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

July activities at the Council on Aging

July 3, 2015

What to expect when you or your loved one has Alzheimer’s disease
July 13 at 9:30 a.m.
One of the most difficult aspects of Alzheimer’s disease, whether in yourself or a loved one, is not knowing what to expect as the disease progresses. Knowing that certain changes and behaviors are part of having the disease, rather than your fault or the fault of your loved one, can help you cope and reduce stress. All are invited to find out more when Pamela Taylor, LICSW, Community Educator with CareDimensions, comes to Bemis Hall on Monday, July 13 at 9:30 a.m. She will discuss changes in the brain, why some behaviors occur, and how to minimize unwanted behaviors, and give suggestions on improving communication with someone with the disease. All ages welcome.

Stay cooler and prevent heatstroke
July 16 at 10 a.m.
Summer heat can be dangerous, especially for those who are older. Even if you never had trouble with the heat before, age-related changes can make you more susceptible to falling ill from the heat. Come hear the Lincoln Fire Department on Thursday, July 16 at 10 a.m. at Bemis Hall talk about why heat can send you to the hospital, how to keep yourself cooler, symptoms of heat stroke, and what to do if you think you may be getting heat stroke.

The Wheel of Life for gratitude and growth
July 20 at 1 p.m.
The Wheel of Life is a visual representation of the many components of our lives—physical, spiritual, financial, work/volunteering, social, mental, and family. Come find out how you can use the Wheel of Life both to enhance your gratitude and for personal growth when Pamela Mizrahi, LICSW, of the COA, presents a workshop at Bemis Hall on Monday, July 20 at 1 p.m. You’ll learn how to look at each component singly and in relation to one another and live more fully, healthfully, and happily. All ages welcome!

Basic self-defense
July 27 at 1 p.m.
Whether you are at home in Lincoln or traveling, you need to know how to prevent crime or, if you find yourself in a dangerous situation, how to get away unharmed. Find out the best ways to secure your home and your vehicle as well as learn strikes, blocks, kicks, and patterns of movement to get you out of a situation in which you are being attacked when Ian Spencer of the Lincoln Police and Jena Salon come to Bemis Hall on Monday, July 27 at 1 p.m. The methods you learn will use minimal energy with the goal being escape. Those who attended the previous workshops will benefit from the refresher provided by this workshop.

What you want to know about drug addiction but are afraid to ask
July 29 at 1 p.m.
Abuse of prescription medications is replacing alcoholism as the most common form of addiction for residents of affluent communities. And among teenagers, heroin use has become an epidemic in our suburbs. The impact of addiction to these substances can be devastating for both the addicts and their families. Spouses, parents and grandparents are often confused about what to do and are too embarrassed to ask for advice. On July 29^tfrom 1 p.m. to 2:30 at Bemis Hall, Dan Boynton, the founder of Bay Cove, Boston’s leading drug treatment facility, will provide a practical overview of today’s addictive drugs and the treatment options that work. His wife, Janet Boynton, will show brief video interviews with young people in recovery. Participants will be encouraged to share their concerns.

Save the date:

Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate

Learn about the U.S. Senate in an interactive and exploratory way on a trip to the new Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the U.S. Senate on Friday, September 25. After a short introduction folks can independently wander through the museum with a tablet which allows them to engage fully in the democratic process. An issue of the day also enhances the experience. A full-scale replica of the U.S. Senate Chamber and other exhibits are also on view. The Institute opened this past March to rave reviews. Note that this is a self guided tour with quite a bit of walking, but that there are places to sit throughout the building. The tour lasts between an hour to an hour and a half. The bus will leave the Lincoln Mall at 9:30 a.m. and return about 3 p.m. The cost is $15 per person. Lunch is still to be arranged. Signup begins in September.

Town Office Building wins LEED Silver energy efficiency staus

July 2, 2015

The Lincoln Town Office Building

The renovated Lincoln Town Office Building has won LEED Silver certification for energy efficiency, which is a vast improvement over the days when officials had to use space heaters in winter and stifle in the summer.

To receive LEED certification from the U.S. Green Building Council, building projects must satisfy prerequisites and earn points to achieve different levels of certification (platinum, gold, silver and “certified”). Since the renovation was completed in 2013, the building is now 35 percent more energy efficient than the average building, according to a press release from Donham & Sweeney Architects, which designed the renovations.

Though there won’t be a special LEED float in the Fourth of July parade, Eckhouse will announce the LEED certification before the Declaration of Independence is read, and the Board of Selectmen float will acknowledge it as well, he said.

There were limits in how “green” the building could get because of its historic nature and a reluctance to go as far as installing composting toilets and exclusively natural ventilation, said Selectmen Noah Eckhouse. Still, “we always knew LEED certification was a goal form the start in our design philosophy,” he said.

The old building had extremely inefficient heating and insulation and no air conditioning, meaning that around this time of year, people at Board of Selectman meetings would be sticking to their seats, Eckhouse said. And though it’s also a nice decorative touch, the cupola was primarily intended to vent hot air and allow cooler air to enter the building from below, he added.

LEED certification for the former schoolhouse was based on green design and construction features including:

Modern energy-efficient lighting
Water efficiency measures that save an estimated 160,000 gallons of water each year, and a reduction in storm water runoff
Exterior lighting designed to maintain the dark night sky
Regionally extracted, processed, and manufactured construction products, including brick, concrete block, structural steel, slate shingles, copper items, light gage metal framing, plywood and composite board veneer panels, drywall, and toilet partitions
Reuse of more than 75 percent of the original building’s exterior walls, floors, roof structure, and roofing
Recycled and regionally sourced interior materials and finishes
Designated parking spaces for low-emitting and fuel-efficient vehicles

There were also some features that exceeded the project’s LEED requirements, including the use of green power, educational outreach to the community, the use of environmentally safe cleaning products, and low mercury products.

Five Corners flora (Lincoln Through the Lens, 7/1/15)

July 1, 2015

Axel and Maite Fay prepared the historic Five Corners flower pot for Fourth of July festivities. Photographer Rob Jevon writes, “There has been lots of thoughtful commentary on improving signage at Five Corners. But I think many would agree we are fortunate to have a centerpiece that is pretty close to perfection. Thanks to all the neighbors and generations who help maintain an endearing emblem of what makes Lincoln Lincoln.”

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to news@lincolnsquirrrel.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.

Tonight’s concert called off

July 1, 2015

cloud-storm The Parks and Recreation Department concert with the Infractions scheduled for tonight (July 1) has been cancelled due to expected bad weather. Park and Rec hopes to reschedule and will announce a new date if and when it becomes available.

News acorns – 6/30/15

June 30, 2015

Teen volunteers needed to help with July 4 evening festivities

The Parks and Recreation Department is looking for some teenagers to help out at Lincoln’s fireworks celebration on Saturday, July 4. We need help from 4-11 p.m. at the Lincoln School campus. Duties include:

Event setup (setting up tables, tents, trash barrels, fencing, PA systems, etc.)
Money collection (with Lincoln police officers)
Trash removal
Event cleanup (packing up everything above)

This event has been clear with the MLK Project at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School and community service hours will be given. Contact Dan Pereira at dpereira@lincnet.org if you can help out.

Getting the scoop at the recent ice cream social (click on picture for slide show).

They all scream for ice cream

Harold McAleer assembled photos of the June 25 strawberry ice cream social at Bemis Hall accompanied by music from the Lincoln Traditional Jazz Sextet. Click here to watch.

Getty Foundation awards grant to Gropius House

Historic New England has announced that the Gropius House in Lincoln has been awarded a $75,000 grant from the Getty Foundation. The foundation recently announced grants for projects at 14 exemplary 20th-century buildings in eight countries as part of its Keeping It Modern initiative.

At the Gropius House, the Getty grant will support the development of a conservation management plan for the building and site to ensure the preservation of its characteristic features for the home’s continued use as a teaching tool to transmit the tenets of Bauhaus design and ensure that the public can enjoy this 1938 Bauhaus icon for generations to come.

Library activities and reading challenges for kids this summer

June 30, 2015

book cart Here are some children’s events hosted by the Lincoln Public Library.

Stories & Crafts — July 7, 14, 21 and 28 at 11 a.m. For ages 3 and up. Sign up in advance by calling 781-259-8465.
Rainforest Reptile Show — Wednesday, July 8 at 4 p.m. A hands-on introduction to exotic crawlers, unusual slitherers and fascinating creepers as herpetologists teach you all about rainforest reptiles.
Movies and Muffins — Friday, July 10 at 10:30 a.m. Preschoolers are invited to a screening of short films based on beloved children’s books. Recommended for ages 2 and up. Drop in.
Summer Storytime Picnics — Monday, July 13 and Monday, August 10 at 6:30 p.m. Join children’s librarian Jane Flanders on the library lawn and enjoy a picnic supper while listening to stories. Bring a picnic, a blanket and your favorite adult. Geared for children ages 2-5 but all are welcome. In case of rain, we will picnic in the library. The July 13 is a Reddy Bear Picnic, so being your favorite teddy bear. On August 6, we’ll read stories about dirt and diggers.

The library is also running its annual summer reading challenge for kids in three age groups. Pick up forms and a copy of your reading list at the library or find them by by clicking here.

Pre-readers through grade 3 — for all children, including children who are being read to, up to entering third grade. Kids who complete the challenge will receive a certificate and prize.
Entering grades 4-7 — those who complete the challenge will be invited to the Great Summer Sleepover at the library on Friday, August 21.
Entering grades 8-12 (new this summer) — all participants will win a small prize and be eligible to enter a raffle to win an Amazon Kindle Fire.

All programs sponsored by the Friends of the Lincoln Public Library, Inc.

Correction

June 26, 2015

correction-sm A story about Lincoln’s recent Bikes Not Bombs donation drive had incorrect information about where the donated bikes will be going and when they’ll be packed for shipping. The bikes will be going to Nairobi, Kenya and Bikes not Bombs welcomes volunteers to help pack its shipping container on Sunday, July 19 at its warehouse at 10 Harvard St. in Dorchester. See this web page for more information and to RSVP as a volunteers (breakfast and lunch will be served).

Letter to the editor: intersection “both a bane and a blessing”

June 26, 2015

To the editor:

Recent letters in various press outlets are, once again, calling attention to concerns about safety at the Five Corners intersection in the Lincoln Historic District (the “flower pot intersection”). And, as town officials have recently reminded us, our roadways are a “tricky business” and what’s old is new again.

The Five Corners intersection, like many of other area of Lincoln roadways, is both a bane and a blessing for those who travel on them and those who manage them. They are an integral part of Lincoln’s character—and a real challenge for the town officials who are responsible for providing for the public safety while protecting community character.

These quirky roadways are a product of topography and history. The paths of the 1700s—the paths of least resistance—are, for the most part, the same paths we travel today. The land dictated the layout of farms and fields, the first settlement being made in the 1600s. Increased settlement led to the creation of pathways beginning in the early 1700s, and these paths logically skirted the edges of the arable land and navigated wetlands. Needless to say, these paths twisted and turned to preserve land and also to provide viable passage for carts. Stone walls are evidence of famers moving rocks out of fields and creating the edges of fields and passageways.

The original path network, which radiated from the five corners, did not connect to the North and South Great Road throughways until the mid-1750s. It is this winding system of paths, edged with stone walls and shaded by ancient trees that create the beauty and serenity of our scenic roadways. That is the blessing of our history and the bane of modern day traffic demands. It is those paths that went from dirt to gravel to blacktop that our town must manage.

As reported by town officials, over the past 15 year, the town has had traffic engineers do analysis of each and every intersection, sometimes repeating that exercise when new concerns and ideas were presented. In addition, two volunteer Ad Hoc Traffic and Roadway Committees have done extensive study involving much citizen input and offered many thoughtful recommendations. When the town began a roadway restoration project of the major roadways in 2009 and 2010, it went neighborhood by neighborhood to review all concerns, revisit professional and committee recommendations, and engage further traffic and roadway engineers. In addition consulting with Public Safety as of critical importance as navigating these roadways by our ambulances and fire trucks is, indeed, “tricky business!” All this work guided location of signage and crosswalks, intersection configuration, and public safety protocols to conduct regular review of safety issues.

In 2012, the selectmen reviewed all studies and recommendations and put in place a set of guidance policies based on these documents to ensure all future roadway work would follow a professional rational. A standing committee, the Roadway and Traffic Committee (RTC), was established to guide future work on our roadways and roadsides. Town officials have invited all to the meetings of both the RTC and the selectmen to discuss ideas. As they have wisely cautioned, many have been down this path before.

Interesting suggestions have been made to fine-tune the historic Five Corners intersection and are worthy of further review. A review of accident reports would offer a reality check against the perception of danger, as was done in 2008. But in the end, while we tweak, fine-tune and refine, the history and topography of Lincoln has dictated our scenic pathways and which will continue to be a bane… and a blessing.

Sincerely,

Sara Mattes
71 Conant Rd.

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.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.

Bikes Not Bombs drive a success

June 25, 2015

Thom Quirk and Elizabeth Cherniack look over a donation at the Bikes Not Bombs drive.

Lincoln Recycling Committee helper Darragh O’Doherty.

At Lincoln’s 4th annual Bikes Not Bombs drive on June 13, the Lincoln Recycling Committee collected 65 adult and children’s bicycles and $340 in cash donations, as well as a variety of bicycle parts such as tubes, tires, wheels, and forks. This is a 22 percent jump from the 53 bikes collected last year.

Many of this year’s donations will be heading to Ghana on July 21 when Bikes Not Bombs will host a “Stuff a Cargo Event” in its Dorchester warehouse. Please refer to the Bikes Not Bombs website for more information and other volunteer opportunities. Although many Lincolnites participated, there were also donations from residents of Acton, Bedford, Burlington, Carlisle, Lexington, Maynard, and Sudbury.

The Lincoln Recycling Committee (Laura Berland, Elizabeth Cherniack, Bernadette Quirk, and Susan Stason) thanks everyone who donated and also extends a grateful thank-you to the following individuals who donated their time to help flatten bikes and accept donations on a beautiful Saturday: Thom Quirk, Darragh O’Doherty and Cecelia Nunez-O’Doherty.

Letter to the editor: Five Corners roundabout?

June 25, 2015

To the editor:

I share concern #3 in Jonathan Rapaport’s letter to the editor. A big pickup truck towing a horse trailer southbound on Bedford Road turned left in front of the flower pot onto Trapelo and almost nailed my car while I waited by the stop sign. How about a rotary/roundabout, with the flower pot in the middle? I’ve seen some compact roundabouts in villages in England.

Sincerely,

Roy Harvey
Stonehedge Road