (Knopf, $28). This image-driven, sounddriven collection carries readers to the working-class Portland neighborhood of Lents, where Dickman was raised by a single mother. “This riot of nature, always troubled by the artificial, conjures a green thought in a green shade. Only in Dickman’s landscape, nature’s green spectrum turns corrosive, and veers towards a shade that glares and discomfits. No one sees and hears the world quite like this poet whose every line thrums with specificity,” said author Jhumpa Lahiri, who recently wrote Roman Stories and was director of Princeton’s Program in Creative Writing. Dickman is the author of four collections of poems,

including Flies, winner of the 2010 James Laughlin Award, and Days & Days , a New York Times Best Poetry Book of 2019. He is on the faculty at Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts.

This event is co-sponsored by Princeton University’s Humanities Council and Lewis Center for the Arts.

Author Lester Talks Finance With Young Entrepreneur

Join a conversation and Q & A with author Anne Lester, the former head of retirement solutions for JPMorgan Asset Management, as she shares highlights from her latest book, Your Best Financial Life: Save Smart Now for the Future You Want, on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street.

The conversation based on Your Best Financial Life (William Morrow, $26.99) will be moderated by Gus Canzano, a local small business owner and millennial, who has experienced the

challenges faced by millennials and Gen Z today when it comes to managing their finances and saving for the future. The event is co-presented by Labyrinth Books.

Lester is a media commentator and speaker who wants to help Americans of all walks of life achieve a safe and secure retirement.

Hailed as a “pioneer and innovator” by the financial services company Morningstar, she has worked on all aspects of retirement for the past 30 years, most recently with JPMorgan Asset Management. She is a regular contributor for CNBC, Bloomberg TV, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and additional industry publications.

Canzano, 31, is the owner of Canzano Custom Homes & Restoration, a painting and construction company focused on restoration and remodeling of historic homes as well as new construction. At age 28, he became the owner of a multifamily home in Lambertville.

Tuesday, May 14

Maeder Hall, Room 002: panel discussions on “Extreme Poverty” (10–11:45am), “Significance of Ethics” (1:30–3:15pm) and “Bioethics” (3:45–5:30pm)

The conference is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For more information and to register, please visit petersinger.uchv.princeton.edu

Closing Out Poetry Month with Shakespeare, Berlioz, Swift, and Vendler

The adolescence of a whole American generation was mediated by Dylan’s songs...

—Helen Vendler (1933-2024)

The last week of National Poetry Month began on Tuesday, April 23, William Shakespeare’s 460th birthday. Right now a whole generation of listeners is being “mediated” by Taylor Swift, whose latest album The Tortured Poets Department opened at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 chart, “with historic numbers,” according to the New York Times. It’s hard to ignore an album with that title in a month celebrating poetry, not to mention the fact that Swift’s work is the subject of courses being taught at major universities, including Harvard, which offers an English Department class called “Taylor Swift and Her World.”

Romeo and Juliet

From what I’ve heard of The Tortured Poets Department , there are no songs, so far, as infectious as “Wildest Dreams,” “Wonderland,” “This Love,” “Blank Space,” and “Style” on 1989 (Taylor’s Version). With Shakespeare’s month coming to a close, I’m viewing Swift’s songs in the company of poetry and music on the grand scale, such as La reine Mab, reine des songes ( queen of dreams ), Hector Berlioz’s orchestral translation of Mercutio’s virtuoso flight of fancy in Act 1 of Romeo and Juliet

Invoked shortly before his death, Mercutio’s Queen Mab gallops night by night in her “empty hazel-nut chariot” t hrough lovers’ brains, lawyers’ fingers, ladies’ lips, parsons’ noses, and sometimes “o’er a soldier’s neck, who then dreams of cutting foreign throats, of breaches, ambuscadoes,” and who “starts and wakes, and being thus frighted swears a prayer or two and sleeps again.” Mercutio is in midflight, punning on the hag “who learns maids first to bear, making then women of good carriage,” when Romeo interrupts: “Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace! Thou talk’st of nothing!”

Writing between 1591 and 1595, Shakespeare would have been in his late twenties when he conceived of a word-drunk youth who would die violently even while riffing on his fatal wound, “not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but ‘tis enough, t’will serve.”

Berlioz experienced Mercutio’s “nothing” in 1827 while attending the play in Paris and falling in love with (and later marrying) the Irish actress playing Juliet. “I may add that at the time I did not know a word of English,” Berlioz admits in

his memoir. “I could only glimpse Shakespeare darkly through the mists of Letourneur’s translation; the splendour of the poetry which gives a whole new glowing dimension to his glorious works was lost on me.” On that occasion, it was “the power of the acting, especially that of Juliet herself, the rapid flow of the scenes, the play of expression and voice and gesture” that “told me more and gave me a far richer awareness of the ideas and passions of the original.”

Swift’s Mercutio

“I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)” is Taylor Swift’s song about taming a 21stcentury Mercutio whose jokes are “far too loud,” whose brain is racing with dopamine “on a six-lane Texas highway,” whose hand is “calloused from his pistol.” Like a poet at a slam, Swift begins hard and heavy: “The smoke cloud billows out of his mouth like a freight train through a small town.” After that she strides the line between conversational and musical (“I can handle me a dangerous man”) right up to the existential desperation of the last line, “Whoa, maybe I can’t.”

Reading Swift’s lyrics on the page, I looked at words as words, along with the verbal dynamics of the performance, and without reference to the social media gossip about who, where, and how that rouses a fascinated worldwide fan base. In her album’s title poem, Swift says “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith / This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re both modern Idiots.” Again, instead of pondering the real-life identity of whoever may have played Dylan Thomas to Swift’s Patti Smith, I’m just noting the fact that these are the only two poets she explicitly cites in The Tortured Poets Department. I’m also reminded of the line in Simon and Garfunkel’s song from 1966, “The Dangling Conversation”: “And you read your Emily Dickinson and I my Robert Frost / And we note our place with

book markers that measure what we’ve lost.”

Shakespeare to Dylan In Shakespeare: The Invention of the Human , Harold Bloom agrees with the Bard’s first editor Nicholas Rowe (16741718) that Shakespeare himself played the part of the Ghost in Hamlet when it opened at the Globe in 1601. After observing that Shakespeare “was what we now call ‘a character actor,’” Bloom wonders “why did he play the ghost?” Could he have had some “personal investment” in it?

Having pictured Taylor Swift in the unlikely setting of a poetry slam, I imagined a similar situation around the Ghost as voiced by his actor-author in the great “slam” of the ages, appearing mysteriously, fantastically on the ramparts of Elsinore, the gateway to the drama as he raps out a tale “whose lightest word would harrow up thy soul, freeze thy young blood ” and “make thy two eyes, like stars, start from their spheres.” Now suppose that the Ghost’s closing command to Hamlet, to revenge “his foul and most unnatural murder,” is directed at the legions of deniers who through the centuries have “murdered” Shakespeare by spurning the idea that a human being bearing his name actually wrote the plays. Yes, it’s “Murder most foul!”

And four centuries later, in the year 2020, the Ghost’s call to action is “mediated” by Bob Dylan’s virtuoso epic on the undying mystery of the Kennedy assassination, “Murder Most Foul.”

Swift’s English Connection

The closest to an actual poem on Swift’s Tortured Poets Department may be “So Long, London,” with its echoes of the title more spoken than sung (“Stitches undone / Two graves one gun / I’ll find someone”).

A song about London in Shakespeare’s month also brings to mind the English connection in Swift’s career, a possibility

already in play since she shares the last name of the author of Gulliver’s Travels , whose viscerally scatalogical epistle “From a Physician To His Mistress” begins, “By poets we are well assured / That love, alas! can ne’er be cured.”

One reviewer of Swift’s video for her song “Cardigan,” from her acclaimed 2020 album folklore, compared her new look to “that of a classic English rose,” while her song “The Lakes” refers to Swift’s semiretirement in England’s Lake District, also mentioned in “Invisible String,” in which she imagines a red rose “with no one around to tweet it” while referring to the Romantic poet William Wordsworth. As she puts it on Instagram when discussing the conception of folklore : “In isolation, my imagination has run wild and this album is the result, a collection of songs and stories that flowed like a stream of consciousness. Picking up a pen was my way of escaping into fantasy, history, and memory.”

Helen Vendler

When I first learned of Helen Vendler’s death, I didn’t notice that the author of The Art of Shakespeare’s Sonnets (Harvard University Press 1997) died on April 23, 2024, Shakespeare’s 460th birthday, which is where I began, with reference to a course on Taylor Swift at Harvard, where Vendler taught for almost half a century. While Vendler most likely never commented on the Taylor Swift phenomenon, my guess is that she’d have approached the subject much as she did in September 2017 when asked on juked.com to comment on Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize. After referring to the way “high” literature has always incorporated “folk” literature and the English and Scottish ballads that led to Wordsworth’s Lyrical Ballads, she said: “Bob Dylan descends from that line. The adolescence of a whole American generation was mediated by Dylan’s songs.” He is “a cultural phenomenon, a songwriter rather than a poet.”

As for Vendler herself, the New York Times obituary described her as a “Colossus of Poetry Criticism.” Roger Rosenblatt’s piece, also in the Times, brought her nicely down to earth: “Some critics gain notice by something new they discover in the literature they examine. Helen became the most important critic of the age by dealing with something old and basic — the fact that great poetry was, well, lovable. Her vast knowledge of it was not like anyone else’s, and she embraced the poets she admired with informed exuberance.”

—Stuart Mitchner

Princeton Symphony Orchestra Presents Evening of Chamber Music

Members of professional orchestras often have successful performing careers on their own, both individually and as part of chamber ensembles. Princeton Symphony Orchestra principal cellist Alistair MacRae maintains a bi-coastal performing life, with faculty and principal appointments on the West Coast in addition to New Jersey. One of his affi liations is as a member of the Puget Sound Piano Trio, ensemble-in-residence at the University of the Puget Sound School of Music in Tacoma, Washington. Princeton Symphony Orchestra presented MacRae and his colleagues in the Trio, violinist Maria Sampen and pianist Ronaldo Rolim, in a concert at Princeton’s Trinity Church last Wednesday night. With the music of Franz Joseph Haydn, Miguel del Aguila, and Felix Mendelssohn, the Trio showed how its four-decade history has created both musical cohesion and highlevel performance.

“Papa” Haydn may have been the father of the string quartet, but his other more intimate works have the same charm and refi nement. The 1797 Piano Trio in E Major was the second of three piano trios Haydn composed for a keyboard virtuoso colleague, with the piece noteworthy for its technical demands. The musicians began Haydn’s three-movement Trio with pianist Rolim leading the way, executing extremely quick right-hand passages against string pizzicato. Violinist Sampen and cellist MacRae consistently communicated well with each other, as Rolim’s unbroken piano accompaniment fl owed effortlessly. The second movement was marked by a dark and brooding atmosphere and an ostinato walking bass line under a rich cello melody. The Puget Trio clearly likes to emphasize the drama in the music by making the most of silences within a piece, and brought a chipper Viennese character to the closing movement.

American composer Miguel del Aguila drew from baroque musical practices for his 2020 Barroqueada for piano, violin, and cello. The eight movements of his work are a contemporary interpretation of the 18th-century suite, infused with modern Latin dances and the composer’s intent to “stir intense emotion in performers and listeners.” Throughout the piece, MacRae provided a rhythmic foundation

to the piano and violin, often with pizzicato accompaniment.

All three Trio musicians executed quick and agile playing in the “Samba Corrente” movement, capturing the “running” implicit in the title. The “Pasapié” movement featured a “walking” effect between piano and cello against decisive extended solo piano passages. The players found a range of dynamics in the music, which became more cinematic toward the end of the work. A galloping rhythm in the strings against continual piano accompaniment (with a great deal of crossed hands) closed del Aguila’s suite with Latin fire and baroque clarity.

The Puget Trio closed Wednesday night’s concert with a Mendelssohn work capturing the essence of the composer’s brilliant melodic capabilities. The 1846 Piano Trio No. 2 in C minor incorporated elements of Mendelssohn’s renowned and lyrical Song without Words collection, as well as a chorale by Bach. In the Trio’s interpretation of this substantial work, pianist Rolim led the way through the first movement with non-stop playing accelerating the ebb and flow of the music. Sampen and MacRae maintained a graceful dialog between their two instruments with lyrical melodic passages. All three of the players were required to turn up the virtuosity in their playing, with the piano accompaniment in particular seeming like a piece unto itself.

Mendelssohn’s vocal elegance was heard in the second movement, with a graceful duet between violin and cello in clean harmonic fashion. The Trio built collective intensity effectively, with Rolim’s accompaniment maintaining a graceful flow. All of the works performed in this concert required nonstop piano accompaniment, and Rolim never faltered. He presented the chorale theme in the closing movement regally, against sweet harmonies from violin and cello. The Puget Sound Piano Trio showed their musical solidity in bringing Mendelssohn’s lyrical but dramatic work to a close, giving the Trinity audience on Wednesday night the chance to hear a long-standing ensemble which likely does not perform in this area often.

—Nancy Plum

Performing Arts

MAE WEST’S DRAMEDY: Actors in the famous movie star’s play “The Drag” include, from left,

“The

Twenties Drag Culture

Is Setting for ActorsNET

Drag culture meets drawing room dramedy as ActorsNET performs Mae West’s show, The Drag , through May 12 at the Heritage Center Theater in Morrisville, Pa. The play is set in New York City during the 1920s, and is a love triangle topped with a decadent celebration of drag and sprinkled with a moral dilemma that still resonates today: How can we be ourselves in a world that is hostile to queer people?

“We seek to underscore the timeless nature of the

themes explored in The Drag by blending the 1920s and the 2020s. Despite being nearly a century apart, the events unfolding before you on stage are still taking place today, serving as a stark reminder of the ongoing battle for equality and acceptance,” said directors Hayley and Maryalice Rubins-Topoleski. The show is at The Heritage Center Theatre, 635 North Delmorr Avenue, Morrisville, near the Calhoun Street Bridge. Show times are Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. and Sundays at 2 p.m. There will be a special Saturday matinee at 2 p.m.

on May 11 in addition to the regularly scheduled evening performance. Doors open one half hour before show time. Visit actorsnetbucks. org for ticket information.

Zimbabwean Liberation War Is Subject of New Musical

Princeton University senior Tanaka Dunbar Ngwara, a student of the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater and Music Theater, will premiere his new musical , Paivapo ’76, May 3-5 at the Wallace Theater in the Lewis Arts Complex. Show are at 8 p.m. on May 3 and 4, and 2 p.m. on May 5. Admission is free.

Set in 1976 during the Zim babwean Liberation War, the play explores the effects of the demonization and erasure of traditional practice during co lonial rule in Zimbabwe, with themes of spirituality, com munity, first love, and grief. The title of the musical is de rived from the equivalent of “once upon a time” in Zezuru Shona, a Bantu language of the Shona people of Zimba bwe. Ngwara draws from the memories and stories of her father and other family mem bers who lived through the war. Most of her extended family still live in Zimbabwe. The war represents a key time in the country’s history, and she was interested in the clash of traditional spiritual ity and Christianity during this period with the musical centering on Shona rituals and belief system, including spirits that protect the environment. Ngwars undertook extensive research in addition to collecting family oral history. The project represents her senior independent work in pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in music composition and certificates in theater and music theater.

Visit tickets.princeton.edu for tickets.

Amos Lee Performs “Transmissions Tour”

On Saturday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m., State Theatre New Jersey presents “Amos Lee — Transmissions Tour” at the theater located at 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. Joining Lee for this concert is special guest, Julia Pratt.

Modern folk musician Lee’s musical style encompasses folk, soul, and jazz. He has been on tour with musicians such as Bob Dylan, Elvis Costello, Norah Jones, Paul Simon, Merle Haggard, John Prine, Dave Matthews Band, and most recently, Indigo Girls. Lee’s songs include “Sweet Pea,” “Colors,” “Windows Are Rolled Down,” “Arms of a Woman.”

On his 11th studio album, Transmissions , Lee craved a return to an oldschool style of recording, working with his longtime band in a studio in rural Marlboro, N.Y. Playing live on the floor for long hours, in close quarters, they were able to capture the album’s 12 songs in less than a week.

“I really wanted us to be all in the room, making music together, listening to each other and responding to each other,” said Lee. “In this age where you can do everything at home and fly it in, there’s something really beautiful about getting in a room and starting at the top, the drummer counting in the song, and everybody just playing. I would call it vulnerability.”

Pratt is a 22-year-old singer-songwriter whose music blends pop, jazz, R&B, and folk, with dashes of electronic production. Inspired by songwriters such as Kevin Garrett, Amy Winehouse, and Hozier, Pratt writes about family, love, betrayal, and grappling with the concept of “the self.” She has opened for artists such as Brandi Carlile, Hozier, The Head and The Heart, the Revivalists, and Adam Melchor, embarked on a national tour opening for Australian ambient pop artist Vancouver Sleep Clinic, and was runner up for NPR’s “Tiny Desk Contest On The Road” tour in Philadelphia. Visit stnj.org for tickets, which range from $39-$99.

Nicholas Pecht as Clem

Doll” Hathaway, Daniel Gleason as Rolly Kingsbury, and Grace Albert as Clair, Rolly’s wife. The production runs through May 12 at the Heritage Theater Center in Morrisville, Pa.

NEW MUSICAL: Cast members in rehearsal for the premiere of Tanaka Dunbar Ngwara’s new musical, “Paivapo ’76,” to be presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Theater and Music Theater May 3-5. (Photo by Allison Ha)

PHILLY FOLKS: Philadelphia natives Amos Lee, pictured here, and special guest Julia Pratt bring their blend of modern folk to New Brunswick on May 18.

year of the company and the Princeton

Ballet Company and School

Mark Birthday Milestone

American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School celebrated the organization’s 70th anniversary with a sold-out Platinum Jubilee Gala on Saturday, April 20, at Jasna Polana.

This milestone event honored the chairs of the board of trustees from 1954 through to the present. Nine were in attendance, including Nancy Becker, Patrick Bradley, Susan Croll (current chair), DonnaJean Fredeen, Rachel Gray, Penelope Lattimer, Nancy MacMillan, Marie Mascherin, and Charles Metcalf.

“We were thrilled to celebrate these leaders who each made a significant and positive impact, and to give special recognition to Dr. Penelope Lattimer, founder of our renowned DANCE POWER program and current chair of our advisory committee; and Nancy MacMillan, who has served on our board for nearly 45 years and continues to provide the organization with exceptional guidance and support,” said Julie Diana Hench, executive director.

The Gala Committee was chaired by Ngoc Nguyen (trustee), and included Brannan Berman, Jessica Coppola, Nancy MacMillan (trustee), Rebecca Piccone, and JoanMarie Zetterberg.

To mark the landmark anniversary, the organization unveiled a new logo created by Lai Wei, graduate student at the School of Visual Arts in New York City, with guidance from Chermayeff & Geismar & Haviv (CGH), the designers of iconic logos such for Mobil, National Geographic, and many others.

“The logo draws inspiration from the iconic ballet technique known as ‘en pointe,’ a fundamental aspect of classical ballet that embodies qualities of grace, elegance, and strength,” said Wei. “Mastering this technique demands unwavering skill, dedication, and practice.”

The evening also included a seated dinner, live music, and a silent auction with a

special diamond giveaway from Hamilton Jewelers. Dancers from the Princeton Ballet School Trainee Program performed a short excerpt, choreographed by Luis Napoles, from their upcoming program titled “May Fiesta.” Highland dancers, accompanied by a bagpiper, then gave a glimpse into the Scottish inspiration behind a new work planned by Artistic Director Ethan Stiefel.

The professional company’s season concludes

on Saturday, June 15 at 7 p.m. when American Repertory Ballet continues its valued partnership with Princeton Symphony Orchestra with Interwoven at The Princeton Festival held at Morven Museum & Garden. During this evening, a string ensemble conducted by Rossen Milanov will accompany dance works Intrare Forma by Meredith Rainey and Holberg Suite by Arthur Mitchell.

Award-Winning Music Festival

Known for Eclectic Programs

The Raritan River Music Festival, winner of the National Award for Adventurous Programming from ASCAP/Chamber Music America, will hold its 35th season on Saturdays, May 4-25, 7:30 p.m., at venues in Hunterdon County.

Guitarists Laura Oltman and Michael Newman, the festival’s artistic directors, founded the festival with the goal of bringing live chamber music to historic venues in Hunterdon County. The four-week festival includes debuts, new commissions, and world premieres.

The festival will open May 4 at Stanton Reformed Church, 1 Stanton Mountain Road, Stanton, with a performance by the Daedalus Quartet. The performance will include works by William Grant Still, Bela Bartok, and a world premiere by Andrew Davis.

On May 11 at Bethlehem Presbyterian Church, 2 Race Street, Pittstown, the Hot Club of Philadelphia will present In Django’s Footsteps: Paris, 1935. Inspired by Paris’ 1930s “Quintet of the Hot Club of France,” guitarist Django Reinhardt and violinist Stephane Grappelli, The Hot Club of Philadelphia, with its founding guitarist Barry Wahrhaftig, brings its interpretations of Manouche (Romani) Jazz, aka “Gypsy Jazz,” Hot Jazz, and French Swing, along with Americana styles to the festival audience for the first time.

On May 18, at Hunterdon County Courtouse, 71 Main Street in Flemington, the Newman & Oltman

Guitar Duo will perform new commissions in addition to a celebration of Cuban legend Leo Brouwer’s 85th birthday on May 18. The concert will highlight selections from an upcoming new recording of recent commissions, including new music by Pulitzer Prize winner Paul Moravec, João Luiz, Celil Refik Kaya, and composer Leo Brouwer. Special guests Celil Refik Kaya and João Luiz, the duo’s former students and current colleagues, will join them.

The festival will close May 25 with the Manhattan Chamber Players performing “Brahms & Dvorák: Titans of the Romantic Era.” Their Raritan River Music Festival debut will feature works composed for piano quartet, piano, violin, viola, and cello by the two composers. The concert is at Old Greenwich Presbyterian Church, 217 Greenwich Church Road, Stewartsville. Visit RaritanRiverMusic. org for details and ticket information.

NEW COMMISSIONS AND MORE: The Newman & Oltman Guitar Duo is among the performers at the Raritan River Music Festival’s 35th season in Hunterdon County May 4-25.

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY: American Repertory Ballet dancers dressed in their finest at the company’s Platinum Jubilee Gala, which celebrated the 70th

Ballet School.

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Choreography by Risa Kaplowitz | Additional choreography and staging by Talin Kenar

“Habitats” Joint Exhibition Coming to Artists’ Gallery Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville will present “Habitats,” featuring new gallery members TingTing Hsu and Mark Oliver, May 9 through June 2 . The exhibit showcases natural and man-made habitats in the oil paintings

of Princeton-based Hsu and the watercolors of Lambertville-based Oliver. An opening reception is on Saturday, May 11 from 5 to 8 p.m. Hsu’s use of vibrant colors and intricate textures evoke a sense of wonder and appreciation for the natural world. Hsu is the 2023

VANUXEM LECTURE

winner of the Jack Staub award at Phillips’ Mill. For more about Hsu’s work, visit tingtinghsu.com.

Oliver documents the distinctive lines and angles of urban life suffusing them with a warm glow that brings life to the scenes. Oliver is a finalist in Artists’ Magazine’s

“Splash 25 — Best of Watercolor Art.” For more about Oliver’s work, visit markoliverart.com.

Artists’ Gallery is located at 18 Bridge Street in the heart of Lambertville and is open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, visit lambertvillearts.com.

Charmstrings at Spring 2024 Button Show and Competition

On Saturday, May 11 the New Jersey State Button Society’s (NJSBS) Spring 2024 Button Show and Competition, “Once Upon a Charmstring,” will highlight the history and enduring allure of the Victorian charmstring, plus an opportunity for guests to start one of their own.

From 1860 through the early 1900s, charmstrings, or “memory strings,” were a popular pastime for young Victorian girls. Buttons, charms, and other mementos were collected and strung together and displayed prominently in their homes. The strings began with a large or special “touch button” tied to one end and additional buttons were added as gifts from friends, family, and potential suitors. A source of conversation, and entertainment between friends, charmstrings were also shrouded in superstition. One version of the lore surrounding them said that when a girl collected 999 buttons, the 1000th given to her would come from her one true love and future husband. Alternately, if she added any more or any less, it would doom her to a life of spinsterhood.

Dav id Se d l a k

Plato Malozemoff Professor, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering; Director of the Berkeley Water Center, UC Berkeley

While the rules and lore of Victorian charmstrings might seem old-fashioned by today’s standards, the tradition of button strings is still captivating to modern collectors. One of the first ways artist and NJSBS member Nancy De DuBois began collecting buttons was by assembling her own charmstring. When friends sent her containers of buttons for her collection, she would go through them and pick out her favorites and put them on a string. After almost 40 years of adding to her string, it is now approximately 80 feet long.

She finds the pursuit of putting together a charmstring is one of the most delightful parts of button collecting. “My charmstring is now a strand filled with memories of friendships, shows attended, current events, milestones of life, and so much more,” said De DuBois.

De DuBois has created and assembled charmstring starter kits as favors exclusively for those who attend the show. Displays at the event will feature books, articles, photos, member’s strings and more history pertaining to charmstrings.

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 Spring Show and Competition is open to the public on May 11 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Union Fire Company and Rescue Squad at 1396 River Road in Titusville. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call (609) 468-2195 or email ButtonsInNewjersey@ gmail.com.

“THE POND”: This oil on board work by TingTing Hsu is featured in “Habitats,” her joint exhibition with Mark Oliver, on view at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville May 9 through June 2.

“BRIDGE STREET LAMBERTVILLE”: This watercolor on paper by Mark Oliver is featured in “Habitats,” his joint exhibition with TingTing Hsu, on view at Artists’ Gallery in Lambertville May 9 through June 2.

“The Air Between” Exhibit At Morpeth Contemporary Morpeth Contemporary presents new work by Christine Lafuente, an artist inspired by the beauty of nature, in “Christine Lafuente: The Air Between,” on view May 4-31 at Morpeth Contemporary in Hopewell. A reception is on Saturday, May 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Be it outdoors in Maine or in her Brooklyn studio, the same questions inform her paintings: How does fog reduce color? How does the sun at once create and break down forms? How does mist accentuate light? How do flowers offer such saturated color?

Lafuente’s landscape paintings first evoke a sense of place, be it meadows, rocky beaches, or ocean horizon lines. She captures

them, en plein air, with painterly intent and curiosity. “I am drawn to subjects that I don’t fully visually understand, that are mysterious, elusive, and may only present themselves poetically,” said Lafuente. “Often, I think: ‘I don’t understand what I’m seeing, but maybe I can understand what I’m seeing by painting it.’”

This contemplative process is also what viewers see in her “still life landscapes” executed in the atmosphere of her studio, where peonies and buttercups meet peaches, cherries, and objects from the artist’s cabinet. Here, Lafuente’s brush continues to delight in the dissolving shadows and prismatic colors that captivate her outdoors.

Lafuente earned a Certificate in Painting and Printmaking from

the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (1995), and a Masters in Fine Arts at Brooklyn College (2004).

Morpeth Contemporary is at 43 West Broad Street in Hopewell. For more information, call (609) 3339393 or visit morpeth contemporary.com.

Arts Council Exhibits Works By Young Students

More than 60 parents, children, and educators celebrated a special exhibit at the Arts Council of Princeton recently that showcased projects by young students who completed the Olivia & Leslie Foundation’s innovative Arts + Math Program.

The twice-a-week afterschool program, which took place at Johnson Park Elementary School, is designed to foster critical thinking,

cognitive skills, and socialemotional development in kindergarten and first-grade students through visual arts education.

At the reception opening the exhibit on April 19, parents such as Morten Hansen expressed admiration for the program’s impact on their children, noting how it inspired the young artists to explore new creative avenues and put greater effort into their artistic creations. The exhibition ran through April 21.

“I’m so proud of Thelma (Mortensdottir),” said Hansen. “The program not only taught her artistic techniques, but also instilled a deep respect for her own creativity and the work of others.”

The pilot program has garnered support from educators as well.

Angela Siso Stentz, the principal of Johnson Park Elementary School, said 44 students in the program were proud to see their artworks on display, and eager to share their thoughts on their creations.

“The students were excited to attend the afterschool art classes,” said Siso Stentz. “We look forward to building upon this success and including even more students in the future.”

The program enabled students to explore various art forms including multi-media, colored pencil, watercolor, geometric shapes, portraiture, and landscapes. Students delved into artistic expression, learning to articulate their thoughts and emotions through art.

The driving force behind the initiative is Chris Kuenne, an entrepreneur, bestselling author, Princeton University lecturer in entrepreneurship, and lifelong resident of Princeton. Kuenne founded the global marketing firm Rosetta, and is now chairman and CEO of Rosemark, a marketing technology firm.

The Foundation has partnered with Maker Prep, an organization devoted to supporting computer science and arts education. These arts educators developed the curriculum based on analysis and research of its impact on students.

Kuenne addressed those gathered and the shared how the foundation honors the creative legacies of his daughter, Olivia, who was killed in an accident at the age of 5 in 1997, and his late wife, Leslie, who died of ovarian cancer in 2019. He later said that the educators with Maker Prep will seek to continually enhance the program and hope to scale it across more elementary schools in New Jersey and Vermont.

Kuenne said, “For children, art is another language. They articulate some of their deepest feelings with pencils, paint, and through collages. It was wonderful to see the joy in their faces as they explained in highly animated ways how they had made their piece. This moment of pride on the part of the child and curiosity on the part of the parent or caregiver is one of the ways we hope to foster the creative spirit.”

Area Exhibits

Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Denison Baniwa: Under the Skin of History” through September 1. artmuseum. princeton.edu.

Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Immersion” through May 5. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. lambertvillearts.com.

Art on Hulfish, 11 Hulfish Street, has “Don’t we touch each other just to prove we are still here?: Photography and Touch” May 11 through August 4. artmuseum.princeton.edu.

Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Making Do” through May 24 in the Taplin Gallery. A gallery opening is on May 3 from 5 to 7 p.m. artscouncilof princeton.org.

Artworks, 19 Everett Alley, Trenton, has “2 nd Life: Rediscovering Nature’s Canvas” through May 24. artworkstrenton.org.

David Scott Gallery at Berkshire Hathaway, 253 Nassau Street, has “This Looks Familiar” through May 19.

Ficus Art Gallery, 235 Nassau Street, has “Embrace the Everyday” through May 6. ficusbv.com.

Gourgaud Gallery, 23-A North Main Street, Cranbury, has a photography exhibit by the Cranbury digital Camera Club May 6 to May 31. cranburyartscouncil.org.

Grounds For Sculpture, 80 Sculptors Way, Hamilton, has “Slow Motion” May 5 through September 1 and “That’s Worth Celebrating: The Life and Work of the Johnson Family” through the end of 2024, among other exhibits. groundsforsculpture.org.

Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection,” opening May 2. Also on view is the “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. princetonhistory.org

Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “CFEVA at 40” through May 26. michenerartmuseum.org

Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home,” through March 2, 2025. morven.org.

Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, has “Inspired Together” through June 1. princetonlibrary.org.

Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has oil paintings by Elina Lorenz through May 7. Photography by Sheila Bodine is at the 254 Nassau Street location through May 7. smallworldcoffee.com.

West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Leave Your Mark – Member Art Show” through June 1. west windsorarts.org.

INNOVATIVE ART: A special exhibition on view recently at the Arts Council of Princeton highlighted projects by young students from Johnson Park Elementary School who completed the Olivia & Leslie Foundation’s innovative Arts + Math Program.

“SEAWALL, CLEARING AFTER RAIN”: This oil on linen work is featured in “Christine Lafuente: The Air Between,” on view May 4-31 at Morpeth Contemporary in Hopewell. A reception is on May 4 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

“SUMMER FLOWERS”: Works by Jean Childs Buzgo, one of 12 artists featured at The Silverman Gallery of Bucks County Impressionist Art, are on view in “Jean Childs Buzgo: 10th Anniversary Show” May 4 through June 9. The opening reception weekend is Saturday, May 4 from 5-8 p.m. and Sunday, May 5 from 1-4 p.m. at the gallery in the Buckingham Green Shopping Center on Route 202, 4920 York Road, in Holicong, Pa. For more information, visit silvermangallerybuckscountypa.com.

Mark Your Calendar TOWN TOPICS

Wednesday, May 1

1-2:30 p.m.: “ Leighton Listens.” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin is on hand to discuss current events with members of the public, at Delizioso Bakery+Kitchen, 205 Witherspoon Street

6:30 p.m.: “From Mansion to Museum: A Panel Discussion,” at Morven, 55 Stockton Street. Part of the “Morven Revealed” exhibition. Hybrid program. Morven.org.

Thursday, May 2

10 a.m.: Virtual Princeton Meetup held by Experience Princeton, moderated by James Steward, director of the Princeton Art Museum. Experienceprinceton.org.

10 a.m.: The 55-Plus Club of Princeton will meet online. T. J. Jackson Lears, the Board of Governors Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University and editor-in-chief of Raritan Quarterly Review, will speak on “Writing History in Late Imperial America.” To join, visit princetonol. com/groups/55plus. Meetings are free, with a suggested donation of $5.

5 p.m .: “Places, Public Life, and Environment: James Corner,” talk by

landscape architect and urbanist Corner on his projects including the High Line, Staten Island’s Freshkills Park, and also addressing work on Princeton’s campus. The Friends of Princeton Art Museum Annual Mary Pitcairn Keating Lecture, at 100 Arthur Lewis Auditorium, Robertson Hall. Free.

7 p.m .: Hinds Plaza Concept Design Public Open House, in the Community Room of Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. The municipality will host this interactive workshop; topics will include materials, furniture, issues and concerns, trees and landscaping, lighting, and more. Public input is requested.

7:30 p.m .: The Brentano String Quartet performs at Richardson Auditorium. $10-$40. Puc. princeton.edu.

Friday, May 3

4-7 p.m.: Giant Annual Rummage Sale for local charities at Unitarian Universalist Church, 50 Cherry Hill Road. $10 early entry. UUPrinceton.org.

6:30-9 p.m.: Vineyard Pig Roast at Unionville Vineyards, 9 Rocktown Road, Ringoes. Catered by Brick Farm Tavern. Live music,

barrel tastings, wine bar. $85 per person. Unionvillevineyards.com.

8 p.m .: The Kite Runner is at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $70-$105. Stnj.org.

8 p.m .: Paivapo ’76, a new musical set in 1976 during the Zimbabwean Liberation War, is at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free. Tickets.princeton.edu.

Saturday, May 4

9 a.m.-2 p.m.: Giant Annual Rummage Sale for local charities at Unitarian Universalist Church, 50 Cherry Hill Road. Free. UUPrinceton.org

9 a.m.-1 p.m.: West Windsor Farmers Market at Vaughn lot, Princeton Junction train station. Fresh produce and much more. Music by Bill O’Neal. Wwcfm.org.

10-11 a.m .: Mid-Day Toastmasters meets at The Library, 138 Hickory Corner Road, East Windsor, and via Zoom. Toastmasters.org.

10 a.m.-5 p.m .: Kite Day at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Kites, the Princeton Morris Dancers, pony rides, games, food, wine, and more. $15 in advance, $18 the day of the event. Terhuneorchards.com.

10 a.m .: Exploring Korean Culture, event at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Korean games and treats followed by musical performances. Registration required. Princetonlibrary.org.

10 a.m.-4 p.m .: Hog Slopping and Weighing at Howell Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Learn about keeping pigs, guess their weight, grind their corn, and slop the hogs. Howellfarm.org.

12-4 p.m .: Garden State African Violet Club’s 70th annual show and plant sale is at Mercer County Community College Student Center, 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor. Email GSAVCmail@gmail.com for information.

12-6 p.m .: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Meghan Carey. Terhuneorchards.com.

7:30 p.m .: The Jewish Center of Princeton celebrates its 75th anniversary with “Sail the Chai Seas,” a cruise-themed event, at 435 Nassau Street. Thejewishcenter.org/diamond-jubilee.

8 p.m .: The Kite Runner is at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $70-$105. Stnj.org.

8 p.m .: Paivapo ’76, a new musical set in 1976 during the Zimbabwean Liberation War, is at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free. Tickets.princeton.edu.

and poetry during this brunch event. Doors open at 10:45 a.m. for coffee and pastries. Presented in partnership with the Princeton Festival. Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.

12-2 p.m.: May Tea at the Old Barracks Museum, 101 Barrack Street, Trenton. $35-$40. Tea and scones, sandwiches, and pastries, with a teacup to take home. Barracks.org/maytea.

12-6 p.m .: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Tookany Creek. Terhuneorchards.com.

2 p.m .: In recognition of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Elana Broch leads a session at the Lawrence Headquarters of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, on navigating the collections of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Advanced registration is necessary. Mcl.org.

2 p.m .: Paivapo ’76, a new musical set in 1976 during the Zimbabwean Liberation War, is at the Wallace Theater, Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Free. Tickets.princeton.edu.

3 p.m .: Boheme Opera NJ celebrates its 35th anniversary with a special reunion concert at Hillman Performance Hall, on the Westminster Choir College campus, 101 Walnut Lane. Visit bohemeopera.org for tickets.

MAY

performs “Equinox” in the Lee Rehearsal Room at the Lewis Arts complex, Princeton University. Up to 10 pianists play on five pianos on one stage. Works by Liszt, Debussy, and from Star Wars, Barbie , and more. Tickets.princeton.edu.

6 p.m .: Authors Eric Cline and Glynnis Fawkes discuss the publication of Cline’s After 1177 B.C.: The Survival of Civilizations and Fawkes’ 1177 BC.: A Graphic History of the Year Civilization Collapsed , a graphic novel adaptation of Cline’s previous bestseller, 1177 B.C.: The Year Civilization Collapsed . With Miguel Centeno, sociology professor at Princeton University. Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street.

7 p.m .: Continuing Conversations on Race, at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Also available via Zoom. Princeton University professor Lorgia Garcia-Pena gives a presentation. Princeton library.org.

Tuesday, May 7

7:30-10 a.m.: Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber presents “Destination Princeton: Eat, Sleep, Art,” with Mayor Mark Freda; Michael Monarca, general manager of Graduate Princeton; James Steward, director of Princeton Art Museum; and Kevin Wilkes, owner of Princeton Design Guild. $35-$45. At Springdale Golf Club, 1895 Clubhouse. Princetonmercer.org.

Sunday, May 5

10 a.m.-5 p.m.: Kite Day at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Also, from 12-6 p.m., Spring Winery Weekend Music Series. Music from 1-4 by Brian Bortnick. Terhuneorchards.com.

11 a.m .: Lucilla Trapazzo and Alessandro Olla perform “ABC-XYZ” and explore the connections between contemporary music

ARDEN

4 p.m.: Gathering in solidarity with the October 7 hostages, and a call for their release. Organized by a grassroots group of Israelis in Princeton. At Hinds Plaza.

4 p.m.: The Capital Singers of Trenton perform “Shout for Joy!” at Sacred Heart Church, 343 South Broad Street, Trenton. Works by Handel, Hailstork, and Garrett. $25. Capitalsingers.org.

9:30 and 11 a.m .: Read & Pick Program: Vegetables, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Handson farm activity with stories, for young children and caregivers. $12 includes a container of asparagus. Terhuneorchards.com.

5:30 p.m .: Capital Harmony Works gala with Trenton Children’s Chorus and Trenton Music Makers, at Cooper’s Riverview, next to Trenton Thunder Ballpark. Capitalharmony.works.

5 p.m .: All Saints Parish Choir presents Choral Evensong for Eastertide, at All Saints’ Church, 16 All Saints’ Road. With Eric Plutz, organist; music of Henry Balfour Gardiner, Sarah MacDonald, Charles Villiers Stanford, and Sir John Goss. Light reception follows.

MayStarting3rd

6 p.m.: Eugenia Paulicelli, professor of Italian, comparative literature, film, and women’s studies with the City University of New York, Queens College and the Graduate Center, presents an illustrated lecture on film and fashion’s contribution to Italy’s economic reconstruction and moral rehabilitation in the years following the end of WWII. At Dorothea’s House, 120 John Street. Free. Participants are encouraged to bring refreshments to share at a post-program reception.

Doors open at 5:45 p.m.

Monday, May 6 Recycling

2, 5, and 8 p.m.: The Princeton Pianist Ensemble

Wednesday, May 8 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: “ Leighton Listens.” Princeton Councilman Leighton Newlin is on hand to discuss current events with members of the public, at Sakrid, 20 Nassau Street.

7 p.m .: In commemoration of Holocaust Remembrance Day, Michelle Weinfeld discusses her book, From Generation to Generation: A Memoir of Food, Family, and Identity in the Aftermath of the Shoah Historical Society of Princeton. Princetonlibrary.org.

7:30 p.m .: 2024 Junior & Senior Film Festival presented by the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Visual Arts, at the James Stewart Film Theater, 185 Nassau Street. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.

Popular New Pastiamo Pasta Bar & Café

Opens in the Princeton Shopping Center

Homemade Italian specialties are the attraction at Pastiamo Pasta Bar & Café in the Princeton Shopping Center. Opened in November 2023, with its grand opening this past February, it already has a group of enthusiastic diners.

IT’S NEW To Us

“We have repeat customers, and they are coming from all over the area,” says chef and owner Francesca Casapietra, “Once they come in, they come back!”

Born in Genoa, Italy, Casapietra, came to the U.S. 10 years ago, and settled in Princeton with her family. “We liked Princeton’s international flavor,” she says. “I had always enjoyed cooking with fresh, healthy ingredients, and pasta was a specialty. In Italy, everyone enjoys pasta. It can be the first course, with tomato or other sauces, and then followed by meat, cheese, vegetables, and fruit.”

Private Chef

In 2018, Casapietra decided to expand her cooking experience, and she enrolled in the Mercer County Community College Culinary Arts Program.

“I learned a lot, and I was introduced to different kinds of cuisine in addition to Italian,” she reports. “After I received my certificate, I started my first activity as a private chef, and during COVID, I provided catering from home.”

Then in 2021, she and a partner embarked on a new adventure, and operated Le Kiosk, a kiosk on Nassau Street until 2023.

It was very popular, and specialized in focaccia Genovese, focaccia sandwiches, and crepes. “We had a variety of customers, including many Princeton University students, among a lot of others in the neighborhood,” she recalls.

With the popularity of the kiosk and its Italian focus established, and after becoming the sole owner, Casapietra, decided to branch out into a bricks and mortar restaurant, and opened Pastiamo Pasta Bar & Café.

“I chose the name because I liked it, and it can mean ‘I love pasta!’” she explains. “I wanted pasta to be the focus because it is such an important part of Italian cuisine, and everyone loves it. Also, I use all my own recipes, with all fresh ingredients, locally sourced when I can. We also include a lot of items from Italy.”

Quality Ingredients

“The benefit of our food is that it is freshly made with high quality ingredients, and we serve moderate, healthy portions,” she continues. “People always feel they have enough to eat, and they enjoy all the flavors of the season.”

Both fresh and dry pasta are available, and as she points out, “Fresh pasta is made with flour and eggs, and we get it from an Italian specialist in New York City. Dry pasta is different, made

with flour and water. The majority of customers want fresh pasta, but dry is also popular.”

Fresh pasta choices include tagliatelle, ravioli, and gnocchi. Dry pasta options are spaghetti, bucatini, elicoidali, mezze penne, gnocchi, trofie, paccheri, and pasta mista.

Multiple sauces include Pastiamo ragu (braised pork, beef, veal, tomatoes, garlic, wine, slow-cooked onions, and carrots); pesto (a tasty herbaceous sauce of basil, pine nuts, and parmesan and pecorino cheese, with EVOO); walnut sauce (a traditional dish from Liguria in northwest Italy, made with walnuts, milk, and bread); and puttanesca (crushed tomatoes, olive taggiasche, Sicilian capers, and garlic) among many others with a variety of ingredients, seasonings, and flavors.

House-Made Focaccia

In addition to pasta, antipasti choices are popular, and include Burrata Mozzarella (prosciutto di Parma, roasted eggplant, burrata with tomatoes, jam, and focaccia); Bresaola (bresaola, arugula, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice, served with focaccia), and Charcuterie, with meats, cheeses, jam, olives, nuts, honey, and bruschetta.

House-made focaccia features focaccia Genovese; focaccia with stracchino cheese, also with onion, potatoes or mushrooms, arugula, and parmesan.

Pizzacacia includes tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese.

Focaccia panini sandwiches are also popular, with Genoa (house-made pesto, Parma prosciutto, and mozzarella di bufala), and Camogli (Italian cooked ham, stracchino cheese, mushroom, arugula, and balsamic glaze) special favorites. Also in demand are Noli (olive tapenade, tomatoes, and mozzarella di bufala), and Doria (olive tapenade, roasted eggplant, tomatoes, pickled onions, radicchio, and balsamic glaze), among others.

Vegetable pies, with layers of buttery puff pastry and choice of artichoke and ricotta, parmesan and egg, or spinach and mushroom filling, are also on the menu, as is a soup of the week.

Fig Salad

A variety of salad choices range from Pastiamo Spring Mix to Fig Salad (with arugula, feta cheese, candied pecan figs, and maple vinaigrette) to Nicoise and Caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella, fresh basil, balsamic vinaigrette, and focaccia)

Beverages include Italian organic sparkling soda, espresso, cappuccino, latte, American-style coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. In addition, customers are welcome to bring wine, and bottles from Meadowcroft Wines may also be purchased.

Pastiamo’s homemade desserts are always popular, including Italian pastries and cookies. Tiramisu,

pannacotta, and millefoglie cake with pastry cream are also favorite choices.

“In addition to the regular menu, every week we have special Regional Night, when we feature the cuisine of a particular part of Italy,” reports Casapietra. “It’s different every time. Recently, it was Lombardia.”

There is also a Special of the Week, she adds, including appetizer, soup, pasta and sauce, and dessert.

Prices cover a wide range, with pasta choices $8 and $12, sauces from $2 (typically $8 to $10), focaccia panini sandwiches from $13, and salads from $9.

Customers are enjoying the full range of Pastiamo’s menu and also the informal warm and friendly atmosphere. As Casapietra has noted, there are already many regulars.

New Opportunity

A Hopewell resident, who was also a patron of the kiosk, comes often to Pastiamo, and appreciates this new opportunity.

“I like everything!” she says emphatically. “The fresh ingredients, the flavors, and the wonderful pasta. It is a special place.”

Casapietra thinks so too, and she is always on site to greet customers and answer questions about the cuisine.

“I am very proud of our traditional Italian café. I want to give customers an authentic experience with the meals my family and I grew up eating. I love to be here, and I especially love the cooking. It is my favorite part; it is very creative. I am also fortunate to have my staff, who have the same

high standards that I do.”

“I very much enjoy the interaction with the customers, and we also have had a warm welcome from our neighbors, the other merchants,” she adds. “The Princeton Shopping Center has been a good location. It is very convenient, with easy parking that everyone appreciates.”

Pastiamo can seat 40 diners inside, and there is

additional outdoor seating during seasonal temperatures.

The café is open for lunch, dinner, and takeout every day except Tuesday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Gift cards are also available.

For further information, call (640) 867-4783 and visit the website at pastiamoprinceton.com.

—Jean Stratton

FOR YOUR PLEASURE: The pleasure of pasta is definitely on the menu at Pastiamo Pasta Bar & Café. “My idea is to provide an authentic Italian dining experience by serving fresh and dry pasta, antipasti, and dolci in the traditional Italian style, with recipes from the north, center, and south of Italy,” says chef and owner Francesca Casapietra. “Lovers of Italian pasta will find the right place here at Pastiamo, where the unique taste of each dish comes from the use of only high quality ingredients and the passion for authentic fresh cuisine.” PASTIAMO at the Princeton Shopping Center

Dine In or Take Out

Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday from 11am to 8pm We are closed on Tuesday

S ports

After 25 Years as an Assistant at Quinnipiac, Cornell, Syer Excited to Take the Helm of PU Men’s

Over the last quarter century, Ben Syer has helped torment the Princeton University men’s hockey program as an assistant coach for heated rivals Quinnipiac and Cornell.

Now Syer will be bringing his winning approach south as he was named last week as the 18th head coach of Tiger men’s hockey, succeeding Ron Fogarty who was let go in mid-March.

After scheming to beat Princeton for the last 25 years, Syer is thrilled to now be running the show at Hobey Baker Rink.

“I understand the deep history and traditions of the University,” said Syer, 49, speaking at an introductory press conference last Friday morning at Chandler Lounge. “It is a great institution with the academics but also the history and tradition of athletic success. To have an opportunity to work with and lead this program is really exciting. I am really appreciative and really humbled to have that opportunity.”

Syer recently concluded his 13th season overall at Cornell and his 12th as associate head coach of the Big Red. His previous 12 seasons as a college coach came while serving as associate head coach and recruiting coordinator at Quinnipiac from 1999-2011.

In his 13 seasons at Cornell, Syer helped the Big Red win seven Ivy League championships, three ECAC Hockey regular season titles, and one ECACH Championship postseason title which came this past March. Cornell qualified for seven NCAA Tournaments and reached four Regional Finals during his tenure.

Before joining the Big Red, he was on staff during Quinnipiac’s rise into Division I hockey where the Bobcats won the 2002 MAAC championship and reached the NCAA Tournament for the first time. In addition, he coached a pair of conference regular season championship teams at Quinnipiac — one in the MAAC (1998-99) and one in Atlantic Hockey (2004-05). He was on staff with the Bobcats during their move to the ECACH which included a run to the ECAC Final in their second season of conference membership in 2006-07.

In the release announcing the hiring of Syer, Princeton Director of Athletics John Mack lauded the new coach’s record and character.

“I am thrilled to welcome Ben and his family to Princeton and the men’s hockey program,” said Mack of Syer, who was the 2018 recipient of the Terry Flanagan Award which is presented annually by the American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) to an assistant coach in recognition of his superior body of work over a career.

“He has a proven track record of recruiting and developing student-athletes and positioning them for success on the ice and in the classroom. He has been part of championship teams

throughout his entire coaching career, navigating one of the toughest conferences in college hockey year-in, year-out. Throughout this process, it was evident that Ben possesses the qualities we are looking for in a head men’s ice hockey coach at Princeton. He is a passionate recruiter, an innovative tactician and a commanding leader inside the locker room. Under his guidance, I am confident that Princeton’s best days on the ice are ahead of us.”

Syer’s message to his new players focused on bringing passion to the rink on a daily basis.

“As I said to the players yesterday in terms of the standard that we are looking for as a group and as a program, we want to be the hardest working and the most relentless team in the ECAC,” said Syer. “It is something we can control and it is something that we are going to set forward on our journey here to establish, not just on Fridays and Saturdays but Monday through Thursday. We will bring that daily focus and consistency on a regular basis and that will be the standard of our program. I can’t wait to get started, I am so excited to be here.”

Although Princeton is coming off a 10-16-4 campaign, Syer believes there is plenty of potential in the squad.

“I really like the talent that is here,” said Syer, a native of Kitchener, Ontario, who graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1998 with an honors degree in Urban Development. “I think there is a great group of guys here that are hungry to continue to develop and to get better. It is to find a way to be consistent and really find our identity as a collective group so we can maintain that on a week in, week out basis.”

Developing bonds with the Tiger players is a top priority for Syer as he takes the reins of the program.

“I know the players from recruiting, I have had an opportunity to speak with them directly,” said Syer. “I was able to observe them over the last number of years. I will meet with them here this afternoon individually to just start that bond and relationship. I shared some texts with them yesterday.”

In reflecting on getting the opportunity to guide Princeton, Syer credited Quinnipiac head coach Rand Pecknold and Cornell head coach Mike Schafer with having a key influence on his growth as a coach.

“I owe a ton to both; they are very different individuals but they are very similar too,” said Syer. “When I started to work with Rand, the program grew. I think I had three different jobs while I was at Quinnipiac even though my desk didn’t change but I learned a lot. I learned what recruiting was and building a program. What I learned from Mike from the get-go was yes, those things are all

Hockey

important but the development and the improvement of each player on your roster is crucial. That is done not only through on-ice development but through the building and sustaining of a culture that encourages that development. The similarities are that they both don’t like to lose. I have a different personality but I will say this, I don’t like to lose either. That is where our similarities lie.”

Over the last three seasons, Syer did serve as an acting head coach for Cornell, going 13-6-4 and gaining some valuable lessons in the process.

“It helps that you are in a position where you have to make the decisions, you can’t look to the left,” said Syer. “You realize that you have to make those decisions with the support of your staff. It has helped me in terms of preparation. When you walk in on a Monday, you have to have the week prepared. You have to have it dialed in, you change and alter practices as the week goes on. You have to be prepared for that week and then be prepared for the entire season and work off of that. Although it wasn’t official head coaching experience, it did prepare me to know what the expectations will be and the demands of this position.”

In his quarter century as an assistant, Syer has demanded a lot of himself as he has moved up the coaching ladder.

“You always have to prepare and work towards what your individual goals are, that is something I have tried to do my entire career,” said Syer. “I have always tried, whatever position I was at, whether it was at Cornell or at Quinnipiac, and whatever the particular role I was being asked to do, to do it the very best. So whenever I left that role or whatever I was tasked on a particular day or a certain week that area would be better. That was the approach that I always took. I felt if I continued along that course, I may get this opportunity but I would also feel very proud helping different programs and different student-athletes along the way.”

some of those intangibles that not only help in that defensive system but really also show your commitment to being a great teammate and make different sacrifices for the entire group. That is something that we will try to instill immediately. It is something we will continue to grow on. I also believe that leads to consistency year in, year out. The majority of the teams that compete at the highest level the

end of the year are usually the teams that give up the least amount of goals.”

While Syer can’t specify when Princeton might reach that level during his tenure, he promised to leave no stone unturned in that quest.

“I come from a family that were both teachers so I have always considered myself a teacher,” said Syer, noting this his family, wife Laura, and daughters Mckenna and

Elly are excited about the move to Princeton.

“I have never been considered to have a lot of grace in anything that I do but I have never been criticized for having a lack of grit and hard work. We will demand from our staff, including myself, and our players to be extremely hard, diligent workers with the idea of having a growth mindset to get a little bit better every single day.”

—Bill Alden

A Princeton tradition!

Over his tenure at Cornell, Syer played a key role in molding a Big Red defense that has been among the best in the country year in, year out. In the last 13 years, Cornell has averaged 2.21 goals allowed-per-game which ranks No. 3 among all Division I programs in that span. This past season, the Big Red led the country in scoring defense, allowing 1.86 goals-per-game as the lone team to average fewer than two goals allowed a contest. Syer believes he can help his new squad be similarly stingy.

We

“A lot of it is a mentality and what you can control with the hard work and the relentlessness,” said Syer.

Since [1950] Conte’s has become a Princeton destination; a great

bar that also happens to serve some of

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.

“You have an ability as an individual and a player being able to compete, being able to back check, being able to block shots. You can show

have

We could not have reached these accomplishment without our dedicated employees and customers.

WELCOME TO JERSEY: New Princeton University men’s hockey head coach Ben Syer, left, is all smiles at his introductory press conference last Friday morning as Princeton Director of Athletics John Mack presented him with a personalized Tiger jersey. Syer comes to Princeton after serving the last 25 years as an assistant coach at Quinnipiac and Cornell.

(Photo provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

Sparked by Junior Sablone’s Clutch Hitting, PU Softball Aiming to Place 1st in Ivy Standings

Lauren Sablone has figured out how to handle success. Now her Princeton University softball team must do the same.

Junior outfielder Sablone homered and scored the walk-off run on a triple by Julia Dumais last Saturday in the second game of a three-game weekend series against visiting Brown, but that was Princeton’s only win against the Bears as Princeton failed to clinch a spot for the Ivy League tournament. The first-place Tigers, now 24-13 overall and 12-6 Ivy, still have a lead over Harvard and Yale, who have finished their Ivy play with 14-7 marks.

“Even though this weekend didn’t necessarily go our way result-wise, I think it was a good kind of checkin for us that nothing along our path up to this point has been easy,” said Sablone, a 5’8 native of North Reading, Mass. “And it’s just kind of a reminder that it’s not going to get any easier. Things are only going to get harder, and that’s something that we have to be prepared for.”

After a non-conference game at Lehigh slated for April 30, Princeton will be home again for a threegame weekend against Cornell with a doubleheader on May 4 and a single game on May 5. The seventh-place Big Red are already eliminated from Ivy tournament contention, but could play spoiler if Princeton is looking ahead at all.

“We definitely didn’t talk about being in first place or kind of the position that we were in before the weekend, but I do think there was an underlying sense of we’re kind of in a great position and sometimes our own potential scares us,” said Princeton head coach Lisa Van Ackeren. “So I think we played defensively. I think that definitely influenced the outcomes.”

Sablone understands well the attitude that the Tigers have to take in the face of a pressure spot. She is back to playing the way that she expects of herself after a down year at the plate last year. Sablone was a revelation as a freshman when she hit .333 with six home runs and 30 RBI. But last year, she felt the pressure of following that up and hit .237 with only one homer and 12 RBI.

“I’m used to putting a lot of pressure on myself and feeling like I always want to be the one to step up and get everything done,” said Sablone. “And I think that when you put that much pressure on yourself it makes things mentally a lot harder and then it translates to the physical difficulty too.”

Sablone has bounced back in a big way this spring. She is second on the team in hitting at .373 with five home runs and a team-high 28 RBI. Her strikeouts are nearly half of where they ended last year. She has a career-high 44 hits heading into the final weekend, and Sablone says her bounce back season has as much to do with the group surrounding her as her own work.

“I’m trusting in my training and then also being able to trust in my teammates,” said Sablone. “Definitely I’ve been able to play so much more free this year because I’ve kind of just mentally changed so much in the past two years and just grown a lot. My teammates are the biggest part of it, so trusting in them is kind of what allows me to play a little bit freer.”

Sablone is thrilled with the group that the Tigers have this year and the way that they have battled to sit in first place in the Ivies heading into the final weekend. Freshman Sonia Zhang was just named to the National Fastpitch Coaches Association to the national top 25 list. Zhang, who leads the Tigers with a .412 batting average, is bidding to become the first Tiger since 2017 and first freshman in program history, to hit over .400 for a season.

“She’s an unbelievably disciplined kid from how she does her schoolwork too — she had some injuries and things that she had to be in the training room multiple days a week and she’s always doing those things and going above and beyond to make sure her body is in a really good spot to be able to perform,” said Van Ackeren. “She’s often the first kid to arrive at practice. She does drills on her own to warm up, works on her swing. It’s that’s instilled by her family and her parents for sure, and I think that allowed her to adapt to Princeton smoothly. Princeton

rewards discipline in a lot of ways.”

Dumais is the same way. And the rest of the team has been accountable, something that Van Ackeren can appreciate. She gathered her players after Sunday’s 2-1 loss to Brown, and assessed their mood. It didn’t look like a first-place team or even a team that had just had a walk-off win a game before. That was trumped by the losses that sandwiched those late-game heroics.

“I don’t know if anyone feels great right now, and I don’t hate that because I think they’re still very motivated to get better,” said Van Ackeren. “I don’t think they’re satisfied with the way that they played and looking at others who maybe didn’t come up with much. I think everyone took a degree of accountability for what happened this weekend, and so that gives you a lot of quiet excitement as a coach.”

Princeton’s senior leadership has set the tone for the season. Cate Bade, Molly Chambers, and Grace Jackson have been pillars for the team through their highs and lows.

“They’ve been doing such a great job with the team and we’ve had to navigate just some tough things throughout the year and they’ve done it so well and they’re not afraid to have tough conversations and tell the truth,” said Van Ackeren. “I’m confident in our leadership within the team to lead well because that’s super key this time of year.”

Sablone appreciates the attitude that she sees in the Tigers as a player. They have the right mindset to navigate the potential pitfalls of a softball season, and have reacted well to challenges throughout the season.

“We’ve definitely got a special group this year,” said Sablone. “We have a really great group of freshmen on our team that that push us a lot athletically and our team is just very, very eager to get after things. It’s like one of the hardest working teams I’ve been on in my time here and it just feels like we’re just super bought into the process and we’re getting after it. That buy-in makes us a very, very selfless team, and that’s something that’s really special to be a part of, just being on a squad where you know that the person in

was slated to play as Lehigh on April 30 before resuming Ivy play by hosting Cornell for a doubleheader on May 4 and a single game on May 5.

front of you and behind you has your back.”

Princeton is unified in its goal going into the final week of the regular season. The Tigers could seal the top spot and the right to host the Ivy tournament. It’s also possible they could miss the tournament so they can’t slip up again this coming weekend.

“We’re kind of going into these last four games with the mentality that we haven’t earned anything yet,” said Sablone. “ We’ve

got to go and take it. That’s kind of how we’re seeing it, we haven’t even clinched anything just because of the way everything’s worked out and kind of just reminding ourselves that that we have four games left on the schedule and that’s all we know. We’ve got to play them to the best of our ability and try to get our seniors a couple more games and we have to earn that.”

Sablone saw her teammates making adjustments Sunday for the Brown series

finale. Princeton put itself in position a number of times, but left 10 runners on base. Those missed opportunities were a microcosm of the missed opportunity on the weekend. Now there’s less wiggle room for an Ivy League tournament berth, but every chance to reach their season-long goals.

“Every good team needs a wake-up call and this is our chance to find out if we’re going to be a really good team,” said Van Ackeren. — Justin Feil

BAT CONTROL: Princeton University softball player Lauren Sablone lays down a bunt in a 2023 game. Last weekend, junior outfielder Sablone was productive with the bat as the Tigers played a threegame set against Brown. Salve wet 4 for 11 with three runs, two RBIs, and one homer. Despite Sablone’s heroics, the Tigers went 1-2 in the set, splitting a doubleheader on Saturday, losing 6-4 in eight innings and then winning 5-4 before getting edged 2-1 on Sunday. Princeton, now 24-13 overall and 12-6 Ivy League,

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

MASONRY RENOVATION

Developing a Special Chemistry in Working as a Unit, No. 1 PU Men’s Heavyweight Varsity 8 on a Roll

Coming off a 2023 campaign that saw his Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 take third at the Intercollegiate Rowing Association (IRA) national championship regatta and with three All-Americans returning from that boat, Greg Hughes was cautiously optimistic heading into this spring.

“Last year was a big step forward for us, I think it gave us confidence that we have something positive in motion,” said Princeton men’s heavyweight head coach Hughes, whose All-American trio includes Theo Bell, Marcus Chute, and Nick Taylor. “Any year where you are returning a big chunk of the previous year’s varsity, I think it is important to recognize last year was last year. It is absolutely a new season and you are starting from scratch but I think having some good experience together under pressure is definitely an advantage.”

Handling the pressure well this spring, the varsity 8 dominated in its opening regatta, defeating Drexel, Georgetown, and Temple on March 30. The Tiger top boat clocked a winning time of 5:43.0 over the 2.000-meter course with Drexel taking second in 6:00.2, Georgetown coming in third at 6:00.5, and Temple finishing fourth in 6:15.2.

“It did show that we had some good early season speed that would allow us to be in play this season,” said Hughes. A week later, the top boat

showed character, braving some gusty conditions to defeat Navy and earn the Navy-Princeton Cup. The Tigers covered the 2,000-meter course on the Severn River in 5:44.1 with Navy coming in at 5:50.2.

On April 13, Princeton topped No. 9 Penn and No. 16 Columbia to earn the Childs Cup. Princeton posted a winning time of 5:34.4 over the 2,000-meter course on Lake Carnegie with Penn taking second in 5:40.0 and Columbia placing third in 5:52.7.

“It was also a good learning opportunity for us, Penn definitely raced very well,” said Hughes. “That allowed us to learn some important things in our race profile that we needed to work on, which was very much a boost for us as we started to prepare for the Compton Cup.”

Racing top-ranked Harvard on April 20 on the Charles River in Cambridge, Mass., for the Compton Cup, No. 4 Princeton came through with a superb performance, clocking a winning time of 5:51.7 with the Crimson coming in at 5:53.3.

“It was nothing to lose, it was No. 1 against No. 4, we knew that they were fast,” said Hughes. “Racing Harvard up in the basin is always a big opportunity and challenge — the guys really embraced that opportunity. We were very fortunate with conditions. It was very rainy but the wind was decent. The conditions allowed both boats just to race hard.

Consistency has been the theme, they executed that very well. That focus on racing consistently made a difference for us in that piece. It is being consistent with the pacing, with the speed, with the execution, and keeping it simple.”

While Hughes was thrilled with the win, he knows that there is plenty of racing ahead.

“It is a good mark for the middle of the season, that is how we see it,” said Hughes. “We know there are going to be another couple of times we will line up against those guys and they are fast. We are going to have to be ready.”

Jumping up to No. 1, Princeton lived up to that ranking, winning the Carnegie Cup last Saturday as it defeated No. 5 Yale and No. 14 Cornell on the Cayuga Inlet in Ithaca, N.Y. The Tigers covered the 2,000-meter route in a course record time of 5:26.6, breaking the mark set by Syracuse last year at 5:33.

“That was a really strong race for the varsity and the 2V; in 2023 we had some big wins but they were always at home,” said Hughes. “Developing the ability to go on the road and execute in a different place is a positive step forward for us. We technically won this trophy in 2022 because Yale missed a buoy on their own course. This is the first real win in the race since 2014 so after 10 years to be able to bring that one home is exciting.”

Hughes is excited by how the varsity 8 has come together.

group, they are able to be honest with each other about their goals and the things that they need to work on,” said Hughes of the boat that has an international flavor with two rowers from England (Bell, Chute), two from Australia (Patrick Long, Patrick Shaw), one for Brazil (Marco Misasi), and one from Germany (Hanno Brach), along with three Americans (coxswain Connor Neill, Zach Vachal, Taylor).

“As athletes, they are also willing to hear those things and make changes with that information. That is hard to do, there is always an ego involved for anybody to be able to be a good teammate and a good athlete.”

Emphasizing an unselfish approach has been a key factor in the boat’s success.

“One of the things we do talk about is being a unit, making sure that we are ready to work for the team,” said Hughes. “The goal is the team and team performance. The varsity has done a really good job of being open to their weaknesses and the things that we can improve on and seeking those out. Every single week, we can make progress going forward. We are not a finished product.”

PU Lax Teams Both Win Regular Season Finale, Will Now Go After NCAA Berths in Ivy Tourneys

Matt Madalon vowed that his Princeton University men’s lacrosse team would put its nose to the grindstone as it prepared to play at Yale last Saturday, knowing that a win would clinch a spot in the Ivy League Tournament.

“We have an opportunity to solidify that,” said Princeton head coach Madalon, whose squad also faced the possibility of getting get shut out of the four-team tourney if it lost to Yale and Brown beat Harvard. “We are going to put all of our effort into these next five days of practice.”

That effort paid dividends as No. 13 Princeton jumped out to a 9-4 lead over the No. 8 Bulldogs by halftime and never looked back on the way to a comprehensive 15-8 triumph.

Junior star attacker Coulter Mackesy sparked the Tiger offense, scoring five goals as Princeton improved to 9-4 overall and 4-2 Ivy.

clash between top-seeded Cornell (9-4 overall, 5-1 Ivy) and fourth-seeded Penn (8-5 overall, 4-2 Ivy). The champion will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament.

While the Princeton women’s lax team clinched its spot in the Ivy tourney weeks ago, it got a good tune-up for postseason intensity as it edged Harvard 18-17 in overtime last Saturday in Cambridge, Mass. Rallying from a 15-12 deficit heading into the fourth quarter, the No. 18 Tigers outscored the No. 25 Crimson 5-2 over the last 15 minutes of regulation to force overtime. Junior attacker McKenzie Blake score the game-winner in OT to cap a five-goal performance as Princeton improved to 10-5 overall and 6-1 Ivy.

Sophomore Andrew McMeekin played a key role in the win, securing possession for the Tiger most of the day as he won 20 of 26 face-offs and scooped up 17 ground balls. Senior goalie Michael Gianforcaro made 16 saves as he helped shut down a Yale attack that came into the day averaging 16.54 goals a game.

TOP

“I think they have a really good chemistry in that

Senior captain Misasi has played a key role in that process. “Marco has done an incredible job as a leader,” said Hughes. “Athletically he has been the top performer on the rowing machine, he has made solid steps forward this year. It is not easy to lead a team this big and he has been a remarkable leader, including with the athletes that are not in his boat and across the whole team. He has done a great job.”

As Princeton hosts Brown on May 4 at Lake Carnegie in the race for the Content Cup, Hughes is looking for another big performance from the varsity 8.

Mackesy was later named the Ivy Offensive Player of the Week while McMeekin was selected as the Ivy Defensive Player of the Week. By virtue of the victory, Princeton earned the No. 2 seed in the Ivy tourney and will have a rematch with third-seeded Yale (11-3 overall, 4-2 Ivy) in one semifinal on May 3 in Ithaca, N.Y. The victor will advance to the final on May 5 to face the winner of the other semi

The Tigers earned the No. 2 seed in the Ivy tourney and will face third-seeded Penn (12-3 overall, 5-2 Ivy) in a semifinal clash on May at New Haven, Conn. The victor will advance to the title game on May 5 to face the winner of other semi which pits top-seeded Yale (13-2 overall, 7-0 Ivy) against fourth-seeded Harvard (10-4 overall, 4-3 Ivy). The champion will earn the league’s automatic berth in the NCAA tournament.

After Princeton defeated Dartmouth 17-11 on April 20 in its home finale, Tiger head coach Jenn Cook asserted that her squad was primed for a big postseason run.

“I think we could turn some heads in the Ivy tournament,” said Cook. “I also think we could make a really phenomenal run in the NCAA tournament as well. It is continuing to grow, continuing to play connected.”

— Bill Alden

SPEED: The Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 churns through the water in a race this spring. The Tiger top boat, which is ranked No. 1 nationally, won the Carnegie Cup last Saturday as it defeated No. 5 Yale and No. 14 Cornell on the Cayuga Inlet in Ithaca, N.Y. The Tigers covered the 2,000-meter route in a course record time of 5:26.6, breaking the mark set by Syracuse last year at 5:33. Princeton hosts Brown on May 4 on Lake Carnegie in the race for the Content Cup.

“We have definitely been living a road show, we have picked up some stuff we can take with us when we have to travel up north,” said Hughes. “This race is always a good one. When you get too late in the regular season, boats have had time to come together and develop. This race will be fierce, it is always is. It is a newer trophy, it was just started back in the early 90s. It is very evenly contested, there are no streaks. It is within one win, one way or the other. I fully expect that it is going to be a burner, that is what we are getting ourselves ready for.”

Heading north later this month for the Eastern Sprints on May 19 at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass., Hughes knows his rowers have to maintain their focus on a daily basis to keep excelling.

FOR THE

goes after a face-off in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore McMeekin won 20-of-26 face-offs and scooped up 17 ground balls to help Princeton defeat Yale 15-8 and clinch a spot in the Ivy League Tournament. He was later named the Ivy Defensive Player of the Week. Secondseeded Princeton will have a rematch with third-seeded Yale in one semifinal on May 3 in Ithaca, N.Y. The victor will advance to the final on May 5 to face the winner of the other semi clash between top-seeded

“What you see with our schedule, there is not really any breaks in it,” said Hughes. “It is that consistency piece, that is why we talk about it. It is a part of how we want to race but also how we want to go through our weeks and our season and go into the postseason. We are not going to have too much variability. You need to be able show up ready to produce every day and make gains every day in order to achieve at the Sprints.”

—Bill Alden

and fourth-seeded Penn. The champion will earn the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. (Photo

(Photo by Ed Hewitt – Row2k, provided courtesy of Princeton Athletics)

NOT

MEEK: Princeton University men’s lacrosse player Andrew McMeekin, left,

Cornell

by Frank Wojciechowski)

PU Sports Roundup

Women’s Hoops Star Chen

Headed to UConn as Transfer Princeton University women’s basketball senior star Kaitlyn Chen has committed to play for the UConn women’s hoops team next season as a grad transfer.

Point guard Chen announced her transfer last Sunday via social media. Princeton head coach Carla Berube is a former UConn star forward.

Chen, a 5’9 native of San Marino, Calif., finished her senior season averaging 15.8 points, 4.9 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.3 steals per game.

The senior captain’s 147 assists in 2023-24 are tied for the third most in a single-season in program history while her 190 field goals were sixth, and her 474 points and 389 field goal attempts were 10th.

Chen will graduate third in Princeton history in assists (359) and 12th in points (1,276). During her time with the Tigers, she collected three Ivy League titles, three Ivy League Tournament titles, three Ivy League Tournament Most Outstanding Player awards, and two NCAA Tournament victories. She was the Ivy Player of the Year in the 2022-23 season.

Princeton Baseball Sweeps Dartmouth

Kyle Vinci helped power the Princeton University baseball team to a threegame sweep at Dartmouth last weekend.

On Saturday, senior Vinci hit a two-run homer as the Tigers defeated Dartmouth 14-6 in the opener of a doubleheader. Vinci’s blast set the program’s all-time career home run record of 27, breaking the previous mark of 26 set by Matt Evans ’99. In the nightcap, Vinci contributed a two-run single to help the Tigers prevail 11-3.

A day later, Vinci went 2 for 3 with two runs, two RBIs, and another homer as Princeton won 7-5.

Princeton, now 16-21 overall and 11-7 Ivy League, plays at Rutgers on May 1 and then will resume Ivy play next weekend at Columbia with a doubleheader on May 4 and a single game on May 5.

Tiger Women’s Golfer Liu

Sent to Las Vegas Regional

Princeton University women’s golf star Victoria Liu will compete at the NCAA tourney after earning a selection to compete at the Las Vegas Regional hosted by UNLV at Spanish Trail Country Club from May 6-8.

This marks the second year in a row that junior Liu has earned an individual selection to compete at a NCAA Regional following a 2022 season where she was part of Princeton’s Ivy League championship team that earned an automatic bid to NCAAs and competed at the Stanford Regional.

A two-time Ivy League medalist after winning the individual Ivy championship last weekend at The Stanwich Club, Liu was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2022 and was Ivy League Player of the Year in 2023.

Liu is the third Tiger to earn multiple individual selections to the NCAA Regionals, joining Mary Moan (1995, 1996, 1997) and Kelly Shon (2011, 2012, 2013).

Last year, Liu competed at the Palm Beach Gardens Regional where she was 25th overall (73-74-76-223; +7) at PGA National. In 2022, she was T14 (72-71-72-215; +2) at the Stanford Regional where she helped Princeton finish 6th as a team for its best-ever result at a NCAA Regional.

PU Women’s Tennis Facing Washington in NCAAs

The No. 39 Princeton University women’s tennis team will face No. 26 Washington in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament in Charlottesville, Va., on May 4.

The Ivy League Champion Tigers, 15-6, will be appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the 12th time in school history and the fifth consecutive season. Princeton head coach Jamea Jackson has now guided Princeton to Ivy titles and NCAA Tournament appearances in her first two seasons guiding the program.

With a victory over Washington (17-10), Princeton would take on fifth-ranked and fifth-seeded Virginia or Long Island University in the second round.

PU Men’s Tennis Playing VCU In NCAA Opener

The No. 33 Princeton University men’s tennis team will play No. 41 VCU in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament on May 3 in Charlottesville, Va.

The Tigers, now 22-7, will be appearing in the NCAA Tournament for the 10th time in school history and the second time in the past three seasons. Should the Tigers top VCU (15-9) , they will face the winner of thirdranked and third-seeded Virginia and NJIT.

PU Men’s Golfers

Earn Ivy Honors

A pair of Princeton University men’s golfers have been named recipients of the Ivy League’s two major awards as Riccardo Fantinelli has been named Player of the Year while Charlie Palmer has been selected Rookie of the Year as voted on by the Ivy head coaches.

Sophomore Fantinelli has made history for the program by becoming the first Tiger to be voted Ivy League Player of the Year since the award was first presented in 2009. He is the fourth Ivy golfer overall and first Tiger to have earned Ivy League Player of the Year and Ivy League Rookie of the Year honors in a career. He won the latter award last spring after his debut campaign.

Also a first-team All-Ivy selection after finishing fifth at the 2024 Ivy League Championship, Fantinelli has three Top-10s and Five Top-15s in seven tournaments this season including a win at the Princeton Invitational in April. His scoring average for the season is 70.9 over his 21 rounds of play.

Freshman Palmer is the fifth Tiger to be named Ivy League Rookie of the Year since the award was first presented in 2009. A Princeton men’s golfer has now been named Ivy League Rookie of the Year each of the last four seasons it has been presented. Palmer is

joining Fantinelli (2023), William Huang (2022), and Max Ting (2019) as recent selections with Quinn Prchal (2013) the other Tiger named top rookie.

Palmer opened his collegiate career with a 10th place finish at the USF Howard Intercollegiate where he shot a -6 and was 12th at the Golden Horseshoe to help Princeton win the team title at that event.

In addition to the honors for Fantinelli and Palmer, junior Huang was named both first-team All-Ivy and Academic All-Ivy. Huang was second at the Ivy League Championship, finishing -8 to earn his first-team All-Ivy honor. He is now 3 for 3 in earning All-Ivy honors, with first team (2023) and second team (2022) finishes also to his credit. He is the 40th Ivy League men’s golfer — and 10th Tiger — to earn at least three All-Ivy awards in his career.

Tiger Men’s Lightweights Falls to Harvard, Beats Yale

It was a split decision last Saturday for the No. 3 Princeton University men’s lightweight 8 as it fell to No.1 Harvard but defeated No. 10 Yale in racing on the Housatonic River in Derby, Conn.

Harvard posted a winning time of 5:44.4 over the 2,000-meter course with Princeton taking second in 5:49.7 and Yale placing third in 5:58.8. The Crimson earned the Goldthwait Cup by virtue of their victory.

In upcoming action, the Tigers will be competing in the Eastern Sprints on May 19 at Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

Princeton Open Crew Wins Hewitt-Dauphiny Cup

Remaining undefeated in the spring, the No. 3 Princeton University women’s open varsity 8 defeated Columbia, Northeastern, and Notre Dame last Saturday on Lake Carnegie.

The Tiger top boat posted a winning time of 6:05.2 over the 2,000-meter course with Columbia taking second in 6:20.4, Northeastern placing third in 6:26.0, and Notre Dame finishing fourth in 6:29.4.

By virtue of beating Columbia, Princeton earned the Hewitt-Dauphiny Cup. In addition, the Tigers also collected the Woodbury Cup by topping Northeastern and Columbia.

Princeton is next in action when it hosts Penn on May 4.

PU Women’s Lightweights Defeat Georgetown

Producing another dominant performance, the No. 1 Princeton University women’s lightweight 8 defeated No. 8 Georgetown on Lake Carnegie to earn the Class of 2006 Cup for the fourth straight year.

The Tiger top boat covered the 2,000-meter course in 6:26.4 with Georgetown coming in at 6:41.0.

Princeton is next in action on May 5 when it competes in the Eastern Sprints on Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester, Mass.

BIG SHOT: Princeton University women’s water polo player Ava Houlahan unloads the ball in recent action. Last Sunday, sophomore star Houlahan tallied three goals, including the game-winner, to help No. 11 Princeton edge No. 13 Michigan 10-9 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) final at Cambridge, Mass. It is the second straight CWPA title for the Tigers, who improved to 236. Princeton will now compete in the NCAA tournament where it will play second-seeded Hawaii (22-3) in a quarterfinal contest on May 10 in Berkeley, Calif. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Huang Guts Out Title at Second Singles in MCT, Helping

PHS Boys’ Tennis Take 2nd in Team Standings

True to form, Princeton

High boys’ tennis player Melvin Huang did it the hard way as he took a grueling route to winning the second singles title at the Mercer County Tournament last Thursday.

In the morning, senior star and top-seeded Huang outlasted Shritan Gopu of WW/ P-South in a semifinal contest decided by a 7-point match tiebreak as he won 5-7, 7-6, [7-3].

“I wasn’t focused on the final, I was just focusing on every point,” said Huang, known for his relentless work ethic and propensity for grinding out wins. “I tried flattening the ball out a little more, making him take lower. He starts cramping up so that also helped. As I started gathering momentum, I tried to focus on finishing the match. I was getting satisfied getting to 5-all and then getting to a tiebreak.”

Facing second-seeded Rishabh Ramaswamy in the final on a grandstand court at the Mercer County Park Tennis Facility, Huang jumped out to a 5-0 lead and hung on to win the first set 6-4. In the second set, Huang got hampered by cramps himself as he started to limp around the court, stretching against the fence between points.

Gutting it out, Huang took the second set 6-3 and lay prone on the court for minutes afterward as he recovered from the effort.

“After the first set, I was playing my game and I started cramping,” said Huang. “It was just adapt — I had to play without moving too much.”

In reflecting on his second straight title at second singles, Huang relished the journey to the crown.

“The matches along the way meant more to me than the title,” said Huang. “I have done this before but I don’t want to say it is not special.”

Diversifying his game helped Huang get some quick points on volleys against Ramaswamy.

“In the last year, I started playing more doubles matches,” said Huang. “I got more comfortable moving in, being more aggressive and just finishing points at net.”

PHS head coach Sarah Hibbert was not surprised by Huang’s gutsy effort.

“Melvin was in agony in the second match but he fought through it,” said Hibbert. “We have said this since his freshman year, he is one of the hardest working guys out there. He always goes for that one extra ball. He keeps fighting. He was really feeling it, trying to conserve his energy, trying to pick his spots and go for the ones he could. He wasn’t able to serve that way he wanted to. His game depends on his wheels yet he was able to fall back and just gut it out.”

Showing some guts in fighting back from a tough morning that saw PHS fall in four of five semis, the Tigers won three of its four third-place matches.

“It was a real tough morning, there were a couple of third set tiebreaks that didn’t go our way,” said Hibbert, whose team just missed winning a second straight county crown as it took second in the team standings with 23.5 points, 0.5 points behind champion WW/P-North. “There were long matches. They really did bounce back well. They all

came back, they all fought really hard. We took a bunch of third places.”

Sophomore Garrett Mathewson took third at first singles, displaying some superb tennis along the way.

“Garrett had a great tournament too, unfortunately he didn’t start off great in his semifinal match,” said Hibbert. “In the third place match, he was down 1-4 and fought back and won. I don’t know what the final score was, I think it was four and one. He fought back and won like 13 out of 14 games after that.”

The first doubles pair of sophomore Aashil Patel and senior Aman Kapur and the second doubles duo of junior Shaan Zaveri and freshman Tacto Yamada fought hard in taking third in their flights.

“Aashil and Aman had a tough semifinal, they started off great and then one or two things didn’t go their way,” said Hibbert. “Unfortunately with a third set tiebreak, you can either win it impressively or it can sneak away from you. They were able come back and have a pretty dominating third place match. It was the same thing with second doubles. It was one ball here, it was one ball there in that first match but they came back and dominated their third place match.”

While Hibbert was disappointed to see the Tigers fall just short of a title repeat, advancing to the semis in all five flights of the competition was a good sign.

“There were four teams within two points of each

other, I think this is one of the closest top four in years,” said Hibbert of the nail-biting finish which saw WW/P-South take third with 23 points and Pennington coming in fourth at 22. “Getting through in all five flights sets a tone that we can all count on each other on any given day.”

Battling hard at the MCT should set a good tone for PHS as it looks ahead to the upcoming New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state team tournament.

“It is a tough area, there is a lot of really good schools here,” said Hibbert, whose team plays at Lawrence on May 1, hosts Steinert on May 3, and then plays at Robbinsville on May 7. “We are competitive, you win one day, you lose another day on any given day. It can come down to a tiebreak. We certainly have all of the pieces there. We opened the season really well. You just have to play your best tennis every day and that is hard for a long season. The pieces are definitely there and hopefully we can continue with a strong season.”

Huang, for his part, believes that PHS can finish strong this spring.

“We have a lot of good players at doubles who are really young but know how to hit the ball,” said Huang. “We have a good singles lineup. It is just solid all around. I think we can do some stuff.”

—Bill Alden

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NO BACKING DOWN: Princeton High boys’ tennis player Melvin Huang hits a backhand last week at the Mercer County Tournament. Senior star Huang won the title at second singles as PHS finished second in the team standings at the event. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Senior Standout Kenah Masterfully Runs the Offense

As PHS Boys’ Lacrosse Dismantles Notre Dame 21-11

With Saturday night lights shining as the Princeton High boys’ lacrosse team faced Notre Dame last weekend at Mercer County Community College, Patrick Kenah and his teammates wanted to put on a show.

“So many people put so much time and work into getting us this venue under the lights,” said PHS senior star attacker Kenah.

“We don’t have lights on our normal stadium, so everyone was super pumped. We had practice this morning to go over some stuff. The guys were locked in the moment we got here.”

Displaying how locked in they were, the Tigers jumped out to a 3-0 lead, patiently moving the ball and picking apart the Notre Dame defense.

“We wanted to work for each other, get each other open, and swing the ball around,” said Kenah. “I thought we did a good job of that. They threw a couple of defenses at us so we had to adjust often. I thought we did a good job.”

PHS built an 8-2 halftime lead as it excelled at both ends of the field.

“It is super critical; it gets the juices flowing, not just everyone on the field but off the field too,” said Kenah of the early lead. “Our defense played great today. They did their job, our goalie (Kian Bragg) had a very good first half.”

After Notre Dame found a rhythm in the third quarter as it tallied four goals, PHS pounded the Irish 9-5 in the last 12 minutes of the contest to pull away to a 21-11 win, improving to 7-4.

“We wanted to keep it going, we didn’t want to slow down,” said Kenah. “They pulled it back closer in the third quarter, so we needed to keep going. It was a good team win.”

Kenah, who ended up with five goals and six assists against Notre Dame, now has 63 points this season on 29 goals and 34 assists.

“I hope to keep improving this year, I thought I had a solid game,” said Kenah, who has piled up 327 career points on 185 goals and 142 assists, becoming the 51st player in N.J. history to reach the 300-point milestone. “It is easy when other guys around you are doing their job.”

Over the years, Kenah has developed a particularly strong connection with one of those other guys, junior midfielder Brendan Beatty.

“It is awesome, me and Brendan are super close off the field too,” said Kenah of Beatty, who has the same stat line this spring as the senior star with 29 goals and 34 assists. “We are always looking for each other.”

Having committed to attend Lafayette College and play for its men’s lax program, Kenah ramped up his training to get ready for this spring and beyond.

“This offseason was super crucial, I wanted to put in the work,” said Kenah. “I knew I needed to have a good season. I wanted to help the team and be a leader of this team. I think

I have set myself up well to do that and I have been put in a good position.”

Although PHS came into Saturday having lost to Cherokee 17-10 on April 23 and getting edged 12-11 by Robbinsville last Thursday, Tiger head coach Chip Casto believed his team was still in a good position as it faced the Irish.

“We have been trying to just keep moving forward,” said Casto. “In those two tough losses we had, we actually got better. That is what we talked about, we got better.”

The Tigers clearly got better in the win over Notre Dame as they hit 20 goals in a game for the first time this spring.

“I was telling the squad, ‘I went and saw my 92-yearold father on Wednesday,’” said Casto, choking up for a moment. “He was like, ‘How is the team?’ and I said, ‘Pop, we are not doing so well, but they are good kids and they work hard. He goes, ‘Chip, you never know when it is going to click, just keep coaching.’

This is a click. It was unbelievable, as coach [Peter] Stanton and coach [Jason] Carter were talking, it was just contagious.”

PHS clicked throughout the lineup as Beatty tallied four goals and five assists in the win with Braden Barlag scoring six goals, Jason Singer chipping in two goals and an assist, and Alex Famiglietti contributing two goals.

“It was lots of guys finishing, it was a great effort,” said Casto. “We were consistent on the offense. Patrick was running the offense, seeing the looks.”

Casto credited Kenah with triggering the PHS attack.

“Patrick is a student of the game, he has really learned the offense, he sees all six guys,” said Casto. “He is going to play at Lafayette and he really wants to do well. He is just trying to learn the game as best he can. He is a fantastic student, he is a great kid.”

The one-two punch of Kenah and Beatty helped bury the Irish in the fourth quarter.

“We have been leaning on them to be the best players in the CVC and just go,” said Casto. “They took it upon themselves to really put the hammer down when we could because these guys will come back in a heartbeat.”

The Tiger defense held Notre Dame down as PHS led 21-9 with 2:15 left in the game before the Irish tacked on two late goals.

“Coach Carter has been great with the defense,” said Casto. “Coach Stanton got our backup goalie (Bragg) ready to play. Corbin [Kasziba] had to go away for the weekend. We got caught shorthanded and Kian stepped in and played tremendously.”

For Casto, getting to see his squad play under the lights was a great treat.

“I went to college in upstate N.Y. and we used to go see high school lacrosse under the lights with all the fans,” said Casto. “It was so

fun and that is what they deserve. They are good kids that work hard. It is a good celebration of the game and the county.”

With PHS playing at perennial powerhouse Summit on May 4 and at Hightstown on May 7, Casto is looking for his players to keep up the good work.

“We have Summit a week from today; what we found is big games like that where we are the super underdog in the two-three practices leading up to that are some of the best in the season,” said Casto. “Summit is going to make us better, that is why you take those games. Because we are a major underdog, you go and you learn from that.”

Kenah, for his part, believes the performance against Notre Dame is a harbinger of things to come.

“It is a huge confidence booster, it is a reflection of how good we can play,” said Kenah. “We have to meet the standard. We have to take it one game at a time and bring the same energy that we brought today to other games. It is just make the most of what we have. Our ultimate goal is to put something on the banner in our gym.”

—Bill Alden

FLESCH’S ROOFING

LIGHTING IT UP: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Patrick Kenah runs past a foe in recent action. Last Saturday night, senior star Kenah tallied five goals and six assists to help PHS defeat Notre Dame 21-11 under the lights at Mercer County Community College. The Tigers, who improved to 7-4 with the win, play at Summit on May 4 and at Hightstown on May 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Making History in her Final Season for Hun Softball, Kobryn Aiming

In the last couple of weeks, Lexi Kobryn has cemented her status as one of the greatest players in the proud history of the Hun School softball program.

On April 18 in a 5-0 win over Hightstown, senior righty fireballer Kobryn recorded her 500th career strikeout, the first Hun pitcher to reach that milestone.

Four days later, Kobryn pounded out the 100th hit of her career, making her just the second Raider player after Lauren McQuade to achieve the century mark.

Reflecting on her accomplishments, Kobryn is proud of the legacy she is leaving.

“It means a lot, I have been working for that my whole career,” said Kobryn, a Villanova commit. “I knew I was getting close, it was just exciting to get that. I have been really working hard. I know a lot of Hun softball players haven’t done that, so it is amazing. I am leaving my mark, which is pretty cool.”

Last Wednesday, Kobryn added to her totals in a 15-0 win over the Hill School (Pa.), striking out seven as she pitched a one-hitter in a game that ended after four innings due to the run rule and contributed two hits.

“My curves and my screw were working, they were probably my best,” said Kobryn in assessing her pitching performance. “I have been trying to put myself in the best spot to succeed in college in the fall.”

Kobryn is proud of her work with the bat this spring. “I feel like this is the best season I have had hitting, it is nice to see my hard work pay off,” said Kobryn.

That extra work entails Kobryn coming to school at 6:30 a.m. for strength training and honing her hitting in home sessions after practice.

“It is hard to get my workout in, I can’t lose what I have done so coming in the morning is what works best,” said Kobryn. “It is weights. I am always getting extra reps hitting. If I feel I don’t get enough here in practice, I will go home and hit off the tee.”

Playing alongside the squad’s other senior, Jamie Staub, has been extra special for Kobryn.

“It has been awesome to share the field with Jamie for four years,” said Kobryn. “She is a great teammate and a great player. It is nice that we have gotten to do it together.”

With Hun having won two straight Prep A state titles, Kobryn is looking to go out with a three-peat.

“I think every year we have such a strong group of girls,” said Kobryn. “Even off the field, we are such a tight-knit group. We definitely can go far.”

Suffering a 2-1 loss to Blair on April 20, the only setback so far this spring for Hun, has helped the group’s focus.

“We played a good game, we competed well,” said Kobryn. “A loss stinks, but we grow from it. It is going to make us stronger. We know we are going to play them again. We are going to come back and we are going to shine.”

In order to shine down the stretch, Hun will need show a strong spirit.

to Go Out with Another Title Run

“It is staying up, cheering in the dugout,” said Kobryn. “We just need to have the energy. I know we can all play well. It is having that confidence, we all give that to each other.”

Hun head coach Kathy Quirk was confident that her squad would rebound from the loss to Blair.

“I told them a good team bounces back and we are a good team,” said Quirk. “Sometimes it is a blessing in disguise. If we see them again in states and if we win when we go up there, that would be two wins against them. It is tough to beat a team three times.”

The Raiders displayed some toughness as they topped Villa Joseph Marie (Pa.) 11-2 on April 22 in their first game after playing Blair.

“We had a nice bounce back on Monday against Villa Joseph Marie,” said Quirk. “We just pounded the ball.”

In the win over Hill, Hun kept pounding the ball as it recorded 10 hits.

“I thought we did well, we were very patient at the plate,” said Quirk, whose team swept a doubleheader against Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday, winning 8-0 and 16-0 to improve to 11-1. “We didn’t try to kill the ball, we took the walk instead of trying to kill it. If you try to kill it, it flies up.”

Quirk credits Kobryn with crushing it this spring in her final campaign for the Raiders.

“Lexi has been doing a great job, she works hard,”

said Quirk of Kobryn, who is batting .632 with two homers and 25 RBIs and has 117 strikeouts in 53 innings with a 0.26 ERA in the circle.

“I am happy for her. She is leaving here with some nice records, she has done a great job. She knows that her teammates have her back.”

Junior Kailey Jacobs and sophomore Rowan Lacy have also been giving Hun some good work as well.

“I have been happy with Kailey at shortstop, she has done a nice job,” said Quirk. “She had a nice bunt today. I am pleased with Rowan too.”

With Hun playing at Pingry on May 2 and at Blair on May 4, Hun believes her squad is in a good place heading into the homestretch.

“I am confident in our pitchers,” said Quirk, whose pitching staff includes Staub and junior Anna Murphy in addition to Kobryn. “A couple of them are up and down with their hitting, but we have done a nice job. We have worked a lot on hitting every day.”

While Kobryn is hoping for a nice finish, she won’t soon forget her Hun experience no matter what happens in the postseason.

“I know that the friends I have made in the four years, I am going to have them forever,” said Kobryn. “It is sad that I am moving on. The memories I have had — you can never take that away.”

—Bill Alden

MILESTONES: Hun School softball player Lexi Kobryn smacks the ball in a game last season. Senior star and Villanova commit Kobryn recently hit the 500-strikeout and 100-hit marks in her career. She is the first player in program history to have both 500 strikeouts and 100 hits. She is the only Raider with 500 strikeouts and just the second to have 100 hits in addition to Lauren McQuade. Last Wednesday in a 15-0 win over the Hill School (Pa.), Kobryn added to her totals as she had seven strikeouts in a four-inning one-hitter and contributed two hits. Hun, which swept a doubleheader against Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday, winning 8-0 and 16-0 to improve to 11-1, plays at Pingry on May 2 and at the Blair Academy on May 4. (Photo by

HITTING

Frank Wojciechowski)

With Senior Star Olender Saving Her Best for Last,

Hun Girls’ Lax Getting in Synch for Stretch Drive

Ava Olender is bringing a carefree approach this spring into her final campaign for the Hun School girls’ lacrosse team.

“I am just letting go this season, I know it is my last one so I am just here to have fun and have the best time,” said senior star Olender. “I want to lift all of my other teammates up and leave a positive impact on the program as a whole on my way out.”

Last Saturday against visiting Mercersburg Academy (Pa.), Olender gave Hun a big lift, scoring four goals and adding an assist as the Raiders rolled to an 18-9 win.

Olender scored two goals as the Raiders built an early 6-1 lead.

“I felt the energy on our side which was really nice,” said Olender, reflecting on the team’s early surge. “I talked to my girls and I said, ‘Picks are going to work, fast-paced movements are going to work.’ I said, ‘I can get an opening on them and still shoot and the face-guard isn’t going to stop me.’”

The Raiders got some good work from a number of players against Mercersburg as senior Olivia Kim tallied four goals while sophomore Emma Stowe chipped in four goals, sophomore Aspen Swanson had three goals and two assists, and sophomore Keaton Vales contributed two goals.

“It was awesome to see Emma get right off the draw and go straight to cage a few times,” said Olender. “It was good to see some of the people down low, really dictating the offense and setting feeds. I was getting feeds from players that I hadn’t before. It was really nice to see.”

Over the last four years, Olender has gotten a lot of feeds from classmate Kim.

“Olivia and I played a season of club together, which was really fun,” said Olender who is headed to Tufts University to play for its women’s lax team while Kim is a Williams College commit. “We played for triple threat. We have been here at Hun together the past four years. We both have a really good dynamic. We read each other super well. It is nice on the offense to have somebody … who knows what I want to do.”

The squad has developed a good dynamic under new

head coach Geoff Chrisman.

“I love what he is doing for the program,” said Olender of Chrisman.

“He is very dedicated into building the culture of the program, which I appreciate.”

Hun head coach Chrisman, for his part, appreciated how the Raider players have bought into that culture.

“I am really happy with our culture, it is my favorite word ever,” said Chrisman. “We support each other, we cheer for each other. We talk about the word ‘mudita’ which means having joy and success for others; it is a Sanskrit word. I am really proud of the way we celebrate for our successes with the younger girls getting in and some of our older girls finding success.”

Chrisman was happy with the way Hun started against Mercersburg.

“The point of emphasis today was to come out and control the game, set the tone, and play to our level,” said Chrisman. “We were down two starters for the day and the bench played phenomenally and with intensity.”

The Raiders have been getting some high level play from Olender.

“She is developing and playing in a new system, it can be hard for people but she is just the thriving with her off-ball cuts, picks, and all of those things,” said Chrisman of Olender who had four goals and one assist in a 12-9 win over Hightstown last Monday as Hun improved to 7-4. “She sees the field so well. We are giving her lanes and she is just being unbelievably successful.”

Olender has formed a potent one-two punch with Kim. So far this spring, Olender has tallied 70 points on 47 goals and 23 assists while Kim has contributed 40 points on 32 goals and eight assists.

“They have been playing with each other for so long, they know where each other are on the field,” said Chrisman. “I don’t even think they need to talk to each other. they know where their cuts are going to be. They are so comfortable and they know exactly where they like the ball. They play really well together.”

The play of sophomores Swanson, Stowe, and Vales has been a revelation.

“The sophomores, they are halfway through the season so they are not allowed to be sophomores anymore,” said Chrisman. “They are really starting to play to their potential. The game is slowing down for them, especially with Emma and Aspen. Keaton is getting her confidence which is awesome. They are all making plays.”

At the defensive end, the Raiders are finding their form.

“We are finding our consistency, we have a lot of athletes down there that are embracing a new system and new terminology,” said Chrisman.

“They are starting to be able to run it by themselves without us calling it which is great — that is where we want to be halfway through the season. Julia Wolfe in goal has really started to come along for only having played lacrosse for 13 months now. She is really thriving, we are very happy with her.”

The Hun players have displayed a consistent work ethic collectively.

“I am really proud of what these girls do in between practices and games,” said Chrisman. “They have so much school work here but they are watching film. They are coming in early and they are going down and doing wall ball in free period. They are really embracing the student-athletes role here at Hun. They are balancing a lot.”

With the Raiders playing at Blair Academy in the Prep A state quarterfinals on May 1 and then hosting Hopewell Valley on May 4, Chrisman believes that diligence will pay dividends.

“Our Prep A tournament starts Wednesday, we are back up at Blair,” said Chrisman, whose team fell 11-10 to the Buccaneers on April 24 in a regular season contest. “The girls are circling the calendar for that. It is just about finding our consistency. If we continue to push our consistency, I think we can beat any team that we get on the field with.”

Olender, for her part, is excited for the final push of her Raider career.

“I definitely think we are in a good spot in the homestretch; in the games that were really close, they could have got either way which was a little frustrating,” said Olender.

“We are excited for Blair next week. We really need to focus on consistency as a team. We have lots of highs and lows as a team. It is part of the game but mitigating those highs and lows is definitely something we need to focus on and also finishing shots.”

—Bill Alden

Did you forget your at home?

With Stelmach Emerging as a Key Offensive Weapon, Hun Boys’ Lacrosse Showing Progress as it Moves to 6-4

Starting last week with a lopsided 18-7 loss to powerhouse Lawrenceville, the Hun School boys’ lacrosse team could have been discouraged.

But Hun junior attacker Brett Stelmach believes that the April 23 setback could prove to be a blessing in disguise for the Raiders.

“We played a really good team, I think we got a lot better during that experience,” said Stelmach. “We tightened up the things we were doing badly because we needed to. It was a good turnaround for the team, everyone started coming together.”

Last Thursday as Hun played at Princeton Day School, things came together quickly for Hun as it jumped out to an 8-0 lead and never looked back on the way to a 16-3 win.

“It was a good game, we started off pretty good,” said Stelmach, who tallied three goals and two assists in the win. “It is a change from games before because we usually started slow. I think after Lawrenceville we definitely switched it up.”

Stelmach’s game changed last year under the tutelage of former head coach Jim Stagnitta. “I think coach Stagnitta definitely changed the entire way I play, he got me focused on just keeping it simple an just doing the little things right,” said Stelmach. “Everything just fell into place after that. I just do what I have got to do every game, pick up as many ground balls as possible nothing crazy. I am not trying to do everything. it is just keep it simple.”

In addition, Stelmach has picked up tips from senior teammates Danny Cano and Brendan Marino.

“I really learned everything from them for how I play,” said Stelmach. “I got a lot of my dodges from Danny — they are definitely a big

influence on the team.”

Hun first-year head coach Alex Lopes believed that his squad learned a lot from the loss to Lawrenceville.

“I thought we played great; it was a great experience, it is always fun to go and complete against the best,” said Lopes. “The expectation for our program is to get out there and give ourselves a chance against anybody. Things that we were worried about, I thought we did really well. Their 10-man ride has given teams fits all year and we cleared the ball great. We had some good poise on offense. We just didn’t finish enough but at the end of the day, they are an excellent team. I thought we grew and got better.in that game.”

The Raiders showed that growth in the win over PDS. “That pace that we need to play at was reflected today,” said Lopes. “Going from shot clock game to a non-shot clock game, it is up to us to force pace a little bit in these scenarios. So defensively, it is getting out, playing a little bit more on hands and offensively, challenging a little bit more.”

Lopes credits Stelmach with giving Hun a spark offensively.

“Brett is great with the ball on his stick, he is a nightmare matchup for a defenseman,” said Lopes, who got three goals and two assists from Cano against PDS with Marino and Jack Beck chipping in two goals apiece. “He is just getting smarter. He is very good at sneaking into those lanes and guys find him. He keeps getting better, he keeps learning. I think that is true for a lot of our guys.”

The Hun defensive unit has been playing smarter as the season has unfolded.

“There have been some growing pains defensively but we just keep getting better,” said Lopes. “Our oneon-one defense hasn’t been

an issue all year. It is the off-ball stuff, understanding the communication piece. We talked a lot about that watching film after Lawrenceville. They came out and put a 7-1 on us in the first quarter and then we started communicating and all of a sudden we gave ourselves chances to get stops. We carried that into today and we want to keep carrying that moving forward. Luke Donahue at longstick midfield has been just amazing — he has really stood out.”

Hun took another step forward last Saturday as it edged Gill St. Bernard’s 9-8 in overtime to improve to 6-4 as Marino led the way with six goals, including the OT game-winner.

“We are still getting better and that is what I am excited about as we get to the meat of our season,” said Lopes, whose team hosts Perkiomen School (Pa.) on May 4 and then plays at Christian Brothers Academy on May 6. “I am excited about where we are and where we can still get to.”

Lopes is excited by his squad’s persistence and intensity. “There is no quit in this team, they just play hard from the first whistle to the last whistle,” said Lopes. “Things don’t bother them. They are positive, they support each other. I think that reflects the culture of our program that we want. It is one thing to talk about it, it is another thing to follow through on it and now you are seeing us following through on it. We have got great leaders but it can’t just be three guys at the top. It has got to be everybody buying in and I think the program has bought in.”

In Stelmach’s view, Hun is primed to produce a positive finish this spring.

“I think we just have to keep doing what we are doing,” said Stelmach. “It us just making sure that we are seeing what we need to get better at and figuring it out.”

—Bill Alden

ATTACK MODE: Hun School boys’ lacrosse Brett Stelmach races past a Princeton Day School defender last Thursday. Junior attacker Stelmach tallied three goals and two assists to help Hun defeat PDS 16-3. The Raiders, who edged Gill St. Bernard’s 9-8 in overtime last Saturday to improve to 6-4, host Perkiomen School (Pa.) on May 4 and then play at Christian Brothers Academy on May 6.

(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

FINAL PUSH: Hun School girls’ lacrosse player Ava Olender heads to goal in recent action. Last Saturday, senior star and Tufts University commit Olender tallied four goals and an assist to help Hun defeat the Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) 18-9. The Raiders, who topped Hightstown 12-9 last Monday to improve to 7-4, play at Blair Academy in the Prep A state quarterfinals on May 1 and then host Hopewell Valley on May 4. (Photo by Steven Wojtowicz)

went 3 for 3 with three runs and

to

Hun

Baseball : Deacon Bowne had a big day as Hun split a doubleheader against Mercersburg Academy (Pa.) last Saturday, winning 2-1 in the opener and then falling 8-5 in the nightcap. Senior catcher Bowne went 3 for 6 with two runs and two RBIs over the two games as the Raiders moved to 9-4. Hun faces Steinert on May 1 at Veteran’s Park in Hamilton, hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on May 3, hosts Seton Hall Prep on May 4, plays at the Pennington School on May 6, and then hosts Peddie on May 7.

Boys’ Tennis : The second doubles pair of Kirtan Chintam and Herschel Mallangada provided a highlight as Hun wrapped up play in the Mercer County Tournament last Thursday at the Mercer County Park Tennis Facility. Chintam and Mallangada placed fourth in their flight to help the Raiders take eighth in the team standings of the event won by WW/P-North. In upcoming action, Hun plays at the Hill School (Pa.) on May 1 before hosting Bergen Catholic on May 3 and Peddie on May 7.

the

Red improve to 6-8. Lawrenceville hosts Peddie School on May 1, plays at the Hill School (Pa.) on May 4, and then hosts Perkiomen School (Pa.) on May 7.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Sparked by Kate Morey, Lawrenceville defeated Pennington 17-5 last Friday. Morey tallied one goal and four assists to help the Big Red improve to 8-6. Lawrenceville plays at the Pingry School on May 4 before starting action in the Mercer County Tournament.

Pennington

goals for Pennington as it fell 17-5 to Lawrenceville last Friday. The Red Hawks, now 4-5, host Stuart Country Day School on May 2 in the first round of the Prep B state tournament.

Boys’ Tennis : Ishan Gupta starred as Pennington placed fourth in the team standings in the Mercer County Tournament last Thursday at the Mercer County Park Tennis Facility. Senior Gupta placed first at third singles for the third straight year as the Red Hawks had a team score of 22, just two points behind champion WW/P-North.

the Panthers improve to 102. PDS plays at Notre Dame on May 1 and will then be starting play in Prep B state tournament.

Course. Zang fired a two-over 38 for the nine-hole tract to help the Tigers improve to 6-0. PHS will be competing in the Mercer County Tournament on May 2 at Mercer Oaks West Golf Course.

Stuart

ton (NJTL); Glenn Michibata, a Wimbledon doubles semifinalist, a former Princeton University men’s tennis head coach, current assistant coach at The College of New Jersey, and Princeton Tennis Program Teaching Professional; and Betty Sander Thompson, who is receiving a posthumous honor and had received a USTA Umpire Emeritus Award for 32 years of service.

Baseball : Alex Winters came up big to help PHS edge Franklin 8-7 last Monday. Senior star Winters pounded out a two-run triple for the Tigers, who moved to 6-7. PHS hosts Steinert on May 2 before playing at New Egypt on May 3 and at Robbinsville on May 6.

TREES &

Baseball : Joe Lifsted had two hits as Pennington fell 4-3 to host Delran High in the final of the Papa Bear Tournament last Saturday. The Red Hawks, who moved to 7-7 with the defeat, host Rutgers Prep in the first round of the Prep B state tournament on May 1 and then host Hun School on May 6.

On Monday, Pennington defeated Peddie School 5-2 in a regular season match to improve to 7-0. In upcoming action, the Red Hawks play at the Blair Academy in May 1 and then host Lawrenceville School on May 6.

Softball : Natalie Hester and Delaney Keegan led the hitting attack as PHS defeated Florence 11-4 last Thursday. Hester and Keegan each had three hits for the Tigers, who improved to 3-5. PHS hosts Steinert on May 2 and plays at Robbinsville on May 4.

Lacrosse : Allison Lee scored three goals in a losing cause as Stuart fell 17-6 to Robbinsville last Monday. The Tartans, who moved to 3-5 with the defeat, host South Brunswick on May 4 and Immaculata on May 7.

In addition, Stuart will be playing at Pennington on May 2 in the Prep B state quarterfinals.

Local Sports

The Hall of Fame dinner will be held on June 14 at 6 p.m. at the Boathouse at Mercer Lake in Mercer County Park, West Windsor.

Lawrenceville

Baseball : Leuma Pua’auli starred as Lawrenceville defeated Blair Academy 20-8 last Monday. Pua’auli

Boys’ Lacrosse : Finn Garner had a huge game as Pennington defeated Hightstown 20-10 last Monday. Garner tallied four goals and 10 assists in the win for the Red Hawks, now 5-6. Pennington plays at the Hill School (Pa.) on May 1, hosts Princeton Day School on May 3 in the first round of the Prep B state tournament, and then plays at PDS on May 6 in a regular season contest.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Hailey Adamsky scored all five

Boys’ Lacrosse : Sparked by Matt Whittaker, PDS defeated WW/P-North 13-3 last Saturday. Senior Whittaker tallied five goals as the Panthers improved to 4-6. PDS plays at Allentown on May 2 and then plays at Pennington on May 3 in the first round of the Prep B state tournament.

Girls’ Lacrosse : Unable to get its offense going, PHS fell 12-4 to Notre Dame last Monday. The Tigers, who dropped to 8-5 with the defeat, host Robbinsville on May 2 and Peddie on May 3.

Mercer Tennis Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024

The Mercer County Tennis Hall of Fame was initiated in 1992 by the Mercer County Tennis Council to recognize people with ties to the County who have made outstanding contributions to the sport. Since the dissolution of the Tennis Council, the Mercer County Park Commission has overseen the nominating committee, voting process and dinner committee. The Hall of Fame honors individuals for their involvement in competition, education, officiating, recreation, media, industry, or in the advancement of tennis.

is for Planting

Girls’ Lacrosse : Tessa Caputo and Grace Ulrich led the way as PDS defeated WW/P-South 13-0 last Monday. Senior star Caputo tallied two goals and three assists while junior goalie Ulrich made three saves in earning the shutout to help

Boys’ Golf : Brooks Cahill-Sanidas starred as PHS topped Steinert 147-162 last Monday at Princeton Country Club. Cahill-Sanidas carded an even par 35 for the nine-hole layout as the Tigers improved to 13-0. PHS will be competing in the Mercer County Tournament on May 3 at Hopewell Valley Country Club.

Girls’ Golf : Led by Jacqueline Zang PHS defeated Allentown 177-186 last Monday at the Cream Ridge Golf

The Mercer County Park Commission has announced the Mercer County Tennis Hall of Fame Class of 2024 which features five honorees who have made extraordinary achievements in the field of tennis and expanded the popularity of the sport.

The Class of 2024 includes: Jim Cryan, co-director of the Cryan Memorial Tennis Tournament; Mike Ehrenberg, longtime director of the G. Nelson Green Memorial Tournament; Ginny Mason, a founding member and continuous supporter of National Junior Tennis and Learning of Tren-

Induction ceremonies are held every four years, with the honorees selected by 50 leaders in the area’s tennis community. Criteria for induction stipulate that “the record of achievement must be balanced by a reputation that can be admired and respected. Membership is intended to represent a highly selective group.”

Tickets for the Hall of Fame dinner are $100 per person. For more information or to receive an electronic invitation, contact Marc Vecchiolla via e mail at mvecchiolla@mercercounty.org or by phone at (609) 448-2088.

IN THE SWING: Princeton Day School baseball player Santino Cignarella takes a big cut in recent action. Last Saturday, junior shortstop Cignarella went 2-for-2 with two runs to help PDS defeat Orange 14-1 and earn it first win of the season. The Panthers, who fell 11-1 to Notre Dame last Monday to move to 1-10, will play at Newark Academy on May 3 in the first round of the Prep B state tournament. In addition, the Panthers will also be playing regular season games at Dunellen High on May 4 and at Nottingham on May 6. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

Obituaries

Janis Fishman

Janis Pulsifer Fishman, 89, of Princeton, passed peacefully on Friday, March 29, 2024, in her home with her loving daughter by her side. Known affectionately as the “turtle lady” in her community, Jan found joy in her lifelong hobby caring for water and land turtles, growing to over 100 of these beloved creatures. Over the years, her reputation also grew for her unique ability to aid injured turtles and her willingness to provide them with a loving home. Local elementary schools invited her as the turtle lady for Show & Tell. Jan hosted students at her home to see her diverse collection too . She leaves behind a small group of turtles, some of whom have been with her for over 40 years. Her passion for the natural world extended to her living room, adorned with freshwater fish tanks. To friends, she would say, “Come over, we can watch fishy vision together.” Jan also had a deep affection for her feline companions, particularly Beaux. To her, they were all beloved family members.

A graduate of Cornell University, Jan paid her way through college working as a waitress for sororities. She pursued a degree in horticulture with the dream of owning her own floral shop one day. Although she did not realize this dream, she found fulfillment in gardening, where she indulged her love for trees, plants, and flowers. After retiring, she worked part-time at Wildflowers of Princeton Junction, finding pride in her creative talents, and treasuring the friendships she formed with the “flower shop guys,” Michael, Eddie, and Riley.

Following graduation, Janis embarked on a career in technology, a bold choice for a woman in the 1950s. Despite the male-dominated nature of the field, she remained steadfast and became a respected computer consultant, spending four decades in the profession. While working full-time and raising a family, Jan’s delight for turtles and gardening also included being an exquisite seamstress from making dresses to ball gowns to a man’s silk suit.

In the 1980s, there was a drastic increase in property taxes affecting many in the community. Jan became an advocate and educator, voicing the concerns of those on fixed incomes at town hall meetings. She only got involved in causes that held deep personal meaning to her.

In her later years, Jan became an active member of

the local chapter of P.E.O., finding purpose in its mission and cherishing the friendships she formed with her fellow Sisters. It was a special time for Jan, as she found herself among women of intellect, compassion, and unique talents.

Jan was a kind and gentle listener exhibiting no judgment and sharing advice in the most thoughtful manner, she will be sorely missed.

Janis Fishman is predeceased by her late husband, Herbert Fishman. Janis is survived by her daughter, Sarah Fishman Mertz; granddaughter, Laura Mertz; sister-in-law, Joyce Fishman; nephew, Doron Fishman; niece, Eileen Nalda; her dear friends Brenda, Audrey, Jane and Charles, Elaine, Pedro and her devoted caregiver, Lida.

A celebration of Jan’s life will take place on Saturday, June 8 at 10:30 a.m. in the communal area of Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, Princeton (ccprinceton.org).

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in memory to Jan to P.E.O., philanthropic organization where women celebrate the advancement of women; educate women through scholarships, grants, awards, loans, and stewardship of Cottey College and motivate women to achieve their highest aspirations.

Dolores S. Allaire

Dolores S. Allaire of Princeton and Ocean Grove, NJ, peacefully passed away in her home surrounded by her loving family at the age of 96. Dolores was born and raised in Belleville, NJ, before moving to Princeton, where she resided for 60 years and raised her family. Dolores was also a summer resident of Ocean Grove. The joy of her life was being a mother. She dedicated herself to her children and grandchildren. In addition to her family, she also was deeply involved in her community as an active member of Springdale Golf Club, The Present Day Club, and the Ladies Auxiliary of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association. She enjoyed volunteering with the Princeton Hospital Fete, S.A.V.E, and the Princeton Regional Scholarship Foundation. She and her family were members of the Nassau Presbyterian Church for 60 years. She was also proud of her days working as a Real Estate Agent for Audrey Short and Burgdorff Realty. Dolores loved spending time with her family, summers at the beach, bowling, playing bridge, and golfing with her husband Bud and their many friends. In addition to her adoration for the many important people in her life, she had a deep love for animals and always had a beloved pet by her side.

Dolores was predeceased by her parents Olga and Theodore Schmidt, her husband Ralph “Bud” Allaire, and daughter Suzanne, who passed away at the age of 9. She is survived by her daughters, Carol Petrone (James), Beth Cox (Steve); three granddaughters, Jaime Yamamoto (Akira), Kelsey Petrone (Bobby Warshaw), and Jillian Petrone; and four great-granddaughters, Cameran, Rory, Wren, and Allaire.

Arrangements have been made by Mather-Hodge Funeral Home in Princeton. A memorial service will be held on Thursday May 2, 2024 at 2 p.m. at the Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to S.A.V.E. Animal Rescue at 1010 County Road 601, Skillman, NJ 08558.

Robert Merrihew Adams 1937-2024

The Reverend Doctor Robert Merrihew Adams, 86, died peacefully in his home in Montgomery, NJ, on April 16, 2024. Bob was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Septembr 8, 1937 to Margaret Baker Adams and Reverend Doctor Arthur Merrihew Adams. He is survived by his nephew Prof. James D. Fearon (Teal Derrer) and niece Mary Fearon Jack (Wellborn Jack, III) and great nieces and nephews, Sadie and Ben Fearon, and Sarah, Spencer, and William Jack. Bob was predeceased by his beloved wife of 51 years, the Reverend Doctor Marilyn McCord Adams.

As a child Bob exhibited remarkable curiosity and concentration and when he found a topic of interest, he explored it to its depth and shared his observances with whomever he could captivate — most frequently his sister Janet, who was his constant companion throughout childhood. Bob was fascinated by the behavior of wild animals, in particular elephants and birds. He became a life-long “birder,” taking his binoculars whenever he travelled in hopes of adding to his life list.

In 1955 Bob graduated from East High School in Rochester, NY, and as the top student in the state was named a Regents Scholar. He matriculated to Princeton University in the fall where he developed his interest in philosophy. His inspiration during this period included Hilary Putnam, a young Assistant Professor at the time. After graduating in 1959 the next three years were devoted first to the study of theology, for two years at Oxford and then one year at Princeton Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1962. Bob then became pastor of a small Presbyterian church in Montauk at the eastern tip

of Long Island, where he continued to study philosophy and theology.

In 1965 he entered the doctoral program in philosophy at Cornell University. There he met Marilyn McCord, and they were married in 1966, the beginning of more than 50 years of close companionship and mutual inspiration. At Cornell he wrote a doctoral dissertation on philosophy of religion that featured an interpretation of Anselm’s ontological argument for the existence of God. His advisors included Norman Malcolm and Nelson Pike.

In 1968 he and Marilyn took faculty positions in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. After four formative years there, he and Marilyn joined the Department of Philosophy at UCLA in 1972. This was to be their longest academic appointment, more than 21 years. At UCLA Bob developed his mature views in philosophy of religion, metaphysics, ethics, and history of modern philosophy. There he wrote his celebrated Leibniz: Determinist, Theist, Idealist (Oxford University Press,1994), and drafted much of his great work on theological ethics, Finite and Infinite Goods (Oxford University Press, 1999).

In 1993, Bob and Marilyn moved to Yale University, Bob as Professor and Chair of the Department of Philosophy and Marilyn as Professor of Historical Theology in the Yale Divinity School. Bob was instrumental in transforming a struggling department into one of the best ten worldwide, where it remains today. At UCLA and Yale Bob was an inspiring teacher for undergraduate and graduate students. He advised many doctoral dissertations, notably in history of modern philosophy.

In 2004 Bob and Marilyn moved to Oxford, where Marilyn took a position as Regius Professor of Divinity and as Canon of Christ Church Cathedral. Bob was officially retired, but continued his work on theological ethics, specifically on what was to be his third major book, A Theory of Virtue: Excellence in Being for the Good (Oxford University Press, 2008). In 2009 Bob and Marilyn returned to the United States, taking a joint position in the Department of Philosophy at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. In 2013 they retired from that position and moved to Princeton, where they served as distinguished research professors at Rutgers University from 201315. Marilyn passed away in 2017, of pancreatic cancer. Her loss was difficult for Bob in his remaining years. He brought to publication her final book Housing the Powers: Medieval Debates about Dependence on God (Oxford University Press, 2022), collaborating with Cecilia Trifogli on one of the chapters. In that same period Bob completed his fourth major book, in metaphysics: What is, and What is in Itself: A Systematic Ontology (Oxford University Press, 2022).

In addition to advancing the areas of philosophy that interested him, Bob was a longtime member of the Board of Trustees for the Newcombe Foundation

and the Board of Trustees for Princeton Theological Seminary. He served on the Seminary’s investment committee for over 30 years.

Bob devoted his life to the study and teaching of philosophy, and to a better understanding of God and being. He loved gathering with other philosophers and having robust discussions. He

and Marilyn were devoted to their students. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends, fellow philosophers, and theologians.

A Memorial Service will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at the Seminary Chapel at Princeton Theological Seminary, 64 Mercer Street, Princeton, NJ 08542.

Memorial Service

Peter Edwin Bulkley Erdman

A memorial service and celebration of the life of Peter Edwin Bulkley Erdman will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at Nassau Presbyterian Church, 61 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ. A longtime resident of Princeton and Stonebridge at Montgomery, Peter passed during a brief hospitalization on December 20, 2023. He was 95 years old.

Peter was the third of five sons born to Lucy Kidder Bulkley and Dr. Charles R. Erdman Jr. He was raised in Princeton and in a summer home in Edgartown, MA. He was educated at Miss Fines and Princeton Country Day schools (graduating in 1943), Phillips Exeter Academy (Class of 1946), and Princeton University (Class of 1950).

Peter married Hope English Erdman (“Patsy”), daughter of William H. and Margaret English of New York City and Edgartown, MA. He and Patsy moved to Princeton in 1955, four children began to arrive, and they built their home on Russell Road where they lived for 48 years prior to moving to Stonebridge at Montgomery in 2004.

Peter is preceded in death by his wife Patsy and his brothers Charles R. Erdman III and Harold Bulkley Erdman. Peter is survived by his four children, Margy (and Jim) Becker, Caroline Hare, William P. Erdman, Andrew E. Erdman; seven grandchildren; and his brothers David and Michael Erdman and their families. On-site church parking for the memorial service will be limited to family. Street parking for visitors is available downtown and covered parking available at the Chambers or Spring Street parking garages. The full obituary is available at the Mather-Hodge Funeral Home website at matherhodge.com.

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