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

Police log for June 6–13, 2024

Several times this week (June 6, 7, 11, and 12), police advised people fishing in the Concord Reservoir on Trapelo Road that fishing there is not allowed and were asked to move on. Lincoln Police Chief Sean Kennedy noted that the reservoir is under the management of the Cambridge Water Department, which prohibits fishing, mainly because people who fish there sometimes leave beer cans and other litter, or throw it into the water. 

June 6

Virginia Road (9:16 a.m.) — A caller reported that several cans of paint were left on their property. The DPW was notified.

The Commons of Lincoln (5:08 p.m.) — Officers assisted an outside agency in conducting a well-being check of a resident.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (6:20 p.m.) — A caller reported an individual was sitting in the median on Route 2 by Route 95. The area was checked by Lincoln and Massachusetts State Police but nothing was found.

The Commons of Lincoln (7:10 p.m.) — A caller spoke to an officer regarding several possibly stolen items.

June 7

Bedford Road (11:18 a.m.) — Officers conducted a check of the area after the report of several cars that had items removed during the overnight hours (click here for more information).

Todd Pond Road (4:33 p.m.) — An officer served court paperwork in hand to an individual.

June 8

North Great Road (12:45 a.m.) — An officer provided a courtesy transport.

June 9

Lexington Road Cemetery (4:38 p.m.) — Several lost items were reunited with their owner.

June 10

Wells Road (5:20 p.m.) — An individual came to the station to report possible harassment from a neighbor.

Wells Road (8:38 p.m.) — An individual spoke with an officer about being the victim of a possible scam.

June 11

Todd Pond Road (12:28 p.m.) — An attempt to serve court paperwork was unsuccessful.

Winter Street (10:27 p.m.) — A vehicle failed to stop at the stop sign by Old County Road, resulting in a single-vehicle crash. There were no injuries reported. The operator was cited for failure to stop at a stop sign. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

Beaver Pond Road (10:47 p.m.) — A caller reported a dog barking nearby. Officers were unable to respond due to being tied up with a motor vehicle crash.

June 12

Baker Farm Road (11:18 a.m.) — An individual reported that they had been separated from their partner on the trails by Walden Pond. The two were reunited a short time later.

Concord Road (4:10 p.m.) — A caller reported an altercation with another motorist earlier in the day.

MMNHP Hartwell lot (10:09 p.m.) — An officer checked on an occupied vehicle that had briefly pulled off the road.

June 13

Mary’s Way (8:48 p.m.) — A single-vehicle crash occurred on Mary’s Way when a car collided with a guardrail. There were no injuries.

Old Sudbury Road (12:13 p.m.) — A caller reported a malfunction with the railroad gates on Old Sudbury Road. Officers were already on site due to other maintenance work in the area. Keolis was notified.

Lincoln Public Library (3:11 p.m.) — A caller reported a large SUV was parked in a compact vehicle spot. Library staff was advised.

Lincoln Town Hall (11:41 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing several lights on in the Town Hall. An officer checked the area and noted nothing out of the ordinary.

My Turn: A celebration of Lincoln’s historic homes

By Kim Bodnar, Lincoln 250 Chair

On June 5, the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, along with the Lincoln Historical Society and the Historical Commission, hosted a reception for Lincoln’s Historical Homeowners (homes that were built on or before 1776). About 17 private homes in Lincoln qualify, along with public properties in Minute Man National Historical Park, Historic New England (Codman Estate), and Farrington Memorial. Twenty homeowners and representatives from Lincoln’s public properties shared the origin stories of these treasured historic homes.

The meeting began with an introduction of the Lincoln250 Planning Committee, formed by the Select Board in early 2023 to begin planning events, programs, and activities to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord and Lincoln’s role in these early days of the American Revolution. Andrew Glass, chair of the Historical Commission, provided background on Lincoln’s historic districts and the commission’s goal of preserving and protecting places significant to the history of the town. Finally, Sara Mattes, chair of the Historical Commission, offered a fascinating history of the Lincoln militia and Minute Men who lived in these historical homes, as well as the enslaved that were also present in Lincoln in April 1775.

Wiggin, author of Embattled Farmers: Campaigns and Profiles of Revolutionary Soldiers from Lincoln, Massachusetts, 1775-1783, shared the following pieces of information:

  • Lincoln’s most prominent citizen of that era, Dr. Charles Russell, was a loyalist and left Lincoln on April 19, 1775, never to return.  He was subsequently said to have tended to the British wounded at Bunker Hill.
  • There were somewhere between 105 and 115 Lincoln men (militia, Minute Men, and volunteers) who responded to the alarm of April 19.  This represents between 13.5% and 15% of Lincoln’s population at the time.

Don Hafner, author of Tales of the Battle Road: April 19, 1775 and an upcoming book-length manuscript on the Black community of Lincoln at the time of the Revolution noted that in 1774, there were 16 enslaved adults in Lincoln. There were also perhaps 12 free Black adults and children. Lincoln’s total white population was about 775.

The reception concluded with a discussion on how we can share the history of these homes and their 1775 residents with all of Lincoln as we approach the 250th anniversary in April 2025. A sincere thank you to all who attended and to our partners, the Lincoln Historical Society and the Lincoln Historical Commission. 

To stay up to date on Lincoln250 events and programs, follow us on Facebook or Instagram.  We will also be posting event information on LincolnTalk and the Squirrel. If you would like to support Lincoln250’s fundraising efforts, please shop our store or contact Peggy Elder at elderp@lincolntown.org to purchase a Lincoln250 car magnet.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

News acorns

Hannan Health Foods Farm fest on Saturday

Join Hannan Healthy Foods for its annual Farm Fest on Saturday, June 15 from noon–3 p.m. at Umbrello Field (270 South Great Rd). There will be food, farm tours, children’s activities, live music and more! The event is free and open to the public, but requires registration due to parking capacity. See the farm’s website for more information about the farm and CSA shares.

Teen violist plays in the great halls of Europe

Margaux Hemant on stage with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra.

Violist Margaux Hemant of Lincoln, a recent L-S graduate, is now in Europe as part of a two-week tour with the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra (BPYO), a tuition-free, 120-member ensemble of musicians age 12-21. The orchestra will perform a program including Schumann’s Cello Concerto and Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in some of Europe’s most famous concert halls: the Stadtcasino in Basel, the Rudolfinum in Prague, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, the Musikverein in Vienna, and the Philharmonie in Berlin.

Margaux auditioned successfully for the BPYO last year because her grandmother, who suffered from Alzheimer’s, loved Zander’s master classes. “Those recordings brought her through tough times as the illness progressed,” she said.

The young musicians will also have musical and cultural exchanges with local young people and youth orchestras. “It’s going to be fantastic — so many concerts, so many things to see, and enough time to visit museums and experience the culture,” said Margaux, 17, who’s been playing violin and viola since age 6. She joined the group last fall and hopes to continue with them after recently learning that she got into Tufts University.

Register for kids’ triathlon

Lucy Reiner crosses rhe finish line in a previous Splash, Mash, Dash.

Lincoln’s Splash, Mash, Dash Kids’ Triathlon is back on Saturday, June 29 for its 20th year. The race starts at 8:30 a.m. at the Codman Pool. Kids ages 5-14 are invited to participate. Race distances are as follows:

  • Ages 5-6:  25m swim (1 length), quarter-mile run (no bike portion)
  • Ages 7-8:  25m swim (1 length), one-mile bike ride, half-mile run
  • Ages 9-10: 50m swim (2 lengths), two-mile bike; half-mile run
  • Ages 11-12: 75m swim (3 lengths), two-bike, 3/4-mile run
  • Ages 13-14: 150m swim (6 lengths), four-mile bike, 1 mile run

Racers ages 8 and younger are individually accompanied by a guard in the water. Click here to register ($35 includes a t-shirt and a finisher’s medal). Pick up packets on Friday, June 28 from 12:30–6: p.m. in Hartwell Pod B. Volunteers are also needed during the race; email ginger.reiner@gmail.com if you can help.

Show off your electric vehicle on July 4

Do you have an EV you’d like to show off? CFREE is looking for ambassadors and their cars and trucks to join us on July 4 at the EV car show after the parade. We will be at the Pierce House from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. but participants must park their cars before the parade to avoid traffic. Lincoln Road is closed during the parade.

Please email Belinda Gingrich at belinda.gingrich@gmail.com if you’re interested in joining us. CFREE (Carbon Free Residential, Everything Electric, a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee) is hoping for one of each model car.

Vander Meulen shares steps to combat Zoom-bombing

“Zoom bombing” is more widespread in Lincoln meetings than indicated in two examples in the June 11 article headlined “Anti-trans sentiment voiced at three board meetings,” but resident Allen Vander Meulen has compiled a list of steps that Zoom hosts can take to manage the problem.

“During my tenure as chair of the Housing Commission, at least four of our monthly meetings were Zoom-bombed, mostly by spammers intent on disrupting the meeting, with no clear agenda beyond that,” said Vander Meulen, a former IT manager. “I suspect most other boards and commissions have had similar level of such experiences. We quickly learned how (for the most part) to prevent Zoom bombings, and how to stop them with a minimum of disruption when they did occur.”

The problem is certainly not unique to Lincoln; meetings in other towns have also been disrupted. 

Here are Vander Meulen’s Zoom-bombing prevention steps and countermeasures, which he has also sent to Lincoln officials.

When starting a meeting:

  1. Always have a host and a co-host. I’d recommend the chair be the co-host and an administrative support person be the host. Ideally, they should not be in the same physical location. The reasons for this are:
    • If either the host or co-host go offline, the meeting will continue without interruption.
    • The co-host can run the meeting (monitoring the chat and enabling/disabling screen sharing or other features) while the host records the meeting, pays attention to security settings/issues, and keeps an eye out for potentially malicious behavior.
  1. To avoid offensive or abusive material being posted in the chat, limit chat postings by not allowing participants to send to everyone — instead, only to the host(s) and co-host(s). There is an option under the three-dot menu at the top of the Chat panel for this.
  2. Under normal circumstances, participants other than the host and co-host should only be able to mute/unmute and turn their video on/off. All other options on the Security menu should be unchecked. Those needing screen sharing or other features can have them temporarily enabled by the host or co-host, and then disabled when the need no longer exists.
  3. Consider using the waiting room feature, especially for meetings with lots of participants.
  4. The host, and preferably also the co-host, should have the Participant and Chat panels visible and quickly accessible.

While managing a meeting, the host and co-host should both know how to quickly:

  • “Lock meeting” to prevent new participants from entering — Use the option near the top of the Security menu, also found as an option under the “More” button at the bottom of the Participants panel.
  • Block a specific person from a meeting — Use the “Remove” option found in the “More” dropdown menu next to their name in the Participants panel.
  • “Hide Profile Pictures” — Use the option found near the top of the Security menu
  • “Suspend Participant Activities” — Click the menu item in red at the bottom of the Security menu.
  • Disable a participant’s video — Use the “Stop Video” option found in the “More” dropdown menu next to their name in the Participants panel, and also in the top right corner of their Zoom connection’s window in the main screen.
  • Mute a participant — the mute button is next to their name in the Participants pane, and also in the top right corner of their Zoom connection’s window in the main screen.

As a general policy, require all participants to use their full name (or phone number, for those dialing in via phone) for their profile name. Also, s a benefit to those who are hearing-impaired, the host should always allow close captioning so that participants can turn on that feature in their own Zoom sessions if needed.

Suspicious activity can include:

  • The same name appearing twice — this can happen when one person uses two connections, often because they’re having trouble with one or both.  However, it is also how hackers hide themselves by duplicating the name of a known person for their own Zoom session, especially in large meetings.
  • A sudden influx of many new names
  • Multiple attendees without video, often using out-of-area phone numbers for their profile name
  • A person changing their name multiple times
  • A silent participant who does not respond to direct requests via chat (or audio)

The menu options described above are for the Mac version of Zoom, version 5.17.5. The locations and names for these options may differ on other platforms, and Zoom also frequently modifies options or adds new ones via software updates.

Lincoln teen swims to fight breast cancer

Zoe Borden (right) with her aquatic physical therapist and Team Making Waves teammate Laura Diamond.

Lincoln resident and recent L-S graduate Zoe Borden will again join Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) at the annual statewide Against the Tide event this weekend to pair her passion for swimming with her commitment to fighting breast cancer.

For Zoe, MBCC’s mission to target and prevent environmental contributors to breast cancer is personal. “This event is all the more meaningful to me as I remember my aunt undergoing [successful] surgery and treatment for breast cancer. The diagnosis was a surprise to us all as she’s a nurse practitioner and has always been so health-conscious and fit. Despite this and without an established family history, she developed breast cancer.”

That unexpected diagnosis fueled Zoe’s passion to support MBCC. She believes that understanding and eliminating environmental causes of this disease will have such an overwhelming impact on the lives of so many people. By participating in Against the Tide, she not only honors her aunt but also actively supports the broader efforts toward cancer prevention while doing something she loves: swimming.

She was first introduced to MBCC by Laura Diamond, her long-time aquatic physical therapist. Every year, Laura and Megan Cohen assemble a fundraising team called Team Making Waves to support Against the Tide and MBCC’s mission. Zoe has a neuromuscular condition called nemaline myopathy and started swimming as a toddler.

The water has always been a place where Zoe has felt strong, happy, and at ease. “I’ve been swimming with Laura since I was three years old, and remember her talking about Against the Tide every year. I was so excited when I was finally strong enough to not only support MBCC but participate myself,” she said. This is the fourth year she’s participated.

Zoe and her team will swim in Against the Tide in Hopkinton on Saturday, June 15. For details about the event, which includes several recreational and competitive swims and walks, click here. The website also has donation pages for Team Making Waves and Zoe herself. Funds raised support community education programs, the MBCC Webinar Series, and the newly expanded student environmental health program, all of which are provided free of charge.

This article was based on a press release from MBCC.

Anti-trans sentiment voiced at three board meetings

Editor’s note: The Lincoln Squirrel initially decided not to cover this issue so as not to publicize what I feel are highly misguided and hurtful views. I decided to write this story after the matter came up at a fourth meeting; I felt that not doing so would amount to sweeping an uncomfortable ongoing issue under the rug. We ignore public statements of this type — especially when they consist of blatant hatred and start to be heard from not just individuals but a statewide political party, as recently happened in Colorado — at our peril. 

The LGBTQIA+ community is celebrating Pride Month in June with parades, flags, and in some places (including Lincoln), proclamations of support. But not everyone has been in a celebratory mood — as evidenced when two Lincolnites spoke out in person against transgenderism at public meetings and a third meeting was profanely “Zoom-bombed.”

It all began in the weeks before the Select Board planned to issue its now-annual proclamation that June is Pride Month in Lincoln (see an identical version of the document from 2022 here). Knowing that this was happening in a few weeks, resident Charlotte Trim said at the board’s April 16 meeting that “this Pride proclamation seems to sort of normalize the transgender movement” and asserted that leaked emails from the World Professional Association for Transgender Health revealed that she called “horrifying” findings. Among her claims: that the suicide rate for postoperative transgender people is much higher than that for the rest of the population, and that hormonal therapies for transgender patients cause cancer or sterilization.

“What is being promoted to children in this town that you can choose your gender the way you can choose your career,” Trim said, adding that children being medically treated for gender dysphoria “are going to be sent on a eugenics program” and that “what you are putting forth here is actually a Satanic belief system.” She then asked the board to withdraw its upcoming Pride proclamation. 

Resident David Stubblebine also spoke in support of Trim’s sentiments. “The zeitgeist of the age is to embrace pride, embrace LGBT, embrace transgenderism,” he said. “Young children parading around with rainbow flags — not OK, in my opinion… and the transgenderism thing is 10 times worse… it’s promoting in our town a culture of death, in my opinion.”

Chris Eliot, who also happened to be attending the April 16 meeting via Zoom, took issue with those statements. “I feel that trying to equate the LGBT community and the LGBT movement to a Satanic cult was personally offensive,” he said. Trim tried to respond but was prevented from speaking further by the board.

Trim doubled down at the board’s next meeting on April 30. The Bill of Rights says Americans are “protected from having strange religions forced upon us, which is how it feels… what we seem to be doing is worshiping a pagan god,” she said. She claimed that other parents she had spoken to in town “are not very happy, but they don’t want to speak out because we all know if you speak out, you get punished.”

Reached by the Lincoln Squirrel on April 17, Trim said that she had reached out to Stubblebine and other residents before the April 16 meeting. “I asked them, “are you aware of the reality of what’s actually going down? …It makes the medical experiments that the Japanese did to the Chinese look mild.”

But worse was yet to come. At the Select Board’s May 6 meeting, shortly after a discussion of a planned May 29 Lincoln School procession and gathering to mark the start of Pride Month, someone with a Zoom screen identity of Wyatt Prower (perhaps a variant of “white power”) broke into the meeting with racist and anti-gay slurs. A second voice then displayed an antisemitic image and another of feces superimposed on the gay pride flag.  

“This is a perfect illustration of why we’re doing what we’re doing,” Town Administrator Tm Higgins said just before the Zoom broadcast was briefly suspended.

This is the second time a Lincoln meeting has been Zoom-bombed. In April 2021, someone broke into an online meeting of the Council on Aging board of directors, leaving members dumbstruck even as one of them — Hope White, who is Black — watched and listened in pain.

After the two April meetings, Select Board Chair Kim Bodnar declined further comment, saying in an email, “Lincoln’s Pride Proclamation aims to provide support for our residents and ensures everyone feels valued and full members of our community.”

Finally, at the board’s June 3 meeting, resident Michelle Barnes read a statement decrying the earlier anti-trans comments as “dehumanizing name-calling.” “This may encourage all of us to choose and ask others to choose to fill our public square not with hate speech, disrespect and bullying but instead to bring our best selves to these discussions,” she said. “If we fill our public square with humility, empathy, the benefit of the doubt, and respect for each other’s human dignity, we will create a much more favorable condition for cooperation and inclusion, especially in the context of dissenting views, creating more favorable conditions for them to be genuinely and thoughtfully considered.

“Although we have First Amendment rights to bring hate speech and bullying to our public square, and bullying is an effective strategy for giving more weight to one person’s or one group’s vote, it doesn’t mean it is right to exercise these rights, because the cost of exercising them in these ways is not only the erosion of our ability to cooperatively govern. The cost is also a fracturing of our shared humanity and community,” Barnes concluded.

School composting program brings together kids and volunteers

This spring, the Lincoln School launched a school-wide food composting program. The Lincoln School Foundation sponsored the pilot program, working with second-grade teacher Nicole McDonagh, Principal Sarah Collmer, and many others to create a greener future for the school and the town.

Diana Smith, Belinda Gingrich, and Emily Haslett were among the volunteers who helped launch the Lincoln School composting program.

Over a period of four weeks, volunteers in a total of 72 slots (two adults per lunch hour) went to work. After participating in an informational session and reviewing an instructional slide deck, they guided students as they dumped organic matter, trays, and other items into either compost or trash. Unopened, non-refrigerated food items that meet the official guidelines for food sharing are donated to the local food pantry. Students and staff move the compost binds to a holding location, where Black Earth Composting picks them up weekly.

The school will receive some composted soil that will be used in raised beds that the Lincoln Garden Club is funding. The club’s Diana Rice-Sheahan will be responsible for planting and maintaining the beds for two years, after which Lincoln Common Ground and other volunteer groups will continue.

Daniel Ravanales and Gordon Allen stand proudly with the schools compost containers.

The composting program also has the benefit of showing what students are consuming, which can inform menu choices and help minimize food waste and spending. Studies have shown that American school cafeterias waste more food (especially fruits and vegetables) than those in other developed countries.

One of the volunteers who helped with the program’s rollout was Select Board Chair Kim Bodnar. “The lessons it shares with students around environmental sustainability and waste reduction are important, and it’s something that brings the Lincoln School community together with the broader community.”

In addition to the LSF, Garden Club, and Select Board, members of the School Committee, PTO core team, METCO Coordinating Committee, First Parish Church, Friends of Modern Architecture, Friends of Lincoln Public Library, the Council on Aging & Human Services pitched in to make the composting program possible.

Police log for May 30 – June 5, 2024

Car break-ins on June 7

Between midnight and 6 a.m. on Friday, June 7, Lincoln police received a report of several unlocked vehicles on Bedford Road  that had been opened and had items removed. Police encourage residents across Lincoln to lock their vehicles and homes as well as remove any items of value (cash/coins, electronics, bags/backpacks) from the immediate viewing area of their vehicle. In addition, they ask any residents with security cameras to review their footage between those hours to see if anyone attempted to gain access to their vehicles. 

May 30

Sandy Pond Road (1:34 a.m.) — A caller requested a check of the property after discovering an unsecured door. Officers checked the area and noted nothing out of the ordinary.

Lincoln Road (6:12 p.m.) — A caller reported an injured deer on their property. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Lincoln Road (7:47 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing an injured raccoon on the side of the road. Officers were dispatched to the area and the Animal Control Officer was notified.

Food Project field (10:32 p.m.) — An officer checked on a parked, unoccupied vehicle.

May 31

Ballfield Road (7:34 a.m.) — An officer responded to Ballfield Road for the report of a raccoon that appeared to be sick. The officer located the raccoon and dispatched the animal.

Battle Road Farm (3:35 p.m.) — An officer spoke with a caller regarding a civil matter.

Baker Bridge Road (4:25 p.m.) — An operator of an illegally parked vehicle was told that they could not park there.

Trapelo Road (5:15 p.m.) — Several youths were advised that fishing was prohibited at the Cambridge Reservoir.

Weston Road (6:46 p.m.) — A caller requested the Animal Control Officer respond for a raccoon in their yard.

June 1

Trapelo Road (9:36 a.m.) — A caller reported detecting an odor of natural gas on Trapelo Road. The Fire Department checked the area and was unable to detect the odor.

South Great Road (10:12 a.m.) — A caller reported locating a young deer by the side of the road. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Trapelo Road (11:04 a.m.) — Cambridge Water Department personnel located an illegally parked motor vehicle and alerted the police. The area was checked but the operator was nowhere to be found.

Trapelo Road (3:22 p.m.) — The operator of the illegally parked vehicle was located and advised to move the vehicle.

Ridge Road (6:58 p.m.) — A caller reported loud music in the area. Officers located the source and requested the music be turned down.

South Great Road (8:36 p.m.) — An officer assisted two individuals related to an ongoing incident.

June 2

Hartwell lot, North Great Road (3:03 a.m.) — An officer checked on a parked, occupied vehicle. The operator had pulled off the roadway to rest before continuing on their way.

Lincoln Road at South Great Road (1:39 p.m.) — A caller reported a possible hit and run. After speaking with all parties involved, it was determined that there was no actual collision.

Sandy Pond Road (2:06 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing a baby deer in their yard.

Wells Road (3:14 p.m.) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding a possible civil matter.

Old County Road (4:27 p.m.) — A caller reported a possible excessive noise complaint. An officer checked the area but did not hear any excessive noise.

Walden Pond boat ramp (5:46 p.m.) — A caller reported a missing person by Walden Pond. The response was cancelled a short time later after determining the report was a misunderstanding.

Trapelo Road (6:49 p.m.) — Several individuals fishing at the Cambridge Reservoir were advised fishing was not allowed and moved from the area.

Conant Road (9:45 p.m.) — A caller reported losing an item at Valley Pond.

June 3

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (6:54 a.m.) — The Massachusetts State Police were advised of a dead deer on Route 2.

Lincoln Road commuter lot (11:25 a.m.) — Two illegally parked motor vehicles were cited in the commuter lot.

Lincoln Road (1:34 p.m.) — Police and fire personnel responded to a multiple-vehicle crash. The vehicles were removed and the roadway was opened a short time later.

Mill Street (2:43 p.m.) — An officer checked on a parked, unoccupied motor vehicle.

Lincoln Road (5:07 p.m.) — An officer checked on a vehicle pulled off on the side of the road. The operator had pulled over to adjust their GPS.

North Commons (5:11 p.m.) — A caller requested assistance with an ongoing issue.

Mount Misery parking lot (5:30 p.m.) — A caller reported a turtle was crossing Route 117. The turtle crossed the road without incident.

Davison Drive (6:36 p.m.) — A caller requested information regarding a civil matter.

Old Town Hall Exchange (10:09 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing individuals possibly tampering with a tree. The individuals were photographing insects.

June 4

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (1:12 a.m.) — An officer assisted an individual walking on Route 2 eastbound.

Codman Road (2:10 a.m.) — A vehicle had pulled over to the side of the road due to glare from oncoming headlights.

South Great Road (9:53 a.m.) — A two-vehicle crash was reported at the intersection of South Great Road and Old Sudbury Road. Officers assisted the operators and towed the vehicles from the scene.

Lincoln Gas and Auto (9:46 a.m.) — A caller reported an unauthorized piece of equipment placed on their property.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (10:28 a.m.) — Lincoln Police and Fire assisted the Massachusetts State Police with a two vehicle crash.

Wells Road (11:21 a.m.) — An officer assisted a person with a civil matter.

Lincoln Road (1:27 a.m.) — A caller reported a dead deer in their yard. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Weston Road (12:04 p.m.) — A caller reported a landscape truck blocking a lane. An officer responded but was unable to locate the vehicle.

Trapelo Road (4:09 p.m.) — Three youths were advised that they cannot fish in the Cambridge Reservoir.

MMNHP visitor center parking lot (11:58 p.m.) — An operator locked their keys in their vehicle. A second set was on its way.

June 5

Hanscom Drive (11:34 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces called stating they had an individual in custody on an outstanding warrant. An officer arrived and took custody of Sean Irvin, 28, from East Providence, R.I. He was booked and transported to Concord District Court.

Longmeadow Road (12:53 p.m.) — A caller reported a possible credit card fraud incident.

Oxbow Road (5:43 p.m.) — A caller reported a scam call regarding a ransom. Officers responded and spoke with all parties involved.

Lexington Road (9:16 p.m.) — Officers assisted two individuals with a probate matter.

News acorns

New senior property tax exemption program starts

Applications are now being accepted for the Lincoln means-tested Senior Circuit Breaker Property Tax Exemption. This new property tax exemption was recently approved by the state and then again at Annual Town Meeting in March (after the initial 2021 approval) for implementation for the FY25 real estate tax billing cycle.

The new exemption reduces property taxes for income-eligible households and is in addition to any other exemption allowable under Mass General Laws, though the maximum benefit received may not exceed 50% of any resident’s property tax bill. This program coincides with the Massachusetts Circuit Breaker program, with additional criteria specific to Lincoln. The funds available for this program are limited. Thus, program eligibility based on household income may be reduced to ensure those most in need receive a benefit. To be eligible for the new exemption, individuals must:

  • Have owned property in Lincoln for at least five years
  • Be 65 years of age at the close of 2023. If married, your spouse must be at least 60 years of age at the close of 2023.
  • Have completed your 2023 Massachusetts state income taxes, including Schedule CB.
  • Have a household gross income of less than 100% of the AMI (area median income) for the household size. For a household of one, this is $104,510; for a household of two, it’s $119,440.

For more information or to apply, call the Council on Aging & Human Services at 781-259-8811. Town staff and board members have been working hard to start the first year of this program off well; please be patient as we navigate this process with you. Applications are due by 4:30 pm on July 1, 2024 and applicants must file annually to retain the exemption.

Eighth-grade car wash on Saturday

The Lincoln School eighth-graders will host their annual fundraising car wash Saturday, June 8 at the Town Offices from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. (rain date June 9). This is their biggest opportunity to raise funds for a well-deserved graduation celebration and class gift. Purchase your ticket early so we have a sense of the funds available for the expenses. Click here to purchase tickets ($20 per car) and/or make a donation. You can also pay the day of the car wash ($25 cash or check).

Summer softball league starting up

Lincoln Co-Ed Softball is a not-too-competitive league with modified rules to enhance player safety while maintaining the integrity of the game for players age 16 and up. We provide players with a rewarding experience with their neighbors where the mandatory thing is stretching before games. We have four veteran teams that would love to have you join — pick one when you register, or we can assign you. No experience necessary, and don’t worry if you can’t make every game. Post-game bragging rights at the Tack Room is optional. Register here. Questions? Email lincolnsoftball01773@gmail.com.

Ongoing trail work with closures at Minuteman

Ongoing trail improvement projects at Minute Man National Historical Park involve temporary trail closures and parking lot closures to the public at various locations along the Battle Road Trail and North Bridge Trail. The first of these projects will include the Fiske Hill West and East Trail, as well as the portion of Battle Road Trail between the Whittemore House and Parker’s Revenge site. Work also continues at the trail re-route between Olive Stowe Boardwalk and Brooks Village. These locations will be completed by early July. 

It’s important that visitors respect the temporary closures. Due to the type of material being applied to trail surfaces, unauthorized trail access can impact the curing process and potentially delay completion of the projects. Updates on trail closures and completion are available on the Minute Man NHP website and social media platforms. 

The work to rehabilitate trails and improve the visitor experience is funded by a $27 million grant from the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund in the lead-up to April 2025, the 250th anniversary of the opening battle of the American Revolution.

LLCT annual meeting is June 23

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust at our Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 23 at 4 p.m. at the Lincoln School’s learning commons. After LLCT members vote in the business meeting, Mark and Marcia Wilson from Eyes on Owls will lead a program where attendees can meet six live owls up close. This live animal program can be enjoyed by people of all ages (5+ is recommended) and young naturalists will be invited to sit on the floor at the front of the room.

After the owl program, LLCT will host a burrito dinner from the Tack Room in the adjacent dining commons. Burritos will be prepared in advance, so we are asking participants to RSVP so we can plan accordingly. Suggested donation for the burrito dinner is $10/person. Click here to learn more and RSVP.

See high school service day activities in Lincoln

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School SRHS Class of 2024 thanked the communities that have given so much to them over the years by giving back on the annual Senior Day of Service. Click here to watch a slide show of the activities at several Lincoln locations.

Coming up at the library

Book talk: “Suffrage Song”
Monday, June 10 at 7 p.m. (Zoom)
Hear author Caitlin Cass discuss her book, Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race and Voting Rights in the U.S. Part graphic novel, part map of the suffrage movement, this book tells the story of the fight for the right to vote by women from the very beginning. Click here to register.

Summer reading kickoff and sale
Wednesday, June 12 from 3–6 p.m., library lawn
Children are invited to the library for balloon sculpting (balloons for ages 3+), crafts and other fun, ice cream, and a magic show by Ed Popielarczyk at 4 p.m. Learn about the library’s summer reading program and pick up reading challenge forms. The Friends of the Lincoln Library (FOLL) will also be holding a sale of used children’s books for kids ag 5-12 priced from 50 cents to $2.00. 

No registration required. The event will move indoors in the event of inclement weather. Funding provided by FOLL.

June activities hosted by the COA&HS

Here are some of the June activities hosted by the Lincoln Council on Aging and Human Services. Most events are open to Lincoln residents of all ages. For a full list — including clinics, exercise classes, regular meetings of interest groups, and online chats with town officials — see the COAHS’s calendar page or newsletter archive page. Call 781-259-8811 or email gagnea@lincolntown.org for Zoom links and other information.

Health and wellness fair
Friday, June 7 at 12:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Get your questions answered by local healthcare vendors including Lincoln public health nurse, police and fire personnel, Parks & Rec, Emerson Health, AARP, SMOC, elder law attorneys, Vascular Care Group, St. Vincent de Paul, Minuteman Senior Services, independent & assisted living and many more. Free door prizes.

Toni Lynn Washington jazz concert
Thursday, June 13 at 2:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
All ages are invited to a free jazz concert by Boston’s queen of soul and blues. Sponsored by Margo Cooper in celebration of her mother, Ronna Cooper.

“Love, Loss and What I Wore”
Thursday, June 13 at 7 p.m., library Tarbell Room
Friday, June 14 at 12:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Wordsmove Theater presents this poignant and hilarious play by Nora Ephron and Delia Ephron, based on the book by Ilene Beckerman (details here) that explores matters of the heart and closet. Cast: Carol Becker, Nancy Bush, Mary Crowe, Susan Gates and Sally Kindleberger. Directed by Mary Crowe.

Strawberry & Ice Cream Social
Thursday, June 20 at 12:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Make your own ice cream sundae topped with luscious local strawberries, chocolate, and more, and then share conversation with old friends and new. Please RSVP by June 14 by calling 781-259-8811. Transportation available for those who need a ride. Sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Council on Aging.

The Gardner Museum Theft
Friday, June 21 at 12:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Bob Ainsworth shares the story of Isabella Stewart Gardner’s life and her creation of the museum. He delves into the heist on March 18, 1990, when 13 priceless objects were stolen. Why was the heist successful? Who are the suspects?

Classical Piano Concert
Friday, June 28 at 12:30 p.m., Bemis Hall
Join us for a concert with Abla Shocair and her grandchildren, Nooreddeen and Zaineddeen Kawaf. Music includes compositions by Beethoven, Liszt, and Chopin.