A full day of dedications featured five ceremonies with ribbon-cuttings
including this one for the rugby facilities that are part of a reimagined Haaga House
overlooking Rickerson Field. John Mack
the University’s Ford Family Director of Athletics
said the new Meadows Neighborhood athletics facilities “will continue to inspire future generations of Princeton students as they strive to achieve
Members of the Princeton University community gathered at the University’s new Meadows Neighborhood on April 25 to celebrate the dedication of athletics facilities made possible by a series of gifts to the Venture Forward campaign
The new state-of-the-art facilities support the University’s commitment to athletics and recreation.
The full day of dedications featured five ceremonies with ribbon-cuttings
“chalk talks” with six Princeton head coaches
afternoon gatherings with related Athletic Friends Groups and a closing reception
we had the chance to innovate by incorporating elements that support achievement holistically
nutrition and community-building,” President Christopher L
training and competition spaces will greatly enhance the experience of our student-athletes
The centerpiece of the new athletics hub is the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse
a 180,000 square-foot complex that includes athletic performance and sports medicine facilities
and the new Wilkinson Fitness Center that is open to the entire University community
the fieldhouse has been home to Princeton’s varsity squash
softball and women’s rugby teams as well as a base for numerous club teams and intramural sports.
“These facilities stand as a testament to Princeton’s investment in the student-athlete and student experience,” said John Mack ’00
“They will continue to inspire future generations of Princeton students as they strive to achieve
and we thank everyone who had a hand in making this possible
The morning began with the dedication of the Si Qin Family Indoor Tennis Center
Located within the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse
It is located alongside the nine outdoor courts that make up the Cordish Family Outdoor Tennis Center on the east side of the building
“This new tennis facility is more than a place for our players to practice and compete,” said Katie Callow-Wright
executive vice president of Princeton University
Here they learn lessons of teamwork and leadership that will carry them well into their careers and lives after Princeton
we are deeply grateful for your commitment to the Tennis program
we have observed the entire process of this project
from the start of construction to its completion and dedication,” Si Qin’s wife
which is the pride and dream of our family.”
The second ribbon-cutting of the day celebrated the Wilkinson Fitness Center
the fitness center adds more than 9,000 square feet of workout space
a fitness studio and a locker room to Princeton’s recreation footprint and is open to all students and members of the University community.
“This impressive space helps advance the University’s commitment to well-being as our student population grows and as our campus evolves,” Callow-Wright said
our championship-winning varsity teams train under the same roof as fellow students pursuing their personal fitness goals.”
because we are three generations of Princetonians,” said Wilkinson
who was joined at the dedication by her husband and daughter
[Robert Wilkinson] was Class of 1961 and a very poor kid from South Jersey who came here on a Navy scholarship — and I believe we are the only father-daughter ROTC grads in the history of Princeton
In the first series of “chalk talks” after the Wilkinson Fitness Center dedications
softball head coach Lisa Van Ackeren spoke about the vision driving her championship program
while women’s rugby head coach Josie Ziluca described what went into transitioning the club program to varsity
"Chalk talks” throughout the day featured six Princeton head coaches
Shown here (from left) are softball head coach Lisa Van Ackeren
women’s rugby head coach Josie Ziluca and Brendan Van Ackeran
The festivities shifted outdoors for the third ribbon-cutting
dedicating the new Cynthia Lynn Paul ’94 Field
Paul threw out the first pitch on opening day and went on to watch the Tigers earn their first doubleheader shutout sweep of Harvard since 1996
The softball field features synthetic turf
lights for night games and a new scoreboard.
“As a member of the softball team that won the 1991 Ivy League Championship
Cynthia helped establish Princeton’s winning tradition in the sport,” Callow-Wright said
with her gift to name Cynthia Lynn Paul ’94 Field
the first Princeton athletics venue named for and by a female alum
Cynthia will help Princeton continue this legacy for many years.”
I am grateful to the softball program for my friends and experiences
for the lessons I learned on and off the field
and I’m honored to be a small part of giving current and future student-athletes this opportunity as part of their Princeton education
Below Cynthia Paul ’94 Field and other Meadows field spaces are stormwater management systems and 500 geo-exchange bores that advance the University’s sustainability goal of carbon neutrality by 2046
The geo-exchange bores are part of a thermal-energy network
connected by the central utility building (CUB)
a single-story structure near the parking garage that uses stored water to heat and cool the entire Meadows Neighborhood.
University Architect Ron McCoy *80 detailed the evolution of the athletic facilities and reflected on the historical significance of campus recreation in fostering a shared identity
President Eisgruber highlighted Princeton’s 551 Ivy League championships and 228 national titles to emphasize Princeton’s long-standing athletic traditions.
“We are excited about the role that athletics gets to play as the University has expanded its footprint across Lake Carnegie into the Meadows Neighborhood,” Mack said at the luncheon
“And we are appreciative of the generous alumni who helped launch this next phase of Princeton athletics and campus recreation
It makes me proud to be in a place that continues to devote resources and intentionality to the overall experience of this campus community.”
nutrition and community-building,” said President Christopher L
shown here listening to fellow speakers at the dedication luncheon
whose gift named the Wilkinson Fitness Center
attendees ventured to the new Haaga House for the fourth ribbon-cutting of the day
Haaga House has been reimagined in its new Meadows Neighborhood location overlooking a new Rickerson Field
Named for a previous gift from Heather and Paul Haaga ’70
public restrooms and a portico for public viewing
Along with the new Haaga House and Rickerson Field
the new dedications included the Christopher and Angie Long Family Gallery
the Pirelli Porch and the Women’s Rugby Team Room named in honor of the 1995 and 1996 national champion teams
“Princeton rugby is a place where so many students have come to campus as individuals and they have found a home.” Mack said
they have found a place that adds so much meaning to their lives as students here
and it is worth celebrating that impact and knowing that we have people in our rugby alumni community who are committed to ensuring that future generations of Princeton student-athletes and Princeton rugby players have that same life changing opportunity
We’re so grateful to everyone who made these beautiful facilities possible.”
In the second series of concurrent “chalk talks,” the women’s tennis head coach Elizabeth Johnson
women’s squash head coach Gail Ramsay and Sean Wilkinson
discussed the profound impact the new facility is having on their programs
especially in how the teams are able to practice and compete
The day’s final ribbon-cutting celebrated the squash facilities within the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse where guests helped dedicate 14 new squash courts
Along with two glass-walled exhibition spaces with stadium seating
known as the “Coaches’ Courts,” the new dedications include the Class of 1977
1978 and 1979 Men’s National Championship Court; the 1998 and 1999 Women’s National Championship Court; the 1981 and 1982 Men’s National Championship Court; and the Feeley Family Court named in honor of Caroline Feeley ’14 and Kate Feeley ’19
spectators can view multiple matches at once by taking advantage of the upper-level walkway that spans the length of the squash complex or watch from the ground-level gallery in front of each court.
“I’m so happy that our squash programs now have a home that is befitting the long legacy and tradition of success of our squash programs,” Mack said
“We are so grateful to everyone who’s made this beautiful facility possible
a facility that I’m proud to say is among — if not the best — squash facilities in the country
When you see opposing teams and coaches come in
they are awestruck with the home of Princeton squash.”
Princeton’s men’s squash coach for 32 years
“[Coach Bob] wanted his team and players to win
Some would say that Bob was as interested in a player’s personal development as he was in a player’s athletic development
Good sportsmanship was his hallmark.” The Callahans’ five sons stood beside her as she spoke
A series of gatherings of Athletics Friends Groups for softball
tennis and squash took the celebration through midafternoon
The day-long celebration culminated in a reception in the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse for all attendees
staff and some members of the campus community.
For a complete listing of all the new named spaces and facilities at the Meadows Neighborhood, visit the Athletics website
The Wilkinson Fitness Center is part of the new 180,000-square-foot Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse complex, which also includes athletic performance and sports medicine facilities, a student-athlete lounge, team locker rooms and coaches’ offices.
The Cordish Family Outdoor Tennis Center is located alongside the new Si Qin Family Indoor Tennis Center, which houses nine indoor courts.
The Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse houses 14 new squash courts, among other facilities for varsity tennis, softball and women’s rugby teams, club teams and intramural sports.
The new Cynthia Lynn Paul ’94 Field in the Meadows Neighborhood. Paul was a member of the softball team that won the 1991 Ivy League Championship and whose gift named the first Princeton athletics venue for and by an alumna.
The new Haaga House, home to Princeton’s rugby teams.
Women's Cross Country Set to Host Fall Classic October 17
The NCAA cross country circuit featured a stop at home this weekend
with teams from across the country lining up at the Meadows for the Princeton Fall Classic
Despite an action packed racing weekend all around the nation
including the Arturo Barrios Invitational in Texas and the illustrious Wisconsin Pre-Nationals meet
the Princeton Fall Classic attracted plenty of top talent
with a total of 11 ranked teams in attendance for the men’s 8k and women’s 6k races
The Princeton men and women each faced fields of 22 teams
and the men found themselves on the podium
The Meadows course will also play host to the Ivy League Cross Country Championships in two weeks time
and both squads are anticipating strong showings
17 men traded the top spot back and forth with No
but the Wildcats would ultimately prevail with a winning total of 70 points
26 Georgetown also surged ahead of the Tigers
Princeton rounded out the podium positions
This finish order among the ‘big three’ Mid-Atlantic teams painted a much different picture of the region than did September’s Nuttycombe Invitational
Princeton was the top Mid-Atlantic team at Nuttycombe and has been ranked No
1 in the region every week since the release of the first coaches poll
Princeton’s top finisher at both of these meets
wrote to The Daily Princetonian that the Tigers were “not particularly elated with the team scores” this time around
If the Tigers wish to automatically qualify to the NCAA Championships in late November
they will need to place either first or second at the regional championship meet
which will likely mean beating one or both of the Wildcats and the Hoyas
although both teams were running short handed
Despite missing their biggest star Parker Wolfe
the UNC men still secured the individual crown
thanks to a blazing 22:34.4 from Ethan Strand
Finishing times were incredibly fast across the board
which earned him 8th place out of 237 finishers
and junior Jackson Shorten also raced their way to top-20 placements
Junior Connor McCormick was the team’s fifth scorer on the day
crossing the line in 23:36.7 for 31st place
Although several of these marks are high atop the all-time Princeton leaderboard for 8k
times are not the concern of this Tigers team
“Definitely less concerned with individual results or times run,” Hogan told the ‘Prince.’ “These things are arbitrary and pale in comparison to team scoring
We’re more focused on lining up a solid scoring squad at Heps and on into the postseason.”
The next race for the men is the Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships
which will follow the exact same course the Tigers acquainted themselves with at the Fall Classic
Princeton is seeking a fourth consecutive men’s team Ivy title
20 Harvard and the Crimson’s defending national champion Graham Blanks
“The depth of our squad is special and I really believe we can pack up and do big things at the coming meets,” Hogan said optimistically
Coming off of a top three finish of their own at the Paul Short Invitational two weeks ago
the women’s team had another good outing at the Princeton Fall Classic
The Tigers 202 points secured them a top ten finish
first among the six Ivy League programs in attendance
9 Georgetown to secure the overall team title in a close contest against No
Sophomore Anna McNatt led the way for the Tigers
following up her 12th place finish at Paul Short with another strong clocking
freshmen Emma De Jong and Meg Madison and sophomore Olivia Martin would come home in 49th
and 56th to finish out Princeton’s scoring five
dropped out a little past the halfway point
This crucial loss did not prevent the Tigers from having a good day
Coach Hunt designated the performance “a strong showing as a team” in a message to the ‘Prince’
describing the team’s race as “really solid overall.”
The team adopted a reserved strategy in the opening kilometer
While this was the Tigers’ first time racing a full 6k on the Meadows course
it has been the site of many workouts this season
allowing the runners to have a good idea of its profile and informing their conservative early approach
“We know from working out on the course that it starts on a downhill but finishes with 1200m uphill
so going out too hard could really hurt you,” McNatt told the ‘Prince.’ “There’s a careful balance of taking a risk and ‘putting yourself in the mix’ up front while still being smart and not getting yourself into trouble for later in the race.”
Knowing the course could be a source of advantage at Heps
and Columbia at the Fall Classic and bested Yale at Paul Short
This leaves only Harvard unbeaten by the Tigers on the season
and these two squads are likely to be the two top competitors at the Ivy League Championships
Heps will essentially be a dual meet between us and Harvard
and Harvard will have never raced on our course before
so that will give us a leg up for sure,” McNatt said
“We've approached every race and every practice this season with the belief that we can be Ivy League champions
Luke Stockless is a Sports contributor for the ‘Prince.’
Please send any corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com
photo by Stephanie Crousillat (RIGHT) Kate Tarker
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton University's High Meadows Environmental Institute and Lewis Center for the Arts and The Civilians
announce the 2024-25 artists of their collaborative initiative
The Next Forever is a partnership that seeks to create new stories for a changing planet
exploring how dynamic storytelling can engage vital environmental subjects and provide the vision and inspiration society needs to navigate the challenges of our planet’s future — the “next forever.”
The two artists will spend time on the Princeton University campus as guest artists
engage with faculty and students across disciplines
and participate in an ongoing series of public events and performances over the course of a year-long residency and two-year commissioning agreement
They join last year’s inaugural artists Kareem Fahmy and AriDy Nox
who are continuing to develop the works they began during their residencies last year
The Next Forever initiative asks: “What stories can we tell to find our way out of the planetary crisis we’re in?” relating to climate change
The initiative provides forward-thinking artists unparalleled access to a cross-disciplinary range of knowledge and ideas—of scientists
The program supports artists as they pursue rigorous inquiry into their subject matter alongside some of Princeton’s greatest thinkers
The Next Forever also funds a series of commissions of theatrical work that offer new visions for how humanity relates to the world around it
nominated for an Outer Critics Circle Award; Tulipa through New York Stage and Film; and hag with co-writer Grace McLean through The New Group
She has been awarded residencies at SPACE on Ryder Farm
She is an alumnus of the Dramatists Guild Fellows Program
Her performance credits include Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More
where she also held the title of associate artist; Liz Phair's 30th Anniversary Tour of her seminal album Exile in Guyville; Fernando Rubio’s Everything by my side; Third Rail’s The Grand Paradise; and Kansas City Choir Boy
Her upcoming projects include Centuries starring opposite her co-writers Matthew Dean Marsh and Raina Sokolov-Gonzalez at Ancram Center for the Arts
She holds a certificate in sustainable garden design from New York Botanical Garden
Douglas is conducting further research and developing her new work
a full-length play that puts the cosmic and the terrestrial in the context of mass extinction events (present and past) through the lens of astrobiology
an astronaut and a robot are rehearsing a mission to Mars in the Utah desert that is interrupted by the discovery of fossils
When a paleontologist arrives to assess their significance
it sparks a conflict around the question of habitability and sustainability on Earth and Mars: in this age of mass extinction
Tarker is an American playwright who grew up bilingually in Germany
Her plays include Montag and THUNDERBODIES performed at Soho Rep
Dionysus Was Such a Nice Man at The Wilma Theater and FoolsFURY Theater
and Laura and the Sea at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble
Tarker is conducting further research and developing her new play
and two possible climate futures for Providence
two very different women imagine their way into each other’s lives and accidentally open Pandora’s box along the way
“The Lewis Center is excited to collaborate with the High Meadows Environmental Institute
and our new cohort of The Next Forever partners in creating new visions of – and for – our collective futures,” said Judith Hamera
“These artists bring remarkable projects that explore the realities of resource extraction
equipping our imaginations to confront the existential urgencies and realities of climate change
The Next Forever exemplifies the ways interdisciplinary connections between artists and environmental scientists can sharpen our thinking about
and challenge complacency and pessimism around
one of the central challenges of our time.”
“We are delighted to welcome Kate Douglas and Kate Tarker as this year’s guest artists,” said Gabriel Vecchi
director of the High Meadows Environmental Institute
we embrace the humanities as essential to a comprehensive exploration of environmental topics
our Next Forever guests are engaging with climate scientists
and political scientists—to inform their works
And we scientists in turn have the novel opportunity to contribute to the development of works in the performing arts that may inform societal perceptions of our future—literally our Next Forever.”
Douglas and Tarker started their residencies this fall
have continued development of their plays begun last year based on their ongoing research
a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent
which tells the story of how a new Nile River dam has brought Egypt and Ethiopia to a geopolitical breaking point
Examining how humanity’s relentless harnessing of natural resources to improve our lives has become a double-edged sword in times of climate catastrophe
the play asks: What happens when one country’s progress leads to another country’s decline
an interactive reverse-ancestral play that centers a group of young descendants who bootleg the latest in virtual-reality technology to perform a jerry-rigged seance of their respective ancestors
all in the hopes of asking one burning question: Why are ya’ll making Earth so damn unlivable
Fahmy spent a total of three weeks over several visits to campus during the 2023-24 academic year speaking with faculty from a range of disciplines including hydrologists
to gather research for his play-in-progress
Each discussion led to referrals from others around the world whose work intersected with his story
The fellowship also allowed him to visit Egypt and enlist a research assistant; he hopes to next visit Ethiopia
Nox also spent considerable time on campus gathering information that informs their new work
students in areas such as climate change and alternative energy sources
These conversations have also led to further meetings with global experts
Fahmy and Nox will discuss their works-in-progress on campus
and gather feedback from the University community
particularly those that helped inform the research thus far
A goal of the event is to assist the playwrights in the developmental process of their new works
as well as to demonstrate the value of artists working in collaboration with scientists and vice versa
one of the first American musicals to address climate change
The musical went on to receive support from the National Science Foundation and premiered in New York City at The Public Theatre in 2012
The Next Forever builds on the partnership between The Civilians and Princeton that began with the development of The Great Immensity
Cosson is co-teaching an undergraduate course at Princeton in the spring
Cross-listed between the Program in Theater and Music Theater and the Program in Environmental Studies
“Investigative Theater for a Changing Climate” is taught by Cosson and theater director and arts-based researcher Khristián Méndez Aguirre
which is open to undergraduates from all disciplines
explores how dramatic storytelling shapes responses to environmental issues
blending documentary-based theater and eco-dramaturgical approaches to create narratives that stage environmental injustice
Tarker and Douglas will be guest speakers in the course
High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) – the interdisciplinary center of environmental research
and outreach at Princeton University – advances understanding of the Earth as a complex system influenced by human activities and informs solutions to local and global challenges by conducting groundbreaking research across disciplines and preparing future leaders in diverse fields to impact a world increasingly shaped by climate change
are affiliated with HMEI and contribute to the Institute’s environmental research and teaching activities
The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University believes that art arises out of questions
Its classes and minors in creative writing
and in the interdisciplinary Princeton Atelier
operate on the principle that rigorous artistic practice is a form of research
rigorous artistic practice is a way of interrogating that which is accepted or understood in an attempt to break into the territory of the unknown or under-explored
Founded in 2001, The Civilians is dedicated to ambitious and exuberant new theater that creatively interrogates our lived experience; questions and tests the stories that shape our world; and awakens new thinking and perceptions
Its signature work is “investigative theater”— projects created through field research
Shows originated with The Civilians include Anne Washburn’s Mr
cited by The New York Times as the “4th Best Play of the Past 25 Years,” and Lucas Hnath’s Dana H.
recently on Broadway and included in Top 10 of 2021 lists by The New York Times and Time magazine
Other shows include José Rivera’s Another Word for Beauty
and many works with composer Michael Friedman: Gone Missing; Pretty Filthy; Paris Commune; and more
The Civilians has participated in several BAM Next Wave Festivals
has been produced at many major regional and off-Broadway theaters
and was the first theater company to be Artist-in-Residence at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Michael Friedman Recording Project is creating nine albums of our founding member’s works
The company supports emerging and established artists each year through its new work programs which include the R&D Group new works lab
The Civilians produces a podcast on SoundCloud; publishes Extended Play
an online journal about its work and the broader theater field; and sustains an active Education Program
The Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse is the centerpiece of the new athletic hub.
A series of gifts to the Venture Forward campaign has supported Princeton University in establishing new athletic facilities in the Meadows Neighborhood on the West Windsor side of Lake Carnegie
extending the map of the Princeton campus and promoting a culture of health and wellness for the entire University community
Several of Princeton’s varsity teams will enjoy new competition venues and amenities — including athletic performance and sports medicine facilities
team locker rooms and coaches’ offices — and all students and members of the University community have access to the new Wilkinson Fitness Center and other fitness spaces
“These state-of-the art athletics facilities help establish the Meadows Neighborhood as a distinctive Princeton space that complements our historic campus,” said President Christopher L
“They demonstrate the University’s commitment to our student-athletes’ pursuit of excellence as well as to the health and well-being of all our students
We are deeply grateful to the alumni and friends whose vision made this transformative expansion possible.”
The Meadows Neighborhood is a dynamic, mixed-use development that also includes graduate student housing and a 600-car parking garage
The Department of Athletics is playing a leading role in the evolution of this campus space on Washington Road
with facilities that will be the new homes of Princeton’s varsity squash
softball and women’s rugby teams as well as the primary home for numerous club teams and intramural sports
The redesigned Meadows Campus Cross Country Course hosted the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Cross-Country Championships in November 2024
“These new facilities stand as a testament to Princeton’s investment in the student-athlete experience
and we are excited that Athletics is playing a central part in the University’s future as it expands its footprint,” said John Mack
“We are appreciative of the generous alumni who have helped launch this next phase of Princeton Athletics
in which these championship-caliber facilities further inspire our student-athletes to achieve
The centerpiece of the new athletic hub is the Racquet and Recreation Fieldhouse
a 180,000 square-foot base for Princeton’s rugby
The facility is designed so student-athletes can optimize their hours to fully develop their abilities while providing the support required for individual and team success
and sports medicine space all under one roof
student-athletes will be greeted by a communal fueling station with nutritious options
just steps from locker rooms and coaches’ offices
The Princeton tennis teams practice and compete on nine indoor courts that are part of the Si Qin Family Indoor Tennis Center
within the fieldhouse and nine outdoor courts that make up the Cordish Family Outdoor Tennis Center on the east side of the building. (The Cordish Family Outdoor Tennis Center is named in recognition of a previous gift that established the Cordish Family Pavilion
the home of Princeton tennis between 2011 and 2019.) There is enough seating for the indoor and outdoor courts to accommodate a total of 1,000 spectators
and several viewing decks and terraces have been named to honor alumni and friends who supported the construction of the new tennis facility
the Princeton squash teams compete on 14 new courts
including two glass-walled exhibition courts with stadium seating
Spectators can view multiple matches at once by taking advantage of the upper-level walkway that spans the length of the squash complex
A ground-level gallery provides easy access to seating in front of each court and is an ideal space for squash program gatherings
The pair of glass exhibition courts are “Coaches’ Courts” and the first is named Bob Callahan ’77 Court
a tribute to the legendary player and coach who guided the Princeton men’s team to three national titles during his 32 years leading the program
Other courts and several adjoining spaces have been named to recognize supporters of the new squash facilities
The entire University community is welcome at the fieldhouse to use the Wilkinson Fitness Center
had an ROTC scholarship and was a four-year member of Expressions Dance Company — and her husband
An extension of Princeton Campus Recreation’s programs
the center has more than 13,000 square feet of workout space
fitness studio and locker room that can accommodate more than 250 visitors at once
which became the field-side home to Princeton’s rugby teams in 2013
has been reimagined in its new location farther from Washington Road
named for a previous gift from Heather and Paul Haaga ’70
In the center of Haaga House is a centralized gathering space featuring display cases and access to a separate upper-level porch area
Haaga House also has several spaces named to honor significant supporters of the program
Haaga House overlooks a new Rickerson Field
named in recognition of a prior gift that established rugby’s previous home pitch
The Princeton softball team hosted Harvard on March 22 in its first game at the new Cynthia Lynn Paul ’94 Field. Paul, a member of the 1991 Ivy League champion softball team, and her husband, Scott Levy, made a gift to the Venture Forward campaign in 2020 to help build the team’s new stadium
the first Princeton athletic field to be named by an alumna
lights for night games and a new scoreboard
Below the softball field and other Meadows field spaces are stormwater management systems and 500 geo-exchange bores that advance the University's sustainability goal of carbon neutrality by 2046
a single-story structure near the parking garage that uses stored water to heat and cool the entire Meadows Neighborhood
The new athletics and recreational facilities at the Meadows Neighborhood will be formally dedicated during an event on April 25. For a complete listing of all the new named spaces and facilities at the Meadows Neighborhood, visit the Athletics website.
I visited on a bright and sunny Tuesday afternoon
From my class in Aaron Burr Hall all the way at the other end of Washington Street
it was about a 20-minute walk down to the water and another 10-minute walk across the bridge and into the building complex
If someone wanted to talk a little less during the trek and timed it right
as would a bike — although the bike ride home would be all uphill
Without much signage or architectural distinction
modern interior and a display case of sample sandwiches and pastries
Although the online menu only displayed a few items
there was actually a wide array of options
Not only was there a stand of chips and other savory snacks
but there was also a freezer with Häagen-Dazs ice cream and an assortment of frozen meals
or espresso you would see at any other coffee shop
all sourced from illy Coffee At Earth’s End
a coffee and cigar shop on Spring Street and a block off of Nassau Street
they offer four specialty drinks: peaches and cream tempesta (a milky coffee drink with peach syrup)
I decided to try an iced version of the almond rose latte
The drink contains espresso mixed with milk and pumps of rose and almond syrup
The rose flavor balanced out the notes of almond very well
bitter espresso came through in the aftertaste
Its complex flavor profile made it unlike other lattes I’ve had before
the options were just as extensive as the drinks
as well as desserts like fruit tart and cookies
and salads — all of which are about $10 or less
which wasn’t as big as the mega-muffins you can find in the Choi Dining Hall
I felt as though I was having the most decadent afternoon snack on campus
The cafe has many seats both inside and outside
floor-to-ceiling windows create a feeling of openness
It’s located directly across from a Meadows Apartments community center
I saw people of all ages sitting in groups of two or three
chatting over coffees or tirelessly typing side-by-side
like the Tiger Tea Room in Firestone Library or the Chancellor Green Cafe in East Pyne Hall
Meadows Cafe seemed to have a wider variety of high-quality foods that feel unique to this location
Although not necessarily better than somewhere you could go on Nassau Street
if you find yourself down near Carnegie Lake or willing to walk a bit further
try going to Princeton University’s newest coffee shop
Lulu Pettit is a member of the Class of 2027 and a staff writer for The Prospect from the suburbs of Philadelphia
Kushner Real Estate Group and Goldman Sachs Asset Management have sold a 440-unit garden apartment complex in Plainsboro
comes six years after the joint venture purchased the collection of studio
one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes for $73.3 million
Brokers with JLL represented the sellers in the transaction
touting recent updates and a location that is minutes from downtown Princeton
“The Addison provided investors with the opportunity to acquire a quality multi-housing asset in a strong institutionally owned submarket with significant rental upside,” said JLL Senior Managing Director Jose Cruz
who worked alongside senior managing directors Steve Simonelli and Michael Oliver and Director Elizabeth DeVesty to complete the deal
Ohad Babo and Michael Weiser advised the buyer
the brokerage team said Addison at Princeton Meadows consists of two-story buildings developed in 1979
while the property has amenities such as an outdoor swimming pool with a fire pit
the community is fully approved for the construction of a modern
which will house a new fitness center and lounge for residents
It’s also adjacent to an 18-hole golf course
while providing quick access to Princeton’s shops
restaurants and top-tier schools and to the Route 1 commercial corridor
“We were fortunate to partner with Goldman Sachs on the Addison as they were consummate professionals through acquisition
asset management and disposition,” said Jonathan Kushner
JLL did an incredible job in helping us successfully sell the asset in a very difficult capital markets environment.”
added: “The asset was widely marketed for some time due to the difficult capital markets environment
GFI Realty came in and successfully identified a buyer and brought the deal to a close despite the roller coaster interest rate environment.”
KRE, Goldman acquire 439-unit Plainsboro community for $73.3 million
has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years
Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state
a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ
He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State
Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group
All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland
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Planning to attend the 2024 Ivy League Heptagonal Cross Country Championships
This is your official source for everything you need to know before you go
\nParking will be located in the Meadows Drive Garage
If parking is full at the Meadows Drive Garage
overflow parking is located at the Theatre Drive Garage and there will be a continuous shuttle providing pick-ups and drop-offs to the Meadow Cross Country Course from Princeton Station (next to Wawa)
near the Theatre Drive Garage.\n\nPersonal tents are not permitted at the event
An investment group has sold a 704-unit garden apartment complex in Plainsboro for $145 million
marking the latest high-profile trade of a large multifamily asset in the township
Harbor Group International LLC on Thursday announced the sale of The Crest at Princeton Meadows
a complex of 37 three-story buildings along Ravens Crest Drive
An undisclosed buyer acquired the property
which was built in 1985 but was recently updated
“Located in a prominent submarket with a high barrier to entry
The Crest generated significant value for our investors,” said Richard Litton
“We will continue our strategic approach to developing specific business plans for our properties and maximize our assets to achieve high returns on our investment goals.”
a private investment management firm based in Norfolk
The company went on to invest $6.2 million in order to maintain interior renovations and enhancements at the complex
The property benefits from its proximity to Princeton and the region’s affluent
Other garden apartment sales in the township have exceeded $100 million in recent years
including the $146 million trade of Quail Ridge apartments in 2017 and last year’s $150 million sale of Hunters Glen
which connects the newly-opened Meadows Campus to the main campus
Per an announcement sent via email to Princeton undergraduates
the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) has advised that the bridge “over the D&R Canal between Faculty Road and Route 1” will be closed while contractors complete the “remedial work.”
The announcement explains that detour routes
Residents of the Meadows Neighborhood will still be able to access the area via TigerTransit
although the routes will be modified.
Some Meadows’ residents expressed that they would choose to walk instead of using TigerTransit during the closure
Daniel Petito GS wrote in a statement to The Daily Princetonian that “it’s easier for me to just walk [to work] than to wait for the bus and have to take the detour loop.” He explained that a detour via Route 1 could “double or triple the amount of time that it takes [him] to get to work.”
Two bus routes currently cross the Washington Road bridge on weekdays: route 3
which travels between Merwick Stanworth Apartments and the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory; and route 4
which goes between the Meadows Drive Garage and Princeton Station
Julia Balch GS is a resident of the Meadows Neighborhood and typically walks or cycles across the Washington Road bridge more than twice per day
While she herself does not typically use TigerTransit, Balch expressed that “it will create quite a disruption,” specifically for people who take the bus. At the time of publication, the modified routes for TigerTransit buses have not been announced by Transportation and Parking Services
The closure announcement reads that the sidewalk on the north side of the bridge will remain open for pedestrians and bicycles
despite detours being in place for motor vehicles.
located between the D&R canal and Lake Carnegie and typically used recreationally for walking
there will be phases of intermittent closure throughout the work proceedings
Information regarding construction updates and real-time travel information will be available on the NJDOT’s website
Victoria Davies is an assistant News editor for the ‘Prince’ who covers University operations
PEI has catalyzed multidisciplinary environmental research at Princeton while educating new generations of global citizens and leaders,” said President Christopher L
“With our planet increasingly threatened by intersecting environmental crises
Judy and Carl Ferenbach’s passion and vision for protecting the environment are more important than ever
Carl and Judy have helped to guide PEI from its inception
and their support has enabled the University to become an innovative leader in the effort to understand and protect our natural world
As the Institute enters a new chapter in its history
it is with deep gratitude that we recognize the Ferenbachs’ many contributions by naming the High Meadows Environmental Institute in their honor.”
Ferenbach (center) and Lynne Ball (on his right)
visit with 2018 High Meadows fellows on the Princeton campus
The Princeton Environmental Institute was founded in 1994 on the principle of providing a central resource for spearheading environmental research at Princeton and fostering multidisciplinary collaborations
Faculty and researchers from across the University focus on society’s most pressing environmental issues
the Institute serves the University and the community as a vibrant central resource for environmental education
multidisciplinary research centers and initiatives
and public events addressing a range of environmental topics
More than 120 members of the faculty representing 30 academic disciplines are active in HMEI’s research and teaching programs
Carl and Judy Ferenbach met with alumni of the High Meadows Fellowship during his class’s 50th reunion in 2014
In 2019, PEI celebrated its 25th anniversary by organizing the Princeton Environmental Forum
which featured University faculty and alumni environmental leaders — including Ferenbach — addressing urgent environmental issues for the 21st century
“It is our hope that this gift inspires generations of students to engage in environmental stewardship because we’ve reached a moment where it will play a crucial role in every social
economic and political issue,” Ferenbach said
“Scientific research only becomes a reality if our understanding can be formulated into sound policy
and that policy only becomes effective if it actually can be implemented into our society
The Institute brings together experts from many academic disciplines
making it uniquely positioned to lead in this effort.”
Ferenbach participated in the Princeton Environmental Forum
which marked the 25th anniversary of the Princeton Environmental Institute
now the High Meadows Environmental Institute
The High Meadows Foundation’s support will strengthen Princeton’s global leadership in teaching and research about the environment
particularly in the areas of climate change
The University’s efforts are built upon world-leading programs in the environmental sciences
its unique interdisciplinary culture that provides the academic flexibility to understand interconnected issues
and its commitment to service and outward engagement
“Today’s environmental challenges require solutions that transcend boundaries
from disciplinary boundaries to geopolitical ones
These solutions will require new and innovative approaches to research
so that the impacts of human activities on our natural environment can be managed effectively and sustainably,” said HMEI Director Michael Celia
Princeton’s Theodora Shelton Pitney Professor of Environmental Studies and professor of civil and environmental engineering
“Carl Ferenbach has for many years not only had a deep understanding of the depth and breadth of the critical issues our global ecosystems face
but he also has been active and enthusiastic in working toward meaningful solutions,” Celia added
“High Meadows’ support will allow HMEI to build upon our core strength of fostering innovative collaborative research and establish new research initiatives and partnerships
as well as expand our teaching initiatives to educate the growing number of students from all communities and disciplines who understand that the future of our planet and all its species — including ours — relies on them.”
Ferenbach explains the urgency behind his historic gift to Princeton’s environmental research
The Ferenbachs established the High Meadows Foundation in 2007 to amplify the local environmental efforts they had begun in Vermont
where they have maintained a farm residence over the past several decades
The foundation and its affiliates partner with organizations and businesses to develop innovative environmental science and policy
invest in solutions that promote environmental sustainability
and support a community of creative problem solvers through collaboration
Through High Meadows, Ferenbach has made significant gifts to several of Princeton’s environmental endeavors over the past 25 years, including: the High Meadows Fellows Program in the John H. Pace, Jr. ’39 Center for Civic Engagement; the High Meadows Foundation Sustainability Fund; the Grand Challenges program
an integrated research and teaching program administered by HMEI that promotes faculty research and student involvement to address urgent and complex global environmental issues; the High Meadows Preceptorship Fund
currently supporting five HMEI faculty; the School of Engineering and Applied Science’s Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment (ACEE); and the Science
and Environmental Policy (STEP) Program at the School of Public and International Affairs
Ferenbach co-founded Berkshire Partners LLC
a private equity investment partnership based in Boston
and served as a managing director until 2011
He now dedicates his time and energy to the foundation
the High Meadows Investment Group and his Vermont farm — all of which are dedicated to addressing the complex environmental and societal challenges of the 21st century
He served two terms as a trustee of Princeton University
Ferenbach also serves as chairman of the Environmental Defense Fund
and on the boards of the Wilderness Society and Climate Central
a Princeton-based group of scientists and journalists who convey environmental research to policymakers and the public
Princeton’s environmental research extends across the University
the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment
the Center for Policy Research on Energy and the Environment (C-PREE) at the School of Public and International Affairs
the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Princeton also maintains strategic partnerships
including the Cooperative Institute for Modeling the Earth System with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
located on Princeton’s Forrestal Campus; the Mpala Research Centre in Kenya; the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute in Panama; and other institutions that provide research opportunities for both faculty and students
“We’ve got to do everything we can for the environment
and we’ve got to do it with a real sense of urgency,” Ferenbach said
“We have the ability as humans to turn the tide
PLAINSBORO – Suez Water announced it’s making $56 million in upgrades to its Princeton Meadows treatment plant
Construction at the company’s wastewater facility at 31 Maple Ave
“The Princeton Meadows wastewater facility was constructed in 1971
upgraded in 1978 and again in 2003,” Jim Mastrokalos
“This next mandatory enhancement will result in a more sustainable plant by rehabilitating and modernizing aging infrastructure and equipment that has reached the end of its service life."
Suez said the project upgrades are necessary to meet the future New Jersey Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit limitations
which become effective in January 2025 and sustain increased plant flow projections from 1.64 million gallons to 1.70 million gallons per day
Weather: Is New Jersey due for a bad winter? We compared major forecasters' predictions
“We are grateful for the township’s support for this important project
The upgrades will enable us to meet the new
required wastewater treatment standards for the community and its residents,” Mastrokalos said.
During the reconstruction of the new facilities
maintain operations and will conform to the NJPDES permit limits until the commissioning of the new wastewater treatment facility
The proposed architecture includes brick buildings with standing seam mansard roofs with neutral earth-tone colors to mitigate visual impacts of the improvements along with sight lighting that will soften effects to the neighboring residential areas
The wastewater site is located in southwest Plainsboro
adjacent to the Cranbury Brook and Amtrak Northeast Corridor Line.
The new plant is expected to be in service in December 2024
with final completion of construction expected in mid-2025
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today
Scientists and research based at Princeton University played a critical role in a new national report that investigates the technology
policy and societal dimensions of accelerating decarbonization in the United States
On Feb. 2, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine published the interactive report, “Accelerating Decarbonization of the U.S. Energy System,” which provides a technical blueprint and policy manual for the first decade of a wholesale transformation of the American economy to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
Princeton scientists and research played a critical role in a new report from the National Academies of Sciences
and Medicine that investigates the technology
In a public briefing about the announcement
Pacala said that the National Academies’ report is unique for its focus on creating a “fair and equitable path to net-zero by 2050.”
“What distinguishes this report is its focus on societal factors,” said Pacala, who directs the Carbon Mitigation Initiative (CMI) based in Princeton's High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
“At least half of what we recommend are targeting the social dimensions of this challenge.”
The National Academies’ report puts — for the second time in two months — the work of Princeton researchers at the forefront of a re-energized national conversation about converting the American energy sector to net-zero emissions by midcentury
The report extensively quotes the Princeton study, “Net-Zero America: Potential Pathways, Infrastructure and Impacts,” a landmark report by faculty and researchers affiliated with HMEI and the Andlinger Center that provides a highly detailed and achievable blueprint for achieving a carbon-neutral economy in the United States by 2050
Net-Zero America has been a focus of CMI for nearly two years and is an ongoing project
the Net-Zero America study has been held up as a comprehensive guide for realizing President Joseph R
Biden’s commitment to eliminating the nation’s net-greenhouse gas emissions — meaning the country does not produce more carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases than can be removed from the atmosphere by nature or technology — in the next 30 years and preventing the worst effects of climate change.
“Princeton’s goal with Net-Zero America and the goal of the National Academies report are very similar,” Pacala said
“We wanted to provide the public with actionable information based on the latest science and social science.”
Net-Zero America was one of several studies reviewed by the expert committee when writing the National Academies report
but the Princeton study was the most comprehensive
“Preliminary findings from the Princeton Net-Zero America study were invaluable in shaping the committee’s view on what needs to be done to get the nation on track for net-zero by 2050
as well as in focusing the committee’s deliberations on how to get things done
including the suite of policy recommendations that is the National Academies report’s main contribution to the public discourse,” Jenkins said
The Net-Zero America study outlines five distinct pathways that could decarbonize the entire U.S
using existing technology and at costs aligned with historical spending on energy
The research is the first to describe at a high degree of granularity (at a state-by-state level or better) what needs to be built — and when and where — across key sectors
It also is the first to provide comprehensive models of the resulting costs
and impacts on air pollution and public health for each state
“You can think of the Net-Zero America study as the most technologically sophisticated blueprint on how a nation would build a clean-energy system,” Pacala said
If Net-Zero America is a technological blueprint
the National Academies’ report is its essential companion
a “technical and social blueprint with a policy manual,” he said
“The social dimensions are absolutely essential,” Pacala said
we have to maintain public support for a transition of the entire energy sector through three decades
and that means we’re really going to have to pay attention to people and ensure a fair distribution of both costs and benefits.”
the National Academies report provides policy recommendations and public entities such as the creation of a national “green bank” that would invest in infrastructure
and clean-energy-related manufacturing in communities and regions — such as the coalfields of Appalachia — that would be affected by the transition away from a carbon-based economy
The National Academies’ report reiterates the fact that converting the economy to clean and renewable energy is not only already technologically possible
but in fact much cheaper than “business as usual,” Pacala said
The technological and operational costs of wind and solar energy have plummeted in recent decades — largely due to proactive support from public policy — and operators would be relieved of the need to constantly procure fuel as they would for coal or natural gas
The interactive report from the National Academies of Sciences
and Medicine demonstrates that converting the American economy to clean and renewable energy by 2050 is not only already technologically possible
but in fact much cheaper than “business as usual.” This graph shows historical energy system costs as a percentage of the gross domestic product (left)
To the right are the ranges for projected energy-system costs under two different net-zero studies — Princeton’s Net-Zero America (purple) and the Evolved Energy Research (orange)
with the ranges set by each study’s highest- and lowest-cost scenarios — and four projections from the federal Energy Information Administration
The expert committee that produced the National Academies report concluded that the transition to net-zero requires spending less than what the United States has spent on energy in the past 30 years
“Once you’ve built the wind and solar infrastructure
you don’t have to pay for fossil fuel to create electricity
The fuel is in fact free,” Pacala said during the National Academies public briefing
“The transition to net-zero requires spending less than what we’ve spent on energy in the past 30 years.”
The National Academies’ report emphasizes that investing now in emerging energy technology is essential to carrying the net-zero transformation beyond 2030
If future costs skyrocket because the technology is prohibitively expensive
the transition to net-zero will become economically and socially disruptive
“We lay out that the other task for this decade is to take the range of technologies that we know we’ll need beyond 2030
and do the same thing we did for today’s technology — make them cheap and ready for rapid scale-up,” he said
Pacala addressed questions regarding the 30-year time frame for decarbonizing the American economy while the climate change is accelerating now
He said that 30 years is the benchmark scientists and policymakers have adopted
would not only create greater economic and social upheaval
but also require a prolonged and unfeasible mobilization of technology and workforce on the scale of World War II
the United States and the world need to concurrently focus on replenishing carbon sinks such as forests and wetlands
while also protecting — or preparing to evacuate — low-lying areas threatened by sea level rise
and we think this 30-year transition is the sweet spot that minimizes these harms across the board,” Pacala said
Pacala continued: “Carbon dioxide is extremely dangerous — it’s causing extreme weather now
Every bit we add is worse than the bit we added before
We put the poison in the atmosphere and now we have to make adaptions
We need to harden our infrastructure and change our patterns of coastal development
while we also work to eliminate our carbon emissions over the next 30 years.”
CMI will continue working on Net-Zero America and building on the momentum of the National Academies report by significantly developing the models and simulations needed to rollout a new energy infrastructure
he would like to expand the models so that they combine energy emissions with natural carbon sinks and the mitigation of non-carbon greenhouse gases such as methane
“We plan on breaking through the computational barriers and democratizing this kind of planning to make it possible for anyone to do a net-zero study,” he said
“There’s a bleeding-edge technical computer science problem that we need to crack now
his lab will focus on using the Net-Zero America study’s five pathways as benchmarks to evaluate the effectiveness of forthcoming federal policies at getting the United States on track to net-zero emissions
Following their sweep over the previously undefeated No. 16 Navy Midshipmen (11–2 overall), the No. 3 men’s squash team (2–0) extended their perfect start to the season with a 9–0 sweep over the No
7 Drexel Dragons (4–2) at their new home in the Meadows neighborhood on Saturday afternoon
“The locker room is full of energy and excitement,” senior Ahmed Hussein wrote to The Daily Princetonian. “Everyone is fired up and proud of how we came together as a team to deliver such a strong performance against Drexel.”
After narrowly falling to eventual champions Penn in last season’s national College Squash Association (CSA) Championship semifinals
the Tigers are looking to challenge for their first national title since 2012 this season
With seven out of the top nine players from last year’s run returning
Princeton has started the season in cruise control over their opponents as this year’s roster has settled in.
The Tigers’ dominance over Drexel is highlighted by five of their nine matches being 3–0 shutouts: second-ranked Hussein
From the 15 games within these five matches
only one game had a two-point gap in the scoreline
The highly anticipated first-ranked match between junior Avi Agarwal and Drexel’s Haris Qasim started off with intensity from both men as they traded points
Qasim and Agarwal could be seen running into each other at various times as either side debated the calls
The intense first game went into deuce twice after 10–10 and 11–11 scorelines
but Agarwal was more critical with his shots and defeated Qasim 13–11
The match ended in a retirement from Qasim in the second game.
The other unfinished match was the rank-fours between Princeton’s senior Thomas Rosini and Drexel’s Fritiof Jacobsson
before winning on a retirement from Jacobsson.
Only two matches went to more than three games that afternoon
The first was the 6th-ranked match between junior Alhassan Khalil and Drexel’s Dumitru Goian
but Khalil’s resilience proved to outlast Goian as he dominated the next two games 11–3 and 11–7 respectively for a 3–1 match win.
The closest match was the 8th-ranked rally between first-year Yuvraj Wadhwani and Drexel’s Sean Murphy
fought intensely in his first game but was narrowly defeated by Murphy 9–11
dominating Murphy in the next two games 11–6 and 11–4
With a combined score of 34–32 in four games
Wadhwani and Murphy entered the box for the fifth and final time
Wadhwani outlasted him 11–7 for a relieving 3–2 victory
maintaining the Tigers perfect record on the day
The new squash facility on Princeton’s Meadow Campus is a landmark investment for the program
The players expressed their excitement for their new home court they get to defend
It’s exciting to start building a strong home advantage here after so many years in Jadwin,” Hussein said
the Tigers will travel up to Massachusetts for their first away game of the season against the No
This will be their final game of the calendar year before returning to action in early January 2025
when they confront their toughest games of the year
“This win is a big confidence boost and shows how much we’ve improved against a team that used to challenge us,” Hussein told the ‘Prince.’ “Our goals are clear: We want to defend our Ivy League title and compete for the national championship
but we believe we have what it takes to succeed with all those goals.”
Bryant Figueroa is a staff Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
Please send corrections to corrections[at]dailyprincetonian.com
A project led by Princeton sophomore Grace Liu (pictured) is examining whether the infrequent freezing of the Lake Carnegie in recent years is part of a larger trend linked to climate change. Liu
began the project as a High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) environmental intern in the research group of HMEI professor Gabriel Vecchi
The project presents a unique opportunity to study the local effects of climate change and how people perceive them
A computer science major, Liu is working with her advisers Gabriel Vecchi, professor of geosciences and the High Meadows Environmental Institute, Nadir Jeevanjee, a research physical scientist at NOAA’s Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory
a postdoctoral research associate in Vecchi’s research group
to determine if the lake not being suitable for ice skating since the winter of 2014-2015 is part of a larger trend linked to climate change
Liu spent last summer determining the years since the lake’s construction in 1906 when the lake froze enough for skating
Because there’s no official record of when the lake has been open for skating
Liu developed a unique method of combining past media accounts and her own interviews with people at the University and in the community to create a timeline of the years when skating was allowed
Liu and her advisers found that the chances of ice on Lake Carnegie being thick enough to skate on has plummeted since 1950 and by more than half since 2000
“The freeze proportion has decreased pretty alarmingly in the past several years,” Liu said
the probability of safe ice skating on Lake Carnegie has dropped from 1 to 0.2.”
recent winters have seen only a 20% chance the lake would freeze
down from nearly 100% as recently as the late 1960s
“We now have whole class years that didn't get to go out skating on the lake once during their time at Princeton,” Vecchi said
there’s a decent chance you won’t get to skate on the lake.”
But this work goes beyond predicting when Princetonians can strap on their skates. Liu compared their findings to 19 intermittently frozen lakes — meaning they freeze in some years but not others — around the world. Using the National Snow and Ice Data Center’s Global Lake and River Ice Phenology Database
she found that Lake Carnegie’s increasingly infrequent freezes match what has been observed globally
“Some lakes have frozen every year up until recently
while others had a clearer intermittent pattern,” Liu said
“But when we look at the aggregate freeze proportion for these lakes
the amplification of climate change has definitely been consistent with what we saw.”
Liu pored over past media accounts from newspapers such as The Daily Princetonian and Town Topics to plot the years since the lake was constructed in 1906 when it froze enough for skating
She supplemented her dataset with information from her own interviews with people at the University and in the community.
“Climate change can feel abstract to many people
especially if their lives are not impacted by sea-level rise or extremes such as hurricanes and wildfires,” said Jeevanjee
as a Hess Fellow postdoctoral researcher in Princeton geosciences
“I thought this project would bring climate change home in a way that weather statistics do not.”
The project is a good opportunity to study local effects of climate change
which are usually overshadowed by research on global-scale changes
“Adaptation to climate change will require some very local decisions,” he said
we will need to have a basis to understand the very local impacts of climate whenever possible
There are likely implications to the ecosystems in and around Lake Carnegie that would be worth thinking about.”
people relate to sea-level rise not through climate-model projections
extremely high tides and loss of property: “I was interested in how other people may experience climate change.”
“Recreation isn’t something that we talk a lot about when we talk about climate change,” Liu said
“but something like ice skating is something that people notice — the lake freezes or it doesn’t
When people see how climate change affects their activities and what they like to do for fun
it can send the message that it actually affects us personally.”
Vecchi himself was motivated by the fun of skating on the lake with his family in early 2015 — only to learn that the experience used to be more commonplace
“Talking with friends who've lived in the area for a while
they told me that skating on the lake wasn't always the rare event it is now,” he said
“So it seemed like an interesting question to ask — had the lake actually been freezing less?”
Liu first pored over the archives of local newspapers such as The Daily Princetonian and Town Topics
which reported on when skating took place or when it didn’t
Daily Prince articles from 1914 and 1922 even specified the ice’s thickness
mentioned how “the thawing waters of Lake Carnegie” had finally revealed the body of German chemist Erhard Fernholz
who had accidentally drowned in December 1940
his disappearance at one point prompting the FBI to investigate it as a possible Nazi-involved assassination
One of the interviews Liu conducted to supplement her media data was with Princeton native John Cook, a graduate of Princeton’s Class of 1963 and record-holding Princeton men's hockey player who has lived a half-mile from the lake for 70 years
He recalls from his first memories in 1945 through the 1960s that the lake would be thronged every winter with people skating
While regulations for using the lake tightened during that time
the days of available ice have certainly diminished
“The available science on climate change hasn’t really shaped my view of the change in winter conditions,” Cook said
I have noticed a gradual change in winter temperatures over the past 75 years that has reduced the number of days in which we can skate
It is pretty obvious that the climate has changed and my reduced time on the outdoor ice over my life supports that.”
Liu’s work uncovered a surprising social response to climate change — as the lake froze over less often
we saw this shift in how people perceive ice skating as something that’s expected to something that is a rare treat,” Liu said
A Town Topics story from 1960 reported that that year “will go into history as the first winter in 14 years that failed to produce outdoor skating at any time.” On the other hand
the Daily Prince celebrated the lake “freezing over for the first time in several years.”
“This is revealing evidence that as climate changes
one of the ways we adapt to it is by changing what we expect,” Vecchi said
Liu and her advisers found that the probability of ice on Lake Carnegie being thick enough to skate on (blue line) has plummeted from 1 to 0.2 since 1950
That means recent winters have seen only a 20% chance the lake would freeze
The vertical lines represent years without data.
Any climate scientist will caution against conflating weather with climate
But the freezing of a lake — even a small one — might include enough longer-term factors to provide a snapshot of larger phenomena
“Part of why this worked is because ice integrates weather over several days and weeks — solid freeze-over and melting cannot occur overnight,” he said
“The freeze record of Lake Carnegie should be a better indicator of climate than more transient weather events such as extreme snowfall.”
when people notice patterns such as a lake freezing less often
it may be more indicative of climate change than personal accounts typically are
“The anecdotal accounts from this project seem to be supported by both the newspaper data we collected as well as the usual global temperature datasets,” he said
our modeling results have a direct correlation with people’s expectations
and also puts people’s intuitive expectations on a rigorous footing.”
People have used written records and personal accounts from
the Caribbean or China to build estimates of past changes in typhoon or hurricane activity going back a few hundred years
“One must do careful work like Grace has been doing to tease out the extent to which climate is reflected in individual experiences,” he said
“Grace presents clear evidence of the utility of newspaper accounts in recording relevant climate information,” Vecchi said
“I think that there is potential to use this type of method for other climate change effects
and how strong a climate connection one may expect.”
Liu found that her data on Lake Carnegie’s increasingly infrequent freezes are similar to what has been observed in 19 other intermittently frozen lakes around the world
The pictured graphs show six lakes that have exhibited a marked downward trend in freezing probability in recent decades
Liu is continuing the project outside of her coursework by refining the data she’s already produced and building machine learning tools to interpret and project lake-ice changes
She’s also starting to examine the factors that influence ice formation
and fall and winter temperatures — and how they might be changing as the planet warms
“We know that lake freezing is decreasing over time
but we also want to know what variables are causing that in terms of temperature and climate,” Liu said
“is that by connecting the freeze of Lake Carnegie and other lakes to larger-scale environmental conditions
we can build some sort of capability to predict the likelihood that a lake will freeze in a given year
possibly motivating many students to pursue environmental careers
Yet Princeton remains the only Ivy League university that does not offer a major in either Environmental Studies or Sciences.
With the absence of a major at Princeton, it is difficult to precisely measure the trends of Princetonians’ interest in studying the environment or entering environmental careers. Although Civil and Environmental Engineering (CEE) is on the rise in the Class of 2024
it is unclear how many students in the humanities
and social sciences are focusing on climate
The Daily Princetonian spoke to various professors
and alums to understand the challenges students face in the absence of a major and the opportunities that exist for them to pursue environmental work at Princeton and beyond
Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (EEB) and Director of the Program in Environmental Studies Corina Tarnita reflected on the opportunities Princeton offers for environmental involvement and shared her perspective on what has made the certificate approach so successful.
Tarnita explained that the overarching goal is "to have enough accessibility and potential for renewal
always bringing new people into the fold.” By being organized as a certificate and henceforth as a minor
ENV has been able to complement other departments rather than compete in them.
"Being able to be seen as a hotspot of interdisciplinary
multidisciplinary interactions without people feeling like they specifically have to be in a school for the environment helps every student feel like a stakeholder in that conversation," said Tarnita.
and we can foster novel interactions that might not have existed five years ago without this creative design,” said Tarnita
Indeed, many students and alumni have successfully made addressing climate change the focal point of their studies and careers after college. In 2020, the Princeton High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) collected data from a pool of over 3000 alumni which included former undergraduates of the Environmental Certificate Program
and students who received support from HMEI for senior thesis research
The researchers found that 45 percent of those surveyed were doing some form of environmental work in their post-college life
the most popular of which were jobs in industry
This broad array of post-college careers is reflected in the way current Princeton students are interweaving the new Environmental Studies minor with their other areas of study
exploring the climate through the lens of their major and vice versa
a Mathematics major pursuing the Environmental Studies minor
has taken many Environmental Studies courses over his time at Princeton
Serianni appreciates the flexibility that the Environmental Studies minor provides for students
“I think environmental studies by nature is very interdisciplinary
and there are many different approaches you could take … I enjoy the way the minor is set up to allow students to take these different approaches.”
Serianni believes that Princeton could be doing a better job outside of academics to encourage people to think about environmental justice
Serianni suggested that the University promote more diverse internships and jobs in environmental studies
as many of the current internship offerings are narrow in their focus on mainly science and engineering
“There are other programs that have features like SPIA’s hub in Washington and very strong alumni and job market presences,” noted Serianni
“but Princeton has not built that for Environmental Studies.”
Students in the humanities are also doing interdisciplinary environmental work at Princeton and beyond
is pursuing an Environmental Studies minor and centering the environment in his senior thesis work in the History department
Salama uses his passion for history to explore current environmental issues.
“I’ve visited some countries and learned what can be done on the ground
My projects are centered around the hyperlocal
but are then bridged through history to global issues,” Salama explained
adding “I think it’s super valuable to take a history class that’s not at all about the environment and then make those connections by yourself.”
In addition to his academic work, Salama serves as the President of the Princeton Conservation Society, which works within Princeton and the wider New Jersey area to address environmental issues. Last year, Salama organized a Youth Climate and Conservation Summit which brought together young people already engaged in climate work and
members of the society will be traveling to Panama to participate in a reforestation project and grassroots organizing.
These opportunities for on-campus involvement in student-led environmental activism and conservation efforts
as well as classes and internships through the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
help prepare Princetonians for post-college work in environmental careers
graduated Princeton with a major in Spanish and Portuguese
he has found his way into writing and freelance environmental journalism
"Every Day the River Changes: Four Weeks Down the Magdalena," out of his Princeton senior thesis
and the book was later chosen as Princeton’s Pre-read for the Class of 2026.
Jordan Salama carved an environmental pathway for himself within his non-environmental major at Princeton
but he believes that Princeton would be better off with an Environmental Studies major
“I think it’s important to have the [Environmental Studies] major because it’s such an important issue for so many people in our generation
and there are increasingly more people who want to seriously address the climate crisis,” Salama said.
Salama advised current students not to underestimate the work they do while they’re in school
noting that much of the work one does as a Princeton undergraduate can be adapted into longer articles
“Don’t think you’re just doing your Princeton work because you have to
Ask yourself: what work am I doing in class that could be interesting for the world?” Jordan Salama suggested.
Kate Gammon ’03 decided to focus on environmental writing after graduating Princeton
where she studied Anthropology and got the Environmental Studies certificate
Gammon focuses her writing on the environment and climate because
“I really think that climate is the story of our generation.” She added
“That definitely goes back to the training I had at Princeton.”
Gammon’s path towards environmental writing was not a linear one
“It took a while for environmental themes to come into my writing life in the same way it was in my environmental life
but now environmentalism is one of the biggest parts of my journalism career.”
Gammon advised students who are currently struggling to merge their environmental and academic interests to “be brave and not be limited by the jobs that exist today.” She also urged students to take advantage of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental studies
“because you’re going to need all of that toolkit to go out there and tackle what’s facing us.”
Debbie Weyl ’06 took her environmental interests in a different direction
Weyl majored in Politics with a focus in International Relations and a certificate in Political Economy
but for the most part she did not engage in environmentalism as a Princeton undergraduate
Weyl found her way into climate work during graduate school at the London School of Economics
where she completed a master’s program in Environmental Policy and International Development
where she considers how low income families can gain access to renewable energy and deals with issues of land use
Although Weyl does not trace her interest in climate work back to her time at Princeton
she noted that “Princeton set me up really well for picking up new information and new content,” which she explained was very helpful in the constantly changing field of environmental energy
Weyl recommended that current students interested in pursuing environmental careers reach out to alumni and try out many different options within the vast field of climate work before settling on one area.
“Even though there isn’t an Environmental Studies major,” said Weyl
“there are definitely professors who are working on these issues full time.”
Raphaela Gold is a staff Features writer at the ‘Prince.’
Princeton’s baseball and softball teams will soon be relocated to the other side of Lake Carnegie due to campus construction
While the new softball stadium is nearly complete
the University has not yet released official plans for a new baseball stadium
It is likely that the baseball team will also move to the Meadows Neighborhood area
given the available land and existing athletics presence there.
“We have been told it’s going to be right next to the softball field in the same neighborhood,” pitcher Justin Kim ’26 wrote in a statement to The Daily Princetonian
According to a statement from University Spokesperson Jennifer Morrill
“the Quantum Institute for Quantum Science and Engineering will be a multidisciplinary facility specifically built for the rigorous needs of quantum science.” It will “include ample lab space for new as well as for existing faculty members
as well as spaces to foster collaboration and cross-pollination.”
The new facility comes from an effort to continue making strides in quantum research
It is “designed to create a focal point for the new research and educational efforts on campus.”
“The timing to be investing in [the quantum physics] field is excellent given the recent advances and the remarkable opportunities that are just ahead in terms of exciting fundamental science and potential applications,” Dr
co-director of the Princeton Quantum Initiative
In December 2023, a breakthrough by Princeton physicists successfully entangled molecules for the first time.
The new facilities will come at the cost of Princeton’s baseball and softball fields
forcing each team to the opposite side of Lake Carnegie
While the Clarke and Strubing Fields are within walking distance of the main campus
both teams will soon have to find other ways to get to their practices and games
Clarke Field was built after the previous baseball field, University Field
was designated for removal due to the construction of the E-Quad in 1965.
“It’s pretty unfortunate that we have to move our field across campus
leaving us even farther away from the rest of campus,” Kim explained
While the majority of non-conference baseball games are played away from Princeton
Clarke Field hosts a full slate of Ivy League games and also serves as a practice facility
“Clarke Field is more than just a place for us to play; moving the field takes away much of the sentiment connected with it as well,” Kim wrote
The softball team is moving for the second time in five years after their previous Class of 1895 Field was removed for the construction of Yeh College and New College West
Strubing Field opened in the fall of 2019 and is a full-turf field with a newer digital scoreboard. While it was an upgrade from the previous smaller dirt field, Strubing Field wasn’t meant to be a long-term replacement for the Class of 1895 Field.
“I know that our new stadium is currently being built
The field [that we] currently have was always supposed to be a temporary field,” infielder Allison Ha ’25 wrote to the ‘Prince.’
Allison Ha is a staff Sports writer for the ‘Prince.’
Both teams will finish out their 2024 seasons at their current fields and begin preparations to move after the season concludes
Tate Hutchins is an associate Sports editor and contributing News writer for the ‘Prince.’
PLAINSBORO - A condominium complex in the township is going entirely smoke free
Ravens Crest East at Princeton Meadows Condominium Association has banned smoking within the perimeters of the community
including on balconies and inside units. The ban takes effect on Jan
"We just kept on getting complaints from residents," said Neil Sutter
"We had people complain about asthma and other issues. Anytime you live in a multi-unit dwelling, smoke just permeates into the spaces of the unit
It comes in through the electrical outlets and things like that."
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Smoking in the complex and in the units also impacts the bottom line
Ravens Crest East at Princeton Meadows Condominium Association consists of 612 units of which about 55 percent are rentals
is prohibited on all common elements and limited common elements
Commencing ninety (90) days following the effective date of this amendment
a smoking shall be prohibited in all units
Any lease for a unit this is entered into after the effective date of this amendment shall include a clause prohibiting smoking in the unit
limited common elements and common elements
Any existing lease that is renewed after the effective date of this amendment shall include a clause prohibiting smoking in the unit."
"Existing residents will not be grandfathered in," Sutter said
A referendum ballot was sent to unit owners in November 2017, Community Manager Tom Boland said. Meetings to discuss the ban also were held with unit owners
who voted at a 5-to-1 ratio in favor of the ban
Condo officials declined to give the specific vote tally
The amendment was finalized at the annual meeting in March and recorded with the county
"It took a lot of effort and we did a lot of research," Sutter said. "Our development is probably a little bit more progressive and on the leading edge of homeowner associations."
The complex was one of the first to install LED lighting for all of its parking lights and security lighting and previously the association worked on passing a towing resolution for delinquent owners
The issue The association began working on the issue in the beginning of 2017
adding each board member had some direct impact of secondhand smoke from someone in the development
In the 18 years he's lived at Ravens Crest East, former board member and resident Tom Andruszewski
who spearheaded the change, said he's had two downstairs neighbors who smoked
"The balcony is right below mine and smoke comes right into my place," he said
Secondhand tobacco smoke is a Class A carcinogen in the same family as benzene and asbestos
It's to protect the health and safety of everyone that lives at Ravens Crest because when a smoker chooses to smoke in a multi-unit dwelling, like Ravens Crest
they are not just making the decisions for themselves
They are making it for their neighbors, too
I know this is a change and change is difficult
but I do think it's a change for the better."
a tenant in the unit downstairs from his was a profuse smoker
"I worked at home for a while," Sutter said
"As soon as she lit her cigarette I couldn't get out of my chair fast enough to close the sliding door on my balcony before it got in the unit
I was stuck with the smell for one to two hours
I was finding cigarette butts all over the ground
I got lucky and the tenant moved out."
Smoking in the complex is "intrusive behavior — the smoke coming into your unit and seeing the butts on the ground," Sutter said
the complex incurred a $1.6 million insurance loss due to a fire that occurred in December 2010 that was attributed to smoking
"It made 12 units unavailable for more than 18 months," he said
"When we took that $1.6 million insurance loss, our insurance rates went way up. Because of someone's careless smoking habit basically everyone else ended up paying a lot of money. If we take another loss like that I don't know that we could get insurance or if we could it would be just so expensive that the monthly fees would be astronomically large."
The change will afford residents "a better quality of living," Sutter said.
but there aren't that many people that smoke in the development," he said
adding that it might even encourage those that do smoke to have a New Year's resolution to give up smoking
Exactly how the association will enforce the ban remains unclear
“That’s the question of the century,” Boland said
"That will be the most challenging part," Sutter said
"I think we'll get a lot of requests for action come Jan
Several tactics are being initiated to alert residents to the ban, including posting signs throughout the complex and placing notification on the website.
"If you're a smoker and coming to look at an apartment here or you're interested in buying a unit here
It might even prompt some people to move out
but there aren't that many people that smoke in the development."
The fines and penalties for breaking the bylaw have not yet been set
“There will be a warning before a fine
which will probably be $50 for the first offense," Sutter said
Boland said he has heard of one or two associations that have banned smoking altogether before the complex is completed
"There are more and more community associations banning smoking in the common elements
but you don't typically see associations banning smoking in the individual units
there hasn't been a reported decision in New Jersey as to whether or not an association can ban residents from smoking in their units," said Jonathan H
a partner in the Princeton law firm of Hill Wallack LLP
which represents close to 400 associations in the state
Enforcement is going to be the big issue here
it has the potential to create additional liability for an association because now they have this rule that says you can't smoke," he said
"If someone is smoking and the association doesn't enforce the rule
it could become problematic for the association."
Staff Writer Susan Loyer: 732-565-7243; sloyer@gannettnj.com
professor of the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) and the Effron Center for the Study of America
is among nearly 40 scholars formally engaged in the environmental humanities at Princeton
Princeton’s leadership in environmental studies had a seminal meeting of the minds in 1992
Shapiro saw the opportunity to leverage the University’s strengths in environmental sciences and engineering
His goal was to begin positioning Princeton as a world-class center for solving the planet’s environmental challenges
Author and conservationist Tom Barron, a 1974 alumnus and then-University trustee, was one of three people called in by Shapiro to discuss the possibilities. Also in the room that day were Rob Socolow
professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering
who was the founding director of Princeton’s Program in Environmental Studies just a year earlier
“Harold talked about it from the practical
scientific and engineering sides,” Barron recalled
where in this do we get to talk about the role of the humanities?’”
Barron understood that unless researchers could communicate environmental problems to people
even the most advanced science was not going to be enough to induce action
Shapiro assured Barron that the opportunities for humanists would be built upon the strength of Princeton’s science and engineering programs
which were more easily understood and had more straightforward access to funding
Shapiro’s promise that the environmental humanities would find their place alongside the environmental sciences and engineering has come to fruition in recent years as the fast-growing
interdisciplinary area of research and instruction has become an established strength at Princeton
Nearly 40 scholars are formally engaged in environmental humanities through Princeton’s High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
exploring questions such as how scientists and political leaders communicate environmental narratives
the ethics of when and how to take action to save the planet
and the role of artists and writers in environmental movements
Students learn alongside these scholars and examine environmental quandaries through interdisciplinary coursework in the humanities
which participants in the High Water Line: New Jersey used to mark the line where water will reach in Sayreville when sea level rise hits 5 feet
Visiting scholars join Princeton for one-year fellowships — most recently, Christina Gerhardt, founding director of Environmental Humanities at the University of Hawaii at Mānoa, who showed the impact of urban sea level rise in her riveting High Water Line: New Jersey project
Scholars from other Princeton programs and departments
find that their research and teaching cross disciplines in similar ways
highlighting the complexity of modern environmental questions
its aim is straightforward: to apply the techniques of humanistic inquiry to explore environmental concerns past
it is telling the story of the world’s fragile environment and scientists’ efforts to save it
while also developing new ideas and potential solutions
Environmental humanities scholars incorporate all forms of media
from literature and film to music and movement to data visualization
they all explore human interaction and interconnectedness with the environment
“It’s a relatively new designation, but it refers to something that has been going on for a very long time,” said Rob Nixon
Barron Family Professor in Humanities and the Environment and professor of English and HMEI
“How do we turn the abstractions of data into animated stories and images that can move people
and put faces and events and infuse drama into environmental data?”
Anne McClintock
Barton Hepburn Professor in the Program of Gender and Sexuality Studies and HMEI
engages this question through a dialogue between her photographs and creative writing
“Unquiet Ghosts: From the Forever War to Climate Chaos
connects three of the great crises of our time: climate change
and the mass displacement of people and land itself
She also launched the Fluid Futures Forum
which brings the environmental sciences and humanities into collaboration
this work can make scientific data and the planetary upheavals of the Anthropocene more publicly visible and tangible to facilitate more creative strategies for change
“The problem is not precision,” McClintock says
Our senses are not tuned to the enormity of climate change
Scientific data is certainly indispensable
poetry and music to make the planetary upheavals of climate change imaginable
Only then can we envision viable strategies for action and social transformation.”
Any significant successful social movement — from abolition to suffrage to civil rights to the movement against AIDS discrimination — has been bolstered by the arts and its contributions to the larger conversation
whose professorship was the first named professorship in the environmental humanities at Princeton
artistic dimension in terms of getting stories out
and using some combination of story and image as a resource for witnessing and for humanizing the concerns — for giving them an energy,” Nixon said
a pioneering conservationist and author engaged in the intersection of environmental studies and the humanities
speaks with Princeton President Christopher L
Eisgruber at the Princeton Environmental Forum in 2019
Barron’s gifts to the University have enabled significant development of the environmental humanities at Princeton
Policy was brought into the framework of environmental research in the late 1990s and early 2000s
opening the door for the social sciences to make more meaningful contributions to environmental discussions
In response, he and his wife endowed the Currie C. and Thomas A. Barron Visiting Professorship in the Environment and Humanities and the Henry David Thoreau Freshman Seminar in Environmental Studies in 2007
visiting scholars in many fields — including English
photography and the performing arts — have joined the Princeton faculty for a year
engaging in intensive projects and orchestrating public programs related to environmental themes
The couple initiated the Barron Family Fund for Innovations in Environmental Studies
which supports projects that make connections between humanities and the environment through field work and independent work by students or faculty members — including Gerhardt’s High Water Line: New Jersey — and through the development of new courses
such as Subramanian’s cross-listed journalism course on issues related to climate change and Sheikh’s visual arts course that brought students on a field trip to Bears Ears National Monument in Utah to explore the impact of climate change on the arid southwestern U.S
The Barrons also launched a first-year seminar in environmental writing and the T.A. Barron Prize for Environmental Leadership, which HMEI confers each year during the Class Day ceremony for the Program in Environmental Studies (ENV)
Two appointed faculty in environmental humanities have been hired since 2020 — Jerry Zee, assistant professor of anthropology and HMEI, and Allison Carruth
professor of HMEI and the Effron Center for the Study of America
But it is vision more than funding that has established and expanded the environmental humanities at Princeton
and the leadership of Princeton presidents Shirley M
“each one reaching higher to make this all possible.”
undergraduates can choose from a variety of environmental courses
including multiple environmental humanities offerings
and benefit from cross-disciplinary dialogue in the classroom and the research experience of Princeton scholars
projects and seminars have provided students a ground-level view of environmental issues and their potential solutions through a humanistic lens
• An internship this summer with Carolyn Rouse, the Ritter Professor of Anthropology, and Jeffrey Himpele
director of the Ethnographic Data Visualization Lab in the Department of Anthropology
has been documenting flooding and mitigation in Princeton
• McClintock’s interdisciplinary course “Empire of the Ark: The Animal Question in Film
Photography and Popular Culture” takes students out of the classroom into the “wilderness in their backyard” to better understand relations between humans and other species in their environments
• Ryo Morimoto, an assistant professor of anthropology who conducted ethnographic research in Fukushima, Japan, after the 2011 nuclear disaster, teaches a course cross-listed with environmental humanities on the impact of society’s nuclear output and on manmade and nuclear catastrophes
“Being part of this environmental humanities movement is to commit to a way of telling stories — how and who can tell stories that are both planetary
but at the same time hyperlocal,” said Morimoto
who is also the Richard Stockton Bicentennial Preceptor
“What I found through my own work on radiation exposure and irradiated environments is that the science is not enough to inform the public about how serious this is and how this happens.”
There are many other opportunities for students — as well as the larger Princeton academic community — to benefit from pioneering research and various perspectives in environmental humanities. McClintock and Nixon’s Environmental Humanities and Social Transformation Colloquium
for instance, has hosted prominent artists and scholars from around the world
building engagement among students and scholars exploring these areas
Carruth discusses the newly launched Environmental Media Lab
which includes a climate story incubator that produces and studies the impacts of environmental storytelling across media
As environmental humanities have come to the fore
they also have generated original knowledge about the social
historical and ethical aspects of complex environmental challenges
such work — at its best — produces models of social change and methods for interdisciplinary research that are responsive to the long histories of these problems and the need for inclusive
the complex environmental challenges faced by society are as much cultural
ethical and political problems as they are scientific
The organizing principle of her course, “Creative Ecologies: American Environmental Narrative and Art, 1980-2020,” is that the arts “are not only a place where these problems get represented or depicted imaginatively
but they actually are a place where new knowledge is generated
where possibilities for the future are articulated and tested out,” Carruth said
In that same vein, Carruth has launched the Environmental Media Lab
an interdisciplinary center that conducts applied research and develops projects at the intersection of imagination and science
This includes a Climate Story Incubator that both produces and studies the impacts of environmental storytelling across established and emerging media
The incubator has been examining “Coastal Futures” this summer as its inaugural project
and studying multimedia stories about lived experiences of extreme weather (including storms and wildfires) and changing environmental conditions in specific coastal communities in the mid-Atlantic and California
The overall lab also will study how — and for whom — artists
storytellers and creative communities generate knowledge about ecological crises
It plans to publish an open access journal highlighting this scholarship beginning in 2023
Carruth said she has been thrilled to see a range of students with different majors enrolling in her courses and engaging with the lab
the Barron Family Professor in Humanities and the Environment and professor in English and HMEI
to develop his senior thesis combining his interests in environmental science and the humanities
Lohmann expanded his research into a book that will be published by Pantheon in 2024
said he was interested in both science and the humanities while at Princeton
but never felt fully comfortable in either field
graduating with a degree in English and certificates in environmental studies and journalism
His studies culminated in a senior thesis documenting life in Nauru
a Pacific island nation subjected to vast environmental degradation through decades of phosphorus mining
Lohmann expanded his research into a book that explores the role of phosphate in the origins of life
the search for extraterrestrial life and — most urgently — a looming global food crisis as the supply of phosphate rock dwindles
The book will be published in 2024 by Pantheon
Lohmann, whose research was supported through HMEI’s Environmental Scholars Program
credits Princeton faculty working across the environmental humanities with helping him to see the possibilities for combining his interests
“Working with Rob [Nixon] and other professors at Princeton
I learned how to see my surroundings in a way that combined the urgency of natural science with the introspection of literature,” Lohmann said
My job as a student was to find facts and convey them in a meaningful way
I began to sense a story of the world that was deeper and more surprising than what I had been taught before.”
Barron said he is thrilled that Princeton is producing a new generation of environmental thinkers and leaders
“I’m particularly pleased that we are now at the stage where the highest fruit on the tree
“It’s only when all of those strengths are involved that we can make the maximum impact as a university.”
1/46Boys golf: Mercer County Championships, April 25, 2023.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Sean Miller | For NJ Advance MediaIt has been a bot of a slog for the Times area golf teams with the awful weather over the first two weeks of April
the warn temperatures are coming this week
just in time for tournament season to kick off around the state
This week begins a five-week sprint to the Tournament of Champions
with various county and league tournaments taking place along the way
Two of the best run tournaments in the state–the Sayreville Lady Bombers (Wednesday at The Meadows in Plainsboro) and the Sayreville Bombers (next Friday at The Meadows)–are run by Sayreville boys Head Coach Tommy McCloskey and Sayreville girls Head Coach Jacqueline Pataky
the Somerset County Tournament (Neshanic) and Burlington County Open (Ramblewood) take place
and then it is the two Mercer County Tournaments in the first few days of May
Princeton defeats Allentown 154-168 in a rematch of epic 2023 Mercer County Tournament battle
Princeton sets the tone for season with a Wall Invitational victory
when these two CVC teams met in the regular season
it was Allentown that came away with a slim 151-158 victory on the way to a perfect CVC campaign
Those two teams went head to head for the Mercer County Tournament title
with the Tigers pulling out the championship on the first extra hole to wrestle the crown away from the prep schools for the first time in over a decade
Princeton went on to win a sectional title as well
it was the Tigers that came away with a 154-168 victory to remain unbeaten on the campaign
Princeton's Brooks Cahill-Sanidas shoots a score of 38 at the Boys CVC Match Play Final
Princeton defeats West Windsor-Plainsboro North 157-167 on 5/25/2021 Larry Murphy | For the Times of Trenton
Princeton also won the season opening Wall Invitational Tournament on March 25
shooting a 318 to beat Morristown and Wall (defending state champion) by three strokes
Brooks Cahill-Sanidas finished second with a 73
while Walter Gumbinger finished tied for sixth
when the Tigers has all four players shoot 36 or better on the way to a 141
It is safe to say Princeton is looking to go back-to-back at the upcoming 2024 Mercer County Tournament
Walter Gumbinger of Princeton hits a tee shot during the Wall Invitiational golf tournament at at Jumping Brook Country Club in Neptune
NJ on 3/25/24.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media
The Bulldogs have only lost this season to Hun
and Megan Meng has been under par with each round she has shot
Princeton is loaded up and down the roster
can have anyone on the course go low on any given afternoon
Megan Meng of Hopewell Valley reacts after her tee shot on 13 during the 2022 NJSIAA Girls Golf Tournament of Champions at Raritan Valley County Club on Monday
Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
with Emerson Paulette leading the Redbirds and Jacquelyn Zang stepping up for the Tigers
and could challenge Megan Meng for the crown in three weeks
Allentown's Emerson Paulette tees off on the 13th hole during the South Jersey Sectional Girls Golf Tournament at McCullough’s Emerald Golf Links in Egg Harbor Township
with the boys at Echo Lake Country Club for the Blue Devils Invitational and the girls at Copper Hill for the Red Devils Classic
with the boys in particular one of the best high school tournaments in the region
Lawrenceville and Peddie will join teams like Hunterdon Central
and basically a who’s who of the top teams in the state
If the Big Red and Falcons can compete at that level
they may come into the 2024 Mercer County Tournament (Friday
May 3) at Mountain View as the favorites to knock off Princeton and win back the title for the local prep schools
April 15: Red Devil Classic girls at Copper Hill
April 15: Blue Devils Invitational at Echo Lake Country Club
April 17: Sayreville Lady Bombers Classic at Princeton Meadows
April 22: Somerset County Tournament at Neshanic
April 22: Burlington County Open at Ramblewood
April 26: Sayreville Bombers Classic at Princeton Meadows
May 1: Skyland Conference Tournament at Heron Glen
of Hopewell Valley tees off on the 7th hole of the Mercer County Boys Golf Championships at Mercer Oaks West Golf Course in West Windsor
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BRIDGEWATER – Kushner Real Estate Group (KRE) has entered into a partnership with Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) Private Real Estate to acquire a 439-unit garden style apartment community in Plainsboro
They have purchased Addison at Princeton Meadows
located at 2821 Pheasant Hollow Drive in Plainsboro
The property is located just off of Dey Road
about five miles from downtown Princeton and four miles from the Princeton Junction train station
Gebroe-Hammer Associates represented the seller
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“KRE’s collaboration with GSAM Private Real Estate will enable us to reposition Addison at Princeton Meadows and realize the property’s full potential,” said Jonathan Kushner
“We’ve had considerable success acquiring similar properties
We believe this acquisition represents another exceptional opportunity to deploy capital wisely.”
Addison at Princeton Meadows is already a popular residential community
with a current occupancy rate of 94 percent
In addition to its proximity to the Princeton Junction train station
Residents enjoy an outdoor pool with sundeck
GSAM Private Real Estate and KRE will invest in the property’s amenities and substantially renovate unit interiors
“We find this investment compelling due to its location within a high barrier-to-entry market
its access to high-quality public education
and the opportunity to create value through a strategic capital program,” said Joe Gorin
Managing Director within GSAM Private Real Estate
This is the fourth garden apartment community acquisition within North/Central New Jersey in the past 20 months for KRE
the Bridgewater-based real estate investment and management company
KRE has invested nearly $300 million in that time and acquired more than 1,500 rental units as part of a strategic initiative to grow the company’s portfolio of multifamily properties with value-creation potential
“At the heart of each of these deals was the opportunity to enhance the profitability of the newly-acquired property through capital improvements,” said Darin Raiken
KRE Group is one of the largest privately held diversified real estate companies in New Jersey
It owns and manages more than 6,000,000 square feet of office
It also has a multi-family portfolio which exceeds 9,000 existing apartments
with an additional 7,500 in various stages of approval and construction
visit the company’s website at www.thekregroup.com
a family-owned firm with more than 50 years of experience
has been one of New Jersey’s most active real estate developers in recent years
The company recently opened two of the most iconic new-construction communities in the state
which will ultimately comprise 1,838 luxury rental residences and 36,000 square feet of retail space in Jersey City’s historic Journal Square neighborhood
a one million square foot development just two blocks from the George Washington Bridge in Fort Lee that features 276 luxury rental residences
a 100-acre mixed-use property in Bethlehem Township
that will ultimately include 837 luxury residences and 153,000 square feet of retail space
KRE will also debut new residential buildings in Madison
NJ and Jersey City’s Hamilton Park neighborhood later this year
The company owns and manages more than 6 million square feet of office
About Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) Private Real Estate
Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM) Private Real Estate focuses on investing across all major property types spanning the risk and return spectrum
sourcing opportunities in primary and secondary markets
The group employs an active management approach
seeking to drive returns for investors through asset management initiatives including renovating and rebranding assets
and implementing energy and operating efficiency programs to potentially realize cost savings
The group manages over $1.7 billion of real estate assets as of March 31
one of the world’s leading investment managers with more than $1 trillion in AUS globally as of June 30
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- Princeton University's High Meadows Environmental Institute, Lewis Center for the Arts, and The Civilians, a New York City-based theater company, announce the two inaugural artists of their new collaboration, The Next Forever
The Next Forever is a novel partnership that seeks to create new stories for a changing planet
exploring how dynamic storytelling can engage vital environmental subjects and provide the vision and inspiration society needs to navigate the challenges of our planet's future — the "next forever."
“What stories can we tell to find our way out of the planetary crisis we’re in?” This is the urgent question that Princeton University and The Civilians are putting to students
and theater-makers vis-à-vis The Next Forever
The Next Forever provides forward-thinking artists unparalleled access to a cross-disciplinary range of knowledge and ideas—of scientists
The Next Forever supports artists as they pursue rigorous inquiry into their subject matter alongside some of Princeton’s greatest thinkers
The initiative funds a series of commissions of theatrical work that offer new visions for how humanity relates to the world around it
Next Forever artists have the opportunity to engage with Princeton faculty working in relevant fields over the academic year of their residency
Kareem Fahmy is a Canadian-born playwright and director of Egyptian descent
winner of the Woodward/Newman Award; A Distinct Society
a National Showcase of New Plays finalist; and Dodi & Diana
an O’Neill National Playwrights Conference finalist
He has received prior commissions from Ensemble Studio Theatre/Sloan
Fahmy’s fellowships have included MacDowell
He founded the Middle Eastern American Writers Lab and created the BIPOC Director Database
Fahmy was named a Rising Leader of Color by the Theatre Communications Group and earned an M.F.A
in theater directing from Columbia University
AriDy Nox is a multi-disciplinary
Black femme storyteller focused on forward-thinking creative works
including the historical reimagining of the life of Sally Hemmings
Black Girl in Paris (2020); the ancestral reckoning play
A Walless Church (2019); the Afrofuturist ecopocalypse musical The Anomaly (2019); and the generational
Nox creates work out of the strong belief that creating a liberated future requires a radical imagination
Their tales are offerings intended to function as small parts of an ancient
awe-inspiring tradition of world-shaping created by Black femmes and with Black femmes at the center
"The climate crisis is the most significant issue facing us all
and is a particular burden on young people,” said Jane Cox
director of Princeton’s Program in Theater and Music Theater
“The Lewis Center for the Arts is excited to partner with the High Meadows Environmental Institute and The Civilians theater company
to search for meaningful creative narratives and imagine speculative futures
and we hope that through classes and commissions
art-making can partner with science in pursuit of a brighter future."
“We are delighted to have launched The Next Forever initiative in partnership with the Lewis Center and The Civilians and are excited to engage with Kareem Fahmy and AriDy Nox as the project’s inaugural guest artists,” said Gabriel Vecchi
“We fully anticipate that the residencies will be experienced as mutually beneficial experiences: faculty and students will gain unique insight into the creative practices of seasoned practitioners while the artists will have the advantage of engaging with subject area experts in fields related to the underlying themes of their developing works.”
A new undergraduate course to be offered at Princeton in the spring semester parallels the work of the commissioned artists
“Stories for a Changing Planet” will be taught by The Civilians’ Founding Artistic Director Steve Cosson and theater director and arts-based researcher Khristián Méndez Aguirre
which will be open to undergraduates from all disciplines
will explore how dramatic storytelling shapes responses to environmental issues
blending documentary-based theater and ecodramaturgical approaches to create narratives that stage environmental injustice
but it’s also a crisis of imagination,” said Cosson
“The Next Forever brings together bright minds from across disciplines to help equip the movement for environmental action
we’re championing the dynamic storytelling that we need to navigate our planet’s future.”
High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) – the interdisciplinary center of environmental research
The Lewis Center for the Arts at Princeton University believes that art arises out of questions
Founded in 2001, The Civilians is a New York City company that creates exuberant “investigative theater” on vital social and political questions
It develops shows based on original interviews and research and nurtures the work of leading playwrights and composers
Celebrated productions include The Great Immensity (a globe-crossing adventure on the climate crisis)
In the Footprint (multiple top-10 lists play about urban development)
a Post-Electric Play (fourth-best play of the past 25 years according to The New York Times)
The company originated Lucas Hnath’s Dana H.
recently on Broadway and included in Top 10 of 2021 lists by The New York Times and Time magazine and was the creative home of composer Michael Friedman from 2001 until his passing in 2017
The company is currently Artist-in-Residence at WNYC’s The Greene Space
it was in residence at The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Top critics have called The Civilians “endlessly inventive,” and “groundbreaking.” Led by Founding Artistic Director Steve Cosson
The Civilians continue to reinvent theater for a world on the edge
2022 at 11:48 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Princeton Junction ranked No
4 in Niche's 2022 ranking of 'Best Places to Live in New Jersey.' (Shutterstock)PRINCETON
NJ — We know Princeton is an amazing place to live in
but now it has competition from its neighbor
Niche.com released its 2022 ranking of 'Best Places to Live in New Jersey.' Princeton Junction was ranked at No
Niche.com uses up-to-date data from dozens of public sources including the Department of Education
Census to compile a comprehensive assessment of the overall livability of an area
The website considers various factors to compile the ranking including affordability
Princeton Junction and Princeton received an overall grade on A+
the pandemic too plays an important role in the overall ranking
But it was mainly a township’s school district that was the main factor for a family deciding to relocate
“The pandemic triggered a new set of possibilities — suddenly
many individuals and families found themselves more mobile than ever before
and in the past two years they have continued to think hard about where they really want to live,” said Luke Skurman
Here are the top 10 best places to live in New Jersey:
You can read more about Niche’s process and methodology here
Thank you for reading. Have a correction or news tip? Email sarah.salvadore@patch.com
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PLAINSBORO - A groundbreaking was held earlier this month for Suez Water's $56 million improvement project at its Princeton Meadows treatment plant
Suez along with state and local leaders were among those who commemorated the rebuild of the wastewater facility at 31 Maple Ave.
which is expected to be in service in December 2024
with final completion of construction in mid-2025
said in an earlier statement. “This next mandatory enhancement will result in a more sustainable plant by rehabilitating and modernizing aging infrastructure and equipment that has reached the end of its service life."
The project upgrades are necessary to meet the future New Jersey Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NJPDES) permit limitations
READ: Second Pennsylvania man charged in Plainsboro fatal home invasion
The proposed architecture includes brick buildings with standing seam mansard roofs with neutral earth-tone colors to mitigate visual impacts of the improvements
along with sight lighting that will soften effects to the neighboring residential areas
The wastewater site is located at in southwest Plainsboro
Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.
who graduated Princeton with a bachelor’s degree in ecology and evolutionary biology with a certificate in environmental studies
studied the natural camouflage of downy woodpeckers to understand how it helps the small bird survive in its forest habitat
The two years Princeton senior Joe Kawalec spent studying the natural camouflage of the ubiquitous downy woodpecker oddly enough began and ended the same way — tracing the outlines of birds
In between, he observed patterns in tree bark through the ultraviolet perspective of a bird
dove into the dynamics of animal coloration
and conducted field experiments with replica downy woodpeckers to determine how the birds’ speckled plumage hides it from predators while potentially signaling to other birds
downy woodpeckers live in forests increasingly being lost to human activity
Understanding how they have adapted to survive in their ecosystem could help predict how they will respond to deforestation
These various elements culminate in the evolutionary story of a small bird with an outsized importance on its habitat, said Kawalec, who graduated from Princeton in May with a degree in ecology and evolutionary biology and a certificate in environmental studies from Princeton’s High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI)
“There’s so much diversity in coloration in nature. Each of these patterns and colors have a story behind them,” said Kawalec, whose thesis research was supported by a Becky Colvin Memorial Award from HMEI and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
“Coloration isn’t just important from an aesthetic perspective
but also from an ecological perspective,” he said
“It’s important to understand how these patterns and colors ensure that species can survive and reproduce
If we change the environment beyond what an organism has adapted to
we can end up altering species’ relationships with their ecosystems and possibly their existence.”
Animal coloration runs a gamut of functionality
from how a cheetah’s spots break up the outline of its body as it stalks prey
to how the flash of a white-tailed deer’s hindmost appendage tells predators that it won’t be easy to catch
downy woodpeckers have a white back and underbelly with black to brownish-black white-speckled wings (males also have a red patch on the back of their head)
Kawalec wanted to know if and how these plumage patterns help the small bird stay safe in its forest habitat — which may help keep the forest itself alive
“Woodpeckers are especially important as ecosystem engineers
They excavate cavities that are essential habitats for species such as owls and other birds,” he said
“Knowing how healthy the woodpecker population in an area is provides an indication of how healthy the ecosystem is,” Kawalec said
we can better know how they navigate their environment
and if they are adapting to changes driven by human activity.”
The path to Kawalec’s senior thesis research began in summer 2019 during an HMEI Environmental Internship in the research group of his adviser, Mary Caswell Stoddard
an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology who focuses her research on avian coloration
“Joe was already a talented birder with a deep appreciation for natural history
but through the internship — and his thesis work — he developed a keen sense of the scientific process,” Stoddard said.
Kawalec — who co-founded the Princeton Birding Society — grew up birdwatching with his mother and reached out to Stoddard during his sophomore year to ask about research opportunities
His internship developed from his work with Ph.D
candidate Monica Carlson on one of her projects studying woodpecker behavior in relation to camouflage
he and Carlson would walk the Institute Woods near Princeton’s campus on the lookout for woodpeckers
observing and videoing the birds as they foraged and gauging their level of alertness
Kawalec would then take close-up photographs of the bark of the trees in which he’d spotted a woodpecker
including with an ultraviolet filter to mimic how birds would see the bark
His objective was to determine if the birds were more at ease on certain trees and if the bark patterns of those trees overlapped with the birds’ coloration in both the visible and ultraviolet spectra
Downy woodpeckers are important ecosystem engineers that excavate cavities for owls and other birds
The strength of their population could be an indicator of local ecosystem health
“Joe always asked questions to make sure he understood the scientific purpose of what we were doing
Joe contributed important observations and insights that led to improvements in data collection and analysis,” Carlson said
“He also thought deeply about how the research we were doing was related to biodiversity and conservation issues,” she continued
“We often found ourselves talking about the relationship between woodpecker foraging
creativity and a desire to learn and grow that I believe will make him a fantastic scientist.”
Kawalec began to wonder how woodpeckers’ coloring acted as camouflage in their habitat
“Joe developed a fascinating thesis project to test the hypothesis that woodpecker plumage has a dual function: Woodpeckers might be conspicuous when viewed up close to warn off potential predators
but camouflaged at a distance to avoid being detected in the first place,” she said
“Distance-dependent defensive coloration in animals is a pretty new idea
and very little work on it has been done in birds
so Joe’s work could fill an important gap in the literature,” Stoddard said
For his thesis research on the “cryptic advantage” downy woodpeckers derive from their plumage
Kawalec designed an experiment using fabricated models of female downy woodpeckers
All the models were the same overall color of the real birds (including on the ultraviolet spectrum)
but one type had the white stippling on the wings while the other variant did not
Because campus was closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic this past winter
Kawalec designed his own experiments at home
He used a random-number generator to position his model birds on trees throughout a park in his hometown of East Brunswick
He then had family members look for the woodpecker models and use a range finder to determine their distance from the model when they spotted it
Kawalec later compared the distances at which his volunteers discovered the speckled and non-speckled models
While there wasn’t a significant difference
his data trended toward the patterned model being more elusive
Kawalec also photographed the models on the trees to examine how they blended into the tree bark and the “dynamic illumination,” or the patterns that light creates as it shines through the tree canopy
He analyzed his photographs looking for one of two camouflage metrics
is when markings such as a cheetah’s spots make an animal harder to detect by hiding its outline
is when an animal blends into their surroundings
Kawalec attached model downy woodpeckers — both with and without white dorsal patterns — to trees in a local park
then had volunteers find them and record their distance from the models when they did
Models with dorsal speckles were harder to spot from a distance
Kawalec also photographed the models on trees to analyze how the actual birds’ plumage pattern may act as camouflage
He found that the pattern on downy woodpeckers most likely serves to hide their outline
By tracing and studying the outlines of his model birds
Kawalec determined that downy woodpeckers likely benefit from disruptive coloration
their contrasting white spots and dark plumage breaking up their outlines amid the tree-bark patterns and dappled sunlight of the forest
“The first thing I did with Monica was tracing bird cutouts of woodpeckers she could use in another study,” said Kawalec, who is going on to pursue a Ph.D. in environmental science with a focus on host-parasite dynamics and climate change at the University of Toronto under Péter Molnár
an assistant professor of biological sciences and past postdoctoral researcher at Princeton
I was tracing the outlines of the birds to look for disruptive coloration,” he said
Each year, the High Meadows Environmental Institute (HMEI) supports senior thesis research by students from departments across the University. This story is part of a series exploring the disciplinary variety of HMEI-funded undergraduate research carried out by members of the Class of 2021. Additional stories can be found on the HMEI website
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UPDATE: A Middlesex County sheriff’s officer was justified in shooting a knife-wielding man who charged at him outside an apartment complex in Plainsboro
Atiba Lewis rushes police (inset) and drops the knife and water bottle after he's shot outside an apartment complex in Plainsboro in February 2022
right) rushes Middlesex County Sheriff's Office Detective Philip Nguyen an instant before he's shot outside an apartment complex in Plainsboro in February 2022
An officer tases Atiba Lewis during the February 2022 confrontation in Plainsboro
Four other officers firing Tasers couldn't disarm an agitated Atiba Lewis
as he advanced on them at the Crest at Princeton Meadows Apartment Complex off Plainsboro Road on Feb
The standoff ended when Lewis rushed Detective Phillip Nguyen
state law required a grand jury review of the incident
The presentation by prosecutors included eight videos
the most chilling of which was bodycam footage recorded by the detective himself
returned a “no bill” – meaning that no charges should be filed against law enforcement
It all began with Middlesex County sheriff's officers going to the complex to serve Lewis with an eviction notice
They returned a short time later to "execute a search warrant for an unlawful firearm at Mr
Officers armed with the court-ordered warrant found four firearms in Lewis’s residence
A police dashcam shows him slowly pacing in the middle of the street as officers and detectives begin arriving
Lewis pulls a knife and advances on the first one who approaches
A dozen or so law enforcers surround Lewis at one point
Crossfire!" and begin to reposition themselves
WATCH THE VIDEOS HERE: Plainboro -- Lewis Recordings
"I'm not going to jail, man," says Lewis, holding a knife in one hand and a water bottle in the other.
"Listen, man, just take it easy," says Nguyen, the detective. "Drop the knife and we're good."
"You don't have to do this," another officer says.
"Kill me, man," Lewis replies as his pursuers retreat.
"Yo, you're good, man -- if you drop the knife we'll take care of it," Nguyen tells him.
At least two officers discharge Tasers, but they have no effect.
"Shoot me, man, shoot me," Lewis repeats. "That'll shut me up."
Knife in hand, Lewis pivots toward Nguyen.
"Don't do it," Nguyen shouts before firing three shots.
Lewis collapses onto a police SUV, dropping the knife and water bottle. He ends up on the ground as police, and then EMS personnel, administer first aid.
Lewis was pronounced dead at Princeton Hospital at 12:10 p.m., roughly 40 minutes after the confrontation began, Platkin said.
No one else was injured, the attorney general said.
State law and his office's own guidelines require Platkin to investigate any and all deaths that occur “during an encounter with a law enforcement officer acting in the officer’s official capacity or while the decedent is in custody," no matter what the circumstances are.
The goal is to "promote the fair, impartial, and transparent investigation of fatal police encounters," he has said.
Once the investigation by his Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA) was completed, the results were presented to the grand jury “in a neutral, objective manner, and with appropriate transparency,” the attorney general said.
This included all the footage from police body cameras and Tasers – which were first shared with Lewis’s family – along with autopsy results and interviews with the officers and civilian witnesses.
“An officer may use deadly force in New Jersey when the officer reasonably believes it is immediately necessary to protect the officer or another person from imminent danger of death or serious bodily harm,” Platkin said.
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and Canada as well as all of NJ's border states
Share LinkThis Greenway Meadows In New Jersey Are One Of The Best Places To View Summer WildflowersGreenway Meadows Park in Princeton
offers a peaceful urban oasis with beautiful wildflower trails
Located less than two miles from Princeton's Palmer Square, Greenway Meadows Park feels like another world.
which has transformed it into a unique natural haven
the wildflowers are especially stunning - so it might be worth making more than one trip during a day in Princeton
Peggy Hsu/Google LocalAround the park
Even the benches here are anything but commonplace
and how it's been transformed into a unique urban oasis for flowers
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2021 at 7:44 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Shutterstock)MERCER COUNTY
NJ — Meteorologists with the National Weather Service on Friday evening confirmed that a tornado touched down in Mercer County as severe storms moved through the region on Thursday night
The National Weather Service said an EF1 tornado ripped through parts of Mercer County
More details are expected later on Friday night or on Saturday
Two tornado warnings were sent out in the area around 5:50 p.m
and power cuts in many parts of the county
The National Weather Service has so far confirmed seven tornados from Thursday
In Bucks County, Pennsylvania, the tornadoes caused serious damage
ripping the roof off an entire car dealership
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A wildfire along Highway 3 south of Princeton is under control
The human-caused fire sparked on April 18 near Cable Creek.
The blaze is estimated at 0.37 hectares in size.
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A former junior hockey coach had a voyeurism charge stayed against him
in exchange for a peace bond with the court
William “Bill” Rotheisler appeared in Penticton’s Provincial Court on Jan
for what had been scheduled to be the first of three days trial
the Crown prosecutor and Rotheisler’s defence announced that they had come to an agreement on a joint submission
READ MORE: Trial for former hockey coach accused of voyeurism in Penticton set for 2024
The charge of secretly observing and/or recording nudity in a private place in Penticton in July of 2022 was stayed
Rotheisler received a peace bond on the basis that there were reasonable grounds for concern that he could commit one or more sexual offences under the criminal code
Rotheisler released a statement to the media
“This was the culmination of a painfully long year and a half deep dive into my personal and private life,” reads a portion of the statement
“I have volunteered into what is sometimes called a specialized peace bond to appease the court and as a safeguard against many hypotheticals
I maintain my stance that I do not admit to any criminal offence
“It is hard for any person to comprehend the mental state that I was in when this accusation happened
Few know the actual seriousness of my last few years where I didn’t just have cancer
I had one of the absolute worst forms of it at the worst stage of it
literally the weeks leading up to this life-changing accusation
that I finally began seeing progress that I could be proud of
It took spending between five to six hours a day at the gym to do this and was always my only purpose for my time spent there
This commitment to my health cost me my job that spring
and ultimately was a key contributor to costing my ‘life’ since that time.”
The peace bond will be for 12 months and prohibits Rotheisler from going to areas like public parks or swimming pools where minors under the age of 16 can be expected to be
He will also be banned from possessing any phone capable of taking photos
and any laptop outside of one used at work
Defence noted multiple times during the court appearance on Jan
16 that there were multiple Charter issues that would have been raised had the matter gone to trial
the cell phone that had been seized by the RCMP during their investigation was forfeited
Rotheisler has been a coach for junior hockey in B.C
and most recently the Creston Valley Thunder Cats
he was also a program director and coach at the Okanagan Hockey Academy for a number of years
He is no longer coaching but instead working for his family’s business
Rotheisler’s full statement can be found below:
This morning the charge against me was rightfully dropped before my scheduled trial was to begin
This was the culmination of a painfully long year and a half deep dive into my personal and private life
I maintained my not guilty plea to the charge
and we agreed not to proceed with a lengthy trial that we are confident was headed towards an acquittal
rightfully with no criminal conviction or record
I have volunteered into what is sometimes called a specialized peace bond to appease the court and as a safeguard against many hypotheticals
It is hard for any person to comprehend the mental state that I was in when this accusation happened
It was not a chance that I would not survive it
literally the weeks leading up to this life changing accusation
and ultimately was a key contributor to costing my “life” since that time
friends and former players that put their own reputations on the line to show their support
I have learned a lot about people during this
and I am more aware and committed to creating a positive and safe place for myself
and anyone that I am blessed to come across in my life
Sign up for a free account today and start receiving our exclusive newsletters
was watching Judge Judy on television Tuesday when her neighbors knocked on her door to tell her that her condo building was on fire
a resident of Ravens Crest East in the Princeton Meadows condominium complex
stepped outside to see the smoke and flames
“The only thing I got out with was the television remote
I ultimately put it in my pocket,” Sidler said yesterday
More than six fire districts from as far as Kingston
East Windsor and West Windsor battled the blaze
which began in one apartment building and spread to another
The fire was cleared nearly six hours later
some units in the Ravens Crest complex were boarded up
and cleanup crews were dismantling burned-out roofs and other wreckage
Chief Doug Vorp of the Plainsboro Volunteer Fire Department said the fire sparked up again yesterday morning
and a dozen township firefighters worked to put it out
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined
and officials from the Plainsboro fire marshal’s office were still investigating
There is no indication so far that the cause of the fire is suspicious
Sidler said officials told her that her unit had been damaged only by water and smoke
She said the American Red Cross of Central New Jersey placed her and some other displaced residents at the Staybridge Suites Princeton extended stay hotel on Route 1
Sidler was one of 15 people displaced from 12 of the 16 units in the 1600 block of the Ravens Crest East development
president of the Ravens Crest East at Princeton Meadows Condominium Association
Sutter said the association may be able to find some vacant units in the complex to accommodate some of the displaced people
Sutter said some of the units in the affected block were rented
and all residents had either renters or homeowners’ insurance
who was taking pictures of the damage yesterday as officials from Verizon
said a couple of the units might be uninhabitable
The condominium association has a master insurance policy that covers the buildings in the case of fire
said she believes she can return to her residence within weeks
Sidler has lived in her condo for five years
but she has been a resident of Ravens Crest since 1991
She said officials were helpful in getting her medicine and her car keys and her pet parrotfish
She and her neighbors watched Tuesday night as the building burned
I don’t think I’m as nervous as I might have been 30 or 40 years ago,” said Sidler
who had nevertheless never experienced a house fire before
Six Red Cross Disaster Action Team volunteers provided help at the scene of the fire
meeting with the families in the affected units to determine what their immediate needs were
Eight individuals from five of the units were provided with temporary lodging and financial assistance to help them buy food and clothing
The families were also given referrals for their possible long-term needs as well as comfort kits containing toiletries
Some of the residents planned to stay with friends and family
Residents in four of the evacuated units were able to return once power was restored to their units Tuesday night
The condos are next to the Ravens Crest Apartments
Just below its name on the sign outside Rhong Tiam restaurant in Plainsboro is the slogan
This is the owners’ way of saying that the food is authentic Thai
a member of the family that owns Rhong Tiam
“The Bangkok way of cooking is real Thai food,” she says
That means that unlike in other Asian restaurants
you can’t request the level of spiciness in many dishes
The peppery flavors are cooked into the sauces
and the hottest dishes are clearly marked on the menu with an appropriate number of red flames
There also are dishes that have no warning flames
and fiery food is part of the culture of Thailand
The restaurant opened more than two years ago in Princeton Meadows Shopping Center
One cousin spent time in Thailand studying the cuisine in order to ensure authenticity
and draws many native Asians who are in search of the real thing
We started our meal with an order of the house dumplings
shrimp and shredded cabbage and served with tangy ginger vinaigrette
full of flavor and in a portion large enough to share
Less plentiful but nicely done was an order of crisp wontons
with a light chicken broth and the wonton noodles stuffed with the same minced chicken and shrimp
this sour lemongrass milk soup flavored with onion
mushrooms and lime juice lived up to the one flame next to its listing on the menu
It is spicy enough to satisfy the diner who loves heat
but not so spicy that you can’t enjoy the fragrance and subtle flavor of the lemongrass
came with plenty of nuts and chicken flavored by onions
bell peppers and mushrooms sautéed in a sweet chili paste
the Thai spices used helped kick up the flavor quotient a notch
featured bite-size pieces of chicken sautéed in a very good sweet and tangy brown sauce
came with slices of sweet fresh mango sautéed with fresh
tender shrimp and vegetables with a hint of spiciness in the finish
Individual bowls are more than enough for a meal
is correct when she said the staff at Rhong Tiam set a high standard for quality
They meet that challenge and offer a satisfying meal for those in search of authentic Thai food with or without the traditional fire
rhongtiamnj.com
: Very good Thai food made as authentically as possible
which means sometimes dishes are very spicy
: Burnished wood and hanging chandeliers give a warm glow to this restaurant
An already existing condo complex where people have lived and smoked for years has now banned smoking effective January 1st
It's happening in Plainsboro at Ravens Crest East at Princeton Meadows Condominium Association
There are 612 units of which 45% are owned and 55% are rentals
you will no longer be allowed to smoke inside your own home
Any lease for a unit that is entered into after the effective date of this amendment shall include a clause prohibiting smoking in the unit
Any existing lease that is renewed after the effective date of this amendment shall include a clause prohibiting smoking in the unit."
There have been a few brand new condo complexes that opened in New Jersey with a ban on smoking from day 1
This may be the first time that an existing complex has banned smoking for everyone in their own homes and not grandfathered anyone in
The association even admits some may sell and move out
saying there are only a limited number of smokers anyway
But I'm also not a fan of what they're doing here
To not grandfather in people who have been living there a long time is unfair
The association points out how condominiums have shared walls
and smells and carcinogens can seep in even through electrical outlets
But just like the smoker knew from the start that he was allowed to smoke there
the non-smokers who made Ravens Crest East their home knew living with common walls next to a smoker was a reality
To change it years after the fact is outrageous
With all the smoking bans in parks and on beaches
it's been looking more and more like the only place smokers might have left to smoke would be their own homes
If a condo complex can pull a stunt like this
who is to say whole townships won't eventually do the same thing through municipal ordinance and win in court against an inevitable challenge
but to stop a person from smoking in their own home where they've lived for years is wrong
Smoke 'em while you got 'em, folks.\nRead More
playing and laughing at this site once again in the next year,” he said
The Princeton Estates Homeowners Association in Kentwood, which encompasses neighbors from Princeton Estates and Princeton Meadows, is especially interested in the reconstruction of the playground because it was located at its heart
Clanton expects neighbors will be happy to see the playground rebuilt
“Princeton Estates Homeowners Association is eager to know if we will move forward with replacing the structure
I believe we will have a strong show of force from them regarding this project,” said Clanton
He estimated the damage between $40,000 and $50,000
and said most accidental causes have been ruled out
Investigations continue to identify the suspects responsible for the incident
If anyone has information regarding this incident
they are encouraged to contact the Kentwood Police Department at 698-6580 or Silent Observer at 774-2345
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