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

Gearticks start after-school robotics program for Boston students

By Kevin Ji, Olivia Crisafi, and Prerna Karmacharya

The Lincoln GearTicks robotics team and friends have created a new program to make robotics more accessible to METCO students.

For the past eight years, the GearTicks have organized and mentored First LEGO League (FLL) teams in Lincoln. While planning for the start of the FLL season in Lincoln, the GearTicks noticed that it was difficult for their METCO classmates to participate in the FLL program due to a lack of after-school transportation, so they decided to do something about it.

To bring their idea to life, the GearTicks met with Marika Hamilton, Lincoln’s METCO director, and the METCO Coordinating Committee (MCC). Together, they were eventually able to create a pilot program as one of the activities available during the METCO after-school program from 3–4 p.m. on Tuesdays or Thursdays, when there’s a METCO late bus.

The GearTicks also needed to find mentors willing to coach the METCO teams, and also buy new FLL kits for the kids to use. Two Lincoln School teachers and three residents including Michelle Barnes, MCC’s president, stepped up to coach, and experienced GearTicks will also mentor the students as well. The team partnered with the MCC for registration costs, and the local community also provided support with donated LEGO robot parts.

So far, the program has been a success, with the kids showing a huge amount of interest and enthusiasm in learning about LEGO robotics. Jahnlius, one of the students, said that his favorite part of the program is “the programming, where we do proof of concept.” For Jaiden, his favorite part of robotics is building and making friends. For another one of the students, Deixa, her favorite part was when she “made it work!”

The Lincoln MCC is grateful to the GearTicks and Lincoln parents Alex Appleby, Dawn Palmer, and Christine Pillar for partnering with the team and Hamilton in direct, hands-on support of the first Lincoln METCO FLL team and the exciting problem-solving, teamwork, and enrichment that comes with it.

News acorns

Birches School open house

The Birches School (100 Bedford Rd., Lincoln) will hold its winter admissions open house on Saturday, Jan. 11 from 1–3 p.m. Tour the new campus set on three acres of private woodlands and speak with faculty, parents, and current students about the school’s K-8 program centered on cultivating curiosity, creativity, empathy, and self-reliance. Children are welcome to attend. Click here to register.

Introduction to L-S for middle school parents

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School will host an information session and tour for parents of middle school students on Thursday, Jan. 16 (snow date: Tuesday, Jan. 21) from 6:30-8 p.m. in the high school library. Hosts will include L-S administrators Bella Wong and Virginia Blake as well as L-S veteran parents, who will talk about the school’s academic profile, enrollment projections, median class sizes, student clubs and activities, athletic teams, theater and music opportunities, college planning, the Global Scholars Program, and more. For further information, please contact L-S School Committee member Carole Kasper at carolemkasper@gmail.com or Virginia Blake at virginia_blake@lsrhs.net.

Free grief support group at hospice house

If you’ve recently lost your spouse or partner, join our experienced grief specialists for this support group at the Care Dimensions Hospice House (125 Winter St., Lincoln) on Wednesday evenings from February 19 to April 8 from 7–8:30 p.m. The group is free but registration is mandatory (the deadline is February 14). To register, visit www.CareDimensions.org/calendars (click on February 19), call 781-373-6530, or email grief@CareDimensions.org. Click here to see a list of other grief support groups.

Girl Scouts lend a hand with holiday projects

Council on Aging Assistant Directors Abigail Butt and Joan Ingersoll with items collected by Girl Scouts for gift bags for seniors.

For the second year in a row, Lincoln’s Girl Scouts is reaching across the generations with three projects to help seniors in town.

After handing out lists of needed items to fellow students and shoppers, Scouts put collection boxes in Donelan’s and the Lincoln School. The donated items — necessities such as toiletries, paper towels and toilet paper, kitchen sponges, toothbrushes and toothpaste, laundry soap, socks, coffee and tea, postage stamps and more — arrived in three overflowing vans at Bemis Hall, where Council on Aging (COA) staff made up over 30 holiday gift bags that were hand-delivered to seniors. The bags also included holiday craft items made by Scouts from the first-, fourth-, and sixth-grade troops.

The sixth-grade troop also consulted with the Fire Department and Parks and Recreation Department to get a list of items that seniors need during winter storms. They then held a successful drive to collect things including flashlights, manual can openers, gloves, and folding shovels that were gathered into kits by Parks and Rec, placed in bags donated by the Lincoln Police Department, and distributed by the COA to seniors who would not have been able to afford them otherwise. 

In an ongoing project, the sixth-grade troop is delivering buckets of sand and salt to make walkways and driveways safer to walk on after snow and ice storms to any Lincoln senior who requests it to. This important project will help prevent falls among seniors, help home health services get safely into homes to provide care, and ensure that seniors can get Meals on Wheels. Seniors may call the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811 to sign up to receive a bucket.

The Council on Aging has received many expressions of gratitude such as “I can’t believe the town does this for us!” and “this is such a nice gesture!” from seniors who’ve received these donations. After the success of this year’s efforts and those in 2018, the Girl Scouts and many others in town look forward to continuing this helpful new holiday collaboration in 2020.

Correction

The January 5 article headlined “Race for local elected office kicks off” contained incorrect deadlines. The last day to obtain nomination paper is Thursday, Feb. 6. The deadline for submitting papers with signatures for certification to the Registrars of Voters is Monday, Feb. 10. The original article has been updated.

Police log for week of December 20, 2019

December 20

Oak Knoll Road (3:51 p.m.) — Officer spoke to the resident in regards to a past fraud; investigation ongoing.

South Great Road (5:00 p.m.) — Caller reports a minor crash near Codman Community Farms; no injuries.

Ryan Estates (5:15 p.m.) — Caller reports being a victim of internet fraud; investigation ongoing.

St. Joseph Catholic Church (8:49 p.m.) — Suspect met with St. Vincent DePaul food pantry staff with a false story of needing money. An investigation revealed other organizations that were victimized. The party was given a summons to Concord District Court for attempting to commit a crime.

December 21

Old Sudbury Road (12:35 a.m.) — Party called reporting his dog is lost; called back a short time later saying the dog was found.

Birchwood Lane (7:13 p.m.) — Resident received a suspicious call from Eversource regarding a discount on their bill; advised call was likely a scam.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (10:05 p.m.) — Aquila Rosa, 37, of 17 Robbins St. in Waltham was stopped and arrested for OUI/liquor (second offense), operating with a suspended license, and failure to move over.

December 22

South Great Road (2:31 a.m.) — Driver was stopped and issued a citation for a transportation network violation (driving for a ride share service using someone else’s ID).

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (2:38 a.m.) — Assaye Tarekegn, 38, of 60 Pleasant Street, Arlington was stopped and arrested for OUI/liquor, marked lane violation, and following too closely,

South Great Road (11:28 a.m.) — Two-car crash at the intersection with Rte.; 126. No injuries; report taken.

St. Anne’s Church (3:46 p.m.) — Caller reports sprinkler system has activated but there’s no smoke or fire. Fire Department assisted with turning off the system.

Boyce Farm Road (4:04 p.m.) — Officer spoke to a resident in regards to a civil matter.

Silver Birch Lane 7:03 p.m.) — Several 911 calls about someone lighting off fireworks. Officers spoke to the resident and advised them to stop.

Boyce Farm Road (7:17 p.m.) — Officer spoke to a resident in regards to a civil matter.

Juniper Ridge Road (7:18 p.m.) — Caller requested a check on their juvenile child who was nervous due to fireworks being set off. Officer responded and spoke to the juvenile and advised that the fireworks are done for the night.

December 23

Red Maple Lane (8:13 a.m.) — Caller reports suspicious car sitting outside her house. Officers checked and the party was waiting for an appointment down the street.

Hiddenwood Path (1:39 p.m.) — Caller reports a basement window is cracked. Officers checked; it appears to have been caused by a small rock, likely ejected by a lawn mower.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (4:31 p.m.) — Caller reports a dog in the roadway. Call was transferred to State Police in Concord. Officers checked; dog was gone on arrival.

Reiling Pond Road (4:57 p.m.) — Caller reported a dog had wandered off their property. This was most likely the dog that was see on Route 2.

December 24

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:16 a.m.) — Andrew Garrelick, 29, of 110 Partridge Lane in Concord was stopped and arrested for OUI/liquor, marked lane violation, and defective equipment.

December 25

Conant Road (10:41 a.m.) — Caller requested assistance in getting his vehicle towed.

Wells Road (11:42 p.m.) — Elderly resident reported suspicious activity. Officers responded and advised that everything is fine.

December 26

Old County Road (7:50 a.m.) — Caller reported damage to his motor vehicle. They then called back and advised that damage was done by a family member attempting to gain access to the vehicle.

145 Lincoln Rd. (12:37 p.m.) — Caller reported that his vehicle was hit while in the lot near Bank of America. Officer responded and took a report.

Longmeadow Road (1:23 p.m.) — Officers assisted a party with returning their property (civil matter).

Concord Road (10:49 p.m.) — Caller reports their dog is missing; they called back 20 minutes later when the dog returned home.

December 27

Longmeadow Road (3:07 p.m.) — Officers assisted a party with returning their property (civil matter).

Lincoln Road (3:55 p.m.) — Caller reported suspicious items on the telephone wires; was advised that it’s telephone equipment.

South Great Road (4:31 p.m.) — Caller reports that she believes that she is being harassed. Officer documented the complaint and advised her of her legal options.

Wells Road (10:10 p.m.) — Elderly resident reported suspicious activity. Officers responded and advised that everything is fine.

Race for local elected office kicks off

Nomination papers are now available for the following local offices, which will appear on the March 30, 2020 town election ballot. Candidates must obtain the signatures of 35 registered Lincoln voters. The last day to obtain nomination papers is Thursday, Feb. 6. The deadline for submitting papers with signatures for certification to the Registrars of Voters is Monday, Feb. 10.

For additional information, please contact the Town Clerk’s Office at 781-259-2607 or email Valerie Fox at foxv@lincolntown.org.

Board or CommitteeOpenings/termsIncumbent(s)
Board of AssessorsOne for three yearsEllen Meadors
Board of Health
One for three yearsFrederick L. Mansfield
Board of SelectmenOne for three yearsJonathan Dwyer
Cemetery CommissionOne for three yearsManley Boyce
Commissioners of Trust FundsOne for three yearsD. Paul Fitzgerald
Housing CommissionOne for three yearsBijoy Misra
ModeratorOne for three yearsSarah Cannon Holden
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School CommitteeTwo for three yearsCandace Miller, Patricia Mostue
Parks and Recreation CommitteeOne for three yearsMargit Griffith
Planning BoardTwo for three yearsRichard Rundell, Lynn DeLisi
School CommitteeTwo for three yearsTara Lynn Mitchell, Adam Hogue
Trustees of BemisOne for three yearsJohn MacLachlan
Water CommissionOne for three years, one for two years, one for one yearRuth Ann Hendrickson (other two seats are open)

News acorns

Event looks at adult children and aging parents

Share dinner and discussion during “A Conversation Between Adult Children and Aging Parents” on Wednesday, Jan. 8 from 5:30–7 p.m. in the First Parish in Lincoln’s parish house auditorium. This exploration of how parents and adult children address the challenges of aging while respecting independence and privacy is part of the church’s “Food for Thought” monthly community dinner and conversation. Led by Lincoln therapist Jane O’Rourke, a panel of elders and mid-life children will start off the discussion. Over dessert and coffee, there will be time for you to exchange your thoughts and ideas with your table companions. All are welcome. The First Parish provides child care and supper (including gluten-free and child-friendly options). Suggested donation: $10 for adults, $5 for children.

Ceramics class, snowshoe tours at deCordova

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum is offering “Expressive Vessels, Forms and Environments,” a ceramics workshop on five Thursdays starting January 9 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m. Techniques for building with clay and thematic analysis of decoration will be explored, drawing inspiration from deCordova’s current exhibition, All the Marvelous Surfaces. No experience necessary. All materials provided, and optional studio time is included. Click here for more information and registration.

Looking for a fun new way to explore the sculpture park this winter? Make a day out of a trip to the park with snowshoe tours, lunch in the cafe, and a visit to the museum. Offered every Saturday from January 11 to March 7. Tickets include a guided tour with a deCordova guide and a trained EMS instructor. Rentals are available if needed. For ages 8+. Click here for more information and registration.

Climate Sunday offers workshops on environmental topics

Join the First Parish in Lincoln and the Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) for Climate Sunday on Sunday, Jan. 12 starting at 10 a.m. Climate Sunday is a gathering for those interested in learning more about how to take action on environmental justice, clean transportation, zero-waste initiatives, and more. Interactive workshops on issues such as environmental justice, transportation, and zero waste will focus on the current state of environmental advocacy in Massachusetts from experts working on the ground.

Participants are welcome to come for the entire day or just the lunch and afternoon workshops. Below is the schedule of events. Space is limited; please click here to RSVP.

  • 10 a.m. — The First Parish in Lincoln morning service with sermon by Rev. Jenny Rankin and reflections by Peter Shelley, CLF’s senior counsel.
  • 11:15 a.m. — Check-in opens at the Stone Church.
  • 11:15 a.m.–12 p.m. — Environmental fair featuring booths and informal presentations by CLF, Green Energy Consumers Alliance, HomeWorks Energy, and others. Learn what you can do to combat climate change.
  • 12 p.m. — “How to Stay Optimistic in a Warming World,” a lunchtime presentation by CLF President Brad Campbell.
  • 1 p.m. — Workshop #1: Staci Rubin, CLF’s senior attorney, will discuss her work around environmental justice and clean transportation, as well as how you can get involved.
  • 1:45 p.m. — Workshop #2: Kirstie Pecci, CLF’s Zero Waste Project director and senior fellow, will discuss her work on plastics and zero-waste initiatives and how you can take action.

Anyone with questions may contact Katie Ardrey at 617-850-1729 or kardrey@clf.org.

Schools ask residents to create “portrait of a learner”

The Lincoln Public Schools are asking themselves what skills, traits, and knowledge will our students need in order to thrive in and transform the 21st century. Can we create a “portrait of a learner” to ground the curriculum and assessments as we refine what and how we teach, and how to gauge the district’s success? School and community members gathered several times in 2019 to generate ideas and priorities. To contribute your thoughts, please respond by Monday, Jan. 13 to this quick online survey that asks you to think about the purpose of school and the current and future challenges and needs in the country and the world to help the schools create a first draft of a portrait of a learner.

Borrello headlines next LOMA

Matt Borrello

Matt Borrello is the featured performer at the next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) night on Monday, Jan. 13 in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. The event runs from 7–10 p.m., and Borrello will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30. He is a Bob Dylan acolyte, regularly performing at Dylan tribute shows, and plays venues like Passim, Lizard Lounge, Toad and the Rose Garden, and further afield through the Mid-Atlantic to the Carolinas. Admission is free and refreshments are provided. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com for a slot. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups.

Panel explores sexual exploitation in the community

Massage parlors in the area and all over the country have been the focus of police raids targeting sexual exploitation. Do you wonder if people choose this life are are being forced into it? Would legalizing prostitution make things better for all involved? How is the issue of prostitution being addressed locally and within the state of Massachusetts? Join the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable for a panel presentation and discussion on “Sexual Exploitation: It’s Happening In Our Communities” on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at 3 p.m. in the Wayland Public Safety Building (38 Cochituate Rd., Wayland).

Panelists will include Peter Qualliotine, co-founder of the Seattle-based Organization for Prostitution Survivors (OPS), and an advocate from RIA House, a local program that supports women with experience in the commercial sex trade and its associated exploitation, trafficking and prostitution. The remaining panelists will be community members who knew something wasn’t right and explored ways to deal with what was happening in their community.

Council on Aging activities in January

Musical jazz lunch
January 3 at noon
Celebrate the end of the week by grabbing a table at Bemis Hall while the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band serenades you with familiar good old tunes. Bring a bag lunch and, if you like, food purchased already prepared at the store to share. The COA provides beverages and dessert.

Explore the poetry of Robert Frost
January 4 at 2 p.m.
Join Stephen Collins for a free four-session interactive seminar on the poetry of Robert Frost at 2 p.m. on Saturdays, Jan. 4, 11, and 25 at the Lincoln Public Library, and on January 18 at Bemis Hall. Sponsored by the Council on Aging and the library. Stephen performs one-man shows and teaches courses on historical figures like Melville, Walt Whitman, James MacNeill Whistler, and William Shakespeare.

What new discussion groups would you like?
January 6 at 10 a.m.
The COA loves to offer discussion groups for people who would like to discuss their experiences in a supportive group environment where they can share with others their concerns and challenges and get and give tips and strategies. We want to make sure that they are providing the groups you are most interested in. In the past, they have held groups about coping with losses, change, and difficult family issues. Which of these topics would you like to see offered again or what new topics would you like to talk about? Come to Bemis Hall at 10 a.m. on January 6 to brainstorm with the COA, or call Carolyn at 781-259-8811 with your ideas. [Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in January

Pierce House manager gets ready for her first First Day

Victoria Otis

By Alice Waugh

For the new Pierce House manager, January 1 will be her first First Day, and she’s planning a good time for all.

The New Year’s Day event offers food, drink and entertainment for Lincolnites of all ages from 1–5 p.m. “It’s going to be so much fun,” said Victoria Otis, the enthusiastic Pierce House manager. First Day is a Lincoln tradition that was threatened with cancellation due to a lack of funds in 2018, but residents stepped up and made it happen. 

This year’s event will feature music from the Lincoln Trad Jazz Sextet, and a balloon artist and “candy bar” for kids. Food and beverages are being donated by William Ference Catering, BG Events, Two Chefs Are Better Than One, Fireside Catering, and Gordon’s Liquors. Other donations include funds from the Parks and Recreation Department and a police detail from the Lincoln Police Department.

After graduating from Johnson and Wales College in 2017, Otis was event manager at the Stevens Estate in North Andover, another town-owned historic property now rented out for gatherings. She started at the Pierce House last summer and has already raised the historic house’s profile the new-fashioned way: online. Getting listed on TheKnot.com and WeddingWire quickly paid for itself with more wedding bookings, and she’s also boosted the number of followers on the Pierce House social media sites, including Instagram.

Otis (who also manages the Pierce House property with oversight from the Pierce House Committee) is bubbling with other ideas, including new plantings and garden arrangements, an ice machine, fundraising, and a wall or some other measure to appease neighbors who are unhappy with the sound levels during events.

During the slow winter months, she keeps busy meeting vendors, networking with the National Association for Catering and Events, and working with new part-time assistant Jennifer Curtin (who also works for the Conservation Commission).

Weddings are the Pierce House’s bread and butter, and running this kind of event is becoming second nature to Otis. “All my friends are getting married, so I kind of look at what they’re doing and it makes it a lot easier for me,” she said.

Otis still needs First Day volunteers, especially for setup and cleanup. Those interested may contact her at 781-259- 9757 or Victoria@piercehouse.com.

Police log for week of Dec. 14, 2019

December 14

Old County Road (9:08 a.m.) — Tree down on Old County Road near Trapelo, partially blocking the road. DPW notified to respond.

Lexington Road (11:18 a.m) — Resident reports receiving a letter from a neighbor that’s bothersome. Officer spoke to the resident and documented it.

Ballfield Road (9:05 p.m.) — Man parked on Ballfield Road. Officer spoke to the driver and sent him on his way.

December 15

South Great Road (1:05 a.m.) — Hazardous pothole reported in the road near the railroad tracks. DPW notified.

Lexington Road (1:06 a.m.) — Branch down in the roadway. Officer was able to remove it himself.

December 16

Old Winter Street (1:56 p.m.) — Caller reports possible damage to her lock. Officers checked the residence; all is fine (appears to be a defective/broken lock mechanism).

Lexington Road (9:02 p.m.) — Caller reports car parked in the cemetery. Spoke to owner; son parked the car there and got a ride elsewhere from a friend.

December 17

Tower Road (1:31 a.m.) — Caller reports hearing screaming in the woods. Officers checked the area; appears to be animals in the woods making the noises.

Lincoln Road (10:15 p.m.) — Officer checked on a vehicle parked in the resident lot. The party inside works for the railroad.

December 18

Aspen Circle (1:30 a.m.) — Caller concerned about a friend’s well-being. Officers spoke to the party and all is fine.

December 19

Hanscom Drive (2:35 p.m.) — Officers responded to a two-car crash. No injuries; report taken.