Common calendar, Packet papers, January 21

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.

The U.S. State Department is experiencing longer than usual delays in the processing times of passports.

For those looking to travel and needing to renew their passports, it is advised to begin this process immediately. The current wait times for passport services is 10 weeks for expedited services and up to 14 weeks from the time of submission for a regular application. This delay is likely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

For more information regarding passports, visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website at www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk-/office-services/passports or call the clerk’s passport office at 609-989-6473; for Spanish, call 609-989-6131 or 609-989-6122.

Appointments at the Mercer County Connection, located at 957 Route 33, Hamilton, are available weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To schedule an appointment at the Mercer County Connection, call 609-890-9800.

All customers must have applications filled out, money orders and checks along with documentation and copies prior to appointment. Delays in appointment availability may be experienced due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

While Somerset County residents are waiting to receive the 2022 Recycling Schedule in the mail, the curbside calendar is available on Somerset County’s website and on the Recycle Coach App.

Visit https://bit.ly/2022RecyclingCalendar to view the 2022 Recycling Schedule and the Recycling How-to Guide.

Residents also can look up their town’s recycling schedule at www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle-coach.

Download the Recycle Coach App at www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle-coach to access the recycling schedule, pickup reminders, “What Goes Where” search tools and more.

For more information about recycling, contact the Somerset County Recycling Center at 732-469-3363 or visit www.co.somerset.nj.us/recycle.

To stay up-to-date with Somerset County events and information, sign up for free email alerts at www.co.somerset.nj.us/subscribe

Mercer County’s Swift911 system notifies the public in the event of an emergency or for sharing important information via phone, text or email.

All calls will have the caller ID of “Mercer County Alert.”

Personal information will not be provided to any outside agencies or companies.

To sign up, visit www.mercercounty.org/departments/emergency-management-public-safety/mercer-county-emergency-notification-system

For assistance with registration, email [email protected]

Mercer County posts regarding emergency closures are available at www.cancellations.com/ and www.fox29.com/closings

Central Jersey Chapter 148 of the Korean War Veterans extend an invitation to any veterans, regardless of the branch of service, who served during the Korean War from June 25, 1950, to July 27, 1953, in any location, including Europe; or who have served in Korea from July 27, 1953, to the current date.

Other veterans may join as associate members.

The group meets at 10 a.m. the second Wednesday of every month, from May to December, at the Monroe Township Municipal Building, 1 Municipal Plaza, in the court room.

Requirements for membership include paying dues of $25 to the Korean War Veterans Association and $10 to the chapter per year.

Korean War Veterans National LIFE membership is available for those 80 and older, and is $75.

The chapter is involved in various functions during the year, including fundraising to help veterans at the New Jersey State Veterans Memorial Home in Menlo Park, the Lyons campus of the VA New Jersey Health Care System, and the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home at Vineland.

For more information, contact Charlie Koppelman at 609-655-3111 or [email protected]

The Lawrence Township Public School District is currently accepting applications for the 2022–23 preschool programs for 3- and 4-year-olds.

These are comprehensive programs that service typically developing 3- and 4-year-olds and children with special needs. The Ben Franklin Elementary School program will meet from 9:30 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Monday through Friday, and the Lawrenceville Elementary School program will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 2:20 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Bus transportation will not be provided.

Eligibility for the preschool program requires that children be at least 3 or 4 years of age (no older than 5 years of age) on or before Oct. 1, 2022; must be a resident of Lawrence Township, and must be toilet trained.

Preschool applications are available at the Board of Education office, 2565 Princeton Pike; Ben Franklin Elementary main office, 2939 Princeton Pike; Lawrenceville Elementary main office, 40 Craven Lane; or online at LTPS Preschool Tuition Lottery Program 2022-2023.

Return the completed application to Rebecca Guenther, Supervisor, Department of Student Services, 2565 Princeton Pike, Lawrenceville 08648, no later than Feb. 28.

For more information, or for guidance if a preschool child is developing or learning differently, call the Department of Student Services at 609-671-5430, to request an evaluation for preschool special education and related services.

Volunteers are needed to help end domestic violence in Burlington County.

The Domestic Violence Response Team consists of volunteers who work with Providence House, domestic violence services and police departments to help people who experience domestic violence by empowering and advocating for survivors.

Must be 18 years of age or older, a resident or employee of Burlington County, have a valid New Jersey driver’s license and access to transportation, and no criminal history.

For more information, call 856-904-4344 or email [email protected]

The nonprofit Friends for the Abbott Marshlands announces a Call for Art for Voices for the Marsh, its 2022 biennial, 10th Juried Photography Exhibit.

It is juried by Al Horner of New Jersey Pinelands photographic fame, and Pat Coleman, naturalist and president of the Friends.

Submissions are due by Earth Day, April 22, with the exhibition running June 5 to Sept. 18.

The venue is Tulpehaking Nature Center’s galleries at 157 Westcott Ave., Hamilton.

The show provides an opportunity for both fine art photographers and local hobbyists to capture the cultural and ecological richness of the marshlands and participate in the Friends’ efforts to build awareness and support for the protection and stewardship of the marshlands.

The prospectus is available at https://abbottmarshlands.org.

The Abbott Marshlands are a critical natural and cultural resource located in central New Jersey along the Delaware River between Trenton and Bordentown, including Hamilton. Its 3,000 acres of open space include the northernmost freshwater tidal marsh on the Delaware River and surrounding lowland and upland forests.

The Tulpehaking Nature Center provides educational resources, answers to questions for the public and bathrooms. There are free weekly and monthly group walks with registration at rotating locations between: Watson Woods, Spring Lake at Roebling Park, Northern Community Park, Bordentown Bluffs with Crosswicks Creek Water Trail, and D&R Canal State Park between Bordentown and Trenton. Another location will be added soon in Point Breeze State Park, the historic former estate of Joseph Bonaparte, and most recently, the Divine Word Missionary.

Hillsborough Township is once again taking part in the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ Louis Bay II, Future Municipal Leaders Scholarship Competition. Hillsborough juniors and seniors have the opportunity to participate in this scholarship competition.

This year’s statewide scholarship competition centers on the theme “What My Municipal Government Does Best” and seeks to advance the virtues of elected and volunteer members of the municipal government.

The competition will offer up to three $1,000 scholarships statewide. Completed applications should be sent to Hillsborough Township Mayor Shawn Lipani by March 11.

The Downtown Bordentown Association announced the return of the 32nd annual Cranberry Festival on Oct. 1 and 2.

The “Maker Fest on Farnsworth” is seeking vendors. Apply at btowncranfest.com

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

The Historical Society of Princeton (HSP) will reopen the museum at Updike Farmstead, 354 Quaker Road, Princeton.

Museum hours are Thursdays through Sundays, from noon to 4 p.m.

Admission is $4 per person.

At this time, masks are required of all guests, regardless of vaccination status.

To celebrate the reopening, all visitors during January will receive a free Albert Einstein T-shirt; size and style are subject to availability.

Exhibitions inside the museum include the “Einstein Salon and Innovators Gallery,” which paints a comprehensive picture of Albert Einstein’s years in Princeton, including up-close encounters with furniture from his home.

“Princeton’s Portrait” showcases vintage photographs of Princeton’s farming history.

Works by painter/educator Rex Goreleigh, the A-Team Artists of Trenton, and the Princeton Photography Club are also on view.

Outdoors, visitors can explore the Farmstead History Trail, which tells the stories of the Native Americans, Quakers, and family farmers that inhabited the area, and the Garden State History Garden, a multimedia interpretation of New Jersey’s agricultural past.

Updike Farmstead was once part of a 1,200-acre parcel purchased by Benjamin Clarke in 1696 to create the Quaker settlement at Stony Brook. Listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places, the property is along the route followed by Continental troops on their way to engage British soldiers at the neighboring Thomas Clarke farm on Jan. 3, 1777, in what would become the Battle of Princeton.

Burlington County residents can bring their live Christmas trees to the Burlington County Resource Recovery Complex at 22000 Burlington-Columbus Road in Florence to be chipped and composted.

The county’s “Treecycle” service is offered weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturdays from 7 a.m. to noon.

The complex cannot recycle artificial, bagged or flocked (artificial) trees.

Since trees are chipped into mulch, they must be bare. All stands, lights, tinsel, wires, ornaments and garland must be removed.

Holiday lights should not be discarded in recycling cans but can be brought to the Resource Recovery Complex to be recycled.

Several municipalities also offer curbside collection and/or dropoff for discarded trees.

In Bordentown City, residents can set their live trees curbside on Wednesdays. Trees must be bare.

In Bordentown Township, live trees will be accepted curbside; trees must be bare. The township accepts Christmas lights at its recycling depot.

In Florence, trees can be set curbside if bare. Flocked trees are accepted as long as they are separated.

In Mansfield, curbside pickup ends Jan. 21, including Four Seasons and Homestead.

Residents should contact their local town to verify when collections occur and any special requirements or restrictions.

Information about curbside tree collections is also available on the county’s Recycling Coach app. The free app has information about the county’s recycling program and accepted materials, as well as updates and alerts about collection schedules for each town and tips and advice about recycling. The Recycling Coach app can be downloaded from iTunes or the GooglePlay app store.

For more information, call 609-499-1001, ext. 271 or 272, or email [email protected].

The Burlington County Commissioners are holding a canned food drive through Jan. 31. Collection boxes will be at the County Administration Building, 49 Rancocas Road, Mount Holly, and other county offices and facilities, including the Burlington County Library, 5 Pioneer Blvd., Westampton.

Only donations of canned foods are requested. Boxed foods or other perishable items will not be collected.

All collections will be donated to the St. Vincent de Paul Society, to be distributed through their food pantry at Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, 260 High St., Mount Holly, and to the Rowan College at Burlington County food pantry.

In addition to the drive, the county’s monthly food distribution event with the Food Bank of South Jersey will be held Jan. 29 at the Burlington County Emergency Services Training Center, 53 Academy Dr., Westampton. From 10 a.m. to noon, families in need will be able to pick up free boxes of groceries and other food items.

During the event, the Food Bank of South Jersey will also help enroll individuals and families who may be eligible for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.

Friday, Jan. 21

Somerset County’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board will host its next virtual event from 7-8:30 p.m. Jan. 21. The event, Talking About LGBTQ+ Health,will focus on mental health and sexual health in the LGBTQ+ community.

The keynote speaker is Danielle King, MPH, patient navigator at RWJ’s Babs Siperstein PROUD Center.

The mental health speaker is Ali Longo, LAC, who is a PHP/IOP clinician.

The sexual health speaker is Avery Heimann, MA, MEd, MSW, LSW, who works at RWJ’s Babs Siperstein PROUD Center and is a therapist at CogniCare.

This event is on Zoom but registration is required. Register at tinyurl.com/somersethealth2022

For more information, email [email protected].

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Jan. 21-30

Shakespeare ’70’s presentation of “Our Town” by Thornton Wilder will be presented at the Kelsey Theatre at Mercer County Community College at 8 p.m. Jan. 21, 22, 28 and 29, and at 2 p.m. Jan. 23 and 30.

Contact the Box Office for four complimentary tickets.

Everyone 5 and older entering the theater must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the show.

Masks must be worn.

For more information visit http://kelsey.mccc.edu/

The theater is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

The next performances will be “Scenery” at 8 p.m. Feb. 4, 5, 11 and 12; and at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13.

“Popcorn Falls” will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 19, 25 and 26; and at 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27.

“Higher – The Sly and the Family Stone Story” tribute concert is set for 8 p.m. March 4 and 5, and 2 p.m. March 6.

Call or email the Box Office for complimentary tickets.

Saturday, Jan. 22

Princeton Ballet School’s Summer Intensive is an internationally acclaimed program, in person or online, designed to nurture a dancer’s technical and artistic progress.

To be eligible, students must be at least 13 years old, with at least one year of pointe experience, when the program begins on June 27.

Auditions are scheduled across the country, but locally on Jan. 22 in Princeton and Feb. 6 in New Brunswick.

Virtual and video auditions are available at arballet.org/class-division/summer-intensive/

Schedule options are June 27 to June 29 with a performance opportunity, July 11-29 with a performance opportunity, or June 27 to July 8.

Post High School Summer Intensive students may also be considered for the American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet School year-round trainee program.

Princeton Ballet School is authorized and accredited to accept foreign students.

All students must pre-register for in-person and virtual auditions.

School director is Aydmara Cabrera.

For more information, contact Carol Bellis at [email protected]

Sunday, Jan. 23

A drive–thru diaper drive for Afghan families will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 23 at The Jewish Center Princeton, 435 Nassau St., Princeton. The drive will be held in the circular driveway of the parking lot in back of the synagogue.

The Jewish Center, in partnership with I-RISE (Interfaith Refugee and Immigrant Services and Empowerment) will help newly arrived Afghan evacuees in the greater Princeton area whose families are growing.

This drive will answer immediate needs, as well as establish a diaper bank housed at the Jewish Center, as a resource for Afghan and other newly resettled families.
To ensure health and safety, volunteers will greet cars to accept donations.

Donations of Visa gift cards in $10 or $20 denominations will also be accepted.
Or, Venmo @TheJewishCenter using subject TJC Diaper Drive.
Contribute directly by choosing TJC Refugee Fund at
https://thejewishcenterofprinceton.shulcloud.com/payment.php

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.

Monday, Jan 24

The American Red Cross will hold a blood drive 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

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.

Begins Thursday, Jan. 27

The Partnership for a Drug-Free New Jersey (PDFNJ) and the Office of the New Jersey Coordinator of Addiction Responses and Enforcement Strategies (NJ CARES), which is responsible for overseeing addiction-fighting efforts across the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General, have renewed their partnership to host the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series in 2022.

The Learning Series, which began in 2020 in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, features regular webinars focusing on various aspects of the opioid epidemic and its impact on New Jersey and the nation. It is a branch of PDFNJ’s Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day initiative, which is held annually on Oct. 6 to educate residents and prescribers on the risks of prescription opioids and to raise awareness of the opioid crisis throughout the state.

The 2022 Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day Learning Series will include a webinar every month on wide-ranging topics concerning the opioid epidemic, including medication-assisted treatment, harm reduction, the impact on families and addiction recovery.

The Learning Series will kick off at 1 p.m. Jan. 27 with the webinar “An Hour with Sam Quinones Author of ‘Dreamland: The True Tale of America’s Opiate Epidemic.’ ”

To learn more about the Knock Out Opioid Abuse Day and for a schedule of this year’s webinars, visit knockoutday.drugfreenj.org.

Through Friday, Jan. 28

The Hillsborough Democratic Organization has launched a candidate search for the November 2022 Hillsborough Township Committee election.

One committee seat is on the ballot this fall.

Interested persons should send a resume and letter of interest to Vice-Chair Jeff Wright, leader of the screening committee, at [email protected] by Jan. 28.

All qualified persons will be considered by the Hillsborough Democratic Organization Candidate Screening Committee.

Send questions to [email protected] or call Wright at 908-227-3901.

Friday, Jan. 28

Princeton University’s Fund for Irish Studies Series continues virtually with a lecture by poet and literary critic James Longenbach, author of “Forever” and “The Lyric Now,” on W.B. Yeats’ poem “Nineteen Hundred and Nineteen” on the Jan. 28 anniversary of Yeats’ death.

At 4:30 p.m. Jan. 28, Longenbach will discuss how the poem assumed the shape it does, and the influence of that shape on subsequent long poems written throughout the 20th century and beyond.

Free and open to the public.

Zoom registration required.

This event will be live captioned. Guests in need of other access accommodations should contact the Lewis Center at least one week in advance by emailing [email protected]

For more information and the Zoom registration link, https://arts.princeton.edu/events/fund-for-irish-studies-poet-james-longenbach/

January 28 to February 20

The Rutgers Film Co-op/New Jersey Media Arts Center, in association with the Rutgers University Program in Cinema Studies, presents the New Jersey Film Festival Spring 2022, which marks the 40th anniversary.

The 40th anniversary festival will take place on select Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from Jan. 28 to Feb. 20.

As a result of COVID, all the films will be available virtually via Video on Demand for 24 hours on their show date.

Tickets are $15 per program; the all-access pass is $100. Ticket buyers will also have special access to filmmaker introductions and Q&A sessions for many of the films.

All the works that are screened are part of the New Jersey Film Festival and United States Super 8 Film and DV Festival Competitions, and were selected by a panel of judges including media professionals, journalists, students and academics. These judges selected the 40 finalists which will be publicly screened at the festival. The finalists were selected from over 633 works submitted by filmmakers from around the world. In addition, the judges will choose the prize winners in conjunction with the festival director.

Prize winners will be announced after the screenings on Feb. 20.

For more information, to buy tickets and to see the festival lineup, visit https://watch.eventive.org/newjerseyfilmfestivalspring2022

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.

Saturdays, Jan. 29 to March 12

The U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory’s (PPPL) Ronald E. Hatcher Science on Saturday lectures kick off on Jan. 29.

The lectures will be offered live online for the third year and will be held at 9:30 a.m. Saturdays through March 12. There is no lecture on Feb. 19 due to the Department of Energy’s Science Bowl.

The complete schedule for the year is:

• Jan. 29 at 9:30 a.m. – Elie Bou-Zeid, professor of civil and environmental engineering and
director of the Program in Environmental Engineering and Water Resources, Princeton
University, “New Technological Frontiers in Cities.”

• Feb. 5 at 9:30 a.m. – PPPL physicist Florian Laggner, “Diagnosing Fusion Plasmas: How
to Perform Measurements in a 100-Million Degree Environment.”

• Feb. 12 at 9:30 a.m. – Janet Iawasa, Biochemistry Department, University of Utah School
of Medicine, ”Animating Molecular Machines.”

• Feb. 26 at 9:30 a.m. – James Schroeder, Department of Physics and Engineering,
Wheaton College, “Answering a 40-year-old Riddle: Can Alfven Waves Cause Auroras?”

• March 5 at 9:30 a.m. – Travis Miles, Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers
University, “Ocean Robotics for the New Blue Economy.”

• March 12 at 9:30 a.m. – Evdokiya Kostadinova, Physics Department, Auburn University,
“Feeling the Heat: Fusion Plasmas Used to Study Spacecraft Heat Shields.”

For individuals who cannot make it to the lectures or who want to watch previous talks, the lectures will be posted on the Science on Saturday archives.

Register one time to get a link to attend all the lectures. Register at https://pppl.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJApc-Ghpj0qE9XgBRI5Iqg1U3a1WaEHLLNw

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].

Sunday, Jan. 30

The Jews from Arab Lands will be presented at noon on Jan. 30 by The Jewish Center Princeton.

The Zoom lecture by Professor Sasha Goldstein-Sabbah of the University of Groningen in The Nethlerlands will discus how on the eve of the creation of the State of Israel, nearly 1 million Jews lived across the Arab world. Today, at most, a few thousand remain. Why did they leave and what cultural remnants are still there? Take a sweeping tour of the modern history of Jews from the Arab world.

Open to the community: free for members, $10 for non-members.

For security reasons, registration is required for all programs. To register, sign up at https://thejewishcenterofprinceton.shulcloud.com/event/the-jews-from-arab-lands.html

Registration closes at 2 p.m. Jan. 28. Late registrations will not be accepted.

Tuesday, Feb. 1 to Friday, Feb. 25

In February, The Gourgaud Gallery will host a donated art show as a fundraiser for The Cranbury Arts Council from Feb. 1-25.

The artwork can be viewed at the gallery or online at www.cranburyartscouncil.org, and on the Facebook pages for The Gourgaud Gallery and the Cranbury Arts Council.

The show will feature donations of artwork from several artists, including Louise Palagyi, Linda Gilbert, Lynn Cheng Varga, Deborah Rosen and Donna Rittner.

The artwork will include different mediums, sizes, framed, unframed and matted work, in a price range of $25-$100.

As part of a non-profit, The Cranbury Arts Council supports arts in the community, which includes classes, camp, and Excellence in the Arts awards. All proceeds will go to the Cranbury Arts Council.

The gallery is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., though hours are subject to change. The gallery is located in Town Hall, 23A N. Main St., Cranbury.

For information, email Linda Gilbert at [email protected].

Wednesday, Feb. 2

Jewish Family Service 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. Feb. 2 via Zoom. The topic for this session is “SMART Moves for 2022” presented by Terrence Seamon, career transition consultant, The Ayers Group.

In this interactive workshop, explore: What does it means to be in sales and marketing? What activities will bring you the best return on your time and effort? How can you handle and use rejection? Do you know how to build a support team to aid you in reaching your goal? What do the most proactive job seekers and career changers do in today’s challenging job market? How can you increase your effectiveness?

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.

Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 2

Court Appointed Special Advocates of Somerset, Hunterdon and Warren Counties (CASA SHaW) will hold online information sessions for individuals who are interested in learning more about becoming a CASA volunteer advocate to help abused and neglected foster children in the region.

CASA is part of a statewide network of community-based, non-profit programs that recruit, screen, train and supervise volunteers to “Speak Up for a Child” removed from their home due to abuse or neglect.

The upcoming information sessions are scheduled for Feb. 2 at 5:30 p.m., Feb. 15 at noon, March 1 at 5:30 p.m. and March 3 at noon, all via Zoom.

To attend one of the information sessions, registration is required. Contact Volunteer Trainer Karen Cassano at [email protected] or at 908-689-5515.

To find a local program, visit www.casaofnj.org.

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].

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.

Through Thursday, Feb. 3

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.

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

Friday, Feb. 4

February is Give Kids a Smile Month. This national initiative helps underserved children get the dental care they need for free.

Rowan College at Burlington County’s Dental Hygiene Clinic will offer free dental care to children ages 13 and under. Services include screenings, cleanings, fluoride treatments and sealants to protect permanent teeth.

To schedule an appointment, call 856-291-4215. For more information, visit rcbc.edu/smile.

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Feb. 4-13

Shakespeare ’70’s presentation of “Scenery” will be held at 8 p.m. Feb. 4, 5, 11 and 12; and at 2 p.m. Feb. 6 and 13.

“Popcorn Falls” will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 19, 25 and 26; and at 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27.

“Higher – The Sly and the Family Stone Story” tribute concert is set for 8 p.m. March 4 and 5, and 2 p.m. March 6.

Call or email the Box Office for complimentary tickets.

Everyone 5 and older entering the theater must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the show.

Masks must be worn.

For more information visit http://kelsey.mccc.edu/

The theater is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Through Saturday, Feb. 5

The Arts Council of Princeton will exhibit “Traces of Time,” an exhibition by Princeton-based photographer Eileen Hohmuth Lemonick, through 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.

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

Thursday, Feb. 10

Meet the mayors of Cranbury, Metuchen, Monroe, Jamesburg, Helmetta, South Brunswick and Plainsboro from 8-10 a.m. Feb. 10 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.

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.

Saturday, Feb. 12

First Church of Christ, Scientist, Princeton and the Princeton University CSO (student group) is hosting a Christian Science lecture, “Why everyone is needed,” by James Shepherd on at 2 p.m. Feb. 12.

The talk, open to all, will discuss our spiritual purpose and worth as God’s offspring and how that has a healing impact in the world.

Join in person at 16 Bayard Lane, Princeton, or by audio livestream. Masks required.

Free and open to the public.

For more information on the lecture, livestream, and a parking map, visit www.csprinceton.org. For questions, email [email protected].

Through Sunday, Feb. 13

The Lawrence Township Junior Baseball & Softball Association opened registration for its Spring 2022 Little League softball and baseball programs for children ages 5-16 who live or attend school in Lawrence Township.

Free T-ball for children ages 5 and 6 will be held from 9:30-10:30 a.m. Saturdays beginning April 9.

Little League Softball for girls ages 6-12 will be coach-pitched, player-pitched and have a Majors Division, starting April 11.

Lawrence Little League Baseball for ages 6-12 will be coach-pitched, player-pitched and have a Majors Division, starting April 11.

Babe Ruth Baseball for ages 13-16 begins mid-April.

Little League and Babe Ruth programs cost $165 per player with family discounts and payment plans available.

Receive a $15 discount if registered by Jan. 2, 2022.

This season is the 70th anniversary.

COVID protocols will be followed.

To register, log in or create an account at www.ltjbsa.com.

Registration closes Feb. 13.

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

Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays Feb. 18-27

Shakespeare ’70’s presentation of “Popcorn Falls” will be performed at 8 p.m. Feb. 18, 19, 25 and 26; and at 2 p.m. Feb. 20 and 27.

“Higher – The Sly and the Family Stone Story” tribute concert is set for 8 p.m. March 4 and 5, and 2 p.m. March 6.

Call or email the Box Office for complimentary tickets.

Everyone 5 and older entering the theater must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the show.

Masks must be worn.

For more information visit http://kelsey.mccc.edu/

The theater is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

Through Feb. 23

The West Windsor Arts Council is seeking artists for its 2022 annual gala.

The Live and in Color gala and the GR8 Works show will raise funds for art education programs benefitting children, teens and adults, as well as multi-disciplinary programming for the community, free of charge when possible.

Pick up an 8-inch by 8-inch canvas by Feb. 4, or use your own, and drop off completed artwork from Feb. 21-23.

The deadline to submit artwork is Feb. 23.

The art will be sold for $88. Proceeds can be split with, or donated in full, to the arts council.

The gala and art auction will be held on March 12 both in person and virtually.

For the full prospectus, visit https://westwindsorarts.org/gr8-works/

Events April 1-24

Registration through February 25

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) announces April ARTS Month, a month-long celebration of art, culture and the Princeton community, held with support from Princeton University.

Decentralized events afford Princeton the opportunity to provide events with more safety and flexibility than Communiversity, the ACP’s springtime arts festival that halted in 2020 as pandemic concerns continued.

April ARTS kicks off April 1 with the launch of the Princeton Piano Project. Local artists and community groups including Arts Exchange students from HomeFront, Princeton Young Achievers, and art students from the Hun School of Princeton will transform 10 upright pianos to be placed around Princeton for visitors to play, listen and enjoy as part of a public art installation.

Performances will be scheduled on select weekends throughout the month. The schedule will be available on artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Scheduled events include the ACP’s Cabernet Cabaret 10th Anniversary Extravaganza, the opening reception for artist Joe Kossow’s “Still Lifes from a Stilled Life” exhibition in the ACP’s Taplin Gallery, Story & Verse Storytelling & Poetic Open Mic, and a community celebration in honor of Paul Robeson’s 124th birthday.

Local organizations are encouraged to submit their arts and culture events to the April ARTS calendar by visiting artscouncilofprinceton.org.

April ARTS will culminate on April 24 with the inaugural Princeton PorchFest from 12-6 p.m. PorchFest is a free, family-friendly event featuring musicians of all kinds playing free shows on porches throughout the neighborhood. Attendees are invited to stroll from porch to porch and relax on front lawns and sidewalks as they enjoy live, local talent.

A PorchFest Guide will be available on the ACP website, complete with scheduled performances and pop-up art installations to explore along the route.

To sign up as a PorchFest host or performer, and for sponsorship opportunities, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org. The deadline to sign up to participate is Feb. 25.

For a full list of sponsor benefits, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Friday, Feb. 25 and Saturday, Feb. 26

“The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical” will be presented at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 25; and at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Bordentown Performing Arts Center, attached to Bordentown Regional High School, 318 Ward Ave., Bordentown.

This production will be performed by theater students of Bordentown Regional High School.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $8 for seniors and students, and can be purchased in advance at www.seatyourself.biz/brhs. Tickets will also be sold at the door.

Masks are required.

Through Saturday, Feb. 26

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, through Feb. 26 at both West Windsor Arts, 952 Alexander Road, Princeton Junction; and at Whole World Arts at MarketFair, 3535 Route 1, Princeton.

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

Sunday, Feb. 27

Centraljersey.com will hold a Health & Wellness Expo from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 27 at MarketFair, 3535 Route 1 south, Princeton.

For tickets, visit nmg.ticketleap.com/CJ22

For vendor opportunities, email [email protected]

Centraljersey.com/Newspaper Media Group/Packet Media LLC publish this chain of weekly newspapers and monthly magazines.

Select dates, as of March 3

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 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.

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.

Friday, March 4 to Sunday, March 6

Shakespeare ’70’s presentation of the “Higher – The Sly and the Family Stone Story” tribute concert is set for 8 p.m. March 4 and 5, and 2 p.m. March 6.

Call or email the Box Office for complimentary tickets.

Everyone 5 and older entering the theater must show proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative COVID test taken within 48 hours of the show.

Masks must be worn.

For more information visit http://kelsey.mccc.edu/

The theater is located at 1200 Old Trenton Road, West Windsor.

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 12

American Repertory Ballet’s Mask-erade Gala will be held on March 12 at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center.

Health and safety measures will be strictly enforced.

Details about the gala will be released soon.

Saturday, March 19

The Princeton 5K will be back for its 13th year. Athletes of all ages and experience levels can support the Princeton High School Cross Country and Track & Field teams in person on March 19 beginning at 8:30 a.m.

This year, there will also be a kid’s dash, a challenging 300-meter loop for children under age 10. All participants will receive a youth T-shirt.

Or, participate in the virtual option March 19-26. Choose when and where you run or walk your 5K (3.1 miles).

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

Through March 31

Recognizing the bravery and commitment of volunteer firefighters and first responders, New Jersey American Water announces its 2022 grant program for volunteer fire departments and emergency responders (ambulance and first aid squads) located within the company’s service areas.

Grants may be used to cover the costs of personal protective equipment, communications gear, first aid equipment, firefighting tools, vehicle maintenance and other materials that will be used to support volunteer firefighter and emergency responder operations.

Reimbursement for specific training courses, including the cost of training manuals, student workbooks, and instructors is also eligible.

To apply, organizations must complete the online application, located at www.newjerseyamwater.com, under News & Community, Community Involvement.

The maximum grant amount awarded to any organization is $2,000 and the deadline to apply is March 31.

Interested applicants can find more information and apply online at www.newjerseyamwater.com/community.

Grant recipients will be notified by the end of April.

Events April 1-24

The Arts Council of Princeton (ACP) announces April ARTS Month, a month-long celebration of art, culture and the Princeton community, held with support from Princeton University.

Performances will be scheduled on select weekends throughout the month. The schedule will be available on artscouncilofprinceton.org.

Local organizations are encouraged to submit their arts and culture events to the April ARTS calendar by visiting artscouncilofprinceton.org.

A PorchFest Guide will be available on the ACP website, complete with scheduled performances and pop-up art installations to explore along the route.

For a full list of sponsor benefits, visit artscouncilofprinceton.org.

April 2-16

Palmer Square’s Spring Bunny will hop around and take photos from noon to 2 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays, April 2-16 in Palmer Square, Princeton.

Palmer Square will follow CDC guidelines, state and local mandates, and industry best practices to ensure the health and safety of guests.

Through Friday, 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, 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].

Through April 22

The nonprofit Friends for the Abbott Marshlands announces a Call for Art for Voices for the Marsh, its 2022 biennial, 10th Juried Photography Exhibit.

It is juried by Al Horner of New Jersey Pinelands photographic fame, and Pat Coleman, naturalist and president of the Friends.

Submissions are due by Earth Day, April 22, with the exhibition running June 5 to Sept. 18.

The venue is Tulpehaking Nature Center’s galleries at 157 Westcott Ave., Hamilton.

The prospectus is available at https://abbottmarshlands.org.

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

June 5 to Sept. 18

The nonprofit Friends for the Abbott Marshlands will present Voices for the Marsh, its 2022 biennial, 10th Juried Photography Exhibit, from June 5 to Sept. 18 at the Tulpehaking Nature Center’s galleries at 157 Westcott Ave., Hamilton.

It is juried by Al Horner of New Jersey Pinelands photographic fame, and Pat Coleman, naturalist and president of the Friends.

For more information, visit https://abbottmarshlands.org.

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).

October 1 & 2

The Downtown Bordentown Association announced the return of the 32nd annual Cranberry Festival on Oct. 1 and 2.

For more information on the “Maker Fest on Farnsworth,” visit btowncranfest.com

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.

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 creates access to healthy foods, facilitating healthy diets and nutrition for these families. The crucial monies that families save are applied toward their mortgages, rent, monthly bills and expenses, debt, medical bills and more as these families work toward financial stability and security.

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.

The collaborative oral history project, Voices of Princeton, is seeking to preserve community members’ pandemic stories.

This collecting initiative is being led by the Princeton Public Library and the Historical Society of Princeton as part of the Voices of Princeton project.

Community members can record a conversation with a family member, friend, or neighbor, or can record a monologue reflection. Comprehensive instructions, including technology tips and question prompts, are available in a pandemic oral history guide on the Voices of Princeton website. No oral history experience or special equipment is needed.

Questions probe reflection on pandemic life, including day-to-day activities, emotions, family, activities, new hobbies, coming out of isolation, vaccination, and hopes and plans for the future.

All recordings will be archived at the Historical Society of Princeton and will be made available on the Voices of Princeton website. Stories already shared over the past year are available now as part of the COVID-19 Collection on the Voices of Princeton website.

For more information, visit www.princetonlibrary.org

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]

The Anshe Emeth Community Development Corp (AECDC) Central Jersey Diaper Bank is collecting baby clothing sizes newborn-2T, diapers and books.

Donations can be picked up if within Middlesex County. Volunteers from the Rutgers School of Nursing will arrive between 10 a.m. and noon on the day indicated.

At this time, no shoes, equipment, toys, etc. can be collected.

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.