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

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Lincoln Squirrel is a finalist for journalism award

The Lincoln Squirrel is proud to announce that it’s a finalist for an Investigative Report of the Year award from LION (Local Independent Online News Publishers) for a series of stories about the Lincoln Water Department. A huge and heartfelt thank-you to everyone who gave their time for interviews and other assistance in writing these stories.

Here’s what the Squirrel submitted for the award, in chronological order of publication:

Here’s the list of all the nominees in LION’s “Investigative Report of the Year – Solo” category:

  • The Austin Bulldog for its investigation of the Travis Central Appraisal District that exposed faulty management decisions that resulted in more than three times the number of formal Appraisal Review Board hearings, skyrocketing costs, doubled complaints, and more litigation over unresolved value disputes
  • California Health Report for its investigation into how much federal money for mental health care California counties left on the table
  • The Charlotte Ledger for its investigation of the complicated and troubling history of a man who was once one of Charlotte’s most influential economic development officials, who in recent years had a string of court cases involving stalking and harassment
  • The Lincoln Squirrel for its investigation revealing that a major town department had almost no oversight by officials for years

The online awards ceremony will be on October 22 at 7 p.m.; click here for details and registration.

Police log for week of Sept. 11, 2020

September 11

Marconi Auto, Concord Rd. (4:00 a.m.) — Officer checked on a party sitting in a vehicle; all was well.

Page Road (12:45 p.m.) — Caller asked to speak with an officer regarding a possible violation of a civil order. Officer spoke to the party and determined there was no violation.

Old Sudbury Road (3:02 p.m.) — Caller reported a low-hanging branch partially in the roadway. An officer coned off the roadway and contacted the DPW to respond.

[Read more…] about Police log for week of Sept. 11, 2020

Lincolnites honor Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Lincolnites formed a circle of light at the vigil for Ruth Bader Ginsburg (click to enlarge). Photo by Allen Vander Meulen.

A candlelight vigil for the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg drew about 100 people to Pierce Park on Sunday evening.

The event was organized by Joan Kimball, Barbara Slayter, and Mary Helen Lorenz. The bell at the nearby First Parish Church tolled solemnly at the start of the silent vigil. The silence was broken with the El Malei Rachamim prayer for the deceased, first in English and then sung and read in Hebrew by Andy Ory. FPL director of religious education Margit Griffith gave a prayer of praise and thanksgiving to close the event.

The Jewish tradition views anyone who dies at the start of the Jewish new year (Rosh Hashanah began at sundown on Friday) as a tzadik, or righteous person, especially when the death occurs on the Sabbath (Friday night to Saturday night). 

My Turn: Special thanks from food pantry to Lincoln pair

By Tomasina Lucchese

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul (SVdP) of Lincoln and Weston would like to thank Katrin Roush and daughter Kyla Chapman for their very successful “flower project”! This mother-and-daughter duo sold flowers, tomatoes, and herbs from their own garden to benefit SVdP. Katrin explained that she wanted to support Kyla’s need to feel helpful and connected to others. They often buy food for the food pantry and the sales idea was “a combination of wanting her to see how she could help out other families, and to have gratitude” (see the Lincoln Squirrel, August 13, 2020).

Kyla Chapman with the produce she sold to benefit the Lincoln/Weston food pantry.

But it’s the SVdP Food Pantry that’s feeling most grateful. It’s because of generous and thoughtful families like Katrin and Kyla that SVdP is able to do this very important work. Thank you for your support and dedication.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of St. Julia Parish works with people in need who live, work, or go to school in Lincoln or Weston. We serve more than 260 people from both towns twice a month at the food pantry located behind St. Joseph’s Church in Lincoln. SVdP also offers emergency financial assistance to help with bills, rent, etc.

If you or somebody you know is in need of food or emergency financial help, please call 781-899-2611 x4 or email svdplincolnweston@gmail.com. This is a challenging time for many, and although it can be difficult to ask for help, we are here to support. Everything is kept completely confidential.

Lucchese is Vice President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston.

”My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their 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.

Masked man seen at a house in Sudbury

Sudbury police are now also looking for information on this masked man who was caught on camera in Lincoln last week.

A masked man caught on a home surveillance camera in Lincoln last week has appeared in Sudbury, and police in both towns are asking anyone with information to contact them.

The Sudbury Police Department is investigating an incident that occurred on September 15 at approximately 3:15 p.m. when a man on a black scooter and wearing a similar outfit as the person in the Lincoln photo approached a residence on Rte. 117 in Sudbury (the same road on which the Lincoln home is located).

The man entered the garage of the residence and, when confronted by the homeowner, said he was selling magazines. “We believe this to be a ruse but, if it is true, it is also a violation of the solicitor bylaws,” Sudbury police said on their Facebook page.

The encounter occurred 10 days after the Lincoln incident, which Lincoln police reported on their Facebook page on September 8.

Sudbury police asked anyone who has video of North Road between Longfellow Road and Mossman Road or anyone who remembers seeing a male on a smaller black scooter at the given time to call a detective at the Sudbury Police Department 978-443-1042. “We also welcome the pictured person to contact us, so we can sort out this matter,” police added.

The Chipmunk deadline is coming up!

Calling all creative writers and artists! The deadline for submitting materials for the next issue of the Lincoln Chipmunk (now part of the Lincoln Squirrel) is Monday, September 21. Click here for details on how to submit, and call editor Alice Waugh if you have any questions. We look forward to helping you share your creative work.

Police log for September 4–10, 2020

September 4

Old Concord Road (12:39 a.m.) — Berkshire Sheriff’s Department requested a well-being check, as a Lincoln resident’s car was found parked out in Lee. Officers checked; house is under construction and no one was home. Sheriff’s Department notified.

Aspen Circle (9:30 a.m.) — Caller wanted to speak with the dog officer regarding a dog that charged her. Dog officer was asked to call the reporting party. The person called again at 3:59 p.m. The dog officer had tried to call earlier but no one answered; she’ll call them back.

Old Concord Road (3:19 p.m.) — Caller complained about cars parked on Old Concord Road. Officers found that road was passable.

Hemlock Circle (4:1 p.m.) — Caller reported an aggressive dog she encountered. Animal Control is already speaking with the owner regarding the other complaint.

September 5

Bypass Road (2:01 a.m.) — Jason Gillis, 32, of16 Phillip Rd. in Burlington was arrested for OUI–second offense and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (2:43 p.m.) — 911 call about a two-car crash on Rte. 2 at Bedford Road. No injuries; state police are handling the crash report with Lincoln officers assisting.

Weston Road (3:26 p.m.) — Resident reported a brush fire hat they can’t control. Fire Department responded; Weston Fire Department also requested to assist.

South Great Road (4:32 p.m.) — Caller reported that earlier in the day, they witnessed a male party come up to their door of their residence on their surveillance camera. The party had a mask covering their face and was possibly driving a motorcycle. Click here for details.

September 6

Old Concord Road (5:42 a.m.) — Caller reports an odor of smoke in the area. Smoke was coming from a cooking fire.

September 7

Lincoln School (4:36 p.m.) — Caller reported a party walking at the school who appeared to be intoxicated, throwing rocks and mumbling. Police were unable to locate the party at the school but an officer then located a person on Weston Road who fit the description. The officer spoke to the person who was coming from the school and all appears to be fine.

Standish Circle, Wellesley — A Fire Department member responded to Wellesley for a dive team activation for a water incident.

September 8

Virginia Road (10:25 a.m.) — Caller reported an issue with his smoke detector. Fire Department responded and found the detector’s batteries were low.

Trapelo Road (2:41 p.m.) — Party came to the station reporting that her Black Lives Matter sign is missing from her front lawn. Officer took a report.

North Great Road (6:00 p.m.) — Caller reported seeing two bicyclists down on the side of the road near the National Park. Officer spoke to the parties who were waiting for a ride; they declined any medical attention.

Old Cambridge Turnpike (8:06 p.m.) — Caller reported that her dog ran off into the woods and her husband went to find it and hadn’t come back either. An officer responded and located the husband on the roadway. The dog soon returned to the house.

September 9

Lexington Road (11:19 a.m.) — Caller reported that a dog just ran out onto Rte. 2 but subsequently reported that the owner located the dog and is bringing it home.

Page Road (1:25 p.m.) — Court paperwork was delivered to a resident.

Greenridge Lane (1:26 p.m.) — Party reported that someone filed a fraudulent unemployment claim in their name.

Farrar Road (4:41 p.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas in the area. Fire Department responding and reported that a gas company crew was working just over the town line in Wayland.

South Great Road (5:49 p.m.) — Caller reported an odor of natural gas in the area. Tennessee Gas is working in the area and said the odor should dissipate soon.

September 10

National Park, Hartwell lot 2:04 a.m.) — A group was parked in the parking lot. The parties were spoken to and sent on their way.

Concord Road (8:19 a.m.) — Caller reported a deceased animal on the side of the roadway. DPW notified to handle.

Boston Post Road, Weston (10:16 a.m.) — Motorcycle officer assisted Weston police at the funeral of a Weston Fire Department member.

Concord Road (8:19 p.m.) — 911 calls reported two parties yelling at each another on the side of the road in a dispute between the driver and a passenger in a vehicle. Parties were separated and passenger agreed to take an Uber home.

No town meeting this fall; State of the Town meetings planned instead

Town officials have decided that it won’t be possible to hold a Special Town Meeting this fall to take up matters that were postponed from the stripped-down meeting in June. Instead, there will be three State of the Town meetings (SOTTs) held on consecutive nights in November via Zoom.

Given the ongoing pandemic and need for social distancing, “there’s nothing pressing enough to bring people together in person,” Selectman Jennifer Glass said. Chilly fall weather will prelude another outdoor gathering such as the June 13 town meeting that was held under a tent on the Hartwell school parking lot.

The State of the Town meetings with their agendas are listed below. 

  • November 17 — An overview of town finances, the response to Covid-19, an update on the school building project, and a preview of the March 2021 Annual Town Meeting. 
  • November 18 — A follow-up discussion to a series of roundtables on diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism that will kick off later this month (see below). 
  • November 19 — South Lincoln planning, an issue that has been stalled since a controversial rezoning proposal met with resistance from residents and dissension on the Planning Board. 

Regarding diversity and inclusion, “we appreciate that not all community members experience life in Lincoln in the same way. We need to listen carefully to those who have been alienated in some manner and be willing to be truly reflective about changes that may be required to make all residents feel welcome and valued,” the Board of Selectmen wrote in a newsletter soon to be mailed to Lincoln residents.

The three roundtables will feature panelists who will guide discussion by participating Lincolnites. Click here for details and registration links (registration closes 48 hours before each event). To submit questions in advance, email selectmen@lincolntown.org before the deadlines listed.

September 22: “Policing in Lincoln and the State”

The discussion will seek to understand local and state policing policies and training, understand how the town budget supports public safety and other social services, and discuss status of current legislation. Panelists will be Kevin Kennedy, Lincoln Chief of Police; Marian Ryan, Middlesex District Attorney; and Tim Higgins, Town Administrator. Advance question deadline: September 15.

October 7: “What is the Role of Town Government?”

Members of town boards, committees and departments will lead a discussion of the jurisdictions and roles of town government officials and Town Meeting who could authorize funding or other significant actions. Advance question deadline: September 30.

October 21: “What is the Role of Community Groups?

Panelists will include members of community organizations, cultural institutions and nonprofits to help everyone learn how town organizations are addressing diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism. Advance question deadline: October 14.

Warrant articles that were postponed from the 2020 Annual Town Meeting may resurface at the ATM in March 2021. They included citizens’ petitions to ask voters if they would:

  • Hear reports from town boards on the status of the community center project
  • Change the name of the Board of Selectmen to the Select Board
  • Support the proposal of the eighth-grade Warrant Article Group to support the Parkland School students’ organization, March for Our Lives, to end school shootings and shootings all over the country
  • Adopt a resolution in support of various federal, state and local actions to combat climate change
  • Adopt a new section in the town’s General Bylaws called the Polystyrene Reduction By-Law
  • Require Lincoln retail establishments to charge a fee for non-reusable check-out bags
  • Prohibit food establishments in Lincoln from using and distributing disposable plastic straws, stirrers, and splash sticks

Facebook photo of unidentified man sparks alarm

A photo of the unidentified man captured by a resident’s doorbell camera.

A photo of an unidentified man ringing the doorbell of a house has caused apprehension as well as warnings not to jump to conclusions after the photo was posted to Facebook by the Lincoln Police Department.

The image was captured by the doorbell camera of a South Great Road resident who wasn’t home at the time — Saturday, Sept. 5 at about 12:30 p.m., according to police. The man was wearing a hoodie, heavy gloves, and a military-style mask that obscured most of his face.

In a discussion of the photo on LincolnTalk, some wondered why someone would be dressed on a hot summer day in what one resident characterized as “deliberately scary, identity-obfuscating gear” while other noted that face masks are common in this Covid-19 era. Another resident reluctantly raised the possibility that the man was Black while also adding, “Are we in a situation where we have assumed something because the color of someone’s skin by definition made him ‘other’ and ‘suspicious’?”

Police noted in their Facebook post that the man was operating a small motorcycle or scooter. In the photo he was holding what could be a helmet with his left arm. 

“Someone could say that [clothing] is consistent” with motorcycle-riding attire, but “other people could say he’s overly dressed based on the weather,” Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said in an interview Thursday afternoon. 

The sister of the resident whose house was involved wrote that the home is on a busy road but well off the street. When the homeowner reported the incident to police, the officer mentioned that there had been a few break-ins in Concord and Weston, the homeowner’s sister added.

Potential burglars sometimes ring a doorbell first to see if anyone is home; if someone answers the door, they can then make an excuse such as having gotten lost or being there to perform repairs at the home, Kennedy noted. There were no signs of a break-in, though “there could be other things going on” that might have forestalled an attempt, he added.

“You have to go into this with an open mind, and it doesn’t appear at this point that a crime was committed,” Kennedy said. “I don’t want anyone to think that this person is associated with any crime at this point.

“This is not a case of someone innocently driving through town and being unfairly profiled” by Lincoln police, a resident wrote on LincolnTalk.

“There are plenty of red flags here that don’t involve [skin] color,” another resident wrote. “They put the picture out to see if others saw this person and witnessed any suspicious behavior. Just diligent police work.”

“It’s not for us to judge. At the same time, [it’s] not wrong to ask respectful questions in these weird times,” another resident wrote.

Anyone who recognizes the man in the photo is urged to call Detective Ian Spencer at 781-259-8113.

Police log for Aug. 27–Sept. 3, 2020

August 27

3 Robbins Road, Bedford (1:45 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces called requesting assistance with a 5-year-old child missing from their residence. Within a couple of minutes, Security Forces called back to cancel as the child was located.

South Great Road (2:25 p.m.) — Single-car crash on Rte. 117 at Mt. Misery (car vs. telephone pole). No injuries; vehicle was towed from the scene.

August 28

Trapelo Road (10:41 a.m.) — Caller reported cows in the roadway on Trapelo Road. Officer checked; Codman Community Farms staff have the cows and they’re returning them to their pen.

Wells Road (4:09 p.m.) — Caller reported that a man was looking inside an apartment and then lying down on the ground outside. The man then suddenly left in a white van. Officers spoke to the involved party, who was looking at the apartment as he’s going to be moving into the unit.

Birchwood Lane (6:41 p.m.) — Caller reported that their propane tank was on fire in the rear of the house. Officers arrive on scene and extinguished the fire. Fire Department reported that the propane tank is still leaking gas and remained on scene to handle.

August 29

Carroll School, Baker Bridge Road (11:02 a.m.) — Caller reported landscapers were using leaf blowers at the Carroll School. Officer arrived and advised them of the bylaw.

Sandy Pond Road (6:24 p.m.) — Two parties were parked along Sandy Pond Road. Officer advised them to move along.

August 30

Mayflower Road (3:02 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported a missing juvenile on base. Officer responded, found the boy, and brought him back to his residence.

Page Road (4:38 p.m.) — Caller reported hearing gunshots in the area of Fridolin Hill Road. Gunshots were coming from a Page Road residence where the family was target shooting; they have proper backstop and proper space.

August 31

Page Road (10:53 a.m.) — Officer assisted two parties with a civil matter.

Laurel Street, Concord (9:45 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance for a reported burglary in progress. Lincoln officers assisted and later cleared; investigation ongoing by Concord police.

September 1

Concord Road (11:21 a.m.) — Caller reported that a beaver was struck across from Old Concord Road. Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife contacted.

South Great Road (4:00 p.m.) — Caller reported that his employer said he filed an unemployment claim, which he did not.

September 2

Brooks Road (1:31 p.m.) — Caller reported a stove fire. Fire Department responded and reported that the fire is out upon their arrival. They remained on scene to get smoke out of the house.

Scott Circle (3:50 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported being a victim of identity fraud dating back to 2016. Report taken and is being investigated.

September 3

Juniper Ridge Road (12:08 p.m.) — Caller reported that someone filed an unemployment claim in his name. Report taken.

Concord Road (2:33 p.m.) — Caller reported having a package stolen. Officers responded to take a report.

Donelan’s, Lincoln mall (4:19 p.m.) — Caller reported two juveniles causing problems in front of the store. Officer responded and spoke to the parties involved as well as the parents on scene.

Route 2/I-95 ramp (4:51 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog on the highway ramp. State Police in Concord and Lexington notified.

Oak Meadow Road (5:49 p.m.) — Fraudulent unemployment claim filed in caller’s name.

Virginia Road, Concord (7:19 p.m.) — Concord police reported three cars parked in the roadway on Virginia Road but later called back to report they’re doing a photo shoot.