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

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Drive-in choir worship service

All are welcome to St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 4 p.m., when the church choir will offer a drive-in Evensong service. Evensong is a service primarily led by the choir, with the priest chanting pieces and the congregation singing hymns. Choir members will sing into microphones in their cars, and the congregation, sitting in their own cars, will tune in to an unused FM radio station and hear the singing in real time.

Kathryn and Bryce Denney of Marlborough figured out the equipment and procedures needed for Driveway Choirs, and they took it on the road for the first time at St. Anne’s in August. For more information, contact Music Director Jay (jay@stanneslincoln.org) or Communications Director Kristina DeFrancisco (kristina@stanneslincoln.org).

Free flu shot clinic for Lincolnites

The Town of Lincoln will offer a free drive-through flu shot clinic on Monday, Nov. 9 from noon–4 p.m. at the Lincoln North office park at 55 Old Bedford Rd. for Lincoln residents and school children ages 3 and up (the high-dose vaccine for seniors will not be offered at this clinic.) To participate:

  1. Review the available time slots and sign up (indicating the number of appointments needed for your car) by clicking here. Slots after 2 p.m. for school-age children and their families.
  2. Bring with you a completed Walgreens Patient Consent form and a health insurance card for each person to be vaccinated.
  3. Arrive at Lincoln North five minutes ahead of your appointment. After getting vaccinated, park your car and get a snack or just hang out for 15 minutes in the waiting area. 

Donate Thanksgiving staples to food pantry

The St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry of Lincoln and Weston will be distributing all the trimmings for a turkey dinner, plus a grocery card to buy the turkey this year, to food pantry clients in Lincoln and Weston. Click below for more details and to sign up to participate. Click here to donate nonperishable Thanksgiving food and/or a grocery card.

Council on Aging activities in November

Here are some of the November activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging. Most events are open to Lincoln residents of all ages. For more information and a full list, including regular meetings of groups and online chats with town officials, see the COA’s calendar page or newsletter.

  • Line dancing with Katrina Rotondi — Wednesdays at 11 a.m. On November 4, the class will be held in person in the Pierce House tent. November 11 and 25 classes will take place via Zoom.
  • Blue Cross/Blue Shield webinar — Friday, Nov. 6 at 10:30 a.m. for anyone transitioning into Medicare or who is already on Medicare and wants to understand the various types of Medicare plans. Topics include the timeline for enrolling, pros and cons of Medigap and Medicare Advantage plans, and an explanation of Medicare Part D. To register, call Amy at the COA at 781-259-8811 by Nov. 4.
  • SAIL fitness classes with Derry Tanner, retired nurse and certified personal trainer in SAIL (Stay Active and Independent for Life), on Fridays starting November 6 from 10–10:45 a.m. To register, email Amy Gagne at gagnea@lincolntown.org. 
  • Chair yoga — Mondays starting November 9 from 10–10:45 a.m. To register, email Amy Gagne at gagnea@lincolntown.org. 

Learn media literacy for gender-based violence prevention

Rachel Matos

Join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, Nov. 10 from 3-4:30 p.m. for a Zoom program on “Unmasking Media.” The conversation will challenge participants to examine the messages they receive about consent, relationships, power dynamics, and violent behavior from movies, TV shows, music, and more. The workshop aims to identify harmful media while providing the skills to take action in practicing media literacy as a key piece of gender-based violence prevention. Facilitated by Rachel Matos, the outreach and prevention manager at Voices Against Violence. Click here to register in advance (required). For more information, please email infodvrt@gmail.com.

“Aging with Wisdom” retreat

Olivia Hoblitzelle

The First Parish in Lincoln will host “Aging With Wisdom,” a half-day online retreat on Saturday, Nov. 14 from 9 a.m.–noon. led by teacher, therapist and writer Olivia Hoblitzelle. Participants will explore the gifts, challenges, and emotions of aging through teachings, meditation, and small group sharing to discover the opportunities for growth and deepening wisdom in our elder years. Register by Monday, Nov. 9 at by emailing  sarah@fplincoln.org. There is no charge, but donations are welcome to support the costs of this event. Click here for details.

Get a Surprise Bag from the library

For everyone who’s missing out on browsing the shelves, the Lincoln Public Library is now offering “surprise bags.” Discover a new author or genre, or  try a totally different reading/watching experience. Each bag will contain a combination of fiction and nonfiction titles, a DVD, a music CD, and maybe a magazine. Topics include cooking, healthy lifestyles, history, armchair travel, guilty pleasures, and hodgepodge. Call the Reference Desk at 781-259-8465 x3 to a bag for contactless pickup.

Drumlin Farm’s Pomponi promoted

Renata Pomponi

Mass Audubon announced that Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi has been named Director of Mass Audubon Metro West as part of the organization’s pledge to become a more effective, efficient, and responsive organization. In this role, she will continue to oversee the Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln as well as Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary in Natick, Waseeka Wildlife Sanctuary in Hopkinton, Habitat Education Center in Belmont, and Brewster’s Woods Wildlife Sanctuary in Concord (not yet open for visitation).

Pomponi, a Sudbury resident, has become a well-known figure in the area since she was elevated to the Drumlin Farm director position in 2015, after having served for eight years in education and visitor-engagement roles at the popular wildlife sanctuary and working farm. Prior to joining Mass Audubon in 2007, she spent 12 years as a management consultant, specializing in strategic planning and business development in Fortune 500 organizations. She holds a PhD in technology management from MIT.

News acorns

Guidelines issued for trick-or-treating

Lincoln will continue the tradition of trick-or-treating on Halloween night (Saturday, Oct. 31), but residents are being asked to follow state public health protocols to minimize the spread of Covid-19.

For children and families: 

  • Trick-or-treat in small groups
  • Maintain social distancing as per guidelines and do not crowd doorways
  • Wear masks (costume masks are not a substitute!)

For those passing out candy:

  • Consider “one-way” trick-or-treating — leave treats on trays (not bowls) on porches/front stairs
  • If you greet people at the door, wear a mask and social distance
  • Pre-wrapped treats ONLY – no homemade goodies or items wrapped at home
  • Indoor parties are discouraged and maximum gathering sizes must be maintained

Presentation on saving Lincoln’s twisting catalpa tree

Sean Halloran of Arnold Arboretum with a cutting from Lincoln’s twisted tree.

The Lincoln Garden Club is sponsoring a virtual talk by Sean Halloran, Arnold Arboretum’s plant propagator, on Sunday, Nov. 1 at 1:30 p.m. Sean has been instrumental in efforts by the Garden Club and the Lincoln Public Library to preserve Lincoln’s iconic twisting catalpa tree. As the tree is well beyond its expected life span, he is also working with a community group trying to produce a twisting clone of the tree for the library. He will be speaking about those efforts as well as the biology of twisting characteristics in trees. He will also discuss the latest research into tree planting. This topic relates to a proposed community effort to raise a twisted tree from the cloned seedlings. Click here to register for the meeting on Zoom; you’ll then receive a confirmation email with information about joining the meeting.

Middle-school book group forming

A new book share for children in seventh grade and above will met on the third Wednesday of each month starting on Wednesday, Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. We’ll share what we’re reading, what we’re making, and how we’re changing the world. Please email sfeather@minlib.net to register or for more information.

Pandemic increases need for diaper donations

The annual Metro-Boston Diaper Drive has begun, and the need is greater than ever due to families affected by Covid-19. The diaper drive, which runs through October 25, is organized by Lincoln mothers Kerstin Sinkevicius and Kim Jalet. All diapers will be donated to the Somerville WIC office, which serves Lincoln as well as Somerville, Cambridge, Arlington, Watertown, Belmont, Bedford, and Lexington. Donors can visit the diaper drive’s website at mbdiapers.org for links to Amazon and Target registries to send donations directly to the WIC office. They also have a Facebook page.

“In normal times, we have about 40 collection sites for diapers in the Metro-Boston area, and we are able to take opened packages of diapers,” Jalet said. “However, the drive has to be entirely virtual this year, so we worry that donations may be down even though need is higher than at any time since the drive started nine years ago.” WIC reports that, due to Covid-19, many income earners in families served by WIC have lost jobs but did not qualify for relief benefits, resulting in difficult decisions between food, diapers, and other needs, as diapers are not covered by WIC and SNAP benefits.

Cultural council invites grant applications

The Lincoln Cultural Council (LCC) is accepting grant proposals until November 15. Submit your request via this link. Based on community input, the LCC gives priority to projects that provide work for performing artists severely impacted by the pandemic, show an ability to successfully present a virtual experience or have secured a local venue, serve families and/or the elderly, or focus on local history, environmental issues, and the natural world. Questions? Please contact Meg Ramsey at meg.ramsey@verizon.net.

Three new Covid-19 cases in Lincoln

Town health officials reported three new Covid-19 cases in Lincoln during the week ending September 30. All three are members of the same household and are not at The Commons, which was an early hotspot but has not seen any new cases since May, public health nurse Tricia McGean said.

This is the largest number of cases in a week since August 5. In the seven weeks from then until the most recent count, there were only four new cases in town.

The new Covid-19 cases are separate from those reported more recently in two at Hanscom Middle School  (cases on Hanscom Air Force Base are recorded as being in Bedford, not Lincoln). As a result of the positive tests there, 23 students and six staff members are now working remotely during their period of quarantine, Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall said on Tuesday.

Council on Aging activities in October

Here are some of the October activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging. Most events are open to Lincoln residents of all ages. For more information and a full list, including regular meetings of groups and online chats with town officials, see the COA’s calendar page or newsletter.

Medicare update
Friday, Oct. 23 at 10 a.m.
Medicare Open Enrollment runs from October 15 through December 7. Now is your opportunity to make changes to the various types of Medicare coverage including hospital, medical, and prescription drug coverage effective January 1, 2021. Don Milan, Lincoln counselor from the Minuteman Senior Services SHINE Program, will review Medicare basics, then present the 2021 Medigap and Medicare Advantage insurance plans available to supplement basic Medicare coverage as well as discuss changes for 2021. To register for this Zoom event, email gagnea@lincolntown.org or call 781-259-8811 ext. 102. Please note that a Medicare 101 session to go over basic Medicare in great detail will also be held in the near future.

Drive-through flu shot clinic
Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 10 a.m.–noon
Lincoln residents aged 65+ are invited to come to the high-dose flu clinic at the Lincoln North Office Park (55 Old Bedford Rd.). Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up. Forms are available on the COA website or by mail. Bring a photocopy of your insurance card to clinic. Services will be provided free of charge by Emerson Hospital Home Care. This clinic is a joint collaboration between the COA, Fire Department, and the Lincoln public health nurse.

Drive-through shredding event
Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 1–4 p.m.
Bring your items for shredding in your car to the First Parish Church parking lot across from Bemis Hall. We’ll place the items on a cart and Highland Shredding will shred these documents on site free of charge. No need to remove staples. Arrival times are staggered by the first letter of your last name:

  • A–G: arrive between 1 and 2 p.m.
  • H–R: arrive between 2 and 3 p.m.
  • S–Z: arrive between 3 and 4 p.m.

Participants must wear a mask and stay in their car. This event is sponsored by Friends of Lincoln COA.

Outdoor podiatry clinic
Tuesday, Oct. 27 and November 24
All participants must preregister by calling 781-259-8811. Space is limited and registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Suggested $10 donation. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging and Pierce House.

Estate planning 101
Wednesday, Oct. 28 at 10 a.m.
Elder Law Attorney Sasha Golden will share important information and encourage everyone to have important documents up to date. Email gagnea@lincolntown.org to register.

Living well: making every moment count
Friday, Oct. 23 at 2 p.m.
Educator Mary Crowe, LICSW, ACHP-SW, C.D.S. from Care Dimensions will share ways to make every moment count. To register, click here. You’ll receive a confirmation email after you register.

Lincoln among towns now at “moderate” risk for West Nile

Lincoln is one of eight towns in Middlesex County that have been elevated to a “moderate” risk level for the mosquito-borne West Nile virus (WNV) by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) after four new human cases of WNV were confirmed in the county.

Three of the four cases are male (one in his 40s, one in his 60s, and one in his 80s). All were exposed to WNV in Middlesex County.  This brings the total number of Massachusetts WNV cases to seven.

In addition to Lincoln, the Middlesex towns now at moderate risk are Concord, Lexington, Sudbury, Waltham, Wayland, Weston, and Winchester. The municipalities of Dighton, Fall River, and Swansea in Bristol County were also elevated to moderate risk after WNV was diagnosed in a female under the age of 19 with exposure in that county.

Cambridge, Newton, Somerville, and Watertown were elevated to high risk for WNV as a result of information obtained during case investigations on where the four Middlesex County individuals were exposed to the virus. Most WNV virus activity this year has been focused in an area around Boston and includes parts of Norfolk, Middlesex, and Essex counties.

While WNV can infect people of all ages, people over age 50 are at higher risk for severe disease. Most people infected with WNV will have no symptoms, but when they occur, symptoms may include fever and flu-like illness. In rare cases, more severe illness can occur. Click here for updated case information.

The MDPH recommends the following precautions to avoid mosquito bites:

  • Apply insect repellent when outdoors — Use a repellent with DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide), permethrin, picaridin (KBR 3023), oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-methane 3,8-diol or PMD), or IR3535 according to the instructions on the product label. DEET products should not be used on infants under two months of age and should be used in concentrations of 30% or less on older children. Oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years of age.
  • Be aware of peak mosquito hours — The hours from dusk to dawn are peak biting times for many mosquitos. Consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during the evening or early morning.
  • Dress appropriately — Wear long-sleeves, long pants, and socks when outdoors to help keep mosquitos away from your skin.
  • Drain standing water — Mosquitos lay their eggs in standing water, so limit the number of places around your home for mosquitos to breed by either draining or discarding items that hold water. Check rain gutters and drains. Empty any unused flowerpots and wading pools, and change the water in birdbaths frequently.
  • Install or repair screens — Keep mosquitos outside by having tightly fitting screens on all of your windows and doors.

Animal owners should reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers such as buckets, tires, and wading pools, especially after heavy rains. Water troughs should be flushed out at least once a week during the summer months to reduce mosquitos near paddock areas. Horse owners should keep horses in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure to mosquitos.

Owners should also speak with their veterinarian about mosquito repellents approved for use in animals, and vaccinations to prevent WNV and EEE (Eastern equine encephalitis). If an animal is diagnosed with WNV or EEE, owners are required to report to the Department of Agricultural Resources, Division of Animal Health, by calling 617-626-1795 and the MDPH by calling 617-983-6800.

More information, including all WNV and EEE positive results, can be found on the Arbovirus Surveillance Information web page or by calling the DPH Epidemiology Program at 617-983-6800.

Council on Aging activities in September

Here are some of the September activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging. Most events are open to Lincoln residents of all ages. For more information and a full list, including regular meetings of groups for memoir writing, foreign language conversation, etc., see the COA’s calendar page or newsletter.

Special COA Zoom meetings
  • September 11 at 10 am — Mindfulness 101 with Catherine Collins
  • September 11 at  1 p.m. — Meditation with Lynne La Spina (30 minutes)
  • September 16 at 10 a.m. — Chat with Town Nurse Tricia McGean
  • September 18 at  2 p.m. — Chat with Selectman Jennifer Glass
  • September 25 at 10 a.m. — Artist showcase: Watercolors by Jack Foley
  • September 29 at  2 p.m. — Presentation to help our neighbors/Domestic Violence Services Network with J. Apsler

Please register for Zoom activities via email to GagneA@Lincolntown.org or call 781-275-8811 x102.

New COA in-person exercise classes

These classes will be held this month under the tent in front of the Pierce House.

  • Stretch and Flex — Tuesdays/Thursdays, 11:30 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
  • Active Aging — Tuesdays/Thursdays, 1–1:45 p.m.
  • Line Dancing — Wednesdays, 11 a.m.
  • Meditation — Wednesday, 10 a.m.
  • Meditation — Wednesdays, 3 p.m. (location: Lincoln Woods patio)

To participate, register by calling 781-259-8811 x102.

Outdoor podiatry clinic

Dr. Glenn Ruhl will hold a podiatry clinic outside Bemis Hall on September 22 (rain date: September 29). Call 781-259-8811 for details.

News acorns

Young promoted to fire chief

Brian Young at the virtual Board of Selectmen meeting where he was named fire chief for the town.

Deputy Fire Chief Brian Young has been promoted to Lincoln Fire Chief, succeeding former fire chief Steve Carter, who resigned for health reasons last year. Young previously served as acting chief and interim deputy chief. In recent months, he has been a key part of the town’s public health team that was created due to the pandemic  and successfully navigated budget and staffing issues as well as “quickly winning the admiration and support of his colleagues in surrounding towns,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins said at the August 24 Board of Selectmen meeting where Young was appointed to his new role.

Hatha yoga in Pierce Park

Lincoln resident and certified hatha yoga instructor Melinda Bruno-Smith is leading free hatha yoga sessions in Pierce Park on the next four Thursdays (September 3, 10, 17, and 24) from 4–5 p.m. Please bring a yoga mat, towel, or blanket to practice on and wear loose-fitting clothing. The session will be cancelled in case of rain. All levels welcome. 

Author presentation, auction at Farrington Nature Linc

Farrington Nature Linc will host James Edward Mills for a special presentation on “Over the Adventure Gap: the Path of Progress Toward Lasting Social Change” as part of their end-of-summer celebration on Saturday, Sept. 19 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. The event will also include a celebration of their staff and students and an online auction to support their work.

Mills is a freelance journalist who specializes in telling stories about outdoor recreation and environmental conservation. He is the author of The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors and the co-writer/co-producer of the documentary film “An American Ascent.” Tickets are free with suggested donation. A limited number of signed copies of “The Adventure Gap” are available. Click here for tickets.

Used books on sale in library

Now that the library is reopening on a reduced scale, the Friends of the Lincoln Library remind patrons that the used book carts in the building are open and ready for buyers. All books on the cart are $2, and a cash box is attached to the cart. Since the staff cannot make change, please either bring small bills or coins, or plan to purchase several books. Income from the cart sales helps to fund many library programs, equipment purchases, and museum passes. For information on the reopening and how to set up an appointment, click here.

Fix for town water problem expected by next summer

Testing has again shown that Lincoln water contains excessive levels of a certain contaminant, though the level is just over the maximum and work will soon begin on a system to solve the problem permanently.

In an unrelated development, the Water Commission has restricted nonessential outdoor watering to one day a week, down from the previous two (see related story).

For several years, especially during the summer months, routine testing has shown levels of disinfection by-products called total trihalomethanes (TTHMs) above acceptable levels for drinking water. Tests in the second quarter of 2020 revealed levels of 81.9 parts per billion (ppb) while the standard is 80 ppb. The water is safe to drink, but consumption of excessive TTHMs in drinking water over many years may increase the risk of certain types of cancer and cause other adverse effects in some people. The state Department of Environmental Protection has ordered the town to fix the issue.

TTHMs are created when the chlorine (a required disinfectant) reacts with organic material in the water from Flint’s Pond. The level of organic content of the water is now twice what it was when the water treatment plant was designed. That material comes from dissolved plant matter and algae in the pond, and warmer weather accelerates the process, so global warming may be causing the slow increase in recent years. “We can only speculate,” Water Commission member Ruth Ann Hendrickson said last week.

Another possible contributing factor, she said: the water level in Flint’s Pond was very high for a time after the dam that holds back the water was deliberately heightened when Water Department Superintendent Mary Beth Wiser ordered workers to add more boards to the top of the dam some time in 2019.

“That raised the level of the pond and may have pulled decades of leaf mold into the water,” Hendrickson said last week. In fact, the water rose so much that it crept close to the pump house and also began seeping under the dam, which was upgraded in 2017. It’s unclear why Wiser had the water level raised. “I haven’t been able to get a straight story,” Hendrickson said when interviewed for an October 2019 story on the problems at the Water Department.

The department’s consultants recently completed a pilot study to evaluate options for removing the TTHMs, and they submitted their report on August 5 to the DEP, which is expected to approve the plan within three months. Knowing that the project was coming, the town approved $330,000 in bonding in late 2018 for design and installation and treatment equipment.

The DEP originally wanted the town to install a system to add chloramine to the water, but Wiser and consultants Tata and Howard “thought that wasn’t the right solution,” partly because it was more expensive and requires adding more chemicals than the other two alternatives studied, Hendrickson said.

Instead, the system will cause coagulation in  the water, which will make the particles of organic matter stick together in clumps that are large enough to be caught by the filters. The new equipment will be “squeezed into the antique building” close to the pond that also houses the pumping equipment and should be operational by next summer, she said.

News acorns

L-S Environmental Club offers webinars

The L-S Environmental Club has organized a summer environmental webinar series on Thursdays, July 16 to August 13 at 7:30 p.m. Click here for a bios of speakers (including Lincoln resident Alex Chatfield, the climate justice ministry coordinator at St. Anne’s in the Fields Church) and click here to register for any or all sessions.

Lincoln awarded five-year contract to continue operating Hanscom schools

The U.S. Department of Defense has awarded the Lincoln Public Schools a contract to continue operating the schools at Hanscom Air Force Base (HAFB) for the next five years — one year with four option years. The contract provides critical financial support for the cost of the district’s central administration and student services shared with the town of Lincoln.

Lincoln Superintendent of Schools Becky McFall and Buckner Creel, administrator for business and finance, led Lincoln’s role in the extensive proposal and award process that required fixed-price budgets for the next five years. The School Committee approved the new Hanscom budget on June 23. The video of the full presentation can be viewed here.

The Lincoln Public Schools have operated the Hanscom schools for more than 50 years.

“Negotiating the Hanscom contract is a complex and arduous process, and the stakes are very high for the school district, the town, and students,” said School Committee member Susan Taylor. “It is never a forgone conclusion that the military will want to continue to contract with local schools, so the five-year commitment is a great honor and affirmation for our district.”

Correction

The June 2 story headlined “The Commons has fewest Covid-19 deaths among area facilities,” contained on incorrect figure for the number of Covid-19 cases reported at the Sunrise in Weston assisted living facility. The correct number is less than 10, not 10–30.

The article has been corrected and also updated with a list of facilities in neighboring towns that did not appear on either of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health lists in its May 27 report (Long-Term Care Facilities With 2+ Known COVID Cases and Facility-Reported Deaths, and Assisted Living Residences With 2+ Known COVID Cases): 

[lgc_column grid=”50″ tablet_grid=”50″ mobile_grid=”100″ last=”false”]

Concord Health Care Center
Artis Senior Living
Brookhaven/Gardenview
Lexington Health Care Center
Wingate at Sudbury
Merriam Village
[/lgc_column]

Concord
Lexington
Lexington
Lexington
Sudbury
Weston