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

My Turn

My Turn: Climate bill gives hope to opponents of Hanscom expansion

By Alex Chatfield, Trish O’Hagan, Lara Sullivan, and Kati Winchell

The climate bill just signed by Gov. Healey contains a provision that was not noted in the official summary but is profoundly important — an update to the Massport charter. From now on, Massport will be required to promote “environmental protection and resilience, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, and environmental justice principles” in its decisions regarding its responsibilities and the entities with which it does business. Massport’s responsibilities, currently limited to the narrow roles of promoting commerce and economic growth, will therefore expand to include climate priorities. 

This update is encouraging to advocates across Massachusetts who oppose the proposed expansion of private jet infrastructure at Massport-owned Hanscom Field (separate from Hanscom Air Force Base). Massport is currently working with private developers to build a 522,380-square-foot expansion in hangar space for private jets — the largest such expansion in Hanscom’s history. An October 2023 study documented that at least half the private jet flights out of Hanscom go to vacation destinations like Martha’s Vineyard or the Super Bowl. They are airborne yachts for the ultra-wealthy.

Massport’s and Runway Realty Venture Inc.’s proposal for expansion has generated a storm of controversy. Opposition has been led by Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere (SPJE). SPJE observes, based on an April independent analysis, that the proposed private jet hangar development at Hanscom alone could result in as many as 6,000 additional private jet flights annually, producing about 150,000 tons of carbon equivalent emissions every single year. If the expansion goes forward, private jet emissions from Hanscom alone could cancel nearly 70% of the environmental benefits of all the solar PV ever installed in Massachusetts and would offset the investment and hard work of many towns and cities to help the state meet the goals of its ambitious climate plans.

The legislation updating Massport’s charter follows EEA Secretary Tepper’s rejection of the developers’ draft environmental impact report (DEIR) in June. More than 1,500 public comments and over 13,500 petition signatures critical of the developers’ plans were submitted to MEPA (Mass. Office of Environmental Policy Act). Based in part on the volume of public response, as well as on independent analyses that were submitted, Tepper criticized the developers’ argument that the massive hangar expansion would decrease operations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, calling it unsupported. She found that the report did not meet the requirements of Massachusetts law and directed the developers to produce a Supplemental DEIR that would address the many questions that the initial draft failed to consider adequately.

This was the context in which state Sen. Mike Barrett and Reps. Simon Cataldo, Michelle Ciccolo, Carmine Gentile, Ken Gordon, and Alice Peisch introduced language into the Mass. Climate Bill that would update Massport’s charter to prioritize reductions in greenhouse gas emissions. The Senate passed the bill on October 24 with a vote of 38-2, followed by a House vote of 128-17 on November 14. And on November 20, Gov. Healey signed it.

Sen. Barrett left no doubt that he expected the new language to prompt Massport to reconsider the project. “We live in an age where rampant economic growth is no longer sufficient as a raison d’etre for public agencies,” he said. “The governor has said that an all-government approach to climate change is needed, so now we ask of every single organization — Massport included — ‘What’s your role in fighting the existential crisis of our time?’” 

This is a pivotal moment. The legislature’s overwhelming support for a change in Massport’s charter sends a powerful message that the agency needs to align its own approach to climate change with the approach taken by the rest of the state. Massport’s first chance to show that it understands this new environment will be its stance toward the proposed Hanscom expansion. It’s already clear that that expansion is completely inconsistent with state climate change policy. It’s time for Massport to just say no.

“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: Interim School Committee member sought

By Susan Taylor

The School Committee would like to thank Yonca Heyse for serving on the Lincoln School Committee since her election in March 2024. During that time, she helped participate in our district’s long-term strategic planning, the creation of a School Committee Finance Subcommittee, and establishing our School Committee goals for the 2024-2025 school year. The committee appreciates the contributions that Ms. Heyse made as part of the School Committee for the past seven months and understands her decision to step down at this time. As such, there is an opening on the School Committee.

The Lincoln School Committee invites residents interested in supporting the strategic priorities of Lincoln Public Schools to fill a vacancy on the committee. Any registered Lincoln voter is encouraged to apply by submitting a statement of interest. This statement should express their commitment to the School Committee’s goal and their interest in contributing to the success of the schools. Applications must be submitted by Nov. 27, 2024 via email to schoolcomm@lincnet.org. This appointment will last until the next Town Election in March 2025.

All interested candidates will be interviewed in an open meeting of the School Committee and Select Board. Interviews are tentatively scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. The members will vote at that meeting to select one of the candidates to serve on the School Committee as an interim member. The person so selected will fill the seat on the School Committee until the next annual town election, at which time the interim member can choose to run for re-election.

Matina Madrick, the chair of the School Committee, would be happy to answer any questions. She can be reached at mmadrick-schoolcomm@lincnet.org.

Susan Taylor is a member of the Lincoln School Committee.

“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: We don’t have a good story to tell right now

By Rev. Nate Klug

Editor’s note: Rev. Klug, co-minister at First Parish in Lincoln with his wife Kit Novotny, gave this sermon on November 10, 2024. 

There’s an ice-breaker game that I learned from my wife Kit. It comes from the improv comedy world, and it offers a great way of sharing a little about yourself in a group but not getting too carried away.

The person who’s speaking follows a prompt. They begin: “I could tell you a story about…” But — and this is the key — they don’t actually tell the story. All they do is complete that first sentence: “I could tell you a story about the time when I knocked my front teeth out on the playground as a kid.” Or, “I could tell you about the day last year when I knew the Celtics might actually win the championship.”

This week, if I were playing that game — if I were in the mood to play a game — I might say, “I could tell you a story about how I felt when I woke up on Wednesday morning and checked my phone. I could tell you about one of our daughters bursting into tears at the breakfast table. I could tell you about the articles I’ve read since then trying to explain what happened. I could tell you how I learned that one party’s candidate earned about the same number of total votes as the last time he ran, in 2020. And one party’s candidate earned many millions fewer than in 2020.

“I could tell you how I learned that 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. The majority of people in the richest country in the world right now lack the privilege of turning their work and their time into any kind of savings for the future. I could tell you many stories.” And you, of course, could tell me yours.

Part of the beauty and the challenge of a democracy is the plurality of stories contained within in it. “I hear America singing,” Walt Whitman wrote, “the varied carols I hear.” As you might know, during the Civil War, during the greatest test this country has faced, Whitman volunteered as a nurse. His younger brother George was wounded in the fighting. Walt rushed to Washington to find him. He ended up staying three years. He visited and cared for over 600 people. Sat with soldiers in the hospital. Helped them get letters home. “And with the dying,” Whitman wrote, “I generally watch’d all night. I took up my quarters in the hospital… and slept there.”

Those three years, Whitman went on, “I consider the most profound lesson of my life. I can say that in my ministerings, I comprehended all whoever came my way, northern or southern, and slighted none. It has given me my most fervent views of the true ensemble and extent of the States.”

The true ensemble and extent of the States. Whitman’s America is not ours, of course. And yet I find something useful in Whitman’s curiosity, his appreciation for the vastness and strangeness of our country and its ongoing capacity to surprise.

I know some of us feel lost today. Some of us may feel like we don’t recognize the country we were born in or have lived in for many years. Listen to the historian John Ganz’s argument about the cultural fragmentation that’s taken place in America: “We are accustomed still to thinking of this country at its post-World War Two self dominated by the struggle over the definition of common sense and what is ‘normal’: Prime time. Must-see TV. The water cooler. That’s gone now.”

We should think of the United States today, Ganz argues, as being more like the country Whitman knew in the 1800s — not a unified nation but a patchwork of small movements and coalitions. Without anything like a central culture.

Some of us may feel lost. And if I can get preacherly for just one moment, I would say: listen to that feeling. Don’t try to push it down or get rid of it. For our November worship theme, we are focusing on “The Stories We Tell.” We need stories in order to live, as Kit said last week. We need stories to get our kids to fall asleep. We need stories ourselves to keep getting up in the morning.

And yet that bewilderment we may feel right, now the estrangement, the sense of lostness… If we really listen to those feelings, then we have to admit we don’t have a good story to tell right now. We don’t have a good story to tell about America right now, and the values that its major parties represent and what it’s supposed to stand for in the world. The stories we would like to tell about our country right now — they are not the stories we can tell.

It’s humbling, isn’t it? To feel a little speechless, to not know what to say. At a moment like this, our spiritual traditions remind us of two essential things. First of all, they remind us that a confounded silence is always a better response than more platitudes: “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace’ when there is no peace.”

Here’s another translation of that same passage from the prophet Jeremiah: “My people are broken and they put on Band-Aids, saying, ‘It’s not so bad. You’ll be fine.’” In Dearborn, in Youngstown, in Uvalde — things are not “fine.” Better right now to sit in confounded silence than repeat another platitude.

The second thing that our spiritual traditions teach is that our speechlessness always has the potential to become a fertile space. Silence when it is a humble silence has always been this powerful place of spiritual regeneration.

Think of the Psalmists. So many times, God drags them from death-like silence back into life. Or think about the silence of the followers of that rabbi named Jesus the day after his crucifixion. Think of that first morning as the women walked back towards the tomb with rags to dress his body. Nothing seemed possible. And then everything became possible — but only because I think they had gone so far into silence. Only because they had been willing to step down into that humbling place of admitting, “I don’t know any more. I can’t explain this.”

Or think about the speechlessness of Fanny Lou Hamer in Mississippi. Ever since she found out that she was allowed to vote, Hamer had been trying to get her country to listen to her. She’d been through literacy tests and made-up rules about tax receipts. Her boss had fired her. She’d been beaten up in jail. But now, now in 1964, Fanny Lou Hamer had traveled to the Democratic National Convention. She gave a speech there. She sounded a little like Whitman, a hundred years before: “I question America. Is this America, the land of the free and the home of the brave?”

Think about her despondency when even after achieving that platform, the Democratic Party denied her coalition’s bid for delegates. It took four more years until the party included those Black delegates at the convention. But finally they did. And in 1968, Hamer represented her country herself. Nothing seemed possible. And then everything became possible.

I saw a note this week from a writer named Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove. He’s a colleague of William Barber; they work together on the Poor People’s Campaign. Wilson-Hartgrove wrote this: “I am a disciple of Jesus in the church that learned to pursue beloved community for all people under the rule of Jim Crow authoritarianism. We’re not headed into the future I hoped for. But we are not without witnesses who’ve shown us how to live in times like these.”

If you can’t make much sense out of this country right now, don’t try to — yet. If you don’t have a good story to tell about America, don’t tell one — for the moment. But find those witnesses who speak to you. Become a collector of their stories — stories that are familiar and comforting, yes. But also collect stories that are very different from your own. Seek out those stories you might not understand fully, or be comfortable with. Be like Walt Whitman as he cared for those veterans from the North and the South. Try to “comprehend all” and “slight none.”

And slowly, maybe, out of this stunned silence we will be part of building something new. As Whitman put it “We’ve got a hell of a lot to learn before we’re a real democracy. We’ll get there in the end; God knows we’re not there yet.”

Amen.

“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: Learn about hospice and palliative care

By Dr. Stephanie Patel

November is National Hospice Palliative Care Month, a time to raise awareness about the specialized care that hospice and palliative care provide to patients and their families. Both focus on the patient’s needs, expert care, comfort, and quality of life.

Did you know that hospice isn’t just for the final days of life? As former President Jimmy Carter has shown us, hospice can provide many months of comfort and support, helping patients and families navigate the end stages of illness with dignity and care.

Hospice also supports families and caregivers, providing counseling, respite care, and resources to help them during this challenging time when a cure may no longer be possible. Palliative care focuses on relieving symptoms and stress of serious illness, can be provided at any age and any stage of the illness, and is available while receiving curative treatment.

Since 1978, Care Dimensions has been a driving force in expanding access to serious illness care through hospice and palliative care. As the largest hospice in Massachusetts, Care Dimensions provides care for patients wherever they call “home”—private residences, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, hospitals, group homes, and our hospice houses in Danvers and Lincoln.

If you or your loved one is facing a serious illness, do not hesitate to find out how hospice or palliative care can help. The sooner you get the care you need, the sooner you can benefit from an improved quality of life.

Patel is president and CEO of Care Dimensions.

“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: Joining The Atlantic in endorsing Harris

By Barbara Slayter

In less than two weeks, Lincoln voters will be selecting a candidate who will become President of the United States for the next four years. Although there are six pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates, most voters will choose between Harris and Trump. It is a momentous decision, and we would be wise to learn as much as we can about the candidates and to seek the wisdom of respected sources. That brings me to The Atlantic magazine to which my family has subscribed for much of my adult life.

The Atlantic, a widely read and respected American journal, was founded in 1857. It is a literary and cultural commentary magazine with a national reputation. The journal has published leading writers’ commentaries on abolition, education, and other major issues in contemporary political affairs, and it has won more National Magazine Awards than any other monthly magazine. 

Only four times in the course of its existence has it endorsed a candidate for president. The first time was in 1860 when it endorsed Abraham Lincoln. The second time was 100 years later when it endorsed Lyndon B. Johnson; the third and fourth times involve support for Hilary Clinton and Joe Biden in the face of an unstable and incompetent candidate.

Now in 2024 with its fifth endorsement of a presidential candidate, The Atlantic concludes that Trump’s “insults, cruelties, abuse of power, corrupt dealings, and crimes, most particularly, his efforts on January 6 to overturn the election and prevent the peaceful transfer of power, have rendered him ineligible for the highest office in the land… Trump has made clear that he would use a second term to consolidate unprecedented power in his own hands, punishing adversaries and pushing a far-right agenda that most Americans don’t want….

“About the candidate we are endorsing,” the editors write, “we know a few things for sure: Having devoted her life to public service, Harris respects the law and the Constitution. She believes in the freedom, equality, and dignity of all Americans. She’s untainted by corruption, let alone a felony record or a history of sexual assault. She doesn’t embarrass her compatriots with language and behavior to pit them against one another. She doesn’t curry favor with dictators. She won’t abuse the power of the highest office in order to keep it. She believes in democracy. These, and not any specific policy positions, are the reason The Atlantic is endorsing her.”

Acknowledging the extraordinary character and values differences between these two Presidential candidates is not intended to suggest that I am not concerned about Trump’s policy positions. His policies arising from his isolationism, dismissal of climate change, misogyny, hostility to reproductive rights, embrace of tariffs, intimidation of those who speak against him, and his verbal assault on the military, among other things, could transform our country in profound ways.

Let’s do everything we can in the days remaining before the election to ensure that this transformation does not happen.

“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: U.S. is falling behind in the renewable energy race

By Emma Loren

By the year 2050, it is estimated that 90% of the world’s energy can and should be supplied by renewables. Countries like Iceland are above this curve, as almost 100% of their energy comes from geothermal energy, a renewable source. With countries like Iceland, China, and Norway in the lead, it’s hard not to notice that the United States continues to lag. While the U.S. has made noticeable strides in renewable energy, it is falling behind in the transition compared to other major global economies.

Currently, the United States gets only 20.3% of its energy from renewable sources, which is behind the global average of 30%, despite having the resources and potential to be a leader. Meanwhile, China firmly establishes itself as a dominant force in the renewable energy sector, particularly in solar panel manufacturing. In an impressive show of growth, China increased its renewable energy generation capacity by 301 gigawatts (GW) in 2023, which includes solar, wind, and hydro. This increase followed a addition of approximately 168 GW in 2022, a 79% increase from 2021. Notably, this accounted for about 59% of the total global additions to renewable capacity in 2023. In comparison, the United States added just 33.8 GW of new clean energy projects in 2023, allowing for a 12.5% increase from the previous year.

This map (click to enlarge), created with data from the World Bank, shows how countries around the globe are progressing in renewable energy consumption. As the urgency of climate change intensifies, this map serves as a reminder of where we stand and how far we still have to go.

The United States’ slow transition to clean energy sources can be blamed on policy inconsistencies, infrastructure, and historic dependence on fossil fuels. Unlike countries such as Germany and Denmark that have established long-term energy policies, the U.S. lacks a bipartisan unified approach, resulting in stagnant progress. Political shifts in leadership often lead to changes in energy dynamics, causing uncertainty for renewable energy implementation and gaining the interest of investors.

Infrastructure challenges further hamper progress. The U.S. power grid, much of which was built in the mid-20th century, is not designed to handle the variability of renewable sources like wind and solar. Unlike fossil fuel plants that produce a steady flow of electricity, renewables generate power intermittently; solar panels only work when the sun is shining, and wind turbines need a wind in order to spin. This inconsistency requires a more flexible, modernized grid that balances supply and demand in real time. However, the challenge of modernizing the grid is complex due to America’s historic support for the fossil fuel industry.

The continued support for the fossil fuel industry is one of the main reasons why the U.S. is lagging in the global clean energy transition. Many benefits given to fossil fuel companies were established over a century ago and continue to give them an unfair advantage today. Despite evidence of the urgency to shift to renewables, U.S. policies still lean to favor oil and coal through subsidies and loopholes that ultimately give then an advantage. For example, the Percentage Depletion Allowance lets oil and gas companies reduce their taxes by deducting a set percentage of their income — often more than what they spend. Other industries lost this tax break long ago, but fossil fuel companies continue to see benefits. Additionally, another benefit known as Intangible Drilling Costs, allows these companies to deduct most of their drilling expenses, thus gaining more profits. These oil, gas, and coal companies can even lease federal lands for extraction at bargain rates.

These incentives make it harder for renewables to compete on a level playing field. In 2020 alone, the U.S. provided $649 billion in fossil fuel subsidies, according to the International Monetary Fund. If we want to tackle climate change seriously, we need to stop these subsidies and give renewables a fair chance to grow. The U.S. has made progress in renewables, and wind energy alone has increased, contributing to nearly 10% of the nation’s electricity generation, which is projected to reach 20% by 2030. The Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law highlighted some positive progress regarding climate investments. But with a change in administration, these two pieces of legislation can go away. Therefore, to catch up in the global clean energy race, we need lasting investments and a complete redesign of the outdated power grid.

Lincoln resident Emma Loren is earning a master’s degree at Georgetown University studying environment and international affairs, focusing on energy policy and science.

“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: FELS seeks donations (and pie purchases) on its 25th anniversary

By Nancy Marshall and Tara Mitchell

It’s a year of numbers for our towns and for FELS.

2024-25 marks a wide array of reasons to celebrate. Lincoln and Sudbury are celebrating 250th anniversaries. Our beloved Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School is in its 70th year, and its 20th in the “new”” building. FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, www.FELSGrant.org, is celebrating 25 years of providing grants to teachers and staff at LSRHS to pursue their individual and professional interests and passions. 

In our 25 years, FELS has given out well over 100 grants, totaling in excess of $150,000. Funding for the grants has been thanks to the support of many people responding to our Annual Appeal and purchasing pies through our annual Thanksgiving pie sale, which kicks off once again on October 15. 

Please, in this special season of celebration, consider a donation to FELS by matching an anniversary number, ($25, $70, or $250), or by buying a pie for your Thanksgiving table or to share with a local food pantry, police and fire department, or a particularly special teacher or staff member at L-S. Your contribution will be impactful. 

Our motto is “Inspired Teachers Inspire Students.” We encourage applicants to dream big and act on that dream by submitting a thoughtful application. Grant recipients speak of the level of refreshment and renewal they find in dreaming big and checking that dream off their bucket list. In returning to their important work with our kids in the classroom, they carry with them satisfaction in their personally fulfilling accomplishment, coupled with the understanding that we, Lincoln and Sudbury, have supported them in achieving that accomplishment.  

FELS was founded by Lincoln L-S parent, Peter von Mertens 25 years ago. Our mission is deeply personal to us as a board, to the grant recipients, to families and, inevitably and intangibly, to our kids in the classroom and well after they leave LSRHS. Thank you for considering a donation to FELS or purchasing a pie. 

Marshall and Mitchell are co-presidents of the Foundation for Educators at LSRHS.

“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.

Sen. Barrett and town Dems urge passage of climate bill

By Barbara Slayter and Joan Kimball

On Saturday, Oct. 5, State Sen. Michael Barrett spoke to an attentive audience at Bemis Hall on “The State of the Environment in Massachusetts.” The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee chaired by Joan Kimball and Travis Roland hosted the event, whose attendees included environmental activists from 350 MASS, Mothers Out Front, Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee, and Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere.

Barrett — who is Assistant Majority Leader, chair of the Joint Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy and vice chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change — reflected on the state’s key issues in environmental policy making, the best ways to address them, and what we as Massachusetts citizens can do to move the process along.

The state Senate passed sweeping climate legislation” in June and the House has also passed its own climate change bill. However, the legislative session closed July 31 without a joint bill coming out of the Conference Committee. How might be moved forward?

The context for getting a climate bill passed

According to Sen. Barrett, central to advancing clean energy policies are questions about how to “upsize” electricity and “downsize” gas as Massachusetts strives to implement a clean energy economy as expeditiously as possible. The pace and the cost of this effort affect stakeholders differently.

Stakeholders have strong opinions on energy sources and how it’s provided, how much we focus on EVs, solar canopies, heat pumps or recycling throwaway plastics, carbon pollution and more. Rate payers worry about the cost of energy, especially the construction of the electric grid; businesses focus on investment profitability; and the legislature and administration are concerned about the price tag and about balancing various interests and needs.

Climate legislation

The climate omnibus bill approved last June aims to upgrade the grid and protect rate payers. The bill deals not only with siting and permitting needed to move Massachusetts away from polluting fossil fuels to more reliance on electricity, but also on reduction of plastics and other toxins such as PFAS that are polluting our environment.

Decisions about gas — The bill’s intent is to slow down the momentum for constructing new gas structures. Currently there is a huge economic incentive for the gas companies to replace pipes, as they make much more profit on construction work than on selling gas. At present the DPU is authorized only to “repair” and “replace” pipes. The Senate bill would allow “repair, replace or retire” so that new pipes lasting well beyond 2050 would not be constructed.

Decisions about Massport — An issue of great concern to Lincoln residents is the plan to expand Hanscom Airport to accommodate private jets. In 1956, the legislature passed the Massport charter for the independent authority with the goal of increasing air transportation. The Senate version of the climate bill provides for amending that charter to require that Massport consider Massachusetts mandates for addressing global warming and climate change as part of all its decisions.

Lincoln residents vigorously support the Senate bill’s provision to update the Massport charter. Times have changed since 1956, and Massachusetts is a leader in addressing problems caused by global warming and climate change. Research has shown that this airport expansion would significantly worsen carbon pollution.

How to pass this legislation?

Barrett strongly supports passage of a comprehensive bill by the Senate and House conference committee. He hopes that this can be accomplished in a formal session rather than an informal session this fall when the legislature may be called back into session to complete unfinished work. If discussed in an informal legislative session, any legislator can stop the legislation from proceeding using parliamentary rules in place.

House and Senate negotiators including Barrett and Rep. Jeffrey Roy of Franklin are optimistic that they can come to some sort of agreement. Barrett, who had all but given up hope for a larger bill after the governor filed her closeout spending bill, recognizes that not everything is aligned quite yet, but with effort, the committee can emerge with a deal

What can we do?

Barrett urged citizens to pressure the House and the Senate to resolve differences in their two bills. Lincoln’s two representatives, Carmine Gentile and Alice Peisch, have been supportive of this climate legislation, said Barrett, urging attendees to “put the pressure on… It makes a difference when I can go to the Senate and make a strong case that this is what citizens in my community want. The same will be true for your representatives in the Massachusetts House.”

In sum:

  • Write or call your Massachusetts representatives to urge them to move the clean energy agenda forward in a compromise climate bill resulting from the House and Senate negotiations this fall.
  • Respond to the Lincoln Democrats’ call to action — a group letter advocating a compromise climate bill from House and Senate negotiations or contact the LDTC at selenejck@gmail.com.
  • Write or call state senators and representatives asking them to update the Massport charter to reflect current climate concerns and priorities
  • Look for an elaboration of Sen. Barrett’s reflections in his newsletter, The Barrett Report, which explores in detail many of the issues surrounding a clean energy agenda that were presented in his talk.

“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: 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.