Common calendar, Packet papers, December 31

Ongoing

East Windsor residents can volunteer for appointment to various township boards and committees, including the Clean Communities Advisory Committee, Commission on Aging, East Windsor Municipal Alliance for the Prevention of Substance Abuse, Economic Development Committee, Environmental Commission, Health Advisory Board, Local Assistance Board, Planning Board, Recreation Commission, and Zoning Board of Adjustment.

The mayor and council will make appointments at the January reorganization meeting, as well as throughout the year as opportunities arise.

Residents interested in volunteering can obtain an application form from the Municipal Clerk or from the township website or send a letter of interest and a resume or information about their background to: Mayor Janice S. Mironov and Council Members, East Windsor Township Municipal Building, 16 Lanning Blvd., East Windsor 08520; or fax to 609-443-8303.

For an application form or further information, call 609-443-4000, ext. 238.

 

 

Mercer County’s Notary Nights will be held on the first Thursday of each month from 3-7:30 p.m. at the Mercer County Connection satellite office, 957 Route 33, Hamilton.

The dates for 2022 are Jan. 6, Feb. 3, March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1.

Sessions will also be held on business days from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, and from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays, at the Mercer County Clerk’s Office, 209 S. Broad St., Trenton.

A mask or face covering must be worn to enter. 

To be sworn in by Mercer County Clerk’s Office staff as a new notary, prospective notaries must apply and have their applications signed by a legislator. If you file your application online it will be sent to your legislator electronically.

After the State of New Jersey processes your application, you will be sent your commission by mail.

You must take your oath of office.

The fee is $15; checks and money order are accepted.

Prospective notaries will also need a photo ID and their certificate on hand to be sworn in.

After July 2022, all notary applications will have to be completed electronically, and an education component will be required for new notaries due to a change in state notary laws.

The Clerk’s Office also has new updated Notary Handbooks, which are available for pickup at the office at 209 S. Broad St. in Trenton.

For more information about notaries public and for updates on office openings and closings in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, visit www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk-/office-services/notary-public, or call the office’s main number at 609-989-6465.

 

Throughout January

The Cranbury Arts Council will present the exhibit “Connected” by Elaina R. Phillips at the Gourgard Gallery, inside of Town Hall, 23-A N. Main St., Cranbury, throughout January. Hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.

Phillips is a resident of Cranbury. She attended Cranbury School and two of her paintings are on display in the Cranbury School art gallery.

Her watercolor painting of the Princeton High School tower hangs in their main office.

In conjunction with the Gourgaud, during January, 20% of art sales from Phillips’s show will go to the Cranbury Arts Council to support its programs that support arts in the community.

Sales will be accepted through her Etsy store. For more information, visit www.etsy.com/shop/ElainaRPhillips

 

 

Saturdays, through Jan. 1

With so many people in the community hurting physically, mentally and spiritually these days, and especially during this holiday season, SandyK & Partners and Hopewell United Methodist Church (HUMC) have partnered to put the HA! BACK in the Holiday season by hosting “SandyK’s HA-HA-HOLIDAYS” Therapeutic Laughter Yoga.

Laughter Yoga is a unique wellness program founded in 1995 in India by a medical doctor, Dr. Madan Kataria, and his yoga teacher wife, Madhuri, that combines yogic deep breathing (pranayama), stretching and playful laughter exercises that is now practiced in over 100 countries.

Ha!Ha!Holidays Therapeutic Laughter Yoga is for anyone in need of relief from the stress or sad(SADD)ness of the holiday season or folks wanting to burn some calories before/after the big feast or those just looking to enjoy fun and wellness with like-minded people.

Held in the HUMC’s Lower Dining Hall at 20 Blackwell Ave. in Hopewell, the program is being held Dec. 25 and Jan. 1, 2022, for two sessions each day from 10-11:15 a.m. and from noon to 1:15 p.m.

A $20 donation is requested, which helps provide free session scholarships to those in need.

Conducted by certified instructor Sandy Kimbrough, participants are asked to wear comfortable clothing and, as with any exercise program, check with their healthcare provider before participating.

Chairs and refreshments and prizes provided.

Social distancing observed, with masks optional.

To register, call 609-516-0215.

 

 

 

Through Sunday, Jan. 2

From air samplers that record the microclimate to scale replicas of the rooms at Bainbridge House that spin on the quarter hour, Jesse Stecklow’s work investigates the ways in which both atmospheric and built surroundings affect perceptions. 

In his first solo museum exhibition, the Los Angeles-based artist explores the processes of perception and creativity through site-responsive installations at the Princeton University Art Museum’s Art@Bainbridge gallery, located in a restored 18th-century home at 158 Nassau St., Princeton. 

Components in the Air/Jesse Stecklow brings together works from five of the artist’s series that interweave imagery, motion and sound to heighten visitors’ attention to the ways in which personal associations, memories and perspectives shape experiences of space.

The installation will be on view through Jan. 2, 2022.

 

 

Sunday, Jan. 2

The Princeton Battlefield Society (PBS) will mark the 245th anniversary of the Battle of Princeton – fought on Jan. 3, 1777 – with “Experience the Battle of Princeton” on Jan. 2.

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at Princeton Battlefield State Park, 500 Mercer Road, Princeton, with a presentation by Larry Kidder, historian and author of “Ten Crucial Days: Washington’s Vision for Victory Unfolds” and several other books on Revolutionary War New Jersey.

Following this presentation, attendees can watch the narrated re-enactment, with British and American re-enactors, including artillery.

Following the reenactment, the New Jersey Sons of the American Revolution will hold a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial Grove behind the colonnade on the battlefield.

Tours of the historic Thomas Clarke House will be offered.

Pre-registration is required at www.pbs1777.org

 

 

 

Monday, Jan. 3 through Thursday, Jan. 6

American Repertory Ballet will offer Dance Anew 2022: Winter Intensive from 4-8 p.m. Jan. 3-6 for Princeton Ballet School Levels 5-8, trainees and experienced dancers age 12 and older.

The Winter Intensive will inspire presence, artistry and technique.

Directed by Gillian Murphy and hosted by Princeton Ballet School, each day of classes will culminate with an interview between Murphy and a guest teacher as they discuss secrets to success, including their best advice for seizing every moment as a dancer. 

Faculty for Dance ANEW 2022 includes Stella Abrera, Aydmara Cabrera, Da’ Von Doane, Michael Mindlin, Gillian Murphy and Ethan Stiefel.

Register via Jackrabbit 

The cost is $350.

For more information on the Winter Intensive, contact Carol Bellis at 609-921-7758 or [email protected]. 

For more general information, visit www.arballet.org/dance-anew/

 

Tuesday, Jan. 4

Mercer County Technical Schools is accepting applications for the 2022-23 school year for academies beginning in ninth grade, shared-time for 11th and 12th grades, and Career Prep for 12th grade.

A virtual information session will be held from 6-7 p.m. Jan. 4 at https://meet.google.com/jij-konb-gvw.

For more information and the application, visit www.mcts.edu

 

 

 

Through Wednesday, Jan. 5

Residents in Mercer, Middlesex and Somerset counties who had property damage or loss caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Ida in September have until Jan. 5 to apply for FEMA individual assistance.

Federal disaster assistance for individuals and families can include money for rental assistance, essential home repairs, personal property losses, and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance.

Residents can register for disaster assistance, update their contact information, ask questions about a letter from FEMA, get information about FEMA home inspections, or learn how to appeal a FEMA decision by visiting disasterassistance.gov, downloading the FEMA app or calling 800-621-3362 (TTY: 800-462-7585).

 

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 5

Jewish Family Services of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties is offering a Job Seekers Success Group for active job seekers who are unemployed, underemployed or seeking a career change. 

The next group will be held from 7-9 p.m. Jan. 5 via Zoom.

The topic for this session is Maximizing LinkedIn, presented by John Sher, president of Sher Coaching and developer of the Trust Success Model.

In this interactive session, learn how to build and enhance your personal brand, strengthen your profile, be seen in your industry, find the right job for you, and find the people who can help you get it.

This group is offered free of charge and is open to the entire community. 

Registration is required to receive the Zoom invitation and to be admitted to the group.

To register or for information about Career Counseling Services, contact Elise Prezant at  [email protected] or 908-725-7799, ext. 108.

 

The Unconventional Jewish Life & Thought of Solomon Yom Tov Bennett will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 5 via Zoom, sponsored by The Jewish Center Princeton.

Bennett (1767-1838) was a maskil, a Jew committed to the Enlightenment. His odyssey, from Belarus to Copenhagen to Berlin and London, includes his training in the arts and his career as an engraver, his transformation into a scholar and translator in London and then into an English literary agent.

Free for members, $10 for non-members.

For security reasons, registration is required. To register, email your full name to [email protected]

Registration closes Jan. 4 at 7 p.m.

 

The East Windsor Township Council’s reorganization meeting will be held at 6 p.m. Jan. 5 virtually via Zoom.

The largely ceremonial meeting will include the administering of the oaths of office to re-elected Councilmembers Denise Daniels and Alan Rosenberg, and newly elected Councilmember David Russell.

There will also be citizen appointments to township boards and committees.

Details on how to access the meeting are available at www.east-windsor.nj.us/events/54526

 

 

 

 

Thursday, Jan. 6

Join Rabbi Matt Nover of Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor as he teaches about all different aspects of Jewish life.

During this session at 7 p.m. Jan. 6, he will discuss Tallit and Tefillin.

This is a Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 897 003 3588, Password 1234.

This is open to the community.

For more information, call 609-443-4454 or visit www.bethel.net.

 

Through Thursday, Feb. 3

Special exhibit through Friday, Jan. 7

 D&R Greenway Land Trust invites the public to experience nature through the art exhibition “Emergence,” on view through Feb. 3.

David O. Anderson,  former  president of the Princeton Photography Club,  and long-time member of the land trust’s Photographers of Preservation,  is exhibiting a  new  collection of fine art  photographs  of nature seen from the viewpoint of children.

The Olivia Rainbow Gallery, named in memory of 5-year-old Olivia Kuenne, has been transformed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the D&R Greenway’s Johnson Education Center, 1 Preservation Pl., off Rosedale Road, Princeton.

All photographs are for sale, a percentage supporting D&R Greenway’s land preservation and stewardship mission in Central Jersey and along the Delaware Bay.

Open viewing hours for the Garden State Watercolor Society’s “Recovery” Juried Exhibition and “Delaware River – River of the Year 2020”  lobby installation are Monday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., through Jan. 7 in the same location.

Visitors are asked to follow COVID safety precautions, remaining masked inside the 1900 barn.

 

 

Friday, Jan. 7

Meet the mayors of Cranbury, Monroe, Jamesburg, Helmetta, South Brunswick and Plainsboro from 8-10 a.m. Jan. 7 at the Crowne Plaza Princeton, 900 Scudders Mill Road, Plainsboro.

Learn about economic development opportunities, arts and culture, travel and tourism, and sustainability.

To register, visit www.mcrcc.org/event/meet-the-mayors-2021-part-1/

Sponsored by the Middlesex County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

 

 

Beginning Friday, Jan. 7

 

Literacy Volunteers of Somerset County (LVSC) is recruiting volunteer tutors to teach literacy skills to adult learners in Somerset County. 

Training is provided to all LVSC volunteer tutors through a required 4-week virtual workshop. 

The first step in becoming a volunteer LVSC tutor is to attend a Tutor Information Session. The schedule is 3 p.m. Jan. 7, 7 p.m. Jan. 11 and 3 p.m. Jan. 14, all virtually via Zoom.

After attending an information session, the next step is to attend LVSC’s 4-week Tutor Training Workshop which is held virtually on Zoom. Sessions are scheduled for 3-5 p.m. Jan. 21 and 28, and Feb. 4 and 11.

Participants must also complete online training modules prior to each Zoom session.

Upon completion of the 4-week training, tutors are matched with an adult learner. Depending on public health guidance, you and your student will choose to either meet weekly at the library or you will work together virtually using Zoom, FaceTime, WhatsApp, etc.  

To register, visit www.literacysomerset.org/get-involved/tutor/information-sessions/register 

For more information, visit www.literacysomerset.org or call 908-725-5430.

 

 

Through Saturday, Jan. 8

The New Jersey School Boards Association is encouraging students to submit entries to the Garden State Film Festival’s student submission category, “New Jersey Hometown Documentary Short” by the Jan. 8 deadline.

This category is reserved for works that are written, directed and shot by New Jersey high school students. Films must focus on some aspect of their hometown, including topics like profiles of interesting persons, places, time periods or subjects related to the arts.

This film submission category has been created to encourage young filmmakers’ creativity while instilling a sense of pride in their hometowns and state, according to information provided by the NJSBA.

Students are encouraged to submit entries on their own or through their school by the Jan. 8 deadline. The Garden State Film Festival’s professional jury will select winning films in various categories. The festival will take place from March 23-27 in Asbury Park. For more information, visit GSFF.org

 

The Off the Wall Holiday Market is open through Jan. 8 at West Windsor Arts in Princeton Junction, and its satellite gallery at Whole World Arts at the Princeton MarketFair Shopping Center, featuring 80 original artworks for sale.

In addition, more than 200 handmade items can be found at the MarketFair location.

Items can also be purchased online at westwindsorarts.org.  

For more information about ongoing activities and classes at West Windsor Arts and Whole World Arts, visit westwindsorarts.org or call 609-716-1931.

 

Saturday, Jan. 8, through Feb. 5

Special event Feb. 5

The Arts Council of Princeton will exhibit “Traces of Time,” an exhibition by Princeton-based photographer Eileen Hohmuth Lemonick, from Jan. 8 to Feb. 5.

The opening reception on Jan. 8 has been canceled due to an increase in COVID cases. Instead, the public is invited to a closing reception from 3-5 p.m. Feb. 5 at the Arts Council, 102 Witherspoon St., Princeton.

“Traces of Time” addresses a lifetime of memories, love, sexuality, family, beauty, decay, fragility, longevity, vulnerability, sickness, health and death. It has to do with moments and people that are gone.

The project started when Hohmuth-Lemonick fractured her pelvis, was immobile, and could only get around with a walker. Friends sent bouquets, and with severely limited motion, she began to photograph them on her kitchen table, finding beauty in their decay.

From that initial work, she has continued in many directions: among them portraits, flowers frozen in melting ice, images created with a scanner, combining live and dead flowers, painting on vegetation, and observing the passage of time in nature.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Free and open to the public.

For more information, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

 

 

Through Sunday, Jan. 9

Festival of Trees 2021 will be presented by Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, through Jan. 9.

Morven’s annual holiday tradition continues for its 16th year with a juried collection of themed trees and mantels displayed throughout the museum’s galleries decorated by talented members of Garden Clubs and Organizations.

Decorators include American Spaniel Club, Contemporary Garden Club, Mount Laurel Garden Club, Neshanic Garden Club, New Jersey Audubon Society, Nottingham Garden Club, Princeton Public Library, Stony Brook Garden Club, The Garden Club of Princeton, The Present Day Club and West Trenton Garden Club.

Reserve a timed admission. Limited walkups will be available.

Cost is $10 general admission, $8 seniors and students, free for Friends of Morven, free for children under 6, and free for active military.

 

The museum is located at 55 Stockton St., Princeton.

To register, visit www.morven.org/festivaloftrees21

 

Tuesday, Jan. 11

Pennington School’s Middle School will hold a virtual open house at 7 p.m. Jan. 11.
Head of School Chrissie Knight and Middle School Dean of Students Lisa Houston will lead an informative session for parents of prospective students.

Register at https://pennington.schooladminonline.com/portal/public_calendars/middle_school_information_session

 

 

 

 

 

Jan. 11 to Feb. 26

Special event Jan. 16

West Windsor Arts Council and Art Against Racism will present “Manifesting Beloved Community,” a juried exhibit of work exploring the relationship of community health with race, racism and efforts to create an antiracist society, from Jan. 11 to Feb. 26 at both West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction; and at Whole World Arts at MarketFair, 3535 Route 1, Princeton.

A virtual and in-person reception is planned for Jan. 16.

Selected work will be shown in an online gallery viewable at artagainstracism.org

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 12

Monday, Jan 24

The American Red Cross will hold blood drives from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Jan. 12 and from 2-7 p.m. Jan. 24 in Room 320, Laurel Hall, of the Mount Laurel Campus of Rowan College at Burlington County, 900 College Circle, Mount Laurel.

To register, visit https://rcbc.edu/events

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 12, to April 8

The Anne Reid ’72 Gallery at Princeton Day School presents Photography is also an act of love, an exhibition of artwork by Naima Green, Allen Frame and Zachary Lucero, from Jan. 12 through April 8 at Princeton Day School, 650 Great Road, Princeton.

The exhibition takes its title from the opening sentence of “Ghost Image” by Hervé Guibert, a book of 63 prose poems about photography that reference Guibert’s observations and experiences as a gay artist relating to family, friendship, memory and desire.

The three featured artists in this exhibition speak to very different geographically-based experiences of queerness and belonging. They center sensitivity in their work and move fluidly between mediums, both found and created, to speak to memory and to unpack histories of chosen and inherited family.

Due to the possibility of changing COVID protocols, exhibition reception and events will be updated at www.pds.org/the-arts/anne-reid-gallery.

To schedule a private viewing, email [email protected].

 

 

 

Monday, Jan. 17

Join the Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) on Jan. 17 to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. from 10 a.m. to noon.

A free community bagel breakfast will begin at 10 a.m. and attendees of all ages are invited for hands-on art and history activities including an Emblem Making and Protest History with the Historical Society of Princeton.

In addition, the Arts Council will be leading a poster and lawn sign-painting station celebrating King’s teachings. Participants will decorate signs featuring well-known quotes from King to take home to display on their lawns or in their windows, creating a town-wide celebration of his legacy.

In acknowledgement of the 27th year of the MLK National Day of Service, attendees are invited to bring with them non-perishable items for a canned food drive to benefit RISE NJ Food Pantry, whose mission is to help families and individuals overcome obstacles and achieve their full potential by providing them with services and facilitating community partnerships.

To recognize Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day in 2021, the Arts Council, in collaboration with the Historical Society of Princeton and neighborhood historian Shirley Satterfield, created a limited-edition coloring book to learn about the impact and influence of Black Princetonians from history. Included in the project are accomplished business owners, politicians, and educators, in addition to King’s visits to campus in the 1960s. Free copies of the coloring book will be available for pickup at the 2022 event while supplies last, and a free book download is available 24/7 at artscouncilofprinceton.org.

The Arts Council’s Paul Robeson Center for the Arts is located at 102 Witherspoon St. in Princeton.

Free and open to the public. Masks are required.

For more information and to RSVP, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

 

 

Wednesday, Jan. 19

Join Rabbi Matt and the crew of Beth El Synagogue in East Windsor as they explore Space: the Final Frontier, and other modern Halakhic issues, at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 19. This class will focus on Death and Life Support.

This is a Zoom meeting. Meeting ID: 897 003 3588, Password 1234.

Open to the community.

For more information, call 609-443-4454 or visit www.bethel.net.

 

 

 

Through Sunday, Jan. 23

Orlando, an exhibition of contemporary photography guest-curated by award-winning actor Tilda Swinton, is on display through Art on Hulfish, a new gallery space from the Princeton University Art Museum.

Art on Hulfish showcases a roster of exhibitions led by photography that will consider issues of profound impact on 21st-century life. Located in downtown Princeton, it encompasses some 3,000 square feet of exhibition space and another 2,000 square feet for public programming, ranging from drop-in activities to scheduled work with artists.

Admission is free.

The gallery will present four exhibitions each year until late 2024, when the museum’s new building designed by Sir David Adjaye is projected to open.

 

“Orlando” is inspired by the themes of Virginia Woolf’s revolutionary 1928 novel “Orlando: A biography,” the story of a young aristocrat who lives for three centuries without aging and shifts gender along the way; and Sally Potter’s equally groundbreaking 1992 film “Orlando,” which featured an androgynous Swinton in the starring role.

The resulting exhibition of more than 50 photographs includes baroque inventions by Mickalene Thomas, layered images by Carmen Winant, and fragmented figural studies by Paul Mpagi Sepuya, among others.

 

“Orlando” will be on view at Art on Hulfish through Jan. 23.

Art on Hulfish joins Art@Bainbridge, the museum’s other satellite gallery in Princeton’s Bainbridge House, a revolutionary-era building retrofit to present primarily solo installations by emerging and early-career artists throughout the year.

 

 

 

The Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern New Jersey, in collaboration with the New Jersey Department of Health, announced the launch of the 10th annual Protect Me With 3+ poster and video contest.

 

The contest challenges New Jersey youth in middle and high school to raise awareness about the importance of adolescent immunizations including tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap), human papillomavirus (HPV), meningococcal conjugate (MenACWY) and flu vaccines. Additionally, the contest has expanded to include entries for COVID-19 vaccination awareness.

Middle school and high school students can participate in the contest by submitting a hand-drawn poster or an original computer-generated poster that integrates key facts about one of the adolescent vaccines listed above. High school students also have the option to submit a video up to 30 seconds long instead of a poster.

In addition to accepting posters via mail, the contest is also accepting poster and video submissions electronically at www.protectmewith3.com/submit.

If a student is selected as a finalist, the agency will provide them with a pre-stamped envelope to mail their original poster.

Judges will then select the top three winners in each category.

The submission deadline is Jan. 23. Prizes will be awarded to the top three entries in the video and poster categories, and the winning entries will be showcased during various statewide immunization awareness activities.

Additionally, students who submit entries by Jan. 1 will be entered into random drawings to win prizes courtesy of Protect Me With 3+ event sponsors.

For more information about Protect Me With 3+ sponsorship opportunities, visit www.protectmewith3.com/sponsors.

The top five finalists in each of the three categories will be posted on www.protectmewith3.com for public voting in March. The winners will then be announced and honored at an awards ceremony in May.

New Jersey teachers are encouraged to make the Protect Me With 3+ contest a class project. As an added incentive, prizes will be awarded to the classrooms with the most eligible submissions in each of the three categories. For more information on lesson plans and interactive materials for schools, visit http://www.protectmewith3.com/schools.

Information regarding eligibility, video and poster submission guidelines, and contest rules can be found at www.protectmewith3.com.

 

 

Tuesday, Jan. 25

On Feb. 1, the Lunar New Year will be celebrated around the world. Welcome the Year of the Tiger with award-winning and New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Grace Lin and the Somerset County Library System of New Jersey (SCLSNJ) during a virtual program on Jan. 25 at 4:30 p.m.

During the program, students in grades K-3 will digitally connect with Lin as she shares samples of her works; explains customs and stories around the Lunar New Year commemoration; and leads participants in an interactive drawing demonstration and Q&A session. 

Attendees are encouraged to read Lin’s books “The Year of the Dog” and/or “Bringing in the New Year” prior to the program. 

For more information or to register for the virtual program, visit sclsnj.libnet.info/event/5663371.

In addition to the author program, on Feb. 10 at 4:30 p.m., the Somerville branch, located at 35 W. End Ave. in Somerville, will host a drop-in program about tigers to celebrate the 2022 Lunar New Year for children ages 4-7. For more information, visit sclsnj.libnet.info/event/5787976. 

 

 

 

Through Saturday, Jan. 29

Mercer County Community College’s (MCCC’s) James Kerney Campus (JKC) Gallery announced its next photography exhibit entitled “Homecoming 2021,” which showcases the works of photography students who graduated during the pandemic.

“Homecoming 2021,” is a FUJIFILM-sponsored collaboration between Booksmart Studio (Eric Kunsman) and Float Photo Magazine (Yoav Friedlander and Dana Stirling), along with JKC Gallery Director Michael Chovan-Dalton and artist Alanna Airitam.

The show celebrates the hard-fought creative triumphs of students around the globe whose final years as undergraduate and graduate students were disrupted by the pandemic.

The free open worldwide call to “Homecoming 2021” invited 2020-2021 photography graduates to submit their work. All work will be published and select images will be exhibited at Mercer County Community College’s JKC Gallery. 

For more information about the artists, visit https://jkcgallery.onnline/homecoming-2021.

Gallery hours are Mondays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. by reservation. Register the visit at least one day in advance at JKCGallery.online.

To learn more about the show, the reception and registration requirements, including Zoom links, visit JKCGallery.online.

 

 

Saturday, Jan. 29, through May 22

The New Jersey State Museum will present “Posing Beauty in African American Culture,” a touring exhibition, opening Jan. 29. The exhibition explores the contested ways in which African and African American beauty have been represented in historical and contemporary contexts. 

Presented in the museum’s main first floor gallery through May 22, the exhibition was organized by the Department of Photography & Imaging at New York University, Tisch School of the Arts, and curated by Deborah Willis, PhD, University Professor and Chair of the Department.

The exhibition is divided into three thematic sections: “Constructing a Pose,” considers the interplay between the historical and the contemporary, between self-representation and imposed representation, and the relationship between subject and photographer. “Body and Image” questions the ways in which contemporary understanding of beauty has been constructed and framed through the body. “Modeling Beauty & Beauty Contests,” invites a reflection upon the ambiguities of beauty, its impact on mass culture and individuals, and how the display of beauty affects the ways in which we see and interpret the world and ourselves.

Artists in the exhibit include, among others, Carrie Mae Weems, Charles “Teenie” Harris, Sheila Pree Bright, Leonard Freed, Jamal Shabazz, Renee Cox, Edwin Rosskam, Hank Willis Thomas, Anthony Barboza, Bruce Davidson, Mickalene Thomas, Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe, Gordon Parks and Wendel A. White. 

The New Jersey State Museum is located at 205 W. State St. in Trenton. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. General admission is free, and donations to the NJ State Museum Foundation accepted. 

All visitors over the age of two are required to wear face coverings over the nose and mouth.

For more information, visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov.

 

 

 

Through Sunday, Jan. 30

 

 

The Pinelands Preservation Alliance’s Annual Juried Photo Exhibition has a scheduled opening for March 26.

All photographs must be made within the New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve. The reserve is found in portions of Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester and Ocean counties. All wildlife, flora and fauna must be photographed in their natural environment.

Submission date is Jan. 30.

More than $2,000 in cash prizes will be awarded: $1,000 for First Place Best in Show; $350 each for First Place Landscape, Flora & Fauna, and Other (People, Towns, Architecture, Culture, History, Recreation, etc).

Photographs submitted for exhibition will be selected by a credentialed jury with final selections chosen by Michael Yamashita, an acclaimed National Geographic photographer.

Acceptance notification is planned from Feb. 14-18. Awards, including cash prizes, will be announced at the reception on March 26.

All selected photographs will be exhibited at the historic Bishop Farmstead in Southampton from March 28 through April 30, and all submitted photos will be on display in the online gallery opening by April 15.

A total of six images can be submitted per photographer.

All participants must use the Smarter Entry system to register. Photos must be JPEG format, and files cannot exceed 8MB in size.

Learn more at www.PinelandsPhotoExhibit.org or email [email protected].

 

 

Thursday, Feb. 3

Born in Amwell Township to a free Black mother, Jacob Francis lived his 82-year life in a world of revolutionary change. He became caught up in the rising tide of revolution in the 1760s and ’70s and served in the Continental Army, including at the Battle of Trenton, and then the New Jersey militia.

Establishing himself as a farmer, he married an enslaved woman named Mary, freed her and they raised their eight children in the vicinity of Flemington during a period of rising interest in abolition.

Larry Kidder will offer a virtual online presentation at 7 p.m. Feb. 3 via GoToMeeting, or reserve a seat in the Community Room at the Hopewell Branch Library to view a livestream broadcast of the program. To reserve a seat, call 609-737-2610 or email [email protected].​

Register at https://tinyurl.com/francisJacob

Co-sponsored by Hopewell Valley Historical Society, The Hopewell Museum and the Hopewell Branch of the Mercer County Library.

For more information on Kidder’s projects and books, visit wlkidderhistorian.com.

 

 

 

 

Saturday, Feb. 5 and Sunday, Feb. 6

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra will present a Sibelius Violin Concerto at 8 p.m. Feb. 5 or 4 p.m. Feb. 6 in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, Princeton University.

For more information, visit https://princetonsymphony.org/calendar/2022-spring-season-subscription

 

 

Through Friday, Feb. 11

Each school year, Bordentown Regional High School accepts nominations for induction into the Academic Hall of Fame. The school coordinates this induction with its annual Scholastic Awards Banquet, where seniors who have maintained an academic average of at least 86% for their first seven semesters are honored.

This year’s banquet will be held on May 3 at the high school.

A committee composed of community members, faculty and administrators reviews nominations and selects the alumni to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. BRHS would like to elicit more input from the community in this year’s selection process. Therefore, any community member who would like to nominate someone for induction into the Academic Hall of Fame is asked to contact Melissa Guido at Bordentown Regional High School by Feb. 11. She can be reached at 609-298-0025, ext. 1102 or [email protected]. 

Nominees must have graduated from William MacFarland High School or Bordentown Regional High School and have distinguished themselves in their personal and/or professional life.

 

 

Select dates, Feb. 17 through April 21

Princeton University Concerts (PUC) shares initial plans for transitioning the series’ concert offerings to a live, in-person format.

Although the kinds of gatherings possible on-campus in the coming year is not yet known, PUC is actively working with Princeton University officials to lay the groundwork for a Spring 2022 season.

The current schedule is as follows:

Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.: Takács String Quartet & Julien Labro, Bandoneón

March 10, 7:30 p.m.: Mark Padmore, tenor, and Mitsuko Uchida, piano

March 24, 7:30 p.m.: Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Mitsuko Uchida, piano

March 31, 7:30 p.m.: Ébène String Quartet

April 7 at 7:30 p.m.: Dover String Quartet

April 21 at 7:30 p.m.: Tetzlaff String Quartet

April 27 at 7:30 p.m.: Sheku Kanneh-Mason, cello, and Isata Kanneh-Mason, piano

All planned events will be realized in accordance with concurrent scientific, state, and university guidance, with the safety and health of the community in mind.

In the meantime, patrons are urged to mark their calendars and explore the planned offerings on PUC’s new website, puc.princeton.edu

 

 

 

Friday, March 4

The Nerds will perform at 8:30 p.m. March 4 at Bordentown Elks Lodge 2085, 11 Amboy Road, Bordentown.

Doors open at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $30 each. Limited to 300 guests.

Food will be available for purchase.

Must be 21 to attend.

For tickets, call Ken Jewell at 609-203-7375.

For more information, visit https://bordentownelks.org/paypal/Nerds.html

The concert will benefit the Elks lodge.

 

Saturday, March 5 and Sunday, March 6

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra will present Ferrandez Plays Dvorak, an Edward T. Cone Concert, at 8 p.m. March 5 and at 4 p.m. March 6 in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, Princeton University.

For more information, visit https://princetonsymphony.org/performances/ferrandez-plays-dvorak/2022-03-05

 

Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra will present Brahms & Scriabin at 8 p.m. March 26 and at 4 p.m. March 27 in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, Princeton University.

For more information, visit https://princetonsymphony.org/performances/brahms-scriabin/2022-03-26

 

 

Saturday, May 7 and Sunday, May 8

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra will present Milanov & Jackiw at 8 p.m. May 7 and at 4 p.m. May 8 in Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall, Princeton University.

For more information, visit https://princetonsymphony.org/performances/milanov-jackiw/2022-05-07

 

Through June 30

Mercer County’s Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), offered in coordination with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs, allows individuals meeting various income qualifications to apply for bill payment assistance, energy crisis assistance and energy-related home repairs.

LIHEAP is designed to help low-income families and individuals meet home heating and medically necessary cooling costs.

This year, the application period is Oct. 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022.

To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, the applicant household must be responsible for home heating or cooling costs, either directly or included in the rent; and have gross income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level.

Applications, forms and information can be found on the Office of Housing and Community Development’s programs page on the county website. Mail to County of Mercer LIHEAP/USF Programs, 640 S. Broad St., Room 106, P.O. Box 8068, Trenton 08650; fax to 609-278-2758; email [email protected]; or drop off at Mercer County Administration Building, 640 S. Broad St., Trenton.

If an in-person appointment is necessary, clients can call 609-337-0933 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment at the County Administration Building, 640 S. Broad St., Trenton; or Mercer County Connection, Hamilton Square Shopping Center, 957 Route 33 at Paxson Avenue, Hamilton.

For more information, contact Home Energy Assistance at 609-989-6959 (Spanish: 609-989-6736).

 

 

 

Continuing events

 

 

 

 

The Burlington County Lyceum of History and Natural Sciences is turning into a wedding venue.

Burlington County Clerk Joanne Schwartz will begin performing weddings every Wednesday afternoon from 1-4 p.m. by appointment only, in the historic and picturesque Lyceum building on High Street in Mount Holly.

Burlington County couples interested in being married can make appointments online at http://co.burlington.nj.us/611/Marriage-Services.

There is no fee for the service, but couples must obtain a marriage license from the municipality where either the bride or groom resides or from Mount Holly, where the Lyceum is located. Obtaining a license typically takes 72 hours.

For more information, call the Clerk’s Office at 609-265-5142.

 

 

 

The Mercer County Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) unit invites any licensed health care professional, practicing or retired, who lives or works in Mercer County and any community volunteer who lives or works in Mercer County who has an interest in health and emergency preparedness issues to join.

MRC volunteers supplement existing emergency and public health resources to prepare for and respond to emergencies at a local level. All volunteers receive free training.

Sign up at https://njlmn.njlincs.net/jsp/mrc-index.jsp or call 609-989-6887 for more information.

 

 

 

Dove Hospice Services of New Jersey is seeking compassionate volunteers to provide support to local hospice patients and their families.

Hospice patient care volunteers visit with patients in their home, which can also be nursing facilities or assisted living facilities, at least once a week. Visits can be virtual and are during the day or early evening. Volunteers may also assist with administrative work in the hospice office.

To sign up for a virtual training class, contact Deborah Adams at 732-405-3035 or email [email protected]

 

 

 

Bentley Community Services, a designated 501 (c) 3 charitable organization, has been helping working families in financial crisis regain self-sufficiency by providing a full range of grocery provisions and more each week, offsetting grocery bills.

Bentley also offers educational and informational workshops throughout the year facilitated by professionals.

Bentley Community Services is located at 4064 Route 1 north, Monmouth Junction section of South Brunswick, but helps families in communities from the entire central New Jersey region, including Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon, Somerset and Monmouth counties.

For more information, call 908-227-0684 or visit www.bentleycommunityservices.org

Donations of perishable, non-perishable foods and toiletries are accepted throughout the year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marketfair Princeton launched a Mall Rewards App that’s one of only two shopping centers in the state to offer such as technology service.

Marketfair Rewards is an app-based loyalty program where members can accumulate points in a variety of ways and use those points to redeem gifts such as discounts, gift cards to retailers, restaurant and wellness services and more in a shopping cart environment.

Download the app to a mobile device where the customer will receive 200 points for signing up. After every purchase, the customer has up to seven days to submit their receipt through the app which will immediately store the receipt for future use while also providing the guest with 1 point for every $1 spent.

Current participating retailers include Anthropologie, William Sonoma, Orange Twist, West Elm, Pottery Barn, Francesca’s, Athleta, Club Pilates, GAP, Eastern Mountain Sports, White House Black Market, Barnes & Noble and AMC.

Restaurants include Corners Bakery Café, Seasons 52, Bahama Breeze and TGI Friday’s.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saint Peter’s University Hospital in New Brunswick has launched the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group for families who are coping with loss due to addiction.

The free and confidential support group meets virtually on the second Thursday of every month from 7-8:30 p.m.

Inspired by Saint Peter’s Opioid Task Force, the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group is for families and close loved ones of people who have passed away from addiction.

The support group is open to everyone in New Jersey and serves as a safe space for families to discuss their grief.

To join the Substance Abuse and Addiction Loss Support Group, call Jeanne Delacruz, a social worker at Saint Peter’s who facilitates the support group, at 732-745-8522 or email [email protected]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

NAMI In Our Own Voice (NAMI En Nuestra Propia Voz) is a program by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) New Jersey chapter geared toward community education and reducing the stigma of mental health, as trained volunteers share their lived experience of mental health recovery.

To schedule a presentation at a school, PTA meeting, congregation, town hall, support group or professional training, email [email protected]

Presentations are available in English and Spanish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Central Jersey SCORE, a non-profit resource partner of the Small Business Administration, is looking for volunteers to assist people looking to start a business or grow an existing small business.

The organization is recruiting business owners and executives, both current and retired, who want to share their experience and knowledge with today’s up-and-coming entrepreneurs.

The Central Jersey Chapter of SCORE serves Middlesex, Somerset and Hunterdon counties.

Central Jersey SCORE provides in-person mentoring and webinars, both offered virtually in line with current pandemic restrictions. In addition, the SCORE website offers tools and templates on a wide variety of topics and numerous online courses and webinars to assist small business owners through every aspect of business development and management. Services are offered free of charge.

Anyone interested in volunteering with SCORE or seeking additional information should email [email protected]

 

 

The Mercer County Solidarity Network (MCSN) is a new mutual aid group designed to connect people in need throughout Mercer County with people who can help meet those needs.

The group is looking for individuals, families and businesses who would like to donate their time, resources or goods/services with people who have been affected by the pandemic and who request support. There is no minimum obligation – donors can specify whatever they feel they can provide and the group will match donors with individuals who have expressed a related need.

To sign up as a donor, visit www.mercersolidarity.org/ or email [email protected].

 

 

 

Send items to [email protected]. The deadline for submissions each week is 5 p.m. on Tuesday. For details, call 732-358-5200, ext. 8233.