There is so much to be taught, learned, sustained, treasured, remembered and maintained as life moves from one generation to the next. In a county as old as ours, there are centuries of information, valuables, and lessons that could be passed along. That is why we’ve dedicated the March issue of Princeton Perspectives to this topic: Intergenerational Connections Create Lasting Legacies Across Mercer.
We start by sharing the stories of locals. We asked them who is someone of a different generation that has left a lasting impact on their lives. Watch this month’s Pulse of Princeton to feel how powerful these connections can be.
There are many ways that people of different ages can be involved in each other’s lives. In the article When Generations Come Together, Both Young and Old Find Benefits we highlight a couple of local programs that enable volunteers to impact others, and gain as much, if not more, for themselves as well.
As the home of major historical events, Princeton is lucky to have maintained memorabilia, images, stories and more that can take you right back to the moments of 1776. Two new exhibitions are putting many of these relics on display. The article Princeton Opens a Rare Window into Life Surrounding the Revolution takes a peek into what Princeton University has to share from the founding of our country to lives lived centuries ago.
Dating back to even before the Revolution, is local farmland. The stories these lands could tell, and the attempts to keep them alive and well are shared in the article Holding onto the Past, Local Farms Look to the Future. The article also shares about another local farm treasure that is a family affair and hopes to continue its offerings to all families for years to come.
Though many hate to admit it, financial planning is part of what enables things to continue for years and years. How can you ensure that your favorite opportunities, organizations, and sites are still here for your grandchildren and theirs? The article Legacy Giving Keeps Communities Strong for the Next Generation provides a simple explanation to what legacy giving is, how you could take part and what impacts it could have.
Speaking of the next generation, some Princeton area teens are having a successful sports season. We share about it in this month’s Perspectives Revisited. In it, we also detail an upcoming Princeton Police event that aims to continue their efforts for roadway safety.
Whether through a family member, as a volunteer, at your place of worship, school or elsewhere, we hope that you have been impacted or have the chance to enhance the life of someone from a different generation. There is so much to be shared.
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!
“The goal of this program is to create connection,” Leving adds. “It is consistent, every week, with the same child, so he knows you by name, and you know about his dog, sister, baby brother. Very often it’s not just reading because there are more questions. Small talk is very important. Sometimes in the middle of the page, they’ll ask or tell a story.”
Retired teacher, Caroline Purnell has been a GrandPal since 2022. Though she spent years teaching French, Spanish and ESL for adults, this latest venture fills her to the brim.
Joy and happiness is the ultimate goal for all of these programs. At 
“We hear such stories of lighthearted fun! From board games and cards to trips out for lunch to simple walks around the block, our pairs consistently show us that life is meant to be lived joyfully, with infectious smiles,” Winters adds. “How fortunate are younger generations to have the opportunity to speak to someone who has navigated life’s journey! How fortunate are older generations to find purpose in a fulfilling friendship! When we meet people with different experiences, our eyes are opened to another’s understanding of the world. The lessons we exchange help us grow in love and compassion – two things I think we could always use.”
Mercer County has made it a priority to preserve farmland. To date, more than 8,900 acres have been preserved countywide. There’s over 30,000 more acres preserved as park/conservation land. Included in these counts are 
A facility of the Mercer County Parks Commission since 1974, Howell Living History Farm has been a working farm for over 285 years. The Howells were the last family to own it (though it was mostly farmed by tenants), and the family’s daughter later donated it to the county with the hope that people could continue to experience life on a local farm for years to come.
“She cited things like remembering what it was like to reach under a hen and get a warm egg, helping her father shear a sheep or walking through the meadow with the sun across the Delaware. Remembering the smell of mint as she was helping cows get to the barn,” Peter Watson recalls. “She realized New Jersey’s rural and agricultural landscape was changing (in the mid-1970s) and she wanted their farm to become part of the experience people living now and, in the future, could enjoy and take from the way she had as a child.”
“We often see parents and children, or parents and their parents and their children, come together to visit the place. While they’re seeing the same things and having opportunities to watch and participate, I’m sure many older folks are reminiscing or thinking about changes that have occurred in their lifetimes. The younger people are thrilled at the environment they find themselves in with farm animals and beautiful streams you can cross on stepping-stones,” Watson explains. “People share together their experience at the farm, and that’s a really wonderful thing to have preserved.”
For three generations the Terhune family farmed their land, open to the public for three months each year to sell cider, apples, peaches and pears. Their 55-acre farm was purchased by the Mounts in 1975, which they’ve since turned into a 250-acre operation with over 60 crop varieties, a winery, farm store and that community center they’d always hoped for.
In the fall, their Van Kirk Road apple orchard is bustling with apple picking and the Cold Soil Road farm is filled with pumpkins and hayrides. Adults can read and explore with their little ones mid-week mornings and come back as a family to pick fresh fruit seasonally on the weekends. There is often live music, food for sale and the community takes advantage of this destination.
Reuwai’s children are all in college, and Tannwen’s are still locally in school, but they all know it is a place they can call home.
“I think he would hope they think of the Mount family and Terhune Orchards as a community center. A place where everyone is welcome,” Tannwen states. “We’re always open, we never close. Everyone can come and enjoy the open space and community center we have fostered as a family.”
The snow outside does not seem to be leaving, but there are a lot of other changes happening around us. From electrical bills, to vaccinations, immigration enforcement and real estate regulations, there is a lot to talk about this month. We delve into all of it for you in the February issue of Princeton Perspectives, 
New Jersey’s electricity rates are amongst the highest across the continental United States. In fact, residential prices rose more than 33% from June 2023 through June 2025. Last summer, customers saw prices spike sharply, and aside from some temporary account credits, few changes were made to help consumers ease this burden quickly. On inauguration day, January 20, 2026, New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill fulfilled a campaign promise when she enacted her first two Executive Orders, aimed at curbing the cost of electricity in the Garden State.
You may recall, last summer utility pricing (mainly electricity) sharply increased. This was due to the escalation of the supply portion of residential bills. The cause is a bit complicated, but simply put, expectations for high future electricity demands drove up the pricing (mostly due to increased Artificial Intelligence use and advances). The regional grid operator for New Jersey, 
“I’ve become very obnoxious around the house regarding utility use,” one reader shared. “Feeling cold? Put on a sweater. Still cold? Put on another sweater! Likewise in summer, we were more diligent about raising the AC temp on the second floor of our home (where the bedrooms are) during the day and reversing that at night when we don’t need cooling downstairs.”
Some readers shared they are excited to add solar energy to their home. It was also suggested more incentives for energy upgrades (such as buying electric cars or adding home insulation) could provide quick benefits now. NJ could also look to what other states are doing.
The Princeton-area’s energy company, PSE&G, controls the costs for delivery but can’t control the cost of supply – it just passes that on. But it has taken some efforts to help inform customers of their usage, which can make small inroads to reducing charges. A personalized monthly “MyEnergy” letter/email details your overall spend for the previous month and shares small changes that could be made. The messaging compares your usage to other homes nearby, of similar square footage, age and electrical abilities. In doing so, it helps determine where your energy is being used most (on heating, in the kitchen, doing laundry, etc.), so you can cut back if you are able and desire to do so. Additionally, it charts your electrical usage over time, from month to month, so you can see where you peak.
Whether you make any major household changes or not, the good news is that electricity supply rates will not go up this year, in fact they will go down slightly. On February 12, 2026, BPU certified NJ’s 25th annual electricity auction for Basic Generation Service (BGS), which re-prices one-third of the supply each year. This is the default electricity supply for most New Jerseyans (unless you have chosen a 3rd party supplier). The new pricing goes into effect on June 1st and this year a residential customer using 650 kwh per month will experience a monthly bill decrease of $3.23. It is not a huge amount but constitutes $38.76 savings for the coming year term. Additionally, customers will be seeing billing credits as required by Sherrill’s Executive Order. Now that pricing has been certified, the BPU board will next vote on what credit amounts will be issued and when. The Executive Order requires at least an initial set of credits must be issued by July 1, 2026.
There are residents of Princeton that are in hiding, families that are scared, and community members that are rallying behind them. Local leaders have spoken out and galvanized supporting resources. Schools have been on high alert and teachers have informed students to walk in groups and record encounters on their phones. The Princeton community has been impacted.
“In 2016, it was maybe three times it happened overall. Now it’s more aggressive. Now we have it every month,” a community member shares anonymously, adding that amidst the fears, others are stepping up to assist. “Community members are taking friends’ children to school because they’re too afraid of leaving their homes. It’s the good of the people. There are different groups, some getting them diapers, going to the market, taking all the risks to help. That never happened before.”
While many in the area understand and support legal immigration and deportation of criminal undocumented workers, there are also concerns about the targeting of longtime undocumented residents who are contributing to society. To ensure families are cared for after a member has been taken by ICE, municipal departments such as 
Sherrill signed an Executive Order banning ICE from launching any of their actions from state property. The Office of the Attorney General additionally created a 
While the majority of locals respect that immigration laws exist for a reason, many of the Princeton area’s undocumented residents have been here for decades. Their love of this community propels their supporters to hope things can happen differently. Whether it is the hiring of more judges and attorneys to enable more and frequent immigration court hearings, or the development of a path forward for rule-abiding lifelong Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other longtime residents. Many in Princeton’s welcoming community are hoping the system can become clearer or change.
Happy New Year! With two weeks of 2026 under our belts, it is becoming more realistic that 2025 is over. As we look ahead, there is so much to be prepared for, and we’re sharing it with you in this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives,