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Lincoln women empowered by self-defense class

A student uses her self-defense techniques to neutralize at “attacker” (an instructor in a special suit).
By Alice Waugh
A women’s self-defense class taught by Lincoln police has proved so popular that a second set of classes is already filling up.
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News acorns from the Lincoln Squirrel
Classroom heating system malfunctions
Following is an email sent to Lincoln School parents on Thursday morning, Jan. 9 by Mary Sterling, Assistant Superintendent for the Lincoln Public Schools.
“I am contacting families of Lincoln School students to let you know about a minor incident that has been resolved. We experienced a malfunction with the heating system in Cheri Wing-Jones’s second grade classroom this morning. This caused some smoke in the heating unit. The system was shut down, the class was cleared immediately and the building was evacuated. Students and staff followed all fire drill procedures. The fire department responded quickly and determined that the building was fully safe for occupancy. There remains a slight odor in Cheri’s classroom and we have decided to relocate them to the library for the day. We expect the classroom to be fully functional tomorrow. All students are responding well. We will continue to monitor them throughout the day. Please contact Steve McKenna or Sharon Hobbs if you have any questions or concerns.”
Codman Farm meat CSA shares on sale
Codman Community Farms is now selling six-month shares in its meat CSA (community-supported agriculture) program. From January to June, those who pay who pay $600 will get 10 pounds per month of Codman-raised grass-fed beef and naturally fed pork packed for you each month. Sign up on the Codman Community Farms website or call 781-259-0456.
Visitors can also buy a 10-pound bag of mixed cuts of Codman beef for $120. Limited quantities available; visit the farm office from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays and purchase from Barbara Rhines or Eric Robichaud.
Bemis Hall available for functions
Are you looking for a place to hold a large meeting? Do you want to have a party but your space is too small? Consider renting Bemis Hall, which has a 2,000-square-foot space with a stage and piano that’s appropriate for lectures, concerts, performances, private receptions and parties, business functions, memorial services, and recitals. The hall available for rental weekday evenings after 5 p.m., Saturday all day, and Sunday after noon.
The upstairs hall has 129 metal folding chairs without arms, 14 white stackable chairs with arms, two 5-foot tables, seven 6-foot tables, and six 8-foot tables for use by renters at no additional charge. In addition, renters are welcome to use the hall’s audiovisual system, including speakers, microphones, projector, computer, and Blu-Ray player.
For information, availability and rental application, go to the Bemis Hall page on the town website (www.lincolntown.org –> Community Services –> Facilities). Questions? Contact Bemis Hall coordinator Barbara Low 781-259-8341 or barbara_low@hotmail.com.
Pictures from New Year’s Day

Lincolnites enjoy First Day at the Pierce House on January 1 in this series of photos by Lincoln resident Harold McAleer.
Police warn residents to beware of phone scam
The Lincoln Police Department has issued the following warning to residents about phone scammers:
In Lincoln and in surrounding cities and towns, residents have been receiving phone calls where the suspect tries to have the victim wire money through such means as Western Union or purchasing Green Dot Money Paks. Suspects use different tactics to appeal to the victims emotions in order to exploit the victim. Some of the tactics used are:
- the money is needed to pay off the taxes from your (the victim’s) lottery winnings from another country
- a relative needs bail money
- the money is needed to make a criminal case disappear by paying off the officials in another country
- a relative was involved in car accident and the money is needed to settle the claim
- a relative will be kidnapped and hurt if the money is not wired
Also, the suspects will warn the victim not to contact the police. Many of these scams are based out of the country with the elderly being targeted. Residents are urged not to send any money and to call the police at 781-259-8111.
Lincoln Dems to host governor candidate forum
The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee (DTC) will host a gubernatorial candidate forum on Saturday, January 18 as well as two other meetings on January 11 and February 8
All five Massachusetts gubernatorial candidates are scheduled to appear at a forum on Saturday, January 18 from 1:30-4:30 p.m. in the Bemis Hall Auditorium. Candidates for governor include Joe Avellone, Don Berwick, Martha Coakley, Steve Grossman, and Juliette Kayyem.
The event will begin with socializing and registration followed by welcoming remarks by State Senator Mike Barrett at 1:50 p.m. and candidate presentations starting at 2 p.m. Each candidate will speak separately and will briefly entertain questions from moderators and the audience. Moderators will be Mara Dolan, co-chair of the Concord Democratic Town Committee, and Peter Koutoujian, Middlesex County Sheriff.
The forum is co-sponsored by the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee and the 3rd Middlesex Area Democrats. For more information or to submit candidate questions in advance, contact DTC chair Gary Davis at garyddavis04@gmail.com or 781-259-0318.
The DTC will also hold meetings on Saturday, January 11 from 2-4 p.m. and February 8 from 2-4 p.m. in the Bemis Hall map room. The Jnauary 11 agenda will include discussion of forums for candidates for governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general; caucus and office elections; and the state convention. Lincoln residents, especially those interested in committee membership are welcome to attend.
The February 8 meeting is primarily to elect Lincoln caucus delegates and alternates to the Massachusetts Democratic Convention June 13-14, 2014. Delegates and alternates will vote at the convention on candidates for governor, lieutentant governor, attorney general and treasurer. The meeting is open to all Lincoln residents, but voting is limited to Lincoln Democrats registered as of December 31, 2013.
Aka Bistro to be closed for several weeks
By Alice Waugh
As Aka Bistro employees bustled in and out of the closed restaurant on Friday, hauling furniture to a storage pod outside and stacking dishes for washing, general manager and co-owner Christian Touche said it would be at least several weeks before he could reopen.
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Aka Bistro closed due to water damage
The Aka Bistro restaurant will be closed until further notice due to extensive water damage from a broken pipe.
The restaurant’s website announced the closure due to a damaged floor, ceiling and kitchen equipment. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning (December 18).
“I pulled up to work at 5:30 in the moring and in front of me was a fire truck, and then three [police] cruisers pulled up,” said John Johanson, a personal trainer at Fitness Together, which is located on the second floor of the same building. “They had to break into the room where the piping was. I guess it was pretty bad.” Fitness Together was not damaged and is open, he added.
The building is owned by the Rural Land Foundation. Neither RLF executive director Geoff McGean nor Aka Bistro general manager Christian Touche could not immediately be reached for comment.
Free sand for slippery times ahead
In preparation for tomorrow’s snowstorm, you may have stocked up on snow shovels and windshield washer fluid, but your already-icy driveways and paths will be needing more sand—and Lincoln residents can get some for free
The Department of Public Works allows Lincoln residents to take one five-gallon bucket of sand from the small shed at the DPW site on Lewis Street. The shed is just to the right of the main building across from the school buses. There’s even a shovel you can use, but be careful unloading—sand is even heavier than you think.
The DPW also reminds residents that they are not permitted to take sand or salt from the larger sheds at the rear of the site.
Clark wins easily in Lincoln and 5th District
Here are the election results for Lincoln and surrounding towns for the 5th Congressional District special election on December 10. Among the 24 towns in the district, Lincoln was second only to Cambridge in percentage of residents who voted for winner Katherine Clark (Cambridge went for Clark by a margin of 93 percent to 6 percent). The only town that Frank Addivinola won was Woburn, by a vote of 1,347 to 1,161 (53 percent to 45 percent).
Lincoln’s voter turnout was 17 percent, compared to 13 percent for the district as a whole.
| Katherine Clark (D) | Frank Addivinola (R) | |
| Lincoln | 590 (80%) | 139 (19%) |
| Lexington |
2,951 (79%) | 740 (20%) |
| Sudbury | 834 (64%) | 445 (34%) |
| Weston | 525 (59%) | 348 (39%) |
| District total |
40,172 (66%) | 19,319 (32%) |

