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

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Discussion on surviving domestic violence

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable will host an online discussion of “Covid-19’s Impact on Survivors of Domestic Violence” on Tuesday, May 12 at 3 p.m. on Zoom. To register, go to domesticviolenceroundtable.org.

Social distancing is a necessary strategy for keeping the community safe during this pandemic, but isolation in one’s home is having a profound effect on survivors of domestic violence and their families. This forum will feature representatives of local domestic violence agencies who will address several different situations that survivors might be in right now, including those who may be in controlling or abusive relationships and those who may have left a controlling and abusive partner. Panelists will look at the emotional, psychological, and economic implications of this complex time for survivors of domestic abuse and will answer questions from the online audience..

If you or someone that you care about is a survivor of domestic abuse and would like help or support, all of the local domestic abuse programs in the area are responding to phone calls and emails:

Two online programs from the COA

The Council on Aging invites you to two virtual programs. In “Making Decisions When It Matters Most: Conversations About Health Care Proxy, Five Wishes, and More!” on Wednesday, May 13 at 10 a.m. Mary Crowe and Joan Sullivan of Care Dimensions will discuss the importance of advance care planning and making one’s health care wishes known through the use of Five Wishes and other planning tools. Click here to register and attend.

Residents of all ages are invited to a “Conversation with a Select(man)” on Friday, May 15 at 2 p.m. via Zoom. Join Board of Selectmen Chair Jennifer Glass to get the latest updates, ask your questions, and offer ideas. For information on how to join in, please email her at selectmen@lincolntown.org prior to the meeting.

A stay-at-home Bird-a-thon

Mass Audubon’s Bird-a-thon, which typically sends teams of birders rambling throughout the Commonwealth in a friendly competition to identify the most species in a 24-hour period, is staying at home this year to respect social distancing and will take place Friday to Saturday, May 15–16.

Mass Audubon’s biggest single fundraising event is again expected to attract hundreds of competitors of all abilities, but will be carbon-free, safety-focused, and family-oriented. Participants will select bird observation  spots—a window, backyard, or a green space within short walking or biking distance from their homes. From 6 p.m. on Friday the 15th through 6 p.m. on the 16th, they’ll spend time observing and identifying species from their birding positions, solo or with other household members.

Competitors join teams representing different Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries and programs. Their pledges can be directed to specific wildlife sanctuaries and programs or to the overall organization, the state’s largest nature conservation nonprofit. Participants can also earn points for their team by completing other fun, nature-based activities or as “Bird-a-thon Boosters,” who raise money while birding for fun (or not birding at all).

Last year’s event raised $240,000 and recorded 273 species, with Drumlin Farm garnering $30,850 for its work through the event. Sponsors this year include presenting sponsors Ream Design of Ayer and Camosse Masonry Supply of Worcester, and media sponsor WBUR.

To participate, donate, and to learn more about Bird-a-thon, visit www.massaudubon.org/birdathon.

Covid-19 by the numbers

The Lincoln Squirrel has compiled some charts from Covid-19 data supplied by the state Department of Public Health. Click any chart to enlarge.

Some observations:

  • The New York Times Covid-19 dashboard divides U.S. states into three categories: those where Covid-19 cases are still increasing, those where new cases are slowing, and those where new cases are decreasing. Massachusetts falls into the first category and has the highest cases total of the 22 states in that group. It’s currently #3 in the country (after New York and New Jersey) in total number of cases.
  • Though cases in Massachusetts are still increasing, the rate of increase has slowed considerably since peaking on March 25 and has been averaging about 5% a day for the last two weeks.
  • Lincoln saw a steady rise in cases after public health officials began posting figures on March 21, but there have been no new cases reported since April 25.
  • The state Department of Public Health began publishing town-by-town data on April 16 and is now updating its figures every Wednesday. Among area towns, Lincoln has both the lowest total number of cases and also the lowest prevalence of Covid-19 as a unit of population. Lexington has the highest number of cases as well as the highest prevalence. It also has the largest population and is geographically closest to Boston.
TownPopulation (2010 census)
Lexington33,480
Concord19,323
Sudbury18,940
Bedford14,126
Wayland13,720
Weston12,067
Lincoln6,726

Letter to the editor: COA grateful for donations

To the editor:

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging in response to our appeal here in the Squirrel. We appreciate your generosity! As we are reaching out in many different ways, some of you may receive a postal letter asking for a contribution as well. We didn’t cross-check our mailing list against our list of recent contributors, so if you’ve already donated, just know that we’re grateful and recycle that letter.

Sincerely,

Rhonda Swain
President, Friends of the Lincoln COA

Letter to the editor: thanks from food pantry

The restocked food pantry.

The restocked St. Vincent de Paul food pantry at St. Joseph’s.

To the editor:

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul would like to thank the First Parish in Lincoln’s Community Engagement and Service Task Force under the leadership of Margit Griffith and Sarah Bishop for organizing an amazing food drive. They got the information out, arranged for signup and drop off, and bagged and delivered food. It was a true success.

A special thank-you to the entire town for donating so generously. We received more bags of potatoes, apples, oranges, onions, and sweet potatoes than we can count. In addition, we received a large number of staple items, condiments, and snacks. The grocery bags will be distributed in the next few days, bringing much relief and many smiles. We are also grateful for the many generous monetary donations we have received. 

We are now serving approximately 200 people in Lincoln and Weston. In the coming days, Karen Boyce, our pantry chair, and her team will give out 500 bags of food. And in two weeks we will do it all over again.

If you are in need of food or financial emergency help with payment of bills, please reach out to us. This is a difficult time for many who, through no fault of their own, find themselves in a situation they could never have imagined. It’s hard to ask for help, but we are here to support you! Please call St. Julia office at 781-899-2611 and leave a message for St. Vincent de Paul and someone will call you back. For more information, go to stjulia.org/st-vincent-de-paul-society.

Sincerely,

Ursula Nowak
President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, St. Joseph Conference

News acorns

Virtual Carnival: resource for Lincoln online activities

Lincoln now has its own Virtual Carnival with links to online programs designed to stimulate, educate, support and motivate residents of all ages. The programs by town organizations include:

  • Home-based exercise classes and children’s activities offered by the Parks and Recreation Department
  • Active Aging, Stretch and Flex, and Line Dancing classes for seniors from the Council on Aging
  • Online read-alouds, personalized reading recommendations, and other activities for children and teens from the Lincoln Public Library. Kids who fill out the library’s Book Match form will receive customized lists of books (e-book, audio, and print format) suggestions from the children’s librarians.

Library activities and offerings

  • In lieu of the previously planned six-part seminar about Walt Whitman at the Lincoln Public Library, actor Stephen Collins has made available his one-man show, “Unlaunche’d Voices, an Evening with Walt Whitman,” via online video — click here to watch. Funding provided by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging and The Friends of the Lincoln Public Library.
  • Residents can borrow virtual magazines from the library’s large online collection with hundreds of titles. Browse or search magazines on Overdrive by title, topic, or date added.
  • The library will hold its Friday Morning Book Group via Zoom on Friday, May 8 at 9:30 a.m. Participants will discuss Dutch Girl: Audrey Hepburn and World War II by Robert Matzen. Hepburn participated in the Dutch Resistance, working as a doctor’s assistant during the “Bridge Too Far” Battle of Arnhem, the brutal execution of her uncle, and the ordeal of the Hunger Winter of 1944. Copies of the books are available for download in eBook or audiobook formats. Email lincoln@minlib.netfor assistance and an invitation to the Zoom meeting.

Nature Naturalist Online classes from Drumlin Farm

Drumlin Farm is offering a series of Nature Naturalist Online classes as well as a session on “Learning Bird Song Online” on Thursday, April 30 from 7–9 p.m. Each of the six Nature Naturalist Online program features a Wednesday evening online presentation along with questions and discussion; a week to complete guided outside exploration, observations, gather data, and develop questions; and a second online session for feedback, questions, and discussion. Fees are $25 per program for Mass Audubon members ($30 for nonmembers) or $125 for members for all six programs ($150 for nonmembers).

Program titles and dates are below. To learn more and register, click on one of the session titles, email dfeducation@massaudubon.org, or call 781-259-2220.

Council on Aging newsletter now online

Click here for the May COA newsletter, which includes:

  • Information on Town Meeting and the town elections
  • Greetings and reminders from Tricia McGean, Lincoln’s Public Health Nurse
  • Greetings from the food pantry
  • A Lincoln history trivia quiz by Jack MacLean
  • Practicing self-care
  • Benefits for veterans who are unemployed due to the pandemic
  • Information from the Fire Department on Knox Boxes and for those with special medical needs
  • Hosting virtual family get-togethers
  • News from the Conservation Department

Obituaries

Herbert Wasserman

Herbert Wasserman, 92 (April 19) — He marched behind Rev. Martin Luther King at Selma and could be found many years later on the Lexington Battle Green where, in a tricorn hat, he regaled tourists with tales of Revolutionary War battles. Click here for full obituary.

John W. Earle, 94 (April 17) — A U.S. Army Ranger who served at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge during World War II. Click here for full obituary.

William Reals

William Reals, 94 (April 13) — Fondly remembered at The Commons in Lincoln as “Mr. Bill,” the man with his well-worn tan briefcase always in hand. Click here for full obituary.

Miriam Schaffel

Miriam Schaffel, 95 (April 12) — The longtime resident of Pittsburgh and later The Commons in Lincoln died of Covid-19 in Cambridge. Click here for full obituary.

Elizabeth Whitman, 91 (March 15). Click here for memorial donation information.

Lincolnites reflect on how the pandemic has affected their lives

Earlier this month, the Lincoln Squirrel asked readers to share their thoughts on what’s changed for them since the Covid-19 lockdown began. Here are some of their responses.

One of the dolls that Ellen Morgan kitted out for her granddaughter (click to enlarge).

From Ellen Morgan:

My granddaughter, Dorothy Grubler, lives in Hudson, N.Y. She is four and a half and worried — all her dolls are sick and in bed, and she is short on hospital beds. So I made them all masks and gowns. I sent them to her since I can’t visit.

From Sharon Antia:

I’ve been surprised at how quickly the titles I have on hold through Minuteman Library Network have become available, and then I made the connection. Everyone must be home catching up on their reading so we are all cycling through our reading lists quicker.

I miss my grandchildren.

My house gets dirty a lot quicker when I’m home all day.

I love being home.

It’s hard not to just run into Donelan’s for this or that. I’m not good at planning a week or two’s menu and shopping all at once, and though I happily live off rice and beans, I prefer to have fresh fruits and vegetables to go along with them.

I do not watch the news — well, except I try to catch Governor Cuomo — and I watch “The Tonight Show” the next day on Hulu (OK, this is not the news but it is as close I currently allow myself to news). Other than that I read the Globe and the Times. Watching the news leaves me with a feeling of hopelessness. I miss listening to public radio but refrain for the same reason as above.

Making and distributing masks to family, friends, and neighbors gives me the opportunity to feel like I’m at least doing something to help.

I’ve been taking advantage of yoga classes online, live music, Zoom, and talking to my siblings more than usual.

I subscribed to “In Ayr’s Kitchen” on YouTube. Our neighbor, Ayer Muir, owner of the Clover restaurants, has an almost daily show telling us how to use our pantry items. I either watch him live or the next day. Have made many of his recipes, all with much success.

Tucker Smith has been creating a “Good News” wall in her house along with a bingo card to remind herself and others to look for the good things happening around us in this uncertain time.

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From Jennifer Glass:

Something I’ve really enjoyed is spending time on Lincoln’s trails. We walked from our house to Walden Pond last weekend — something we never took the time to do before now. In addition, it’s been great to get to some of the organizational projects that always fall to the bottom of the to-do list. I also think the garden/yard will get much more attention this year.

Frozen fruit and flour have been harder to find at Donelan’s. We are grateful that Codman has really risen to the occasion and we will continue to be frequent shoppers there even when the restrictions lift.

This is definitely a challenging time for college students who miss being on campus. The work continues to be rigorous, but the experience is not the same. On the other hand, there’s been lots of positive sister time.

I work part-time at the Grasshopper Shop in Concord. I miss being there, interacting with customers and ordering crazy socks. And while it’s convenient to have town-related meetings from home, I do miss the in-person interaction.

Joanna Schmergel took these photos during long walks around Lincoln.

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“Life has changed in tremendous ways,” said David Levington, an independent-living resident at The Commons in Lincoln. No one can have visitors. Staff members take requests and leave meals and groceries outside residents’ doors, and his daughter drops off items for him outside his porch. He ventures out only to walk his dog and drop off bags of trash.

The only thing that compares to the Covid-19 pandemic, Levington said, is the Blizzard of ’78, which happened when he was the superintendent at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. The storm caught the region mostly unprepared, killing dozens, stranding hundreds inside their cars on roads and highways, and paralyzing the Northeast for a week.

“The whole town was shut down, but there was an old civil defense hospital area in the school basement back from the Sputnik days,” Levington recalled. “There were lots of cots; they were thinking of making L-S a refuge, but in the end they didn’t.”

One of his biggest challenges in the immediate aftermath of the blizzard emergency was making sure the off-campus students were safe and could get home. L-S in those days encouraged internships, “alternate semesters,” and other study-away opportunities. “We had a student studying in Montreal who couldn’t get home, one kid interning with the mayor in Philadelphia, and one in a yurt in Colorado,” he said. “The French Club was in Montreal — the teacher had maxed out her credit card and didn’t know what to do.”

As illnesses and deaths mount and restrictions on people’s lives continue for months, the pandemic’s effects will be felt for far longer than a natural disaster. “A blizzard is discrete — it has a beginning and an end,” Levington noted. “This is really not comparable.”

 

Police log for week of April 13, 2020

April 13

Harvest Circle (4:55 a.m.) — Confused party stated he was at a hotel in Concord and needed assistance. Caller ID showed that it was coming from The Commons in Lincoln. Officer responded and spoke with staff, who checked on his well being — everything was fine.

Hilliard Road (3:07 p.m.) — Caller reported that a tree fell on wires and was on fire. Fire Department responded; while en route, caller reported that the limb fell and the fire is now out (click here for more information).

Oakdale Lane (3:33 p.m.) — Report of tree on wires causing a fire and power outage in the area. Fire Department responded and Eversource notified.

Calls about trees or branches down on Moccasin Hill, Codman Road, South Great Road, Bedford Road, Farrar Pond Village, Juniper Ridge Road, Boyce Farm Road, Goose Pond Road, Drumlin Farm, Lincoln Road and Mill Street. Power outage calls from Weston Road, Sandy Pond Road, Giles Road, and Tabor Hill Road, with power also interrupted at the police station, which went to its backup generator.

April 14

Sunnyside Lane (1:36 a.m.) — Caller reported a water leak in the kitchen; stated that she’ll call maintenance in the morning.

Wells Road (1:53 a.m.) — Confused party called the station looking for assistance. Officers responded and everything was fine.

April 15

Airport Road (9:15 a.m.) — Caller requested a check on their parents due to power loss. Officer checked and found smoke in the house due to a fire in the fireplace. Fire Department was contacted to assist.

Lexington Road (10:20 a.m.) — Council on Aging requested a check on the resident. Officer checked and everything was fine, though no phone service due to the storm

Meadowbrook Road (12:22 p.m.) — Officer attempted to serve legal paperwork; no answer at door. (Also on April 15 at 6:21 p.m. and April 16 at 1:07 p.m.)

Woods End Road (12:33 p.m.) — Officer delivered legal paperwork to a resident.

Concord Road (4:27 p.m.) — Caller reported a suspicious-looking party in dark clothing waling in the area. Officer checked and was unable to locate the party.

Hallett Hill Road, Weston — A Weston resident found a dog that was possibly from Lincoln. Dispatch found that it was in fact a dog from Lincoln. The dog’s owner will contact the Weston resident.

April 16

Meadowbrook Road (8:15 p.m.) — Officer delivered legal paperwork to a resident.

Wells Road (11:27 p.m.) — Resident believes someone is running in around in her apartment. Officer responded and everything was fine; contact was made with a family member.

April 17

Lincoln Police Department (9:39 a.m.) — Party found a credit card in the woods. Police attempted to return it to the owner.

April 18

Reports of power outages on Lincoln Road (3:03 a.m.), Old Sudbury Road at Wayland line (3:04 a.m.).

Reports of tree down on wires on Lincoln Road between Ballfield Road and Pierce Hill Road ( 3:56 a.m.)

Brooks Hill Road (9:29 p.m.) — Report of possible gunshots. A teenager from Morningside Lane was setting off fireworks. Officers spoke to parents of the teen.

Bemis Hall (1:47 a.m.) — Office investigated car that was pulled over; driver was using phone.

April 19

Old Lexington Road (3:43 p.m.) — DPW requested assistance closing the road in order to take down a damaged tree.

Trapelo Road (3:52 p.m.) — Caller reported people fishing in the reservoir. Officer responded and moved them along.

Town Meeting decision expected next week

Town officials will make a decision next week about whether to go ahead with a streamlined Annual Town Meeting on May 30 as currently planned.

At their April 20 meeting, the Board of Selectmen indicated they were waiting on word from Gov. Charlie Baker about whether Massachusetts schools would reopen May 4 when his closure order was originally set to expire. But the following day (April 21), he decreed that schools will stay shut for the rest of the academic year due to Covid-19 epidemic.

If an abbreviated Town Meeting is to take place on May 30, officials must commit by May 11 to meet public notice and printing requirements. The board’s next weekly meeting is April 27.

Along with other financial items that can’t be delayed, the Town Meeting will include a vote on whether to spend additional money for items that had to be cut by the School Building Committee (SBC) in February. Before the Covid-19 pandemic upended plans, the SBC identified three lists of items grouped by priority totaling $2.08 million that they hoped to see restored.

One possibility that’s been discussed is postponing a proposed $1.5 million public radio system and use the money for the school instead. Potential budget sources include free cash or the town’s stabilization fund, which currently stands at $2.2 million (this requires a two-thirds majority vote at Town Meeting). More borrowing would require a two-thirds majority at Town Meeting plus a simple majority at the ballot box.

Because of increased expenses and shortfalls in expected revenues, the town is facing a two-year estimated deficit of $600,000–$830,000 for the 2020 and 2021 fiscal years, even after some Covid-related expenses are reimbursed through state and federal grants, Finance Committee Chair Andy Payne told the SBC on April 15.

Guaranteed maximum price approved

The SBC voted last week to approve a guaranteed maximum price (GMP) of $78,324,908. That figure covers hard construction costs plus the construction manager’s contingency as well as insurance and bonds. It also incorporates cuts of $783,162 from items that were on the lists to bring to Town Meeting.

The SBC is awaiting word on the scheduling of Town Meeting before deciding whether to amend its lists of requests. They are scheduled to meet next on May 13. However, the project will proceed regardless of the outcome of the Town Meeting votes.

There was a delay in finalizing the GMP because the town and construction manager Consigli Construction had to negotiate how they would handle any extra expenses incurred as a result of the epidemic. They agreed that Consigli can tap its $1.7 million construction contingency, and if that is exhausted, they can ask for reimbursement of additional expenses totaling no more than $425,000 from the town. Any expenses Consigli identifies as being due to Covid-19 will be submitted for approval to Daedalus (the owner’s project manager) and/or the SBC. 

In March, the SBC signed a power purchase agreement for a 1.4 MW solar photovoltaic system along with a 500 Kw battery backup and gas-fired backup generator that will make the campus net-zero in terms of energy use. SunPower Corp. will provide the solar PV system through a nonprofit solar program organized by PowerOptions, Inc.

One possible bright spot about schools closing for the rest of the year is that the project might be able to start earlier than planned. Work can’t begin until teachers and students leave after the last day of school, which normally isn’t until mid-June.

“The subcontractors are champing at the bit. If school were to be canceled [for the rest of the year], they’re ready and raring to go,” Consigli’s Christian Riordan told the SBC on April 15.