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

News acorns

Climate justice series continues with ‘A Plastic Ocean’

St. Anne’s Episcopal Church will screen the feature-length documentary A Plastic Ocean on Tuesday, April 25 as part of the church’s ongoing series of films on climate justice. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m. with a light vegetarian supper and the film will start at 7 p.m.

A Plastic Ocean brings to light the consequences of our global disposable lifestyle. An international team of adventurers, researchers, and ocean ambassadors go on a mission around the globe to uncover the shocking truth about what is truly lurking beneath the surface of our seemingly pristine ocean. The film captures never-before-seen images of marine life, plastic pollution, and its ultimate consequences for human health. The movie was filmed over four years in 20 locations around the world to document the global effects of plastic pollution, and to introduce workable technology and policy solutions that can, if implemented in time, change things for the better. Click here to see the trailer.

Discussion will follow the screening as time allows. The film series is free and open to the public, but donations are accepted to defray the cost of screening rights. St. Anne’s climate justice ministry is working to raise up the issues of climate change and environmental justice and to build a community of concerned persons who can make a difference for future generations.

Lincoln Internet guru to give Bemis Lecture

Andy Ory

“The Next Big Thing: More, Faster… but Better?” is the title of the next Bemis lecture to be given by Lincoln resident Andy Ory on Wednesday, April 26 at 7:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Ory was named as one of the Boston Tech 30 by Boston Magazine “the most influential movers, shaker, thinkers and connectors on the technology scene right now.” Ory was owner of Acme Packet (acquired by Oracle) and co-owner of the new startup 128 Technology, which aims to rethink Internet routing. After his talk, Ory will lead a conversation of the opportunities, threats and challenges in the fields of technology and entrepreneurship in the 21st century, and the impact on our everyday lives. The Bemis Lecture Series  is free and open to all.

Free wellness clinics for all ages

Lincoln residents of all ages are invited to meet with a nurse through a free town service. Come to get your blood pressure checked, ask questions, or learn about wellness resources at clinics funded by the Ogden Codman Trust  and the Pierce House. There will be clinics at Bemis Hall on Tuesday, April 18 and Tuesday, May 16 from 9 to 11 a.m., and at Lincoln Woods from 10 a.m. to noon on Tuesday, May 9. Services for all clinics are provided by Emerson Hospital Home Care. For more information, please call the Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.

Food Project fundraiser on April 26

The Food Project will kick off its 26th growing season with the Big Shindig on Wednesday, April 26 at 6 p.m. at the Cyclorama at the Boston Center for the Arts (539 Tremont St.). The event raises over $250,000 each year to support The Food Project’s youth programming, sustainable agriculture on urban and suburban farms, system building to improve community economic strength, and distribution of fresh produce to fill gaps in food access. The Big Shindig will feature inspiring stories from youth speakers from The Food Project’s Dirt Crew and Root Crew, and a celebration of Leadership Award honoree Leah Penniman. Tickets are $175.

Since its founding, The Food Project has grown from a single two-acre farm in Lincoln to an organization that maintains 70 acres of urban and suburban farmland throughout greater Boston and the North Shore. Over 1,700 young people between the ages of 14 and 18 have served on The Food Project’s youth crews, and the organization has harvested almost 4.5 million pounds of sustainably grown produce.

Letter to the editor: help with bat house project

letter

Dear fellow Lincoln citizens,

My name is Nicholas Soukup, and I am a senior member of Lincoln Boy Scout Troop 127. I am working on an Eagle Project to benefit the Lincoln community. For this venture, I am proposing the construction of bat houses to increase the bat population here in Lincoln, with the added benefit of decreasing the number of mosquitos.

To undertake this project, I will build 7-8 bat houses and place them in strategic spots (elevated, sunny and near water) around Lincoln. Boy Scout guidelines require Scouts to present the project to the town and request donations to be put toward the purchase of materials. If you are interested in contributing, please send donations to Chris Bursaw (Lincoln’s troop leader) at 136 Tower Road, Lincoln, MA 01773. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Nicholas Soukup
6 Woodcock Lane

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

School Building Committee charge approved; members sought

The School Committee is officially seeking four or five community members for a new School Building Committee after voting to create the panel and approving its charge on April 12.

The new SBC will work closely with a community center building committee, whose charge will be discussed by selectmen at their April 24 meeting. Voters last month approved funding feasibility studies for both school and community center projects on the Ballfield Road campus.

The School Committee is seeking four or five community members with experience in fields that are relevant to the SBC’s work, such as architecture, planning or design, project management, or community engagement. Potential candidates should email letters of interest, mentioning relevant experience to the SC at schoolcomm@lincnet.org. The deadline for SBC candidate submissions is Monday, April 24, and the SC will appoint members at its April 27 meeting. The new SBC will hold its first meeting the following week.

The SBC’s charge includes hiring an owner’s project manager and design firm, detailing space requirements for the educational program, creating a plan for communications and community input, preparing at least three design solutions with cost estimates for review and vote by Town Meeting, and developing a partial schematic design and specific cost estimate for the preliminary design selected at that Town Meeting.

“The School Committee promises that membership on the SBC will entail long hours, hard work, difficult conversations, no pay, and uncertain rewards. It also offers an opportunity to participate in the creation of a central piece of the community and the future of this town,” the committee wrote. Residents who would like to discuss the responsibilities and expectations of SBC membership are encouraged to email the SC at the same address.

The exact mechanisms for how the two building committees will work together haven’t been worked out yet, though selectmen discussed the issue at their April 11 meeting with SC members. For example, the groups would have to decide early on whether to hire a design firm with two separate teams (one for the school building and the other for a community center), a single design team, or two separate firms.

With two teams in a single a company, “you have that kind of built-in collaboration in a much easier way,” Selectman James Craig said.

Another suggestion was having one or more residents be members of both groups, “but that seems like a herculean task,” Craig said. Selectman Jonathan Dwyer suggested a “wrapper” group “so the two teams don’t have their silos and it’s more like one team with a single mission.”

“As much as you all may try, without some codified organizational structure to overcome it, the notion of collaboration when the rubber hits the road and dollar signs start flying around is going to get really tough,” former Selectman Sara Mattes said in the meeting’s open forum. “To me, in past experience, liaisons alone don’t do it. Maybe this will be magical and there’s enough good will to carry it forward, but we have some tough slogging ahead and some really important big-ticket projects ahead of us.”

Mattes suggested a five-person executive committee with a member from each of the building committees plus one each from the Board of Selectmen, School Committee, and either Finance Committee or Capital Planning Committee. Such a group could assure various constituencies such as the Green Energy Committee that “they’ve got another sounding board and sort of a mediator in the process,” she said.

Whatever the firm or firms are hired for the two projects will be required to solicit and incorporate substantial public input all along the way.“Whatever you think is normal outreach, double it and be creative,” said Selectman and recent SC chair Jennifer Glass.

News acorns

Volunteer at Minute Man National historic Park this Saturday

Volunteer at the Battle Road Demonstration at Parker’s Revenge at Minute Man National Historical Park in Concord, Lincoln and Lexington on Saturday, April 15. Learn about the opening events of the American Revolution and assist with event logistics during  the morning shift (9 a.m. to noon) or the afternoon shift (noon to 3 p.m.). Also learn about the recent archaeological discovery on the Parker’s Revenge battle site and the park’s plan to restore the battlefield landscape, and watch the Battle Road demonstration at 2 p.m. To volunteer, email margie_coffin_brown@nps.gov.

Dinner benefits women and children in South Asia

St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Church is holding its semi-annual Lincoln Child Haven Dinner on Saturday, April 22 at 6 p.m. to raise funds for Child Haven International, which supports, educates and employs formerly destitute women and children in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Tibet. The evening also features a silent auction and craft table with crafts from South Asia. Tickets are $35 per person and are available from Chris Damon (781-879-5870, christinehdamon@gmail.com) or pay via credit card on this Child Haven page.

Learn about raising healthy bees

Beekeepers can learn how to keep bees healthy and raise their own queens with Charlotte Trim at Lindentree Farm (10 Old Concord Rd.) on Saturday, April 22 from 2-4:30 p.m. and Saturday, May 20 from 3-5:30 p.m. There will be a hands-on demonstration in the field, weather permitting (bring your suits). Cost for both sessions is $120. Pre-registration for $30 is required. Email charlotte.trim44@gmail.com or lindentreecsa@gmail.com.

Portrait tour at Codman Estate

One of the portraits at the Codman Estate.

“Painters and Personalities: Portraits at the Codman Estate” will be held on Saturday, April 22 from 1-3 p.m. at the estate (34 Codman Rd.). From high-end works by John Singleton Copley and Gilbert Stuart to other pictures by the once-famous on down to humble family snapshots, the Codman portrait collection reveals over 200 years of changing styles. A specialty tour will take a fresh, focused look at this collection, including the rarely seen. Hear the real stories of the people behind these pictures, subjects and artists both. Space is limited and registration is required; tickets are $15 for Historic New England members and $20 for non-members. Call 617-994-6690 or buy online.

Donate bikes to Bikes Not Bombs

Do you have unused bicycles or biking accessories kicking around in your garage? Wondering what to do with them? Bring them to the Lincoln bike drive on Sunday, April 23 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hartwell lot on Ballfield Road. The Lincoln Recycling Committee partners with Bikes Not Bombs (BNB), which ships about 4,800 donated bikes from Massachusetts to economic development projects (micro-enterprise bike businesses, sustainable technology projects, and youth training programs) in Ghana, Tanzania, Guatemala, and Nevis Island every year. The remaining collected bikes are used in the BNB’s Jamaica Plain location for the youth Earn-a-Bike programs, and others are repaired by teenage mechanics in vocational training programs. Please note that BNB requests a $10 donation per bike to defray storage, processing, and shipping costs. The organization can provide a signed, dated receipt for the cash donation and the value of each donated bicycle. For information, contact Laure Berland (lauraberland@comcast.net) or Bernadette Quirk (quirkx4@msn.com).

Job fair at Minuteman

Minuteman High School will host its annual Career and Job Fair on Wednesday, April 26 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The event is open to all students, alumni, employers, and the general public. For more information, contact Joseph Pitta, Minuteman’s Coordinator of Workforce and Economic Development, at 781-861- 6500, ext. 7361 or jpitta@minuteman.org. Employers wishing to set up a booth must register on the Career and Job Fair website. Students and employers can learn more by visiting the online Minuteman job board.

Talk on climate change impact

Ellen Mecray

What will be the impact of global warming on our regional environment? What can we do to delay the process of global warming? The Lincoln Public Library presents “Global Warming” with Ellen Mecray, the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration’s regional climate services director for NOAA’s eastern region, on Thursday, April 27. Due to a scheduling issue, attendees are asked to arrive at 6:45 p.m. so the program can begin promptly at 7 p.m. Mecray helps bring NOAA’s climate information to other federal agencies as well as state and local entities. She has also been an oceanographer with the U.S. Geological Survey.

Wong’s contract extended at L-S

Bella Wong

The Lincoln-Sudbury Regional School Committee unanimously approved an extension of Superintendent/Principal Bella Wong’s contract through June 30, 2020.

“The School Committee is grateful for Bella’s many contributions to Lincoln-Sudbury over the four years in which she has served as Superintendent/Principal,” Elena Kleifges, chair of the committee, said in a press release. “Her compelling vision for 21st-century education and the promotion of equity and excellence for all students have become part of the fabric of the high school, and the towns of Lincoln and Sudbury have been the beneficiaries of Bella’s strong financial and operational management during a challenging period. We look forward to her continued contributions over the next three years.”

Wong has served as superintendent/principal of the district since July 1, 2013 (and as acting superintendent/principal before that), and she also was a science teacher and department coordinator at L-S from 1991 to 1998.
Wong told the Lincoln Squirrel that managing our budget over the past few years to maximize benefit to students has been the biggest challenge during her current tenure. “We were able to manage fixed costs like healthcare and utilities in order to be able to sustain current staffing and add a few new programs and/or improvements,” she said. “Our staff is really great at staying abreast of opportunities to keep the curriculum fresh, relevant and challenging for themselves to teach and for students to learn. One of the best achievements is being able to support those endeavors through summer workshops and additional professional development we can offer. I feel we are more conscious of what we each are doing in the effort to coordinate our efforts and promote collaboration across all departments toward creating best options for all students.”
How to prepare students for “a rapidly changing world environment” will be a key issue going forward, she said. “How do we find the right balance of skill development and content knowledge across all disciplines in four years? More critically, how do we instill a positive growth mindset in all of our students—a ‘can do ‘ attitude that will help them overcome any challenge they will face in time to come?” she said.

Prior to her current position, she was assistant superintendent and later superintendent of the Wellesley Public Schools. She has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Harvard University, did graduate study in molecular biology at Stanford University, earned a law degree at the University of California—Davis, and has a master’s degree in education from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Are Lincoln amphibians evolving? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

Resident Audrey Kalmus sent this photo of one of the signs on Silver Hill Road warning drivers to beware of crossing amphibians. The primate was added to the signs by a person or persons unknown. “Dave McKinnon, our land manager, noticed it yesterday,” Conservation Director Thomas Gumbart said on Friday. “We both thought it was pretty funny.”

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.

News acorns

Trial begins for man accused of dumping body in Lincoln

The approximate location where Stephen Rakes’ body was found in Lincoln in July 2013 (click to enlarge).

The Boston Globe published this April 6 article on the prosecution’s account of the last day of  Stephen “Stippo” Rakes, whose body was discovered in Lincoln in 2013. April 5 was the opening day of the trial of William Camuti of Sudbury. Police say Camuti, former owner of the Loan Depot, poisoned Rakes with cyanide in his iced coffee in Waltham, then drove around the area for hours before dumping the body on Mill Street in Lincoln. He is charged with first-degree murder, improper disposal of a body, and two counts of lying to police.

Lincoln Squirrel stories from 2013:

Boy Scouts seek new members

The Lincoln Boy Scouts are looking for new members in grades 5 and up. Several camping trips are planned before the end of the school year, as well as many other activities and learning opportunities. The troop meets every Wednesday evening at the Mason Lodge in Lincoln. Fof more information, email Chris Bursaw at cbursaw@seguincapital.com.

Artist’s presentation on wild ponies of Assateague

The Lincoln Public Library presents “The Wild Ponies of Assateague Island” with artist Rob Franco on Thursday, April 20 at 7 p.m. in the Tarbell Room. Franco will present a DVD and share how the approximately 300 ponies that wander freely on the island have influenced his paintings. His paintings are on display in the library’s Main Art Gallery during April.

Lecture at deCordova by landscape photographer

Laura McPhee, Late Summer (Drifting Fireweed), 2007, C-print, 70″ x 90″ inches. Gift of the artist and Carroll and Sons, Boston. Photo by Rick Mansfield of Anchor Imagery.

Boston-based photographer Laura McPhee will give the 2017 Paul J. Cronin Memorial Lecture on Thursday, April 20 at 6:30 p.m. at the deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum. McPhee, a professor at the Massachusetts College of Art and Design, is known for her stunning large-scale photographs that chronicle how we value and use the landscape. Free and open to all; seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. McPhee travels extensively with her large-format camera to document landscapes both strange and familiar in lush color and exquisite detail. Her past projects include photographing the forests of central Idaho, the domestic architecture of Kolkata, India, and the Gateway National Recreation Area in coastal New York and New Jersey.

Property sales in February

  • 8C North Commons — Alan Chapman to Yue Shanshan for $338,900 (February 24)
  • 122 Lexington Rd. — Lexington RD Development Limited Partnership to Dallas J. Webb and Leyla E. Webb Kosar for $1,575,000 (February 24)
  • 138 Weston Rd. — Dmitriy Shtockman to Steven and Megan Reece for $705,000 (February 23)
  • 236 Aspen Circle — Karl A. geiger to Stephen K. and Susanne W. geiger for $490,000 (February 2)

News acorns

 Park & Rec seeks new member

The Lincoln Parks & Recreation Committee has an open seat and is seeking a resident to fill it ASAP. The term of service would be through March 2019.  We are accepting applications through Friday, April 14. Anyone interested in serving on the committee should fill out the town volunteer form and return it to Peggy Elder in the Selectman’s Office by April 14.

Tick season is here

The Board of Health urges residents to take precautions against deer tick bites, which can cause Lyne disease and other ailments. Preventive measures and tick removal guidelines can be found here.

Volunteers, artists sought for Lincoln Arts Show

The second annual Lincoln Arts Show on Patriots Day Weekend at Bemis Hall is still seeking volunteers for setup, hosting during the show, reception, and take-down. Contact Sarah Chester at schester636@gmail.com. The show is also still accepting entries until Monday, April 10. Click here for entry forms. Come see paintings, photography, ceramics, hand crafts, etc., created by your Lincoln friends and neighbors. Free admission. The opening reception is Saturday, April 15 from 5–6:30 p.m. Show times are:

  • Saturday, April 15 from 12–5 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 16 from 1–5 p.m.
  • Monday, April 17 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m.

Sponsored by the Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department and the Council on Aging.

Donate household items to Domestic Violence Roundtable

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable invites area residents to donate new household items to help families transitioning from a shelter to establish a new home. The Shower for Shelters runs from Monday, April 10 through Sunday, April 30. New unwrapped gifts may be dropped off at the Lincoln Public Library, the Goodnow Library in Sudbury or the Wayland Public Library. Items may also be dropped off at the group’s free wine-tasting event at Sudbury Wine and Spirits in the Rugged Bear Plaza (410 Boston Post Rd., Sudbury) on Friday, April 21 starting at 7 p.m.

Requested items include twin-size sheets, pillowcases, summer blankets and comforters as well as pillows, crib sheets, bath towels and face cloths, unscented cleaning products and laundry detergent, laundry baskets, kitchen utensils, flatware, dishes, drinking glasses and small kitchen appliances. Gift cards are also welcome. For a complete list of requested items, please visit the Roundtable website. All gifts collected are donated to clients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence.

Lincoln Minute Men stepping off with historical observances

The Lincoln Minute Men (LMM) have several activities to observe events surrounding Patriots Day starting this Saturday, April 8. Click here for a listing of events at Minute Man National Historic Park or click here for a map of the park.

Saturday, April 8 — The Capture of Paul Revere

March behind the LMM down Battle Road or join them at the capture site where Paul Revere’s ride ended in Lincoln. See Revere, Samuel Prescott, William Dawes, Mary Hartwell, and Major Mitchell tell the true story, despite poetic efforts by special guest Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Music and musket fire.

  • Minute Man National Historic Park Visitors Center, 2:45 p.m.
  • Capture site, 3 p.m.
Saturday, April 15 — Battle Road: Capt. Smith, Parker’s Revenge, and Tower Park

The LMM interpret the home of William Smith and his wife Catharine Louisa in the 1775 home of their first captain. Later, hundreds of British and Colonial soldiers recreate the running battle along the deadly stretch of road on the border of Lincoln and Lexington. Then both sides regroup to battle at Tower Park in Lexington.

  • Captain William Smith House, 9:30 a.m. to noon
  • Parker’s Revenge battle site behind Visitors Center, 2 p.m.
  • Battle of Tower Park (1200 Massachusetts Ave., Lexington), 4 p.m.
Sunday, April 16 — Lincoln Salute: Festival of 18th-century Fife and Drum Music

The LMM host fife and drum groups from as far away as Michigan in a musical performance. Bring your picnic basket and lawn chairs for rousing entertainment.

  • Pierce Park, 2-3:30 p.m.
Sunday, April 16 — Alarm and Muster

An ancient Revolutionary War veteran reminisces about those fateful early hours of April 19, 1775. Capt. William Smith rides down the hill to alarm the citizens of Lincoln. Bells ring, drums roll and the LMM fall in to receive their orders to defend Concord. Then march with the LMM to Pierce House for a firing demonstration.

  • Library lawn opposite First Parish Church (3 Bedford Rd.), 7 p.m.
Monday, April 17 — Dawn Tribute and March to the Concord Parade

The LMM salute the patriots buried in the Old Meeting House Cemetery as they emerge from the mists of the burial ground for roll call. Fifers play a lament and the muskets fire a volley. Then join the LMM on their walk to Concord (3 miles) amid colonial music and musket fire. There will be bus transportation across Route 2 courtesy of Doherty’s Garage. All ages welcome.

  • Outside Bemis Hall, 6:45 a.m.; Concord parade, 9 a.m.
Sunday, April 23 — Old Burial Ground Tribute

March with the LMM and the Regulars from Pierce House to the Old Burial Ground on Lexington Road to honor the patriot dead and five British soldiers killed in Lincoln along the Battle Road. Hear Mary Hartwell tell her story of their burial. Ceremonies include music and musket salutes by both sides. A reception follows, courtesy of the Lincoln Historical Society.

  • Pierce House, 2:30 p.m. (reception at 4 p.m.)