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

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Candidates sought for Campus Master Plan Committee

The Lincoln School campus.

The Lincoln School campus.

In response to community interest in locating a community center on the Lincoln School’s Ballfield Road campus, the Board of Selectmen and the School Committee are jointly creating the Campus Master Plan Committee (CMPC). The purpose of the CMPC will be to consider infrastructure and safety issues related to the possible co-location of Council on Aging, the Parks and Recreation Department, and school functions on Ballfield Road. The CMPC’s charge will be to examine the implications on roadways, traffic, parking, public safety and accessibility, and recreational facilities, and to understand site issues such as wetlands, conservation land, septic fields and geotechnical conditions.

The CMPC will be responsible for hiring, subject to approval by the Selectmen and the School Committee, a firm with the skills needed to do the work. At the 2015 Town Meeting, Article 33 authorized $75,000 for this purpose. The CMPC will determine its own meeting schedule, but it is expected that it will meet frequently between June and December, with the delivery of a final report by the end of the calendar year. The committee will gather input from the public and relevant boards, and an interim report and public feedback will be one of the items for discussion at the fall State of the Town meeting.

Interested candidates should have experience and skills that will further the work of the committee. The at-large members will join representatives from relevant town boards. Letters of interest should be submitted to both the Board of Selectmen at selectmen@lincolntown.org and the School Committee at schoolcomm@lincnet.org by Friday, May 15. The Selectmen and School Committee will hold a joint meeting to finalize the CMPC’s charge and to appoint the at-large members on Monday, May 18 at 7:30 p.m in the Donaldson Room in the Town Office Building.

May activities with the Council on Aging

bemisArabic conversation
May 4 and May 18 at 9:45 a.m.
Azza Omer from Sudan has generously offered to teach a free informal, light and easy conversational Arabic language class on Monday, April 6 at 9:45 a.m. at Bemis Hall. Learning something completely new is great for brain fitness and for having fun! You’ll learn some common words and phrases. Come give the class a try!

Lincoln Academy with Alison Taunton-Rigby: Biotechnology in Massachusetts
May 4 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, May 4 at 12:30 to hear Alison Taunton-Rigby discuss “Biotechnology in Massachusetts.” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. [Read more…] about May activities with the Council on Aging

News acorns – 4/30/15

acornPMC Kids Ride needs riders and volunteers; prizes announced

Lincoln’s first annual PMC Kids Ride to fight cancer is Sunday, May 3 (see this Lincoln Squirrel article for more information). If you can’t ride but wish to donate, Something Special is selling limited-edition PMC bracelets for $10 created by sixth-grader Will Levy, founder of the Lincoln event. All riders get a PMC Kids Ride T-shirt, water bottle and glow-in-the-dark wristband (volunteers get a T-shirt as well). The minimum fundraising commitment is $25 per rider, though most kids raise a lot more than that. Riders who raise $250+ also receive a PMC string bag and those who raise $750+ receive a special New Balance PMC backpack. In addition, Something Special will donate a $50 gift certificate to the child who raises the most money. To register to ride or volunteer, visit the Lincoln PMC Kids Ride page. Questions” Send email to pattylevy.pmckidslincoln@gmail.com.

Chinese animated short films to be shown

The Lincoln Library Film Society (LLFS) will show a medley of short Chinese animated films at the library on Tuesday, May 5 starting at 7 p.m. The animation industry in China was slow to recover from the stagnation of Mao’s cultural revolution, and it wasn’t until the early 1980s that animated films would start to be produced regularly. The best animated shorts to come out of Chinese studios show little influence from their larger and more lucrative counterparts in Japan and the U.S. A luminous example from 1981,The Monkey Who Wanted to Catch the Moon, uses nocturnal lighting and deep layering to make its 2-D moving figures appear as though they are lit from within. For more information on this and other LLFS events, email lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com.

Walk in a maypole labyrinth on May 8

Celebrate Spring in one of Lincoln’s many secret wonders—a local labyrinth with our very own maypole. Walk the labyrinth with Jai Kaur Annamaria in a special Council on Aging event that’s open to all by donation on Friday, May 8 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. (rain date: May 9). Location given upon registration; sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811. You’ll experience the ancient meditative practice of walking a labyrinth, indulge your senses in flowers, create your own may basket, and enjoy spring foods.

Panel on sexual assault at colleges

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable presents a panel discussion on “The Culture of Sexual Assault on College Campuses: Challenges and New Responses” on Tuesday, May 12 at 3 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room of the Wayland Public Safety building (38 Cochituate Road). The panel, moderated by Jessica Teperow, Director of Prevention Programs at REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, will feature Karen L. Raye, assistant professor at Lasell College who teaches classes on domestic violence and in the college’s Criminal Justice Department; Jacqueline Anchondo Silva, director of Title IX Compliance at Mt. Ida College; and Steph Trilling, manager of community Awareness and prevention services at the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. Panelists will discuss their roles and what they want parents and/or students to know in regard to their own safety or safety of others when getting ready for college. There will be a Q&A session at the end.

News acorns – 4/14/15

acornTonight: talk on Revolutionary battlefield

“Discovering Parker’s Revenge Battlefield: April 19, 1775″ is the topic of a talk on Tuesday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The speaker will be Dr. Meg Watters of PBS’s “Time Team America” and principal investigator for the ongoing Parker’s Revenge Project at Minute Man National Historical Park. She’ll discuss efforts to better understand the Battle Road engagement between the retreating British regulars and the militia and Minute Men of Lexington, Lincoln and surrounding towns on April 19, 1775. The site is on the border of Lincoln and Lexington within the national park.

Dr. Watters received her B.A. in classics from Trinity College, an M.A. in GIS and remote sensing in archaeology from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in new methods for archaeo-geophysical data visualization at the University of Birmingham, where she helped build the IBM Visual and Spatial Technology Centre, where she provided geophysical survey expertise.

The talk is one of several observances of the start of the Revolutionary War. For more information, click on one of the event titles on the Lincoln Minute Men website and battleroad.org.

HATS to meet with MBTA official

On Thursday, April 23, the Hanscom Area Towns Committee (HATS) will host Paul Regan, Executive Director of the MBTA Advisory Board. The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. at the Town Office Building.

Regan plans to discuss a broad range of topics related to the current state and future of the MBTA, including general matters raised by the recent winter’s challenges and the recently-issued report of the Governor’s special commission, as well as specific matters of concern to the four HATS communities. Also on the agenda for April 23 are updates on the Route 2 project and a status report from the MassPort/Hanscom Field Community Advisory Committee.

The public is welcome to attend all HATS meetings, which may also be viewed live on Lincoln public access media via lincolntv.pegstream.com, Verizon channel 33, or Comcast channel 8, or beginning several days after the meeting at lincolntv.pegcentral.com or on the local cable channels.

HATS is an alliance among the Selectmen and other officials of the towns of Lincoln, Concord, Lexington and Bedford that focuses on Hanscom Air Force Base, Hanscom Air Field, transportation and other regional matters. HATS recently had discussions with MassPort CEO Tom Glynn regarding MassPort’s strategic plans, various business and government experts helping manage Rt. 128 and related traffic concerns, the Air Force Base’s local commander, and senior representatives of the Governor’s Military Assets Task Force. For more information about HATS and access to agendas, minutes and videos, please visit www.hanscomareatownscommittee.com.

Film on wilderness preservation

Also on Thursday, April 23, join the Walden Woods Project for a special screening of a new film by Fulcrum Publishing, “Wilderness in America: From Conquest to Conservation.”  The 55-minute film chronicles the evolution of wilderness preservation in America over four centuries that ultimately led to the protection of 110 million acres.

The film will be shown at the Walden Woods Project’s Thoreau Institute at 44 Baker Farm Rd. in Lincoln. Free admission. To reserve seats, call (781) 259-4707 or email wwproject@walden.org. A wine and cheese reception, sponsored by the Cheese Shop in Concord will be held at 7 p.m. followed at 7:30 p.m. with remarks by  Robert C. Baron, Fulcrum’s founder and president, and the film screening.

The Walden Woods Project is a nonprofit organization that preserves the land, literature and legacy of Henry David Thoreau to foster an ethic of environmental stewardship and social responsibility. Click here for other outdoor springtime activities coming up in Lincoln.

COA trip to Mt. Auburn Cemetery

See some of the fascinating and beautiful places and monuments in this amazing historical and nature site on Friday, May 22 with the Council on Aging. After the tour of the cemetery, the group will go to Belmont Center for lunch at Asai. Each person will pay for their own lunch and cash is recommended. The trip is limited to 30 people. The Doherty’s bus will be at Lincoln Mall at 9 a.m. and arrive back in Lincoln around 2 p.m. For more information, contact Donna Rizzo at donna@ecacbed.com or Claire Mount at mounts781@gmail.com.

News acorns – 4/3/15

acornBunny Bonanza at Pierce House this Saturday

All Lincoln School families are invited to hop on over to the Pierce House on Saturday, April 4 at 10 a.m. for the Lincoln Family Association‘s Bunny Bonanza. Welcome springtime with musicians, refreshments, and of course a massive egg hunt for all ages (please bring your own basket). Festivities begin promptly at 10 a.m. LFA members are free; non-members are $10 per child.

Meetings to discuss special education issues

[Read more…] about News acorns – 4/3/15

April activities offered by the Council on Aging

bemisConversation with inventor Jim Nicholson
April 3 at 10:30 a.m.
Have you ever spent time in a hospital bed and they put those big white stockings that inflated and deflated around your legs every so often? Well, come and hear your neighbor Jim Nicholson, an MIT graduate inventor and holder of over 50 international patents, tell his story of how he created this life saving system which has saved probably tens of thousands lives from a deadly blood clot on Friday, April 3 at 10:30 a.m. Jim will be interviewed and videoed taped by Harold McAleer and there will be time for discussion after he tells you his story.

Choosing the right home contractor
April 3 at 1 p.m.
Whether you need ice dam removal, a renovation, or something else, learn to choose and work with the right contractor when Dan Walsh, Lincoln’s Building Commissioner, comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, April 3 at 1 p.m. He’ll explain about the process for getting good estimates, determining a contractor’s credentials and insurance, criteria for choosing a contractor, legal requirements for contracts and permits, inspecting the work when completed, and what to do if you have a problem. [Read more…] about April activities offered by the Council on Aging

News acorns – 3/28/15

Talk on keeping chickens scheduled

Backyard chicken keeping expert Terry Golson will discuss the pros and cons of keeping hens with honesty and humor on Thursday, April 2 from 7-8:30 p.m. at the Audubon Shop at Drumlin Farm. Golson is author of The Farmstead Egg Guide and Cookbook and the website HenCam.com. If you’re thinking about getting a flock of your own, Golson will help you sort out whether poultry is right for you. She’ll also talk about the good eggs that backyard hens produce and how special they are to cook with. Samples and copies of her book will be available. Free for Mass Audubon members, $5 for nonmembers.

Easter observances at Lincoln churches
First Parish Church
  • Sunday, March 29 (Palm/Passion Sunday) — Morning worship, John Nichols preaching (Sanctuary) and Sunday School Easter Egg craft (Auditorium), 10 a.m. Child care begins at 9:45 a.m. in the Parish House.
  • Sunday, April 5 (Easter Sunday)
    • Easter Sunrise Service led by Ally Lent (Flint’s Field), 6:15 a.m.
    • Easter Service, John Nichols preaching (Sanctuary) and Easter egg hunt following “Time for All Ages” message (Parish House), 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.

Child care is available at the Parish House starting at 8:45 and 10:45 a.m.

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church
  • Sunday, March 29 (Palm/Passion Sunday)
    • Holy Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Palms, 8 a.m.
    • Holy Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Palms with choirs, 10 a.m. Nursery care will be available from 9-11 a.m.
  • Thursday, April 2 (Maundy Thursday) — Maundy Thursday service with foot-washing and stripping of the altar, 7 p.m.
  • Friday, April 3  — Good Friday service, 12 p.m.
  • Saturday, April 4 —The Great Vigil of Easter, 7 p.m. Champagne and chocolates will follow this 90-minute service.
  • Sunday, April 5 (Easter Sunday) — 8:30 and 11 a.m., Holy Eucharist with choir
Spring children’s programs at Drumlin Farm

An eight-week series programs for children and for families beginning on Monday, April 6 includes “Polliwogs and Frogs,” “Tails and Trails,” “Drumlin Detectives,” “Old McDrumlin’s Farm,” “Hand in Hand” and “Farm Family.” See the Drumlin program schedule at massaudubon.org/drumlinprograms for availability and how to register.

Price reduced for “Shrek the Musical,” all ages welcome

Come see Shrek the Musical at the Wheelock Family Theater on Sunday, April 19 at 3 p.m. in an outing sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging. With wit and a mischievous humor, we follow our misanthropic green hero as he learns about the power of friendship and the magical nature of love, all while thwarting a dastardly villain.

Tickets are available for residents of all ages and are now only $8 per child and $18 per adult and must be purchased by Wednesday, April 1. Meet the Lincoln Mall parking lot at 2 p.m. to board the Doherty’s school bus and plan to return about 6 p.m. To reserve your place, send a check made out to “FLCOA Trips” to Sally Kindleberger, 14A North Commons, Lincoln MA 01773. Please write your email, home addresses and telephone number on the check. Questions? Call Sally at 781-259-1169.

“Celebrate Asia” Festival

The second annual “Celebrate Asia!” festival will be held at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School on Saturday, April 11 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The family-friendly event will celebrate the diverse cultures that enrich our school and town communities, and will serve as a fundraiser for the L-S Memorial School, our sister school in Battambang, Cambodia. There will be crafts and activities for kids, cultural performances by a variety of dance and music groups, martial arts exhibitions, henna tattoos, tai chi, yoga, Asian goods and gifts (for early Mothers’ Day shopping!), and some of your favorite Asian foods.

Admission is $10 per family, and tickets will be sold around town or at the door. All activities covered by the admission price, including a special puppet show at 1 p.m. For more information, contact Danielle Weisse at danielle_weisse@lsrhs.net.

Amy Herrera featured at LOMA night

Amy Herrera is the featured performer at the next Lincoln Open-Mic Acoustic night on Monday, April 13 from 7-10 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. This date will mark LOMA’s five-year anniversary, which will be the theme for the evening. Open mikers are encouraged to seek inspiration along this theme. Admission is free and refreshments are provided.

Herrera, whose contemporary folk music is known for its warm vocals, wide-ranging styles of songwriting, and supportive guitar work, will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30 p.m. She has three CDs to her credit, including the newly released Goodnight, Nobody. Her alluring sound is evident on a sample song, Stumble Into You.

LOMA is a monthly event. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com before noon of the open-mike day for a slot. Names of those who are signed up by 7:15 will be drawn at random. We have a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups playing acoustic-style.

Coming up at the library

At the next meeting of the new “Who Picked This Book?” Club at the Lincoln Public Library on Monday, April 6 at 7 p.m., participants will discuss Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. The group meets on the first Monday of each month at 7 p.m. and will reads fairly current fiction (maybe even nonfiction) that will be entertaining and well written. Copies in various formats will be available two weeks prior to each meeting. Refreshments will be served. For more information, contact Lisa Rothenberg at lrothenberg@minlib.net.

The Lincoln Library Film Society presents “Hand-Picked Films: Odd Jobs” on Tuesdays, April 7 and 14 from 7-8:30 p.m. These public screenings, accompanied by snacks and coffee, are open to movie-lovers of all ages. For more information, call 781-259-8465 or email Lincolnlibraryfilmsociety@gmail.com to sign up for the mailing list.

Storyteller presents Kurdish folk tales

Diane Edgecomb

Diane Edgecomb

All Lincoln residents middle-school age and older are invited to a free performance on Sunday, April 12 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall of “One Thousand Doorways: Journey among the Kurds of Turkey,” the true account of storyteller Diane Edgecomb’s decade-long quest to document the vanishing folk tales of the Kurds of Turkey. This solo performance, based on true events, sheds light on the Kurds’ struggles and their ancient culture.

A chance meeting with a young Kurdish refugee set Edgecomb on a quest of danger and discovery to bring to the world the ancient legends of this oppressed culture. This is a deeply moving, richly entertaining story of her journey through the remote mountains of Turkey and of the extraordinary people who shared their lives and their stories. Share her experiences from her first humorous meetings with carpet dealers and chain-smoking elders to her travels up sheer mountain passes to remote villages usually forbidden to outsiders.

A featured performer at festivals and theaters throughout the country, Edgecomb is known for her ability to embody the various characters in her pieces. She has been hailed by Publisher’s Weekly as “a storyteller in the grand tradition, a virtuoso of the spoken word…an entire cast rolled into one.” Her storytelling was recently featured on NPR’s “Living on Earth” program.

This event is supported in part by a grant from the Lincoln Cultural Council, a local agency which is supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency. For more information, call the Lincoln Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says

The Community Center Study Committee's "preferred option." Click on the image for more options and interior design ideas.

The Community Center Study Committee’s “preferred option.” Click on the image for more exterior and interior design ideas.

By Alice Waugh

Residents on Saturday will have the chance to hear the final report of the Community Center Study Committee (CCSC), which proposes a community center to be built on the Hartwell campus at a total cost of about $13 million, including roads and other site work.

[Read more…] about Community center on Hartwell campus would cost $13 million, panel says