Volume LXXIX, Number 15
Robeson Week Events Honor Life, Legacy, Impact Of Paul Robeson . . . . . .5 Multiple Opportunities To Participate in Earth Day . . . . . . . . . 8 Excessive Lead Levels Found in Water at Elementary Schools . . 11 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 With His Arm, Bat as PHS Baseball Tops PDS 3-1, Now 2-2 . . . 27
Leah Bornstein Stars as PHS Girls’ Lacrosse Edges HoVal in Opener . . . . 28 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 22 Books . . . . . . . . . . 13, 14 Calendar . . . . . . . . . . 23 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . 34 Home & Design . . . . 18, 19 Mailbox . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Obituaries . . . . . . . 32, 33 Performing Arts . . . . . . . .20 Police Blotter . . . . . . . . .12 Real Estate . . . . . . . . 34 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Topics of the Town . . . . 5 Town Talk . . . . . . . . . . 6 Welcome Spring . . . . . . 2
www.towntopics.com
Eisgruber Stands Firm For Academic Freedom, Rights of Due Process
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Wednesday, April 9, 2025
“Hands Off!” Demands Large Hinds Plaza Crowd With a broad agenda of issues and a were born in a different country, off the sharp focus in opposition to the Trump street without due process.” administration agenda, more than 1,000 He continued, “When the federal govdemonstrators, undeterred by dark skies ernment under Trump and Musk fails to and periodic rain showers, arrived at support our health care and protect our Hinds Plaza at noon on Saturday, April rights, states like New Jersey must step 5, spilling out onto the surrounding sidein. The message we’ve heard today is walks and into Witherspoon Street, which simple: protect our health care, support was closed for the occasion. our schools, and fight for our freedoms. “Hands Off!” was the mantra for the Together we’re telling Trump and Musk to rally organized by Indivisible Princeton keep their hands off our state.” and Indivisible Cranbury as part of a Congresswoman Bonnie Watson 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 The countdown is on. Princeton, along of organizations, the message to Presiwith the rest of the country, is gearing up dent Trump, Elon Musk, and the federal for the 250th anniversary of the founding government was to stop the destructive of the United States in 2026. interference with health care, schools and The town is among the more than 100 colleges, libraries, DEI, immigrants, veterBELLE MEAD NJ 08502 New Jersey communities and 200 orgaans benefits, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, national parks, free speech, and “hands nizations that have officially joined in the preparations for the nation’s semiquincenoff our democracy.” “We refuse to let them make a mock- tennial, led by Revolution NJ, the State’s ery of our Constitution,” said State Sen. official initiative to mark the milestone. For the past several months, PrincAndrew Zwicker (LD-16). “We refuse to let them go after freedom of speech, eton’s Heritage Tourism Committee and freedom of the press, freedom of religion, Mercer County’s Division of Travel and freedom of love…. We refuse to let them Tourism have been regularly meeting to 5 | Saturday, BA | Price Upon Request 27th 8am - 9am talk |about how best to spotlight the town’s take peopleBD with different skin 5.5 color,April who
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
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, Continued on Page 9 including the Department of Energy, NASA, and the Defense Department, that they were suspending a number of research grants. critical role in the creation of the country. The rationale for the government susKey players include the Princeton Battlepensions was not clear, Eisgruber said, field Society (PBS), the Historical Society and in an April 6 “All Things Considered” of Princeton (HSP), Experience Princeton, interview with NPR’s Asma Khalid, he Morven Museum and Garden, and the noted, “We have not received any comWitherspoon-Jackson Historical and Culmunication from the government that tural Society, among other organizations explains why these grants were susand nonprofits. pended or any requests to do anything “Experience Princeton has partnerin response to the suspensions.” ship agreements with Morven and the The Daily Caller, a right-wing online Princeton Battlefield Society, and we’re news organization, reported that the cooperating on things like marketing,” government was conducting an ongoing said Isaac Kremer, director of Experience investigation of antisemitism on campus, Princeton. “We are in discussions about involving complaints lodged over alleged Continued on Page 12 antisemitism during the pro-Palestine This impressive 5000 square foot expanded colonial (2010) emanates all the comforts and conveniences of demonstrations on the Princeton Univertoday’s upscale suburban lifestyle. A perfect floor plan for modern living and the multigenerational household. sity campus last spring. The Daily Caller This exceptional home boasts numerous updates, a first floor bedroom with full bath, home office, finished also cited the sum of $210 million being basement with an egress window, and a beautiful rear yard with an inviting in-ground pool. withheld, almost half of the University’s DONNA M. MURRAY $456 million in grants and contracts fromASP, SRS, CLHMS CRS, e-PRO, Sales Associate, government sources in the 2023-24 fiscal REALTOR® 253 Nassau Street | Princeton, NJ 08540 year. Cell: 908.391.8396 | Off.: 609.924.1600 A member of the franchise donna.murray@foxroach.com “Princeton will comply with the law,” VIRTUAL TOUR QR CODE system of BHH Affiliates, LLC donnamurrayrealestate.com Eisgruber wrote in his April 1 email. “We are committed to fighting antisemitism Donna HP.indd 1 and we 6/16/23 10:40 AM and all forms of Murray discrimination, For all your real estate needs in 2024. will cooperate with the government in combating antisemitism. Princeton will also vigorously defend academic freedom and the due process rights of this University.” 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 UniBELLE MEAD NJ 08502 BELLE MEAD NJ 08502 versity, based on Columbia’s handling of last spring’s pro-Palestine demonstrations and allegations of antisemitism. “HANDS OFF!”: More than 1,000 demonstrators braved the stormy weather to gather at Hinds Plaza on Saturday to rally Last month the federal government also announced that it was withholding $175 against ongoing Trump administration initiatives and demand that the federal government stop interfering with a wide million in funding for the University of range of health, education, environmental, and personal aspects of their lives and the country’s welfare. Attendees
Princeton’s Plans for Semiquincentennial Include Collaborations and Partnerships
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share what brought them to the rally in this week’s Town Talk on page 6.
(Photo by Thomas Hedges)
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