There have been many days throughout this winter where one likely felt a desire to hibernate. Momentary bouts of sun and warmer weather enticed people out briefly, then sudden drops back into frigid temperatures (and groundhog Punxsutawney Phil seeing his shadow) reminded us winter is still here. Well, it is time for spring (officially it arrives on March 20th) so wake up and pay attention to what is happening around you.
BE PREPARED TO FLY
If you have a trip planned or are hoping to fly somewhere in the days, weeks or months following May 7th, that date is fast approaching. It is on May 7th that enforcement of REAL ID driver licenses begins at airports. If you’ve been asleep, REAL IDs are a newer format of federal identification that is being instituted to prevent people from using fraudulent identification. It is NOT a driving requirement – you can still drive with a standard driver license. However, without one, you will need to carry a U.S. passport or other approved citizenship/resident ID for TSA airport screening.
To get a REAL ID, you simply need to request this format at your license renewal, or if you do not have a license expiring within three months, make a non-renewal appointment at the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC). Seems simple, right? Not quite so. If you go to the website for non-renewal right now, you will likely find there are no appointments available. High demand as the drop-dead date is approaching, is making appointments hard to come by, and getting many nervous.
“The MVC monitors appointment availability and will regularly add and reallocate appointments to better meet the demand for specific services. Earlier this month, for instance, we opened an additional 36,000 REAL ID non-renewal appointments,” explains William Connolly, MVC Spokesperson. “In addition to the appointments currently available, approximately 3,000 new appointments for REAL ID upgrades are added each business day at 7 a.m.”
The MVC has since announced the start of “REAL ID Thursdays,” whereby nearly 4,500 new appointments will be added every Thursday. These appointment slots can be found on the scheduler. Starting April 5th, the MVC will also host REAL ID Mobile Units every Saturday. These opportunities will be added to the scheduler later this month.
When you do land one, make sure you arrive prepared with 2 proofs of residential address, 1 verifiable Social Security number, and identity documents that add up to 6 REAL ID Points.
IMPACTS OF AVIAN FLU
Another imminent issue is Avian flu, more commonly known as bird flu, and it is impacting every egg-eating American no matter where you live. Last spring you could buy a dozen large Grade A eggs for as low as $1.54. That same purchase today is $8.19 for Shoprite of Lawrenceville’s Bowl & Basket brand and can cost as low as $4.50/dozen at the Quakerbridge Costco. Why? In the last quarter of 2024, the U.S. lost more than 20 million egg-laying chickens due to this flu. Fewer eggs = higher prices.
Some locals are turning to nearby farms to purchase their eggs, such as at Griggstown Farm on Bunker Hill Road. One dozen chicken eggs were recently $8, and quail eggs were available at $6.50 for a package.
There is hope for some relief, though it may take a bit of time. In late February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $1 billion-dollar strategy to curb the disease that is impacting the U.S. poultry industry and spiking egg prices. The monies will go towards biosecurity measures, financial relief to impacted farmers and vaccine research. What does this mean? It is suspected that wild birds infect farm stock, so the biosecurity measures could go far in preventing that. Once infected, the flocks must be depopulated, so relief aid could assist in repopulation efforts. USDA is also exploring options to increase the import of eggs to help lower todays’ costs. In a press conference late February by the USDA chief, it was shared that Turkey has already stated it will export an additional 15,000 tons of eggs to the U.S. between now and July.
To date, there are minimal confirmed instances of bird flu in Mercer County. A bald eagle was discovered in a yard near Carnegie Lake in late 2024. Because it had no obvious signs of death, it was taken and tested and results shared just recently confirm bird flu was the cause of death. Since then, some other dead birds (geese, vulture and a great horned owl) were found in Princeton and there is suspicion of bird flu, though it is not laboratory confirmed. Additionally, the bird flu was found in poultry at a live bird market in Ewing in early March. No infected poultry were sold to the public and the market was quarantined and temporarily closed. There have additionally been 2 reported cases of infected cats in Hunterdon County as well as confirmed detections in wild birds in Warren and Salem Counties and of wild geese in Burlington and Monmouth Counties.
“Fortunately, we have not seen sustained person-to-person transmission. However, the situation requires continuous monitoring and vigilant public health surveillance in case any changes indicate easier spread,” notes Jeff Grosser, Princeton Health Officer.
The threat to humans remains low, though there have been three human cases of bird flu reported nationwide (all people who worked in the industry). None have been reported in NJ.
AID IN EDUCATION
Turning from health to educational concerns…we shared last month about worries some have due to U.S. Department of Education changes, as NJ receives over $1b in Federal funding for its schools. Last week, nearly 50% of the department’s workforce was reduced, eliminating 2,183 workers. Time will tell what, if any, impacts there may be in terms of federal financial supports, but we do know that the New Jersey Department of Education has come out with its state aid calculations for 2025-2026. It brings both good and bad news for Mercer County.
While six local school districts are seeing an increase in state aid (up as much as 6%), four districts will see their aid cut.
East Windsor, West Windsor, Robbinsville and Princeton will have state aid reductions, down from 1.6-3%. Princeton Public Schools (PPS) loss of 3% ($174,774) is going to be offset greatly by a decrease in projected Princeton Charter School tuitions (a $114,710 savings). The tentative budget, which does not anticipate making any cuts due to the $60,064 loss, is expected to be approved tonight, March 18th, with final adoption in late April.
“While we are disappointed in the small net reduction of state aid, we are grateful that it wasn’t more impactful to our budget,” says Matt Bouldin, PPS Business Administrator (who is expected to announce at tonight’s meeting that he is leaving PPS in June for another district).
Meanwhile, local school districts including Ewing, Hopewell Valley, Lawrence, Mercer County Vocational and Trenton, saw increases of state aid from .5% up to 6.16%.
EXPERIENCE YOUR LOCAL PARKS
As the weather begins to warm up and entice you outside, there is much to take advantage of. March 30th is Take a Walk in the Park Day, so if you haven’t been able to pull yourself out of hibernation mode yet, perhaps this will be the day!
In Princeton proper alone, there are more than 1,800 acres of parkland owned mostly by the municipality, as well as some controlled by the state, county and D&R Greenway. Amongst them you can find over 45 miles of trails.
“There is an excitement that comes with the annual approach of spring and the increased opportunities to get outside and visit Princeton’s many parks, trails and open space areas. There are so many different recreation opportunities available in the Princeton Parks system for people of all ages and interests. The Recreation Department encourages area residents to get outside this spring and summer, take advantage of the warmer weather and recreate in our many beautiful parks and open spaces,” shares Evan Moorhead, Princeton Recreation Department Executive Director.
For a full listing of all of the park and open space opportunities in Princeton, you can learn more here.
GET MOVING
So, if you’ve been sleeping through the winter, now it is time to wake up. Get your REAL ID appointment, be aware of what is happening in the community, and get yourself outside to enjoy one of the 28 parks and open space preserves Princeton owns.
As the weather warms up, there is so much to see and learn going on around you.
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!