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

Group to study property taxes in Lincoln

The $93 million school building project has many residents worried about whether they’ll be able to afford the inevitable higher property taxes in Lincoln, so the town is forming a Property Tax Study Committee to see what financial tools the town has available to shape tax policy and promote economic diversity.

The committee will be appointed by the Board of Selectmen in February and get to work right away, presenting an update at the March 2019 Annual Town Meeting. They will make recommendations to the board by the end of September and will report at the 2019 State of the Town Meeting and/or at a concurrent Special Town Meeting to vote on any proposals.

Members will study tax relief programs such as the extended Circuit Breaker Program currently under consideration at the state level, and the residential exemption that cities and towns can use in setting their local property tax rates. They’ll also seek community input to gauge the appetite for such programs in the context of other town priorities, and work with town agencies and residents to decide how private fundraising efforts could be best utilized to soften the economic impact of successive building projects (the school, and a community center to follow after that project is complete).

Residents interested in serving as one of the four at-large members should send a letter of interest to the Selectmen’s Office (elderp@lincolntown.org) by Thursday, Jan. 31 or call 781-259-2601. The committee’s complete charge can be found here. A description of tax relief programs already in place in Lincoln can be found here.

Council on Aging activities in February

Could you pay less for prescriptions?
February 1 at 11 a.m.
If you have costly prescriptions, you might be able to pay less through company programs, foundations that help with co-payments, discount cards, generic medications, and more. Find out about these options when Colleen Massey of the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences comes to Bemis Hall on Friday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. She will also let you know about the many programs and services of MCPHS that can help you manage your medications.

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the Lincoln Trad Jazz Band
February 1 at 12:30 p.m.
Don’t miss the free COA Valentine’s Day concert of traditional jazz music of the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s on Friday, Feb. 1 at 12:30 at Bemis Hall. The band will play music by such greats as Fats Waller, Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and more, and you’ll get a chance to sing along on tunes made great by Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong. What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day?

Lincoln Academy with Alex MacLean: imagining sea level rise from above
February 4 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Feb. 4 at 12:30 when Alex MacLean discusses “Imagining Sea Level Rise from Above.” Alex will speak about his most recent work documenting with aerial images the impacts and vulnerabilities caused by sea level rise. Sea level rise is a definite indicator of global warming and climate change that is undeniable. It is also universal, permanent, irreversible and its rate of rising is accelerating. These photographs are intended to motivate us to act without delay in cutting our carbon emissions personally and collectively towards zero. The COA provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion. All ages welcome.

Medical marijuana: what you need to know
February 8 at 10 a.m.
More and more these days doctors are prescribing medical marijuana for a host of health issues including anxiety, pain from many causes such as headaches, cancer, or nerve pain, nausea, seizure disorders, Crohn’s disease, and many others. But is it safe? Will you become addicted? How do you obtain and take it? What are the side effects? Find out the answers to these and other questions you may have on Friday, Feb. 8 at 10 a.m. when Tricia McGean, Lincoln’s public health nurse, comes to Bemis Hall. Bring questions and concerns.
[Read more…] about Council on Aging activities in February

Public hearings coming up

L-S School Committee

The Lincoln-Sudbury School Committee will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in Conference Room B at the high school regarding (a) the FY20 school budget and (b) school choice. 

Historical Commission

The Lincoln Historical Commission will hold two public hearings on Tuesday, Feb. 5 starting at 7:30 p.m. in the Donaldson Room to consider the following applications

  • Lincoln Public Schools, to demolish more than 25 percent of the Smith School on Ballfield Road.
  • 9 Lewis Street Realty LLC, to demolish the entire front structure and more than 25 percent of the rear building at 9-13 Lewis St. 
Conservation Commission

The Lincoln Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 8 p.m, in the Lincoln Town Offices. This is in response to the Notice of Intent filed by Peter Blackler of Valley Pond Corp. for the management of seasonal algae blooms within the swim pond within the Valley Pond property.

Property sales in December

27R South Commons — Richard Golay Trust to Jena Salon for $592,000 (December 18).

1 Mary’s Way — John Morrissey Trust to Civico Oriole Lincoln LLC for $2,225,000 (December 7).

111 Lexington Rd. — James Roberge Trust to Jonathan D. Prange and Sarah D. Sherlock for $1, 250,000 (December 7).

215 Concord Rd. — Gordon D. Winchell Trust to Christopher Dubois and Emily Belz for $1,775,000 (December 18).

22 Birchwood Lane — Joan K. Rubin to Linda L. Emanuel for $509,000 (December 20).

Groundhog Day to feature new focus on climate

Ms. G of Drumlin Farm. (Photo by Eric Roth)

Drumlin Farm is set to host its annual Groundhog Day event on Saturday, Feb. 2, with a new focus on climate science and weather. “Climate Action Day” will feature activities centered on what children and adults can do to learn about and respond to the effects of climate change.

The event will again feature Ms. G, the official state groundhog of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as she emerges from her winter hibernation and determines whether or not spring will come early this year.

“The impact of climate change on people and wildlife in New England is already evident, but that doesn’t mean that there is nothing that we can do about it,” said Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director Renata Pomponi. “Climate Action Day is intended to be a way for families to engage with a serious issue in a positive way, focusing on the small but meaningful actions that they can take in their own lives to help meet this challenge. As the Commonwealth’s most prominent wildlife ambassador, Ms. G serves as a symbol of the animals and their habitat that we all can help to protect by working together in our communities.”

The traditional Groundhog Day ceremony and forecast start at 10 a.m. (encore at 11:15 a.m.), followed by winter activities such as meeting resident wildlife, exploring wilderness trails, and learning how to identify animal tracks in the snow. A live music performance will take place at noon, and hot cocoa will be provided throughout the day.

Drumlin Farm will be open on February 2 from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. This special event takes place from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. and is free with paid admission ($9 for adults and teens, $6 for children 2–12 and seniors, and free for Mass Audubon members). 

Featured programs
  • Learn the forecast for spring’s arrival from Drumlin’s woodchuck weather expert (six more weeks of winter if she sees her shadow; an early spring if she doesn’t).
  • Visit with more of our resident wildlife and farm animals, learn about winter tracking, and explore the wildlife sanctuary’s trails.
  • Listen to live music performed by the local band Sweet Wednesday from noon–3 p.m.
  • Make winter crafts to take home,
  • Investigate our local climate with Don McCasland of Blue Hill Observatory Science Center,
  • Purchase produce grown at Drumlin Farm,
  • Learn how climate change impacts hibernating species in New England,

Ms. G was declared the Official State Groundhog by then-Governor Deval Patrick on July 31, 2014, when he signed the proposed bill submitted by Wellesley’s Hunnewell Elementary School students, enacting it into law.

News acorns

Dobrow to give talk on Emily Dickinson book

Lincoln author Julie Dobrow on Monday, Jan. 28 will speak on Monday, Jan. 28 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall about her new book, After Emily: Two Remarkable Women and the Legacy of America’s Greatest Poet — a mother/daughter biography of Mabel and her only child, Millicent Todd Bingham. This book tells the story of Mabel and Millicent’s fascinating lives that pushed the boundaries of what women of their respective eras did, how Mabel’s 13-year-long love affair with Emily’s brother Austin led her to the Emily Dickinson work that defined her career and her life, and how Mabel and Millicent’s own complex relationship complicated it all.

Food Project to hold Winter Institutes for youth

The Food Project will offer two Winter Institutes, bringing together social-justice-minded youth development and agriculture professionals from around the country and the world. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Foundation is the sponsor of the both weekends (a session on January 3–February 2 was added to accommodate demand after the February 7–9 session was filled).

The three-day Institute is packed with activities, workshops, and conversations for participants to learn about youth leadership and sustainable agriculture from The Food Project’s staff and youth as well as from each other. To learn more about the 2019 Winter Institute including how to register, click here.

The Food Project has long been a leader in youth development, healthy food access, and sustainable agriculture. Rather than replicating its work elsewhere, the organization provides training and tools to other organizations and people who are developing similar models, specific to the needs of their own communities. 

Talk on responding to climate catastrophe

Join veteran journalist, author, and activist Wen Stephenson as he leads a frank conversation about responding to climate catastrophe—with a little help from Buddha, Jesus, and the prophets—on Tuesday, Jan. 29 at 6:30 p.m. at St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.

In a recent program, Stephenson, drawing from Zen Buddhist and Christian tradition, reflected on how we might still speak and act with honesty and compassion in the face of dire scientific and political realities. “According to climate science,” Stephenson said, “it’s almost certainly too late to stop ‘catastrophic’ climate change on some scale; it’s already happening. But that same science tells us there’s still a wide range of possible futures. Just how catastrophic it will get and how fast is unknown, and still depends a great deal on what human beings do—most importantly, what we do politically—in the coming years.”

Guests who arrive at 6:30 will be served a light vegetarian supper. The program, which is free and open to the public, will begin shortly after 7 p.m.   

Hospice house offering volunteer training

Care Dimensions, the region’s largest provider of hospice care, will hold training classes for those interested in becoming volunteers to greet visitors and help out at the Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, as well as visit patients in their homes. Two training options are available: Wednesday and Friday afternoons, February 27–March 22, from 1–3:30 p.m. at the Lincoln hospice house (125 Winter St.) or on Tuesday and Thursdays, February 26–March 21, from 6–8:30 p.m. at Microsoft Corp., 5 Wayside Rd., Burlington. To register or to learn more, call 781-373-6509 or email MSu-Leland@CareDimensions.org.

Help update the Lincoln directory

It’s time to update your favorite paper-based search engine, the iconic Lincoln Directory. The volume is compiled by the Friends of the Library biennially and contains the telephone numbers of residents, local businesses, and town offices. A yellow card was mailed to residents with instructions on updating or adding your information and for businesses to take advantage the advertising space. To update your information via email or to learn about volunteering or advertising, email LincolnPhoneBook@gmail.com. The Lincoln Directory is mailed free to every household in Lincoln. The deadline for updates is March 1.

Correction

In the obituaries published on January 17, Martha Loomis Grabill’s name was spelled incorrectly. The error has been corrected in the original post.

Packing their bags… for Open Table (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Members of the Lincoln Family Association and First Parish in Lincoln (FPL) purchased items and packed 100 “Kids’ Bags” for Open Table, which had a special distribution for those affected by the government shutdown (especially Hanscom Air Force Base families) on January 19. Two members of FPL’s youth group, Isabel DiMambro (left) and Emma Griffith, helped deliver the bags. Margit Griffith, who organized a community meeting to plan and publicize efforts to help, reports that the social worker at Open Table was delighted to receive the list of resources compiled by the Lincoln Shutdown Task Force that met last week, and he plans to keep copies available for Open Table clients.

Obituaries

Martha Loomis Grabill, 96 (January 13) — a celebration of her life will be held at the First Parish in Lincoln in the spring. Click here for full obituary.

Eleanor Jean (Fee) McKnight, 85 (January 9) — Children include Richard McKnight of Lincoln. Click here for full obituary.

Karen A. Coye, 65 (January 7) — Naples, Maine resident grew up in Lincoln. Click here for full obituary.

James Nicholson, 79 (December 26) — founder and leader of several medical-device startup companies. Click here for full obituary.

Martha Grabill

Eleanor McKnight

Karen Coye

James Nicholson

Lincolnites pitching in to help victims of government shutdown

A government employee at the January 10 “Stop the Shutdown” rally in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons)

Many families in Lincoln are feeling the pinch of the ongoing government shutdown, but town-wide efforts are underway to try to help those who are being affected.

The efforts arose as a result of a rapidly organized community meeting on January 14. At the meeting were representatives of the Lincoln Public Schools, the Council on Aging (COA), the Lincoln Family Association (LFA), Minuteman National Historical Park (MMNHP), and the Lincoln Food Pantry, as well as several other individuals.

Among those affected during the shutdown are 73 Coast Guard families who are housed at Hanscom Air Force Base and all but a few of the 17 employees at MMNHP. (Those in the Air Force and other branches of the military are deemed essential government employees and have not been furloughed, but Coast Guard members, including those who work in Boston and live at Hanscom, are not being paid.) Many people who work for government contractors are also missing their paychecks.

The LFA has set up a government shutdown page on its website where people can find out how to help, or can reach out if they need help themselves. Among the needs that have been identified thus far:

  • Volunteers to stuff already-donated items into kids’ bags for Open Table on Friday, Jan. 18 at the First Parish in Lincoln’s parish house across from Bemis Hall. The bags include healthy food for younger guests of Open Table, which offers weekly community dinner programs and food pantries in Concord and Maynard. The organization will also have a special distribution day for families of unpaid government workers on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 33 Main St. in Maynard.
  • Personal care items including soaps (body, hand, dish, laundry), deodorant, shampoo/conditioner, razors and shaving cream, toothpaste, toilet paper, diapers (all sizes), and wipes. Drop off items in bins at the Lincoln Public Library, the COA, the First Parish, St. Anne’s Church, and the Smith and Brooks school buildings.
  • Donations of nonperishable food at the existing Lincoln food pantry bins in Donelan’s and at St. Joseph’s Church.
  • Cash donations to help families pay for field trips, sports and other activities. Families of some Hanscom Middle School eight-graders may be unable to afford the spring civics/history trip to Gettysburg, Washington, D.C., and Hersey Park, according to teacher Jay Peledge.“I don’t want our kids to be even more impacted than they already are by their military family lifestyle. They already need to move around frequently, learn to adapt to new environments, say goodbye to some friends and work to make new ones. I don’t want them to lose out even more because the sacrifices they already make just aren’t enough in the current political climate,” Peledge said.

Donors may send checks to the new Hanscom Families Support Fund or to the existing Legacy Fund, which serves the same purpose for children at the Lincoln School. Write the name of the fund on the check and mail to Lincoln Public Schools Business Office, 6 Ballfield Rd., Lincoln, MA 01773.

Adam Hodges-LeClaire (left), son of Ruth Hodges and John LeClaire of Trapelo Road, and Donald Hafner gather trash collected at Minute Man National Historical Park (click to enlarge).

Meanwhile, volunteers at MMNHP have already pitched in to collect trash. Last week at the park, a group of historical interpreters in full 18th-century costume (including Lincoln Minute Men Captain Donald Hafner and three other Minute Men) spent a morning collecting and removing about 100 pounds of rubbish from the Battle Road trail along the 1.5 miles from the Hanscom access road to the Brooks Tavern. A few days before, another group did the same along the mile of the Battle Road from the Paul Revere Capture site to the Minute Man Visitor Center.

“As you might imagine, we historical re-enactors are very devoted to passing along the heritage of our nation’s founding, and so for us, the Battle Road is hallowed ground, to be respected and preserved,” Hafner said. Those interested in helping out can email him at hafner@bc.edu.

There are also programs to help furloughed veterans, seniors, Coast Guard members, and others of any age experiencing financial hardship.  For more information on how to donate or to get help, see the government shutdown page on the LFA website or call the COA at 781-259-8811.