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

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Solstice celebration at library

Celebrate the winter solstice at the Lincoln Public Library on Tuesday, Dec. 22 at 4:30 p.m. by decorating a paper lantern and taking part in a twinkle light parade around the library. For all ages. Advance signup required; call 781-259-8465.

Last yeqr's First Day at the Pierce House.

Last year’s First Day at the Pierce House.

First Day at the Pierce House

Whether you’re new to Lincoln or have lived here forever, come to the Pierce House on Friday, Jan. 1 from 1-5 p.m. to celebrate the New Year together at the town’s 17th annual First Day gathering. Start the year right with legendary soups, live music, congenial company, and a magician for kids. Complimentary admission for Lincoln residents, but donations are gratefully accepted for the upkeep of this special town resource. With support from the Lincoln Celebration Committee.

Open Space calendar now available

The 2016 Open Spaces calendar with photographs taken in Lincoln is now on sale. This is the fourth year that the calendar has been designed by Lincoln residentLindsay Clemens. It’s a chance to look at our lands through other people’s eyes and to see what moments strike them.

Calendars can be purchased at the Lincoln Public Library, Cambridge Trust, Old Town Hall Exchange, Something Special, the Shop at Drumlin Farm, and in the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust (LLCT) above the post office in the mall. Membership discount is available in LLCT offices only. The LLCT will also sell the calendar and other publications in front of Donelan’s on Saturday, Dec. 19 from 9 a.m. to noon. Proceeds support the LLCT.

wedding

Jane Mostue, daughter of Brooks and Patty Mostue of Lincoln, and J. Daniel McGeeney, son of Mr. and Mrs. John McGeeney of Louisville, Ky., were married on July 18 at St. Joseph’s Church in Lincoln with a reception at Pierce House. Rev. George Evans celebrated the Nuptial Mass. Jane and Daniel met at Amherst College, from which they both graduated. They now live in Louisville, where Jane works as a case worker at Home of the Innocents and Daniel teachers international baccalaureate physics at Sacred Heart School.

Letter to the editor: Eckhouse not running for reelection

letter

To the editor:

I write to announce that I will not be seeking reelection as selectman when my term expires in March. After serving on the board for the past six years, twice as chairman, I am ready to step back and encourage another generation of leaders to take my seat at the selectman’s table.

The last six years has been a blur of success, challenge and difficult compromise. We accomplished many things:  the complete renewal of our Town Office Building, rebuilding our roads and streetlights, liquor licenses, conservation of important parcels, and healthy relationships with our town employees and their unions. We created the town’s first PILOT (payment in lieu of taxes) agreement, with more on the way. We saw the regional effects of traffic, construction, dog walkers and even murders encroach our little town and force us to respond as a team. And we never once asked for an override.

Rest assured Lincoln is in good hands. From our eminently capable town staff led by Tim Higgins to our committed volunteers on countless boards and committees, Lincoln has a passion for governance “by the people and for the people” like few other places in these cynical times.

As for me, I will enjoy my return to civilian life watching my two children complete their studies at L-S (while still clinging to hope that I can run faster than them in the Fourth of July road race), supporting STEM education in our K-12 schools, and helping to grow our L-S varsity sailing program into a dominant force. And building a few less parade floats…

In closing, I’d like to thank my predecessor Sarah Cannon Holden for helping me ramp up, Gary Taylor and Sara Mattes for tolerating me as a young pup, and Peter Braun and Renel Fredriksen for many years of co-leadership teamwork. Of course my family deserves the biggest thanks for putting up with distractions, phone calls and evening meetings, and general immersion in all things local. (Catherine: it will soon be safe to go with me to the dump and Donelan’s again!)

Lincoln needs all of us as active volunteers. The job can be demanding at times but creates a sense of accomplishment and reward that is unlike anything else I’ve done. I encourage our next generations of leaders to step up. If not you, who?

Sincerely,

Noah Eckhouse
Baker Bridge Road

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, 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.

A breakthrough and a hiccup for Minuteman

mm1Editor’s note: This story has been updated to reflect a clarification of Lincoln’s Minuteman spending in 2015-16.

By Alice Waugh

Area officials have hammered out a newly revised Minuteman High School regional agreement by stripping out the contentious “host community” compensation issue and making it the subject of a separate agreement between the town and the Minuteman school district—but both deals must still be approved by the Minuteman School Committee (MSC). [Read more…] about A breakthrough and a hiccup for Minuteman

Correction

correction-smIn the December 13 article about Minuteman High School, an incorrect date was given for the Capital Planning Committee meeting about the high school. The committee will meet on Wednesday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Office Building.

Heated discussion over Lincoln and Minuteman

mm1By Alice Waugh

Many of the 16 towns in the Minuteman High School district are ready to move forward with a new regional agreement, but Lincoln is standing firm on its demand for compensation as host community to a new high school—a stance that could potentially torpedo a new agreement.

Selectmen from the member towns met on December 2 to try to agree on a deal in principle for amending the agreement that would be acceptable to all 16 towns. The idea, originally proposed by Boxborough Selectman Vince Amoroso, would achieve several things: [Read more…] about Heated discussion over Lincoln and Minuteman

News acorns

Christmas Eve services at First Parish

The First Parish Church in Lincoln will hold Christmas Eve services on Thursday, Dec. 24 at 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. in the church sanctuary (10 Bedford Road). The service at 5 p.m. will be a family service led by Kathy Cronin, Acting Director of Religious Education. The services at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m. will be led by Rev. Manish Mishra-Marzetti and will feature a choir and candle lighting. All are welcome.

Scholarship Committee gets web page

The Lincoln Scholarship Committee (Carolyn Dwyer, Nancy Marshall, and Barbara Slayter) now has its own page on the Town of Lincoln website at www.lincolntown.org/index.aspx?nid=645. The web page contains general information for graduating seniors and their parents about the scholarships and awards managed by the LSC.  The application form and information regarding 2016 applications will be available for downloading on February 1, 2016.

Lincolnites involved in hospital fundraisers
football

Members of the Lincoln-Sudbury sixth-grade Warriors football team, presented a $750 donation to Dr. David Rose, chairman of Emerson hospital’s Radiology Department, who accepted the donation on behalf of the Hermel Breast Health Center. The young athletes raised the money by selling pink-themed t-shirts and socks at their football games over the past two years to support patient care at Emerson. Front row, left to right: Ben Lisa, Riley O’Connell, Will Ginand, and Kyle Mitchell of Sudbury, and Alek Valleau of Lincoln. Back row, left to right: Karter Singh, Kieran O’Connell, and Dhamari Coren of Sudbury, and Dr. David Rose.

Mount Auburn Hopsital 2015-11-14 "Party of the Year" Gala: One ( 1) year non-exclusive use for Mount Auburn Hopsital's internal publications,PR, and web-site use only. Not for: Advertising, indiviuals usage (including photo subjects), any outside publications or institutions, media, or any other usage without written permission of Joshua Touster. Copyright 2015 Joshua Touster

Mount Auburn Hospital raised over $500,000, including $100,000 for pediatric critical care equipment, at its 11th annual “Party of the Year!” charity gala. Left to right: Jeanette Clough, president and CEO of Mount Auburn Hospital; Dr. Michael Shortsleeve of Lincoln, chair of the hospital’s Department of Radiology; and his daughter Michelle Shortsleeve. Photo: Joshua Touster.

 

 

Letter to the editor: Lincoln families give generously

presentsTo the editor:

Fifty Families was started in 1997 by a group of friends around a table at Lincoln’s Codman Harvest Feast with the intention of getting 50 Lincoln families to provide holiday cheer for those in need. It has blossomed into more than 150 families taking part and is a sight to behold—hundreds and hundreds of wrapped gifts in festive shopping bags delivered to families at the Bay Cove Small Wonders Early Intervention Center.

Bay Cove, founded by Lincoln resident Dan Boynton, has been providing compassionate care to some of Boston’s neediest families for more than 30 years. Many of the children come from families burdened with poverty, mental illness, and drug and alcohol addiction. The caseworkers working with the families provide names, ages and a suggested gift. In most cases these will be the only gifts the families will receive for the holidays.

Year after year Lincoln, parents tell me how this event is what the holidays are all about and how their children help in the process of choosing the right gifts for the children who are in need of some joy. This year, a 12-year-old Lincoln boy has taken the birthday money he was given and bought for a little boy named Mohamed. A cashier from Toys R Us in Natick heard about our program and has provided for two children this year.

In 2014 we donated 327 gift bags, 4,782 diapers, and over $2,000 in grocery and Target gift cards. Can we top 2014? I invite you to come by and see the magic we collect the bags on Monday, Dec. 14 between 3 and 6 p.m. at the First Parish stone church (14 Bedford Road). The later you come, the more magical it becomes when the room fills with the gift of giving. If you’d like to bring some diapers (sizes 3, 4 or 5) or a gift card to Target, Walmart, or Stop & Shop, we would be thrilled.

Sincerely,

Tucker Smith
6 Canaan Drive

Need a gift idea? It’s in the bag!

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Gifts should be useful and sustainable as well as decorative, right? Everyone needs reusable lunch bags, tote bags, laundry bags, shopping bags and beach bags. Go green and support the Lincoln Squirrel by shopping at the Lincoln Squirrel store (or click on one of the images to go right to that product).

You can also show your appreciation for the Squirrel by making a donation. Happy holidays!