Bridges and Poetry: From Brunel’s Darling to Bristol’s Cary Grant 15
PU Concerts Presents Dance-Infused Program 16
Macbeth in Stride
Staged at McCarter 17
Sparked by 6-Goal
Outburst from Blake, PU Women’s Lax Edges Cornell, Now 9-1 24
Senior Wheeler Stars
Eisgruber Stands Firm For Academic Freedom, Rights of Due Process
Facing the suspension of several dozen federal government research grants, Princeton University President Christopher L. Eisgruber is asserting the University’s commitment to academic freedom and to adherence to due process rights.
In an email to the Princeton University community last week Eisgruber announced that the University had received notifications from government agencies, including the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Defense Department, that they were suspending a number of research grants.
The rationale for the government suspensions was not clear, Eisgruber said, and in an April 6 “All Things Considered” interview with NPR’s Asma Khalid, he noted, “We have not received any communication from the government that explains why these grants were suspended or any requests to do anything in response to the suspensions.”
With His Arm, Bat as PHS Baseball Tops Continued on Page 10
a right-wing online news organization, reported that the government was conducting an ongoing investigation of antisemitism on campus, involving complaints lodged over alleged antisemitism during the pro-Palestine demonstrations on the Princeton University campus last spring. The Daily Caller also cited the sum of $210 million being withheld, almost half of the University’s $456 million in grants and contracts from government sources in the 2023-24 fiscal
“Princeton will comply with the law,” Eisgruber wrote in his April 1 email. “We are committed to fighting antisemitism and all forms of discrimination, and we will cooperate with the government in combating antisemitism. Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this
In similar actions against other universities, the federal government is reviewing about $9 billion in federal contracts and grants awarded to Harvard University, and it has suspended $400 million in grants and contracts to Columbia University, based on Columbia’s handling of last spring’s pro-Palestine demonstrations and allegations of antisemitism. Last month the federal government also announced that it was withholding $175 million in funding for the University of
“Hands Off!” Demands Large Hinds Plaza Crowd
With a broad agenda of issues and a sharp focus in opposition to the Trump administration agenda, more than 1,000 demonstrators, undeterred by dark skies and periodic rain showers, arrived at Hinds Plaza at noon on Saturday, April 5, spilling out onto the surrounding sidewalks and into Witherspoon Street, which was closed for the occasion.
“Hands Off!” was the mantra for the rally organized by Indivisible Princeton and Indivisible Cranbury as part of a nationwide day of peaceful protest with hundreds of demonstrations taking place in cities and towns across the country.
In chants and signs and a dozen speeches by representatives of a range of organizations, the message to President Trump, Elon Musk, and the federal government was to stop the destructive interference with health care, schools and colleges, libraries, DEI, immigrants, veterans benefits, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, national parks, free speech, and “hands off our democracy.”
“We refuse to let them make a mockery of our Constitution,” said State Sen. Andrew Zwicker (LD-16). “We refuse to let them go after freedom of speech, freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of love…. We refuse to let them take people with different skin color, who
were born in a different country, off the street without due process.”
He continued, “When the federal government under Trump and Musk fails to support our health care and protect our rights, states like New Jersey must step in. The message we’ve heard today is simple: protect our health care, support our schools, and fight for our freedoms. Together we’re telling Trump and Musk to keep their hands off our state.”
Congresswoman Bonnie Watson
Coleman (CD-12), describing the Trump administration as “the most corrupt and incompetent administration in my lifetime,” emphasized the need for everyone to get involved to protect democracy. “We’re in a movement — a movement to take back our democracy, a movement to take back our country, a movement meant to stand up for those who need our support,” she said.
Other speakers included Indivisible Cranbury leader Laura Zurfluh, who
Princeton’s Plans for Semiquincentennial Include Collaborations and Partnerships
The countdown is on. Princeton, along with the rest of the country, is gearing up for the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States in 2026.
The town is among the more than 100 New Jersey communities and 200 organizations that have officially joined in the preparations for the nation’s semiquincentennial, led by Revolution NJ, the State’s official initiative to mark the milestone.
For the past several months, Princeton’s Heritage Tourism Committee and Mercer County’s Division of Travel and Tourism have been regularly meeting to talk about how best to spotlight the town’s
critical role in the creation of the country. Key players include the Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS), the Historical Society of Princeton (HSP), Experience Princeton, Morven Museum and Garden, and the Witherspoon-Jackson Historical and Cultural Society, among other organizations and nonprofits.
“Experience Princeton has partnership agreements with Morven and the Princeton Battlefield Society, and we’re cooperating on things like marketing,” said Isaac Kremer, director of Experience Princeton. “We are in discussions about
More than 1,000 demonstrators braved the stormy weather to gather at Hinds Plaza
“HANDS OFF!”:
on Saturday to rally against ongoing Trump administration initiatives and demand that the federal government stop interfering with a wide range of health, education, environmental, and personal aspects of their lives and the country’s welfare. Attendees share what brought them to the rally in this week’s Town Talk on page 6.
(Photo by Thomas Hedges)
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Princeton’s Weekly Community Newspaper Since 1946
DONALD C. STUART, 1946-1981 DAN D. COYLE, 1946-1973 Founding Editors/Publishers DONALD C. STUART III, Editor/Publisher, 1981-2001
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SHUPP Wins Award From KidsGardening
Send Hunger Packing Princeton (SHUPP) has won the Garden Champions Award from KidsGardening, a national nonprofit organization leading the youth gardening movement.
Based in Vermont, KidsGardening empowers schools and organizations to either kick-start or maintain garden initiatives aimed to advance sustainability and education.
This year, SHUPP plans to dedicate two of its existing garden beds to this initiative, focusing on developing new strategies for an efficient harvest this spring season. The primary goals of SHUPP’s expanded garden program are multifaceted, focusing on both immediate and long-term impacts. At the heart of SHUPP’s mission is the drive to alleviate food insecurity while promoting sustainable practices. By involving children in the process of growing their own food, the program not only supplies fresh, healthy vegetables but also fosters a holistic understanding of environmental impacts. The award
helps the program to fulfill its commitment to community education, sustainability, and food security.
Residents and community members are invited to witness the transformation as
SHUPP plants the seeds for a food-secure future during Earth Day week on April 26. For more information or to get involved, contact Ross Wishnick at president@ shupprinceton.org.
Topics In Brief A Community Bulletin
Leighton Listens: Councilman Leighton Newlin holds one-on-one conversations about issues impacting Princeton from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. on April 9 at Chapin Guatemalan and Mexican restaurant, 146 Witherspoon Street; April 16 at DeAngelo’s Market, 35 Spring Street; April 23 at the Palmer Square benches across from Rojo’s Roasters; and April 30 at Tipple and Rose, 210 Nassau Street.
Volunteer Fair : The Princeton Food Insecurity Task Force will gather on Saturday, April 12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hinds Plaza to provide information on how to get involved in preventing food insecurity. For more information, call Princeton Human Services at (609) 688-2055.
Mercer County Bike Drive : Donate used bikes to be repaired and resold as a fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club after school programs, which serve over 700 children daily. Drop off bikes at the Ranger Headquarters in Mercer County Park, West Windsor; or the Historic Hunt House, 197 Blackwell Road, Pennington.
Food Pantry: Arm in Arm’s mobile food pantry is at the Lawrence Headquarters Branch of Mercer County Library System, 2751 Brunswick Pike, on Monday afternoons from 2-4 p.m. Fresh produce, eggs, milk, frozen proteins, and quality baked goods as well as canned and boxed items and personal care items are available for those in need, and different social services agencies are on site. Mcl.org.
Sustainable Princeton “Lending Library” : Sustainable Princeton offers residents and nonprofits in Princeton the opportunity to borrow sustainable home items such as electric landscape equipment, induction cooktops, and repair tools, for free, for up to two weeks. Visit sustainableprinceton.org for more information.
Scholarship Opportunity : The Dr. Esther Wollin Memorial Scholarship Fund is available to Jewish female, full-time students who will be or are already attending Rutgers University and raised by their Jewish mother in a single-parent household in the Princeton Mercer Bucks Community. Eligibility is based on financial need. Submission deadline is June 2. Visit jfcsonline.org or call Joyce at (609) 987-8100.
Election Board Workers Needed : The Mercer County Board of Elections is recruiting new workers, who must be registered Mercer County voters or students 1617 years old. Bilingual residents are especially needed. The pay is $300. Apply at mercercounty.org.
Summer Registration for Community Pool and More : To sign up for pool membership, camp offerings, and summer programs, visit register.communitypass. net/Princeton.
Local Poets Sought : For Mercer County Library System’s 4th Annual “A Poetry Happening: Mercer Poets Read,” a live virtual event. Submit poems by April 21 to hopeprogs@mcl.org. The live and virtual reading is April 28 at 7 p.m.
Robeson Week
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“So Loudly Linked to Light” — inspired by Robeson’s life — will be shown.
The Paul Robeson House played a key role in advocating for the designation of April 9 as Paul Robeson Day statewide, with leadership offering testimony to the New Jersey Senate in support of the bill.
“Born in Princeton in 1898, Paul Robeson was more than a world-renowned artist — he was a fearless voice for equality, dignity, and global justice,” reads a release from the organization. “This statewide designation ensures his enduring legacy is celebrated for generations to come.”
—Anne Levin
Community
A forum for the expression of opinions about local and national issues.
Question of the Week:
“What brought you to the rally today?” (Asked Saturday at the “Hands Off!” rally at Hinds Plaza) (Photos by Thomas Hedges)
a
national nonprofit supporting people with disabilities, has announced the appointment of Alicia Jenks as national training director. In this role, Jenks will oversee training and onboarding strategies for over 6,700 employees across 12 states.
Community Options. “Alicia brings a deep commitment to education and workforce development, along with proven expertise in designing training programs that elevate teams and drive meaningful outcomes. Her leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our culture and ensuring our staff are equipped to provide the highest quality support to persons with disabilities.”
Community Options develops innovative housing and employment support for over 6,000 people with disabilities and families across 12 states. It offers comprehensive training, credentialing, and professional development opportunities for its workforce. The nonprofit also offers a leadership program through Duke University.
Jenks holds a bachelor’s degree in human development and family studies specializing in early childhood education from the University of Rhode Island. She also holds a Master of Arts in child advocacy and policy from Montclair State University. She brings over 13 years of training and development experience, specializing in designing and implementing effective programs to enhance workforce skills and organizational growth.
“I’m thrilled to join Community Options and help design and implement innovative training programs, “ said Jenks. “This role lets me contribute to a mission of empowerment, inclusion, and growth. I look forward to collaborating with this dedicated team to create meaningful impact and foster professional development.”
“I’m here to protect democracy for my grandchildren — I have 10 — which is being threatened.”
—Judy Camisa, Princeton
Christine: “I want our voice represented in Washington. There’s a small group that has power and we, the people, need to be heard and understood.”
—Christine Vaughan, Skillman with Nancy Mirfin, Delanco
“We’re here for our children: opportunities for the future and better quality of life. We need to fund science and education.”
—Chantal Tester, Montgomery, with Keith Martin, Belle Mead
“I’m standing up for democracy and freedom. Is there anything else?”
—Michael Merrill, Princeton
Alicia Jenks
Multiple Opportunities to Participate In the 55th Observance of Earth Day
Since the very first Earth Day was organized on April 22, 1970, environmentallyconscious citizens across the globe have been mobilizing to try and protect the planet. The theme this year, “Earth Day 2025: Our Power, Our Planet,” is especially relevant as the Trump administration makes no secret of its intention to dismantle climate action.
According to Earthday. org, some 550 cities and towns will be holding Earth Action Day events on and around April 22. As usual, Princeton is among them. Among the environmentally-centered events in which the public can take part are stewardship sessions, cleanups of local preserves, exhibits, and festivals.
Local activities begin this Saturday, April 12 at Herrontown Woods with a day of exploring and learning in nature from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. “Stewarding Your Local Environment” is sponsored by Friends of Herrontown Woods at 600 Snowden Lane, and all are invited. Visit herrontownwoods.org for more information.
Princeton University’s Office of Sustainability holds its Earth Month Festival on Friday, April 25 from 12:303:30 p.m. on the Frist South Lawn. An ever-expanding list of sustainability-themed student organizations and departments are providing the activities, which include games, free plants, food, even clothing alterations. Visit sustain.princeton.edu for more information.
Morven Museum and Garden, 55 Stockton Street, is the site of Sustainable Princeton’s Earth Festival and Trashion Show on Sunday, April 27 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Innovative fashions made from recycled and repurposed materials are the focus on the Trashion Show (participation is for those aged 8 and up). Food, live music, and yoga are also on the agenda. Visit sustainableprinceton.org for more information.
The New Jersey State Museum on West State Street in Trenton holds an “Earth Day & Ecosystems” family event on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The new exhibition “Ecosystems at Risk: Threatened and Endangered in New Jersey” is on display. Talks on water health and tidal marshlands, a gardening station, bird activity station, interactive sandbox, a planetarium show titled We are Guardians , and urban birdwatching (weather permitting) are among the activities. There are multiple opportunities for those willing to get their hands dirty. Friends of Princeton Open Space (FOPOS) is holding a land stewardship volunteer event on Saturday, April 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve, 57 Mountain Avenue. A community pot luck is held from 12-1 p.m. Light refreshments are provided and native plants will be given away. There are two sessions — 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 1-3
p.m.— led by FOPOS stewardship staff. Volunteers help with riparian and forest restoration and plant native species. Bring a water bottle, work gloves, and hand tools if you have them; wear long sleeves and pants to keep the ticks and poison ivy away. Visit fopos.org.
On Saturday, April 19, Kingston Greenways Association invites volunteers to help with cleanup of Laurel Avenue and the vicinity of the Rockingham Historic Site, from just north of Kingston up to Route 518, from 9-11 a.m. An afternoon session from 2-4 p.m. is held at the Mapleton Preserve, 145 Mapleton Road. The focus there is on picking up trash in the Preserve and along Mapleton Road. Grabbers, gloves, orange vests, and garbage bags are provided. The cleanups are held rain or shine. Visit kingstongreenways.org.
Those venturing into New York City can take part in a free Earth Day festival in Union Square on April 17, from 12-6 p.m. Planned are booths, interactive workshops, and other activities. For those who observe from home, the Earth Day Virtual Stage features discussions around critical climate issues with such notables as Bill Nye the Science Guy and actor Robert Downey Jr., among others. Visit earthdayinitiative.org for details.
—Anne Levin
DAR Princeton Chapter Honors Charter School
The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR) Junior Membership Committee, with sponsorship from the Princeton Chapter – NSDAR, has awarded its 2025 Helen Pouch Memorial Fund (HPMF) Classroom Grant to the Princeton Charter School and one of its teachers, Katelyn Schmitt.
The grant supports NSDAR mission on education.
One of NSDAR’s Junior Membership Committee goals is to support as many students as possible. This $500 grant supports teachers of classrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade, by awarding up to four grants per state annually with sponsorship by a local NSDAR Chapter. Teacher-proposed projects must directly benefit students in the classroom. The HPMF Grant may be used for supplies and educational resources which directly impact students.
Schmitt applied for a grant
to support local experts Beverly Mills and Elaine Buck, from the Stoutsburg Sourland African American Museum, to speak with students in grades 7 and 8 about their research and preservation work in central New Jersey related to the history of slavery and African Americans who supported the American Revolution. Through attendance at the presentation, and subsequent writing and presentation assignments, students were asked to demonstrate key historical thinking skills, in addition to demonstrating their understanding of this history topic.
One of the students said, “I was really surprised by how close slavery was to us. It troubled me. One of the presenters said that if we lived in New Jersey and were white, we may have owned slaves and that made me really think. What would I have done?”
Another said, “In some ways I feel like many people in New Jersey don’t know about the history of slavery
here. We often think it was just in the South. The misinformation and propaganda to hide the realities of slavery was troubling.”
The Helen Pouch Memorial Fund was named in memory of young Helen Pouch (1901-1919), the daughter of Helena R. Pouch, who, in 1937, became the first national chair of the Junior Membership Committee and later served as NSDAR President General from 1941-1944. Authorized in 1938, the Helen Pouch Memorial Fund finances projects chosen by the Junior Membership Committee, with approval of the NSDAR Executive Committee.
“We are thrilled to support Katelyn Schmitt and The Princeton Charter School. This grant directly supports one of the pillars of our mission, namely education. Congratulations Katelyn,” said Princeton Chapter –NSDAR Regent Rosemary Kelley. “Katelyn’s focus is innovative and provides students with an opportunity to learn about the African American experience during the American Revolution in a manner that will have a lasting impact.”
Any teacher interested in applying for a subsequent Helen Pouch Memorial Fund Classroom Grant should contact the Princeton Chapter – NSDAR Awards Committee Chair, Debbi Roldan, at princetonDARregistrar@gmail.com for more information.
AWARD WINNER: Princeton Charter School teacher Katelyn Schmitt, third from left, recently won an award from the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Also pictured are, from left, Princeton chapter members Rosemary Kelley, Debbi Roldan, and Claudia Wilson Anderson.
Eisgruber
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Pennsylvania because it allowed a transgender woman to participate on its women’s swimming and diving team in the 2021-2022 season.
In Sunday’s NPR interview Eisgruber responded to a question about his warning in a March 21 essay in The Atlantic that recent threats to federal funding at universities are “the greatest threat to American universities since the Red Scare of the 1950s.”
He highlighted two aspects of the threats, first describing the threat to the “compact between government and universities,” in which research on behalf of the American people helps to create America’s “preeminence in science and engineering,” making the country stronger and its universities “the best in the world.”
Even more important, he said, is the threat to academic freedom, and he cited Columbia, where the government threatened to withdraw funding from medical science and biomedical research. “If the government starts using the clout it gets from the funding it provides to sciences and engineering to invade that academic freedom, it will compromise things that are fundamental to the excellence of American universities and that are really integral to the pursuit of knowledge and the strength of our society,” he said.
Eisgruber went on to suggest that Princeton was unlikely to be making concessions. “We believe it’s important to defend academic freedom, and that’s not something that can be compromised,” he stated.
He went on to point out the severity of the potential cuts to the University’s research endeavors. “A lot of these federal funds that were affected have to do with things that are actually priorities not only for Princeton University, but for the American government and
indeed for this administration,” he said, citing research in machine learning, quantum science, and fusion.
Reiterating the importance of the partnership between government and universities, Eisgruber added, “If that partnership gets interrupted, if we can’t pursue these particular grants on these subjects, it’s going to diminish the kind of research that we can do that makes a difference in terms of these priorities that universities and the government have identified as urgent.”
He went on to note additional effects of the uncertainty that will result for students suffering from lack of funding for research careers. “One of the things that I’m especially worried about is a disruption of that talent pipeline that has been so important to the United States’ leadership in the world,” he said.
Noting that she hadn’t heard “a widespread chorus” from other universities echoing Eisgruber’s message, Khalid asked him, “What might it mean for you all at Princeton to potentially stand alone?”
Eisgruber responded, “It’s essential that I speak out on behalf of this and that we stand up for these principles.” He cited statements from other universities and a statement from the board of the Association of American Universities, which he chairs, reaffirming its support for academic freedom and pointing out the threats arising from the withdrawal of government funding to universities.
“I think these principles … are widely shared at other universities,” he said. “I think there is growing recognition of the need to stand firmly for them, and I expect there will be other presidents and other universities that are doing so alongside us.”
—Donald Gilpin
Chinese Medicine Theory Is Focus of Workshops
Mental health professionals, acupuncturists, and healing practitioners are invited to participate in two immersive, in-person events that explore the integration of neuroscience and Chinese medicine in trauma healing at the Robert Wood Johnson Fitness and Wellness Center in Hamilton Township on May 2 and 3.
Hosted by Tracey Post and Alaine Duncan, authors of The Tao of Trauma upon which these trainings are based, the workshops offer a venture into trauma treatment through innovative, body-centered approaches.
The first, “Foundations of Trauma Healing: Cultivating Healing Through the Body’s Wisdom,” is on May 2 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The second, Tao of Trauma Demo Day, is on May 3 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The location is 3100 Quakerbridge Road. The fee for each event is $140 and continuing education credits are available. Visit princetonmindbody.com/ trainingcourses for more information.
Princeton Regional Chamber To Hold First-Ever Job Fair
On Tuesday, June 3 from 1-5 p.m., Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber will hold a job fair at Rider University’s Bart Luedeke Center. Admission is free.
Employers and job seekers will gather at the event. Tables at the fair are only for members. For job seekers, there is no pre-registration required.
Among the employers already signed up are A-1 Limousine, Anchor House, DBIZ Borden Perlman, Capital Health, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Bank of America/ Merrill Lynch, Eden Autism, Penn Medicine Princeton Health, Mercer County Community College, Stonebridge at Montgomery, Princeton Air, and Rider University.
Numerous positions in a wide range are available. For more information, visit princetonchamber.org.
Senator and Composer To Be Honored by Rider
U.S. Sen. Andy Kim and composer Rosephanye Powell will be honored during Rider University’s 2025 Commencement ceremonies at the CURE Insurance Arena in Trenton on Saturday, May 17.
Kim will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws during the undergraduate ceremony, while Powell, who earned a master’s degree from Westminster Choir College in 1987, will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Music during the graduate and doctoral ceremony.
Kim has served as New Jersey’s senator since 2024. A lifelong public servant, he is the first Korean American elected to the U.S. Senate and New Jersey’s first Asian American senator. Previously, he represented his home district in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms, serving parts of Burlington, Ocean, Mercer, and Monmouth counties.
During his tenure in the House, Kim focused on national security and supporting U.S. service members, veterans and their families as a member of the House Armed Services and Foreign Affairs Committees. He also championed small businesses on the House Small Business Committee and addressed major challenges on the Select Committee on the Coronavirus Crisis and the Select Committee on Strategic Competition with China. Powell is widely recognized as one of America’s most distinguished choral composers. Her works have been performed in venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Spivey Hall and London’s Cadogan Hall. Ensembles including Cantus, the St. Olaf Choir and the
Grammy-winning Chanticleer have premiered her compositions.
Powell has led all-state and honor choirs nationwide and shared her expertise internationally in Italy, Australia and the United Kingdom. She is a professor and coordinator of voice studies at Auburn University, where she teaches applied voice, vocal literature and vocal pedagogy. She also conducts the women’s chorus and co-conducts the concert and gospel choirs. In 2022, Harvard University honored her with the Luise Vosgerchian Teaching Award for her contributions to music and arts education.
Visit rider.edu/commencement for more information.
and received $80 in change. After the suspect left, it was discovered that the bill was counterfeit. The incident was captured via the business’ surveillance cameras, and the investigation is ongoing.
On March 29, at 7:50 p.m., patrol officers responded to a report of a male bleeding in the lobby at Thanet Circle. Upon investigation at the scene, it was determined that the person, and the accused, a 67-year-old male from Plainsboro, had engaged in a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical confrontation, during which the suspect assaulted the other person by using his hands to squeeze his neck and strangle him for approximately 10 to 15 seconds. The suspect was arrested and taken to police headquarters, where he was processed and charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct. He was later released from custody and given a court date.
On March 29, at 8:45 a.m., an individual reported that, sometime between March 28 at 4:30 p.m. and March 29 at 8:45 a.m., an unknown person(s) stole her bicycle while it was parked in front of a Nassau Street businesses. There are no suspects at this time.
On March 29, at 9 a.m., patrol officers responded to a business on Nassau Street following a report of theft by deception. Upon arrival, they spoke with an individual who said that a male drove to the business in a white Ford van and requested $20 worth of gas to be put in his red gas can. He paid with a $100 bill
On March 28, at 11:31 p.m., an individual reported that, between 5 p.m. and 10:30 p.m., an unknown person stole their vehicle from a parking lot on Witherspoon Street while it was parked with its keys inside. While officers were investigating this incident, another individual came forward to report that someone had entered their vehicle while it was parked in the same parking lot, and had rummaged through it. Surveillance cameras in the area captured footage of the incident. The Detective Bureau is following up on the investigation. Unless noted, individuals arrested were later released.
Princeton’s Plans continued from page one several things. We have a landing page of our website that we will be filling up with events. We’re also partnering with Discover Central New Jersey. There is important history we are connected to, and we need to make it present for people.”
Morven’s identity as the home of Richard Stockton, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was part of the inspiration for “Five Independent Souls,” an exhibit about Stockton and the other four members of the Continental Congress from New Jersey — Abraham Clark, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, and the Rev. John Witherspoon — to sign the document. The exhibit will be on display in honor of the anniversary.
“This is a huge show we’ll be putting on,” said Morven Executive Director Rhonda DiMascio. “We’ll have information, images, objects about Colonial New Jersey, and accompanying programs. We’ll be building off that exhibition and continuing with other programming. Our annual Grand Homes and Gardens series will be about the homes of the signers. So we’re tailoring events to the 250th.”
Morven will partner with the PBS and HSP on a festival focused on taverns. Eve Mandel of the HSP elaborated on those plans for the event, to be held at Morven.
“It’s still a work in progress, but our main focus is the taverns that were an important part of Princeton at the time,” she said. “We have a lot in our collections about the taverns during that period. The celebration will have a kind of Renaissance fair vibe, with reenactors, music, and different beers offered for adults.”
The HSP is also working on a walking tour focused on the anniversary, and possibly an outreach program as well, Mandel said.
Jamie Volkert, director of
Mercer County’s Division of Travel and Tourism, spoke recently at a roundtable event at the Brearley House, hosted by the Lawrence Historical Society. Volkert was impressed to see that 22 county historical organizations were present at the event.
“A lot of the towns really seem to want to work together, which is great,” she said. “It brings all the communities together. We’re working with a lot of people who are in the planning stages for what they’ll be doing, and we’re in the process of building our Mercer250 website. That’s a way we hope to tie together the organizations across the county.”
The focus will be on “telling the untold stories,” Volkert continued. “We’ll have a place for everyone to promote their events, and hopefully a platform so people won’t be duplicating. I finally feel comfortable that we’re at a point where we’ve met most of the key players, and I feel good that everybody is talking and communicating.”
As the anniversary year gets closer, different organizations are starting to hold related events. The May 8 membership luncheon of the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber at the Princeton Marriott at Forrestal will feature speakers on the topic “Celebrating America’s 250th: The Revolution Has Begun!” Morven’s annual Morven in May garden party on May 9 lists a “countdown to independence” among highlights of the gathering.
For Mercer County, the focus is on 1776 and beyond.
“Mercer County’s role in the 250th Anniversary celebration is to elevate and highlight the rich history that our communities and nonprofit partners have to offer,” said County Executive Dan Benson. “I’m proud of the work our administration has already begun — bringing key stakeholders together to ensure a vibrant and inclusive celebration across the county.”
—Anne Levin
Princeton Record Exchange
Marks Record Store Day
On Saturday, April 12, Princeton Record Exchange (PREX) will be celebrating the 15th annual National Record Store Day starting at 10 a.m.
“Record Store Day (RSD) serves as a vibrant celebration of the culture surrounding independently owned record stores,” reads a press release from PREX. “With each passing year, its popularity continues to soar. On this special day, hundreds of limited-edition titles are exclusively available at brick-and-mortar record stores like Princeton Record Exchange.”
The release continues, “As society becomes ever more reliant on the virtual world, there seems to be a backlash to the sterility of these interactions. Record stores around the country are experiencing some of their best years ever as the vinyl resurgence steams ahead.”
Jon Lambert, owner of PREX, has been watching this trend closely. “It is heartening to see the growing interest in physical media. Younger folk seem especially to be driving this trend,” he said. “I can’t help but think that the isolated COVID years were especially difficult on teens. Their joy at being back in a real space, with real objects, among real people, is clear.”
According to the RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America), in 2024, US vinyl record revenues grew 7 percent to $1.4 billion, marking the 18th consecutive year of growth. While many of these records can be found online or in “big box” stores, the main attraction of RSD is a large number of titles that are not available anywhere except participating independent record stores. At last count, there are over 400 limited edition titles being released. Adding to the collectible appeal, most of these
Earth Day Birthday 55
FOR 55 YEARS, WHOLE EARTH CENTER HAS BEEN A GATHERING PLACE FOR ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVISTS, ORGANIC FARMERS, AND LOVERS OF REAL FOOD.
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records have very limited production runs, typically from 100 to 5,000 pieces. These records are allocated by the distributors to stores around the country, and the stores don’t know what they’ll receive until just before the day. Typically, PREX orders around 2,000 RSD records each year and gets a very good fill. Consistently ranked as one of the top record stores in the country, Princeton Record Exchange has been buying and selling new and used music and movies since 1980.
“Last year, several hundred people were waiting at opening, creating a real sense of fun and camaraderie among like-minded music enthusiasts. With the ever-increasing base of vinyl fans out there, Princeton Record Exchange. Visit prex. com for more information.
Conservation Foundation Cohosts Screening, Discussion
New Jersey Conservation Foundation, in partnership with Princeton Day School and Duke Farms, will host a special screening of the award-winning documentary Common Ground on Sunday, April 13, at 2 p.m. in the Princeton Day School McAneny Theater.
The film, directed by Josh and Rebecca Tickell, highlights the urgent need for regenerative agriculture to restore soil health, combat
climate change, and promote a more sustainable future.
Common Ground features insights from farmers, scientists, and prominent environmental activists, including Laura Dern, Jason Momoa, Woody Harrelson, and Rosario Dawson. The film explores the transformative potential of regenerative farming practices in revitalizing ecosystems, improving food security, and reducing carbon emissions. By showcasing
real-world examples of successful regenerative agriculture initiatives, the film offers an inspiring call to action for individuals, communities, and policymakers. Following the screening, a panel of experts will lead a discussion and audience Q&A, offering insights into how regenerative farming practices can be applied locally and globally. The event is free and open to the public. Register at njconservation. org/event/common-ground.
Featuring gifts that are distinctly Princeton!
New products from Hoagie Haven!
www.princetonmagazinestore.com
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The views of the letters do not necessarily reflect the views of Town Topics.
Adding to Tributes to the Late Dorothea von Moltke of Labyrinth
To the Editor:
To the many tributes to Dorothea [“Colleagues Offer Tributes to Labyrinth’s Dorothea von Moltke,” April 2, page 7], I would like to add one more.
In the course of an illustrative presidency of Princeton University, molecular biologist Shirley Tilghman advanced the mission of a great research university on several fronts. She also invited Dorothea to create a bookstore for the University and town. The University submitted a plan for the Lewis Arts Complex to the town for approval.
Four years passed, but there was no action. At a meeting in town, a sizeable crowd turned out, and 35 persons spoke. The clearest voice was that of Dorothea, who said that not only would this be a formidable addition to the University’s offerings in the arts, it would lift all boats for gown and town.
The Lewis Arts Complex opened in October 2017, and it has delivered on dance, music, visual arts, theater, and poetry beyond high hopes. I immediately invited Dorothea to speak to the Old Guard of Princeton, which she did with grace and panache coming out of her love of books and creating the finest bookstore on the East Coast.
SCOTT MCVAY
Hollingshead Spring Road, Skillman
It is Time for Town Planning Board To Transition to Hybrid Meetings
To the Editor:
Last May 2024, Ron Berlin went to Princeton Council in person and asked for the Princeton Planning Board to resume in-person meetings with a Zoom option, or a hybrid meeting. Mr. Berlin later submitted the statement he presented to Council to local media. A few weeks later in June 2024, Planning Board Chair Louise Wilson wrote in response, “With substantial technical improvements that guarantee equity in the broadest sense — a truly level playing field — the Planning Board might one day transition to a hybrid meeting format provided it allows for every participant, in person or remote, to see and hear equally well, to be seen and be heard equally well, at every meeting.”
It’s now April 2025, the pandemic is over, technology has improved, and I would respectively ask the Princeton Planning Board to resume in-person/Zoom hybrid meetings. As Mr. Berlin well noted last May, in-person meetings allow the community to take the temperature of the room, to see who shows up, and to interact face-to-face. The Zoom format has its benefits for anyone unable to attend, or too shy to speak in a large group or many other reasons, but the Zoom format is also impersonal and a loss for the community to gather and meet people who share a community interest, whether for or against.
Princeton Council has in-person/Zoom hybrid meetings. I would respectfully urge the Council to ask the Planning Board to follow their example and let the public back into the Planning Board meetings, in person. It’s been too long. As Ms. Wilson said, “one day” the Planning Board would transition to hybrid meetings. That “one day” has come.
CAROLYN H. ROBERTSON Mercer Street
Sharing Concerns for Future of the Westminster Conservatory of
Music
To the Editor:
The Princeton Council seems to have been able to circumvent the pending lawsuits against Rider University’s plan to sell the Westminster Choir College property, thereby destroying any hope of the renowned music college being returned to the Princeton campus [“Town Finalizes Westminster Campus Acquisition,” April 2, Page 1]. While there is no specific commitment to what will become of the land and buildings, most concerning is the Council’s lack of commitment or plan for retaining the Westminster Conservatory of Music, a nonprofit community music school with no connection to Westminster Choir College.
A member of the conservatory faculty, I live in Princeton and teach private voice lessons to ages 8-78. The conservatory has rented facilities on the campus for its use since its inception in 1970. It is the premier community music school in New Jersey providing music lessons for students within a 50-mile radius. High-caliber teachers provide private and class lessons in all instruments to students of all ages, abilities, and experience. Participation in the youth programs and orchestras enrich many lives. The Saturday Honors Music Program offers immersion in music history, jazz, music theory, and chamber ensembles. Summer music camps introduce students to various opportunities. Indeed, the strong music and theater programs in elementary through high schools in surrounding towns continue to benefit from the achievements of our students.
The location, with convenient parking, is easily accessible and safe for children (many of whom walk from their homes or schools). The campus buildings are available for student recitals, concerts, and workshops, etc. Our studios are equipped with upright, studio and baby grand pianos (many with two pianos). Free performances by our faculty are offered throughout the year.
I urge everyone to spread the word that the town Council must not only give vague reference to the idea of retaining the conservatory on campus, but must declare a firm commitment and plan to not allow the fate that befell Westminster Choir College to also demolish the conservatory. View the website: Westminster Conservatory of Music.
LINDA MINDLIN
Valley Road
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JAZZ AT PRINCETON UNIVERSITY PRESENTS
APRILSATURDAY 12
SMALL GROUP X with ROXY COSS saxophone
SMALL GROUP A with WARREN WOLF vibraphone
SMALL GROUP I with MATT STEVENS guitar
PRINCETON UNIVERSITY FACULTY SEPTET
TICKETED HEADLINER CONCERT CREATIVE LARGE ENSEMBLE with ETIENNE CHARLES trumpet
DETAILS & TICKETS
Priya, Vulchi, Ruha Benjamin Discuss Book on Friendship at Library Event
Author Priya Vulchi will be joined in conversation by Ruha Benjamin on Monday, April 14 to discuss Vulchi’s latest book, Good Friends: Bonds that Change Us and the World. The program is at 7 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street, and is presented with the Department of African American Studies at Princeton University, and Labyrinth Books.
The book’s premise that while friendship is good for our health, we are not taught how to be good friends to one another. We cancel plans, lose touch, blame technology, and neglect our non-romantic loved ones. In Good Friends (Legacy Lit, $29), Vulchi explores friendships across history, continents, and identities to show how friendship can open up new levels of joy and community in your life. The book asks what is the meaning of friendship, how does one begin a friendship, or end one, or keep them vibrant? For answers, Vulchi weaves through Western classical thinkers like Plato, Aristotle, and Cicero, and uncovers the private moments between good friends like James Baldwin, Martin Luther King Jr., Yuri Kochiyama, Toni Morrison, and June Jordan. Friendship, she shows, has ripple effects beyond just any two friends; it awakens solidarity and changes in the world.
African American Studies at Princeton University, where she is the founding director of the Ida B. Wells Just Data Lab. She is the award-winning author of Race After Technology: Abolitionist Tools for the New Jim Code, Viral Justice , Imagination , and editor of Captivating Technology, among many other publications. Her work has been featured widely in the media, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, CNN, The Root, and The Guardian.
Albert Stark Celebrates NJTL in New Book
National Junior Tennis and Learning of Trenton has announced the release of a new book, Game, Set, Life, by Albert Stark, that shares inspiring stories of how tennis and education have changed young lives.
HALL
Vulchi is the co-author of Tell Me Who You Are and was the co-founder of the nonprofit CHOOSE, which she ran with her friend for over a decade. Vulchi was the youngest TED Resident, one of Teen Vogue’s 21 Under 21 Young People Changing the World, and one of Bitch Media’s Fifty Most Influential Feminists. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Time magazine, Scholastic, Bustle, BBC, and more. She has a bachelor’s degree from Princeton University in African American Studies and cognitive science. Currently, she is a Ph.D. candidate in African and African American Studies at Harvard University as a presidential scholar.
Benjamin is an internationally recognized writer, speaker, and professor of
In 1969, tennis great Arthur Ashe, collaborating with others, founded the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL) network to use tennis to teach young people how to be successful leaders, collaborative teammates, and productive citizens. In Game, Set, Life, Stark draws on his experiences as a national-level tennis player and his roles as a coach, mentor, and board member of NJTL of Trenton. He shares personal stories from those whom the organization has empowered. Through the combined efforts of coaches, players, mentors, and volunteers, NJTL of Trenton has built a powerful community that makes a significant impact every day. Over the past 14 years, every graduate from the NJTLT program has been admitted to a college or technical school, many with scholarships.
The book is available on NJTL of Trenton’s website and on Amazon.
Those who purchase Game, Set, Life through njtloftrenton. org/donate-today will receive a personally autographed copy. All of the proceeds go directly to supporting NJTLT’s mission. Stark, a lifelong tennis enthusiast, is also a seasoned trial lawyer, speaker, and author. His past works include Secrets to Winning Your Personal Injury Battle and Beyond the Bar — Challenges in a Lawyer’s Life. Continued on
Lynn Steger Strong, A.M. Homes Discuss Novel “The Float Test”
is joined by Princeton Uni versity’s A.M. Homes to discuss Steger Strong’s re cently released novel, Float Test, on April 9, from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. book signing will follow the program, siblings are at odds but
gather after a major loss. Each sibling needs the others more than ever — if only they could trust each other. The publisher (Mariner Books, $28.99) calls the book “A rich exploration of family, ambition, secrets, The Float Test is an elegant and gripping testament to the power that family has to both nurture and destroy us.”
Strong is the author of the novels Flight , Want , and Hold Still . Her nonfiction has appeared in The New York Times, Time, Harper’s Bazaar, Los Angeles Times, The Paris Review, The Cut, New York Magazine , and elsewhere. She teaches writing at Princeton and Columbia universities.
Homes’ most recent book is The Unfolding. Her previous work includes This Book Will Save Your Life, which won the 2013 Orange/Women’s Prize for Fiction; Music for Torching ; The End of Alice ; In a Country of Mothers ; and Jack ; as well as the short-story collections Days of Awe , Things You Should Know , and The Safety of Objects . in addition to being an author, she is a professor of the practice in the Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creative Writing at Princeton University.
Group Wants to Preserve
Rocky Hill’s Local Library
“Save the MJL” — a nonprofit set up to preserve the Mary Jacobs Library in Rocky Hill, is holding a Poetry Reading and conversation with poet Paul Muldoon to raise funds to preserve the library on Washington Street, which closed February 15.
The event is on Tuesday, May 13 from 5 to 7 p.m., at The Present Day Club, 72 Stockton Street. The cost is $75 per person. For registration information, email SavetheMJL@gmail.com.
The program will include a reading and conversation with Muldoon and light refreshments. Muldoon’s books will be available for purchase and signing, in a
partnership arrangement with Labyrinth Books.
Muldoon was born in County Armagh (Ireland) in 1951. He now lives in New York. A former radio and television producer for the BBC in Belfast, he has taught at Princeton University for 35 years. He is the author of 15 collections of poetry including Moy Sand and Gravel, for which he won the 2003 Pulitzer Prize, and Joy in Service on Rue Tagore , published by FSG and Faber and Faber in 2024. Muldoon is Howard G.B. Clark ‘21 University Professor in the Humanities. Professor of Creative Writing in the Lewis Center for the Arts, and director, Princeton Atelier.
The Mary Jacobs Library, which was operating as a branch of the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ), closed on February 15, although originally it was slated to stay open until May 13, when a two-year agreement between Rocky Hill Borough, the Mary Jacobs Foundation and the SCLSNJ was due to expire.
SavetheMJL is a 501c4 NJ nonprofit corporation and donations are not tax deductible, according to information for the event, which states: “All funds raised go directly to SavetheMJL to fund the lawsuit against the Mary Jacobs Foundation to preserve the Mary Jacobs Memorial Library in Rocky Hill — an invaluable community resource — and to ensure that the intent and dictates of Harold Jacobs are honored. No funds will be given to Mary Jacobs Foundation or Mary Jacobs Memorial Library.”
Scholars to Discuss
“Our American Israel”
Marking the paperback release of Amy Kaplan’s Our American Israel: The Story of an Entangled Alliance, scholars Chris Hedges, Ian Lustick, and Joan Wallach Scott discuss Kaplan’s essential account of America’s most controversial alliance and how that strong and divisive partnership plays out in our own time. The program is on Wednesday, April 9, at 6 p.m. at Labyrinth Books, 122 Nassau Street.
In 1945, it was not inevitable that a global superpower emerging victorious from World War II would come to identify with a small state for Jewish refugees, who, at that time, were still being turned away from the United States. How, then, did so many in America come to feel that the bond between the U.S. and Israel was historically inevitable, morally right, and a matter of common sense? Our American Israel (Harvard University Press, 2018) reveals how Israel’s identity has long been entangled with America’s belief in its own exceptional nature. Beginning at the end of World War II with debates about the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine and continuing through both the rise of evangelical Christian Zionism and the war on terror, Kaplan challenges the associations underlying this special alliance, according to a Labyrinth description.
Kaplan was Edward W. Kane Professor of English at the University of Pennsylvania. The author of Our American Israel, The Anarchy of Empire in the Making of U.S. Culture, and The Social Construction of American Realism, she was a past president of the American Studies Association and was awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Humanities
and the Institute for Advanced Study at Princeton.
Hedges was a war correspondent for two decades in Central America, the Middle East, Africa, and the Balkans, 15 of them with The New York Times, where he was awarded the Pulitzer Prize. He is the author of 14 books, including War is a Force That Gives Us Meaning, What Every Person Should Know About War and Our Class: Trauma and Transformation in an American Prison. He writes a column for ScheerPost and hosts The Chris Hedges Report on The Real News. He holds a Master of Divinity degree from Harvard University and has taught at several universities including Princeton. He has taught students earning their college degree from Rutgers University in the New Jersey prison system since 2010.
Lustick is a recipient of awards from the Carnegie Corporation, the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, and the Social Sciences Research Council. He is a past president of the Politics and History Section of the American Political Science Association and of the Association for Israel Studies, and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Among his books are Unsettled States, Disputed Lands; Trapped in the War on Terror; and Paradigm Lost. He is chair of the Political Science Department of the University of Pennsylvania. Scott is professor emerita in the School of Social Science at the Institute for Advanced Study and adjunct professor of history at the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Her many books include the classic Gender and the Politics of History, The Politics of the Veil, and Knowledge, Power, and Academic Freedom
We are currently accepting applications for 2025-2026
Opening Weekend
Renée
Some ensembles spend a great deal of time coming up with their name. Last Wednesday night’s presentation by Princeton University Concerts showcased three instrumentalists who collaborate as a trio, but without a formal group moniker. Swedish clarinetist and conductor Martin Fröst, French violist Antoine Tamestit, and pianist and Israeli native Shai Wosner came to Richardson Auditorium to offer a diverse program of music ranging from the 19th to the 21st centuries. Individually, these artists have been acclaimed for pushing musical boundaries, and their appearance last week expanded the repertory a bit further by uniting solo players not often heard together.
“Allegro,” Tamestit lyrically provided a romantic melody, while Fröst demonstrated a great deal of dynamic range. Every note of Fröst’s playing had direction as he elicited a songlike quality from the clarinet. Wosner also arranged two songs from Brahms’ Op. 91 for the ensemble, scoring for an equal partnership among the three players to convey the original vocal parts in instrumental form. “Geistliches Wiegenlied,” rooted in a 16th-century Christmas lullaby, exhibited elegant sonorities between viola and piano as Tamestit and Wosner introduced the familiar tune. Fröst’s counter-melody was more dramatic, and Tamestit made the most of the viola’s full range, as he and Fröst found sweet intervals in the music.
Fröst, Tamestit, and Wosner closed Wednesday night’s program with an eclectic “Dance Mosaic” from four composers spanning more than 150 years.
Fröst, Tamestit, and Wosner began the evening with three excerpts of a suite by Antonín Dvorák originally composed for piano duet and arranged for clarinet, viola, and piano by Wosner. Throughout the concert, Fröst alternated between clarinets in the keys of B-flat and A, finding a variety of musical styles from both. The opening “Allegretto” of Dvorák’s Legfeatured a bit of klezmer effect between clarinet and viola, with long clarinet lines and sharp bowings from violist Tamestit. In all three movements, Fröst and Tamestit phrased the music in tandem, occasionally holding back cadences for effect. Pianist Wosner provided subtle accompaniment for the first two pieces, taking a more prominent role in the closing “Allegro.” In this swirling dance, a dialog between Tamestit’s fierce viola playing and Fröst’s lyrical clarinet lines were well complemented by Wosner’s skillful keyboard accompaniment. The music of Johannes Brahms was often informed by his friendships with performers of the time, and he composed for an admired colleague. Originally scored for piano, clarinet and cello, pianist Wosner arranged this work to replace the cello with viola. The new orchestration created a higher sound for the string lines, with Wosner’s version retaining Brahms’ trademark elegance and drama. All three musicians proved to be very expressive, with Fröst often showing his conductor side with subtle gestures more to himself than the others. In the opening
Béla Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances , Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, and Witold Lutoslawski’s Dance Preludes all capture folk traditions of different Eastern European regions, evoking the spirits of time, place and people. As performed by these imaginative musicians, the music flowed seamlessly from one dance into another and kept the audience engaged with continually changing tempi and quick swirling melodic lines and precise phrase endings. Lutoslawski’s Preludes in particular required virtuosic clarinet playing with frequently changing rhythms.
Bartók’s six Romanian Dances allowed Fröst to wail a bit on the clarinet with Wosner emulating bells on the piano. The set closed enthusiastically with Wosner’s own Bulgarian Gigue, which transformed Johann Sebastian Bach’s French Suite No. 5 into a joyful foot-stomping reel with plenty of opportunity for viola fiddling, high-speed clarinet lines and clean keyboard work. As with the rest of the performance, it was refreshing to hear the viola and clarinet outside of a full orchestra, and the unique arrangements for these instruments made it clear these three artists are on to something in creating new sonorities and repertoire.
—Nancy Plum
Princeton University Concerts has announced its 2025-26 season, which will feature a wide range of performances from internationally-renowned artists and ensembles. Information can be found at concerts.princeton.edu.
Performing Arts
ETIENNE CHARLES
Classics and New Works Planned by Ballet Troupe
Philadelphia Ballet has announced its 2025/26 season, a mix of full-length classics and new works to be performed at the Academy of Music.
The season opens with Angel Corella’s Carmen October 9-12, and continues with “Evening of Horror: Antony Tudor’s Fall River Legend and Juliano Nunes’ new Valley of Death October 16-19. Next is Balanchine’s The Nutcracker December 5-31, followed by Ronald Hynd’s version of The Merry Widow March 5-15. Nunes’ new production of Romeo and Juliet closes the season April 30-May 10.
“This season offers an incredible variety of artistic storytelling, from heartstopping drama to sweeping romance,” said Artistic Director Corella. “Our dancers will push their artistry and technique to new heights, whether performing the intensity of Carmen , the psychological complexity of Fall River Legend , or the grandeur of The Merry Widow. We are also honored to present the world premiere of Valley of Death by our resident choreographer Juliano Nunes, an extraordinary talent whose vision will also bring a bold new energy to Romeo and Juliet This season truly represents the depth and dynamism of Philadelphia Ballet.”
Visit philadelphiaballet. org for more information.
McCarter Theatre Center
Announces 2025-26 Season
McCarter Theatre Center has unveiled its 2025-2026 subscription season, featuring a lineup of theater, music, and dance.
The theater season opens with the world premiere, commissioned by McCarter, of I and You: The Musical , based on Lauren Gunderson’s award-winning play, with a new score by Ari Afsar and direction by McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. Other highlights include 300 Paintings, the award-
winning off-Broadway solo show by comedian-turnedartist Sam Kissajukian; Kim’s Convenience , the comedy that inspired the hit Netflix series; Circus Quixote from Chicago’s Lookingglass Theatre; and the mystery-comedy Mrs. Christie , marking the McCarter directorial debut of BOLD Associate Artistic Director Donya K. Washington.
“This season is a celebration of storytelling and artistic collaboration,” said McCarter Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen. “From thrilling new works to acclaimed productions, we’re inviting audiences to experience theater that entertains, sparks conversation, and brings people together in moments of discovery.”
The 2025-2026 season will feature a full roster of multidisciplinary performances curated by Paula Abreu, director of presented programming. “Our diverse season reflects McCarter’s dedication to showcasing world-class talent as well as extraordinary artists pushing the bounds of their art-form forward, a commitment that resonates with our loyal patrons and attracts new audiences,” said Abreu. “We will also feature exciting new performances in partnership with Princeton University – continuing to enhance our work with creative campus collaborations.”
The dance series includes Camille A. Brown & Dancers, Momix, Mark Morris Dance Group, and Dorrance Dance. Classical music features violinist Kyung Wha Chung and pianist Kevin Kenner, pianist Emanuel Ax, and a work by Steven Mackey presented in partnership with the Department of Music at Princeton University.
“After dozens of sold-out performances this past year, we’re delighted that audiences are reserving their seats earlier than ever — there’s
nothing like the feeling of a buzzy, full house!” said Executive Director Martin Miller. “At the same time, we’ve deepening our mission-driven commitments as a non-profit, welcoming thousands of students and neighbors from throughout the region through our community partnerships. It’s going to be an exciting year.”
Additional concerts, spoken word, and special performances will be announced at a later date. Visit Mccarter.org or call (609) 258-2787 for subscription tickets.
Nakashima Foundation Hosts Peace Concert
The Nakashima Foundation For Peace will hold its 2025 peace concert, “Many Paths to the Divine — Devotional Music from the Indian and Arab Traditions: A Concert of Mystical Sounds and Shared Devotion” on Sunday, April 27 from 2-5 p.m., featuring musicians Gaurav Shah and Taoufik Ben Amor, in the Nakashima Arts Building, 1847 Aquetong Road, New Hope, Pa.
This concert supports the mission of the Nakashima Foundation for Peace, to build Sacred Peace Tables for each continent, and to preserve both the legacy of George Nakashima, a leading innovator of 20th century furniture design, and the National Historic Landmark designated Nakashima Property for future generations.
The performance will explore meeting points where different languages, spiritual and mystical traditions use the same metaphors of love and intoxication. Shah and Amor have been making music together for more than two decades. This artistic collaboration, a contemporary manifestation of harmony between musical and spiritual traditions from centuries past, serves as a role-model for world peace in the future.
Ben Amor (vocals, Oud, Daf, Bendir) is an active composer, musician, music producer, and luthier. He is currently a professor of Arabic Studies at Columbia University and director of Columbia Arab Music Ensemble. He performs internationally and has worked on several music projects, including pieces for the Tate Gallery and Museum of Modern Art, as well as scores for films and plays. Shah (vocals, Harmonium, Bansuri) is an Indian classically-trained singer and musician who studied with Sarangi/vocal maestro Ustad Sultan Khan. He has toured extensively and received Grammy nominations in 2019 ( Falu’s Bazaar ) and 2024 ( Abundance in Millets ), and a 2022 Grammy win ( A Colorful World ). As a physician, he serves as CEO of Rocket Pharma, and has appeared in numerous media outlets in music and business. Light refreshments will be provided. Tickets are $150 per person and $75 for students. Visit nakashimafoundation.org. Sponsorships are available at the $500, $1,000, and $2,500 levels. For more information contact Katherine Kish at Mekish@aol.com.
Get the scoop from
inspired by Lewis Carroll’s “Alice
performances.
TELLING STORIES: Philadelphia Ballet has announced its 2025-2026 season, which includes a new take on “Romeo and Juliet” by Juliano Nunes.
ON MCCARTER STAGE: Momix, the contemporary dance troupe, returns to McCarter with “Alice,”
in Wonderland,” as part of the upcoming season of
(Photo by Sharen Bradford)
Taoufik Ben Amor
Pennington School Presents
“The Long Ride Home” Exhibit
On view through June 6, The Pennington School’s Silva Gallery of Art now presents “The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America.”
in “The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America,” on view in The Pennington School’s Silva Gallery of Art through June 6. A gallery talk and book signing are on April 15 from 2 to 4:30 p.m. rodeos, and spent summer days on his cousin’s ranch or working on local farms. His grandfather, Thomas Wilson, was a working cowboy in the 1940s. His father, Richard, was an avid photographer who documented the local Black community, teaching Tarver how to do the same.
The exhibition showcases the work of acclaimed photographer Ron Tarver, who will also host a gallery talk and book signing on Tuesday, April 15, from 2 to 4:30 p.m.
Tarver, who is an art professor at Swarthmore College, corrects the American cowboy narrative with the publication of his work. From ranches to city streets, his photographs reveal the beauty, romance, and visual poetry of Black cowboys throughout the country.
In his book, The Long Ride Home: Black Cowboys in America, Tarver illuminates the enduring heritage of Black cowboys through 110 photos made in the early 1990s, at the start of this ongoing, 30year project, and includes a comprehensive essay by Art T. Burton, a distinguished historian, author, and expert on Black cowboys. Pictured are cowboys and cowgirls of all ages, Black-owned ranches and rodeo operations, parades, urban cowboys, and retired cowhands. Twenty of these photos will be on display during the gallery show.
Tarver, a Pulitzer Prize-, Pew Fellowship-, and Guggenheim Fellowship-winning photographer, is a natural pioneer of the subject. While Tarver was growing up in Fort Gibson, Okla., Black cowboys were an ordinary part of his life; he rode horses, went to
When Tarver moved to Philadelphia in 1983, he was surprised by how uninformed people were about Black cowboys. The revelation spurred his dedication to photographing Black cowboys, including while on assignments for National Geographic and The Philadelphia Inquirer. Tarver’s work is a well-timed complement to the other trailblazers — Beyonce ( Cowboy Carter ), Jordan Peele ( Nope ), Idris Elba ( Concrete Cowboy ), and Lil Nas X ( Old Town Road ) — who are bringing wider recognition to Black cowboys and the vital role they have played in American history and contemporary culture.
The Pennington School, an independent coeducational school for students in grades 6 through 12, is located at 113 West Delaware Avenue in Pennington. For more information, visit pennington.org.
Gallery 14 in Hopewell Has Exhibits by Schwartz, Blum
The Goodkind Gallery at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell features the work of Martin Schwartz of Cranbury in “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen,” on view through May 4.
According to the gallery, “a photographer never wants to
stop seeing and shooting images. However, sometimes physical restrictions prevent our ability to get out and take new works. When this happens, we sometimes look back at previous works. That is the case with this exhibit. Martin has looked back into his expansive portfolio of work and is reimagining shots using new processing and more powerful software to create new images. Some of the shots have never been processed or exhibited before. Others are works previously shown but now reworked. Some are even from slides which he then had to scan so they could be worked on for this exhibit.”
The photographs are from France, Italy, Portugal, and the U.S. They range from landscapes and street scenes to portraits, each with its own special sensitivity. He has worked to give them new vitality and quite often a more painterly effect, his preferred choice of presentation made possible by the new developing techniques he uses.
Schwartz, a dentist by trade, is a longtime member of Gallery 14 and has had exhibitions in the gallery for over 20 years.
Also on view through May 4 is “Japan to Manhattan,” featuring works by Joel Blum.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography is located at 14 Mercer Street in Hopewell. It is open Saturdays and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and by appointment.
For more information, visit gallery14.org.
Continued on Next Page
A p r i l 1 2 – S e p t e m b e r 1 4
Experience the awe-inspiring world of Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural at Michener Art Museum This exhibition marks the debut of Schaechter’s newest masterpiece an immersive stained-glass dome exploring biophilia, our deep connection to nature Created during her residency at the Penn Center for Neuroaesthetics, this stunning work blends art, science, and beauty in a mesmerizing sanctuary of light
Roberto Lugo and Carolyn Laferrière
Thursday, April 10, 5:30 p.m. | Friend Center 101
Join ceramicist, social activist, poet, and educator Roberto Lugo and curator Carolyn Laferrière for a discussion of the themes in Lugo’s exhibition Orange and Black, on view at Art@ Bainbridge. Reception to follow.
Artist Roberto Lugo and Museum
ARTIST CONVERSATION
“BARREL RACER” This photograph by Ron Tarver is featured
“MOONSARAZ”: This photograph by Martin Schwartz is featured in “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen,” on view through May 4 at Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography in Hopewell.
9800 • michenerartmuseum org
Judith Schaechter : Super/Natural is suppor ted by the Gorsky Family and Rago/Wright with additional suppor t from Ar t Alliance for Contemporar y Glass, M&T Charitable Foundation, and an anonymous donor
Judith Schaechter, Super/Natural,
and Claire Oliver
Center
Photo by Christian Gianne i
Grounds For Sculpture Awarded $25,000 Grant Grounds For Sculpture (GFS) in Hamilton has received a $25,726 FY25 Cultural Trust Institutional and Financial Stabilization Grant from the New Jersey Cultural Trust. This new funding helps support installing a professional database with informational signage for GFS’ living horticulture collection that will include tagging, cataloging and tracking vital specimen history, health, and locations at the sculpture park. As the first grant awarded to GFS’ horticultural department, this support underscores the vital role that horticulture represents at the 42-acre nonprofit, which became a Level II Arboretum by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum in 2024.
“This significant grant funding allows us to implement this new database system that will help our team manage the extraordinary living collection at Grounds For Sculpture,” said Janis Napoli, Grounds For Sculpture’s director of horticulture. “We are excited to enhance our ability to document, track, and care for our horticultural specimens, ensuring that future generations can continue to experience and learn from the ever-evolving landscape in our gardens. We are grateful to the New Jersey Cultural Trust for their support in advancing our mission.”
GFS recognizes the importance of retaining institutional knowledge about the park’s creation and its specimens, along with plant updates and
the management of specialized collections, such as the deciduous conifer collection. A catalog system supported by this grant will house much of this information and assist in the daily management of the organization’s vast gardens. The sculpture park will install a professional garden database and associated tools and develop a process to maintain and create new records for existing specimens and a protocol for documenting new additions to the living collection.
In 2024, GFS was accredited as a Level II Arboretum by The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program and The Morton Arboretum for achieving particular standards of professional practices deemed important for arboreta and botanic gardens. The ArbNet Arboretum Accreditation Program is the only global initiative to officially recognize arboreta at various levels of development, capacity, and professionalism. In addition to the recent upgrade, GFS is also recognized as an accredited arboretum in the Morton Register of Arboreta, a database of the world’s arboreta and gardens dedicated to woody plants.
“These grants are a historic investment in New Jersey’s cultural community that will resonate for years to come,” said Lieutenant Governor Tahesha Way. “The Cultural Trust’s unique grant programs support projects that strengthen the foundations of our state’s cultural organizations — organizations that in turn anchor local economies, improve the health and vitality of our communities, and contribute immeasurably to New Jerseyans’ well-being and quality of life.”
Claude Winn Exhibition At Berkshire Hathaway Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox & Roach, Realtors presents a new exhibition of abstract artwork by local artist Claude Winn, on view through May 15. An opening reception is on Thursday, April 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 253 Nassau Street.
The exhibition showcases 11 of Winn’s distinctive abstract paintings, paying tribute to artists who greatly influence her work, including Joan Mitchell, and Helen Frankenthaler.
“I believe in the immense emotional and spiritual power of art to put us in touch with our deepest selves,” said Winn. “When I start a painting, I have no plan. I follow my intuition and let it guide my brush. My paintings draw from my love of art history, film, literature, yoga, and archetypal psychology. They take me, and hopefully my viewers, on a quest for the sublime.”
Wine and light refreshments will be served at the opening reception. The artist will be present to discuss her works and creative process. Paintings will be available for purchase. The reception and exhibition are free and open to the public, no RSVP is required.
A visual and theater artist, Winn’s interest in art began in childhood when she spent hours in museums studying the works of great artists. Formerly represented by CG Gallery in Princeton, Winn’s art can be found in private collections around the world. Collectors have called her work “inspiring,” “deeply beautiful,” and “a source of continuous joy.”
Fox & Roach, Realtors, 253 Nassau Street. An opening reception is on April 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Winn is a member of Princeton Makes, an artist cooperative at the Princeton Shopping Center. For more information, visit claudewinn.com or @ cwinnart on Instagram.
Area
Exhibits
Art@Bainbridge, 158 Nassau Street, has “Roberto Lugo: Orange and Black” through July 6. Artmuseum. princeton.edu.
Artists’ Gallery, 18 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Imagine-Observe” April 10 through May 4. An opening reception is on April 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. Gallery hours are Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lambertvillearts.com.
Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street, has “Metamorphosis,” “Precious Virtues,” and “Now and Then: Amazigh Resurgence” through May 3. Artscouncilofprinceton.org.
Gallery 14 Fine Art Photography, 14 Mercer Street, Hopewell, has “Places I’ve Been, Faces I’ve Seen” through May 4. Gallery14.org.
Green Building Center, 67 Bridge Street, Lambertville, has “Awakenings” April 12 through June 20. An opening reception is on Saturday, April 12 from 5 to 8 p.m. greenbuildingcenter.com.
Historical Society of Princeton, Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, has “Princeton Reflected: Stories from HSP’s Collection” and “Einstein Salon and Innovator’s Gallery.” Museum hours are Thursday through Sunday, 12 to 4 p.m. Princetonhistory.org
Mercer Museum, 84 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “The Doan Gang: Outlaws of the Revolution” through December 31, 2026. Mercermuseum.org.
Michener Art Museum, 138 South Pine Street, Doylestown, Pa., has “Mark Sfirri: The Flower Show”
through May 5, “Yesterday’s Dreams Are Real” through July 27, and “Judith Schaechter: Super/Natural” April 12 through September 14. Michenerartmuseum.org
Milberg Gallery at Firestone Library, Princeton University, has “The Most Formidable Weapon Against Errors: The Sid Lapidus ’59 Collection & the Age of Reason” through June 8. Library.princeton.edu/ lapidus2025.
Morven Museum & Garden, 55 Stockton Street, has “Historic Morven: A Window Into America’s Past” (ongoing). Morven.org. The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street, has “Held Together” through June 5. Catherinejmartzloff.com. Phillips’ Mill, 2619 River Road, New Hope, Pa., has “Phillips’ Mill Photographic Exhibition” through April 18. Phillipsmill.org.
Silverman Gallery of Bucks County Impressionist Art, 4920 York Road, Holicong, Pa., has “David Stier: Refuge” through May 4. Small World Coffee, 14 Witherspoon Street, has paintings by Rooma Sehar through May 6. Paintings by Alessandra Morabito are at the 254 Nassau Street location through May 6. Smallworldcoffee.com. Trenton City Museum at Ellarslie, 299 Parkside Avenue, Trenton, has “Cultural Connections: Eastern European Artists from the Greater Trenton Area” through June 8. Ellarslie.org. West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, West Windsor, has “Member Show: Your visual Story Through Art” through May 31. Westwindsorarts.org.
CLAUDE WINN EXHIBITION: Works by local artist Claude Winn are on view April 10 through May 15 at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Town Topics | Mark Your Calendar
Wednesday, April 9
11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilmember Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at Chapin Guatemalan and Mexican restaurant, 146 Witherspoon Street.
11 a.m.-3 p.m.: Princeton University Farmers’ Market , Firestone Library/ Chapel Plaza. Fresh produce and other goods from area farmers and businesses. Pumarket@princeton.edu.
7 p.m.: Author Lynn Steger Strong discusses her novel The Float Test with A.M. Homes at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
Thursday, April 10
10:30 a.m.: Fiction Book Group at Princeton Public Library. Discussion of Help Wanted by Adele Waldman. 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org.
5-8 p.m.: Trivia Night in the Winery at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. No cover charge. With DJ Iron Mike. Terhuneorchards.com.
4 p.m.: “Honesty: What is it, How Honest are We Today, and How Might We Become Better?” Talk by Christian Miller of Wake Forest University at Princeton University’s Frist Campus Center, Room 302. Free. Philosophy.princeton. edu/events.
7 p.m.: The Third Man is screened at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street, as part of the “Keeping the Score” film series. Gardentheatre.org/score.
7:15 p.m.: Black Voices Book Group at Princeton Public Library. Discussion of Medgar and Myrlie: Medgar Evers and the Love Story that Awakened America by Joy Reid. Via Google Meet. Princetonlibrary.org.
7:30 p.m.: Saxophonist Jess Gillam performs at Richardson Auditorium with pianist Thomas Weaver. Works by Britten, Dowland, Gershwin, Poulenc, and others are on the program. Followed by a community Dance Jam in partnership with American Repertory Ballet. $30-$50 ($10 for students and Admit All Program members). Puc.princeton.edu.
7:30 p.m.: Church music fellowship at Christ Congregation, 50 Walnut Lane, featuring area pianist Sam Waltemyer. Meditate and sing during a relaxing evening blending hymn music with gospel and contemporary Christian influences. Free. Ccprinceton.org
Friday, April 11
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Hunterdon County Rug Artisans Guild meets from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Administration Building of
the Hunterdon County Complex, 314 State Highway 12, Flemington. Hcrag.org.
5:30 p.m.: “Dancing Through Life” fundraiser for American Repertory Ballet and Princeton Ballet School at McCarter Theatre, 91 University Place. Cocktails, performance of ballet excerpts, dinner and dancing. Arballet.org.
7-8:30 p.m.: Member Show Opening Reception at West Windsor Arts, 751 Alexander Road. Members share their stories through art created over the past two years. Free. Westwindsorarts.org.
7:30 p.m.: Capital Philharmonic of New Jersey presents “Drama and Irony” at Patriots Theatre at the War Memorial, Lafayette Street, Trenton. Sandro Naglia conducts and Clipper Erickson is guest piano soloist. Works by Rossini and Mozart. Pre-concert lecture by Joel Phillips at 6:15 p.m ., followed at 6:45 p.m . by a “curtain raiser” by Trenton Music Makers. Capitalphilharmonic.org.
7:30 p.m.: Rider University Chorale performs The Wilderness of You set to poems by Jarod K. Anderson at the Bart Luedeke Center Theater, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township. $20 ($15 students and seniors). Rider.edu.
7:30 p.m.: Westminster Opera Theatre presents Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium at Rider University’s Spitz Theater, 2083 Lawrenceville Road. $25, $20 students and seniors, $5 Rider students. (609) 896-7775.
8 p.m.: Ti Jean and His Brothers by Derek Walcott, presented by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts at the Wallace Theater in the Lewis complex. Free. Tickets required; visit tickets.princeton.edu.
9 a.m.-3 p.m.: “Stewarding Your Local Environment ,” Earth Day celebration by Friends of Herrontown Woods, 600 Snowden Lane. A day of learning and exploring nature. Rain date April 13. 9:30 a.m.: Free walk along the Lawrence Hopewell Trail . For meeting point and route, visit lhtrail.org.
10 a.m.: Robeson Week wreath-laying ceremony, followed by coffee and pastries and presentations, at the Arts Council of Princeton, 102 Witherspoon Street. Free. Paulrobesonhouseofprinceton.org.
10 a.m.-12 p.m.: Foraging as Stewardship: Garlic Mustard At Billy Johnson Mountain Lakes Nature Preserve,
57 Mountain Avenue. Followed at 1 p.m . by a Land Stewardship Volunteer Session . Sponsored by Friends of Princeton Open Space. Fopos.org.
10 a.m.: Read and Explore: Composting, at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Children read stories and make a compost container to take home. $12. Terhuneorchards.com .
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Potato Planting at Howell Living History Farm, 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. Help plant the crop for local soup kitchens. Howellfarm.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: New Jersey Punk Rock Flea Market Spring Fling, at Cure Insurance Arena, Trenton. Original art, clothing, tattooing, piercing, vintage toys, food trucks, and more. Punkmarket.com.
10 a.m.-2 p.m.: Lambertville Green Fair , South Hunterdon Regional Elementary School, 200 North Main Street, Lambertville. Books, birdhousebuilding, native plants, yard advice, electronics recycling, and more. Toadshade.com.
10 a.m.: The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh is screened at the Garden Theatre, 160 Nassau Street. $5 (free for members). Princetongardentheatre.org/family.
12-5 p.m.: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Carmen Marranco. Terhuneorchards.com.
1 p.m.: Tour of the Paul Robeson House of Princeton, 110 Witherspoon Street. Free, part of Robeson Week. Paulrobesonhouseofprinceton.org.
1-6 p.m.: Princeton University Jazz Festival at Richardson Auditorium. Small groups, faculty septet. Followed at 8 p.m. by the Creative Large Ensemble with trumpeter Etienne Charles ($15, $5 students for the concert). Music.princeton.edu.
7:30 p.m.: Westminster Opera Theatre presents Gian Carlo Menotti’s The Medium at Rider University’s Spitz Theater, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township. $25, $20 students and seniors, $5 Rider students. (609) 896-7775.
8 p.m.: Comedian Vir Das appears at State Theatre New Jersey, 15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick. $49-$199. Stnj.org
8 p.m.: Ti Jean and His Brothers by Derek Walcott, presented by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts at the Wallace Theater in the Lewis complex. Free. Tickets required; visit tickets.princeton.edu.
Sunday, April 13
10 a.m.-4 p.m.: Spring Beekeeping and Gardening at Howell Living History Farm , 70 Woodens Lane, Hopewell Township. With children’s craft, a bee home, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Howellfarm.org.
10 a.m.-5 p.m.: New Jersey Punk Rock Flea Market Spring Fling, at Cure Insurance Arena, Trenton. Original art, clothing, tattooing, piercing, vintage toys, food trucks, and more. Punkmarket.com.
12-5 p.m.: Spring Winery Weekend Music Series at Terhune Orchards, 330 Cold Soil Road. Music from 1-4 by Mike Tusay. Terhuneorchards.com.
2 p.m.: The documentary film Common Ground is screened at Princeton Day School’s McAneny Theater, followed by a discussion and Q&A about the need for regenerative agriculture. Register at njconservation.org/ event/common-ground.
4 p.m.: Westminster Concert Bell Choir presents “At Water’s Edge” at Rider University’s Gill Chapel, 2083 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrence Township. $20 ($15 students and seniors). (609) 896-7775.
Monday, April 14
7 p.m.: Author Priya Vulchi discusses her latest book Good Friends: Bonds that Change Us and the World with Princeton University Professor Ruha Benjamin at Princeton Public Library, 65 Witherspoon Street. Princetonlibrary.org
7 p.m.: The Ernest Schwiebert Chapter of Trout Unlimited meets at D&R Greenway Land Trust building, 1 Preservation Place. Angler and author Stephen Sautner presents “A Cast in the Woods” about his streamside cabin and land in the Catskills. (609) 658-6079
Tuesday, April 15
5 p.m.: Spring Student Reading, presented by Princeton University’s Lewis Center for the Arts’ Program in Creative Writing, at Chancellor Green Rotunda on the campus. Free. Arts.princeton.edu.
Wednesday, April 16
8-9:30 a.m.: Business Before Business networking event held by the Princeton Mercer Regional Chamber at The Nassau Club, 6 Mercer Street. Princetonmercer.org. 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m.: Leighton Listens. Councilmember Leighton Newlin is available to discuss issues impacting Princeton with members of the public at DeAngelo’s Market, 35 Spring Street.
S ports
Sparked by 6-Goal
Outburst
from Blake, PU Women’s Lax Edges Cornell, Now 9-1
McKenzie Blake is off to a great start to her senior season with the Princeton University women’s lacrosse team.
But it’s more about the finish, which the Blake and the Tigers got a little reminder of in last Saturday’s 12-11 win at Cornell.
“This has been definitely a really good start to the season,” said Blake, who tallied six goals in the victory. “But you know coming with that we can’t let up and I think that’s definitely something that is in the back of all our minds with the Ivy League tournament and NCAA tournament — definitely that’s the number one priority.”
Blake scored four of her six goals as the Tigers roared out to a 9-1 halftime lead over Cornell. But in the second half, the Big Red rallied and scored the final five goals of the game to put some pressure on Princeton.
“We knew the game was going to be a battle and Cornell came out determined in the third quarter,” said Princeton head coach Jenn Cook. “We just need to make sure we stay focused for the full 60 minutes.”
The dramatic difference in play in each half was a reminder to Princeton that they can’t let up, not after winning their ninth straight game after losing the season opener, and not after going up 9-1 in a game like they
did at Cornell.
“In the fourth quarter we definitely didn’t play our best,” said Blake. “I think we weren’t executing the game plan as well as we would have liked, but I think ultimately, they were playing great and we kind of just slowed down, which obviously you can never do, especially in an Ivy League game. Those are always going to be close. So I think we just started off strong, trailed off a little bit, but you know came out with a win.”
Princeton , now ranked fifth nationally in the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll, is the lone unbeaten in Ivy play.
The Tigers are 3-0 in the Ivies, one game up in the loss column on Brown and Penn, both of whom they have yet to play. Princeton has a mid-week non-conference game before resuming Ivy action. They will host Stony Brook on April 9 and Columbia on April 12.
“We’ve only played Stony Brook once since I’ve been here and was my freshman year, and they were obviously a really good team then, and they’re still a really good team,” said Blake. “Obviously, I think going into this game we know that it’s going to be probably a physical, really fast-paced game. I think that’s something that will be really fun about it. But I do think we’re going to have to show up mentally
locked in.”
Stony Brook has traditionally been known for its tough defense, and they rank sixth in the country in goals per game allowed. They will be the next team trying to figure out how to slow down a Princeton squad that ranks third nationally at 16.44 goals per game.
“Familiarity plays a big role,” said Cook, in assessing her team’s offensive prowess. “The players have spent more time together and have grown and matured and that brings a level of comfort, confidence, and chemistry with each other.”
Blake has been a steady scorer throughout her career, but her numbers have taken leaps in the last two years. After scoring 67 goals in 18 games last season, she’s off to a torrid start this season with 50 goals in 10 games, which leads the country in goals per game.
“It’s been a lot of fun No. 1, but I think a lot of it has to do with my teammates,” said Blake. “I think Haven Dora and Jami MacDonald are both two great assisters. Their eyes are always in the middle. They can always find my stick even when there’s a little bit in traffic, which is great. I think that kind of goes off the chemistry. A lot of my goals are assisted, which has a lot to do with them.”
Blake’s scoring this year
has hit another new level. Last year, she had six games with five goals. She also had four games with two or fewer goals, and Princeton lost two of those games. This year, she’s been held under three goals just once (in a 20-4 blowout win over Hofstra) and five times she’s scored six or more goals in a game. And while she credits her teammates for much of her scoring, the increase is also a part of stepping up as a senior.
“I think definitely I’m coming into more of a senior leadership role,” said Blake. “I kind of want to be a more consistent presence on the field. I think that’s something I’ve had bits and pieces of. I’ve had good games here and there last year and in years past. I’m really priding myself this year though on showing up every game consistently in whatever way that is, whether that’s on the draw control circle, whether that’s on the offense side of the ball, but whatever it is, definitely showing up in a more consistent way.”
The Haddonfield product has been the top finisher for Princeton and brought her skill set to the offense that has developed into one the best in the country.
“She is a leader on our offensive end,” said Cook of Blake. “Her confidence and understanding that despite getting a lot of defensive
attention, she still has the skill and lacrosse IQ to make plays. She sets such a high standard for herself and her teammates that it makes everyone around her better.”
On Saturday, another sixgoal effort helped Princeton knock off Cornell in a game that could have torn her brother’s rooting interests.
Aidan Blake is a graduate student at Duke now after playing for Cornell for four years.
“I would like to think he was pulling for me,” said McKenzie of Blake. “We did a pretty good job of supporting each other when he was at Cornell. I was always rooting for Cornell men’s lacrosse and he was always rooting for Princeton women’s lacrosse, which I think is nice. You have to throw the ‘men’s’ or ‘women’s’ in front of it, but I would say he was rooting for me today, which is nice.”
He’ll be pulling for a big finish for his sister too. Princeton is focused on continuing to build on its fast start. The top four teams will play in the Ivy postseason tournament, with the No. 1 seed hosting the tournament. The league is as tight as ever with six of the eight teams having two losses or fewer.
“I have always said that the league gets less recognition than it deserves,” said Cook. “Last week we
had the second highest RPI (rating percentage index) of any conference outside the ACC. Every team is playing really well this year and it could be any combination of teams that make the Ivy tournament. It’s great to see the parity. Our goal is to take each game at a time and focus on ourselves and not worry too much about standings or rankings. Our focus every week is that we need to earn the right to play in that tournament.”
And the Tigers are getting the best of every team. Princeton has knocked off Harvard, Yale, and Cornell already in league play and has only lost to Virginia outside of the conference. The Tigers are adjusting to being atop the standings again.
“In the previous years we’ve had a little bit more of an underdog mentality, which fueled us in a different way,” said Blake. “And I do think after having a couple of good wins, that is a confidence boost. Teams are coming after us, they’re having us circled on their calendar. We’re getting the recognition I think we really have deserved over the past couple of years. We just have to know that we can’t fall, any game that is close we can’t fall. We have to keep rising, which I think we have done a pretty good job of this season.”
—Justin Feil
SIX SHOOTER: Princeton University women’s lacrosse player McKenzie Blake heads to goal in recent action. Last Saturday, senior attacker Blake scored six goals to help Princeton edge Cornell 12-11 and post its ninth straight win. The No. 5 Tigers, now 9-1 overall and 3-0 Ivy League, host Stony Brook on April 9 and Columbia on April 12. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
PU Sports Roundup
PU Men’s Hoops Star Lee
Enters Transfer Portal
Princeton University men’s basketball junior point guard
Xaivian Lee is entering the transfer portal and will also be going through the NBA Draft process, according to an announcement made last week by his agent George S. Landberg.
Lee starred this winter for the Tigers, earning first-team All-Ivy League honors as he averaged 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 5.4 assists a game. The 6’4 Lee also made program history as he achieved the first two recorded triple-doubles for the Tiger men. He has totaled 1,154 points in his career, 17th best in program annals.
PU Women’s Hockey Star Wunder
Earns USCHO Third-Team Honors
Princeton University women’s hockey junior star forward Issy Wunder has added
another accolade to her career year as she was named as an All-USCHO (U.S. College Hockey Online) team selection. Wunder was named to the USCHO third-team, capping off a superb season. Wunder was a top-10 finalist for the Patty Kazmaier Award, the ECAC Hockey Forward of the Year, the Ivy League Player of the Year, and earned spots on both the All-ECACH first team and All-Ivy first team.
Wunder, a 5’11 native of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, led the Tigers with 50 points on 24 goals and 26 assists to help Princeton go 18-122 and advance to the ECACH quarterfinals.
Princeton Baseball Swept at Penn
Coming up short in three nail-biters, the Princeton University baseball team got swept by Penn last weekend in Philadelphia.
In a doubleheader on Friday, the Tigers fell 2-1 and 7-5. On Saturday, Princeton led 6-4 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning only to lose 7-6 in 12 innings.
The Tigers, now 7-22 overall and 4-5 Ivy League, play at Monmouth on April 9 before heading north to the Boston area this weekend for a three-game set at Har vard with a doubleheader on April 12 and a single game on April 13.
Princeton Softball Goes 2-1 at Dartmouth Exploding for a 10-run sixth inning, the Princeton Univer sity softball team defeated Dartmouth 14-6 last Sunday to go 2-1 in a three-game set with the Big Green last weekend.
On Friday, the Tigers lost 2-1 in 10 innings before bouncing back with a 12-4 victory. On Sunday, Sonia Zhang helped power Princ eton its 14-run outburst, go ing 3 for 4 with two runs and three RBIs. Karis Ford and Jessica Phelps smacked home runs in the win.
The Tigers, now 14-13 overall and 8-1 Ivy League, head to Cornell this weekend for a three-game set with a doubleheader on April 12 and a single game on April 13.
TOP DOG: Kaitlyn Chen heads upcourt last winter during her senior season for the Princeton University women’s basketball team. Last Sunday, graduate transfer Chen helped UConn defeat South Carolina 82-59 in NCAA women’s basketball national championship game. Guard Chen scored two points and had four assists in the contest. Chen started all 40 games for the Huskies this season, averaging 6.9 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.8 rebounds as UConn went 37-3. Chen joins Princeton head coach Carla Berube as a UConn national champion with Berube having played on the program’s first national title squad in 1995. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Charlie
FLESCH’S
DEDICATION DAY: Former Princeton University men’s heavyweight rower and 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Nick Mead ’17, far left, enjoys the moment last Saturday as the Tiger men’s heavyweight program dedicated a pair of boats. The first boat was the “1952,” dedicated to Edgar Masinter ’52 (in blue coat pictured in front of boat) to recognize the 1952 varsity crew which competed in the US Olympic Trials. In addition, Masinter was presented with Prentke Award, which is awarded to an individual for outstanding achievement on behalf of Princeton Rowing. The second boat, the program’s newest pair, was dedicated to Mead, who was also carried the flag for Team USA at the Closing Ceremony. (Photo provided by Princeton Athletics)
Tiger Women’s Golf
7th at Boilermaker Classic
Olivia Duan starred as the Princeton University women’s golf team placed seventh at the Boilermaker Spring Classic hosted by Purdue at Birck Boilermaker Golf Complex in West Lafayette, Ind.
Freshman Duan placed seventh individually, carding a one-over 214 in the threeround event which took place from April 6-7.
Illinois placed first in the team standings with a total score of +11 875 with Princeton coming in at a 25over score of 889 in taking seventh.
The Tigers are next in action when they play in the Ivy League Championships from April 18-20 at the Royal Palms Golf Club in Naples, Fla.
Princeton Men’s Golf
12th At Vanderbilt Event
Reed Greyserman led the way as the Princeton University men’s golf team placed 12th at the Mason Rudolph Championship hosted by Vanderbilt University last week at Vanderbilt Legends Club – South Course in Nashville, Tenn.
Freshman Greyserman carded a two-over 215 for the three-round event to tie for 32nd individually.
Auburn placed first in the team standings at 814 (-38), five strokes ahead of Ole Miss. Princeton had a team score of 871 (+19) in taking 12th.
The Tigers are next in action when they host their annual Princeton Invitational from April 12-13 at Springdale Golf Club.
Princeton Men’s Track Shines At Howell Meet
Jacob Nenow provided a highlight as the Princeton
University men’s track team hosted its annual Sam Howell Invitational and Distance Carnival last weekend in Weaver Stadium.
Freshman Nenow set a new program record in the 10,000-meter run, clocking a time of 28:23.60 to break the previous mark of 28:49.08 set in 2014 by Chris Bendtsen.
The Tigers are next in action when they compete in the 44 Farms Team Invite in College Station, Texas, from April 11-12.
Tiger Women’s Track Excels At Howell Meet
Adelaide Asante and Mena Scatchard set new program records as the Princeton University women’s track team hosted its annual Sam Howell Invitational and Distance Carnival last weekend at Weaver Stadium.
Senior Asante set a new program record in the 200 meters, running 23.66 to best the program record set by Nia Mosby, who ran 23.67 in 2022. Senior Scatchard ran the 5,000 meters 15:48.24, breaking the program record of 15:54.03 set in 2015 by Megan Curham.
The Tigers return to action when they take part in the 44 Farms Team Invite in College Station, Texas, from April 11-12.
PU Men’s Heavyweight Crew Retains Princeton-Navy Cup
Looking formidable in its first regular season race, the No. 4 Princeton University men’s heavyweight varsity 8 defeated Navy last Saturday to retain the PrincetonNavy Cup.
Princeton’s top boat covered the 2,000-meter course on Lake Carnegie in a time of 5:37.2 with the Midshipmen finishing in 5:52.3.
In upcoming action, the Tigers will face No. 8 Penn and No. 14 Columbia in the race for the Childs Cup in New York, N.Y. on April 12.
PU Women’s Lightweights Defeat Radcliffe in Opener
Starting its spring campaign on a high note, the Princeton University women’s lightweight varsity 8 defeated Radcliffe last Saturday in the race for the Class of 1999 Cup.
Princeton posted a winning time of 6:29.8 over the 2,000-meter course on the Charles River in Cambridge, Mass. with Radcliffe coming in at 6:42.9. It marked the sixth straight win for the Tigers in
the Class of 1999 Cup race. Princeton will be hosting Stanford on April 12 at Lake Carnegie in the race for the Class of 2015 Cup.
Princeton Men’s Tennis Defeats Dartmouth
Producing a dominant performance, the Princeton University men’s tennis team defeated Dartmouth 7-0 last Sunday.
Paul Inchauspe earned a straight set win at second singles and helped Princeton win the doubles point.
The Tigers, now 19-6 overall and 3-0 Ivy League, play at Cornell on April 11 before hosting Columbia on April 13.
Tiger Women’s Tennis Loses to Dartmouth Ending a tough weekend in New England, the Princeton University women’s tennis team lost 4-2 at Dartmouth last Sunday.
Eva Elbaz and Anna Nguyen earned wins at third and fourth singles, respectively, in the defeat. The Tigers started the weekend by losing 4-2 at Harvard on Saturday. Princeton, now 7-10 overall and 0-3 Ivy League, hosts Cornell on April 11 before playing at Columbia on April 13.
Tiger Men’s Volleyball Defeats George Mason
Sparked by Mason Rice, the No. 19 Princeton University men’s volleyball team defeated George Mason 3-0 last Saturday in Dillon Gym to complete a weekend sweep of the Patriots.
Freshman Rice contributed 15 kills and two blocks to help the Tigers prevail 25-12, 2519, 25-21. On Friday, Princeton started the weekend by defeating George Mason 3-1 (25-19, 25-16, 25-27, 25-16).
The Tigers, now 11-9 overall and 7-2 Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (EIVA), host Harvard for a two-match set on April 11 and 12.
PU Women’s Water Polo Tops Saint Francis 14-8
Shanna Davidson and Rachael Carver led the way as the No. 11 Princeton University women’s water polo team defeated Saint Francis 14-8 last Sunday.
Junior Davidson and Carver each scored three goals for the Tigers, now 18-6 overall and 9-2 Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA). Princeton plays at Bucknell on April 12.
Senior Wheeler Stars With His Arm, Bat
As PHS Baseball Tops PDS 3-1, Now 2-2
Eric Wheeler wasn’t at full strength last spring for the Princeton High baseball team, hampered by a back issue that kept him from making a major impact for the Tigers.
But this spring, Wheeler is back to 100 percent and has emerged as a star for the Tigers in the early going. On the mound, Wheeler pitched PHS to a 10-1 win over North Dame on March 29 and 3-1 win over Princeton Day School last Thursday. At bat, Wheeler is hitting .308 with four hits and three runs as the Tigers have started 2-2.
“Last year, I was sidelined a little but with a back injury; coming back I feel great,” said Wheeler who was limited to 13.1 innings on the mound and 26 atbats in 2024. “I am pitching great, I am just able to contribute. I am thankful for these wins.”
In the win over PDS, righty Wheeler stymied the Panthers, going six innings, yielding three hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
“What I try to do is to pitch to contact,” said Wheeler. “I have this defense behind me and it is let them make the plays there are supposed to make. It is just trust them and trust my stuff and command. Everything was working today. Being able to throw my slider at any count is a big thing and the
Wheeler worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fifth inning, giving up no runs, and then faced just four batters in the sixth, retiring the Panthers on two fly-outs and a ground-out.
“It is still pitching to contact, I trust this defense, they do make some nice plays,” said Wheeler. “It is just the energy from the dugout and the energy from the fans.”
In addition to starring on the mound against PDS, Wheeler helped himself at the bat, going 1 for 2 with a run and two walks.
“I was on base three times today, being able to help myself is a great thing,” said Wheeler. “You can never get hurt with that.”
With the Tigers bouncing back from a 9-4 loss to Steinert on March 31 to edge crosstown rival PDS, Wheeler liked the way PHS took care of business.
“It is always great, coming away with a win, that is all that really matters,” said Wheeler.
PHS head coach Dom Capuano credited Wheeler with giving the Tigers a lift on the mound and at the plate.
“That is two good outings in a row,” said Capuano.
“He is doing well, throwing strikes. The first outing was a little bit more cleaner, he got out of a jam today. He is doing a really good job.
was pretty hopeful of it and that was two good performances. He has had some good hitting days.”
While the Tigers didn’t hit the ball well against PDS, they used some aggressive base running to scratch out three runs in the top of the third inning.
“We are doing the execution piece of bunting, hit and run and steals when we need to,” said Capuano. “All of that is coming along.”
Reflecting on his team’s 2-2 start, Capuano believes PHS is coming along collectively.
“Every other year we have been playing four games a week and once you are in it, you are in it,” said Capuano. “This year with only three games a week, we are able to build on certain things. We did that from North (a 2-1 loss on March 26) to Notre Dame. We were able to build in that performance and that showed. I think a lot of guys have been finding their way for the most part. It is April 3, we have to keep reminding ourselves that.”
In Wheeler’s view, the Tigers can do some good things this spring.
“I don’t think we have been where we want to in the past two seasons, I feel like this team is something special,” said Wheeler. “I feel like we can go places with this team. It is a lot of fun. We are like a family out here.”
LECTURE
Photo History’s Futures: Giulia Paoletti
Wednesday, April 9, 5 p.m.
Aaron Burr 219
As part of the lecture series highlighting exciting voices in the field, historian and curator Giulia Paoletti will speak about Portrait and Place: Photography in Senegal, 1840–1960 (2023). Paoletti is an associate professor of art history at the University of Virginia.
Moderated by Tobias Rosen, doctoral student in the Department of Art and Archaeology. Reception to follow.
—Bill Alden
tion. Last Thursday, senior Wheeler starred with
PDS Baseball’s Late Rally Against PHS Falls Short
But Panthers on the Verge of a Breakthrough Victory
Having lost its first four games this spring, it looked like the Princeton Day School baseball team was poised for a breakthrough as it hosted Princeton High last Thursday.
Trailing 3-1 in the bottom of the seventh inning with two players on base, PDS freshman third baseman Vince Filis ripped a line drive down the left field line that sent the runners racing home.
But the shot was foul by inches and Filis went on to strike out as the Panthers fell by that 3-1 margin.
While PDS head coach Eric Schnepf was disappointed by the result, he liked the way his guys fought to the last out.
“The guys kept battling, they never just quit, they never just disappear,” said Schnepf. “They are always going up there, they are engaged, they are involved. They are competing, they are working on moving the line. A couple of feet one way or another and we might be having a different conversation.”
PDS had the bases loaded with no outs in the fifth but ended up with nothing as PHS outfielders tracked down some well hit fly balls.
“That is the way it goes sometimes, we had our opportunities,” lamented Schnepf. “We hit a couple of at-them balls. You are not always going to convert on all of your opportunities so that is just the way it goes. Credit to their pitcher (Eric Wheeler) and their defense,
they did a great job of working themselves out of tough spots.”
Sophomore Mason Roitburg gave PDS some good work on the mound as he went five innings, giving up four hits and two earned runs with two strikeouts.
“He threw a good game for us, we had one inning where there were some bumps in the road, that happens,” said Schnepf of Roitburg. “Overall, I thought he threw well, he gave us a chance to win which is all you can ask.”
While PDS has had chances to win some tight games early on, its youth has held it back.
“We are just so young and I think that the youth and inexperience is a contributing factor to lack of execution,” said Schnepf. “We are figuring it out as they go, day-byday, pitch-by-pitch. Once we are able to convert, we will be a little more consistent in those opportunities and will find ourselves on a different side of the scoreboard.”
One of those young players, freshman outfielder AJ Doran, is making an impact, batting .250 with a homer in the early going.
“Doran has been doing great for us, he is an anchor in the middle of the lineup,” said Schnepf. “He is a big boy, he throws it well, he is physical. He is very mature in the box, he is someone that when he is up, you are ready for him to do some damage.”
Schnepf likes what he is getting from his players throughout the lineup.
“From top to bottom, there is nobody I haven’t been happy with,” said Schnepf. “Tino (Santino Cignarella) has been getting on base. Keegan [Fullman] is having a good year. Vince is swinging a good bat. Gavin [Ross] has been hitting really well.”
With PDS hosting Hamilton West on April 10 before playing at Manville on April 12 and at Steinert on April 14, Schnepf believes his team is poised for a breakthrough.
“We just haven’t strung them together in the right way yet, that is going to come,” said Schnepf. “I think the frustration isn’t in the losses necessarily, it is more just the frustration we have had the opportunities but we just haven’t converted. We have to punch through the wall one time. Wa are close, there guys can feel it, the coaches can feel it. It is just a matter of when it happens.”
SWINGING AWAY: Princeton Day School baseball player Santino Cignarella follows through on a swing in a 2024 game. Senior infielder Cignarella went 1 for 3 with a walk last Thursday as PDS lost 3-1 to Princeton High. The Panthers, who moved to 0-5 with the defeat, host Hamilton West on April 10 before playing at Manville on April 12 and at Steinert on April 14. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Looking to Bring Stability to Hun Boys’ Lax, New
Head Coach Donnelly Focusing on Culture
As the third head coach in the last three years for the Hun School boys’ lacrosse team, Joe Donnelly is determined to establish some stability for the program
“For us, it is about building a culture that is going to last,” said Donnelly. “It has been a lot of initial buy-in for a lot of these kids early on. For us, it is making a point that my goal is to be here for a very, very long time and trying to build something that lasts. It is not necessarily about the wins and the losses, it is about how much we can improve as a team and as a unit and help these kids for after high school.”
Donnelly brings a familiarity with Hun to his new post, having served as an assistant coach for the Raiders under Jim Stagnitta in 2021-22 before spending a year on the men’s lax staff at Kean University and then returning to Hun last spring on the staff of Alex Lopes, now the head coach at Kean.
In taking the helm of the Raiders, Donnelly is focusing on developing all of the players in the program, no matter their level.
“I think it is really just balancing everything; I am very big on that we are a complete program, whether it is varsity or JV and managing where we can spend and maximize all of our time together as a unit,” said Donnelly, who was a three-time Hunterdon County Player of the Year and an All-State selection at Delaware Valley High before playing collegiately at Ursinus College. “Then it is separating when we need to, especially now that we are getting into the season and focusing on our scouting reports and our game plans, making sure
that both programs have enough time to develop their own identity as well.”
By the time Donnelly was in college, he had already found an identity as a lacrosse coach.
“I was always coaching in high school, I volunteered with the 7th grade rec program,” said Donnelly. “I coached club when I was in college; I did some goalie training with the coach that recruited me to Ursinus who is now the head coach at the Hill School (Pa.). I do some outside lacrosse stuff for Q4 lacrosse.”
Donnelly’s work with Q4 as director of player development has helped prepare him for getting the most out of his players at Hun.
“I run camps over the summer for the youth and high school training sessions in the offseason,” said Donnelly. “The thing that has always gotten me interested in coaching, the Xs and the Os are great, but I love seeing the lightbulb moment, seeing the hard work and the different coaching points actually click.”
Although Hun is not clicking yet this spring as it has gotten off to a 0-4 start, Donnelly believes he is laying the groundwork for success on the short-term and long-term.
“As we have been working through its, the biggest thing we have been trying to take away from this is resiliency,” said Donnelly, whose team fell 16-6 to Chatham last Saturday in suffering its fourth straight loss this season. “We want to take our lacrosse back to where it was a couple of years ago as a national powerhouse. To do that, we have to compete against the best teams.
The biggest thing for myself is remaining positive, sticking with each other, and understanding that we are going to make mistakes. We have a lot of new faces playing this year. For us, it is about what can we do to keep improving and how can we set ourselves up best for maximizing our success towards the end of the season as well.”
Donnelly is looking for big things from a midfield unit that features senior Luke Donahue (3 goals, 2 assists so far in 2025), junior Jake Beck (3 goals), sophomore Anthony Peterson (1 goal. 1 assists), junior Matt Tarditi (2 goals), and junior Devin Skinner (1 goal).
“Luke transitioned to a midfielder for us,” said Donnelly. “Jake has been a strong midfield presence for us. Anthony is in the mix with Matt. Devin is going both ways offensively and defensively.”
On attack, Hun’s top line will feature junior transfer Alex Famiglietti, freshman Connor Mulligan (1 goal), and junior Teddy Klepacki (1 goal).
“It will be Alex who is a new player from Princeton High,” said Donnelly. “Connor is really stepping into his own right now. Teddy has been doing well.”
Senior Jackson O’Brien (1 goal) is spearheading the Raider defensive unit.
“Jack is back, he has taken on a huge, huge leadership role,” said Donnelly. “He has almost been like a secondary coach on the field. He is one of those guys I was able to work with when he was a freshman It has been really exciting to see him take on this leadership role.”
Along with O’Brien,
juniors Owen Tallo, Reece Holt, Ryan Wright, and Evan Wijaya (2 goals) give Hun plenty of depth and experience on defense.
“Owen has been awesome,” said Donnelly. “Reece battled some back issues last year so it has been nice to have him back. He has been playing very strong. Ryan is getting in the mix. Evan is running at the longstick middle position.”
The Raiders should be strong at goalie with the
pair of sophomore Will Hayes and junior James Stelmak.
“Will has been super strong, he has extremely quick hands, I think he is going to be one of the top goalie recruits in his class,” said Donnelly. “For him, the biggest thing he has been constantly improving on is his vocal leadership on the field. That is something we have been able to see him grow on from the preseason and it has really been helping out with our defense. James is already committed to Sacred Heart. He is getting his time and getting his touches. He is always an opportunity away from stepping in. We feel comfortable with either one of those guys in the cage.”
In Donnelly’s view, Hun can grow into something special by paying attention to detail.
“It is taking care of the little things,” said Donnelly, whose team will look to get on the winning track as it hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 9, plays at Shawnee High on April 12, and then hosts the Westtown School (Pa.) on April 15. “We are really detailed in our approach in our game plan and our scouting report. We take pride in our preparation. We haven’t done it yet to get a full 60 minutes but we can see each game getting closer and closer to that point. We have been battling with some injury and some sickness. We have had guys in different rotations pretty much every game his year. Hopefully we will move forward with a little bit more consistency and getting on the winning side of it as well. We have been able to see a lot of growth so far. I couldn’t be more proud.”
—Bill Alden
BECK AND CALL: Hun School boys’ lacrosse player Jake Beck heads upfield in a game last season. Junior midfielder Beck figures to be an offensive catalyst for the Raiders this spring. Hun, which lost 16-6 to Chatham last Saturday to move to 0-4 under new head coach Joe Donnelly, hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 9, plays at Shawnee High on April 12, and then hosts the Westtown School (Pa.) on April 15.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
Lawrenceville
Baseball : Unable to get its bats going, Lawrenceville fell 6-0 to the Hill School (Pa.) last Saturday. The Big Red, now 1-3, host the Hun School on April 11 and the Pennington School on April 14.
Girls’ Lacrosse : Lexie Koch triggered the offense as Lawrenceville defeated the Hill Academy (Ontario) 15-12 last Saturday. Koch tallied six goals and three assists for the Big Red, now 5-1. Lawrenceville hosts the Germantown Academy (Pa.) on April 9, the Blair Academy on April 12, and the Peddie School on April 14.
Hunterdon 10-0 High (Pa.) last Saturday. Junior infielder and leadoff hitter Jolly went 3 for 4 with two triples, two runs, and three RBIs as the Raiders improved to 3-0. Hun hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 9 and the Blair Academy on April 11 before playing at the Peddie School on April 15.
Girls’ Lacrosse : Trailing 9-1 at halftime, Hun couldn’t overcome that deficit as it fell 18-2 to Hillsborough High last Saturday. The Raiders, now 0-4, play at Agnes Irwin (Pa.) on April 9, host the Perkiomen School (Pa.) on April 11, and host Princeton High on April 12 before playing at the Pennington School on April 14.
Panthers, who moved to 1-1 with the victory, play at Hopewell Valley on April 10, at Lawrenceville on April 11, and at Hun on April 14 before playing at Hamilton West on April 15.
Pennington
Baseball : Joe Lifsted led the way as Pennington defeated Lawrence High 4-2 last Saturday to remain undefeated on the season. Lifsted went 3 for 3 with a homer, double, and three RBIs for the Red Hawks, who improved to 7-0. Pennington hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 9 before playing at WW/P-North on April 10 and at Lawrenceville on April 14.
Boys’ Golf: Walter Gumbinger starred as PHS tied for 11th in the team standings in the Cougar Classic Cherry Valley Invitational last Monday at Cherry Valley Country Club in Skillman. Senior Gumbinger carded a four-over 76 to tie for 10th in the individual standings. PHS had a team score of 333 at the event won by Bridgewater-Raritan at 299.
Girls’ Golf: Led by Jacqueline Zang, PHS placed first in the Red Devil Invitational last Monday at the Copper Hill Country Club in Ringoes. Senior Zang fired a two-over 74 to place first in the individual standings. The Tigers posted a team score of 338, five strokes better than runner-up Moorestown.
opportunity for competitive travel play, individualized instruction, skills development, and fundamentals as well as league play. BBA is led by former Princeton Day School girls’ hoops coach and Philadelphia 76ers camp director and c linician, Kamau Bailey.
The BBA spring program will include boys’ travel teams (3rd-8th grades), weekly practices, and the Shot King Shooting Program and Player Development Skill Sessions for elementary and middle school players (boys and girls). BBA will also be offering a new program for kindergarten-2nd grade boys and girls, called “First Hoops FUNdamentals are Fun.”
The spring season skill development sessions for boys and girls will be held from on Mondays and Wednesdays with grades 3-6 going from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. and grades 7-8 going from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.
The BBA boys’ travel team practices will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays with grades 3-6 going from 6:15 to 7:30 p.m. and grades 7-8 going from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. BBA teams will play league games on weekends at the Monroe Sports Complex
The First Hoops program will have a session on April 12 from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. at the Littlebrook Elementary School.
Baseball : Aidan Heaphy starred on the mound and T.J. Francis sparked the batting attack as Hun edged Peddie 2-1 last Friday. Heaphy went four innings, striking out five and giving up one hit in getting the win while Francis went 2 for 3 with one run for the Raiders, now 4-1. Hun hosts the Hill School (Pa.) on April 8, plays at Lawrenceville on April 11, and the Blair Academy on April 13 before facing the Christian Brothers Academy at Bainton Field at Rutgers University on April 14.
Softball : Sparked by Sam Jolly, Hun defeated South
Boys’ Lacrosse : Hart Nowakoski starred in a losing cause as PDS fell 20-7 to Notre Dame last Thursday. Senior midfielder Nowakoski tallied three goals and one assist for the Panthers, who dropped to 0-2 with the defeat. PDS plays at Hightstown on April 10 before hosting WW/P-North on April 15.
PDS Stuart
Girls’ Lacrosse : Unable to get its offense going, PDS fell 19-4 to Robbinsville last Monday. The Panthers, now 0-2, host Princeton High on April 11 before playing at Phillipsburg on April 12 and at Hopewell Valley in April 14.
Boys’ Tennis : Winning each match in straight sets, PDS defeated Nottingham 5-0 last Thursday. The
Girls’ Lacrosse : Evie Argiropoulos scored three goals but it wasn’t enough as Pennington lost 22-10 to Cinnaminson last Friday. The Red Hawks, who dropped to 0-2 with the setback, play at Hopewell Valley on April 9 before hosting the Hun School on April 14.
PHS
Softball: Unable to get its bats going in the season opener, PHS fell 12-1 to Allentown last Thursday. Erin Pilicer had two hits in a losing cause for the Tigers. PHS plays at Nottingham on April 9 and at Notre Dame on April 15.
Boys’ Tennis : Getting its 2025 campaign off to a good start, PHS defeated Hopewell Valley 5-0 last Wednesday. The Tigers won each match in straight sets, led by junior Garrett Mathewson who posted a 6-1, 6-0 victory at first singles. PHS hosts Robbinsville on April 10 and Ewing on April 15.
Local Sports Hun
Lacrosse: Allison Lee scored seven goals in a losing cause as Stuart got edged 12-11 by Hamilton West last Friday. The Tartans, now 0-2, host Robbinsville on April 9 and Steinert on April 11.
BBA programs stress fundamentals and team play with emphasis on ball handling, shooting, passing, footwork, speed, agility, movement with and without the ball, one-on-one moves, defense, and other hoops
The BBA travel team practices and player development skill sessions will be held at the Community Park School and/or the Princeton Middle School.
For more information and to register, contact Kamau Bailey at (917) 626-5785 or kamau.bailey@gmail.com.
Princeton Post 218 Baseball Holding Player Evaluations
The Princeton American Legion Post 218 baseball team is holding player evaluations/workouts on April 13 from 11a.m.-1 p.m. at Smoyer Field and on April 27 from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at Smoyer Park.
The program is open to all interested high school players from Princeton High, Princeton Day School, Hun School, WW/P-South High, WW/P-North High, and Notre Dame High, or any players who live in the towns of Princeton and Cranbury to attend these two sessions. In addition, college aged freshman born in 2006 are also be eligible to play.
The Mercer County American Legion League (MCALL) season runs from late May through mid-July and involves playing approximately 20 games with teams from around the Greater Mercer County Area. The competition level is high and all players will receive adequate playing time to develop their game.
The summer fee is $645. Scholarships are available. For more information on the program and to RSVP for the tryouts, contact Jon Durbin at jonwdurbin@ gmail.com.
Bailey Basketball Academy Offering Spring Programs
The Bailey Basketball Academy (BBA) has announced the schedule for its upcoming spring hoops programs.
Participants will have an
cross country run at the Institute Woods. Walsh, 36, of Lawrence was the first female finisher and second overall of 64 participants as she clocked a time of 25:34. Deniz Gawiser Salur, 13, of Hillsborough placed first with a winning time of 25:03.
ON THE ATTACK: Princeton High boys’ lacrosse player Gavin Pomraning looks to unload the ball in recent action. Last Saturday, sophomore attacker Pomraning tallied two goals and one assist as PHS edged Pennsbury (Pa.) 10-9. The Tigers, who moved to 1-2 with the win, host Rutgers Prep on April 10 and Northern Highlands on April 12 before playing at Notre Dame on April 15.
(Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)
IN STRIDE: Lindsay Walsh heads to the finish line last Saturday morning in the Princeton Athletic Club’s (PAC) 6,000-meter
(Photo by Ehsan Zarnani)
Margaret “Peggy”
Arlene Thompson
August 9, 1940 –April 3, 2025
Margaret “Peggy” Arlene Thompson, 84, of Pennington, NJ, passed away peacefully on April 3, 2025, after a long illness.
Born and raised in Princeton, NJ, Peggy was the daughter of Nelson W. and Anne T. Thompson. She spent her childhood near Lake Carnegie and later on The Great Road, forming a deep love for nature and community that stayed with her throughout her life. She graduated from Princeton High School in 1958.
In the early 1960s, Peggy moved to San Francisco, where she graduated from Grace Ball Secretarial College in 1963. While in California, she worked for the FreemanCooper Company, and later, back in New Jersey, she worked at the Ingersoll Rand Company in Rocky Hill.
From 1967 to 1969, Peggy lived in Vietnam during the war, serving with the U.S.
State Department and the Agency for International Development. Stationed inside the U.S. Embassy in Saigon, she developed deep friendships and a lasting sense of service. She was a proud member of the American Foreign Service Association. While in Vietnam, she met Robert Spinner, a U.S. Navy officer. They were married in January 1970 and divorced in 1993.
Following her time in Vietnam, Peggy traveled throughout Asia, visiting Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other countries. She later settled in Pennington, NJ, where she raised her family and built a 35-year career as an administrator at Princeton Montessori School — a school where her daughter now works and her grandchildren attend. She retired at 78.
Peggy had a lifelong love of horses and was a skilled and competitive tennis player, winning multiple titles in the USTA/Volvo League. She was also a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and deeply connected to her family’s historical roots in Princeton, including their legacy at the Kingston Mill.
She is survived by her daughter, Tracey A. Baskin (Noah), and son, Steven B. Spinner (Katie); her four grandchildren, Brooke, Skylar, Amelia, and Colin; her sister, Annelle Beckenbaugh (Bill) of Houston, TX; and her brother, Nelson Thompson (Mary Lee) of Myrtle Beach, SC. She was a cherished aunt to many nieces and nephews. Peggy was predeceased by
her parents and her sisters, Joan-Anne Dismukes and Meta Rasmussen.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, April 12, at Hopewell Presbyterian Church in Hopewell, NJ. Calling hours will be from 9 to 10 a.m., with the service to follow at 10 a.m. Interment at Highland Cemetery in Hopewell will be private. A luncheon will follow at Salt Creek Grille in Plainsboro. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Peggy’s memory to Ryerss Farm for Aged Equines at www.ryerssfarm.org.
October 16, 1927 –January 7, 2025
Eleanor “Phyllis” Hamel (Evans) passed away peacefully on January 7, 2025 in Eugene, Oregon. She was surrounded by the love of her children and grandchildren. She remained active and independent up until just days before her passing.
Phyllis was born in Bermuda to Richard Evans and
Elizabeth Potter on October 16, 1927. Though she lived there for only a few years, Bermuda held a lasting place in her heart, with cherished memories of her grandfather’s garden. These early experiences fostered a lifelong love of nature and beauty that shaped her artistic and personal pursuits.
Her childhood was marked by challenges and resilience. Following her parents’ divorce in 1930, she moved to the United States with her mother and grandmother (Rosa Carlotta Vincent Potter, known as “Tuttie”), living in various places, notably Washington, D.C., and Philadelphia. Despite frequent relocations and withdrawals from primary schools, Phyllis developed a deep love of learning. She attended Holton-Arms School in Washington, D.C., from 1939, graduating in 1947 and participated in war-time volunteer efforts.
In 1948, she married Leonard Francis Lloyd Baynham, with whom she shared a love of adventure and boating on the Potomac River. In 1948, Leonard took her on a trip to Wales to reconnect with long-lost family members on her father’s side. This reunion was a profound experience, allowing her to rediscover her Welsh heritage and family. The family lived in Arlington, VA. Between 1950 and 1957, Phyllis and Leonard had four children: Morgan, Owen, Meredith, and Gwyneth. They divorced in 1958.
In 1959 Phyllis married John Jacob (“Jake”) Hamel. They lived for a time in New York City where Gwyneth
DIRECTORY OF RELIGIOUS
was adopted, then settled in Princeton, NJ, in 1960. Jake and Phyllis then had two children: Jennifer and John Eric. During her nearly five decades in Princeton, Phyllis immersed herself in community life. She served as a board member at All Saints’ Church Nursery School and the Neuro-Psychiatric Institute. She was a member and President of the Garden Club and played an active role at Trinity Church and its Altar Guild. For a brief time, Phyllis was a runway model for Bill Blass.
Her passion for art and nature flourished. She took horticulture courses at the New York Botanical Gardens, pursued painting, and started a successful floral design business, Flora Interior Designs, eventually owning and running the Princeton Flower Shop until its sale in 1986.
In 2008, Phyllis and Jake moved to Eugene, Oregon, to be close to Gwyneth and her two children. There Phyllis embraced a vibrant and fulfilling life as a “Tuesday Regular” volunteer at Hendricks Park, member of the board of Friends of Hendricks Park, and was instrumental in raising funds for the beloved rhododendron garden. She was active on the board of the Eugene Garden Club; member of the Maude Kerns, Emerald Art Centers; and the Campbell Center, where she participated in a weekly rughooking group. She joined the Plein Air Painters and created watercolor greeting cards sold in local shops. Her artistic talents were recognized in publications and art shows, and her work — in-
cluding a rug design of a tiger rug featured in Rug Hooking Magazine — was widely admired. She found immense joy in Eugene’s artistic and nature-loving communities, especially after Jake passed away in 2012. Phyllis attended and volunteered arranging altar flowers at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church. These activities helped her form deep friendships that enriched her final years.
Phyllis was a woman of resilience, creativity, and boundless curiosity. Her love for the people around her, beauty in nature and art, her pet dogs and cats all remained central throughout her life. She leaves behind a legacy of strength, courage, paintings, sketches, hooked rugs, and an enduring appreciation for the natural world. She is a role model for fierce independence and perseverance.
Phyllis is survived by her six children: Morgan Frances Baynham (Laura), Owen Richard Baynham (Patti), Meredith Amy Baynham Watters (John), Gwyneth Elizabeth Hamel Iredale, Jennifer Potter Hamel, and John Eric Hamel; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church in Eugene, OR, on May 31, 2025 at 1 p.m. Her remains will be laid to rest at the family graveyard at Trinity Church in Princeton.
If you wish to honor Phyllis’s memory please share in her support of Friends of Hendricks Park by making a donation on friendsof hendrickspark.org.
Eleanor Phyllis Hamel
Town Topics CLASSIFIEDS
YARD SALE +
TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!
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SKILLMAN FURNITURE CO.
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HOME HEALTH AIDE/COMPANION AVAILABLE: NJ certified and experienced. Live-in or live-out. Driver’s license. References available. Please call Cindy, (609) 227-9873.
04-30
ONE DAY HAULING & HOME
IMPROVEMENT: We service all of your cleaning & removal needs. Attics, basements, yards, debris & demolition clean up, concrete, junk cars & more. The best for less! Call (609) 743-6065.
04-16
BUYING: Antiques, paintings, Oriental rugs, coins, clocks, furniture, old toys, military, books, cameras, silver, costume & fine jewelry. Guitars & musical instruments. I buy single items to entire estates. Free appraisals. (609) 306-0613. tf
TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIEDS GET TOP RESULTS!
Whether it’s selling furniture, finding a lost pet, or having a garage sale, TOWN TOPICS is the way to go!
We deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com
ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE: I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613. tf
YARD SALE + TOWN TOPICS CLASSIFIED = GREAT WEEKEND!
Put an ad in the TOWN TOPICS to let everyone know! Call (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com
DEADLINE: Tues before 12 noon
tf
HOUSECLEANING: Experienced, English-speaking, great references, reliable with own transportation. Weekly & bi-weekly cleaning. Green cleaning available. Call Susan at (732) 873-3168. 05-28
HOME HEALTH AIDE: 25 years of experience. Available mornings to take care of your loved one, transport to appointments, run errands. I am well known in Princeton. Top care, excellent references. The best! Call (609) 356-2951 or (609) 751-1396.
tf
LOLIO’S WINDOW WASHING & POWER WASHING: Free estimate. Next day service. Fully insured. Gutter cleaning available. References available upon request. 30 years experience. (609) 271-8860.
tf
BUYING:
JOE’S LANDSCAPING INC. OF PRINCETON
Property Maintenance and Specialty Jobs
Commercial/Residential
Over 45 Years of Experience • Fully Insured • Free Consultations
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HOME REPAIR SPECIALIST:
Interior/exterior repairs, carpentry, trim, rotted wood, power washing, painting, deck work, sheet rock/ spackle, gutter & roofing repairs. Punch list is my specialty. 40 years experience. Licensed & insured. Call Creative Woodcraft (609) 586-2130
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24/7 PROFESSIONAL
NURSES AND AIDES
Personal care, nutrition, social activities, support, respite care & family relief. Live-in and live-out in the greater Princeton and other NJ areas. Personal Home Care of Hillsborough (609) 216-5000 or (908) 306-0985
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TK PAINTING: Interior, exterior. Power-washing, wallpaper removal, plaster repair, deck staining. Renovation of kitchen cabinets. Front door & window refinishing. Excellent references. Free estimates. Call (609) 947-3917. 07-30
Market Cools, Giving Buyers New Leverage
After years of soaring home prices and intense competition, the real estate market is beginning to shift from a seller ’s market to a buyer’s market.
Signs of change are emerging: homes are sitting longer on the market, price reductions are becoming more common, and buyers are regaining some negotiating power. Higher interest rates and economic uncertainty have tempered demand, leading to less bidding wars and more options for prospective homeowners. For sellers, this means adjusting expectations and being more flexible on price and terms. For buyers, it ’s an opportunity to take their time, shop around, and potentially get better deals or concessions.
While the shift is gradual and varies by region, the overall trend is clear momentum is slowly favoring buyers. As the market continues to cool, both sides will need to adapt to a more balanced landscape, signaling a new phase in the housing cycle.
04-30
04-16
TOWN
deliver to ALL of Princeton as well as surrounding areas. (609) 924-2200 ext. 10; classifieds@towntopics.com ESTATE LIQUIDATION SERVICE: I will clean out attics, basements, garages & houses. Single items to entire estates. No job too big or small. In business over 35 years, serving all of Mercer County. Call (609) 306-0613.
