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

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Town Meeting reminders, and an addition

The eighth-grade warrant article group, left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

ADDITION: The Lincoln Squirrel received this photo too late to include with the March 26 story on the Lincoln School eighth-graders’ warrant article. Left to right: Amalia Munn, Allie Dwyer, Colin Christian, Greer Harnden and Elena Christenfeld.

Shuttle service offered

Due to the expected turnout for Town Meeting and the limited parking spaces available at the school complex, the town is asking residents to carpool. Also, the town is offering a shuttle service from the Lincoln commuter lot (non-resident paved lot) to the school complex from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. The shuttle will run continuously throughout Town Meeting.

Overflow seating in Reed Gym

In the event that attendance at Town Meeting exceeds the capacity of the Brooks auditorium, overflow seating will be available in the Reed Gym, with audio feeds and other accommodations to allow full participation.

Town Meeting may continue Tuesday night

If necessary, Town Meeting will be paused on Saturday and resume on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30 p.m. in Brooks auditorium.

Food and beverages for sale

Lincoln’s third-grade Girl Scouts will be selling hot coffee, tea and a limited supply of homemade baked goods at Town Meeting from 9-11 a.m. Everything is $1. The sixth-grade Girl Scouts also will be selling boxed lunches for $10 apiece.

Polls open at 7:30 on Monday

Don’t forget to vote in the town election on Monday, March 30 from 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Smith gym (not starting at 7 a.m. as previously reported). Voters will be asked to approve spending for a school renovation feasibility study and a school campus master plan. Many town offices are also on the ballot, including contested races for Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee and Planning Board. See this Lincoln Squirrel article for a sample ballot and summary of letters to the editor about the contested races.

Babysitting available during Town Meeting

Lincoln’s eighth-grade Girl Scouts are offering babysitting in Hartwell Pod B from 12:45-5 p.m. These hours were chosen to coincide with discussion of the school building and community center issues in which many young families have expressed interest. The Girl Scouts are Red Cross trained in babysitting, and adults will also be on duty to help supervise. The children will be located in two rooms, one for the preschoolers and another for elementary school children. Advance registration is preferred; please email Linda Hammett Ory at LHamme@aol.com. Babysitting is offered at no charge, but donations are encouraged to help support the eighth-grade Cadettes’ service projects.

Summary of “warrant pieces”

Here are links to Lincoln Squirrel news stories about some of the warrant articles.

News acorns – 3/11/15

acorn“DamNation” at LLCT movie night

On Thursday, March 19, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) presents DamNation, a powerful film odyssey across America that explores the sea change in our national attitude from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional Monkey Wrench Gang to go mainstream. Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life, giving salmon and other wild fish the right of return to primeval spawning grounds, after decades without access. DamNation’s majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves as part of nature.We will have a brief discussion afterwards about what Massachusetts is doing in the way of dam removal.

The movie will be shown at 7:30 p.m. in the LLCT offices above the post office at the Mall at Lincoln Station. Run time: 1 hr 27 min.
Free. Light refreshments will be provided.

Summer trail maintenance workers wanted

The Lincoln Conservation Department is hiring two seasonal employees to assist with trail maintenance and other land management activities. This position is for 10 weeks in June to August, Monday-Thursday 7:30-3:30 with an hourly rate of $12/hour. For more information, see this Lincoln Squirrel bulletin board listing.

Register for children’s book groups

Spring Storytime registration is now taking place for the following age groups. Register by emailing jflanders@minlib.net
or calling 781-259-8465. See the library website for other children’s and teen/tween programs and services.

  • Lapsit Storytime (for infants up to age 24 months) — Thursdays at 10 a.m., March 26 to May 7
  • Terrific Twos Storytime — Fridays at 10:30 a.m., March 27 to May 8

 

News acorns – 3/5/15

acornAddendum to Kanner letter

The letter to the editor about outdoor lighting regulations from Steven Kanner has been modified to reflect a paragraph that was inadvertently omitted when it was published on March 3.

Town meeting shuttle service offered; carpooling recommended

The Town of Lincoln Annual Town Meeting will take place Saturday, March 28 beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Brooks School auditorium on Ballfield Road. As an open Town Meeting, all Lincoln citizens are encouraged to attend and participate. Lincoln residents should receive their Town Meeting packets, including the Town Report and the Financial Section and Warrant, on or about March 21. More information can be found on this Town of Lincoln webpage.

Due to the expected turnout for Town Meeting and the limited parking spaces available at the school complex, the town is asking residents to carpool. Also, the town is offering a shuttle service from the Lincoln commuter lot (the non-resident paved lot) to the school from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.  The shuttle will run continuously throughout Town Meeting.

Make preserves at deCordova on March 7

[Read more…] about News acorns – 3/5/15

Winter Carnival kicks off next Thursday

Winter Carnival 2015 PosterThe Lincoln Winter Carnival, an annual event sponsored by the Parks and Recreation Committee, starts on January 29 and features a pancake breakfast, a snow sculpture contest, poetry, bingo, and lots of other events for both adults and kids.

The carnival is designed to foster a sense of community throughout the town of Lincoln, and all events are sponsored by Lincoln-based organizations. Please check individual event details for age limits, admission fees, pre-registration information, etc.

Weeklong events

[Read more…] about Winter Carnival kicks off next Thursday

Multi-sport court proposed for school campus

The proposed sports court wold go in the blue area next to the tot playground behind the Codman Pool parking lot.

The proposed sports court would go in the blue area next to the tot playground behind the Codman Pool parking lot (click to enlarge).

By Alice Waugh

Lincoln will have a new outdoor court with lighting for basketball, tennis, street hockey and other sports by late summer if officials and voters give a funding thumbs-up.

The proposal by the Parks and Recreation Committee (PRC) calls for a $146,000 multi-sport moveable court to be installed next to the playground at the rear of the Codman Pool parking lot. The court surface, which would be made of perforated plastic and surrounded by netting, could be taken up and relocated if staging space is required during a school building project.

Although Lincoln has recreational facilities for children and town tennis courts, “what we really have is a big gap in the sixth-to-eighth-grade, high school and college-age folks,” said PRC chair Jonathan Dwyer in a January 8 presentation to the School Committee, which oversees use of school property.

The court could serve as an outdoor drop-in sports facility for teenagers and others in the afternoon, early evening and weekends all year round, since it could also work as an ice-skating rink, Dwyer said. “This brings them back to the [Lincoln School] campus and connects them more to the town as they [remember] hanging out at the playground, at the pool and on the fields,” he said.

The location also has the advantage of easy access and parking next to the existing lot and its streetlights, “so we’re not creating a new lit area located in the middle of nowhere—we’re just augmenting what’s already there,” said Dan Pereira, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

The court would also expand the town’s after-school tennis program, which usually can’t start until after April school vacation because the clay courts need more time to recover from the winter snow and ice.

The PRC estimates that the facility would cost $146,000, including lighting and a water line extension. A traditional court with a poured concrete base would cost about $20,000 less, but it would not have the advantage of being movable and water-permeable, Pereira noted. The Community Preservation Committee has determined that the project qualifies for Community Preservation Act funding and is considering the proposal for recommendation as part of its funding request at Town Meeting in March, Dwyer said in his written proposal to the School Committee.

If funding is approved at Town Meeting, installation could begin in early August and would take about a week, making it ready for use by August 30.

“This sounds like a fun thing to bring forward and could be a real benefit to students,” said Jennifer Glass, chair of the School Committee, which voted unanimously to support the PRC’s request.

Ms. G, Drumlin’s weather-savvy groundhog, pops up on Feb. 2

Drumlin Farm's resident groundhog, Ms. G.

Drumlin Farm’s Ms. G, the official state groundhog of Massachusetts.

Will Ms. G predict an extended winter or an early spring? Come see Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary’s famous groundhog decipher the weather clues and deliver her forecast on Monday, Feb. 2 starting at 10 a.m.

Drumlin Farm’s own resident groundhog, Ms. G, will make her first major public appearance since being designated “Official State Groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.” Ms. G will give her live forecast at 10 a.m., followed by fun winter activities to celebrate this festive day. Learn about hibernation, winter wildlife, and how to identify animal tracks in the snow, accompanied by children’s crafts and hot cocoa by the fire.

Drumlin Farm will be open for special holiday hours on February 2 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This special event is free with paid admission to the wildlife sanctuary of $8 adults and teens; $6 children 2-12 and seniors, and free for Mass Audubon members. Featured programs:

  • Learn the forecast for spring’s arrival from our woodchuck weather expert
  • Visit with more of our resident wildlife and farm animals, and explore the trails
  • Attend special nature and farm programs
  • Warm up by the fire with a story and make some winter crafts to take home

Former WBZ-TV weather personality Mish Michaels will be on hand to share the story of the Wellesley school students who joined Mass Audubon in submitting the bill to the Massachusetts state legislature to declare Ms. G the Official State Groundhog. The bill was successfully enacted into law and signed by Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick on July 13, 2014.

Spotlight on CCF volunteer Savannah Snell

Snell-sm

Savannah Snell and her porcine pals at Codman Community Farms.

The following item is reprinted from the Codman Community Farms newsletter with permission.

Savannah Snell, a Lincoln resident and senior at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, is a volunteer animal feeder at Codman Community Farms and has been coming in once a week for the last two years. Savannah connected with the farm when she participated in the Farmer’s Helper program through the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department in grade school.

As she got older and would stop by to buy eggs and milk for her family, she realized what a great community resource CCF is. One day she decided to check off the volunteer box on the payment envelope. Office manager Barb Rhines called and farmer Eric Robichaud trained her to work with the animals.

Savannah makes sure all the animals have food and water and has gotten to know them. Opal the Donkey is a favorite and she will spend up to half an hour scratching and playing with Opal. The pigs get to know her too and enjoy having their snoots rubbed. (Note to casual visitors: please don’t try this yourself; a finger through the fence can look like a carrot to a pig!)

At L-S, Savannah started the L-S Aid for Animals club, which raises money for local shelters and whose members volunteer at domestic animal shelters and farm animal rescue organizations. She rides horses and can’t remember a time when she didn’t love animals. Savannah is a great volunteer upon whom the Codman staff and animals depend.

News acorns – 12/29/14

acornTown seeks candidates for boards and commissions

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! The annual Town Election will take place on Monday, March 30. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office starting Friday, Jan. 2 and must be returned no later than Monday, Feb. 9. The following offices will appear on the March ballot: Board of Selectmen (three years), Board of Assessors (three years), K-8 School Committee (two seats for three years each), Water Commissioner (three years), Board of Health (one seat for three years), Cemetery Commission (three years), Planning Board (one seat for three years), Commissioner of Trust Funds (three years), deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park Trustee (four years), Housing Commission (three years), Parks and Recreation Committee (three years), Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (two seats for three years each), Trustees of Bemis (one seat for three years). For additional information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Seminar on campaign rules for local candidates

The Town Clerk’s Office will host a seminar with an overview of the rules for disclosing campaign activity on Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at Town Hall. Jason Tait, Director of Communications and Public Education for the state Office of Campaign and Political Finance (OCPF), will also address the proper use of town resources for a political purpose—for example, is it legal to use a town’s robo-call system to advocate for a Town Meeting warrant article?

The seminar lasts about one hour and is open to candidates and the public. For inquiries or to reserve a seat, please call the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607.

Coming up at the library

Starting next week, these regular children’s programs will resume at the Lincoln Public Library: Ed Morgan Singalong (January 2), Preschool Stories (January 6), Lego Club (January 7), Book Group for grades 4-6 (January 8), and Lapsit Storytime (January 15). Check the library web page for kids’ programs for times and other information.

Coming up for adults (all events are at the library unless otherwise noted):

  • The Lincoln Film Society kicks off “JaNOIRary—Film Noir All Month Long” on Tuesdays, Jan. 6 and 13 at 7 p.m. For more information,  call 781-259-8465 or email Lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com to sign up for the mailing list.
  • Friday Morning Book Group (Friday, Jan. 9 at 9:30 a.m.) will discuss Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks. Copies in various formats available at the front desk two weeks prior to the meeting. Coffee and refreshments.
  • Art gallery reception for oil painter Kathleen Manley (Sunday, Jan. 11 from 2-4 p.m.)
  • Lincoln Open Mike Acoustic (Monday, Jan. 12 from 7-10 p.m.) featuring the band Outrageous Fortune. Performers are asked to sign up in advance by emailing loma3re@gmail.com.
  • Write Stuff (Friday, Jan. 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall) — a writing group for sharing and discussion with a moderator to improve writing skills.
  • Classic Jazz (Friday, Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.) featuring Dean Smith, Tickling the Ivories.

Letter to the editor: PTO thanks Community Partners

letter

To the editor:

On behalf of the Lincoln PTO, I’d like to extend our deepest thanks to our PTO Community Partners whose contributions have helped make possible our many enrichment activities at the Lincoln School in 2014-15. These activities include visits to the school by poets, dancers and puppeteers, as well as science, nature and engineering workshops, historical reenactments and more (see the “What We Do” page on the Lincoln PTO website). Our Community Partners include:

Our children’s education is richer because of the help these Community Partners provide, so I hope you’ll join me in thanking them for another great year at the Lincoln School.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Bodnar, Lincoln PTO Chair/President

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, 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 – 12/10/14

The Harvard Callbacks perform at the LEAP a capella night on December 5.

The Harvard Callbacks perform at the LEAP a capella night on December 5.

A capella benefit a hit; LEAP plans to do it again next year

Lincoln residents packed the auditorium of Bemis Hall on December 5 to hear three a capella groups perform in a benefit for LEAP (the Lincoln After-school Activities Program). The groups who sang were Accent from Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, and VoiceLab and the Callbacks from Harvard University, as well as an impromptu singing and dancing performance of “Happy Birthday” for LEAP operations director Chris Burns by the “LEAPing Lizards” (several current and former LEAP students).

The concert was taped by Lincoln community TV—click here to watch and listen.

“It was an amazing night of beautiful music and community,” said LEAP program director Kathryn Hawkins, who added that LEAP would have another a capella benefit next year.

Wreath-makers still need a helping hand

The First Parish Church is still looking for help making Christmas wreaths in the Stone Church in preparation for the Touch of Christmas Fair on Saturday, Dec. 13. See “Lincoln Through the Lens” on December 3 for more information. And don’t forget the candlelight Lincoln Ringers concert on December 22 (see the Squirrel calendar listing for details).

Nicholas Soo and Jonah O'Donnell-Weyant decorate donation boxes at Magic Garden

Nicholas Soo and Jonah O’Donnell-Weyant decorate donation boxes at Magic Garden. Photo courtesy Michael Graves

Magic Garden hosting drive for Rosie’s Place

This December marks the Magic Garden Children’s Center‘s fifth annual “Season of Giving.” In conjunction with Lincoln Public Schools, Magic Garden is facilitating a drive for nonperishable goods such as canned food, pasta and toiletries that will be delivered to Rosie’s Place, a shelter for women coping with homelessness in Boston.

“Each year, the teachers here have the opportunity to help children explore ideas of giving and community,” said Magic Garden interim director Lori Leo. “Our students help to paint donation boxes and sort the items. It’s wonderful!” Magic Garden is accepting contributions until Friday, Dec. 19 in their office area in the Hartwell building on the school campus.

Obituaries

George Berry, 69 (November 12) – sponsored Lincoln’s Friends for Tomorrow therapeutic horseback riding program.

Anastasia K. Caras, 96 (November 26) – pianist and graduate of the New England Conservatory of Music.