Volume LXXIX, Number 31
HSP and Morven Collaborate on Princeton Garden Tour . . . . . . . . 5 Campaign on Environmental Issues Focuses on NJ Gubernatorial Election . . . 9 Joint Effort Offers Array of Activities for Witherspoon-Jackson, Princeton . . . . . . . . . 11 Princeton Summer Theater Presents Frankenstein . . . . . . 15 After Starring in Junior Campaign for Tiger Men’s Hockey, Gorman Honed Skills in NHL Development Camp with Panthers . . . . . . . . . . 20 Having Guided PHS Track Program to Consistent Success, Samara Stepping Down to Focus on AfterSchool Program . . . . 22
Ozzy Osbourne Shares This Week’s Record/Book Review With John Lennon . . . . . . 14 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Classifieds. . . . . . . . . . 26 Mailbox. . . . . . . . . . . . 12 New To Us . . . . . . . . . . 19 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . 25 Performing Arts. . . . . . . . 16 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . . 10 Real Estate . . . . . . . . . 26 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Topics of the Town . . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Welcome August. . . . . . . 2
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McCarter Takes Step To Establish Presence At Westminster Site A resolution approved by Princeton Council at its Monday, July 28 meeting could help pave the way for McCarter Theatre Center to buy a portion of the former Westminster Choir College campus, now owned by the municipality. The theater company wants to use Bristol Chapel, the Playhouse, and other parts of the 23-acre campus to expand its community arts education programs, provide housing for actors appearing in theater productions, hold various gatherings and events, and other purposes. McCarter’s Executive Director Martin Miller told Council that the theater company has until August 11 to apply to the Economic Development Authority (EDA) for tax credits pursuant to the EDA’s Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFÉ) program that would help fund preservation, remediation, and improvements for the project. “It is a rare, one-of-a-kind opportunity to potentially bring in some meaningful outside funds to invest in our arts, culture, and education infrastructure here in Princeton,” Miller said before the vote. He thanked Council for considering the resolution, which creates a letter of intent between McCarter and the municipality — needed by McCarter order to file with the EDA — on short notice. “We couldn’t let the chance pass to at least throw our hat in the ring,” he said. According to the meeting agenda, the letter of intent is non-binding until “a definitive purchase-sale-agreement is executed and delivered by both parties.” The proposal calls for the sale to McCarter of approximately 1.40 acres, for $4 million. The purchase would include Bristol Chapel and the Playhouse building. The chapel would be reconfigured to house rehearsal space, classrooms, a seminar room, practice room, lecture hall, administrative offices, and a work area, as well as production and building support. All of these could be used to host community events for a fee. The Playhouse would also be adaptively reused, to create a performance space, production and building support. This, too, could be used to host community events for a fee. There would be new construction at the site of the Cottage building for shortterm artist housing. Previous to the Continued on Page 7
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Resistance, Community Support in Wake of ICE Raids Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids that led to the detention of 16 Princeton residents last Wednesday and Thursday, July 23 and 24, have caused fear, anger, and consternation in the community. Those emotions and more surfaced at Monday’s discordant Princeton Council meeting that was attended by an overflow crowd of more than 100 people, with about 50 speaking out and demanding more action from Council. During the meeting, which lasted for more than three hours — consisting mostly of public comment in response to the raids and to what many saw as Council’s lack of action — emotions ran high, with a wide range of speakers describing the plight of families impacted by the detention of relatives and friends and demanding that Council pass a resolution to support the Immigrant Trust Act (ITA). The ITA is a proposal currently in the state legislature that would strengthen the New Jersey Attorney General’s 2018 Immigrant Trust Directive, which helps to protect the immigrant community. Some of the speakers represented advocacy groups, such as Resistencia en Accion NJ, and others were local residents of many different ages, perspectives, and backgrounds. In preliminary remarks before the start of the public comment portion of the
meeting, Princeton Mayor Freda asserted the Council’s commitment to taking action on behalf of the immigrant community, and he reiterated some of the points that he and Council had made in a written statement earlier in the day. “I am discouraged by hearing comments that we do nothing,” he told the sporadically unruly gathering. “Or that we do very little to support the immigrant community within our community.” He went on to enumerate services and
programs — medical, financial, and other public assistance — delivered through the Human Services Department. He emphasized, “We do not collect data on immigration status. Our police do nothing in connection with ICE. We do not help them find people or grab people.” The earlier statement noted that “ICE conducted this operation [July 24] without notifying the Municipality or Princeton Police.” Council President Mia Sacks added that the Council supports the ITA Continued on Page 8
Kendal, Kanter, and Snyder Will Run Unopposed for Board of Education
In what is usually the most hotly contested race on the Princeton ballot, the School Board election this November will see just three candidates running for three available positions. Dafna Kendal will be serving a fourth three-year term on the Princeton Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education (BOE), Susan Kanter a third term, and Erica Snyder will become a new member of the Board on January 1, 2026. Debbie Bronfeld will be stepping down at the end of this year after nine years on the Board. With a new superintendent, Mike LaSusa, in place since July 1, the PPS
seems to have entered a period of relative harmony and stability after several years marked by some turbulence and rapid administrative turnover. “I’ve decided to run for reelection because I believe continuity is critical,” Kendal, who is currently Board president, wrote in an email. “The district is moving in the right direction, and we have a dynamic and energized administrative team under the leadership of our new superintendent, Dr. LaSusa. The Board and administration are working collaboratively, and I believe it’s important to maintain that momentum by ensuring consistent, steady leadership Continued on Page 10
READY FOR RIBBONS: A group of 4-Hers line up with their goats during the finishing stages of the Invitational Goat Show at the 106th Annual Mercer County 4-H Fair held Saturday at Howell Living History Farm in Titusville. Attendees and 4-Hers share their favorite part of the fair in this week’s Town Talk on Page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
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