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

Lincoln’s affordable accessory apartment program OK’d by state

(Editor’s note: This story was originally published on or about Feb. 13, 2021 but was lost after a website outage and later recovered. The paragraph on loan terms was updated on March 1, 2021.)

Lincoln’s plan to offer tax rebates and loans to residents who create affordable accessory apartments on their property has finally won approval from the state, though the local Housing Commission must now review details of the program, which was formulated four years ago.

Residents voted to approve the Affordable Accessory Apartment program (AAA) in 2017 pending eventual state authorization. The legislature passed H.2645 in January and Gov. Baker signed it into law shortly thereafter. At the time, the goal of the program was threefold:

  • To ensure Lincoln’s SHI (subsidized housing inventory) remained above the state-required ratio of 10% of the town’s entire housing stock so as to avoid a 40B housing development
  • To encourage the development of scattered affordable housing units throughout the town, as opposed to concentrating them in one or two large projects
  • To provide a way for those with unused living space in their homes to earn income from that space, and to reduce their property tax burden

The recent opening of Oriole Landing has obviated the first need, “but the other two are still relevant, and are of even greater importance now than when the program was first developed,” Housing Commission Chair Allen Vander Meulen said. The state’s official SHI for Lincoln is 14% since the opening of Oriole Landing and is expected to be about 12.5% once the 2020 census figures and other variables are factored in, he added.

As approved in 2017, the AAA program also offers an unrestricted “loan” of $25,000 from the town. Ten percent of the original balance is forgiven each year, resulting in a zero balance after 10 years. The loan would be secured by a lien on the property but would not be contingent on the homeowner’s income. Any unpaid balance would have to be repaid if and when a homeowner stops participating in the AAA program.

To qualify, each affordable accessory apartment must have a separate entrance and off-street parking, and must not exceed 1,200 square feet or 35 percent of the home’s square footage. After receiving a special permit from the Zoning Board of Appeals, landlords would have to select tenants from a waiting list of those who applied to the town and have certain income limits.

“Given the four-year gap in time since the town approved it, we need to determine what if anything needs to change for the program to conform to the legal and economic situation we as a town are in today, and to ensure that the program is implemented in a way that is sensitive to the concerns and challenges of those of us who live here in Lincoln,” Vander Meulen said.

“I imagine getting the AAA program up and running will require coordination and perhaps approval from several town governing bodies and offices, so it will likely take some time to ‘get there’.

“I would like to extend our gratitude to State Rep. Tom Stanley, who has diligently worked for years to get this rebate past the various legislative roadblocks it faced until it was finally approved, and to Pam Gallup, who did the lion’s share of the work needed to develop the program and then get it approved at Town Meeting,” he added.

Police log for Feb. 6–12, 2021

February 6

Old Concord Road (2:05 p.m.) — Caller reported vehicles parked on both side of the road causing a traffic hazard. Parking citations issued.

February 7

Weston Road (2:46 p.m.) — Caller reported that their vehicle was struck by a snowplow. Officer responded and cited the snowplow driver. No injuries.

South Great Road (2:51 p.m.) — Car struck wooden pylons on Rte. 117 near Bowles Terrace. No injuries

Weston Road (3:13 p.m.) — Officer conducted a follow up to previous Weston Road crash and found that the snowplow driver’s license was suspended. A criminal citation was issued.

Tower Road (10:29 p.m.) — Two callers reported fireworks going off in the area. Officer checked the area; nothing found.

Trapelo Road (10:56 p.m.) — Report of a two-car crash. Officers located the crash requested 2 vehicles to be towed. No injuries. Report taken

February 8

Harvest Circle (2:24 p.m.) — A person reported parking their car at 2 Harvest Circle and later noticed new damage to the vehicle. Damage is very minor; officer assisted the party and advised them to file report with their insurance company.

Paul Revere lot, North Great Road (7:30 p.m.) — Officer checked on a party parked in the parking lot. They had stopped to get directions.

North Great Road (7:46 p.m.) — Officer stopped a vehicle and found that registration plates were illegally attached. The vehicle was towed and the driver was issued a criminal citation.

February 9

North Great Road (4:25 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in looking for a party who ran away from his parents. Officers responded to the National Park area to look for the party and Fire Department assisted with its ATV. The party was located at 5:40 p.m. in Concord at the town line.

South Great Road (4:45 p.m.) — Caller reported he slid into a telephone pole on Rte. 117. Minor damage reported, no injuries. Party was able to drive away from the scene.

February 10

Wells Road (9:12 a.m.) — Property manager reported a vehicle parked on the property by an unknown person who doesn’t reside there. Officer responded; owner of the vehicle removed the car from the property

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (10:11 a.m.) — Caller reported sliding into the snowbank in her driveway; requested an officer to assist because she was concerned she’ll slide onto Rte. 2. Officer assisted the party.

School Street, Acton (6:12 p.m.) — Acton Fire Department requesting an engine to cover as they had a fire in town.

Old Bedford Road (6:58 p.m.) — Caller reported that a person just jumped in front of her car while on Old Bedford Road near Virginia Road. Officers checked the area along with Concord police but were unable to locate anyone.

February 11

Lincoln North office building (3:01 a.m.) — Officer set traffic pattern equipment for the upcoming Covid-19 vaccine clinic.

Concord Road (8:25 a.m.) — Two-car crash near Baker Farm Road. Three people transported to Emerson Hospital with injuries, two vehicles towed.

Minuteman Technical High School (9:16 a.m.) — Construction worker struck a gas line while digging on site. National Grid notified along with Fire Department.

Huckleberry Hill (8:11 p.m.) — Caller reported receiving a call from a scammer. No money or personal information given.

February 12

Concord Road (8:14 a.m.) — A car crashed into the woods. The driver was evaluated by the Fire Department; no injuries. A tow truck pulled the car out of the woods. 

Spruce Hill Road, Weston (11:06 a.m.) — Fir Department ambulance responded for a medical emergency.

Bedford Road (11:06 a.m.) — Crash involving a postal truck and an oil truck. No injuries, minor damage.

News acorns

Library offers Boredom Buster Book Bundles, bingo, upcycling

Are you looking to keep your kids entertained this vacation week? We’ve got you covered! Fill out this quick form and you’ll get a bag of librarian-picked books. Your bag will include a variety of books: craft, cooking, game/activity, science experiment, plus a family movie and a read-aloud book. To help the library accommodate as many families as possible, we’ve packed these bags to have something for all ages. Pickup will be at the library starting Tuesday, Feb. 16. 

On Monday, Feb. 15 at 6 p.m., join in an evening of bingo for children of all ages with everybody’s favorite bingo caller, Sally K. The whole family can play at home over Zoom. Registrants will receive a printable bingo card, and there will be prizes awarded. Email dleopold@minlib.net to register and receive the Zoom link.

On Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 2 p.m., librarian Sarah will host a virtual combination craft/upcycling program, using old CD cases to make cool CD case gardens. Bryn Gingrich from the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will discuss recycling in Lincoln, and share other upcycling ideas. Intended for ages 5+ — please email sfeather@minlib.net to register. and get the Zoom link. Craft supplies will be available in the library vestibule.

Drive-through ice cream sundaes for seniors and grandkids

The Council on Aging invites seniors, grandparents and grandchildren to an intergenerational drive-up ice cream sundae cup event on Tuesday, Feb. 16 in the parking lot of the First Parish Church. Please help stagger arrivals by coming at the time that corresponds to your last name (A–G, arrive from 12-12:45 p.m.; H–R, arrive from 12:45-1:30 p.m.; S–Z, arrive from 1:30-2 p.m.).

Lincoln author event on Feb. 22

Join award-winning producer, film composer, and author Ruth Mendelson of Lincoln to discuss her new book, “The Water Tree Way,” on Monday, Feb. 22 at noon. The main character Jai (pronounced “Jay”), filled with spunk, stealth and blazing courage, leaves everything she’s known to embark on a journey that would be hair-raising for anyone. A 240-page children’s book intended for readers of all ages, the story exalts the triumph of the human spirit as experienced by a girl who can be none other than her unabashed self. To learn more and read reviews, including Jane Goodall’s video endorsement, visit www.TheWaterTreeWay.com. Please call the COA 781-259-8811, if you would like to pick up an author’s copy of the book (there are a limited number of copies). Click here for the Zoom link.

Event explores healthy masculinity

Rickie Houston

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable is presenting “A Call to Families: Discussing Healthy Masculinity with Young People” on Tuesday, March 9 from 7–8:30 p.m. The keynote speaker is Rickie Houston, director of training for A Call to Men, an organization that works to transform society by promoting healthy, respectful manhood. Houston, a U.S. Army veteran, is pastor of a church in North Carolina, has worked to end violence against women in West Africa and has also worked with professional athletes. He’ll speak about the importance of boys being able to show their emotions and the significance of teaching them about healthy masculinity at an early age. Breakout sessions will run after his talk.

To register for the event, click here. For more information, call Sue Rushfirth at 978-443-0782, email infodvrt@gmail.com, or visit www.domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Lincoln’s first Covid-19 vaccination clinic goes swimmingly

By Maureen Belt

A premiere office suite in North Lincoln, empty for months because of Covid-19, was transformed last week into a clinic that distributed not only the Moderna vaccine, but doses of hope and freedom to dozens of Lincoln seniors — many of whom have had their social and personal lives halted because of the virus. 

Nearly 100 senior citizens, the oldest aged 98, and other high-risk residents were injected with the first round of the two-dose vaccine on February 11 at the Lincoln North office building at 55 Old Bedford Rd. Their follow-up shots are scheduled for March 11.

Rob Todd, a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, was the first Lincolnite to be vaccinated at the town clinic, which Council on Aging Director Abby Butt (right) and teammates helped organize.

The clinic, which ran with the precision of a Swiss watch, was the result of strategic planning by Lincoln’s public health team: Board of Health member Trish Miller, Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean, Council on Aging Director Abigail Butt, Assistant Town Administrator Dan Pereira, Town Administrator Tim Higgins, Fire Chief Brian Young, and Lt. Sean Kennedy and Det. Ian Spencer of the Lincoln Police Department.

The team handled all logistics — communicating with the DPH, finding a space for the clinic, organizing volunteers, and ensuring all recipients were safely transported from their homes to the clinic. Lincoln resident Larry Smith of Cranberry Hill Associates, Inc., which manages Lincoln North, donated use of the space.

Initially, said Young, Lincoln expected to receive 2,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine from the state Department of Public Health (DPH), so a weeklong clinic from 8 a.m.–4 p.m. was planned with the hopes of inoculating the same number of residents. Nearly 100 volunteers were on board, clinicians were hired, and several hundred empty square feet of office space with ample parking were secured. 

Then, just after 5 p.m. on February 5, Young learned that the DPH was reducing Lincoln’s number of shots to 100. “They switched courses,” he said. “That’s fine. We said we’ll take what we can get and we will start with the most at-risk residents.”

Miller said Lincoln was fortunate to receive even a reduced number, as many surrounding communities did not get any. The goal, she said, “was to get as many shots into as many arms as we could.”

Mission accomplished.

Longtime COA volunteer Harold McAleer gets his Covid-19 shot.

The atmosphere was convivial — more like a neighborhood block party than a medical clinic —with residents cheerfully greeting their masked, socially distanced friends and commenting on how nice it was to see each other after nearly a year of not being out and about.

“It’s been a terrific team effort, and it’s had its challenges with the laws and the regulations changing,” said Mr. Higgins. “I’m thrilled that the team was able to put the clinic on for the town.”

Having a local clinic, Mr. Higgins said, is especially crucial to Lincoln’s vulnerable residents who would have a hard time getting to and from clinics in “mega-sites” such as Gillette Stadium and Fenway Park — not just once, but twice. 

“Here, they’re familiar with the people in the clinic,” he said. “They have good relationships. It has a nice, small-town feel to it.”

The group unanimously decided residents 85 years old and over would get first dibs. A call center was organized so residents could book appointments without needing to use a computer.

“Abby was very helpful. She has great relationships with the older folks,” Miller said, adding Butt also identified the seniors who needed to be inoculated in their homes and rounded up volunteers to transport seniors to and from the clinic.

Holding clinics routinely is the goal, but this will depend on the weekly supply of vaccine from the state. A clinic was temporarily planned for Thursday, Feb. 18 for residents 75 and older, but Pereira said on February 13 that the town would not be getting its expected 100 doses for that clinic. The team will keep the town informed about future clinics and volunteer opportunities as well as any other changes.

Obituaries

David McKnight

David McKnight passed away on January 2 at age 57. He worked for DPW and at Stonegate Gardens. Click here for full obituary.

John R. Hester passed away at age 67. He was a 1971 graduate of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional high School. Click here for full obituary.

Police log for Jan. 1–7, 2021

January 1

Carroll School, Baker Bridge Road (10:25 a.m.) — Officer found a door was open and secured it.

Concord-Carlisle High School, Concord (3:19 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in looking for a party in the area of the high school who was involved in a burglary.

Beaver Pond Road (3:46 p.m.) — Fire Department responded for a report of a water main break.

Battle Road Farm (8:29 p.m.) — Resident reported their neighbor was causing a disturbance by banging on the common wall between residences. Police contacted the neighbor and asked them to stop banging.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (10:19 p.m.) — Concord police requested assistance in locating a green pickup truck that was involved in a hit-and-run crash on Route 2 near Emerson Hospital. Officers responded to the area but were unable to locate.

January 2

Conant Road (2:00 p.m.) — A family member requested a well-being check on the resident. Contact was made and everything is fine; they will follow up with the caller.

Hanscom Drive (5:23 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported a motorcycle crash. A Lincoln officer located the party who dropped the motorcycle. No injuries, minor damage to the motorcycle.

January 3

Concord Road (9:55 a.m.) — Caller reported a party walking on the railroad tracks. MBTA tower notified; officers checked the area but were unable to locate.

Birchwood Lane (12:11 p.m.) — Resident turned in a box of ammunition they found and would like to have destroyed.

Concord Road (4:36 p.m.) — Complaint of car illegally parked near Walden Pond. Parking ticket issued.

Blackburnian Road (4:38 p.m.) — Caller reported a suspicious package along the side of the road. Officer responded and found it to be a cement casing, which was removed.

North Great Road (8:37 p.m.) — MassDOT reported a person walking on the roadway and were concerned about them being struck. Officer located the party and brought him to the train station.

Beaver Pond Road 10:00 p.m.) — Caller reported a party over age 12 walked out of the house after being upset. Officer located the party walking back to the residence; everything was fine.

January 4

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:00 p.m.) — Caller reported a vehicle pulled to the side of the roadway with someone on their hands and knees outside the car. Officer checked the area but the car was gone on arrival.

January 5

Lincoln Road (1:40 p.m.) — A Town Hall employee requested a well-being check on a man outside. Officers checked on the party, who was found to have been missing from Watertown for several days. State police had issued a Silver Alert on man. Watertown police were contacted and the officer brought the individual back to his residence in Watertown.

Lincoln Road (2:01 p.m.) — Party reported finding a golden retriever with tags with illegible numbers. The Animal Control Officer came to take the dog.

Old Concord Road (3:58 p.m.) — The owner of the golden retriever called to report it missing. Animal Control contacted the owner and returned the dog.

Bedford Road (4:05 p.m.) — Fire Department assisted a party with a vehicle lockout.

January 6

South Great Road (1:58 a.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the parking lot. The party had pulled over to rest and said they will be on their way shortly.

Moccasin Hill (11:23 a.m.) — Caller reported an outside odor of natural gas. Fire Department reported a slight odor; National Grid was contacted to respond.

January 7

Tabor Hill Road (4:36 p.m.) — Caller reported a chimney fire. Fire Department responded along with Concord firefighters. The fire was extinguished shortly after arrival.

Farrar Road (4:44 p.m.) — Caller reported driving by a house on Farrar Road with fire coming from the second floor. Wayland and Concord Fire Department also responded but found no fire; it was the reflection from a lantern.

Candidates sought for town government; Feb. 8 deadline to file

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Are you willing to undertake new challenges and unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office! Lincoln’s annual town election will take place on Monday, March 29. Nomination papers are now available and must be returned by 5 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 8. Please contact Valerie Fox at foxv@lincolntown.org if you’re interested in running.

Below are the offices that will be on the ballot and residents who have thus far filed papers to run. All seats are for three-year terms. The Cemetery Commission seat is open due to the death of Susan Harding (Lincoln Squirrel, Nov. 2, 2020). Carole Kasper has decided not to run for reelection to the Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School Committee.

Board /CommitteeIncumbentCandidate
Board of AssessorsEdward Morgan
Board of HealthPatricia Miller
Board of SelectmenJennifer GlassJennifer Glass
Cemetery Commission(open)
Commissioner of Trust FundsDonald Collins
Housing CommissionEvan Gorman
LSRHS School CommitteeCarole Kasper
LSRHS School CommitteeEllen Joachim
Parks and Recreation CommitteeSarah Chester
Planning BoardGerald TaylorGerald Taylor
School CommitteeSusan TaylorSusan Taylor
School CommitteePeter Borden
Trustees of Bemis FundMiriam Borden
Water CommissionJim HutchinsonJim Hutchinson

Anonymous emails were leaked by Burney’s daughter, police say

Jennifer Burney in 2016.

After an investigation that included subpoenas to internet service providers, Lincoln police concluded that the adult daughter of a former town official was the one who sent emails that leaked her mother’s formal complaint against the town.

Former Director of Planning and Land Use Jennifer Burney filed a complaint in September accusing Town Administrator Tim Higgins and former Assistant Town Administrator Mary Day of discrimination, harassment, and intimidation. Burney alleged that Higgins and Day had thwarted her efforts to secure time off under the Family and Medical Leave Act and then working remotely so she could care for a family member under 18.

Her complaint, which was not public record, was leaked to LincolnTalk and the Lincoln Squirrel in separate emails from two different fictional email addresses. The LincolnTalk email was spoofed to appear as though it came from someone named “Debra French.” Police determined that a real Lincoln resident named Deborah French had nothing to do with it and subsequently opened an investigation into possible identity fraud and harassment.

In November, the town closed its own investigation into Higgins’s conduct after an independent investigator found that there were no facts to support any of the allegations made against him.

Lincoln police, via the district attorney’s office, issued subpoenas to Comcast and Cox Communications, an internet/cable service provider in Rhode Island, to identify the IP address of the computer that sent the anonymous emails. It transpired that the sender’s home address was that of Tara Atwood, 37, of Newport, R.I. who is Burney’s daughter, according to Chief of Police Kevin Kennedy.

Atwood has confessed to sending the emails, Kennedy said. Debra French was a “fictitious name she came up with… She was appalled that she caused this woman [Deborah French] any distress over it — that was clearly not her intention.” Atwood was not charged with a crime for using French’s name because she did not obtain anything of value by doing so, he said.

To be charged with criminal harassment, a person must commit three separate episodes of harassment against the victim, and Atwood did not do this, Kennedy said. However, “should her behavior continue towards any of the victims here, criminal charges could be filed because she’s been put on notice.”

The victims in the case are Higgins and Day as well as former Assistant Director of Planning and Land Use Paula Vaughn-McKenzie, because Atwood’s emails claimed that she and Higgins were having an extramarital affair — an allegation that Kennedy called “fabricated” and “completely untrue.”

Burney worked for the town from January 2016 until she went on leave last summer and Vaughn-McKenzie was named acting Director of Planning and Land Use. Vaughn-McKenzie has since been appointed to the role permanently.

Kennedy said that Atwood’s motivation for sending the emails was “to make sure the claims in [Burney’s] letter were in fact going to be investigated.” Burney was not aware that Atwood had sent the emails until about a week later, when Atwood admitted it to her mother, he said. “Obviously Jen was very upset at that… Jen clearly did not approve of any of this behavior.”

Right after the emails were sent, Burney denied sending them, saying she considered her complaint addressed to the Planning Board and Board of Selectmen to be confidential.

Neither Burney nor Atwood returned emails from the Lincoln Squirrel seeking comment on Tuesday.

Covid-19 vaccinations begin for Lincoln’s first responders, Commons residents

Lincoln’s police, fire and emergency medical personnel will get their Covid-19 vaccinations starting this Friday at the end of this week as part of a three-day, six-town clinic, and patients in the skilled nursing facility at The Commons have gotten their first vaccines as well.

This marks the start of the three-tiered rollout of vaccines for Massachusetts residents. Under state Department of Health guidelines, emergency first responders and those in congregate care settings such as assisted living are first in line. The rest of the residents at The Commons are expected to get their vaccines in the first week of February, according to Public Health Nurse Tricia McGean.

Phase two will cover seniors, those with co-morbidities, teachers and other school personnel, those working in various public-facing areas such as supermarkets, mass transit and public health. Phase three will cover everyone else and is now expected to start in late February or March, McGean told the Board of Selectmen on January 12.

The town continues planning for a general clinic — once the first two tiers of residents have been vaccinated — to be held on an as-yet-undetermined date at the Lincoln North office building, and officials are recruiting residents to help with the effort. There will be the second of two Zoom meetings for those who are interested in helping out on Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. (send an email to lincolnMRC@lincolntown.org for the Zoom link).

McGean emphasized, however, that the first place residents should call about getting vaccinated is their primary care provider. The state hopes that PCPs and pharmacies will be the primary source of vaccines, though exactly when vaccine doses will arrive is still unclear. The Council on Aging has a list of homebound residents who will be able to get vaccinations at home by a visiting nurse, McGean said. For the general clinic, there will be online signup through PrepMod, a system being used throughout the country for vaccine scheduling and recording that automatically generates an appointment for the second shot 28 days after the first.

Meanwhile, Covid-9 cases continue to climb in Lincoln and almost everywhere else. As of January 12, Lincoln had recorded a total of 128 residents who tested positive for the virus, and 16 of those have been since January 1, McGean said. Thirty-one of the 128 total cases — about half of them just since December — have been at The Commons.

“We expected this rise in cases after the holidays, with people traveling and getting together. Lincoln is not unique,” McGean said.

The virus is now spreading mainly among household members while schools have seen relatively few cases, perhaps because of their strict protocols on masks and social distancing. “The Lincoln School has been amazing,” even compared to other area towns, McGean said. “When they hear that a staff member, teacher or student tests positive, I am notified immediately and I’m on a Google Meet within minutes.” Since the start of the pandemic, the town has recorded only one case in the 0–10 age group.

News acorns

(This post was edited on January 13 to include a link to a movie of the winning marble run.)

Library pickup hours reduced

Due to staffing issues, the Lincoln Public Library, which is now closed to the public, is reducing its contactless pickup hours as of Wednesday, Jan. 13. The new hours are:

  • Monday, Wednesday and Thursday: 1–6 p.m.
  • Tuesday, Friday and Saturday: 1–5 p.m.

Visit the library’s FAQ page for the latest information on changes to services and contactless pickup times. If you have any questions regarding your pickup, the best way to reach the library is via email to lincoln@minlib.net.

Please pick your materials up on the requested day. There is not sufficient staffing at library to handle leftover bags. Also, the library’s elevator is out of service, which is also resulting in a delay processing requests, but it should be fixed by the end of the week.

GearTicks name winner of December STEMtastic Challenge

Devon’s marble run starts at top left, runs down through a hose along the backs of two chairs, then around a cardboard track to another hose, where it emerges to glide over the top of a guitar and down a final pipe before hitting a bell suspended on a string and then a foam backstop. Click image to see a short video of the marble run in action.

Congratulations to 14-year-old Devon, the December winner of the GearTicks STEMtastic Challenges. Devon’s marble run featured unique household objects, and his ingenious use of a guitar in his marble run especially impressed the GearTicks. Click here to see a short video of the marble run in action.

January’s STEMtastic Challenge theme is vehicles. More challenge details can be found here. To access the Lincoln Public Library’s STEMtastic resources, click here
and scroll down. If you have any suggestions for future challenge topics or ways to improve the challenge, please use this Google form. For more information about the GearTicks team, visit www.gearticks.com or email hello@gearticks.com.

Second youth talent show to benefit St. Jude’s Hospital

Plans are in place for a youth talent show on Zoom on Friday, Feb. 12 at 5 p.m. This is the second such event organized by L-S seniors Achla Gandhi and Dasha Trosteanetchi as kids4humanity.org. The first show on December 23 raised more than $2,500 for Save the Children.

St. Jude’s Research Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research facility focused on children’s catastrophic diseases, particularly leukemia and other cancers. The hospital costs about $2.8 million a day to run, but patients are not charged for their care.

“Right now we’re trying to get as many kids involved as possible. We aren’t looking for perfection or child prodigies — just children willing to step up to make our world a little brighter,” Gandhi said. Any kind of talent is welcome as well as any age children (the last show featured performers from 1 to 19). Performances will be pre-recorded and sent to organizers ahead of time to make the process easier for parents with younger children.

To register to perform, email kids4covid.19@gmail.com with names, ages, and talents by Friday, Jan. 29. Donations are always encouraged but none are required to perform or to attend the show — click here to donate. Videos are due by February 5. If you have any questions or would like to see past performances to get a sense of the format — or if your company has a matching program and you’re interested in getting involved — send an email to the same address.

Virtual award presentation for three Lincoln houses

Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln (FoMA) invites everyone to its annual awards ceremony with a presentation on “Updating an Original: Three 20th Century Houses in the 21st Century” on Sunday, Jan. 24 from 4–6 p.m. (click here to watch on Zoom). Meet the award-winning owners and their architects/designers for outstanding renovations that were sensitive to the original house, while maintaining the “character of place” established in their respective neighborhoods. The houses are:

  • 1956 Swanson House, Laurel Drive, original design by Dan Compton and Walter Pierce
  • 1959 Wales House, Moccasin Hill Road, original design by Henry B. Hoover and Walter Hill
  • 1967 Kuhn House, Tower Road, original design by Constantin Pertzoff

For more information, see the FoMA website or email fomalincoln@gmail.com.

There’s still time to apply for energy/fuel assistance

If you spend more than 30% of your income on housing costs (rent, condo fee, mortgage, electricity, heating, property tax, homeowner’s insurance, etc.) and have not yet applied for Lincoln’s Fuel Assistance program, there’s still time. Fuel Assistance is a federally funded program that helps eligible households with energy and/or heating costs during the winter months. Depending on your household income, you may qualify if you own or rent your home, even if heat is included in your rent. The program covers oil, gas, electric, propane, kerosene, and wood. Those approved for Fuel Assistance are also eligible for a discount on utility bills, weatherization for your home, and a program to repair or replace your primary heating system.

To apply for Fuel Assistance, residents of all ages can contact the Council on Aging at 781-259-811 to set up an appointment. They will let you know what documents you’ll need.