Volume LXXVI, Number 36
Young Patriots Day Coming To Princeton Battlefield State Park . . . . . . . . . . .5 Poet Evie Shockley Will Headline Humanities Council Gala at Morven . . 10 The Blue Bears to Keep Up Quality, Service During Staff Transition . . . . . . 11 PU Women’s Rugby Makes Varsity Debut, Falling at Sacred Heart . . . . . . . 23 After Run to Prep A Title Last Fall, Hun Girls’ Soccer Has Target on its Back . . 30
Reading Fintan O’Toole’s “Personal History of Modern Ireland” in This Week’s Book Review . . 15 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 20 Books . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 21 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 33 Health Special . . . . 18, 19 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 12 New To Us . . . . . . . . . 22 Obituaries . . . . . . . . . 31 Performing Arts . . . . . 16 Police Blotter . . . . . . . 10 Princeton Family Living . . 2, 3 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 33 Religion . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
www.towntopics.com
Officials, Environmentalists Seek More Stringent Flood Mitigation Measures Last week marked the one-year anniversary of Hurricane Ida, which caused 30 deaths and an estimated $95 billion in damages in New Jersey. There was widespread flooding in the area, with more than nine inches of rain and many roads impassable. Today, September 7, as the 2022 storm season makes its arrival known in Princeton, environmental leaders and elected officials are gathering in Manville for a press conference outside of a home that was badly damaged by last year’s storm. They will be urging Gov. Phil Murphy to take action to mitigate the effects of increased rainfall and flooding, which have been caused by climate change. Speakers are expected to emphasize the need to pass the New Jersey Protecting Against Climate Threats (NJPACT) initiative that would upgrade flood hazard and stormwater guidelines in order to better prepare the state for the impacts of climate change and powerful storms. NJPACT advocates will urge the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) to adopt proposed but delayed new stormwater requirements and to use updated rainfall data. With this year’s hurricane season revving up, Princeton has worked to prepare for its next encounter with extreme weather conditions. “We’re doing well within the constraints of what state law will allow us to do,” said Princeton Councilman David Cohen, who will be speaking at the Manville conference. But he emphasized that because of state rules there is “a gaping hole in our regulations in Princeton right now.” State rules stipulate that local stormwater regulations cannot be enhanced above the state requirements for residential site improvements. Acknowledging the state’s efforts to address the housing shortage in New Jersey, Cohen added, “I’m somewhat sympathetic, but my feeling is that it’s shortsighted to say that municipalities can’t require enhanced stormwater rules for housing projects.” He pointed out that housing projects constitute about 90 percent of new housing in Princeton with the recent affordable housing settlement. He continued, “So it’s a golden opportunity for us to be trying to do more to better manage our Continued on Page 10
75¢ at newsstands
Wednesday, September 7, 2022
New COVID Boosters May Quell Fall Outbreaks COVID-19 rates continue to remain relatively low in the area, and hopes are high that the recently approved COVID booster that targets the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 strains of the virus will help to prevent outbreaks this fall. Last week the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved new booster shots that combat the two subvariants that currently make up almost all COVID-19 cases. The new booster doses are already being distributed locally and across the country. Princeton Deputy Administrator for Health and Community Services Jeff
Grosser said that the Princeton Health Department would be updating their vaccine clinic schedule as soon as they get word on when the new bivalent vaccines will be arriving. In the meantime, some area pharmacies, clinics, and doctors’ offices will have boosters available. The new bivalent booster, which targets the original strain of the coronavirus as well the Omicron subvariants BA.4 and BA.5, will replace the former booster shot for individuals over age 12. The new Moderna booster will be available for age 18 and older, the Pfizer booster for 12 and older. Individuals are advised to wait at least two months following primary or
booster vaccinations before receiving the new booster. “The most recent variants have evaded immunity from vaccines and prior infections, and both Moderna and Pfizer have their own updated booster, “ said Grosser. “Certainly those who are high-risk individuals would benefit from a booster dose now, including older adults, or individuals with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory disease, cancer, and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.” In a September 2 announcement recommending the new boosters, New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy said, “I continue to Continued on Page 8
Jewish Center Exhibit Intended to Spark Reflection, Learning
LAST PLUNGE: A youth enjoys a dive at Community Park Pool on Sunday. The pool is now closed for the season. Poolgoers share what they are looking forward to this fall in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Designed to encourage examination of and reflection on our attitudes and biases, “Black + Jewish: Connection, Courage, Community,” an exhibit coming to The Jewish Center Princeton September 17 to October 31, explores the history of Black and Jewish relationships. Three talks accompany the exhibit. Created at the Museum of History and Holocaust Education at Kennesaw State University (in Kennesaw, Ga.), “the panels bring to light selected events in the long history of the American Jewish and African American communities in order to educate, provoke, raise questions, and prompt discussion,” said Linda Oppenheim, a community activist leading The Jewish Center’s planning team. The material can be uncomfortable, she cautioned. “If some of the material makes the visitor uncomfortable, we hope that they will use that moment to step back and think about how information and images provided by media, school curricula, and other sources have influenced the formation of their attitudes and biases and allow themselves to experience a different understanding,” she said. The Kennesaw exhibit was developed and curated by Adina Langer, who is from the Princeton area. The exhibit’s 10 panels cover European immigration and the Great Migration, the arts, education, World War II, violence against Jews and African Americans, the civil rights movement, and the current experience of African American Jews. Along with three accompanying lectures and supplementary Continued on Page 8
If you didn’t use us you probably paid too much. Franklin H. Rainear, Jr. Owner-Manager, Licensed Funeral Director NJ Lic. No. 4543 1310 Prospect Street, Ewing, NJ 08638 AffordableFuneralServiceCremationCo.com