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

My Turn

My Turn: Ansara urges Lincoln Dems to get out the vote

By Barbara Slayter

What is at stake in this election? The very survival of our democracy!

On Saturday, Sept. 14, the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee kicked off its 2024 election events with a talk by Michael Ansara, political organizer, longtime activist, and poet whose work contributes to our understanding of justice, political choices, and effectiveness. Led by LDTC co-chairs Joan Kimball and Travis Roland, an attentive audience of about 40 Lincoln residents greeted Ansara, and we were not disappointed. His astute analysis, informal style, savvy political perceptions, and grasp of critical facts were apparent throughout the morning.

Ansara — organizer for Together 2020, a board member of Indivisible Massachusetts Coalition, and a founder of Volunteer Blue — has spent many years as an activist and an organizer on political campaigns, voter registration efforts, and civil rights. He opened his comments with recognition that this is the most consequential election of our lifetime. People with autocratic inclinations and extremist ideologies are threatening our democracy and we — all of us — need to defend it as best we can in this upcoming election.

Ansara asserted that electoral victories in certain states are critical to a Democratic win. For the presidency, there are seven swing states that will determine the outcome: Arizona, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina. For the Senate retaining seats in three states is essential: Ohio, Arizona, and Montana. For the House, which Ansara believes Democrats have a good chance of taking, the critical states are New York and California.

What is the single most effective action members of grassroots organizations like the Lincoln Dems can do to bring about a Democratic victory? Register voters and assure that they are able to vote. And the most effective way to do that is to talk with them. He urged members of the audience to do several things:

  • Look at that list of critical states and figure out who you know in those states, whether relatives, friends or distant colleagues. Contact them, have a conversation about what’s at stake in this election, and persuade them to vote.
  • Spend some time canvassing, especially in areas where low voter turnout is prevalent. Ansara noted how much Trump benefited from canvassing in 2020 as opposed to the Dems, who scaled back due to Covid. Moreover, Trump, he asserted, can’t win without taking North Carolina, a highly purple and key swing state. (Groups are going regularly from Massachusetts to canvas in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.)
  • Make phone calls. Starting next week, phone banks will be calling known Democratic voters and encouraging them to vote early.

These tasks may seem small and unimportant, but in a tight election with a deeply polarized public, such efforts can make a critical difference. Some day, Ansara said, your grandchildren will ask, “What did you do when democracy was so profoundly threatened?” You want to be able to say, “I gave it my all.”

Ansara spoke for about half an hour and then fielded a great variety of questions from a politically engaged and savvy audience, including:

  • Why has North Carolina become a critical state? (Answer: changing demographics and a revitalized, younger more focused N.C. Democratic Committee)
  • Are Democrats writing off the Midwest? (Answer: there is a new emphasis on Midwest voters, including persuading Democrats to challenge races even if they can’t win and working on getting out the rural vote.)
  • How do you explain the gender gap in voting? (Answer: partially by Trump’s successes in engaging young men who are not college graduates, and widespread concern among women about reproductive rights)
  • Why are journalists treating Harris and Trump so differently? (Answer: journalists want a horse race when they should be comparing policies)

Ansara identified two local organizations in which he has great confidence: Force Multiplier and Volunteer Blue. The latter’s webpage has important information including a calendar of opportunities for political activism in key races and swing states as well as a volunteer coach who will help people with canvassing, texting, and phone banking.

In sum, voter contact is essential, talking with people face-to-face is the most effective way to get out the vote, and getting out the vote is central to winning this election, whether we are talking about the Presidency, the Senate, the House, or down ballot. Drawing on Michelle Obama’s oft-quoted phrase, Ansara urged us to “do something” — inspiring many of us to head to the activities table to sign up for canvassing or purchase a yard sign, dig more deeply into our pockets, and make that telephone call to a friend or relative in a critical state.

For more information about the LDTC, check the website at lincolnmadems.org and follow us on Instagram (lincolnmadems). For opportunities to canvas and to write postcards to swing states, contact Travis Roland at travisroland89@yahoo.com or Joan Kimball at selene@gmail.org.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: L-S School Committee leaders introduce themselves

By Ravi Simon and Cathie Bitter

As the recently elected chair and vice chair of the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee, we would like to take a minute to introduce ourselves. We both appreciate the opportunity to serve in these roles and look forward to advocating on behalf of students, family members, and residents to ensure Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School provides an excellent, welcoming, and engaging learning environment for all students. Here’s some background about us:

Committee chair Ravi Simon is in his second year on the committee. Ravi is an LSRHS alumnus (Class of 2015), and a legislative staffer in the Massachusetts State House. He grew up in Sudbury and attended Sudbury’s public schools. He currently works for state Rep. Carmine Gentile, who represents Sudbury, half of Lincoln and Wayland, and parts of Concord and Marlborough. Ravi has a passion for public service and is honored to be working to advocate for and help members of his community every day. He ran for a position on the L-S School Committee in 2023 to bring his perspective as a former student to the committee’s discussions and to ensure that today’s students receive an education as good as the one he received at L-S.

Vice chair Cathie Bitter is just starting her second year on the committee. She is a resident of Lincoln with two children who attended Lincoln Public Schools and who will be attending L-S in the fall. A former high school chemistry teacher, she has worked as an education researcher for more than 20 years, leading research and evaluation projects in the areas of K-12 school improvement, innovative instructional approaches, and postsecondary preparation. Cathie has also been an active volunteer in Lincoln schools, having served on the boards of the Lincoln School Foundation, the Lincoln PTO, and Magic Garden Preschool.

We both look forward to leading the committee through the 2024-25 school year. The committee will meet in an upcoming retreat to brainstorm, discuss, and select goals for the year. Our priorities will be set during the retreat, but we do know that several important items will be on our plate this year, including negotiating a fair contract with the teachers; taking a look at the new advisory program that kicked off last school year; and our annual responsibilities, which include approving a budget and evaluating our superintendent/principal, who was new to L-S last school year.

We are both committed to ensuring the committee is transparent, accessible, and open to good faith feedback. Last year, we worked to ensure that our agendas linked to the documents the committee discussed in meetings, held listening sessions to get input from the community, and posted regular newsletters. We look forward to sharing our work and maintaining opportunities for community input this upcoming school year.

You can sign up for the school committee’s email list and find all of our meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations at our website: www.lsrhs.net/about/school_committee. We are excited for the school year ahead and continued opportunities to collaboratively support L-S’s students, teachers, and community.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Vote Mara Dolan for Governor’s Council

By Barbara Slayter

On Tuesday, Sept. 3, Lincoln voters choosing the Democratic primary ballot will find only one office for which the incumbent is contested.  This is the office of Governor’s Councillor representing the Governor’s Council District 3 that includes a swath of cities and towns to the west of Boston, among them Lincoln.

I urge all those voting in the Democratic primary to cast their ballot for Mara Dolan. She seeks to replace Marilyn Petitto Devaney, who has served on the Council as representative from district 3 for 25 years. Mara Dolan would bring to the position:

  • Extensive experience as a public defender
  • Professional qualifications for confirming judges, parole board members, and commutations and pardons, all Governor’s Council responsibilities
  • Determination to defend women’s reproductive rights
  • Support for humane, science-based policies for addiction recovery
  • Support for raising the age for Juvenile Court jurisdiction
  • A commitment to transparency in government

Having attended a debate between Devaney and Dolan at the Concord Public Library in June, where, indeed, the sparks did fly, having heard both speak at several local Democratic gatherings, and having perused their websites and records, I have concluded that Mara Dolan is far and away the stronger candidate. The Boston Globe has come to the same conclusion and has endorsed Dolan.  Despite Marilyn Devaney’s long service — and perhaps also because of it — I urge you to cast your vote next Tuesday, Sept. 3 for Mara Dolan for Governor’s Councillor representing District 3.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Did you get Trump’s strategy?

By Alexander Creighton

What a clever strategy Donald Trump’s MAGA advisors pulled off to overwhelm and beat down President Joe Biden last Thursday night! They knew Orange Man would not have an open mic to heckle and harass as he did four years ago. And Biden, most likely too overprepared at Camp David, was left to his own memory without prompter or notes to stand up to such a barrage. What a target!

The entire 45 minutes was nothing but a clear and direct assault on Biden’s ability to concentrate and make any meaningful points.

Countless times, a CNN moderator’s question to Trump was never addressed directly by him. Instead, his handlers coached Trump to take his four-minute exclusive time slot to harass, berate, and bombard Biden, repeatedly using the immigration issue on every subject he was given to address for that four minutes. He deflected, as is his style, blame on Biden every subject that was brought up from the get-go. It was a nonstop lambasting force of energy aimed directly at Biden’s mind — so much so, unbeknownst to Biden and to the disbelief of all watching, it completely befuddled him to the point where it was obvious that he was unable to recall any of the preparation days before at Camp David.

It was an excellent strategy and it worked, showing us a diminished man who has done so much for this country in the last four years despite Trump’s back-door control of his toadies in Congress and elsewhere. Yes, President Biden did come back, sort of, in a few places, but he never had time to really recover after 40 minutes of the constant barrage of negativity aimed in his direction.

The final result of this clever strategy showed itself as a success when Biden reacted to Trump’s golf scores trap. Then Trump was the one to say, “Let’s stop acting like children.”

But the final blow however was President Biden’s exhausted physical appearance, facial expression, and speaking style. It reduced his ability to utter even a coherent final statement, which was also sadly far below everyone’s expectations. Then came the talking heads’ immediate reactive panic and suggesting that he must step aside. Too late!

His showing the next day was proof positive to me that, despite Thursday night’s debacle, I have certain faith in Joe Biden and his team being quite capable of leading this great and diverse nation for another four years.

Creighton, a Lincoln resident, is in his words “an 84 year-old independent voter who’s been there too!”

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Town staff group voices “strong support” for LGBTQIA+ community

By the Lincoln Staff Diversity and Inclusion Committee

The Lincoln Staff Diversity and Inclusion Committee (SDIC) is made up of staff members from a variety of ages, religions, ethnicities, races, cultures, genders, and sexualities. We are proud to work for this town, with many of us having been on the staff for over a decade. SDIC’s mission is as follows:

  • Create an inclusive environment by engaging diverse talent and influencing recruitment, development, advancement, and retention.
  • Articulate our diversity and inclusion values through proactive communications.
  • Regulate and manage workplace equity and inclusivity by reviewing and improving our policies and practices.
  • Evaluate our progress by continually assessing our organizational culture.

While our efforts are mainly focused on diversity and inclusion within the workplace, we recognize that the culture of the town is just as critical to the wellbeing of its current and future employees as the culture within Town Offices.

We were shocked and saddened to read that some members of the community believe that the recognition of Pride Month is harmful. What hurts people is telling them to hide who they are. Many of us have seen first-hand the devastating impacts that homophobia and transphobia have on our children, family, friends, and even on ourselves. Pride is not just about acceptance — it is about celebrating who you are and who you love unapologetically. Pride is about support, love, and kindness.

In no way do we seek to silence those that we disagree with. As others have said, freedom of speech and equitable participation in the public process are the foundations of democracy. However, freedom of speech is not the same as freedom from criticism. Hate does not have a place in Lincoln’s community. We commend the Lincoln Squirrel’s decision to publish this article and shed light on this harmful rhetoric. It provides an opportunity for people to speak out and share their support for the LGBTQIA+ community.

With the politicization and attacks on LGBTQIA+ people in this country, they need our support now more than ever. In that vein, we are using our voices to speak out and share our strong support for the LGBTQIA+ community. We hope that others in Lincoln will do the same, and we are grateful to those who already have. It costs nothing to be supportive, loving, and kind.

Signed,
 
Victoria Benalfew, Administrative Assistant to the Building Department and Board of Health
Abigail Butt, our Director of Council on Aging and Human Services
Stacy Carter, Conservation Planner
Jennifer Curtin, Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use
Michael Dolan, IT Director
Valeria Fox, Town Clerk
Tim Higgins, Town Administrator
Dan Pereira, Assistant Town Administrator
Robin Rapoport, Reference Librarian
Ian Spencer, Sergeant, Police Department
Colleen Wilkins, Finance Director/Town Accountant

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Next steps on the Hanscom hangars

Editor’s note: The Mass. Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) issued a ruling on June 24 saying that the Draft Environmental Impact Report for the Hanscom Field expansion project “does not adequately and properly comply” with Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act Office (MEPA) regulations. Five Massachusetts state representatives also sent a letter on June 14 criticizing “this profoundly flawed DEIR.” For more coverage of the latest development on this issue, see the June 24 articles in the Bedford Citizen and the Concord Bridge.

By Christopher Eliot

The June 21 MEPA determination that the North Airfield Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) is “not adequate” was very good news but is not the end of the story. Our next step is to write letters by August 13 to dispute the most recent Environmental Status and Planning Report and prevent the introduction of planning assumptions that can be used to justify the next version of the DEIR.

Some background: every five years, Massport publishes an Environmental Status and Planning Report (ESPR) that defines the planning assumptions for a five-year period. The ESPR is distinct from the DEIR, but the two are closely linked. The recently rejected DEIR was based on the 2017 ESPR, but the 2022 Hanscom ESPR has been written and is now open for review. (Writing an ESPR takes two years, so the publication date is two years after the reporting date.)

The 2022 Hanscom ESPR is closely linked with the proposed North Airfield hangar project and will be used in the next version of the DEIR to justify the project. We need to write letters disputing assertions in the ESPR that will be used to justify the future supplemental DEIR. Public comments can make a difference, and you are encouraged to write another letter to MEPA on this subject.

Much of the ESPR provides good factual data, but there are three major problems with the ESPR that need to be corrected:

1. Chapter 3 of the ESPR reports historical and projected airport activity levels through 2040 including a compound grown in business jet operations of 1.2%. This is incompatible with the climate crisis. It may be a valid projection of historical growth rates but we need to reverse the growth of private jet usage. Our local legislators understand this issue and are prepared to help. The ESPR needs to reflect the fact that sane public environmental policy will reverse the growth of private jets use, eliminating the need for new hangars.

Chapter 3 also fails to discuss likely scenarios for the introduction of eVOTL (electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft), eCTOL (electric conventional take-off and landing aircraft), and advanced air mobility aircraft (AAM). These new technologies might be an improvement or might have scary implications for residents near Hanscom airport; I don’t know because Massport has not said anything about their plans. This needs to be fixed. This technology is already being deployed in some parts of the world and should be discussed.

2. Chapter 7 reports on noise issues but fails to account for recent research showing that noise is a public health problem. It has been scientifically demonstrated that noise leads to systemic inflammation and causes increased mortality due to heart disease as well as learning problems and mental illness. The ESPR chapter incorrectly minimizes all of these problems and needs to be fixed.

3. Chapter 8 includes problematic descriptions of improved aviation fuels:

First, the ESPR incorrectly states that unleaded aviation fuel is not yet available. “As of writing, it is still unknown exactly when 100UL [fuel] will become a readily available resource at all airports” (page 8-37). This is not true: the fuel can be sourced from Vitol Corp. I called this company and verified that they are able and willing to deliver this unleaded aviation fuel to Hanscom Field as soon as they get a purchase order.

Second, in section 8.6.5 starting on page 8-38, there is a discussion of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at Hanscom Field. The discussion regurgitates industry propaganda about SAF that is easily refuted. The Government Accountability Office published a report last year that disputes many of these claims. More recently, Chuck Collins et al published a report titled “Greenwashing the Skies” that provided a detailed explanation of the problems with SAF as a solution to the climate problem of aviation. While industry wants us to believe this is a solution that just needs to be deployed, there are many fundamental issues in the way, and it is very unlikely that the promise of SAF will ever be fulfilled. In the meantime, industry uses the false promise of SAF as an excuse to avoid any meaningful response to their contribution to the climate crisis. There are a number of better proposals to mitigate aviation’s contribution to the climate crisis, so it is important not to allow the industry to pursue the distraction of SAF for the next 10 or 20 years.

The ESPR is extremely important in the debate over the North Airfield project because the ESPR is the planning document used to justify the North Airfield project. We should ask MEPA to require corrections to the ESPR while the comment period is open until August 13, 2024. Changing the ESPR to make more realistic assumptions about how community response can limit the growth of private jet travel will remove the primary justification for the North Airfield project. The developers are now required to write a supplemental DEIR based on the 2022 EPSR as a foundation.

As written, the 2022 ESPR provides a pillar of support for the project; your letters can help convert it into a pit of quicksand.

Comments on the 2022 ESPR should be sent to the same place as comments on the DEIR but should reference “Project 2022 L.G. Hanscom Field Environmental Status and Planning Report (2022 ESPR) (EEA #5484/8696)”:

Secretary Rebecca Tepper
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Attn: MEPA Office
Alex Strysky, EEA No. 5484/8696
100 Cambridge St., Suite 900
Boston, MA 02114

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Eliot is chair and Lincoln’s representative to the Hanscom Field Advisory Commission.

My Turn: Check out famed cellist Helen Gillet on Friday

By Mimi Borden, Sara Mattes, and Rachel Marie Schachter

This Friday night, we have a unique opportunity to hear a gifted, boundary-breaking artist — cellist Helen Gillet — in a rare New England performance. She will take the stage at 8 p.m. on Friday, June 28 at Bemis Hall.

Helen has played notable venues around the world including Lincoln Center, NPR’s Tiny Desk, and TEDx stages. She performs most often in New Orleans, her current home, where her packed performances at the New Orleans Jazz Fest are consistently met with standing ovations.

Helen has a unique approach to music. She sings in English, French, and other languages while accompanying herself with multi-layered sounds that she records and loops as she performs. Her eclectic palette, technical prowess, extended techniques, and artistic daring combine to create an other-worldly experience. It’s one not to be missed. This is a sample of what you’ll hear.

Please join the Bemis Free Lecture Series to experience a most enchanting evening.

The authors are Bemis Trustees.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: A celebration of Lincoln’s historic homes

By Kim Bodnar, Lincoln 250 Chair

On June 5, the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, along with the Lincoln Historical Society and the Historical Commission, hosted a reception for Lincoln’s Historical Homeowners (homes that were built on or before 1776). About 17 private homes in Lincoln qualify, along with public properties in Minute Man National Historical Park, Historic New England (Codman Estate), and Farrington Memorial. Twenty homeowners and representatives from Lincoln’s public properties shared the origin stories of these treasured historic homes.

The meeting began with an introduction of the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, formed by the Select Board in early 2023 to begin planning events, programs, and activities to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Lincoln’s role in these early days of the American Revolution. Andrew Glass, chair of the Historical Commission, provided background on Lincoln’s historic districts and the commission’s goal of preserving and protecting places significant to the history of the town. Finally, Sara Mattes, chair of the Historical Commission, offered a fascinating history of the Lincoln militia and Minute Men who lived in these historical homes, as well as the enslaved that were also present in Lincoln in April 1775.

Wiggin, author of Embattled Farmers: Campaigns and Profiles of Revolutionary Soldiers from Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1775-1783, shared the following pieces of information:

  • Lincoln’s most prominent citizen of that era, Dr. Charles Russell, was a loyalist and left Lincoln on April 19, 1775, never to return.  He was subsequently said to have tended to the British wounded at Bunker Hill.
  • There were somewhere between 105 and 115 Lincoln men (militia, Minute Men, and volunteers) who responded to the alarm of April 19.  This represents between 13.5% and 15% of Lincoln’s population at the time.

Don Hafner, author of Tales of the Battle Road: April 19, 1775 and an upcoming book-length manuscript on the Black community of Lincoln at the time of the Revolution noted that in 1774, there were 16 enslaved adults in Lincoln. There were also perhaps 12 free Black adults and children. Lincoln’s total white population was about 775.

The reception concluded with a discussion on how we can share the history of these homes and their 1775 residents with all of Lincoln as we approach the 250th anniversary in April 2025. A sincere thank you to all who attended and to our partners, the Lincoln Historical Society and the Lincoln Historical Commission. 

To stay up to date on Lincoln250 events and programs, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.  We will also be posting event information on LincolnTalk and the Squirrel. If you would like to support Lincoln250’s fundraising efforts, please shop our store or contact Peggy Elder at elderp@lincolntown.org to purchase a Lincoln250 car magnet.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Sign the National Trust petition to fight Hanscom expansion

By Anne Sobol

On May 1, the National Trust for Historic Preservation designated Minute Man National Park, Walden Pond, and nearby landmarks as one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places” due to plans to expand infrastructure for luxury private jets at Hanscom Field.

National Trust designations of this sort have been remarkably successful over the years in protecting designated landmarks. The Trust urges people to sign their petition to Governor Maura Healey and Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg requesting that they do whatever they can to stop the expansion. The Federal Aviation Administration under Secretary Buttigieg could play an important part in how this turns out.

The developers seek to double hangar space at the field, adding over 500,000 square feet of infrastructure and trucking in between 10,000 and 20,000 gallons of jet fuel every day. Developers acknowledge neither the climate impact of the greenhouse gas emissions from the jets burning massive amounts of jet fuel nor the noise disruption of some of the nation’s most historic sites. Depending on their size, private jets burn between 330 and 550 gallons of jet fuel per hour.

Estimates of the number of jets that will be hangared in the 18 hangars range from 50 to 79. The most recent annual data from Massport states that there were 38,400 jet “operations” (landings and takeoffs) at Hanscom. This figure would only go up because of the private jets in the new hangars. An annual figure of 38,400 translates to more than 100 takeoffs or landings per day. Developers have said without explanation that the daily number will increase by 12 flights or using their figure by around 10 per cent. It could well be more.

The National Trust emphasizes the noise disruption to visitors to the national park and to Walden Pond. Private jets cruising in for a landing or straining to take off will destroy the peace and quiet of visitors walking to the Old North Bridge, walking on the trails in the fields and woods along Route 2A, or enjoying Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge.

Please take the time to sign the National Trust petition on their website at savingplaces.org. Click here for the direct link to the petition.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

My Turn: Thanks from outgoing L-S School Committee member

Dear Lincoln-Sudbury community,

As my term on the L-S School Committee ends, I wanted to take a moment to thank you for the opportunity to serve over the past three years. It has been a privilege to put forth my best effort in doing what I felt was best for the students of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on your behalf and I am deeply grateful for this experience. The parents in this community are the single most important stakeholders when it comes to the success and well-being of our children. Whether it be supporting our schools, athletic programs, music and theater programs, or our local churches and Scout troops, the investment that the parents in this community make in the success of every child is awe-inspiring.

I started my term as a School Committee member in 2021 toward the end of the pandemic, with students in masks and taking a Covid test at the first sign of a sniffle. Fast forward to spring 2024 and “normal” life has returned to L-S. The energy that emanates from our campus this time of year is palpable and something I still cannot bring myself to take for granted.

Not only is there a new energy around the campus, there is also new leadership in place within the building. Last year the L-S School Committee conducted a successful superintendent/principal search and due to the hard work and dedication of so many, Dr. Andrew Stephens was hired in June of 2023. Dr. Stephens brings with him an exciting new energy which has been recognized by students, faculty, and the broader community alike. It has been my pleasure to welcome him and I look forward to seeing how his enthusiasm and fresh ideas move public high school education forward at L-S.

Along with acknowledging all that is exciting and new in the past three years, I would be remiss if I did not also recognize what has always been great about L-S. By this, I mean the teachers and faculty who are the bedrock of our school. Their dedication and commitment to the success and well-being of every student is second to none and I’m fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn far more deeply how they are continually collaborating in innovative ways to ensure that every L-S graduate reaches their full potential. Thank you, L-S teachers.

Lastly, I’d like to give special thanks to two of my colleagues on the School Committee. The first is former School Committee member Harold Engstrom and the second is current and veteran School Committee member Kevin Matthews. Both of you share an unwavering commitment to ethical decision-making and a steadfast determination to always stayed focused on what is best for L-S. Change is often challenging, but working with colleagues of such high moral and academic standards was truly an inspiration. With you and because of you, I feel secure in the fact that I am leaving the L-S School Committee with L-S in an incredibly hopeful place, where all students can continue to find success.

In closing I’d like to welcome Maura (Mo) Carty onto the School Committee as she is sworn into the seat I have vacated. Mo has an unparalleled history of public service in our community. She has served as a voice for parents, students, and staff in her roles on both the LSPO and the L-S School Council. In addition, she brings a solid understanding of both L-S and town-wide budget issues thanks to her work on the Sudbury Finance Committee. Most importantly, Maura holds a fundamental belief in our system of open government where concepts like integrity, transparency, and accountability are not optional, they are essential. This approach to public service has earned her the trust and respect of our community and I’m confident that the good work of the L-S School Committee will continue with Maura seated at that table. Even greater things are yet to come!

With sincere gratitude,

Mary Warzynski (Sudbury)

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.