The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

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News acorns

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Sample ballot (click to enlarge).

More than one-quarter of voters cast early ballots

As of Wednesday morning, 28 percent of the Lincoln electorate has voted, according to Town Clerk Susan Brooks. Though her office has not been tracking ballots cast by registration, the largest segment of the Lincoln electorate is unenrolled (53 percent), followed by Democrats at 36 percent and Republicans at 11 percent. Registered voters can cast their ballots in the Town Clerk’s Office (16 Lincoln Rd.) through Friday, Nov. 4 at 4:30 p.m. Hours for voting are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and until 8 p.m. on Thursday.

Order pies by Thursday to benefit L-S teachers

The deadline to order Thanksgiving pies from the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln Sudbury (FELS) is Friday, Nov. 4. Online and paper orders are welcome. Proceeds support grants to Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School faculty and staff, allowing them to pursue their professional and personal interests and passions. Click here for the online form, or here to download a paper form. Pies will be available on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

Minuteman mulling middle-school career exploration program

Minuteman High School is looking for feedback from in-district middle school families on whether their children might like to participate in an after-school career pathway exploratory Program, possibly to begin next spring. The program would provide a wide variety of career exploration opportunities and an opportunity for middle school students to identify early on what they love to do and what they do well.

Minuteman will hold an informational evening on Wednesday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. in the Paul Revere Room for parents and guardians. Register for this event by taking a brief online survey. Lincoln has voted to leave the Minuteman district, but the departure does not take effect until July 2017.

Lectures on Israel/Palestine

The GRALTA Foundation continues its exploration of the Israel-Palestine conflict with two lectures in November. Boston College sociology professor Eve Spangler will speak on “Understanding Israel/Palestine Through a Human Rights Lens” at the Lincoln Public Library on Thursday, Nov. 10 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, Nov. 13 in Bemis Hall at 2 p.m. Her popular seminar, “Social Justice in Israel/Palestine,” culminates when she leads a trip to the region during BC’s winter break. There is no charge, and light refreshments will be served.

Tea and gift ideas with children’s librarians

Join the children’s librarians for tea, scones and book suggestions for holiday gift-giving for grandchildren and other young readers in your life at a Grandparents’ Tea on Wednesday, Nov. 16 from 4-5 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library Tarbell Room. This event is open to all adults, not just grandparents.

Officials discuss ways to tweak Town Meeting

crowdHow can Town Meeting be made more accessible for busy parents, the homebound, and others who might like to attend but can’t? Town moderator Sarah Cannon Holden and selectmen brainstormed several ideas at the board’s October 24 meeting.

The topic came up after several residents discussed the matter on the LincolnTalk email list over the summer (list members can find the discussion thread by clicking here—login required).

While some in the LincolnTalk discussion celebrated Town Meeting as a shining example of New England participatory democracy, others said it was inefficient and did not allow for maximum voter participation.

“The current system is akin to holding an election that instead of giving people options, forces them to take an entire day off of  work/family/obligations and sit in a room for 5-7 hours before eventually casting a vote at a not-previously-determined time,” one resident wrote.

Another wrote that the notion of Town Meeting as it’s now conducted is “fairly antiquated” and “seems to indicate that citizens should adapt to the arbitrary choice of government administration instead of adapting the administration  of government to the needs of the citizens.”

“Civic engagement is important, yet I would think a true democracy would find ways to give everyone an opportunity to participate,” wrote a third resident who endorsed the idea of mail-in voting.

At the selectmen’s meeting, Holden and other noted that Lincoln can’t change its form of government without an act of the state legislature. Like the majority of the 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts, Lincoln has an open town meeting form of government (54 have a city/town council and 36 have a representative town meeting, according to the Massachusetts Municipal Association). However, there is some leeway in terms of the timing; Town Meeting can be held over two or more evenings, for example.

Other ideas suggested at the selectmen’s meeting included video-streaming the entire meeting so people could watch remotely and come in to vote when an item of interest came up, or expanding the consent calendar. The consent calendar is a list of warrant articles that officials have deemed non-controversial beforehand and that are voted on as a group, with the exception of individual items for which a resident has requested a separate discussion and vote.

Holden noted that Town Meeting is already divided such that finances and bylaws are usually discussed and voted on in the mornings, with public policy issues coming after the lunch break. She also noted that she does her best to encourage shorter presentations by town officials and trying to limit the length of discussions, though “it’s hard to cut off [a resident] in a sense arbitrarily” or by a set number of minutes or comments.

Holden acknowledged that there was an overflow problem at the Special Town Meeting in 2012, when hundreds of people showed up for an important school funding vote. She announced the vote about 15 minutes ahead of time knowing that the auditorium doors would have to be closed first, since it was sure to be a hand-counted vote as opposed to a voice vote. However, some people were not able to get in because of the crush, and although there was overflow space in the gym next door, it’s unclear whether they were signed in, so they could not vote.

Selectman James Craig said the most frequent suggestion he had heard from those with school-age children was to have a defined time period for all voting, such as 1-2 p.m.

Pushback from selectmen

“I’ve been going [to Town Meeting] since I was a kid, and I have a sort of instinctive sort of pushback” to this sort of change, Selectman Peter Braun said. “This is an important event in our community. It’s really important for people to hear each other and see each other and participate in democracy that a war was fought over originally. I feel a little personal constraint over saying ‘show up when you feel like it and vote when you’re here’.”

Lincoln is not the only town facing this issue. Other towns have tried things like having Town Meeting over two days, “and they all say it doesn’t seem to matter, you get the same response. He suggested that Holden do a benchmark study of “what other towns are doing to try to address these issues.”

Nevertheless, Lincoln’s Town Meeting participation rate is one of the highest in the state, Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

“This will sound a little harsh, I have to admit… but I have a really hd time understanding why someone can’t hire a babysitter, and one with a car if necessary” for chauffeuring children to activities, said Selectman Renel Fredriksen, noting that she always attended Town Meeting even when her children were very young. “It’s one day a year… if you had a wedding, would you skip it because you had to go to a soccer game? If someone says ‘I can’t go because of X,’ then you’re clearly making it a lower priority than whatever X is. It doesn’t parse for me.” Citizens should know the issues and “show up if they care, and if you don’t care, that’s fine,” she said.

“There’s some truth to that, but at the same time, I do feel like we need to listen,” Craig said.

“The issue is accessibility and disenfranchisement of people who don’t have the ability who literally cannot attend Town Meeting, not their level of care or concern about town issues,” resident Margit Griffith said. “When you’re looking at opportunities to vote, you have to look at people who can’t—not won’t, but can’t.”

At the close of the discussion, Holden said she would look at having more items on the consent calendar, and perhaps distributing more digestible information (in print and online) ahead of time as a way of shortening presentations and questions at Town Meeting.

 

ZBA expected to vote on McLean proposal this week

mcleanAfter two public hearing sessions, the Zoning Board of Appeals is expected to vote Thursday on whether McLean Hospital’s proposed Bypass Road facility is a permitted use for the property.

The ZBA heard arguments surrounding the appeal of a group of residents on September 29 and October 20. Both the appellants and MCLean also filed numerous court cases and letters to bolster their positions. Among them were three statements from Lincoln physicians arguing that dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) for boys and young men with borderline personality disorder constitutes a medical use and should therefore not be allowed.

Earlier this fall, a neighborhood coalition hired attorney Michael Fee to appeal the town’s building inspector finding that the proposed 12-bed residential facility is allowed under the Dover amendment, a state statute that exempts religious and educational organizations from certain local zoning bylaws. McLean says the use is primarily educational and not medical.

Definitional differences

The two sides disagreed about the definitions of terms such as “medical,” “educational” and “therapeutic.” For example, gym memberships are often paid for by healthy plans, but psychiatrists and psychologists are allowed to see patients in home offices.

They also disagreed about the exact nature of DBT. “DBT is described on McLean’s own website under the tab ‘clinical services.’ It seems like an educational use implies teachers and students, not therapists and patients,” Smith Hill Road resident Dan Pierce said at the October 20 ZBA hearing.

“BPD is a brain disease with emotional dysregulation as its hallmark and underlying documented brain abnormalities as its basis,” psychiatrist and South Great Road resident Lynn DeLisi wrote in a letter to the ZBA. “It is clear that persons who receive recognized treatments for this disorder do so in order to have their symptoms treated, not to be ‘educated’ on how to function with them.”

But McLean’s Dr. Philip Levendusky had a different view. At the September 29 ZBA hearing, he said DBT teaches “learning-based behavior change techniques integrated with relevant social and carefully managed biological, a.k.a. psychopharmacologic, strategies” and that it teaches mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance and behavioral flexibility. On October 20, he reiterated that DBT is educational because “we’re trying to teach them ways of reframing what their impulses are and other ways to handle things.”

Levendusky is senior vice president for business development and communications and director of the Psychology Department.

“It’s a great business model [to put a residential facility] in a beautiful town next door that’s too weak to resist its exploitation,” said Brooks Road resident Arthur Anthony. “There’s a lot of profit there. The Dover amendment was not intended to be a cover for big business to exploit neighborhoods and towns.”

Along with an hour of therapy each day, the facility will require 15 hours a week of classroom activities, which are “not a tagalong, not a passing fancy—it’s completely integrated,” Levendusky said, adding, “this is three to five times more educational activity than we have on Cambridge Turnpike.”

Although prescription drugs can be administered and there will be a doctor and nurse at the Bypass Road site, they will not monitor vital signs or perform any other medical procedures,” Levendusky said. Likewise, there will be classrooms and meeting rooms rather than medicalized treatment rooms. “There will be a small medical and recreational component, but I’m hoping you’ll find this is primarily educational,” he said.

The Bypass Road building will be locked “based on [neighbors’] concerns, not based on the profile of the kids,” Levendusky said. Teenagers who are actively abusing substances or who have a police record will not be permitted.

McLean is applying for licensure for the Bypass Road facility from the state Department of Early Education and Care, which also licenses other children’s facilities including day care centers, McLean’s 3East inpatient facility for teenage girls (which is also licensed by the Department of Public Health), the Perkins School for the Blind and the Home for Little Wanderers. Because its residents are adults, McLean’s facility on Concord Turnpike is licensed by the state Department of Mental Health.

The whole issue is murky enough that “you can be intellectually honest and rigorous and come down on either side,” former Planning Board member Bob Domnitz, who was in the audience, told the ZBA. “This project is almost certainly headed to court, so you have to ask yourself, ‘What would residents want us to do?’ The answer is to follow the zoning. I don’t see why a local board would approve this in the absence of a clear mandate or requirement to do this. I’m asking you to keep this trust intact.”

The residents who appealed the building inspector’s decision are Steven and Linda Kanner, Robyn Laukien, Daniel McCarthy, Jay Gregory, Douglas and Lisa Elder, Ted and Nandini David, Beverly and Daniel Peirce, Michael and Lisa Gurrie, Lara and Arthur Anthony, and Mark and Sarah Crosby.

Letter to the editor: some are working to rig the election

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To the editor:

Yes, the election is rigged—but not how you might have heard.

Hillary Clinton is the only responsible choice to elect as our next president. As NYU research professor Dianne Ravitch wrote yesterday, Clinton is far more qualified for the presidency than Donald Trump, who is completely unfit for the position. She is better educated, more experienced, more thoughtful, wiser and more knowledgeable. She has a demonstrated commitment to the well-being of all Americans.

Conservatives have worked hard to rig this election against Clinton using distortions, ridiculous conspiracy theories, and outright fabrications to which she has been subjected for decades. That strategy has used a continuous vilifying narrative by conservative candidates, surrogates, media and Internet bloggers to incite their base and brainwash themselves and the public. They are now threatening voter suppression and intimidation at the polls.

Most recently, last week’s accusation by Republican FBI director James Comey represented a further example of the continuing litany of unsubstantiated attacks, this time in violation of the Hatch Act.

Another example are the failed Benghazi hearings that dragged on for years at a cost over $7 million for the sole purpose of denigrating Clinton. Compare that with the hearings run by former Massachusetts Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill following the 1983 Beirut terrorist attacks that killed over 258 marines and U.S. personnel during the Reagan administration. Those hearings lasted only two months and produced meaningful bipartisan recommendations to avoid such attacks in the future.

Now Republican Congressmen and senators have said they will hold a Clinton administration hostage by subjecting her to continuous investigations for the duration of her term. Democrats must elect a majority to Congress if they are to achieve a constructive and functional government for a change.

Finally, the New York Times says in its endorsement that the best case for Secretary Clinton is not that she isn’t Donald Trump, it’s that she has the capacity to rise to the challenges this country faces at home and abroad.  Americans deserve a grown up president. A lifetime’s commitment to solving problems in the real world qualifies Clinton for this job.

Sincerely,

20R Gary Davis
Indian Camp Lane

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Letter to the editor: Rep. Stanley asks for voter support

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To the editor:

Serving as your state representative on Beacon Hill is an incredible honor and privilege. Working to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our community, seeing the results of this effort and the positive impact this work has had on so many people is amazing. But our work is not done. I have more to contribute to make Lincoln and Waltham even better.

Throughout my tenure in the legislature, I have prioritized supporting programs and policies that improve our lives and strengthen our community. As a member of the Joint Ways and Means Committee, I have helped deliver millions of dollars of local aid, road repair and public education funding. Also through the state budget process, I have directed thousands—and in some cases, millions—of dollars in funding through amendments supporting such programs as Fragile Beginnings for premature babies, domestic violence and shelter support services, and the education of the children of retired military at Hanscom Field among others.

Over my years of service, I have been proud to work with our state delegation and local officials for the district’s best interest. Together, we have:

  • Earmarked $2 million for a new visitor center at Walden Pond in the Environmental Bond Bill (2014)
  • Fought with federal, state and local officials in the BRACC [Base Realignment and Closure Commission] process to keep Hanscom open
  • Fought the expansion of commercial aviation at Hanscom Field
  • Created a new budget line item to fund municipal school transportation for homeless children
  • Passed legislation to protect open space in the western Greenway
  • Transferred control of the Fernald property to Waltham preventing its overdevelopment
  • Earmarked millions in a bond bill for the proposed UMass Urban Center for Sustainability
  • Advocated and arranged meetings for public school building funding assistance for Lincoln
  • Helped secure $350,000 for invasive aquatic species removal in the Charles River and other watersheds with an amendment to the fiscal year 2017 budget
  • Increased funding for Council on Aging servicing our seniors

The most rewarding part of the job is assisting the hundreds of people who have contacted me through the years with their personal or family struggles. And most recently, it has been an honor to work with you all as we struggle to tangle our state’s fight against addiction and the stigma that comes with it.

Lincoln and Waltham need an experienced and effective state representative that has demonstrated leadership and accomplishment at the state and local level. In this year’s election, I ask for your support and vote so that we can continue to move forward and build stronger and safer communities for everyone.  Please visit my website at www.tomstanley.org to learn more about me and read an important letter from the Lincoln Board of Selectmen and School Committee.

Sincerely,

Rep. Thomas M. Stanley
9th District–Middlesex

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

News acorns

Complete Streets survey input sought

Residents are invited to participate in a survey about the upcoming Complete Streets study to look at existing conditions of roadways and roadside and come up with an improvement plan. Click here for more information or see the Lincoln Squirrel (September 14, 2016). The topic will also be discussed at the State of the Town on Saturday, Nov. 12. Click here to take the survey.

Early voting now going on

Early voting, introduced in Massachusetts with this election, will be available in the Town Clerk’s Office (16 Lincoln Rd.) through Friday, Nov. 4 at 4:30 p.m. Hours for voting are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (and until 8 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays) and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 29.

Forum on agriculture and conservation projects

“New Projects: The Lincoln Way” on Tuesday, Nov. 1 at 7 p.m. in Bemis Hall will feature presentations by Pete Lowy of Codman Community Farm; J. Harrison of The Food Project; and Jane Gruba-Chevalier, Robin Wilkerson and Anna Wilkins of People for Pollinators. Co-sponsored by the Lincoln Garden Club and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT).

Job fair for Hanscom civilian positions

Come learn about opportunities to work as a civilian for Hanscom Air Force Base at a combination information session and job fair on Wednesday, Nov. 2 from 3-7 p.m. at Minuteman High School (758 Marrett Rd., Lexington). Meet Hanscom’s top management to discuss their  opportunities relative to your skills and experience. There will be Information sessions at 4 p.m., 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the event hosted by the state Department of Career Services and Employment and Training Resources in partnership with Minuteman High School. Military personnel will also be available to discuss opportunities including Officer Candidate School, the National Guard and enlisted service. Preregistration required; call 508-478-4300 ext. 113 or or  508-766-5720.

‘The Sweet Hereafter’ to be shown

The Lincoln Library Film Society will screen The Sweet Hereafter (1997, 112 minutes, rated R) on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 6:30 p.m. The movie tells the story of a small community torn apart by a tragic accident which kills most of the town’s children. A lawyer visits the victims’ parents in order to profit from the tragedy by stirring up the their anger and launching a class-action suit against anyone they can blame. One young girl, left in a wheelchair after the accident, who finds the courage to lead the way toward healing.

Rutter’s ‘Requiem,’ prayer vigil at St. Anne’s

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Members of St. Anne’s Choir sing a requiem to honor those who have passed away.

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church will celebrate All Saints’ Day on Sunday, Nov. 6 with John Rutter’s ethereal and moving Requiem, accompanied by harp, flute, oboe, percussion and organ, together with special anthems for the day by Bullock, Harris and Lassus. This service of remembrance will be led by guest preacher Brother Nicolas Bartoli, SSJE, a member of the Society of St. John the Evangelist, an Episcopal monastic community in Cambridge. All are welcome.

Starting immediately after that service, St. Anne’s will host a 48-hour prayer vigil leading up to the presidential election on November 8 in conjunction with other Episcopal services throughout the state. Click here for the schedule from November 6-8.

Letter to the editor: Tully seeks votes in 9th District

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Editor’s note: Tully is running an an independent against incumbent Rep Thomas Stanley (D).

To the editor:

My name is Stacey Gallagher Tully, candidate for state representative in the 9th Middlesex District, and I humbly ask for your vote on November 8th. I am running on a platform of ideas that will bring fresh thinking, positive energy and proven leadership to Beacon Hill on behalf of all constituents in Lincoln and Waltham.

My leadership style has always been and will continue to be one of collaboration. I want to be a strong advocate for you, the people of the 9th District, and I would be honored to earn your vote so that I can work together with you to help make our community an even better place to live, work and raise a family.

I have a proven track record of being a strong voice and advocate for the people of Lincoln and Waltham. As a teacher, I am involved with instructing people of all ages, backgrounds and cultures. My philosophy as a teacher is to listen to the students so that my classroom experience brings out the best in them. As your state representative, I will listen to you, the constituents of the 9th District, in the same manner to ensure your voice is heard in the process. We will work collaboratively to come up with innovative public policies that will make our community stronger and more vibrant for all residents.

Over the past few months, I have had the honor of campaigning for your vote. As I have discussed with many of you in your homes and around the community, I am running on a platform that will support our public education system; improve our crumbling infrastructure; protect our veterans and active-duty personnel; support our seniors; and work in a bipartisan fashion to support our community’s fight against addiction. With your vote, we can work together to solve these important issues.

On a personal note, I am a strong family woman, wife and mother, and a firm believer in being a leader and promoter of good will. I have been and will always be accessible, approachable and visible in the community. As your state representative, I will bring these qualities and more to ensure that I am accessible to you at all times.

Your vote is a valuable tool in our American democracy and something I will honor each day as your representative. Please vote Stacey Gallagher Tully for State Representative on November 8th.

Sincerely,

Stacey Gallagher Tully
85 Lincoln St., Waltham

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Letters to the editor on both sides of charter school question

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Vote “yes” on Question 2

To the editor:

As an educator, parent and student, I do not approve of decisions regarding education that are based entirely on (at times erroneously understood) monetary reasons. I would ask that citizens not blindly follow the “no” vote recommended by school committee.

For those educators whose mission in life is that there be a place for every child to learn and succeed, we have seen charter schools save the intellectual and emotional lives of many learners, as well as raise the standard of education in existing public schools.

It has been my experience as a parent and teacher in three states that charter schools can vastly increase chances of a superior education for all kinds of learners. The only detriment to the existing public school that I have seen over the course of 23 years is, at times, that the best and the brightest students often leave their existing public school for what can often be a more diverse and rigorous academic life in a charter, once parents realize the astonishing breadth, depth, and range of knowledge to which a charter school is committing its students.

Charter schools are different from each other and not easy to compare, just as a current public school in an affluent community is quite different from an urban school in a financially poor area. For this reason, rather than make generalizations about all schools, I would urge voters to educate themselves thoroughly on this issue as Ted Charrette has suggested. Please take the time to fully understand why an award winning teacher like Ted is bringing this to your attention.

I cannot say I have ever won an award for teaching, but the well-being and integrity of our American school system and the future of your children is a subject about which I am passionate. Vote “yes” to ensure we put the academic and personal growth of every student in Massachusetts ahead of any other concern. And because it is time to begin making decisions from a place of courage rather than fear.

Sincerely,

Isabella Nebel
1 Millstone Lane

Vote “no” on Question 2

To the editor:

I am no fan of the “Common Core” curriculum, and feel that we have yet to develop adequate reforms to ensure our schools remain competitive and beneficial, especially for students who are less privileged (by virtue of economics, race, native language, etc).

That being said, I agree with the School Committee’s letter to the editor in the Lincoln Squirrel: Question #2, if passed, would pull money away from our public schools and there would be a worrisome lack of accountability for the use of that money. This is deeply concerning.

As I see it, Question #2, even though well-intended, is not a recipe for reform but an abandonment of our responsibility to ensure that everyone has an equal opportunity for a good education—so I will be voting “no” on Question #2.

Sincerely,

Allen Vander Meulen III
30 Beaver Pond Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Letter to the editor: Newspapers all over U.S. agree on Hillary

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To the editor:

Hillary Clinton is the only responsible choice to elect as our next President.

As a Lincoln resident, when I look at my two beautiful young granddaughters, I think it’s not just gender opportunity. As the Cincinnati Enquirer says, “…it’s the need to elect a leader who will bring out the best in all Americans, not the worst.”

We’re not surprised that the Washington Post would endorse Secretary Clinton for President. They remind us that she is well qualified and well prepared. They further underscore that the negative feelings and bitter partisanship exist mostly because of the dishonest and groundless attacks to which she has been subjected for decades.  They close their endorsement saying that anyone voting for her now will look back in four years with pride in that decision.

Likewise, the New York Times says in their endorsement that the best case for Secretary Clinton is not that she isn’t Donald Trump, it’s that she has the capacity to rise to the challenges this country faces. Americans deserve a grown-up president. A lifetime’s commitment to solving problems in the real world qualifies Hillary Clinton for this job.

Never before has any candidate been endorsed by so many newspapers and editorial boards across the country. So far, over 80 major newspapers have endorsed Secretary Clinton, while Trump has just one (printed, by the way), with no narrative rationale.

Other than the Washington Post or the New York Times, what do editorial staffs in other parts of the country have to say? Here are just a few of many examples.

  • The Denver Post: “Democrat Hillary Clinton, the first woman ever to win a major party nomination is without question the most qualified candidate in the race for president and an easy call to make when considering the challenges confronting the nation.”
  • The Arizona Republic: “This year is different. The 2016 Republican candidate is not qualified. That’s why, for the first time in our history, The Arizona Republic will support a Democrat [Hillary Clinton] for president.”
  • The Dallas Morning News: “There is only one serious candidate on the presidential ballot in November. We recommend Hillary Clinton.”
  • The Orlando Sentinel: “Democrat Hillary Clinton is well qualified to be president.  Republican Donald Trump is not.”
  • The Birmingham (Alabama) News: “We’ve watched Clinton weather every challenge and every groundless and politically driven attack that’s faced her over the last 30 years. Unlike Donald Trump’s meltdowns, Clinton has consistently remained presidential, strong and poised in her response and demeanor.”
  • Finally, The Olympian in Olympia, Wash., says, “There is no better choice than Hillary Rodham Clinton for president of the United States in 2016. This election needs to be over. Our country needs Hillary Clinton. It’s time.”

Sincerely,

Gary Davis
Co-Chair, Lincoln Democratic Town Committee

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Town announces early voting, State of the Town agenda

ballotThe town of Lincoln now offers the opportunity for early voting at Town Hall from October 24 to November 4. Hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Tuesday and Thursday (October 25 and 27, November 1 and 3) from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Anyone with questions may call 781-259-2607 or email brookss@lincolntown.org.

The annual State of the Town meeting—a uniquely Lincoln tradition that provides the opportunity for residents to help shape the decisions of their elected and appointed representatives—will be held on Saturday, Nov. 12 from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The agenda will include:

  • A discussion of roadway and traffic planning
  • A preview of contemplated accessory apartment and agricultural bylaws
  • An update on the feasibility of installing solar panels at the landfill and other town-owned sites
  • An open forum during which attendees are welcome to ask questions or comment on any of the issues of the day

Some past Lincoln Squirrel stories on these issues: