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

Register by Aug. 15 for state primary; absentee ballots available

To be able to vote in the Massachusetts  state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 4, residents must be registered to vote by Wednesday, Aug. 15. Click here to register online, or register in person at the Town Clerk’s Office during regular summer business hours (Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m.–5 p.m.)

Absentee ballots for the September 4 primary are now available. A written request is required before receiving the ballot. The ballot may be voted at the Town Clerk’s Office, or the applicant may request that a ballot be mailed.

Massachusetts law does not permit persons to pick up ballots for another person, although it does permit certain family members to apply for an absentee ballot on behalf of another family member. The Town Clerk’s elections page has more information as well as specimen ballots and the Massachusetts ballot questions for the November election. You may also call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607.

A tale of two fields (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Two summery views of fields in Lincoln. Top: The Turtle Creek winery grape vines behind the field on Lexington Road (photo by Ken Hurd). Bottom: a deer’s eyes reflect the twilight in a field on Mary’s Way that is destined to be replaced by the Oriole Landing mixed-income housing development once town approvals are in place. “It’s going to be sad to see this field becoming 60 apartments,” said photographer Cathy O’Brien, who lives next door.

School Building Committee adds Aug. 15 session

The School Building Committee (SBC) has added a meeting to tis summer schedule on Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 7 p.m. in the Hartwell multipurpose room. Topics for the next several meetings:

August 15

  • Mechanical systems: update and discussion
  • Energy model: presentation and discussion
  • Photovoltaic plan: presentation and discussion

August 22

  • Review site plan
  • Review floor plans
  • Review updated exterior elevations
  • Phasing plans
  • Preliminary interior spaces review

September 5

  • Final site plan
  • Final floor plans
  • Final elevations review
  • Final mechanical and electrical systems
September 26
  • Review preliminary cost estimates
October 3
  • Review reconciled cost estimates
  • Review value engineering items
October 17
  • Approve final cost

For more information and a full schedule, see the SBC website or watch videos of past meetings.

News acorns

Access Day at deCordova.

DeCordova Sculpture Park and Museum events in August

Access Day
Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 10 a.m.–1 p.m.
All-inclusive programming for children and adults featuring a sampling of deCordova’s accessible programs, including hands-on art-making projects and specially-designed Touch Tours and Paved Access Route Tours, both featuring American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation. Click here to register.

Music in the Courtyard: Chavis Chance
Thursday, Aug. 1 from 6:30–8:30 p.m.
The redesigned Café Courtyard is the perfect venue for music and food on a summer night. Sip some wine or a brew, enjoy a snack, and enjoy a live performance by Chavis Chance, a singer-songwriter blending pop, soul, and folk. Food and beverages available for purchase starting at 6 p.m. Click here to register.

Family programs including Play in the Park, MAKEmobile, Yoga in the Park for Kids, ArtFULL Explorations and ArtFULL Play are also taking place in August and September; click here for details.

“Empty Nest” series this fall

Connect, learn and explore what’s next in your life with the “Empty Nest” series. All sessions are at the Pierce House from 1:15–3 p.m. Free, but online registration required at FullyEmbraceChange.com as space is limited.

September 12 — “Promoting Productive Communication with Your Adult Children”
When emerging young adults return home after being on their own for several months, communication between parent and child may change. Dr. Teresa Simonelli will share how to open yourself up to changes and manage difficult emotions while communicating with your adult children. A Welcome Tea will take place from 1–1:30 p.m. to celebrate the beginning of the Embrace Change fall program series, followed by the day’s program.

September 20 — “What’s Next? Finding Purpose”
Do you have new found time now that children have left home? Wondering what you might do next? Deb Elbaum M.D., career and life coach, will share methods that you can use to determine what is next for you and how to find your purpose and passion.

September 26 — “Navigating Transitions with Self-Care”
Often, we equate self-care as self-indulgent, yet research is increasingly demonstrating that taking time for effective self-care, a couple minutes throughout the day helps create stress resilience, a more effective strategy than stress avoidance. Charlotte Sahyoun is a yoga therapeutics specialist with a focus on the intersection of yoga, psychology and neuroscience. She’ll focus on when and how we feel stress and on two-minute tools in which to tune in to the body for creating emotional balance.

October 3 — “Charting Your Own Path: Designing Your Journey Embrace Change Team”
As our children begin to leave the home, we as parents may reassess our personal satisfaction with how we spend our time, prioritize new and older projects, and open ourselves up to various new and ongoing curiosities, relationships, career and/or learning opportunities.  We’ll explore how to better balance this time of transition,  set new goals as your role shifts, and create more opportunities for personal growth while charting a path for your future.

October 10 — “Expanding Your Horizons: Delving into New Activities and Careers Panel”
We’ll engage in personalized exploration of activities and careers and then hear from several guests who have changed careers and explored new interests after their children left home. We w’ll discuss what methods worked for them, the changes they made and how their lives were affected. Their stories will surprise and energize you. We’ll share resources and tools to help you explore the many opportunities that lie ahead in your personal journey.

October 17 — Ready, Set, Go!
Our final program of the series brings everything together. We’ll celebrate fall with seasonal delights, discuss how to move forward when things don’t go as planned, and set healthy boundaries. Council on Aging Director Carolyn Bottum will share tips on how to care for aging parents while taking care of yourself and family, and then, we’ll speak with Lisa Lewtan, author of the website Healthy, Happy, and Hip.

News acorns

Lovelane hoedown benefit on Sept. 15

Lovelane’s 2018 Hoedown, celebrating its 30th anniversary, will be held Saturday, Sept. 15 at Duck Puddle Farm in Wayland from 4–9:30 p.m. The jeans-and-boots outdoor tented event features 15 Boston-area celebrity chefs creating mouth-watering specialties just for this occasion.  Returning favorite local band French Lick will kick off the evening followed by the headliner, multi-platinum Nashville recording artist Josh Turner. Billy Costa is also returning as emcee.

Tickets are $500 each, groups of 6+ tickets are $375 each, and a variety of sponsorship opportunities range from $5,000 to $100,000. For additional information about this event or Lovelane or to purchase tickets, click here or contact Eliza Wall at 781-259-1177 ext. 24 or eliza@lovelane.org.  

Lovelane Special Needs Horseback Riding Program is a pediatric therapeutic horseback riding program that provides services to 130 children with special needs each week with the help of 197 volunteers. The benefits from therapeutic horseback riding derive from using the movement of the horse to work the muscles of the rider. Therapeutic horseback riding combines occupational, physical and/or speech therapy techniques with the fun of riding a horse, as well as promoting independence, confidence and joy.

“60 Years of Inflatable Arts”

In conjunction with the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum exhibition Sculpting with Air: Ian McMahon and Jong Oh, guest lecturers Mary Hale and Kate Balug will discuss how inflatable structures have been used in architecture, art, and engineering since the emergence of the hot air balloon in a talk titled “60 Years of Inflatable Arts” on Tuesday, Sept. 11 from 6:30–7:30 p.m. Free admission; registration required.

Lincoln picks its favorite novels

The Great Lincoln Reads results are in, and two books were tied for first place among those who voted: Outlander by Diana Gabladon and Beloved by Toni Morrison. The Lincoln Public Library’s reader survey earlier this summer was based on the PBS series “The Great American Read” about America’s 100 most-loved novels. Other books that received votes included Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, and A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. Click here for a complete list of titles or check out the list (and the books!) at the library.

Town poised to get more state funding for MBTA, roadway projects

Lincoln’s MBTA commuter train stop heading into Boston.

State lawmakers have authorized $500,000 for a study to design improvements to Lincoln’s MBTA station and commuter lot, as well as another $321,500 for roadway improvements in another grant.

The larger chunk of money is part of a capital bond bill signed into law in June. The town is in the process of requesting release of the funds through a letter to the Baker administration explaining the need for and benefits of the MBTA project and how the cost estimate was generated. An environmental bond bill, which would funnel $321,500 to Lincoln, was approved by the state Senate on July 30 and is now before the governor for approval. Lincoln’s allotment in both bills was proposed by State Sen. Michael Barrett.

The South Lincoln Implementation and Planning Committee‘s MBTA team has recommended a list of improvements around the MBTA stops including:

  • Explore the feasibility of locating the eastbound and westbound access on the same side of Lincoln Road, preferably the Lincoln Station side (west)
  • Redesign the walkway and ramp access to the train to make it ADA compliant
  • Provide an elevated platform to accommodate people with disabilities, the elderly, riders with bicycles, families with strollers, riders with luggage, etc.
  • Provide pedestrian shelters with seating
  • Provide additional bike parking
  • Improve signage at boarding and unloading points
  • Move the MBTA maintenance shed on Lincoln Road due to its location at the gateway entrance to Lincoln’s village center, or make landscaping improvements to beautify the gateway.

To further enhance commuter services, the SLPIC MBTA team is also recommending that the town make the following improvements to its own adjacent parking facilities:

  • Improve the parking pay method with a pay kiosk that accepts credit cards and/or a pay by phone system
  • Provide electric vehicle parking and charge stations
  • Improve wayfinding signage for parking
Complete Streets

The $321,500 in the environmental bond bill would provide Complete Streets program funding for:

  • Roadside path repair ($115,000)
  • Study and construction of intersection improvements ($111,000)
  • New sidewalk construction ($13,000)
  • Accessibility, informational, wayfinding, and safety improvements at Lincoln Station ($82,500)

This will be the second Complete Streets grant for Lincoln. In 2017, the town received $400,000 for a set of projects including roadside path repairs, safety improvements at the intersection of Route 117 and Lincoln Road, and sidewalk construction on Lincoln Road just west of the Ryan Estate condominiums. All of those projects are due to be competed by September 30.

Good-chuck charm? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Woodchucks photographed by Harold McAleer survey the territory and munch, walrus-like, on some tasty blades of grass.

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

Public hearings coming up

Zoning Board of Appeals

The Zoning Board will hold a public hearing on Thursday, Aug. 2 at 7:30 p.m. to hear and to act on the following petitions:

  • John Briedis, 27 Canaan Drive, for renewal of an accessory apartment special permit.
  • Shu Chen, 117 Lincoln Rd., for transfer and renewal of an accessory apartment special permit.
  • Center for Dental Medicine and Reconstructions/Cambridge West 2 LLC, 152 Lincoln Rd., for special permit for change of tenant and use.
  • Apolinaras Sinkevicius, 124 Tower Rd., for a special permit to add a raised wooden deck and add a new room above the garage.
  • Neil B. Middleton, 45 Weston Rd., for a special permit to install a new higher-pitched roof, add exterior insulation to walls, and install a new entry canopy.

Historical Commission

The Lincoln Historical Commission will hold a public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 7 to consider the following applications:

  • James Dwyer, to demolish the existing structure at 233 Concord Rd. 
  • Christopher Eliot and Patricia Stuart, to demolish the existing attached garage at 124 Bedford Rd.

Council on Aging activities in August

Italian lunch for veterans and spouses/partners
August 1 at noon
Veterans of all ages and their spouses or partners are invited to come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 1 at noon to enjoy spaghetti with sauce, meat lasagna, and a salad with coffee and dessert. Come have a chance to talk about your service or anything else you like with people who understand. Please call the COA at 781-259-8811 to sign up so they know how many to expect.

Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band
August 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Jazz up your summer at Bemis Hall on Thursday, Aug. 2 at 12:30 p.m. when the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Band will share with you their love of traditional jazz music in a delightfully spontaneous concert! They’ll have you stomping your feet and cheering as they belt out good ole favorites such as “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Sweet Georgia Brown,” “Sunny Side of the Street” or “When The Saints Go Marching In.” The group are all retirees, amateur musicians who give expression to their love of the jazz of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s at Bemis the first Thursdays (summer) at 12:30 or Fridays (fall), or the third Saturdays at 1.

LGBT get-together for tea and conversation
August 6 at 1 p.m.
All are invited to a get-together for LGBT elders to enjoy tea and conversation at Bemis Hall on Monday, Aug. 6 at 1 p.m. Spend some relaxed social time, get to know others, and share your thoughts and experiences. If there is interest, the COA will plan more events for the future. Let the COA know what events you would like to attend. Elders from other towns are more than welcome.

Brunch and nutrition tips for healthy summer eating
August 8 at 10 a.m.
Choices for healthy cooking and eating are bountiful in the summer, but with so much health information coming at us it can be hard to know who to listen to and how to follow recommendations. Come to Bemis Hall on Wednesday, Aug. 8 at 10 a.m. to have a yummy brunch prepared by the chef from the Commons, hear some tips for eating well with summer’s bounty, and get answers to your nutrition questions from Sadie Daniels, RD, dietician at the Commons. If you have a special nutrition concern, call Carolyn at the COA at 781-259-8811 and let her know and she will pass it along to Sadie before the program. Please sign up by calling the COA by Wednesday, Aug. 1.

Free wellness clinic for all ages
August 14 at 10 a.m.
Meet with a nurse at 50 Wells Road in Lincoln Woods on Tuesday, Aug. 14 from 10 a.m. to noon. Blood pressure, nutrition and fitness, medication management, chronic disease management, resources, and more. Provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care.

How has literature enriched your life?
August 15 at 10 a.m.
Seeing life through characters in novels can help us broaden our perspective and find insights into our own dilemmas. As we age, we may find new books that speak to our own situations. Come for three sessions on August 15, 22, and 29 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall in which we’ll talk about books that speak to us now and some of the personal issues they address. Please bring a book you would like to share with others. The group will be facilitated by trained leader Alyson Lee.

Free elder law clinic
August 20 at 2 p.m.
Got a question about issues such as estate planning, MassHealth, protecting assets for a loved one with a serious disability, guardianship, conservatorship, or probate? The COA provides a monthly legal clinic with elder law attorney and Lincoln resident Sasha Golden on Monday, Aug. 20 from 2–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall. There’s no charge for the 30-minute consultation, but please sign up by calling the COA at 781-259-8811.

Accessory swap
August 27 at 1 p.m.
Go through your accessories to clean out jewelry, hats, scarves, etc., that you just don’t use anymore. Then come on down to Bemis Hall on Monday, Aug. 27 at 1 p.m. for an accessory swap. Bring some pieces (not more than five)—scarves, jewelry, etc.—put them on a table, and then pick out some to take home. It’s fun and it’s a great way to swap out what’s old to you and breathe some new life, color and style into your wardrobe.