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

News acorns

“Kiss the Ground” film and speaker panel

Registration is now open for a screening of “Kiss the Ground” followed by a speaker panel on Tuesday, Feb. 15 (film starting at 6 p.m., speakers at 7 p.m.). The 2020 documentary narrated by Woody Harrelson looks at a “new, old approach” to farming called regenerative agriculture. The speakers will be:

  • Ryland Englehart, co-founder of Kiss the Ground
  • Mohammad Hannan, owner of Hanna Agro Farms in Lincoln
  • Rachel Neurath, soil microbial ecologist
  • Pete Lowy, manager of Codman Community farms

The film is sponsored by the new Healthy Soils/Livable Future working group that includes members of Codman Community Farms, the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, and Mothers Out Front. Healthy Soils Series workshops will be combination in-person (at Codman Farm) and online in March, April, and May (details TBA). Click here to register for the February 15 event (“Kiss the Ground” can be viewed for free any time from February 12–15). Click here for other Codman Community Farms events.

Senior lunches are back

Dine-in or carry-out lunches for residents age 60+ are back. The first will be on Friday, Feb. 18 from 11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m. Call the Council on Aging & Human Services at 781-259-8811 to sign up (space is limited).

Lincolnite John Lynch in “Puffs”

John Lynch

Lincoln resident John Lynch is in the cast of “Puffs, Or: Seven Increasingly Eventful Years at a Certain School of Magic and Magic (One-Act for Young Wizards)” presented by Theater III in Acton. “Puffs” is written by Matt Cox, directed by Alison Walters-Short, and produced by Linda Minkoff. Performances are February 11, 12, 17, and 18 at 8 p.m. and February 13 at 2 p.m. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets. Masks and proof of vaccination are required for all audience members. All cast and crew members will be tested for Covid-19 prior to each performance (actors will perform unmasked).

Adult ed classes at the high school

Register for a spring class through Lincoln-Sudbury Adult & Community Education. Explore a new hobby, enrich your personal or professional skills, or learn about something new. Go to LSRHS.net/community/Adult_Ed to enroll. Classes are held on various dates but the earliest one begins on March 2.

February vacation activities for kids

The Lincoln Public Library and the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum are offering programs for kids during the upcoming February break.

At the library:

Virtual Family Bingo
Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 6 p.m.
The whole family can play at home as bingo caller extraordinaire Sally Kindleberger reads off the numbers. Registrants will receive printable bingo cards (also available at the library). Limited to 20 families. Email dleopold@minlib.net to register and receive the Zoom invite.

Murder Mystery Party
Wednesday, Feb. 23 at 3 p.m.
The mysterious Mrs. Crimson has committed a thievery spree that affects multiple local characters. Come to the library’s Crimson Hall to figure out her schemes and return her to justice! Sign up to be a character and come prepared to work together to solve the mystery. Designed for children aged 12+. Space is limited; email SFeather@minlib.net to sign up (there will be a second session if demand warrants).

Make the Night Sparkle
Thursday, Feb. 24 at 4 p.m.
Light up the winter night by decorating a lantern, listening to a cozy story, and taking part in a twinkling light parade around the library. For children of all ages. Email dleopold@minlib.net to register.

Vacation Week Boredom Buster Bags
Beginning on February 14, families can fill out a quick form to receive a bag full of librarian-picked books. Your bag will include a variety of books (craft, cooking, game/activity, science experiments, etc.), plus a family movie and read-aloud book. Pickup will be at the library during vacation week. 

Click here to see all children’s activities at the library.

At the deCordova (click on an activity title):

ARTfull February Vacation
February 23-25 from 1–2 p.m.
For children ages 5-12. Aspiring artists will create collages inspired by Jeffrey Gibson’s newest installation featuring giant fringe cubes. $18 non-member adults, free for members and non-member children.

About February Break: ARTfull Vacation Class
February 22-25 from 9:30–11:30 a.m.
Children in grades K-2 can imagine, build, sculpt, and illustrate with tactile art-making materials ranging from fiber to art foam. $128 for members, $160 for non-members.

Clay on the Wheel for Teens
February 23-25 from 1–3 p.m.
Teens in grades 7-12 of any skill level will learn the art of creating with clay on the pottery wheel, from the basics and the purely functional to sculptural throwing exercises. $180 for members, $225 for nonmembers.

Click here to see activities for all ages at the deCordova.

My Turn: Joseph Dwyer running for School Committee

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela

Dear fellow citizens of Lincoln:

Today I write to announce my candidacy for the open seat on the Lincoln School Committee. In a time when our world is changing at an unprecedented rate, providing our children the skills to navigate their way through is more critical than ever. With technology continuing at its ever-increasing pace, the priority of teaching needs to shift from what our kids  learn to how to learn. I argue that focusing on the process of learning and education better equips our youth with the tools they need to succeed in the long term, far outlasting the temporary satisfaction of acing weekly tests.

I have had the good fortune to be a resident of Lincoln past 13 years. At this stage in my life, I have greater bandwidth and a genuine drive to work on behalf of our community. I respectfully ask for your support. I welcome the opportunity to speak further about my vision for Lincoln’s schools and can be contacted directly at jaysp51d@gmail.com or 603-560-1787. Please do not hesitate to reach out.

Special thanks to all the hardy Lincolnites who took the time to sign my nomination papers in this frigid weather. I got many more than needed!

Sincerely,

Joseph Dwyer
6 Emerson Rd
Lincoln, Ma 01773

“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.

My Turn: Doran seeks reelection to L-S School Committee

To the editor:

I am happy to announce that I am running for a second term on the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee. If re-elected, I will continue to serve our school with the energy and enthusiasm needed to ensure Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School remains a place of optimal learning, growth, and development.

My experiences over the past three years have given me valuable insights into the roles and responsibilities of the governing body and how best to support our school. For example, in my first year as a committee member, I chaired the L-S Covid-19 testing subcommittee. Through our hard work and advocacy, L-S was one of the first schools in Massachusetts to offer Covid-19 testing to all its students and staff. As the current L-S School Committee chair, I have led the committee to develop clear goals to ensure our actions align with LS’s values, principles, and purpose.

During this past year, the L-S School Committee has met several core duties of the governing body, such as renewing teacher contracts and updating governing policies. We have also supported in-person learning during the evolving Covid-19 pandemic with actions such as adding the Covid-19 vaccine as a requirement of employment at L-S. We have made progress toward achieving our goals, but there is more work to do.

If re-elected, I have three priorities that I believe are essential for the L-S School Committee to work on:

  • Enhance Student Services. The utmost priority of the L-S School Committee is to ensure L-S meets the academic and social-emotional needs of our students, particularly during the evolving COVID-19 pandemic. This entails continuous monitoring and supporting flexible and responsive programming to serve our students, particularly social-emotional services.
  • Improve our data-driven program monitoring, budgeting, and allocating of resources. Over the next three years, I would like to work with the L-S School Committee and our administration to improve data monitoring at our school. The L-S School Committee needs clear metrics to ensure our programs are responding to the needs of our diverse student body. These metrics will help us determine where we are doing well and where we should be allocating resources.
  • Maintain openness and flexibility. The past two years have taught us to expect the unexpected. Our faculty, staff, and students have shown a tremendous amount of resilience. I will support the L-S School Committee to ensure we are continuously monitoring and updating our policies and protocols to the evolving needs of our students.

If re-elected, I will build on my experience and bring commitment and positive energy to the L-S School Committee. I will strive to ensure we provide access to an environment where our children and students learn and grow. Check out my Facebook page (facebook.com/caraforLSSC) or contact me via email at caraforLSSC@gmail.com for more information about my campaign.

Please vote for Cara Endyke Doran for Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee on March 28, 2022. Thank you.

Cara Endyke Doran
28 Beechwood Ave.
Sudbury, MA 01776

“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.

My Turn: Rajdev declares candidacy for School Committee

Dear neighbors,

I am writing to announce my candidacy for the open position on the Lincoln School Committee, and ask for your support.

My family moved to Lincoln five years ago, and our two young girls (entering third grade and kindergarten) are blossoming in the Lincoln schools. I’ve taken an active role in supporting the schools from the onset, volunteering as a room parent and acting as legal advisor to Lincoln Nursery School as part of the parent co-operative. Through that role I gained experience working through many administrative policies of the school, including Covid-19 policies. The experience of working closely with parents, administrators, and specialists to find the best solutions to keep our children healthy, active, and engaged has been challenging, and I’m excited for the opportunity to serve the community and schools in a more robust way on the Lincoln School Committee.

In addition to school volunteering, I’ve enjoyed getting to know so many talented and committed Lincolnites through my involvement on the boards of Friends of Modern Architecture (FoMA) and Valley Pond. With my professional background as an engineer and attorney, I have had many opportunities to analyze challenging issues, reach consensus across a broad group of interests, and communicate the outcome.

If elected, I will use independent critical judgment to help carry forward the strategic priorities of the schools, and ensure that the policies, procedures, and budget support these objectives. I believe now more than ever, we need to work to overcome the deep divisions that are being exacerbated by social media and allow kindness and understanding help us reach decisions that will benefit all of the children our schools serve. These issues are top of mind for me as I watch my young girls grow up in the community, and I can think of no better use of my time to support our school system in any way I can.

Lastly, I would like to thank the current School Committee for all their efforts in making the Lincoln schools the wonderful places they are, and for the extraordinary efforts to steer us through the pandemic the past two years.

Thank you for this opportunity to introduce myself, and I hope that you will support me in the town election on March 28th.

Sincerely,

Kimberly Rajdev
18 Moccasin Hill Rd.

“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.

Lincoln’s Covid-19 cases plummet as fast as they shot up

A graph showing Lincoln’s weekly Covid-19 cases since October 2020 (click to enlarge).

In late December and January, Lincoln had more Covid-19 cases by far than at any other time in the pandemic — but the latest weekly results shows the spike has fallen off just as fast.

Before the omicron surge, the most cases that the town saw in a week were 15 in late December 2020. Suddenly just before Christmas 2021, cases started numbering in the dozens. But then in late January, they suddenly drooped to the high 20s — and then in the week ending February 3, only three.

Graphs showing Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths in Massachusetts since January 2020 (click to enlarge). Source: Mass. Department of Public Health

The numbers reflect only lab-confirmed PCR tests reported to health officials; they don’t account for antigen (rapid) lab tests or home antigen tests. Still, the steep decrease reflects the statewide trend, “and other towns are following suit,” Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean said. “All in all, we’re definitely moving in the right direction.”

Questions and pushback aired on multifamily housing guidelines

One thing is clear after a pair of informational sessions this week: by order of the state, some type of multifamily housing will be permitted by right in South Lincoln some day. Still to be determined is how dense that housing might be — and what will happen if it fails to comply with the new state rules.

The Housing Choice Act will “have a significant impact on the town, whether we choose to comply or not,” Planning Board Chair Margaret Olson said at a joint meeting with the Select Board on January 31. 

The Housing Choice Act asks that Lincoln and other designated MBTA communities amend their zoning to allow 750 units of multifamily units within half a mile of an MBTA stop or lose eligibility for three categories of state grants. Lincoln has not received grants from any of those programs (though other area towns have received millions from one of them in recent years), but a state official on Wednesday indicated that noncomplying towns would have lower priority for other state grants as well.

“All [state grant programs] are discretionary and oversubscribed,” said Mike Kennealy, Secretary of Housing and Economic Development, during a February 1 Zoom session with dozens of officials and residents from eastern Massachusetts towns. “We may want to fund more for communities that are trying to get housing done. There’s a lot of discretion about what gets funded and what doesn’t.”

  • Slides from the January 12 and February 1 state webinars
  • Slides from the January 31 Select Board/Planning Board/SLPAC meeting downloadable from this page 

Kennealy and two other state officials began the hourlong session by recapping their presentation at a January 12 webinar. They explained that the final rules will have more flexibility than the draft guidelines that were issued in early January.

For example, the 50 acres in the multifamily zone needn’t be contiguous, said Chris Kluchman, Deputy Director of the Community Services Division in the state Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD). There will also be some flexibility for towns that don’t have 50 acres of buildable land within the prescribed radius because of wetlands, obstructing physical features, or issues with water supply or Title V septic regulations, though a future developer could be required to provide wastewater treatment facilities if necessary, she said.

One of the attendees at the February 1 session noted that more than 40 MBTA stations are not currently ADA-compliant and asked how that situation would be rectified for communities that are subject to the Housing Choice Act zoning rules. That event was co-hosted by MAGIC (Minuteman Advisory Group on Interlocal Coordination) and the MetroWest Regional Collaborative.

“We are working closely with the MBTA and MassDOT,” Kluchman said. “I’ll take that as a comment.”

Lincoln attendees raised another issue: the documents issued by the state show Lincoln as a bus community by virtue of having an MBTA bus stop at Hanscom Field. However, Lincoln obviously has an MBTA train station in South Lincoln as well, and the timelines for the two types of communities are different. Bus towns must submit a proposed action plan and timelines for studies by March 31, 2022 and have new zoning rules adopted by Dec. 31, 2023, whereas the deadlines are July 1, 2022 and Dec. 31, 2024 for commuter rail towns.

The state guidelines assign MBTA communities to one of four service categories from highest to lowest: subway or light rail, bus, commuter rail, and “adjacent” (meaning the town has no MBTA service but there’s a stop in a neighboring community within half a mile of the town border).

“If you’re within a half mile of the highest service category, that’s what category you’re in,” said Clark Ziegler, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, said at the MAGIC/MetroWest session.

“This is where our designation as a bus service community is a problem,” Olson said. With a Planning Department staff of two, “this is actually a very tight deadline for the town to come to an informed conclusion.”

Olson and the state officials reminded everyone that the new guidelines do not require actual housing construction. “It does not force anybody to do anything at all. It simply says that property owners have the right” to build multifamily housing without needing a special permit,” she said. “For actual housing, someone has to sell, someone has to buy, and someone has to build.”

Multifamily housing will take years if not decades to appear in the affected towns. “Zoning is a long-term play; it’s not like flipping a switch,” Kluchman said.

Even so, given the burden that hundreds more residents will eventually place on schools, the town water supply and other services, “it might be cheaper to pay for stuff ourselves” and forego state grants in order to avoid state-mandated housing densities, resident Sara Mattes mused.

“We need to organize with other small towns to speak with a single voice about the inequity of how this legislation is drafted for small towns,” said Gary Taylor, chair of the South Lincoln Planning and Advisory Committee, said at the Select Board/Planning Board meeting.

“As a town, we have to figure out what our strongest message is,” Select Board member Jennifer Glass said. But given the fact that Lincoln has already been exploring how to allow more commercial and residential development in South Lincoln, “it’s also an opportunity for us to really stretch our thinking about what does this mean and how can we do some thoughtful planning. Sometimes the best thinking is when you’re kind of pushed to have to do it.”

When all is said and done, “it might not be 750 [units], but there will be a number that the state expects and a number we should probably expect of ourselves,” said Select Board member J.D. Dwyer.

Officials from MBTA communities are required to submit an online form by May 2 that asks for town information and verifies that the draft guidelines have been presented to their Select Board. Other stakeholders and residents may also offer feedback via this comment form by March 31

Police log for January 24–30, 2022

January 24

Lincoln School (4:28 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked at the school that belonged to a construction worker at the site.

Wells Road (3:54 p.m.) — Lincoln School called reporting that a child wasn’t picked up at school. Officers made contact with the parent, who was en route to the school.

January 25

Trapelo Road (4:09 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported receiving a suspicious package in the mail.

Battle Road Farm (5:17 p.m.) — Caller reported a person on Old Bedford Road waving their arms next to a vehicle. Officers responded but the party and vehicle were gone on arrival.

Old Sudbury Road (10:18 p.m.) — Report of a possible disabled vehicle near the railroad crossing. An officer checked on the party; they were on their way.

January 26

Nothing of note.

January 27

North Great Road (7:49 a.m.) — Minor two-car motor vehicle crash at Hanscom Drive; no injuries. An officer assisted parties in exchanging information.

January 28

Wheeler Road (5:39 a.m.) — Caller reported seeing blue lights reflecting in the residence and asked if the police were looking for them. The lights may have been from Route 2. An officer checked the area and advised the party that police were not looking to speak to them.

Ent Road, Hanscom AFB (4:49 p.m.) — Police assisted a party regarding a civil matter who was gathering belongings at a residence.

Horses Crossing (8:30 p.m.) — DPW reporting a vehicle was parked on the roadway that would hamper plowing operations. Officer spoke to the owner and advised them not to park in the No Parking zone.

January 29

Deer Run Road (12:10 p.m.) — Party requesting a well-being check on their parent. Party checked out OK; Fire Department assisted with getting phone service restored.

Codman Road (5:19 p.m.) — Two vehicles were parked in the middle of the road during the storm. Officer spoke with the owners and asked to move them back onto their property.

January 30

Hanscom Drive (1:56 p.m.) — Caller reported locking their keys in the vehicle with the vehicle running. Fire Department responded to assist.

North Great Road (6:24 p.m.) — Car skidded off the roadway. No injuries; vehicle was towed from the scene.

Bedford Lane (9:56 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle was parked at the cul de sac. An officer checked; the parties were OK and on their way.

News acorns

Ms. G the groundhog at Climate Action Day on Feb. 2

Climate Action Day, featuring “Ms. G,” the Official Groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, returns as a virtual event at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary with a new focus on climate science and weather on Wednesday, Feb. 2 at 10 a.m. on Facebook Live (@massaudubondrumlinfarm). Climate Action Day 2022 will include a livestream view of Ms. G’s weather “forecast,” along with insights into how New England wildlife survive the winter and information about how the changing climate impacts their habitat. 

This year’s virtual gathering will be co-hosted by Mass Audubon President David O’Neill and Renata Pomponi, Senior Regional Director. “Our warming planet is the most pressing environmental threat of our time,” O’Neill said. “A huge focus of our work, from the programs run at our wildlife sanctuaries, to our land conservation and restoration priorities, and our advocacy on Beacon Hill, is on addressing climate change.

Zoom forum on electric vehicles

The Lincoln Green Energy Committee (GEC) and the Green Energy Consumers Alliance are hosting an electric vehicle Zoom presentation as part of the GEC’s EV 2022 campaign. There will be a question and answer period at the end of the Zoom. This event will be on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at noon. Click here to register and get the Zoom link. Learn more about EVs on this GEC page or this GECA page.

Event features loved ones of domestic violence survivors

“If I Had Known Then What I Know Now” will be presented via Zoom by the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable on Tuesday, Feb. 8 at 3 p.m. Loved ones of domestic violence survivors will talk about the signs they missed, the knowledge they lacked, and what they’ve leaned that helps the better recognize signs of abuse in relationships today. Click here to register.

Talk by Trayvon Martin’s mother

Sybrina Fulton

The Friends of the Lincoln Library present “An Evening with Sybrina Fulton, Mother of Trayvon Martin: Cultivating Justice Toward Racial Equality” via Zoom on Thursday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. Since the death of her 17-year-old son Trayvon, Fulton has become a role model to many by turning her grief into advocacy.  Her book co-authored with Tracy Martin, Rest in Power: The Enduring Life of Trayvon Martin, shares the intimate story of a tragically foreshortened life and the rise of a movement that awoke a nation’s conscience. Her February 24 topics include “We Are All Trayvon” and “From Pain to Purpose: The Time is Now to Own Democracy.” Click here for more information and registration.

Property sales in December

42 Bypass Rd. — Hanhphuong Vo to Bal Mukund Dhar and Jasmine Dhar for $1,005,000 (December 23)

51 Greenridge Lane — David Cancian to David Cancian for $520,000 (December 9)

104 Lincoln Rd. — Diana Barnes Blood Trust to Juan Pablo Ugarte and Lisette Silva-Sanchez for $1,050,000 (December 6)

31 Conant Rd. — Charles E. Morneau Trust to Vijay Somandepalli and Carly Park for $2,050,000 (December 2)

108 Concord Rd. — Maureen Masterson to Thomas E. and Alison B. Masterson for $930,000 (December 2)

47 Birchwood Lane — Paul A. Mangini to Lawrence I. Ecjler and Carol L. Domblewski for $850,000 (December 1)

6 Reiling Pond Rd. — She Ling Wang to Sajal Swaroop and Arpita Akhouri Swaroop for $1,790,001 (December 1)

News acorns

Young graduates from firefighter management program

Sherborn Fire Chief Zachary Ward, Wayland Assistant Fire Chief Richard Ripley, and Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young on graduation day.

Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young was one of 34 fire officers to graduate from the state Chief Fire Officer Management Training Program on January 27.

The 13-week program was delivered jointly by the Edward J. Collins Jr. Center for Public Management at UMass Boston and the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy. The most recent graduates hail from 33 communities. Last week’s graduates were the first to deliver their final research papers virtually,

The program helps high-level fire officers improve their ability to lead and manage their departments. Participants learn about personal leadership styles, municipal finance, planning and budgeting, public information, behavioral health, contemporary legal issues, fire mobilization, executive leadership, intergovernmental relations, ethics and logic, human resources management, public speaking, and executive communications.

Two special events from COA&HS

The Council on Aging & Human Services is hosting two events online:

Martha Lufkin’s Humorous Collections
Friday, Feb. 11 at 1 p.m.
Hear award-winning humor writer, art law journalist, and lawyer Martha Lufkin of Lincoln read from her latest book of newspaper humor columns tackling everything from the Lincoln dump to the local schools to backtalk from teens, travel mishaps in Paris, and more. Martha will talk about her years writing for the Lincoln Journal, and her mother’s work as editor from 1957-1971 of the Fence Viewer, Lincoln’s former newspaper. All are welcome to join the event via Zoom; email gagnea@lincolntown.org to sign up.

From Abolition to Civil Rights: American Music History
Friday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m.
John Clark and his Great American Music experience will begin a travelogue along the road to freedom that begins in the days of the Underground Railroad. After the Civil War, the Fisk Jubilee Singers (1870s) and Bert Williams (early 1900s) represent an affirmation of the proud heritage of African-Americans. In the early 20th century, the first freedom anthems emerged. Email gagnea@lincolntown.org to sign up (Zoom link will be sent out on February 24).

Library hosts “An Evening With Author Margaret Spence”

Author Margaret Spence will speak about her latest novel Joyous Lies via Zoom on Tuesday, Feb. 15 at 7 p.m. Maelle Woolley, a shy botanist, prefers plants to people because they don’t suddenly disappear. Joyous Lies is a tale of family secrets straining the bonds of family love and lost ideals. Spence, a native of Australia, moved to the U.S. and earned a master’s degree in journalism. Her first novel Lipstick on the Strawberry was published in 2017. Click here to join the Zoom event (meeting ID: 870 9303 4809; passcode: 227284).