Editor’s note: This is an abridged version of a letter that McFall sent to Lincoln School faculty last week.
To the editor:
There’s a lot happening on the facilities front in the Lincoln Public Schools district this year.
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Lincoln had one of the highest Lyme disease infection rates in Massachusetts in 2014, according to state Department of Public Health data published in the Boston Globe on October 12.
A map showing the rates of infection per 100,000 residents by town shows that Lincoln’s rate was 248.35, which translates to about 16 actual cases for Lincoln’s population of 6,362 (as of the 2010 census). Only 28 of the 391 Massachusetts cities and towns had higher Lyme disease rates. Of the 28 towns with the highest rates (250 or more cases per 100,000 residents), the biggest concentrations were on Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard, followed by a cluster of towns in the southwest corner of the state.
Nationally, Lyme disease is most prevalent in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest, the article notes. Massachusetts had the third-highest overall rate of any state at 54.1 cases per 100,000 residents, behind only Maine (87.9) and Vermont (70.5).
A report from the Middlesex Tick Task Force earlier this year noted that 40 percent of ticks from Lincoln that were tested in 2014 carried Lyme disease. Almost as many carried the bacterium that causes Borrelia miyamotoi disease, which does not cause a rash but can be more serious than Lyme disease. It was first recognized in the Northeast in 2013.
Joanne Lurgio
The next LOMA (Lincoln Open-Mike Acoustic) event will feature Joanne Lurgio at the Lincoln Public Library on Monday, Oct. 19 starting at 7 p.m. Lurgio, who will perform a half-hour set starting around 8:30 p.m., has four CDs to her credit, including this year’s Rise from the Storm.
LOMA is a monthly event. Performers can sign up at the event or email Rich Eilbert at loma3re@gmail.com before noon of the open-mike date for a slot. Names of those who signed up by 7:15 are drawn at random. There is a sound system with mikes and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups. In case of overflow, the first 20 performers to sign up will be given priority.
Want a good laugh? Come see teachers and staff at the 12th annual LSRHS faculty/staff/student Variety Show on Friday, Oct. 23 at 7:30 p.m. in the Kirshner Auditorium at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School to benefit FELS (Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury) and the L-S Teachers’ Association Scholarship Fund. Acts include live music, dance, film, comedy and more. New this year are acts involving both students and school staff. Tickets are $6 for students/senior citizens, $8 for general admission. Advance sales take place October 19-23 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. outside the L-S cafeteria. For further information, email Paul Sarapas at paul_sarapas@lsrhs.net.
Anyone on Medicare as well as their family members and other caregivers are encouraged to attend the Medicare 2016 Open Enrollment Insurance Update Session on Friday, Oct. 30 at 10 a.m. in Bemis Hall. This session offers an opportunity to learn about changes in Medicare’s benefits and costs and to get information directly from representatives of supplemental insurance companies and the state’s Prescription Advantage program. The program will be presented by Don Milan and Anne Meade, Lincoln’s SHINE counselors, along with staff from the Minuteman SHINE Program, which provides unbiased information regarding health insurance and prescription drug options for seniors and those with disabilities. Also on hand will be representatives from the major supplemental health insurance plans; Anthony Moreschi, Constituent Services Representative for Congresswoman Katherine Clark; and Priscilla Leach, the town’s Veterans Services Officer. It is co-sponsored by the Lincoln Council on Aging and Minuteman SHINE.
Milan and Meade also provide free one-to-one counseling for Lincoln residents who need help signing up for Medicare, choosing among plans, applying for Medicaid/MassHealth, deciding about whether long-term care insurance is appropriate, resolving problems related to Medicare, and more. To arrange for an appointment, call the Lincoln Council on Aging at 781-259-8811.
To the editor:
This letter is urge all to come to the first forum hosted by the Campus Master Planning Committee on Thursday, Oct. 15 from 7-9 p.m. in the Brooks Gym.
Lincoln is about to engage as a whole in crafting a new, big idea. There is an opportunity to create a legacy project that will serve now and for generations to come. This is the type of project that Lincoln has been famous for—big-picture, holistic thinking, and making large, long-term investments.
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Observe and record nature on Oct. 14 at deCordovaJoin Tom Gumbart, director of the Lincoln Conservation Department, in “Drawing on Nature,” a day-long observation of local flora and fauna from the deCordova Museum’s Rappaport Roof Terrace on Wednesday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.,. Observe nature and record sightings through drawing, painting, poetry, photography, or data charts. Gumbart’s expertise on nature and local history provides opportunity for close observation and learning. Paper, drawing utensils, and binoculars are provided, but participants are encouraged to bring tools and materials of their choice for viewing and recording.
In an Oct. 8 News Acorn about the upcoming Open Studio artists’ reception, the incorrect name and phone number were given. The person to contact for more information is Ruth Ann Hendrickson at 781-259-1551.
In the October 11 News Acorns item about the Lincoln Family Association’s Halloween activities, three names were given to contact for further information, when in fact the only person who should have been listed was Laura Taylor.
Hanscom Air Force Base Installation Commander Col. Michael Vogel will speak at the next HATS meeting (Hanscom Area Towns Committee) on Thursday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. in the Town Office Building. Also on the agenda: updates on the Route 2 projects involving Crosby’s Corner and the bridge over I-95.
On Sunday, Oct. 25, members of a group of amateur pianists known as Rhapsody will present a piano recital at 3 p.m. in Bemis Hall. The performance is free and open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. Featured on the program will be selections from Bartok, Brahms, Beethoven, Chopin, Handel, Liszt, Schubert and Schumann played on one of the finest Steinways in the Boston area. Rhapsody was formed in 2003 by visionary amateur pianists including Lincoln resident Ken Hurd who sought a venue in which to perform for each other, both to grow musically and to share their musical journey with others. It has since grown to 18 people from the Boston metropolitan area, and members have met continuously every month for 12 years. This will be their sixth public performance on the beautifully restored Steinway at Bemis Hall.
Pumpkin decorating and paradeThe Lincoln Family Association will host pumpkin decorating in Codman Barn on Wednesday, Oct. 21 from 12-2:30 p.m. and its annual LFA Halloween Party and Parade at Codman Barn on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, email Laura Taylor.
The Lincoln Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring “Trunk or Treat,” a free event on Wednesday, Oct. 28 from 5-6 p.m. in the Brooks Gym parking lot, where young trick-or-treaters can roam the closed lot amid parked cars and trucks whose back ends are creatively decorated for Halloween. Get a reserved spot for your trunk by registering for the activity on the Parks & Red website, then decorate and pass out candy or non-candy items to the trick-or-treaters. If you can’t participate, candy donations are welcome. Registered cars can enter lot between 3:30 and 4:15 p.m.
At “Tales of the Night” at Drumlin Farm on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 29 and 30 from 6:30-9 p.m., kids can put on their favorite costumes, grab a flashlight, and join one of Lincoln’s the silliest, spookiest, and most family-friendly Halloween traditions. Check the Fright-o-Meter when you arrive to see what activities will trick or treat you. Visitors will have the chance to:
This is a fundraising event that provides critical support for Drumlin’s education and conservation programs. Click here to purchase; tickets are $12 for members and $13 for nonmembers in advance, or $14 and $15 if purchased on October 29. Advance registration is strongly recommended as this event often sells out.
Left to right: Lincoln Garden Club members Cathy Moritz and Ann Park, NEWFS intern Lauren Weeks, NEWFS Horticulture Director Mark Richardson, and club members Janet Ganson and Patty Hilpert.
The Lincoln Garden Club recently created and installed a new flower bed with over 400 plants native to Massachusetts at the town-owned Station Park where Lincoln Road meets Ridge Road.
“This native plant bed is a great example of how we can apply more sustainable landscaping practices at our homes without giving up on beauty. The choice of plants will bring different colors to Station Park at every season,” said club co-President Belinda Gingrich.
“Native plants attract pollinators, such as insects, birds and mammals, which restores nature to a more heathy state,” added co-President Agnes Wiggin.
The Lincoln Garden Club (LGC) paid for the project with donations from people who supported the LGC Garden Tour in June. Installation was made possible through the combined efforts of club members; New England Wildflower Society staff; students and teachers from the Minuteman High School; and the town of Lincoln.
The new native flower bed at Station Park.
The transfer of the existing plants, the design of the new bed and its installation was done during July, August and September. The design and list of native plants can be found on the LGC website. Lauren Weeks wrote a maintenance plan that Club members will use in the future, when caring for the bed as it grows.
New England Wildflower Society intern Lauren Weeks, who designed the bed, will give a short talk and answer questions about native plants at the Park on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend. For other questions about the project, please contact LGC member Cathy Moritz at 781-259-3161 or cathymoritz@gmail.com.
The Lincoln Garden Club’s finished project at Station Park.
Build your own scarecrow at Stonegate Gardens on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Stonegate will donate all proceeds to the Lincoln PTO or the Birches School. Click here for details.
The Lincoln Garden Club created and installed a flowerbed with over 400 plants native to Massachusetts at Station Park. New England Wildflower Society (NEWFS) intern Lauren Weeks, who designed the Lincoln Garden Club’s new flower bed at Station Park (between Cambridge Trust and the railroad tracks), will give a short talk and answer questions about native plants at the park on Saturday, Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
Join the fun at Codman Community Farm’s first-ever Adult Halloween Dance Party on Saturday, Oct. 17 from 7-10:30 p.m. in the Codman barn. Enjoy great dance music, snacks, beer, and wine in the barn, and shake your “boooo-ty” in costume. Tickets may be purchased online for $40 (adults only, please).
Lincoln’s Open Studio painting group will hold a reception on Sunday, Oct. 18 from 2-4 p.m. at the Lincoln Public Library, where a collection of their works is on display during the month of October. For more information, call Ruth Henderson at 781-259-8465. The group meets every Thursdays in Hartwell pod B from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and new artists are welcome. Register through the Parks and Recreation website or call 781-259-0784.
The Lincoln Police Department has scheduled its next two-session women’s self defense class on Wednesday, Nov. 4 and Tuesday, Nov. 10 (to avoid Veteran’s Day) from 6:30-9:30 p.m. at the Parks and Recreation Department. The classes are free, but you must sign up in advance. on the first night, we’ll go over basic safety and then learn basic self-defense tactics and moves. On the second night, we’ll practice the tools we’ve learned and then an officer will suit up in full pads and we will go through common scenarios where you will be “attacked” and need to fight your way out. For more information or to sign up, contact Jena Salon at 215-514-5963 or jenasalon@gmail.com.
This photo of Lincoln resident Ellen Raja on her farm was featured at #23 in September’s Photos of the Month gallery in the Boston Globe.
Ellen Raja repaired a fence where sheep graze in Lincoln. (Photo by Joanne Rathe/Boston Globe Staff)
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.
On Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 7:30 p.m. the Lincoln Family Association is hosting a wine and cheese social and open meeting for parents, to kick off its 20th season. Enjoy some snacks and refreshments, find out about upcoming events, and offers your ideas and suggestions. The LFA is actively looking for a few good folks to help continue its annual and seasonal programming. Iif you know someone new to town with children, please invite them as well. Please RSVP to LFA President Erica Gonella at egonella@gmail.com for event address and so we can ensure that we have enough libations and snacks on hand.
The 1940 Gaskill House in Lincoln designed by John Quincy Adams.
Friends of Modern Architecture/Lincoln and Docomomo-US have organized a tour of seven modern houses in five area towns, including two in Lincoln, on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The seven houses on the tour, designed between 1930 and 1960, include the 1940 Gaskill House (John Quincy Adams), and the 1942 Jacobs House (Walter Bogner), both of whom lived in Lincoln. Other towns included in the tour are Belmont, Concord, Carlisle and Weston, with houses by Edwin Goodell, Carl Koch, and Marvin Goody.
Participants will be greeted by volunteers at each home on this self-paced tour. Light refreshments will be available at the Concord Museum from 9:30- 11 a.m. Tickets are $85 for general public and $70 for members of FoMA/Lincoln, the Concord Museum, Docomomo, and students. To purchase, visit the Concord Museum website or call 978-369-9763.
Lincoln Country Day Preschool (LCDP) is hosting two morning open houses and one evening open house for prospective students from 2.9 years of age in September 2016 through 5-6 years of age for our pre-K program. The morning open houses will be held on Friday, Oct. 16 and Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 9:30-10:30 a.m., and our evening open house will be held on Thursday, Nov. 12 from 5-7 p.m.
Parents and their children are invited to take a tour of our school, speak with our teachers, and play in our Threes, Fours and Pre-K classrooms. Please RSVP at 781-259-8607. If you cannot attend any of these open houses, feel free to call to schedule another time and day to meet. The preschool is currently accepting applications for the 2016-2017 school year. LCDP is located in St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Church (147 Concord Road in Lincoln) and welcomes families from Lincoln, Concord, Sudbury, Wayland, Weston and other local towns.