Parity in Princeton? Does it, Should it and Can it Exist?

ISSUE #48 – February 15, 2024

Editor’s Note

We’re discussing everything that people are talking about – and also everything that people are not talking about in this month’s issue of Princeton Perspectives.

The February issue, Parity in Princeton? Does it, Should it and Can it Exist? opens the door to conversations about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion education, and the balance of ideologies, housing opportunities and political candidacy. These are the topics that are on everyone’s minds, but not always the ones people are comfortable discussing out loud.

We went into town this week and asked locals, is there parity in Princeton? They say, in some ways, yes, and in other ways, no. What are their reasons? Hear for yourself in this month’s Pulse of Princeton video. Read more…

In This Issue

Perspectives Revisited

The Pulse of Princeton: Is there parity in Princeton?

Does Princeton Offer Space for Safe and Responsive Dialogue? by Lisa Jacknow - Princeton, are you listening? Everyone has an opinion, but does everyone feel an equal opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings within the community, or even just amongst their friends? While people… Read more...
Perspectives on the Role of DEI Education in Our Schools by Rita Rafalovsky and Kathy Taylor (with foreword and questions by Lisa Jacknow) - Discussions about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) education have gained national attention recently, and they have similarly been the basis of conversations in online discussion groups, at schools and more here in… Read more...
Are More and Diverse Candidates Needed in Local Politics for Better Representation? by Lisa Jacknow - To win most elected seats on the Princeton Ballot, one must simply receive more votes than any other singular opponent. So, it would make sense that most often the candidate that wins,… Read more...
Could Princeton’s Approach to Housing Offer Better Balance to Meet More Needs? by David Keddie - Does Princeton have balance in housing? Are we built-out, as one council member has said, or do we have a housing shortage, as groups like Walkable Princeton, of which I am a… Read more...

Perspectives Revisited

One year after we first shared reports of how the national fentanyl crisis is having impacts in our area, New Jersey is seeing some positive trends. In the issue What’s it Like Here? – Local Updates on National News (Jan. 2023) we shared in the article Be Alert: Serious Dangers are out there Harming Adolescents and Young Adults about the dangers of fentanyl on this impressionable population. We explained, at the time, the Opioid Overdose Prevention Network at Rutgers was working to counter overdoses by educating about and dispensing Naloxone (more commonly known as NARCAN), a medication that blocks the effects of opioids during an overdose and can save a life. Throughout 2023, another initiative, Naloxone365, enabled more than 130,000 doses to be handed out for free at pharmacies to anyone 14 or over. There are 26 participating pharmacies in Mercer County, located in Hamilton, Trenton, Pennington, Robbinsville, East Windsor, Lawrenceville and Ewing. These initiatives are proving to save lives. Last year NJ had 2,564 overdose deaths, down a few hundred from 2022.

It’s that time of year again…we’re talking about insects! And, more specifically, some of their rather annoying traits. In the article They’re Quieter and Prettier Than Cicadas, but Spotted Lanternflies are a Nuisance we elaborated on the vast influx of the Spotted Lanternfly and how they were overtaking neighborhoods. This was in the issue Nuisance or a Necessity? Physical Changes You May Encounter Around Princeton (July 2022). Now, in 2024, the conversation is turning back to cicadas. Specifically, those classified as Brood XIII and Brood XIX. The good news is these species were not seen in New Jersey the last time they emerged in 1803. The bad news is, Spotted Lanternflies didn’t used to be in NJ either. Will we hear them? Time will tell. Hopefully after being dormant for hundreds of years the clicking sounds will not haunt the neighborhoods of Princeton when they emerge this spring!