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My Turn from the editor: Critical thinking about election integrity and political biases

By Alice Waugh

(This editorial was updated on May 12 and May 17 — scroll down for details.)

This is the first time I’ve written an editorial for the Lincoln Squirrel. I always try to be as even-handed as possible and put aside my own opinions when writing news stories, and I did the same for today’s article headlined “Bemis Hall speakers push claims of 2020 election fraud.” To be clear, I was not able to attend the May 5 event, but I watched the video and spoke with individuals afterwards while objectively reporting what took place. But I want to depart from objectivity for a moment and state unequivocally that I think the claims made at the event are completely spurious.

Seth Keshel and the other speakers are repeating the familiar extremist exercise of taking a desired result and working backwards by cherry-picking data and making incorrect cause-and-effect assumptions. His simplistic “analysis” completely fails to take into account complex factors such as voter turnout, demographics, and motivations, and he and others assume that any unwanted or unexpected outcome must be the result of deliberate trickery by political opponents.

When listening to a political argument, the most important quality for any voter (and reporter, for that matter) is the capacity for critical thinking, which includes being able to accurately evaluate the sources of information on which we base our opinions. As we all know, the media landscape has expanded and fractured to the point that legitimate-looking “news” sites can publish highly biased and even completely fabricated stories that only harden the beliefs of their readers. This applies to both political extremes — Alternet and Occupy Democrats as well as Infowars and Gateway Pundit. When consuming or reacting to news, I urge everyone to consult this chart that illustrates the factual reliability and partisan lean of dozens of print, TV and web news sources (as noted in the site’s methodology section, they go to great lengths to be unbiased in their rankings).

More to the point: to echo one of the speakers, “I have a lot of questions” — though mine center on the psychology of the people that espouse conspiracy theories and extreme views. Psychologists have plenty to say about cognitive biases including selective perception and the Dunning-Kruger effect, and there are many theories about what causes extreme right-wing political biases in some, and what fuels their underlying feelings of grievance and resentment. Is it attitudes inherited from parents or other authority figures? Is it a natural desire for authority figures that offer easy explanations about a sometimes incomprehensible and frightening world? Is it a simple fear of change, or general paranoia about “others” who they think are trying to take what’s theirs?

These are not questions I ever thought I would have to consider in my capacity as reporter and editor of the Lincoln Squirrel as I try to present both sides of sometimes controversial local issues. Irrational and dangerous political beliefs have landed in our own backyard, and we owe it to ourselves to be vigilant about extremism of all kinds even as we guarantee people’s right to make their arguments. What’s important is not simply condemning those arguments and all types of “fake news,” but trying to understand how one’s opinions are formed.

May 12 update:

Bravo for youTube. A video of the May 5 event was available for a few days, but YouTube took it down shortly after this article was originally published on the evening of May 10 for violating its community guidelines. Those guidelines cover a number of categories, but the video was most likely removed for violating the Elections Misinformation standards, which include a prohibition on videos about election integrity with “content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of select past national elections, after final election results are officially certified.”

May 17 update:

The YouTube video has been restored. It is also also available on Groton resident John Abrahamsen’s Facebook page, which contains links to other far-right conspiracy sites and commentators. I invite readers to click on the three dots under the right-hand side of the video frame, where users can report videos that violate YouTube standards.

“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.

Bemis Hall speakers push claims of 2020 election fraud

The digital flyer publicizing the May 5 event in Lincoln.

(Editor’s note: please see this accompanying editorial by Lincoln Squirrel editor Alice Waugh. Also, this story was updated on May 12 — scroll to the bottom for details.)

Questions swirled last week about how a group of right-wing “election integrity” skeptics came to speak to an enthusiastic crowd (most from out of town) in Bemis Hall on May 5. The controversy gave rise to dozens of passionate posts on LincolnTalk before the topic was banned by moderators, snared former Select Board candidate Adam Hogue, and spotlighted a grassroots movement to restrict voting and take over the management of elections at the local level.

Alarm bells rang for many in Lincoln when it became know that “Election Integrity Analysis & Discussion” would feature remarks by Seth Keshel, a U.S. Army veteran who’s been speaking around the country in support of his claims that President Joe Biden won the 2020 election only because of voter fraud.

It initially appeared that Hogue, who runs the Veterans of Lincoln, Mass. group (VOLMA), organized the May 5 event, but this turned out not to be the case. The actual organizers were Todd Pond Road residents Tom and Edie Risser. Tom Risser, a cardiologist with the Cambridge Health Alliance and Navy veteran, is a VOLMA member.

Renting Bemis Hall for a private event costs $300, though there is no fee if a town group sponsors it. “We reached out to Adam and he was happy to sponsor it from the perspective of saving us money,” Edie Risser said on May 10. They agreed that VOLMA would not be mentioned in publicity for the event, but after the resulting outcry, Hogue clarified with Bemis Hall that his group was not sponsoring it, and the Rissers agreed to pay the $300.

Hogue co-founded VOLMA (which he said has 30-40 members) about 10 years ago to work with the Lincoln Veterans’ Services Officer and plan activities for Memorial Day and other events. Asked by the Lincoln Squirrel this week whether he agreed with Keshel’s views about the election, he said, “Absolutely not.”

According to Edie Risser, Keshel offered to include Rhode Island election trends in his analysis, so a group of about 30 people from that state were bused up to Lincoln to attend. 

The event itself was orderly, with a tone that varied from light-hearted to indignant. Co-emcee Tom Risser opened the proceedings by leading the audience in a militarily correct pledge of allegiance and a prayer. Several other speakers preceded Keshel, including former Army Capt. James Tesauro, who ran unsuccessfully for mayor of Sheboygan, Wis., last year. He didn’t discuss any specifics regarding alleged election fraud but railed against what he saw as the left’s attempts to “brainwash” and control people.

“I’m not sending my kid to public school when she’s old enough because she’s not going to be indoctrinated by state propaganda. End of story. I don’t care what the state tells me what to do. I don’t need Daddy Government to tell me how to live my life or teach my children how to grow up or what they should believe. That’s my job,” he said to applause.

“We have to learn how to fight and think… we have to be involved,” said Tesauro, who urged attendees to run for local school board and county government. “Or go to a [local government] meeting and show up to stuff like this,” he said. The left’s attitude toward people like him is “we’re going to delete you from the planet,” he added, saying it was a “badge of honor” that he had been banned from Twitter.

Keshel, decked out in Revolutionary War clothing and tricorn hat, titled his segment “Behind the Election Corruption Curtain.” His talk focused on how the 2020 election results in some states and counties bucked voting trends from several previous several elections. “I don’t believe Trump won Massachusetts, but Rhode Island has a very nasty trend chart,” he said.

Keshel gained attention last summer when he claimed to prove that there were 8.1 million fraudulent votes in the 2020 election and that Trump won seven states that he actually lost. His false claims were publicized by websites including the Gateway Pundit, which Wikipedia describes as “a far-right fake news website… known for publishing falsehoods, hoaxes, and conspiracy theories.” Centrist news organizations including the Associated Press and Reuters have debunked the election fraud claims made by Keshel and other military veterans.

Among Keshel’s other remarks:

  • He scorned polling by the “mainstream media,” which he said is done to “influence minds.”
  • Moderate Republicans often promote centrist candidates “to make sure the political system stays intact and is not taken over by populists who may put America first.”
  • The CDC is “tracking all kinds of people to see if they’re obeying [public health] mandates.”
  • The Department of Homeland Security “wants to call people organizing meetings like this a bunch of terrorists.”
  • He cited a quote often misattributed to Samuel Adams: “He did not believe you needed a majority to prevail… he believed it only takes an irate minority intent on setting brushfires of freedom in the hearts and minds of men.”

To achieve “election integrity,” Keshel advocated 10 steps including banning all electronic voting equipment, requiring a photo ID for all voters, banning early voting and mail-in voting by everyone except overseas military members and those who are certified as “disabled by a notary,” and banning so-called “ballot harvesting” where it’s legal in 36 states for someone chosen by the voter to return mail and absentee ballots on their behalf.

Interviewed by the Squirrel on May 10, Edie Risser said, “if I could do it again, I would. I was happy with the event — I think it reflected a lot of stuff going on out there. This has been going on for a while, the sense that the elections can’t be trusted. I think people also felt disenfranchised in 2016 and then there were four years of targeting that president [Trump].” She also echoed familiar claims about the media distorting and suppressing accounts about the Clinton campaign’s activities, Russian election interference, and Hunter Biden’s laptop. 

“People have to be nonemotional and just look at data,” she said. “I wanted that whole thing to be objectively looking at information, but I guess nothing can be nonpartisan these days.”

May 12 update:

A video of the May 5 event was available for a few days on YouTube, but the platform took it down shortly after this article was originally published on the evening of May 10 for violating its community guidelines. Those guidelines cover a number of categories, but the video was most likely removed for violating the Elections Misinformation standards, which include a prohibition on videos about election integrity with “content that advances false claims that widespread fraud, errors, or glitches changed the outcome of select past national elections, after final election results are officially certified.”

May 17 update:

The YouTube video has been restored. It is also also available on Groton resident John Abrahamsen’s Facebook page, which contains links to other far-right conspiracy sites and commentators. 

Remembering when Lincoln welcomed refugees from eastern Europe

By Gus Browne

Adele Peterdi Harvey of Lincoln knows something of what it means to flee from war and find refuge in the United States. She was 11 years old when Soviet tanks rolled through the streets of her village, to crush the Hungarian uprising against Soviet rule in 1956.

Her father, A. John Peterdi, had been a reconnaissance pilot for the Hungarian Air Force during World War II and spent the last few months of the war as a POW on the Russian Front. From 1946 to 1956, John held various jobs in Budapest ranging from commercial pilot to delivering groceries on a motorbike, eventually working at a machine design firm as a draftsman — whatever it took to feed his family.

The Hungarian uprising had lasted only ten days when the Soviet army invaded. Her parents decided the family should flee. Her father contacted his brother, who lived in far western Hungary, for aid in getting the family over the border into Austria. The brother knew farmers living in the border area, and the farmers knew the safest places to cross, unseen by guards.

Adele Peterdi Harvey in 1959

Days later, Adele and her father departed for his brother’s home. If stopped and questioned, Adele’s father had prepared the excuse that his daughter was ill (Adele was small and thin) and the trip was for health reasons. The next day, Adele’s mother followed with one of her adult sons. (The other son would cross the border later.) Her prepared excuse was that she was joining her husband for their daughter’s convalescence. To avoid suspicion, none of them carried any luggage, save for one small briefcase containing papers.

A day or so later the family boarded a train headed west. They were instructed to exit the train at a stop near the Austrian border, to run to the nearest building, and then wait for the guides who would arrive after dark. At nightfall, local people took them through plowed fields toward the Austrian border. They were instructed to drop to the ground and stay still if they saw searchlights or the bright headlights of border patrols.

There came a moment in the darkness when Adele believed they had reached Austria. She reached down, grabbed a handful of dirt, and put it in her pocket. This time when headlights appeared, their guides told them to run through a ditch and toward the lights. They were indeed in Austria, and they were safe. The car was driven by two young American men who had come to that area specifically to assist Hungarians fleeing the invading Russians.

Eventually, 200,000 Hungarians fled their country during the uprising, and many found their way to the United States. Adele’s mother used her fluent German and capable English to contact a cousin who lived in Detroit, and he agreed to sponsor the family. A month or so later, the family was flown to the U.S. and taken to Camp Kilmer in central New Jersey, where Operation Safe Haven welcomed thousands of Hungarian refugees into the United States. By chance, Adele’s father was recognized by a Hungarian-American who had immigrated years before and was volunteering with the resettlement process. He arranged for Adele’s family to live with people in Connecticut who had volunteered to take in a Hungarian family. Thus began their life in America.

Ultimately, Adele’s father learned English, qualified as a draftsman, completed an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering, got an MBA, and enjoyed a long career. Her mother got a job on Wall Street as a receptionist and eventually became an administrative assistant. The brother who had accompanied them received a law degree from the University of North Dakota and made his career as an attorney for the federal government. Adele got her degree in English literature from Northwestern in 1967. In 1978, Adele moved to Lincoln with her husband and two sons, and in 2003, her father joined them in Lincoln as well.

Adele’s family could not have seen the Statue of Liberty from Camp Kilmer. But for these refugees from war, Liberty’s torch burned bright and welcoming.

“Lincoln’s History” is an occasional column by members of the Lincoln Historical Society.

News acorns

Film screening: “Big Night”

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “Big Night” on Thursday, May 19 at 6 p.m. in the library’s Tarbell Room. Directed by Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott, starring Tucci, Tony Shalhoub, and Minnie Driver. It’s the story of two brothers whose Italian restaurant is on the brink of bankruptcy. Their only chance for success is to risk everything they own on an extravagant feast for bandleader Louis Prima. But their big night is complicated by a lovers’ triangle, a sneaky restaurant rival, and the hilarious perfection of chef Primo.

Club Codman benefit is back

Some of the fashions on display at a previous Club Codman event (click to enlarge). Photos by David Elmes.

Dust off your wigs, platforms, and polyester because the annual Club Codman event benefitting Codman Community Farms is finally returning on Saturday, May 21. It’s like Halloween for grown-ups, minus the kids, plus great music and great drinks. Warm up with local favorite Dadda, then dance the night away with special guest DJ Tony Clarke. Cash bar and free popcorn, plus bragging rights and golden egg trophies for the winners of Club Codman’s first annual costume contest (costumes from the Swinging Sixties to today’s festival wear are very popular and encouraged). Tickets are $60; click here to purchase (the event sells out in advance).

SVdP offers scholarships for job training

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) of Lincoln and Weston is pleased to announce a scholarship opportunity for Lincoln residents in need, thanks to the generous support of the trustees of the Ogden Codman Trust. Scholarships of up to $2,000 are awarded on a rolling basis.

The scholarships are intended for highly motivated adults who want to take courses or obtain job training in order to improve their earning capacity but cannot afford to do so. They are not intended for young adults heading to college for the first time. The goal of this program is to encourage neighbors to imagine a better future and to work toward making lasting changes and gaining financial stability. To apply, email SVdPLincolnWeston@gmail.com or call the St. Julia Parish office at 781-899-2611, ext. 4. For more information, visit www.svdplincolnweston.org.

Glass wins academic honors

Lincoln resident Emily Glass, a senior at Colby College, was recently inducted into Colby’s chapter of Phi Beta Kappa as well as the Government Department’s Honor Society, Pi Sigma Alpha. Glass is a 2018 graduate of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School.

Gropius House, Codman Estate open house on June 4

Lincoln’s Gropius House and Codman Estate will be free and open to the public on Saturday, June 4, along with the rest of Historic New England’s properties. Hours are 11 a.m.–3 p.m. for the Gropius House and 10 a.m.–2 p.m. for the Codman Estate.

Long-term plan aims to make Lincoln roads safer for walkers and cyclists

After about three years of work, a Lincoln group is putting the finishing touches on a long-term master plan to make Lincoln’s roads safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

More than half of Lincoln’s residents would like to walk or bike more on town roads but feel they and their children would be unsafe, according to research by the Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety Committee (BPAC), which summarized its work for the Select Board on April 25. After more public outreach and listening sessions, the group plans to finalize its master plan and submit it to a Town Meeting vote in 2023, though officials are still researching exactly what voter actions are required.

The early draft includes a list of almost 70 potential safety projects sorted by region of town and by category (intersection, crosswalk, road segment, trail, and special cases, which will require approval and/or funding from more than one source, such as the MBTA, MassDOT, easements from property owners, etc.). Ideas will be added, removed or altered as time goes on.

“This is probably a 30- to 40-year plan. Do I think [everything] is going to happen in my lifetime? No… but it’s something that needs to be at the table every year,” said BPAC member Bob Wolf. 

The committee is an outgrowth of the Cycling Safety Advisory Committee, which was formed in 2017 after three bicycle crashes (two of them fatal) in Lincoln involving motor vehicles in the summer of 2016.

The master plan is based on a federal philosophy known as the Safe System, which assumes that people make mistakes and accidents will still happen, but aims to eliminate fatal and serious injuries for all road users by minimizing impact energy. This can be achieved by lower vehicle speeds, safer roads and vehicles, and educated road users.

Lincoln has already introduced a pilot program on Farrar Road with the creation of advisory shoulders, one of the suggested roadway measures intended to physically separate people traveling at different speeds). Other techniques include:

  • Clarifying stop lines and intersection boundaries (something that’s already been done where Tower Road northbound meets Route 117)
  • Tightening the marked turning radius at intersections to slow vehicles
  • Painting “bike boxes” at intersections where bikes can wait in a separate area from vehicles
  • Improving access to existing rail trails in neighboring towns, and/or creating new “rail to trail routes” (pedestrian/bike paths built alongside railways tracks that are still in use).

Better road maintenance is another important way to improve road safety, the BPAC noted. A wide crack along the side of Route 117 recently caused a crash when a cyclist’s tire was caught in the crack and he was thrown from his bike, causing multiple injuries (the crack was patched the day after).

Wolf and fellow BPAC member Ginger Reiner listed some “quick hits” (improvements that could be made quickly and easily) and “high-value opportunities” (those in locations that link a large number of Lincoln households) when they met with the Select Board. Among the former:

  • A crosswalk on Bedford Road just south of Route 2
  • A contraflow bike lane on Winter Street between Old County Road and the Waltham town line
  • Bike boxes, lane markings, and tightened intersection at Routes 126 and 117.

High-value opportunities include further improvements to the Tower Road/Route 117 intersection, upgrading the trail surface for family cycling on Bedford Lane south of Route 2A, and laying the groundwork for a grade-separated crossing of Route 2, as well as applying lessons learned from the Farrar Road advisory shoulder pilot to other minor connecting roads.

Once the various improvement opportunities are further studied and prioritized with resident input, the town will apply for grants and additional state highway maintenance funding to pay for part or all of as many projects as possible. The town also gets help for a nominal fee from a consultant from the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.

“What is most important is a very subjective call,” Wolf said. “Each [project] requires a group to dig in and figure it all out.” 

Police log for April 21–30, 2022

April 21

South Great Road (3:58 p.m.) — Caller reported an empty kayak floating on Farrar Pond. Officer responded and was unable to locate. He followed up with the caller, who believes it floated away from a mooring.

Bedford Road (5:39 p.m.) — Caller reported a young child walking alone along Bedford Road. Officer responded and saw the child walking with an adult and their dog.

April 22

MMNHP Visitor Center (2:57 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot. The party was a contractor working in the area taking a nap before work in the morning.

April 23

Codman Community Farms (1:35 p.m.) — Officer attempted to make contact with a party to deliver court paperwork. No contact made.

Lincoln Road (4:43 p.m.) — Officer stopped a bicyclist for ride through the stop sign at the center of town. Warning given to the cyclist.

Trapelo Road (9:17 p.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on their family member who they couldn’t get in touch with. Officers made contact and everything was fine.

April 24

Nothing of note.

April 25

Codman Community Farms (10:06 a.m.) — Officer attempted to deliver court paperwork to a party. No contact made.

Old Sudbury Road (11:55 a.m.) — Caller reported some wood fell out of a dump truck onto the roadway which was struck by a vehicle, causing damage. The dump truck continued on Old Sudbury Road towards Route 117 eastbound. Weston and Waltham police were notified to keep an eye out for the dump truck. An officer responded to the damaged vehicle, which had a popped tire. AAA responded to change the tire.

South Great Road (2:05 p.m.) — Officers located a confused party walking in the roadway near the town line. Officers were able to contact a family member to come to the station to pick them up.

April 26

Trapelo Road (12:18 p.m.) — Officer stopped a vehicle traveling 10-15mph on Trapelo Road causing a traffic backup. Officer checked on the party who is nervous driving. All is fine and they’re on their way.

Old Concord Road (5:40 p.m.) — Officer attempted to deliver court paperwork. No contact made at the residence; the party lives in Pittsfield. Officers contacted Pittsfield police, who delivered the paperwork

Concord Road (5:23 p.m.) — Wayland Police called looking for a vehicle involved in a hit-and-run in their town, last seen on Route 126 heading north. Officers checked Route 126 and Route 117 but were unable to locate the vehicle.

Drumlin Farm (7:34 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot. Everything was fine and the party went on their way.

April 27

Long Meadow Road (1:29 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party in the area shining a flashlight. The party was a local resident out walking around; everything was fine.

Conant Road (8:10 a.m.) — Resident reported some items were stolen during a move. An officer responded; an investigation is ongoing.

Trapelo Road (11:55 a.m.) — Caller reported an injured animal in the roadway. Officer responded but the animal was no longer in the area.

Hayden Avenue, Lexington (3:42 p.m.) — Lexington Fire Department requested an ambulance for a medical. Lincoln Fire Department transported a party to the Lahey Clinic.

Viles Street, Weston (7:22 p.m.) — Officer assisted Weston police with a person wanted for an assault and battery in their town.

April 28

Lincoln Road (10:36 a.m.) — Caller reported a tree on fire. Fire Department responded; the fire was due to electrical wires. Eversource was contacted and responded to handle.

Boyce Farm Road (12:29 p.m.) — A party called the station to speak with an officer regarding a civil matter. An officer returned the call and provided the party with their legal options.

April 29

Silver Hill Road (9:17 a.m.) — Caller reported a construction vehicle was blocking a lane of travel causing a hazard. An officer responded and advised workers that they needed to move the vehicles or have an officer on detail to direct traffic.

Sudbury Road, Concord (1:46 p.m.) — Concord Fire Department requested an engine to assist with a medical situation.

Sudbury Road, Concord (1:56 p.m.) — Concord police requested an officer’s help to close Sudbury Road at Fairhaven due to a motor vehicle crash.

Winter Street (5:41 p.m.) — A resident came to the station to borrow No Parking signs for a gathering planned for the following day.

April 30

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (3:03 a.m.) — An officer checked on a vehicle parked in the breakdown lane. The party was fine and went on their way.

Grasshopper Lane (12:11 p.m.) — Caller reported water was leaking from their water meter. Water Department was contacted and will handle.

News acorns

Workshops on recycling, native landscaping

MetroWest Climate Solutions is co-sponsoring two upcoming workshops:

“Everything You Wanted to Know about Recycling But Were Afraid to Ask!”
Wednesday, April 27 from 7­–8:30 p.m.
Ever wonder whether and how you personally can make a difference in the quest to reduce waste? Join us for a free Zoom workshop featuring Stephanie Miller, author of Zero Waste Living: The Busy Person’s Guide to a Lighter Footprint. The session will focus on the importance of “recycling right” and help participants identify what’s recyclable and what’s not. We’ll delve into the recycling waste streams by material: metals, glass, paper/cardboard, and plastics. Click here to register.

“Your Landscape Matters: Changing the Conservation Paradigm”
Thursday, May 5 at 7 p.m.
Extinctions of plants and animals and climate change seem like overwhelming problems but each of us can fight these crises right at home, especially by treating our home gardens as habitat to nurture the living things native to our continent. Claudia Thompson, founder of Grow Native Massachusetts, will discuss her home landscape rich with habitat — supporting wildlife, birds, and pollinators. Register here. Ready to add native plants to your yard? Attendees who live within five miles of Wayland will be offered a community service garden visit by Jean Milburn, Wayland’s Native Plant Ambassador from the MCA Native Pollinator Task Force. 

Workshop on elder abuse

About one in 10 older adults experience physical, emotional, sexual, financial, and spiritual abuse. Join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, May 10 at 3 p.m. for a workshop highlighting what our communities should know about the important issue of elder abuse, presented by Safe Havens Interfaith Partnership Against Domestic Violence and Elder Abuse. While the workshop will look broadly at responding to elder abuse at the local level, Safe Havens notes that approximately 86% of older adults are faith-affiliated. Research suggests that, when faced with abuse, older adults often turn first to their faith leaders for help. With that in mind, the speakers will focus in part on the importance of faith in the lives of older adults and the ways in which community members might use these insights to offer effective support to people who might be experiencing abuse now or could be vulnerable to abuse in the future. To receive a Zoom link to this program, please click here to register.

Five teachers wins FELS grants

FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, awarded just over $8,000 in grants for 2022, allowing high school staff to embark on adventures to pursue their professional and personal interests and passions, and then return to the classroom positively transformed. The 2022 FELS Grant recipients are:

  • MJ Galano, French faculty for her application to visit the Loire Valley in France
  • David Grace, History, for “Rethinking Assessment: How Can We Build More Equitable Systems?” (Alaska)
  • Humberlys Galindez, Special Education, for “Reconnecting with My Roots through Food and Travel” (Spain)
  • Dan Lewis, English for “The Big Stone (El Capitan, Yosemite National Park, California)
  • Nancy Dion, Special Education, for “Backcountry Journeys – Glacier National Park, Montana: ‘The Last Best Place.”

Lincoln’s Melo wins award from BC High

Arcel Melo of Lincoln received the Rev. Edward S. Stanton, SJ, Men for Others Service Award at Boston College High School’s annual senior awards ceremony. The April 14 event celebrated the accomplishments of the members of the class of 2022 and recognized students for their leadership in various co-curricular activities and their academic excellence.

Police log for April 14–20, 2022

April 14

Lincoln Road (9:08 am.) — Caller reported an owl in the middle of the road near Todd Pond Road. An officer checked and the owl was gone on arrival.

Minuteman Technical High School (10:43 a.m.) — Report of assault and battery. Information regarding juvenile(s) withheld.

South Brook Road (2:04 p.m.) — Officer spoke to a resident about their U.S. mail being forwarded. Report taken, investigation ongoing.

Oakdale Lane (5:11 p.m.) — Report of someone filing taxes using caller’s Social Security information. Report taken.

April 15

South Great Road (10:10 a.m.) — Caller reported gates were down and then went back up and down with no train coming through. MBTA was notified and they were (workers on scene were working on the system).

Concord Road (11:43 am.) — One-car crash near Hillside Road. One person injured; vehicle towed.

Deerhaven Road (1:30 p.m.) — Report of a leak from resident’s their tank. Fire Department responded and located and contained a small leak. Oil company was notified.

South Great Road (5:51 p.m.) — Caller reported a male party walking along Route 117 near the Weston town who appeared to be lost or confused. Officers located the party just over the town line in Weston and notified Weston police. The party was reported missing out of Belmont.

Lincoln Station (7:03 p.m.) — MBTA called to reporting there were eight intoxicated parties on the train coming into the station who they asked to be removed from the train. While en route, the MBTA called back to report the people were now cooperative and no longer needed a police response.

Old County Road (9:22 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing odd-looking lights near the reservoir. Officers checked but were unable to locate.

April 16

North Great Road (12:25 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked off the roadway with no one around.

April 17

Windingwood Lane (2:19 p.m.) — Caller reported an unwanted party in their house who was refusing to leave. Officers responded but the party had left prior to the officers arrival.

April 18

Bedford Road (6:15 a.m.) — An officer assisted the Lincoln Minute Men with their walk to Concord.

April 19

South Great Road (11:46 a.m.) — Officer checked on a work crew blocking a lane on Route 117. The crew was checking on a pole and subsequently moved off to the side of the roadway.

Beaver Pond Road (2:16 p.m.) — Caller reported that a van turning around in their driveway was stuck and causing damage to their lawn. An officer responded and requested a tow truck to pull the vehicle off the lawn. Information was exchanged with the owner and driver to pay for any damage to the lawn.

Old Sudbury Road (11:16 p.m.) — Caller reported a loud noise outside their home and asked that an officer check the property. An officer checked and everything appeared to be fine.

April 20

Lexington Road (9:05 a.m.) — Resident emailed a report that someone harassed them by pulling up to the property in a vehicle and yelling at them. The resident provided a license plate number. Officers followed up with the involved party.

Bedford Road (2:32 p.m.) — A person fell off their bicycle while riding on Bedford Road (no vehicle involved). They refused medical treatment.

South Great Road (3:40 p.m.) — Two-car crash near Mt. Misery. One party was transported to Emerson Hospital and vehicle was towed.

Police log for April 5–13, 2022

April 5

Hanscom Vandenberg Gate (8:03 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported that Jesse Yuknis, 46, of Woburn was at Gate 1 attempting to get on the base and had an arrest warrant for traffic offenses. An officer responded and took him into custody. He was booked and later brought to Concord District Court.

Todd Pond Road (5:35 p.m.) — A party came to the station and reported that someone called and attempted to defraud them. The reporting party did not send them any money.

Lincoln Woods Road (5:38 p.m.) — Party called reporting their dog was missing. Information was recorded in case the dog is seen.

Weston Road (9:51 p.m.) — Caller reported a large vehicle was parked on the roadway between the Pierce House and Silver Hill Road. An officer checked and the parties were on their way.

April 6

Wells Road (4:47 p.m.) — A party who was waiting to be picked up in West Concord couldn’t get in touch with their ride. An officer delivered the message to the resident.

April 7

Old Concord Road (10:59 a.m.) — A party called to report multiple construction vehicles parked on the roadway. Officer checked and found no hazard.

Lincoln Road (5:20 p.m.) — Officer tried to contact a resident regarding court paperwork. The party no longer lives in town.

Old Concord Road (8:12 p.m.) — Party reporting wires arcing outside their house. The Fire Department responded and Eversource was notified.

April 8

T&F Auto, Concord Road (1:34 a.m.) — An officer checked on a vehicle in the lot with their lights on. It appeared to be neglect; no one was around the vehicle.

Minebrook Road (1:28 p.m.) — Caller reported an odd smell inside the home. Fire Department responded and found that a cleaning solution caused the odor.

Cherry Brook Road, Weston (7:37 p.m.) — Officers assisted Weston police with a large gathering at a residence.

April 9

Transfer station (10:27 a.m.) — Caller reported they locked their vehicle at the transfer station with a child inside. An officer and the Fire Department responded to assist.

Boyce Farm Road (12:25 p.m.) — Officers responded to a residence to assist with a civil matter. They spoke to both involved parties and informed them of their legal rights.

Police station (5:12 p.m.) — Resident called to report they twisted their knee getting off the train that day. No medical attention needed; just wanted it documented.

Visitor Center, North Great Road (9:23 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the parking lot. They were sent on their way.

Sandy Pond Road (9:54 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled to the side of the roadway. The party was lost and the officer assisted them.

April 10

Old Sudbury Road (12:44 a.m.) — Party reported hitting a small animal. Officer responded and moved the animal to the side of the roadway. DPW notified.

Hartwell Lot, North Great Road (1:07 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party in the parking lot. The driver had pulled over to rest.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (2:36 a.m.) — Officer stopped a vehicle and after an investigation, Jacob Kline, 23, of Acton was arrested for OUI–liquor, marked lane violation, and speeding. He was later bailed to appear in Concord District Court.

Cherry Brook Road, Weston (10:45 a.m.) — Weston Fire Department requested an ambulance for a medical emergency. Lincoln Fire Department transported the party to Newton-Wellesley Hospital.

Wells Road (4:24 p.m.) — Resident reported that they believed someone may have taken their property. An officer responded and took a report.

Bedford Road (4:34 p.m.) — Officers and Fire Department responded to a car-vs.-bicycle crash at the intersection with Route 2A. One party was transported to Lahey Clinic.

Sandy Pond Road (9:24 p.m.) — A resident called regarding a civil matter involving a landscaper. An officer responded and assisted the resident.

April 11

Old County Road (7:38 a.m.) — A party called reporting they had struck the guardrail after avoiding hitting an animal. No injuries; vehicle was towed from the scene.

Conant Road (9:17 a.m.) — Party called reporting fraudulent activity on their credit card. Officer took a report; investigation ongoing.

Old Sudbury Road (3:25 p.m.) — Near-miss of car by train at railroad crossing (click here for details).

Old County Road (5:40 p.m.) — One-vehicle crash into a telephone pole. Officers responded and notified Verizon to repair the pole. No injuries; vehicle was towed from the scene.

South Great Road (6:51 p.m.) — Caller reported the railroad gates were stuck down. MBTA notified; an officer responded and found MBTA personnel already on scene.

Emerson Hospital, Concord (8:11 p.m.) — Concord police requested an officer to assist with a disturbance at the hospital. The officer was cancelled while en route.

Concord Greene, Concord (10:02 p.m.) — Concord police requested an officer to assist with a disturbance. The officer was cancelled while en route.

April 12

Hanscom Drive (2:36 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported they stopped a vehicle outside the gate and the party was uncooperative. An officer responded and state police were already on scene.

South Great Road (8:26 a.m.) — Caller reported their vehicle was struck while they were pulling out of the driveway and the vehicle continued on Route 117. Minor damage. An officer took a report; the other vehicle was not located.

Lincoln Road (8:48 a.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported that there was a problem with the railroad gates at Route 117 the day before. Party was advised that the MBTA is aware, and they too can contact the MBTA if they like.

1200 Lowell Road, Concord (10:46 a.m.) — Concord police requested an engine for a reported chimney fire. Fire Department was cancelled while en route.

Bank of America, Lincoln Road (9:17 p.m.) — Party reported having a problem with the ATM. They were advised to contact the bank.

April 13

Tower Road (12:37 p.m.) — A party came to the station reporting that someone known to them came into their house and hit them. Report taken; investigation ongoing.

Hanscom Vandenberg Gate (4:55 p.m.) — Hanscom Tower reported plane with a problem was preparing to land. The Fire Department was cancelled before leaving the station.

News acorns

Community Center Building Committee needs volunteers

The Select Board is seeking four community members to serve on the soon-to-be-appointed Community Center Building Committee (CCBC).  Building on the work of previous community center planning committees, the CCBC will oversee the remaining planning phases, organize and facilitate ongoing community engagement, develop and present funding recommendations to Town Meeting, and assuming that funding is approved, oversee final design and construction. Initially, the committee will be asked to acquaint itself with previous studies and outline a process leading to a fall Special Town Meeting request for funds to hire an owner’s project manager and architect to develop the schematic designs to the extent required to ensure reliable cost estimating.  

Experience in a field that’s relevant to the committee’s work, such as architecture, planning, design, project management, or community engagement, is preferred but not required. Those interested in being considered should complete this volunteer application form and submit the form to the board, c/o Peggy Elder, at elderp@lincolntown.org. The deadline for submission is Friday, May 6.

The board will interview candidates virtually during its May 23 meeting and confirm its appointments that same night.  The CCBC will hold its introductory meeting (virtual) on June 1 and determine its future meeting schedule as the process evolves, though a bi-weekly meeting schedule is typical for this type of group.

Membership on the CCBC will entail many hours, hard work, and complicated conversations. It also offers a unique and exciting opportunity to participate in the creation of a central piece of the community and the future of the town. The board encourages interested community members to contact the board before the submission deadline at elderp@lincolntown.org. Additional information about the project is available on the Community Center Planning and Preliminary Design Committee website.

Lincoln’s Feinberg take NCAA epee crown

Lincoln resident Gabriel Feinberg (left in left-hand photo below, and right photo), a freshman at Ohio State University, claimed the NCAA men’s epee championship on March 27 to lead the school’s fencing program at the 2022 NCAA Championships in South Bend, Ind. The Buckeyes placed fifth as a team, with Feinberg and Bence Bende leading the way for the men with top 10 finishes on the final day. Feinberg’s championship is the fifth men’s epee NCAA crown in program history and the third straight when Ohio State has competed at the national site. (Click photos to enlarge.)

Classes and cleanup at Codman Community Farms

“Living Soil: A Closer Look at Fungi, Bacteria, and Fauna in Soil,” the fourth class in the Healthy Soils series, will take place on Saturday, April 23 from 10:30 a.m.–noon. Participants will learn about examining the vibrant ecosystem that soil supports. The fifth and last in the series, “Carbon Cycling and Storage Potential in Soils,” takes place on Saturday, May 14 from 10:30 a.m.–noon. and will look at the garden as a model for carbon storage as we learn about deeply rooted perennial shrubs, conservation tillage, and composting. Click here for more information and registration links. All participants must also complete this waiver form in advance. Healthy Soils is a collaboration among the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, Codman Community Farms, and Mothers Out Front.

Farm Cleanup Day at Codman Community Farms is  Sunday, April 24 from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. No need to sign up — just drop in. Hands are needed for raking, cleaning out junk, picking up litter, and perhaps some painting jobs. Bring your own work gloves. Families welcome.

Lovelane benefit in September features Barenaked Ladies

Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding in Lincoln is hosting its biennial Loveland Hoedown fundraiser at the Duck Puddle Farm (48 Lincoln Rd., Wayland) featuring the Barenaked Ladies live in concert on September 24 at 4 p.m. Tickets are $425 per person, or $350 per person for groups of six or more, and ticket sales end on Friday, April 22 at midnight. Click here for more information and click here to buy tickets.

Donate items for domestic violence survivors

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites you to participate in its annual Shower for Shelters. Help families transitioning from a shelter or transitional housing to establish a new home by donating new household items or gift cards between April 29 and May 13. New unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at Spirits of Maynard (4 Digital Way, Suite 3, Maynard) or at Sudbury Wine and Spirits (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury). All items will be donated to clients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. Requested items include diapers, twin-size comforters, sheets and pillowcases, bed pillows, towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses, small kitchen appliances, and other household items. Gift cards ($20-$50). for Target, Walmart, CVS, Market Basket, Hannafords, and Stop & Shop are also welcome.