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My Turn: “Billionaires” stand out for private jets at Hanscom

By Lara Sullivan

On Wednesday, Sept. 16, eighteen “billionaires” gathered at the entrance to Massport’s Hanscom Field civil airport (as distinct from Hanscom Air Force Base). These “billionaires,” dressed in fancy attire, greeted their fellow high flyers as they entered the largest private jetport in New England, holding signs with slogans such as “Gov. Healey: Stop the Private Jet Housing Crisis,” “Climate Crisis is for People without Jets,” and “What’s Wrong with My Private Jet? I Recycle!” 

This satirical standout was organized by the Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere and their supporters. It was designed to highlight the massive proposed private jet hangar expansion at Hanscom Field and hold high polluters accountable for posing an existential crisis to our planet and our livelihoods with their excessive emissions. 

The Billionaires’ Standout at Hanscom, which included six Lincolnites and others from as far away as Granby, Mass.

Climate experts and citizens alike understand that we must reduce greenhouse gas emissions as our planet warms. Communities across Massachusetts have dedicated significant time and resources to this effort. For example, Lincoln has installed chargers for electric vehicles, solar panels over the town’s capped landfill and the parking lot at the Lincoln Public Schools, committed to achieving net zero by 2050, and has its own Green Energy Committee. 

Meanwhile, the proposed expansion is expected to induce roughly 6,000 additional private jet flights at Hanscom Field, which would increase private jet emissions by roughly 150,000 tons of CO2e each year. This is equivalent to the emissions of over 32,000 passenger vehicles each year, all for the luxury and convenience that 63 to 76 new private jets can provide for their ultra-wealthy passengers who are among 0.003% of the global population. Although Hanscom is located in Concord, Bedford, Lexington, and Lincoln, towns far beyond those communities would experience the climate impacts from the proposed expansion.

Local officials formally expressed the town’s opposition to the proposed private jet expansion in an Oct. 10, 2023 joint letter to the governor signed by the Select Boards of the four Hanscom-area towns, as well as in am April 26, 2024 public comment on the North Airfield developers’ Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR) as part of a still-ongoing state environmental review. In June 2024, EEA Secretary Rebecca Tepper rejected the DEIR because it did not comply with MEPA standards and ordered the developers to produce a re-do in the form of a Supplemental DEIR (SDEIR) which, over two years later, still hasn’t been filed. Following numerous postponements, the developers now claim they will file the SDEIR at the end of 2026.

The statewide Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere (SPJE) has over 120 organizations across Massachusetts and beyond, and is growing every day. Read more about SPJE at www.spje.org.

The standouts at the rotary by the entrance to the Hanscom Civil Airport Terminal happen every Wednesday from 8:00–9:00am (only last week’s was a Billionaires’ Standout). The next standout is Wednesday, Sept. 23. For more details, email info@spje.org.

Sullivan is the project manager for SPJE and a resident of Lincoln.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. 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.

News acorns

Flower farm tours

The Agricultural Commission, which has been offering tours of local farms over the summer, has one more pair of tours tour scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 20 at 10:00am and 11:15am, when visitors can learn more about Hazen Hill Flower Farm and see how the transition to the colder months is managed. Some early fall farm tours are also being planned. Space is limited; you must sign up and be confirmed as registered to attend; you will then be sent the location. All ages are welcome (children must be accompanied by adults. 

“Creating a More Perfect Union”

The IDEA Committee invites the community to create and talk about the power and promise of the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at 7:00pm in the Hartwell Multipurpose Room. In what ways has the Constitution met the needs of a changing nation and where has it fallen short? Participants will create a piece of art inspired by the evening’s theme, followed by a discussion facilitated by Dr. Katina Fontes, founder of Athina Education and owner of Athina Books. Suitable for middle school students and older.

Also, on Wednesday, Sept. 16, support residents who are participating in the community Constitution read at 7:00pm in the Lincoln School Auditorium.  

Film: “ICE AIR: Inside America’s Secret Deportation System”

Lincoln Witness is sponsoring a free screening of “ICE AIR: Inside America’s Secret Deportation System” on Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 7:00-8:30pm at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields church. The film is produced by photojournalist Chris Hansen and investigative journalist Chris Vanderveen, both of KUSA-TV in Denver, Colo. with contributions from affiliate news stations. After the 50-minute film there will be a brief discussion and information about Hanscom Field. Refreshments provided.

Subscribe to SelectConnect

SelectConnect is the Select Board’s semi-monthly e-newsletter. Get timely updates on town projects, policies, meetings, upcoming events, and ways to get involved — all delivered straight to your inbox just a few days after each Select Board meeting.  Click here for instructions on how to sign up or email Kim Bodnar at bodnark@lincolnma.gov and you will be added to the distribution list.

Lincoln Review deadline extended

You now have until Friday, Oct. 2 to submit your creative work for inclusion int he next issue of the Lincoln Review. Questions? Email lincolnmareview@gmail.com or lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com.

Coming up at Codman Community Farms

Late Summer Cookout
Thursday, Sept. 17 from 4:30-6:30pm
Grab a picnic table or bring a blanket, visit the animals and gardens, and enjoy the end of summer on the farm! Click here for details and registration.

Raising Happy, Healthy Chickens
Thursday, Sept. 24 from 5:00-6:30pm
Learn everything you need to know about chickens from coops to different chicken breeds. Class is best suited for ages 15+. Click here for details and registration.

Annual Harvest Fair & Feast
Sunday, Oct. 4 — Fair from 1:30-4:30pm, Feast from 4:30–6:30pm
The Fair will feature lawn games, pumpkin painting, family games, barrel train rides, a meet and greet with the Codman educational animals, a Rooster Run, and more. Stay for the Feast with a BBQ dinner and live music. Preorder required for the feast; click here for more information and registration.

Pie Dough Workshops
Tuesday Nov. 10 from 5:00-7:00pm
Wednesday, Nov. 11 from 5:00-7:00pm
Learn how to make a flaky, all-purpose pie dough perfect for Thanksgiving pies, quiches, and galettes. The farm chef will guide you through mixing, rolling, and shaping techniques, and you’ll take home dough ready for your freezer. We’ll end the evening by sharing freshly baked seasonal galettes. Click on a date above to register.

Celebration of life on Oct. 3 for Elizabeth Stewart

Elizabeth Stewart

There will be a celebration of life on Saturday, Oct. 3 at 11:00am at St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church for Elizabeth Gunther Stewart, a pioneer in women’s health who approached her life with humor and curiosity who died on Aug. 20, 2026 at the age of 83 from complications of metastatic breast cancer.

In addition to delivering thousands of babies over decades of obstetric practice, Dr. Stewart was co-founder and director emerita of the Vulvovaginal Service at Harvard Vanguard Medical Associates/Atrius Health in Boston and wrote a popular book on vulvovaginal health. She was assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Harvard Medical School and a staff member of the Beth Israel and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

As a child in Easton, Md., Elizabeth expressed an interest in medicine, so after graduating from St. Catherine’s School in Richmond, Va., and then Johns Hopkins Hospital School of Nursing in 1963, she earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing (magna cum laude) from Boston University in 1966.

That same year, she married Donald More Stewart. They enjoyed 59 years together until his death in 2025, sharing a sense of fun and a love of travel. In the late 1960s and early 1970s, while working as a registered nurse and in nursing education, Elizabeth had three children, Catherine (Kate), Douglas, and Bruce. Her time spent advocating for Kate, who has special needs, deepened her curiosity about medicine. At the age of 35, with three young and very active children, she enrolled in medical school at the George Washington University, where she graduated with distinction in 1981.

With her husband Donald’s continued, steadfast support, she completed her internship and residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Beth Israel Hospital in 1985. She worked as an obstetrician and gynecologist in the Boston area until her retirement in 2017. Although she started her medical career later than many of her fellow physicians, she plunged into it with characteristic energy.

As a clinician, Elizabeth provided care to her patients that they described as life-saving, often having seen many doctors without relief. Their experiences motivated her to write The V Book, A Doctor’s Guide to Complete Vulvovaginal Health, which she wrote for women but is also used as a reference by practicing clinicians worldwide. She sought to make this information more accessible by co-authoring the free, evidence-based, educational website www.vulvovaginaldisorders.org, “A Pathway to Diagnosis and Treatment.”

Elizabeth taught and mentored countless clinicians and worked to empower women throughout her career. She was a fellow of the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease and of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. She was on the board of directors for the National Vulvodynia Association. She frequently lectured on vulvovaginal disease, often using pictures of doorways she had collected from her travels around the world to illustrate the importance of the vulva and vagina.

She was the co-investigator for the first epidemiological study of vulvovaginal pain, funded by the National Institutes of Health. At the time of her death, Elizabeth was continuing to work on a series of online modules consolidating the basic information needed by any gynecologist, dermatologist, internist, pelvic floor physical therapist or advanced practice clinician to care for women living with vulvovaginal problems.

While career was important to Elizabeth, she most cherished spending time with Donald and her family. She was immensely proud of her children and grandchildren and prioritized spending time with them. She was an active member of St. Anne’s-in-the Fields Episcopal Church in Lincoln. After living in Weston for nearly 40 years, she and Donald moved to Carleton-Willard Village in Bedford six years ago.

Elizabeth had a rich and full life for which she was immensely grateful. She loved to cook and took great pride in making homemade dishes for her family not only on weeknights but also as part of elaborate holiday feasts for extended family, reflecting her early inspiration by Julia Child and French cooking. She appreciated a wide variety of cuisine traditions and loved trying new foods with Donald on their travels around the world. Elizabeth had a zest for life, even when it proved challenging, and saw it as a party she didn’t want to leave.

She is survived by her brother, John Terrill Gunther of Davenport, Fla. She is also survived by her daughter Catherine More Stewart (Natick,), and her two sons, Douglas Russell Stewart and his wife Diane Pamela Cordray, Rockville, Md., and Bruce Gardner Stewart and his husband Brian Po-Jen Chuang of Beverly, Mass. Her five grandchildren include Madeleine, Caroline, Henry, Brendan (Wei Wei) and Bryson (Yao Yao). She was predeceased by her sister Deborah Gunther Whitehouse of Palm Harbor, Fla.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the International Society for the Study of Vulvovaginal Disease, P.O. Box 15112, Syracuse, N.Y., 13215, or St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields. Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary.

Waltham day shelter welcomes help from First Parish in Lincoln

Rev. Nate Klug (center), co-minister at the First Parish in Lincoln, with congregants Jonathan Donaldson (left) and Gary Taylor as they prepare to deliver donated clothing to the Community Day Center of Waltham.

A grant from the First Parish in Lincoln is helping the Community Day Center of Waltham (CDCW) create a program designed to keep people housed after they leave homelessness.

The CDCW is a low-barrier, drop-in day shelter for adults experiencing homelessness that offers showers, hot lunches, laundry, clothing, and other necessities while also helping people secure permanent housing. But adjusting to life indoors, managing bills, and rebuilding routines can become barriers to long-term stability without continued support.

The church’s $25,000 Jean Wood Preston Grant will fund the CDCW’s pilot Housing Sustainability Program, which “recognizes that getting someone housed is only half the battle,” said Chloe-Rose Crouch, executive director of the CDCW. “Many people who have spent years surviving on the streets need continued support as they adjust to housing. This funding will help us provide that support through regular home visits, assistance with furnishing apartments and setting up utilities, financial coaching, connections to employment and community resources, and early intervention before small challenges become housing crises.”

The CDCW partnership with the First Parish extends beyond grant funding; volunteers from the church have pitched in for years. After learning that the facility had completely run out of men’s pants (a constant need among guests), congregants organized a collection. “We got so much stuff it was unreal — the response was overwhelming,” said Susan Taylor, one of the volunteers at FPL. They filled an entire truck with donations, and many members went to the CDCW to sort clothing, serve lunch, and chat with the guests. Visits like this give guests a chance to “talk to people and socialize, as opposed to other places where they’re just handing stuff out,” Taylor added.

Applications for 2027 Preston grants will be sent out by the end of October, so email suggestions to fplgiving@gmail.com. To qualify, the core mission of the organization must be to provide services or advocacy such as affordable housing, enrichment programs for youth, health and human services, social justice, disaster relief, and protecting the natural environment.

My Turn: Eighth-graders raise awareness of teen mental health

By Klaudia Teksten and Veronika Sedlak

Our names are Klaudia Teksten and Veronika Sedlak and we are local eighth-graders from Lincoln Public Schools. We are working on our civics action project researching teen suicide prevention. Teen mental health is something that affects more people than we often realize, yet it is not always talked about openly. The suicide rate has increased by 30% in the past two decades and as of now is the third-leading cause of death among those ages 15-29 years old. As students working within this topic, our goal is to help raise awareness and make it easier for teens to get support before their struggles become more serious. 

The leading cause of teen suicide has proven to be depression and anxiety. Many young people experience overwhelming stress, pressure, loneliness, or feelings of hopelessness which can build up over time. These issues can occur from negative self-esteem, having been the victim or witness or violence, having a learning disability, as well as abusive use of alcohol, nicotine, and/or drugs. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, women experience depression and anxiety about twice as much as men due to factors like hormones and pregnancy. Helping teens feel heard and supported can make a meaningful difference in preventing a crisis.

One of the most important things we have learned is that many teens who are struggling do not always ask for help directly. Because of this, it is important for friends, families, teachers, and community members to recognize signs.

Some common signs that a teen may be struggling include noticeable changes in mood or behavior. This could look like becoming more withdrawn, losing interest in activities they once enjoyed, isolating themselves from families and friends, writing good-bye letters, and/or if an individual is talking about suicide. Other signs might include changes in sleep patterns or changes in eating habits. Increased irritability, difficulty focusing, or a sudden drop in school performance can also be warning signs. 

It is also important to pay attention to what people say. Even small comments about feeling hopeless or overwhelmed can be meaningful. While not every sign means something serious is happening, patterns or multiple changes at once are worth noticing. 

Through our project, we have been working to better understand how teens can access support. We spoke with our school counselor to learn about the resources available in our school and how students can get connected to additional help when needed. We also learned about the William James College INTERFACE Referral Service, which provides support outside of school and can be an important step for many students. 

These conversations helped us realize that support systems do exist, but not everyone knows about them or feels comfortable using them. That is why awareness is so important. If more people know what to look out for and how to respond, it becomes easier for teens to get help early on.

So what can you do if you think someone might be struggling?

First, check in with them. This does not have to be a big formal conversation. Simply asking “Are you okay?” can make a huge difference. Listening without judgement is one of the most important things you can do.

Second, encourage them to talk to a trusted adult. This could be a parent, teacher, school counselor, or another trusted adult they feel comfortable with. You do not need to get all the answers; helping them connect to someone who can support them is what matters.

Finally, take concerns seriously. If something feels off, it’s always better to speak up than to stay silent. Looking out for one another is an important part of building a supportive community. 

Our project is not just about learning; it is about making change. By sharing this information, we hope to help our school and Lincoln community become more aware, more supportive, and more prepared to help teens who may be struggling. Everyone has a role to play. Sometimes, noticing small changes and reaching out can make a bigger difference than we realize.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. 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.

Car will collect data on condition of Lincoln roads

You may see an odd-looking vehicle puttering about town as soon as this week. The town has hired Citylogix, which uses a specially outfitted car to assess the conditions of Lincoln’s roads.

The vehicle-mounted sensing technology collects LiDAR/imagery data and 360° imaging technology to measure road defects, such as cracking, bumps, and potholes that will help the town identify and prioritize road repair needs. This initial step is expected to take about a week, but it may be delayed if it rains, said Department of Public Works Superintendent Stephen Olson.

The cost of the survey is $48,580, which includes comprehensive pavement condition data collection for all public roadways and three years of access to the Citylogix asset management software platform. “This platform will provide cost estimates for different paving scenarios, enabling us to analyze various strategies for rehabilitating the roadway network,” he said.

The goal is to use the data to determine the scope of a projected town-wide roadway infrastructure project as well as for short-term goals. The Finance and Capital Planning Committees estimated in March that a town-wide road project would cost about $12 million in FY 2029.

The part of Bedford Road that has gone though two different excavations for new water mains and drainage pipes is scheduled for repaving in spring 2027, Olson said. The soil and temporary patching over a trench in a road needs some time to settle from traffic, often over a winter.

Correction and clarification

  • The May 18 legal notice about a proposed 20-unit housing development at 109 Page Road, 279, 283, and 295 Cambridge Turnpike had an incorrect headline. The Lincoln Squirrel website post’s headline of “Legal notice: Planning Board hearing (Civico)” was correct, but the headline within the body of the notice should have read “TOWN OF LINCOLN PLANNING BOARD — NOTICE FOR DEFINITIVE DEVELOPMENT AND USE PLAN.” The notice has been corrected.
  • The May 18 story headlined “Fate of trees to be announced on June 8” included a final paragraph about an upcoming webinar on trees, but that event is not related to the rest of the story on the removal and/or pruning of roadside trees. It is republished here: 

The Lincoln Tree Preservation Study Group and Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will host a Zoom webinar on Thursday, May 21 from 7:00–8:15pm on “Trees and People Around the World: A Historic Perspective.” Matt Foti of Foti Tree and Landscape in Lexington will share knowledge gained from years of exploring the relationship between trees and people, including the historic significance of some of our own native trees. He’ll also talk about how people’s lives depend on trees for food, protection, fuel, medicine, religion, shelter, and even transportation. Click here to register for the webinar.

Board accepts $1.35 million in donations for community center

At the meeting at which the Select Board accepted to community center donations were (left to right) Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Select Board member Kim Bodnar, Community Center Building Committee co-chair Sarah Chester, Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging chair Rhonda Swain, Patrick Lawler of the FLCOA, Select Board member Jim Hutchinson, Peter von Mertens, donors Faye and Peter Speert of the FLCOA, Select Board member Jennifer Glass, and CCBC co-chair Jonathan Dwyer.

The Select Board on May 11 formally accepted donations totaling $1.345 million in donations to defray the cost of the community center now under construction.

It was the culmination of the previously announced donations of $1 million from the Friends of the Council on Aging and the Odgen Codman Trust ($500,000). The FLCOA donation was jump-started by bequests many years ago from the Pascoe and Hurff families.

The FLCOA also contributed another $345,000 it raised from about 100 private donors, with significant sums from the Desai family and Dilla Tingley and her late husband Fred, as well as the Hammett Ory family and Faye and Peter Speert.

The $1.345 million total was supplemented earlier this month by a donation of $40,000 from Peter von Mertens for a rain garden that had been cut earlier from the project due to cost. 

“This is just the best news I’ve had in a long time, and your generosity is amazing and so welcomed by the town,” Select Board member told the donors at the meeting.