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

Film and discussion on Sudan’s “Lost Boys” and other refugees

goodlieAll are invited to a benefit screening of a new movie about Sudan’s young refugees followed by a panel discussion on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 7 p.m. in Brooks Auditorium. The Good Lie (PG-13) starring Reese Witherspoon and many refugees of war) is a fictionalized composite story of “the Lost Boys”—the 20,000 boys and girls orphaned by the brutal civil war in Sudan that began in 1983. It follows a group of children who were displaced by the conflict, perilously escaped to refugee camps, and ultimately resettled in America. The film is especially timely in light of the current migrant crisis of refugees fleeing Syria, Afghanistan and other countries.

Following the film, there will be a panel discussion moderated by David Grace, who teaches “World Crises” at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Special guests include South Sudanese refugee and community leader Moses Ajou; L-S student and activist Eve Montie of Lincoln, who played a key role in organizing the event; and Isabell Fathy, a U.S. Fund for UNICEF Community Engagement Fellow.

A suggested minimum donation of $10 per person is requested. All proceeds will go to support refugee resettlement services through UNICEF and South Sudanese Enrichment for Families. Representatives of these organizations will join the discussion to share their perspectives on mass displacement of people, how their organizations are responding, and how people can help. For more information and to reserve seats for this fundraiser, email TheGoodLieLSRHS@montie.net. Reservations are recommended as this event has the potential to sell out.  

Memorial for Dr. Charles Hales this Friday

Charles A. Hales, M.D., 74, of Lincoln died on October 31. He was the beloved husband for 50 years of Mary Ann (Little) Hales; the loving father of Sam, Chris and John; and brother of the late Mary Elizabeth “Betsy” (Hales) Carter. He is also survived by seven grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at the First Parish in Lincoln, where the guest minister Reverend Dr. John Lombard will officiate, at 11 a.m. on Friday, November 6. There will be a private interment in Lincoln Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in his memory may be made to the  Recompense Fund, c/o The Maine Community Foundation, P.O. Box 42, Chebeague Island, ME. 0401 or the Home Base Program, which is dedicated to caring for veterans and their families. This organization is supported by the Massachusetts General Hospital and Emory University. Dr. Hales was a Navy veteran (Vietnam era).

Arrangements are under the care of the Dee Funeral Home of Concord. To share a remembrance in his online guest book, visit www.deefuneralhome.com. A more detailed obituary is expected next week in the Lincoln Squirrel.

Up for discussion: marijuana businesses in Lincoln

cannabisBy Alice Waugh

Is Lincoln going to pot? Not just yet, though residents will have chance to talk about it at the State of the Town meeting on November 14.

The Board of Selectmen decided to open up the topic of cultivating or selling medicinal marijuana in Lincoln after being approached by Dr. Stephanie Lipton of New England Wellspring, a firm that has been talking to several other towns in addition to Lincoln about possible dispensary sites. Before the state Department of Public Health (DPH) will consider issuing a license to dispense or grow marijuana, the applicant must first have in hand a letter of support (or at least non-opposition) from the town government.

No specific sites in Lincoln have been discussed. “The town has not been engaged in any formal negotiations with New England Wellspring, but we have had a number of informal, exploratory conversations,” said Selectman Noah Eckhouse.

“Our board thought long and hard about what we would do if formally approached by an applicant for such a letter. Should it really just be our decision? We concluded that we’d much prefer to have some broader guidance from the town on this issue,” he said.

The issues of siting, hours and security would certainly arise, as would the possibility of the town negotiating its own fiscal arrangement with an operator. “The conversation at State of the Town is intended to inform the selectmen and other land use boards about Lincoln’s view on these topics, so that we can act with the best interests and assessment of the town,” Eckhouse said.

In July, Acton selectmen voted unanimously to approve a letter of non-opposition for a potential cultivating and distribution facility for New England Wellspring, while Needham voted in September to deny a similar request.

Also last month, Weston authorized a letter of non-opposition for the company to open a medical marijuana dispensary in office space at 104 Boston Post Rd. near the intersection with I-95. New England Wellspring told the Weston officials that if everything is approved by the state, the Weston site would sell marijuana grown in Acton and the Weston site would have 24/7 security and be used primarily for distribution via home delivery, accepting a handful of walk-in patients each day by appointment only.

The Weston approval included the caveat that the site may not be used for distribution of recreational marijuana in the event that becomes legal in Massachusetts. This could be an issue if organizers collect enough signatures to put the question on the statewide ballot in 2016.

Lipton is also co-owner of A House Call Vets, a veterinary practice that offers in-home care. She told the Lincoln Squirrel in an email that she had no comment “until we are further along in the application process pending DPH consideration.”

The state’s first medical marijuana dispensary opened in Salem in June. The DPH has also issued retail permits for sites in Brockton and Northhampton.

News acorns

ballotVoter registration deadline

Wednesday, Nov. 4 is the deadline for new voters to register if they wish to participate in the November 14 Special Town Meeting. The Town Clerk’s office will be open until 8 p.m. on Nov. 4 to accommodate registrants.

PTO hosts talk on executive function

Sarah Ward of Cognitive Connections in Concord will give a presentation on executive function skills and strategies on Monday, Nov. 2 from 7-9 p.m. in the Brooks auditorium. Come learn how to help your child create a homework space, organize personal and school materials, record assignments, manage time and tasks, and complete long-term projects. Ward will offer ready-to-use strategies to help children develop independent executive function skills to use at home and in the classroom setting. The event is sponsored by the Lincoln PTO.

DeCordova offers workshops and cocktail party

Develop a partnership between drawing and intuition during this series of experimental workshops that foster creativity and community through mark-making and human connections in a monthly workshop led by Providence artist Julia Gualtieri. The first session is on Tuesday, Nov. 3 from 6:30-9 p.m. Each session’s topic will encourage participants to openly explore a variety of conventional, unconventional, natural, and found materials. This program is presented in connection with the Drawing Redefined exhibition. Registration required for one or all five sessions, which feature new topics, methods, and materials each month. No drawing experience necessary. For ages 18 and older. For members, the cost is $40 per session ($175 for series); for non-members, $50 per session ($200 for series).

On Thursday, Nov. 5, enjoy lively conversation with friends over a selection of artfully prepared cocktails by Café ArtScience bar director Todd Maul, each inspired by work on view in Drawing Redefined. Must be 21 or older. Online registration required ($20 for members, $30 for non-members).

Deputy town clerk awarded CMC designation

Deputy Town Clerk Valerie Fox has been awarded the distinguished Certified Municipal Clerk (CMC) designation by the International Institute of Municipal Clerks. The IIMC, founded in 1947, has 10,300 members throughout the United States, Canada and 15 other countries. Fox achieved this distinction after completing three successive annual training programs sponsored by the New England Municipal Clerks Institute and Academy (NEMCIA) at Plymouth State University. The NEMCIA program includes a rigorous educational component, a professional and social contribution component, and a commitment to lifelong learning.

Three years ago yesterday…

Elizabeth Cherniak of South Great Road surveys the tree across her driveway on the morning after the storm.

Elizabeth Cherniak of South Great Road surveys the tree across her driveway on the morning after the storm (click any photo to enlarge).

The post-Sandy view on Laurel Drive.

The post-Sandy view on Laurel Drive.

A tree knocked down across Silver Hill Road by Hurricane Sandy.

A tree knocked down across Silver Hill Road by Hurricane Sandy.

On Oct. 30, 2012, Hurricane Sandy hit the East Coast. Lincoln got off fairly lightly, though many trees still at the height of their autumn colors were knocked down. More than half of homes in town lost power in the storm, and the muffled roar of generators could be hear in many neighborhoods for days afterward. Of course, this was dwarfed by the damage seen in coastal New York and New Jersey.

Shortly after the storm, Scientific American compiled some meteorological statistics on Sandy, which had:

  • the second-lowest barometric pressure (940 millibars) ever recorded at that time for a tropical cyclone in the western hemisphere (it’s now #3 behind Patricia in October 2015 at 879 millibars and Wilma in 2005 at 882 millibars)
  • waves of 39.67 feet (recorded at a buoy about 20 miles east of Bermuda)
  • 9-foot storm surges in New Haven and The Battery, N.Y.
  • 26 inches of snow in Redhouse, Md.

There was plenty of drama for Elizabeth Cherniak of South Great Road, who heard a tree go down across her driveway on the evening of the storm. Ten minutes later, another loud crash came as a tree fell across power lines on the road adjacent to her driveway.

“Then a transformer exploded—it was like a bomb going off,” she said. “Then I noticed little fires up in the wires and the tree trunk was glowing” as the tree began to burn. Fortunately, the heavy rain doused the fire quickly.

Lincoln safety officials postponed Halloween trick-or-treating for the second year in a row because of downed power lines. Sandy came exactly a year after a 2011 nor’easter dumped an unexpected load of wet snow from West Virginia to Canada. The largest snowfall in Massachusetts was 30.6 inches in Plainfield.

Truck instead of cowboys used in this Lincoln cattle roundup

The Red Devons have their last Lincoln meal before heading out west.

The Red Devons have their last Lincoln meal before heading west (click to enlarge).

The truck...

The cattle truck leaves Page Farm Road in Lincoln (click to enlarge).

Some of the purebred Red Devon cows that have been part of the Lincoln agricultural scene for over 25 years now have a new forwarding address in Wisconsin, where they should feel right at home.

The cattle, which are owned jointly by Codman Farm along with Ken Bassett and his wife Mary Helen Lorenz, have been gazing on public fields around town since the first handful came from a herd in Maine in the late 1980s. The herd eventually grew to number more than 40. Earlier this month, eight yearling heifers, four adult cows and three calves were sold to a Red Devon farm in Spring Green, Wis., to expand its breeding program.

Though some of the Lincoln cows are now Midwesterners, the Red Devons have deep New England roots—their ancestors came here from England in the 1600s close on the heels of the pilgrims. Examples of the breed can be seen as oxen pairs at historic sites such as Mt. Vernon and Sturbridge Village, Bassett said. As a breed, they’re known for their gentle disposition, ease in calving, and ability to thrive on grass without supplemental grain or other diet supplements, so they are an excellent source of grass-fed beef.

One might wonder if the cows will miss the architectural as well as agricultural atmosphere in Lincoln, which boasts the Gropius House among its stock of historic homes. Not to worry, though—the relocated bovines are now grazing on idyllic Lincoln-like pastures that happen to abut the farm/estate know as Taliesin East, the home and studio of legendary architect Frank Lloyd Wright.

(Perhaps in the future, some adventurous Lincoln cows will make a longer trip in a rocket rather than a truck, all the way into Earth orbit… which would make them the herd shot ’round the world.)

The Lincoln cows in their new home in Wisconsin being admired by the grandchildren of their new owner.

Gazing and grazing… the Lincoln Red Devons joined this herd in Wisconsin, who are admired by the grandchildren of their new owner. Photos courtesy Ken Bassett

November activities at the Council on Aging

bemisLincoln Academy with Avram Kalisky—From the desert (Israel) to the midnight sun (Scandinavia)
November 2 at 12:30 p.m.
Come to Bemis Hall on Monday, Nov. 2 at 12:30 to hear Avram Kalisky discuss “From the Desert (Israel) to the Midnight Sun (Scandinavia).” Bring a bag lunch. The Council on Aging provides beverages and dessert. The lectures last about an hour, including a question and answer period. Participants are welcome to stay after the program to continue their discussion.

Minuteman High School building conversation
November 3 at 2:30 p.m.
Join the Minuteman High School Building Committee on November 3 at 2:30 p.m. at Bemis Hall to get an update on plans to build a new Minuteman High School. The project, with Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) support, is now in the schematic design phase. Building a new school was determined to be the least expensive alternative for local taxpayers and the option with the most educational benefits for students by Minuteman and the MSBA. The new building will be in Lincoln, next to the existing high school. Come with questions and concerns. [Read more…] about November activities at the Council on Aging

News acorns

Trunk or Treat is now on Friday

“Trunk or Treaters” now have two more days to get your costumes and/or trunk decorations perfected. Park and Rec’s Trunk-or-Treat event will now be held on Friday, Oct. 30 from 5-6 p.m. in the Brooks Gym parking lot.  If you are planning to be a “trunk,” please enter the lot between 3:30 and 4:15 p.m. No cars will be allowed to enter the lot after 4:15 pm. Trick-or-treaters can start at 5 p.m.

DeCordova releases video with drone footage

The deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park just released this video of the park incorporating aerial drone shots. It’s a useful tool for convincing out-of-town friends and relatives to visit Lincoln.

Learn about coywolves and beavers in LLCT programs

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust is serving up programs on local wild animals and a nature walk in early November.

Dr. Jonathan Way and a friend.

Dr. Jonathan Way and a friend.

Learn about coyotes and coywolves

Ever wondered if there was a wolf in your back yard? Come to “Eastern Coywolves: Ecology and Behavior” with Jonathan Way on Sunday, Nov. 1 from 4-5:30 p.m. in Bemis Hall. Way studies eastern coyote populations and is at the forefront of research determining how much of our coyote population is actually a hybrid of the eastern red wolf and the eastern coyote. His multimedia presentation of still and video images comprehensively covers the subject of eastern coyotes/coywolves, including the process of hybridization. Way is the author of two books: Suburban Howls: Tracking the Eastern Coyote in Urban Massachusetts and My Yellowstone Experience. He founded and runs his organization, Eastern Coyote/Coywolf Research, where he is continuing his goal of long-term ecological and behavioral research on coywolves.

“Leave it to Beavers” screening

All are welcome to a screening of “Leave it to Beavers,” a PBS Nature documentary telling the story of beavers in North America, on Thursday, Nov. 5 from 7:30-9 p.m. in the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, above Aka Bistro. The film recounts beavers’ history, near extinction, and comeback as a growing number of scientists, conservationists and grassroots environmentalists have come to regard beavers as overlooked tools when it comes to reversing the effects of global warming and worldwide water shortages. Once valued for their fur or hunted as pests, these industrious rodents are seen in a new light through the eyes of this novel assembly of beaver enthusiasts and “employers” who reveal how the presence of beavers can transform and revive landscapes. Using their skills as natural builders and brilliant hydro-engineers, beavers are being recruited to accomplish everything from reestablishing water sources in bone-dry deserts to supporting whole communities of wildlife drawn to the revitalizing aquatic ecosystems their ponds provide.

Visit beaver ponds on a nature walk

Explore beaver habitats in Lincoln on a nature walk with Mark Fraser, executive director of the Nature Walks Conservation Society (NWCS), on Saturday, Nov. 7 at 2 p.m. in the parking lot behind St. Anne’s Church (147 Concord Rd.). Participants will look for signs of beaver activity, observe a lodge, and hopefully spot a busy beaver at work. Learn fascinating facts about beavers and how to protect them. Wear shoes or boots suitable for a one-two mile walk and possibly soggy ground conditions.

The NWCS is a nonprofit working to raise awareness about the natural world through direct public education. Fraser is a public environmental educator at the Sherburne Nature Center in Tyngsborough and is also executive producer and host of “Nature Walks with Mark Fraser.” His films have been seen on Discovery News, PBS, and on his YouTube channel.

All three events are free, with donations to the LLCT welcomed.

Stained glass? (Lincoln Through the Lens)

A Bemis Hall window offers a lovely view of fall colors. (Photo by Harold McAleer)

A Bemis Hall window offers a lovely view of fall colors. (Photo by Harold McAleer)

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.