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

Jessica May is the new artistic director at the deCordova

Jessica May

Jessica May has been named to a newly created role as the new managing director of art and exhibitions and artistic director of deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. She succeeds John Ravenal, who had been executive director since 2015.

The announcement was made last month by The Trustees of Reservations, which forged a partnership with the deCordova in 2019 after years of financial difficulties at the institution.

In her new role starting April 12, May will provide the direction and vision for art and exhibitions overall at The Trustees, including serving as chief curator for the deCordova. Additionally, she will manage curatorial work at Fruitlands Museum and oversee the “Art and the Landscape” program, the Trustees’ site-specific commission of new art inspired by their landscapes.

Ravenal was responsible for managing everything at the deCordova, including maintenance to fundraising. “No one can replace John Ravenal — he was amazing,” May said. “I’ll have a really strong partner to be responsible for the operational aspects, and The Trustees has an extraordinary fundraising team. In many ways I’ll be free to be super-focused on the artistic program across the board. I’m hoping we’ll be able to build on the amazing legacy at the deCordova also add some of the strengths that The Trustees offers.”

In 2019, Kord Jablonski was named business director, overseeing the day-to-day operations and management of deCordova including the visitor experience, stewardship and resource care, enterprise, engagement, education, and public programming.

“This is like a dream come true for me,” said May, who has a background in art history and curation and did her doctoral dissertation on Walker Evans. She was previously the deputy director and chief curator at the Portland Museum of Art for eight years.

“One of things I’ve been very touched by in the past few weeks is how deeply the affection for the deCordova is felt all over the place,” May said. “They’ve done such incredible work of telling stories about art both indoors and outdoors. It has such a special place in the history of art in New England. It plays a really important role in the modern museum community as well as in Lincoln, greater Boston and Massachusetts.”

“While we have long been an organization caring for and protecting important cultural sites, only in our recent history have we leveraged the power of contemporary art to engage and excite our audiences and to activate our places,” said Jocelyn Forbush, acting CEO and president of The Trustees. “With the addition of deCordova and Fruitlands, our work has been expanded, and Jessica will ensure that this work will be of the highest curatorial standard.”

Police log for March 27–April 2, 2021

March 27

Scott Circle, Hanscom Air Force Base (2:00 p.m.) — Police received a 911 call from a person reporting that a neighbor was harassing her. Hanscom Security Forces and a Lincoln officer responded. Officers spoke to the party and explained her legal options for a harassment order application.

March 28

Lincoln Road (5:07 p.m.) — Two-car motor vehicle crash; three people transported to Emerson Hospital. Click here for details.

March 29

Hartwell lot, North Great Road (1:02 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot with no one around. Officer made contact with the operator, who had gone for a walk on the trails.

March 30

Virginia Road, Concord (9:16 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance locating a party who was involved in a dispute in their town.

Liberty Lane, Hanscom Air Force Base (2:23 p.m.) — Court paperwork delivered to the resident

Scott Circle (two addresses), 2:40 p.m. and 3:01 p.m. — Court paperwork was delivered to residents.

Indian Camp Lane (4:10 p.m.) — Concord police requested a well-being check on a resident who was supposed to pick up a party in Concord an hour earlier. Officers responded to the house but no one was home. Concord police called back and reported the person arrived at 4:37 p.m. to pick up the party.

Old Concord Road (6:13 p.m.) — A resident called to report receiving multiple scam phone calls.

Minuteman Technical High School (10:16a.m.) — Simple assault. Details were not released as the incident involved a juvenile.

April 1

Twisted Tree Café (2:40 p.m.) — A walk-in to the station reported that a resident got into a verbal disagreement with staff regarding the placement of the tables at the restaurant. An officer spoke to both parties involved.

April 2

Birchwood Lane (8:31 p.m.) — Court paperwork was delivered to the resident.

Overflow parking lot, South Great Road (9:31 p.m.) — An officer checked on a car parked in the lot. Everything was fine.

My Turn: Thanks for election participation and help

By Valerie Fox, Town Clerk

We would like, as always, to thank the many individuals who participated in last Monday’s annual town election, starting first with the 13 individuals who put themselves forward as candidates for public office and the 457 of their fellow citizens who voted.

Voting by mail is certainly successful, as 320 ballots were cast that way. It was a very slow day at the polls, with 137 people voting in person throughout the 12.5-hour day.

We extend our appreciation also to the Department of Public Works, the police officers assigned to the polling place, the Smith School custodial staff and administration, and the following inspectors who checked in, sanitized, and assisted at the polls: Sarah Bishop, Julie Brogan, Gus Browne, Elaine Carroll, Sarah Chester, Tim Christenfeld, Roger Creel, Myra Ferguson, Denis Fox, Chris Hamilton, Jessica Leigh Hester, Kirsten Hopson, Leslie Hunter, Steve Johnson, Rosemary Kerrebrock, Jackie Lenth, Connie Lewis, Eileen McCrory, Andrew Pang, Jonathan Rapaport, Barbara Sampson, Kathleen Sullivan, and Robin Wilkerson. A very special thank-you to Jennie Christenfeld, who assisted at 6:15 a.m. prior to heading into school, returned to cover the office at 11 a.m. after school, and assisted with closing down the election at the end of the day. We are very lucky to have such a phenomenal crew.

”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.

Cat power (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Craig Nicholson grabbed this photo of a bobcat on his property last week.

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Charity saw sharp increase in need for food and financial assistance in 2020

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston has been distributing more and more food and other assistance in recent years — especially in 2020 at the height of Covid-19 pandemic and its accompanying economic disruption, according to data and an annual report provided by the organization.

Fortunately, donations have increased as well, though a shortfall of $7,384 in 2020 was covered by funds in the organization’s treasury, said Ursula Nowak, president of the SVdP of Lincoln and Weston. There were also new sources of income in 2020: a fundraiser walk, the photo projects done by Lincoln resident Corey Nimmer, and donations made by customers of the Codman Community Farms store when they check out.

“I want to give a big shout-out to the Lincoln and Weston communities, Codman Farm, and especially Corey,” Nowak said.

The food pantry is the most visible of the local SVdP Society’s charitable services and receives the bulk of targeted donations, but about 70% of its expenses are for emergency financial assistance to help clients pay for rent, utilities, car repairs, etc.

“If people donate to SVdP without earmarking it for the food pantry, we can use it where it’s needed most (the food pantry or emergency assistance). But if it’s earmarked for the food pantry, we can only use it for that purpose,” Nowak noted.

October 2015October 2019October 2020
Households served at the food pantry196392
Clients served at the food pantry37141226
Bags of food given out62150300
Total expenses (food pantry plus
emergency financial help)		$22,714$50,925$84,484
Donations/grants received$18,498$61,157$77,099

Numbers reflect snapshots for the month of October in each year. October is the start of the fiscal year for the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston.

My Turn: Next steps on Massachusetts’s new climate law

By State Sen. Mike Barrett

Bill signing for the Act Creating a Next-Generation Roadmap for Massachusetts Climate Policy took place in the library of the State House, otherwise empty due to the pandemic.

“I have heard words used to describe this piece of legislation — words such as sweeping, landmark, far-reaching, ambitious, bold and nation-leading,” said Senate President Karen Spilka. “I believe it is all of these things.”
Well put. We’re the first state to keep attention riveted on climate by setting emissions limits every five years instead of every ten. The first state to mandate emissions sublimits on the most important sources of greenhouse gases — transportation, buildings, and electric power. The first state to overhaul the charter of its electric power and natural gas regulator to include, alongside price and system reliability, reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

At the signing, the atmosphere was cordial. Still, peculiar. Why schedule this important ritual — putting the official touch on the most important climate legislation in Massachusetts in over a decade — on a Friday at 2:30? Why issue no invitations to the advocacy organizations, despite the pivotal roles they played? And why did Gov. Baker spend so much time saluting the valuable yet modest energy bills of years past, and so little time celebrating the law he had just signed?

I sense a problem, and I’m uneasy. I hope the governor is not toying with the idea of disregarding legislative intent by means of a pinched reading of the bill. That would not do. Most people could not give a hoot about keeping a scorecard on the legislature and the executive — who’s winning and who’s losing — but they do care about people in power following the law.

The administration needs to get with the program quickly. Next-Gen sets a number of deadlines:

  • On July 1, Gov. Baker will have three new vacancies to fill — green building experts, all — on a reconstituted Board of Building Regulation and Standards, a low-profile entity with enormous sway over energy use in new construction.
  • By July 15, 2021, the administration must set a first-ever greenhouse gas emissions reduction goal for Mass Save, the popular home energy efficiency program.
  • No later than July 1, 2022, the administration must adopt emissions limits and sublimits for the year 2025, together with a “comprehensive, clear and specific” plan for operating within them.
  • By 21 months from now, the administration must develop and promulgate a new “municipal opt-in specialized stretch energy code” that includes “net zero building performance standards” and a definition of “net zero building.”

This last one promises an ongoing battle. It’s no secret the governor vetoed an earlier version of the climate bill on the prodding of builders and developers. Taking note of the increasing urgency of global warming, we responded to the pushback by doubling down on “net zero” in the version of the bill that became law.

My constituents have been instrumental in seeing to it that Massachusetts passed the most ambitious climate bill in the country, which is cause for celebration. Now we need to make sure it gets implemented well.

“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.

Despite recent accident, intersection isn’t among most dangerous in town

A recent car accident in front of the Public Safety Building got a lot of attention and speculation about how to make the intersection safer, but it’s not indicative of a growing number of accidents at that location, police say.

The number of accidents at various sites in town in 2016–2021, according to MassDOT data (click to enlarge).

The two-car crash on March 28 sent three people to the hospital after a driver traveling west on Codman Road ran the stop sign without slowing down and hit a car traveling north on Lincoln Road. The intersection has stop signs for drivers entering the intersection from Codman Road in either direction but not for those on Lincoln Road.

After a spate of accidents in 2017, warming flags and then solar-powered flashing lights were added to the stop signs to make them more visible. Police Chief Kevin Kennedy said he thinks that’s helped reduce the number of accidents there, and data from the state Department of Transportation shows that the intersection is actually the fourth-most dangerous in town in terms of the number of accidents in recent years.

“Any time there’s an accident like that [in a prominent location] and people are transported to the hospital, it’s significant,” Kennedy said. However, given the data, he said he would not advocate for more controls at the intersection at this point, such as four-way stop signs (which could back up rush-hour traffic to the railroad tracks) or a sign indicating that crossing traffic doesn’t stop.

Of the five most accident-prone intersections in town, the most dangerous one by far is Route 2 at Bedford Road, most likely because of the speeds and the fact that the highway is at the crest of a hill. Number two on the list is Lincoln Road at Rte. 117. Traffic islands were built there in summer 2018, and the number of accidents subsequently went down slightly from nine that year to seven in 2019. 

Accidents everywhere in town dropped significantly in 2020 due to fewer cars on the road during the pandemic.

Lincoln car accident data

Intersection20162017201820192020Total for
2016-2020		Total for
2011-2021
Bedford Rd. / Rte. 21142416661125
Lincoln Rd. / Rte. 117869723276
Rte. 117 / Rte. 126655732661
Codman Rd. / Lincoln Rd.573522250
Five Corners612311327

(Source: MassDOT)

My Turn: Many thanks for the Easter baskets

(Editor’s note: see related story about the finances of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston.)

By Tomasina Lucchese

The members of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of Lincoln and Weston (SVdP) are deeply grateful for St. Anne’s in-the-Fields of Lincoln’s brilliant Easter basket project. Led by St. Anne’s parishioner and Weston resident Christy O’Brien, they provided charming homemade Easter baskets for SVdP Food Pantry clients. Adorned with beautifully colored chocolate eggs, marshmallow chicks, stuffed bunny toys, bubbles, games and more, all of our families received quite a hoppy-happy treat!

The idea of donating Easter baskets came to O’Brien while she was buying candy for her own children’s baskets. She acknowledged just how quickly the cost of these items adds up and felt compelled to contact SVdP. She asked, “If I were able to pull together a group of volunteers from church to create and donate baskets, is this something your families would enjoy?” Our answer was, “Certainly!”

Christy O’Brien and daughter Grace Colsman, parishioners from St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Church, prepare beautiful Easter baskets and bags of Easter treats for SVdP Food Pantry families.

Wasting no time, O’Brien launched the initiative enlisting dozens of basket-making volunteers from many of our surrounding towns. The parishioners of St. Anne’s in-the-Fields not only created and donated enough Easter baskets for all the SVdP clients’ homes with children, but they made up bags of candy for each of the remaining households “just so everyone could enjoy an Easter treat,” she said. These beautiful baskets were as diverse as the people who created them.

Because it was the first time Easter baskets were distributed to SVdP clients, everyone was very surprised! Thank you to St. Anne’s in-the-Fields for putting your faith into action this Easter season and spreading so much joy, hope, and love, especially during these trying times. To echo what one of our pantry clients said in response to the Easter basket she was given, “It never fails to amaze me just how generous and thoughtful this community is!”

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.

October 2015October 2019October 2020
Households served at the food pantry196392
Clients served at the food pantry37141226
Bags of food given out62150300
Total expenses (food pantry plus
emergency financial help)		$22,714$50,925$84,484
Donations/grants received$18,498$61,157$77,099

Police log for March 19–26, 2021

March 19

Concord Road (5:35 p.m.) — Wayland police reported a missing elderly party who is know to walk along Route 126 towards Walden Pond. Lincoln officers were checking the area when Way-land police called back and reported the party was safely located in Wayland.

Indian Camp Lane (11:07 p.m.) — Caller reported someone walking their dog in the woods behind their house who felt out of place. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate the party.

March 20

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (9:51 a.m.) — Caller reported a cyclist riding westbound between Tracey’s and the Concord town line. State police notified; an officer checked the area but was una-ble to locate the cyclist.

Deerhaven Road (7:16 p.m.) — Caller reported an overdue elderly party who was supposed to be home hours ago. An officer spoke to the caller and later stopped the individual, who was on his way home. Everything was fine.

Lincoln Cemetery (8:47 p.m.) — An officer checking the cemetery came across a parked vehicle. The officer located two people who were sent on their way.

March 21

Tracey’s Service Station (2:55 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot. The driver was fine and had pulled over due to being tired.

Concord Road (5:06 p.m.) — Maynard police reported a motorcycle had fled from them, last seen on Route 126 headed towards Concord. The Lincoln officer attempted to stop the motorcycle, which fled at a high rate of speed. The officer did not give chase.

March 22

Round Hill Road (1:00 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a “grandparent scam” call. Officers spoke to the reporting party; no compromising information was provided to the scammer.

North Great Road (3:33 p.m.) — Two-car crash on Route 2A. Police and fire department responded. No injuries; vehicles were towed from the scene.

March 23

Sandy Pond Road (1:50 p.m.) — A bicyclist ran the stop sign at the five-way intersection. Warning given.

March 24

Food Project field (12:46 a.m.) — Officer checked on a truck near the field. The vehicle was part of a crew working on the railroad tracks.

March 25

Nothing of note.

March 26

Wells Road (10:31 a.m.) — Court paperwork was delivered to a resident.

Lincoln School (10:48 a.m.) — School staff called police to put on record a verbal confrontation between a person who had parked on school property to gain access to the trails to walk their dog, and a staff member who asked her not to do so while outdoor classes were going on. Det. Ian Spencer followed up with the parties involved.

918 Main St., Tewksbury (4:37 p.m.) — Det. Ian Spencer assisted Tewksbury police with a forensic sketch regarding an investigation of theirs.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (8:18 p.m.) — Officer assisting a Concord officer who had a vehicle pulled over on Route 2.

Tracey’s Service Station (9:02 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the lot. The driver had pulled over to use his cellphone.

Scott Circle, Hanscom Air Force Base (9:46 p.m.) — Officer responded to Hanscom for a disturbance at a residence. Officers assisted Hanscom security forces in quelling the disturbance.

News acorns

Paid summer internships available

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) and the Lincoln Conservation Department are seeking two paid summer interns to work as field assistants. Candidates will support the management of conservation land by controlling invasive species, maintaining trails, and performing various other land use projects. A detailed job description and salary are available here. Application deadline is Friday, April 2.

Garden Club hosts session on Roundup

The Lincoln Garden Club is presenting “Roundup and Alternatives” via Zoom on Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m. The patent has run out in the U.S. and Roundup is outlawed in Europe, but it works. So what are the alternatives and/or the consequences of using Roundup, now sold under a variety of generic names? This public panel presentation features Ed Stockman, cofounder and education director of Regeneration Massachusetts, and Richard Selden, a member of the Lincoln Conservation Commission. Click here to register for this meeting. You will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Help clean up the Lincoln School campus

Come join the community PUTT (Pick Up The Trash) event at the Lincoln School campus on Saturday, April 10 from 10 a.m. – noon. We will provide garbage bags so volunteers can spread out around the campus and pick up litter (socially distanced). Please bring your masks, gloves, sunscreen and water. Reusable items are encouraged! Check in at the Smith parking lot (the red playground) starting at 10 a.m. If the weather is too cold and/or wet, our rain date is the following day (Sunday, April 11). RSVPs are preferred but not required — email puttlincoln@gmail.com or call 978-430-9934. If the weather is iffy, feel free to call or text on Saturday morning to check on the status. Community service credit is available for L-S students. Many thanks to Donelan’s Supermarkets and the Lincoln School PTO for sponsoring the event.

SSEF event to feature Tom Brokaw, Ellen Barry

The Lincoln-based South Sudanese Enrichment for Families invites everyone to “Resilience 2021: A Celebration of the South Sudanese 21 Years in America” on Thursday, April 22 from 7–8 p.m. The celebration will include stories from members of the community, a keynote address by Ellen Barry (New England bureau chief of the New York Times who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for her series of articles on the “Lost Boys”), a tribute from Tom Brokaw (special correspondent for NBC News, who won a National Press Club Award for his reporting on the “Lost Boys”), and the honoring of Melissa MacDonnell, president of Liberty Mutual Foundation. Register for this free Zoom event, and view and bid on items in the silent auction.

Sign up online for hazardous waste drop-off

Residents wishing to participate in one of the hazardous waste collection dates this year must pre-register online here. You can choose any of the eight dates listed, along with a time slot. There is also a place to indicate roughly how much waste you will be bringing. Anyone with questions may call 781-259-2614.