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

news

Police log for May 15–21, 2021

May 15

Forester Road, Waltham (7:32 p.m.) — Waltham Fire Department requested a Lincoln to respond for a possible fire but canceled the engine while responding.

North Great Road (9:11 p.m.) — Officer checking on a bicyclist who was having mechanical problems. The officer brought the cyclist to his vehicle in Weston.

Route 128, Lexington (5:21 p.m.) — State police were looking for a woman who fled after being involved in a crash. Officer responded to the area to assist. State Police had the party in custody

May 16

Pierce House (1:02 a.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle pulled into the property, noting that the vehicle had a flat tire and drove off. Officer checked the area and located the party on Weston Rd. The operator called a tow truck.

Trapelo Road (7:40 a.m. and 3:47 p.m.) — People fishing at the reservoir were moved along.

Deerhaven Road (3:13 p.m.) — Caller reported that valuable sneakers were stolen from the residence within the past few months. Investigation ongoing.

Wells Road (4:26 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted the resident who was locked out of their apartment.

May 17

Public Safety Building (12:15 a.m.) — A person walked into the station to charge his cell phone.

Concord Road (1:07 a.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in locating four teens in the area of Walden Pond. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate them.

North Ave., Weston (4:59 a.m.) — Weston police called for assistance with a party who was threatening to harm himself in the parking lot of the gas station. Officers responded to assist, and the person was brought to a local hospital.

Trapelo Road (4:58 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone filed an unemployment claim in their name.

Sandy Pond Road (11:55 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled off to the side of the road with no one around. The owner returned to the car and got on their way.

May 18

Lincoln School (10:15 a.m.) — A contractor at the school wanted to speak to a supervisor regarding a contractor looking to do work on the roadway. The shift supervisor spoke to the contractor.

Tracey’s Service Station (2:07 p.m.) — Officer saw an elderly party walking in the hot weather. He was getting work done at the station and the officer drove him home to Mill Street.

Fox Chase Lane, Weston (10:05 p.m.) — Weston police were looking for a dark-colored SUV which was just involved in a burglary in their town. Officers checked the area.

May 19

Sunnyside Lane (10:02 a.m.) — Caller reported his door mat was taken from his home.

Huckleberry Hill (11:43 a.m.) — Officer delivered RMV paperwork to a resident.

Virginia Road (1:12 p.m.) — Caller reported that a garbage truck was involved in a crash on the property. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

Adams Road (1:24 p.m.) — Officer delivered court paperwork to a resident.

Donelan’s lot (4:13 p.m.) — Caller reported that a dog was left in a vehicle in the lot. Officers checked the area but the vehicle was gone.

Mill Street (4:49 p.m.) — Caller reported a car was parked on the side of the road. Officers checked and the vehicle was unoccupied. He was unable to make contact with the owner from Lowell.

May 20

Wells Road (9:18 a.m.) — Caller requested a well-being check on a resident. Officer went to the residence and everything was fine.

Concord Road (4:20 p.m.) — Caller reported that a party was opening mailboxes on the roadway. Officers checked the area and located an elderly woman with memory issues. Officer followed up with the caregiver.

May 21

Deerhaven Road (10:23 a.m.) — Caller reported that a vehicle had been parked on the roadway for the past few days. Police spoke to the operator, who was working in the area.

Boyce Farm Road (12:12 p.m.) — Party fell victim to a grandparent scam. Investigation ongoing.

Goose Pond Road (1:53 p.m.) — Caller reported vehicles parked on Goose Pond Road. Officer checked the area but found no violations.

Cerulean Way (4:54 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving mail at his residence addressed to someone else. Investigation ongoing

Deer Run Road (5:54 p.m.) — Caller complained about a vehicle parked on the street. No violations were found.

Morningside Lane (6:37 p.m.) — Caller reported giving his license plate to an ex-girlfriend who has moved out of state and is refusing to return it. An officer spoke to the party involved, who will going to return the plate to the owner.

Ryan Estates (10:28 p.m.) — Caller reported that a dog was continuously barking in the area. Officer spoke to the owner of a new puppy and advised them that it’s bothering the neighbors.

Families of fallen servicemen to receive Medal of Liberty on Monday

At a special Memorial Day ceremony in Pierce Park, the Massachusetts Medal of Liberty will be presented to the Gold Star families of 16 service members from Lincoln and Sudbury who were killed in action or died of their wounds in World War I, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

The Medal of Liberty ceremony will start in Pierce Park on Monday, May 31 at 9 a.m., followed by the traditional Veterans of Lincoln program in the same location at about 10:30 a.m.

Congresswoman Katherine Clark will lead the ceremony, aided by Sen. Michael Barrett and Rep. Thomas Stanley. Also expected to speak is Steve Milley, father of Scott Milley, a Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School graduate who was killed in action in Afghanistan in 2010. About 70 families members are expected. Also planned:

  • Ladder trucks from the Lincoln and Sudbury Fire Departments will hoist the American flag
  • The Lincoln Minute Men will fire their muskets in salute
  • The Concord Cannons will fire their two 19th-century bronze cannons
  • A bugler will play taps

Lincoln Veterans Services Officer Peter Harvell and volunteer military genealogists researched military and Gold Star family records. Lincoln officials, the Council on Aging and Human Services, and Parks and Recreation have all supported development of this ceremony. Other Massachusetts towns such as Framingham, Milford, and Westborough have held similar ceremonies in previous years.

The fallen service members to be honored are:

  • Army Air Force Cpl. Edmund Barrett (Sudbury) — killed in the Mediterranean in 1942 when his transport ship was sunk.
  • Army Pfc. Frank Bastinelli (Sudbury) — killed on Guadalcanal on Nov. 22, 1942.
  • Navy Cmdr. Leland Burr (Lincoln) — a staff watch officer on the transport ship USS Callaway when it was hit by a Japanese plane off the coast of Luzon in January 1945. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for saving several shipmates despite his own injuries.
  • Marine Pfc. Ernest Flynn (Sudbury) — a Marine killed on Saipan in the South Pacific on July 2, 1944.
  • Army Pfc. John Fradd (Lincoln) — killed on June 27, 1945 in Mindanao in the Philippines while going to the aid of other soldiers. He was awarded the Bronze Star posthumously.
  • Army Pfc. Whiton Jackson (Lincoln) — killed at age 18 on Christmas Day 1944 wile serving with the 262nd Infantry in Europe.
  • Marine Sgt. Thomas Mallery (Sudbury) — a platoon leader who served with the 1st Marine division who was killed at age 22 when he stepped on a land mine in March 1953, about six weeks after arriving in Korea.
  • Army Pvt. Wilder Marston (Lincoln) — died in a base hospital of wounds received in action in the Airne-Marne offensive in August 1918. He was working on the estate of James Storrow in Lincoln (now the Carroll School) before joining the service.
  • Marine Cpl. Dominic Panetta (Lincoln) — died on Okinawa on June 21, 1945.
  • Army Pvt. Leo Quinn (Sudbury) — killed during the Normandy invasion (D-Day) on June 6, 1944.
  • Army 1st Lt. Richard Rogers (Sudbury) — a paratrooper who died at age 22 from sniper fire in December 1968, one month after arriving in Vietnam for his second tour of duty. Posthumously awarded the Silver Star for administering first aid to wounded soldiers and covering their evacuation.
  • Army Technical Sgt. Edwin Seeger (Lincoln) — killed in January 1945 at age 20.
  • Army Pfc. Ray Smith (Sudbury) — killed in Belgium on Nov. 21, 1944.
  • Army Pfc. Albert Spiller (Sudbury) — killed in Germany on April 10, 1945; his family was notified on V-E Day on May 8, 1945.
  • Army Petty Officer 3rd Class Harry Williams (Sudbury) — a 19-year-old Navy machinist whose plane crashed in the Pacific on Dec. 15, 1943.
  • Navy Seaman Second Class Milton Williams (Sudbury) — a radar operator on a destroyer killed in an explosion at sea in January 1944.

Police log for May 8–14, 2021

On May 8 and May 9, police stopped bicyclists who ran a stop sign at Five Corners (Weston Road/Sandy Pond Road) and issued verbal warnings. Police also asked people on Trapelo Road who were fishing illegally in the Cambridge Reservoir to move along on May 8, twice on May 9, and May 14.

May 8

Old Winter Street (1:11 a.m.) — Sudbury police requested a well-being check on a Sudbury resident who may be at the Lincoln residence. Officers located the party and followed up with Sudbury police.

Wells Road (10:52 a.m.) — Elderly caller reporting that someone may have been in her house some time the previous night. Officer spoke to the caller and family; the caller is confused.

The Commons (8:37 p.m.) — Caller reported that two people were expected back at 6 p.m. and were overdue. Area police departments were advised. Bedford police located the people a short time later; everything was fine.

May 9

North Commons (12:06 p.m.) — Caller reported a neighbor was trespassing on their property and being menacing. Officer went to speak to all parties. The neighbor was uncooperative. Incident documented.

Winter Street (5:52 p.m.) — Caller reported a baby carriage was left alone near the Waltham line, possibly with a baby inside. Officers checked the area but found no sign of the carriage. Officers later located a party walking a baby; they had left the stroller on the side of the road to look at the reservoir while holding the baby.

May 10

Harvest Circle (2:07 p.m.) — Paperwork from the RMV was delivered to a resident.

Lincoln Road (4:36 p.m.) — Two-car crash on Lincoln Road at Route 117. No injuries, one vehicle towed.

May 11

Lincoln Road (2:15 p.m.) — Officers assisted a party with a civil matter.

North Great Road (5:20 p.m.) — Lexington police reported a person running on Route 2A and appeared to be in some distress is now hitchhiking. Officer checked the area but was unable to locate.

Juniper Ridge Road (9:49p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle was parked on the grass near Bedford Road. Officers checked on the parties but they had left the area.

May 12

Concord Road (10:53 a.m.) — A DPW crew was working on Route 126 south of Route 117 off the roadway and a vehicle sideswiped the truck. No injuries.

Wells Road (12:35 p.m.) — A delivery driver turned in a wallet they found. Police contacted the owner.

Donelan’s Supermarket (2:22 p.m.) — Minor two-car crash in the parking lot. No injuries, officer assisted parties with exchanging information.

Baker Bridge Road (4:10 p.m.) — Caller reported a man walking on the trail with a hunting rifle. Officers checked the area along with Concord police and spoke to several parties who did not see anyone matching the description received.

Lexington Road (6:19 p.m.) — A walk-in at the station reported he was being harassed by his neighbors. Report taken.

May 13

North Commons (9:11 p.m.) — Caller reported that their neighbor was banging on their wall. Officers report the banging had stopped, and they took a report.

May 14

Trapelo Road (8:21 am.) — Caller reported hitting a gas line while clearing brush. Fire Department and National Grid responded.

Conant Road (12:23 p.m.) — Caller reported finding a bullet in her garden while she was weeding. Officer responded and found it was a tip to a bow and arrow. The tip was discarded.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (12:41 p.m.) — Officer on a detail received a report of a person riding their bicycle on Route 2 at the Concord line. Concord and State Police notified. Officer checked the Lincoln side but couldn’t locate the cyclist.

Codman Road (2:30 p.m.) — Party reported an uncomfortable interaction with a party known to them. Officers spoke to the parties involved; no criminal activity.

Care Dimensions Hospice House (11:15 p.m.) — Officer assisted Concord police with an investigation involving a patient for something that occurred in Concord.

Correction

In the May 16 article headlined “2021 Town Meeting roundup,” the section on the property tax circuit breaker program has been updated to reflect clarifications and  corrections, including the length of time residents must live in Lincoln to be eligible and the number of households that would initially qualify. 

News acorns

Covid-19 vaccination clinic for kids age 12-18

The Lincoln Public Schools and the Town of Lincoln are offering a Covid-19 vaccination clinic for teens in the Hartwell multipurpose room on the Lincoln School campus on Friday, May 21 from 2–5 p.m. Students must be registered for an appointment in advance and must provide a signed consent form on the day of the clinic. Children age 12-18 who attend the Lincoln Public Schools in person or remotely, their teenage siblings, Lincoln residents attending private school, and children of town and school employees are eligible.

Click here to register for an appointment. This requires you to choose a time, upload health insurance information, and complete and print a consent form that includes screening questions to be answered on Friday morning. Students must bring the signed consent form or they cannot be vaccinated. Boston students who attend the Lincoln School and ride the bus will be scheduled for vaccination prior to school dismissal from 1–1:45 p.m. A signed consent form must be received before Friday. On the day of the clinic, parents will be called by school personnel to answer medical screening questions in order to clear children for vaccination that afternoon. Click here for more information about Covid-19 vaccines for children under 18.

Lovelane wins $100,000 grant

The Lincoln-based Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program will receive a grant of $25,000 a year for four years through Cummings Foundation’s $25 Million Grant Program. Lovelane is one of 140 Metro West nonprofits chosen from a total of 590 applicants. The grant will allow Lovelane to continue to provide high-quality, safe, mounted and unmounted programs for children with a wide variety of special needs with over 4,500 personalized sessions per year, as well as maintain and train a diverse herd of 12 horses.

L-S music group sets annual meeting in June

The Lincoln-Sudbury Friends of Music will hold its virtual annual meeting on Tuesday, June 15 at 7 p.m. All community members, especially parents of music students, are invited. Meet fellow music program supporters, get questions answered, and learn about opportunities to get involved. To attend the meeting email receive the Zoom link and password, email lsfriendsofmusic@gmail.com.

Correction

The May 16 article headlined “Accessory apartment issue results in razor-thin votes” incorrectly stated that the proposed accessory apartment bylaw changes included a requirement that “renters under the AAA program [must] occupy either the primary dwelling or the accessory apartment for at least 30 days.” The change under discussion at Town Meeting concerned accessory apartments in general and was not about the town’s Affordable Accessory Apartment program. Also, the word “proposition” in the third-to-last paragraph should have been “proportion.” The original article has been corrected.

Lincoln didn’t settle on road names until 1933

By Don Hafner

Before 1933, Lincoln’s road names appeared and vanished by local custom and official whim.

Consider the experience of these Lincoln residents. In 1910, according to Lincoln’s official census taker, Edward and Mary Farrar lived on the Concord and Framingham Road (today’s Route 126). In the 1920 census, they lived on Walden Street. In 1930, they resided on Farrar Road. In 1910, the town census taker listed Ellen Ehlert on Oxbow Road. In 1920, she was on Ehlert Road. In 1930, she had joined the Farrars on Farrar Road. In 1910, Euphena Hunter was Ellen Ehlert’s neighbor on Oxbow Road. In 1920, she was Ellen’s neighbor on Ehlert Road. By 1930, she was back on Oxbow Road.

The point is, none of these residents had ever moved during these 20 years. Only the names that the town’s census takers tacked onto their roads had come and gone. The 1910 census listed 24 road names in Lincoln. In the 1930 census, half of those names had vanished, replaced by a two dozen new names. Residents and the town’s census takers got into the spirit and simply invented road names.

A road sign of more recent vintage at the transfer station.

The town knew it had a problem. In 1906, a committee was directed to report back at the next annual meeting with a recommendation on “naming the different roads of the town.” It never did. Then in 1912, the town tried again and instructed the same committee members to report back at the next annual meeting. Again, they never did. In 1915, town meeting was asked again “if the Town will take any action in reference to naming its roads.” The meeting “voted to pass over the article.” And there the matter stood for the next 17 years.

In 1932, the town tried one more time. Another committee was appointed, it returned its report later that year, and in March 1933, the town meeting accepted the committee’s recommendations for 32 names of Lincoln’s roads.

Well, almost. One last street. Renaming Station Road as Lincoln Road proved contentious. Some wanted Lincoln Road, others Lincoln Centre Road, others wanted no change at all. (No change at all? Maybe they should have called it The Lincoln Way?) So a new committee of Station Road residents was appointed to consider the matter. It only took them a year to decide that the name should be Lincoln Road. And by town vote on February 24, 1934, Lincoln finally had official road names.

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

Police log for May 1–7, 2021

May 1

Lincoln Road (9:55 a.m.) — Officer stopped two cyclists who ran the stop sign at the five-way intersection and gave them a verbal warning.

Concord Road (2:12 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing what appeared to be a male party yelling at a female party somewhere on the trail around Walden Pond. Concord police had received the 911 call. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate anyone. State Police are handling the matter.

South Great Road (4:20 p.m.) — Caller reported vehicles parked in the “no parking” areas of the Mt. Misery parking lot. Officer checked but found no violations in any of the area lots.

Tower Road (8:33 p.m.) — Caller reported a goat in the roadway as they were driving by. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

North Great Road (9:59 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle pulled to the side of the roadway. Driver was having a problem with the vehicle and AAA was on their way to assist. The car was not posing a traffic hazard.

May 2

North Commons (9:01 a.m.) — Caller reported having an ongoing dispute with their neighbor regarding moving rocks from their yard. The matter was documented.

Sandy Pond Road (5:31 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone kicked their son’s bike as he was riding on a bike trail. There was no damage to the bike and the son wasn’t injured. Officers responded to the area and no one was around. An officer went to the caller’s residence and spoke to the reporting party.

May 3

Indian Camp Lane (9:21 a.m.) — The Council on Aging requested a well-being check on the residence. Officer checked and everything was fine.

South Commons (3:08 p.m.) — Caller reported that her elderly husband took their dog out for a walk and had not returned home and was overdue. As officers were checking the area, the caller reported he was just driven home by a friend.

Weston Road (4:56 p.m.) — Officer stopped a bicyclist for running the stop sign at the five-way intersection and gave them a verbal warning.

Old County Road (6:53 p.m.) — A group was fishing at the reservoir and was moved along by police.

May 4

North Great Road (12:50 a.m.) — Officer checked on two vehicles parked in the lot. Both parties checked out fine and were leaving the area.

Garland Road (4:33 p.m.) — Caller reported that the same vehicle has been slowly driving down his road two days in a row. Officer checked the area and remained on the street. No vehicle fitting the description was observed.

Drumlin Farm (9:32 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the Drumlin Farm lot. Party is fine and had pulled in to play Pokémon Go.

May 5

Old County Road (10:43 a.m.) — One-car crash against a rock on the side of the road. The operator was transported to the Emerson Hospital with minor injuries and the vehicle was towed.

Meadowdam Road (9:11 p.m.) — Resident reported a party walking in the area wearing a reflective vest and thought it was odd. Officers checked the area and were unable to locate the party, the description fits that of someone who sometimes walks in the area with a vest.

May 6

Donelan’s Supermarket (7:24 a.m.) — Caller reported a male party wearing a cowboy hat was parked near the septic system behind Lincoln Woods. Officer responded and recognized the owner of a vehicle who walks the trails in the area.

Trapelo Road (12:39 a.m.) — Officer moved along a group fishing in the reservoir.

May 7

Public Safety Building (4:05 p.m.) — Walk-in to the station asked the Fire Department to cut off his ring because of inflammation. Fire personnel assisted the party.

Public Safety Building (5:17 p.m.) — Person turned in a cell phone found on the trails near Sandy Pond Road.

Town budget Q&A session on Tuesday

The Finance Committee is hosting a budget Q&A session on Zoom on Tuesday, May 11 at 7:30 p.m., an hour after a presentation by the Water Department (see related story).

As with other town groups appearing at Town Meeting on May 15, the FinCom asks residents to offer questions and feedback beforehand to keep the May 15 meeting as short as possible. The Zoom Q&A session will not include the full budget hearing presentation, which took place on April 27 and can be viewed on the town’s video meeting website or on YouTube, which allows accelerated playback. However, the May 11 session will be recorded and posted.

A summary of the proposed town budget for fiscal 2022 (click image to enlarge).

The FinCom projects that both revenue and expenditures will increase by 5.4% overall (see chart).

Additional resources: