Volume LXXIX, Number 13
Spotlight on Montgomery, Skillman, Rocky Hill Pages 12-13 Salamander Crossing Brigade Helps Amphibians Return Safely to Breeding Pools . . 5 Audience Members at PUC Event Will Have Chance to Dance . . . . 10 HIP May Event to Feature Economist Jenny Schuetz . . . . . 11 Ending the Month With B . Traven’s “Capricious Woman” . . . . . . . . . . 16 Boheme Opera NJ Presents Verdi Tragedy . . . . . . . .17 McCarter Stages Legacy of Light . . . . 18 PU Women’s Hoops Falls to Iowa State in NCAAs, But Loss Can’t Dim What Tigers Achieved this Winter . . 28 Hun Girls’ Hoops Star D’Agostino, PHS Wrestler Mele Get the Nod as Town Topics’ Leading Winter Performers . . . . . 31, 32
Brendan Beatty Is Ready to Roll as PHS Boys’ Lax Starts its Season . . . . 33 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . 23, 24 Books . . . . . . . . . . 14, 15 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 25 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 38 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . 15 New To Us . . . . . . . . . 26 Obituaries . . . . . . . 36, 37 Performing Arts . . . . .19, 22 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . . 8 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 34 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Top Producers . . . . 20, 21 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6
www.towntopics.com
“Tesla Takedown” At Lawrence Tesla Protests Musk Actions
75¢ at newsstands
Wednesday, March 26, 2025
Council Hears Report on Future of Kiosks
Downtown Princeton’s kiosks were his weekly “Leighton Listens” sessions Councilman Brian McDonald comback on the agenda at Monday’s meeting around town, he has changed his mind. mented that after examining examples of of Princeton Council. While no final deci“I really heard them, and I think we need material posted on the kiosks, which were About 500 demonstrators gathered sion was made about the fate of the two to go back and listen to the public,” he said. provided to Council members in preparaoutside the Tesla dealership adjacent to unofficial information stations — one at tion for the meeting, “I saw community “People my age, and those a lot younger, the Mercer Mall in Lawrence Township on Nassau Street and Vandeventer Avenue engagement and free speech, and I want are not for this 100 percent digital concept. Saturday afternoon, March 22 for Tesla in front of the Princeton Garden Theatre, to preserve those values. I’m in favor of Takedown III, a rally against the actions the other at Nassau and Witherspoon What I’m hearing is people want the free- the continued ability or residents to put of Elon Musk and his Department of streets – a degree of compromise was dom to put up and take down what they things up there,” he said. Government Efficiency (DOGE). reached after a presentation by the town’s want. The people that live here want that Council President Mia Sacks noted “This illegal, unconstitutional onslaught Deputy Administrator Deanna Stockton. freedom. I think we need to slow down. that there had been a perception that of Elon Musk, along with President Both kiosks need to be removed for a Maybe the public can help us with a design the postings on the kiosks were “not of Trump, is a grave danger to the continContinued on Page 9 capital improvements project replacing that could be both digital and analog.” ued functioning of our precious U.S. dethe sidewalks on Nassau Street. It is the mocracy, including checks and balances next step, once the construction is comcentral to its proper functioning,” said the pleted, that was the subject of Stockton’s Rev. Robert Moore, executive director of presentation. The report recommends the Princeton-based Coalition for Peace Princeton University President Christo- prosperity, health, and security,” Eisgrupermanently removing the kiosk at WithAction, which organized the rally along pher L. Eisgruber last week responded to ber wrote, “The Trump administration’s reerspoon, and transforming the one at with Indivisible Cranbury. Vandeventer into a combination of new the Trump administration’s withdrawal of cent attack on Columbia University puts The demonstrators, carrying signs electronic signage and the current, infor- $400 million in funding to Columbia Uni- all of that at risk, presenting the greatest versity and other threats to universities threat to American universities since the stating “Stop Elon,” “I Traded In My Tesla mal surfaces where flyers are postedNJ by 08502 BELLE MEAD with an article in The Atlantic speaking Red Scare of the 1950s. Every American and You Should Too,” “Nobody Voted for anyone who wishes to do so. Elon,” “Arrest Elon Musk,” and more lined Council agreed that staff should further out in defense of higher education and the should be concerned.” the road outside the Tesla Dealership The Trump administration has not taken explore the idea, including how many crucial importance of academic freedom. on Brunswick Pike/Route 1 from before Titled “The Cost of the Government’s action against Princeton directly, but fedsides to allow for the two functions. While 2 p.m. until about 3:30 p.m. most agree that the current kiosks are Attack on Columbia,” the article does not eral budget cuts for research and other messy, they serve a purpose and promote mention Princeton University directly, but funding, the possible increase of taxes on There were five counterprotesters, with free speech, members said. Councilman it is clearly relevant to many of the issues university endowments, and other funding American flags and MAGA flags and a uncertainties prompted the University to Leighton Newlin was originally in favor of that Princeton is currently facing. bullhorn, who spoke and chanted in supgetting kiosks, but |after hearingUpon port of Musk during speeches by Moore the importance of announce a hiring freeze last week. BD rid5of|the BA 5.5 Price Request Saturday, April 27th | 8am -Emphasizing 9am what members of the public have said at and Indivisible Cranbury founder Laura researchalluniversities to and “America’s This impressive 5000 square foot expanded colonial (2010) emanates the comforts conveniences of Continued on Page 8 Zurfluh. At one point oneupscale of the pro-Musk today’s suburban lifestyle. A perfect floor plan for modern living and the multigenerational household. demonstrators approached the platform This exceptional home boasts numerous updates, a first floor bedroom with full bath, home office, finished basement with an egress window, and a beautiful rear yard with an inviting in-ground pool. where Moore was speaking, and a Lawrence TownshipDONNA police officer on the M. MURRAY CRS, e-PRO, ASP, scene ushered him away from theSRS, plat-CLHMS Sales Associate, REALTOR® form, but the demonstration was peaceful 253 Nassau Street | Princeton, NJ 08540 and the disruptions of908.391.8396 counterprotesters Cell: | Off.: 609.924.1600 A member of the franchise donna.murray@foxroach.com were relatively minor. VIRTUAL TOUR QR CODE system of BHH Affiliates, LLC donnamurrayrealestate.com Demonstrators repeatedly called out chants such as “Sell your Tesla, trade it 6/16/23 10:40 AM in”Donna and Murray “Hey,HP.indd hey, ho,1 ho, Elon Musk has For all your real estate needs in 2024. got to go,” as Moore and Zurfluh paused in their comments to the crowd. “Musk and his cronies at DOGE have taken control of the Treasury and other departments, with no governmental authority, with illegal access to confidential data on all citizens and companies, and they are gutting our essential infrastructure,” said Zurfluh. “He is a menace, and he must be stopped.” BELLE MEAD NJ 08502 BELLE MEAD NJ 08502 Saturday’s demonstration was the third that has taken place outside Lawrence Township Tesla during the past month — all part of the Tesla Takedown movement, ALL ABOUT WATER: Youngsters participate in an “enviroscape” demonstration, one of many activities at the World which has organized protests across the Water Day event on Saturday at the Watershed Institute in Titusville. Participants share their favorite part of the U.S. and in Europe, urging supporters to event in this week’s Town Talk on page 6. (Photo by Sarah Teo)
Eisgruber Pushes Back Against Federal Attacks on Research and Universities
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