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

News acorns

Session on green energy and batteries

Are you wondering how to keep the lights on when the sun’s not shining? Jay Turner, an environmental studies professor at Wellesley College, will draw on his recent book Charged: A History of Batteries and Lessons for a Clean Energy Future and his experiences retrofitting his home in Natick to be net energy positive to discuss the big picture and fine details of electrification on Wednesday, March 6 at 7 p.m. Click here to register and receive a Zoom link. This series is hosted by CFREE, a working group of Lincoln’s Green Energy Committee.

Pierce House Committee seeks volunteers

The Select Board is seeking interested volunteers for the Pierce House Committee. The committee advises the Select Board with respect to the use, maintenance and security of Pierce House and Pierce Park as well as recommending an operating budget and a capital budget, together with periodic five-year projections. Those interested should contact Peggy Elder, administrative assistant in the Select Board’s Office, at 781-259-2601 or elderp@lincolntown.org.

Inns and adventures with Alison O’Leary

On Thursday, March 7 from 7–8 p.m. on Zoom, author and adventurer Alison O’Leary discusses a variety of adventurous weekend trips in New Hampshire, Vermont, and the Berkshires with doses of humor, history, and peeks inside historic inns from her book Inns and Adventures. Sponsored by the Lincoln Public Library. Click here to register.

See “Frozen Jr.” at the Lincoln School

Lincoln School’s production of “Frozen Jr.” based on the Disney film will be on Wednesday, March 13 at 3 p.m., and Thursday and Friday, March 14 and 15 at 7 p.m. in the Donaldson Auditorium. Buy tickets at the door ($5 for students and seniors, $10 for adults).

My Turn: Vander Meulen endorses Glass for reelection

By Allen Vander Meulen

As some might recall, I was Jennifer Glass’s challenger during her first campaign for Select Board in 2017.

I must say, I got royally stomped in that election, receiving about 10% of the vote. But the outcome was no surprise: Jennifer clearly had the experience, temperament, and talent needed for such a challenging position, while at the time I was still relatively unknown and unproven.

In that campaign, I came to deeply respect and admire Jennifer, and that respect and admiration have only grown since. Jennifer listens carefully to all of her constituents (and her opponents too, as I learned). She is not afraid to rethink her approach or path when new information is presented, or it is clear the current path is not workable. She is very clear and consistent in her determination to make Lincoln a more just, welcoming, and livable community for all. And she has proven herself to be adept at constantly educating herself about, and navigating, the extremely intricate and challenging legal, regulatory and political landscape within which Lincoln exists.

While I have great respect for one of the other candidates challenging her (I do not know the third candidate at all), it is clear to me that Jennifer Glass is by far the best choice for the position. This is not just because of her past record, but also because she continues to be a creative, knowledgable, deeply thoughtful, forward-thinking, and energetic leader. Such qualities are absolutely necessary for those who wish to lead our community in confronting the challenges we face.

Please join me in re-electing Jennifer Glass to the Select Board.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Correction

The February 20 article headlined “My Turn: 100 seconds to a better planet” did not contain links in two places saying “click here.” The article has been updated, and the paragraphs explaining how to check which green energy plan you’re on(and how to upgrade to 100% Green) are reprinted below:

First, make sure you have your Eversource bill at hand. Then click here, fill out the form, and press “Submit.” Or call LGEC customer support at 844-651-8919 and tell them you want 100% Green. They will make the change for you. (It may take several billing cycles before the change takes effect.)

If you’re uncertain which option you’re in now, click here to see where the rate and supplier information is noted on your Eversource bill. Then find your February 2024 or a later bill to compare.

News acorns

Sgt. Ian Spencer and Officer Laura Stewart.

Police officer receives letter of commendation

Sgt. Ian Spencer and Acting Chief Sean Kennedy of the Lincoln Police Department presented Officer Laura Stewart with a letter of commendation for her actions taken during a critical incident on February 13. Officers responded to a call for a person suffering from a mental health crisis. Officer Stewart, while alone, used her communication and de-escalation skills to disarm the individual who was holding a knife and actively harming themselves. The incident came to a successful resolution and the person was transported to a local medical facility.

Virtual office hours for Rep. Gentile

State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D-Sudbury) will hold virtual office hours on Friday, Feb. 23 from 10 a.m.–noon. Any constituent who wishes to speak to Rep. Gentile can sign up for a 20-minute time slot by emailing his legislative aide, Ravi Simon, at ravi.simon@mahouse.gov. Please provide your full name, address, phone number, email, and discussion topic.

Second forum on mall redevelopment set for Feb. 29

The Rural Land Foundation will hold its next public forum on the future of the mall on Thursday, Feb. 29 at 7 p.m. via Zoom. Click here to join the meeting (passcode: 94034). Redevelopment of the mall will be guided by rezoning in South Lincoln mandated by the Housing Choice Act. At the first forum on January 18, the RLF unveiled two visual concepts for 40 units of housing and 5,000–10,000 square feet of first-floor and/or street-activating use space. 

Town flags at half-staff for Rundell

By request of the Select Board, the flags on town buildings will be lowered to half-staff to mark the passing of Virginia Rundell, a longtime Lincoln resident who served as the town’s archivist for the past two years. The flags will be at half-staff from Tuesday, Feb. 20 through Sunday, Feb. 25. In recognition of Virginia’s service to the town, this inscription will appear on the inside cover the 2023 Annual Town Report.

Democrats to caucus on Saturday

The Lincoln Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 10 a.m. in the Bemis Hall map room to elect six delegates and four alternates to the 2024 State Democratic Convention in June. Registered and pre-registered Democrats in Lincoln who are 16 years old as of February 15, 2024 may vote and be elected as delegates or alternates. All are welcome but only registered Democrats may vote. 

At the state convention at the DCU Center in Worcester on June 1, delegates will place a candidate name on the statewide primary ballot in December. Those interested in getting involved with the Lincoln Democratic Committee should contact Travis Roland at travisroland89@yahoo.com or Joan Kimball at selenejck@gmail.com. Young people (ages 16-35), those with disabilities, people of color, veterans, and members of the LGBTQ+ community not elected as delegates or alternates are encouraged to apply to be add-on delegates at the caucus or by visiting massdems.org/massdems-convention.

Event examines Russia sanctions

Christine Abely, author of The Russia Sanctions (2024) will discuss the sanctions enacted by multiple nations, including the United States, in response to Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, on Thursday, Feb. 29 from 7–8 p.m. in the Lincoln Public Library’s Tarbell Room. Her book examines the sanctions’ effects on food, energy, and the global use of the U.S. dollar. She will discuss sanctions on oligarchs, the freezing and seizure of their assets, and steps taken to promote financial transparency worldwide. The talk will also explore the humanitarian impacts of sanctions.  

Training for domestic violence volunteer advocates

The Domestic Violence Services Network, Inc. (DVSN) is looking for community members to participate in their free Volunteer Advocate training program at the Concord Police Department in March. The 40-hour training is designed to familiarize the volunteers with the many aspects of domestic violence and give them the skills necessary to provide confidential and appropriate services to DVSN’s clients. Once trained, DVSN’s Volunteer Advocates provide direct service over the phone, at the Concord District Court, and at Emerson Hospital to people affected by domestic violence.

The initial training will be held from March 4–22 on Mondays and Wednesdays from 9:15 a.m.–12:30 p.m. and Fridays from 9:15 a.m.–3:30 p.m. For those who wish to activate as Advocates, an additional 10 to 12 hours of individual field training will take place after successful completion of the classroom segment. All materials will be provided. Those who’d like more information or an application should call 978-318-3421 or e-mail training@dvsn.org. Applications are due no later than Monday, Feb. 26. To learn more about DVSN and its programs, services, and events, visit DVSN.org.

My Turn: 100 seconds to a better planet

By Michael Moodie and Belinda Gingrich

(Editor’s note: The following is one in a series of “Climate Minutes” posted on the Lincoln Green Energy Committee website.)

The Lincoln Green Energy Choice (LGEC) program offers residents three options for electricity from renewable (primarily wind and solar) sources:

  • Basic — 26% renewable, 14.631 cents per kWh
  • Standard Green — 62% renewable, 16.093 cents per kWh
  • 100% Green — 100% renewable, 17.348 cents per kWh

When the program started three years ago, unless an enrolling household specifically selected Basic or 100% Green, it was placed in the Standard Green program by default. The great majority of those enrolled in the program ended up with Standard. With busy lives and automatic bill payments, probably few of us have given much thought to our electricity supplier since.

About 13% of Lincoln households have chosen the 100% option, while 80% have Standard and 7% Basic. The CFREE team hopes that more households would move to 100% if they knew how easy it is to do and how minimal the extra cost would be. The 100% option is just over a penny per kilowatt-hour more than Standard. For an average home that uses 10,000kWh per year, that’s about 35 cents a day. This is one of the simplest and lowest-cost steps we can take to get at least the electricity part of our fossil fuel use out of our lives.

We’ve timed it. If you can spare 100 seconds, you can do this! First, make sure you have your Eversource bill at hand. Then click here, fill out the form, and press “Submit.” Or call LGEC customer support at 844-651-8919 and tell them you want 100% Green. They will make the change for you. (It may take several billing cycles before the change takes effect.)

If you’re uncertain which option you’re in now, click here to see where the rate and supplier information is noted on your Eversource bill. Then find your February 2024 or a later bill to compare.

Tech support will be provided free of charge in the Tarbell Room of the Lincoln Public Library on Friday, March 1 from 1–2 p.m. Volunteers will have computers set up to help anyone who’d like to make the change to 100% (or any other change). Bring your Eversource bill. We’ll also do a Q&A and provide tech support to help users make changes on Thursday, March 21 from 2–3 p.m. at Bemis Hall.

Moodie and Gingrich are writing on behalf of CFREE (Carbon-Free Residential, Everything Electric), a working group of the Lincoln Green Energy Committee.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Service on Feb. 24 for Martha Pickett, 1947–2024

Martha O’Neill Pickett

Martha O’Neill Pickett, 77, of Lincoln passed away peacefully on Friday, February 16, 2024. She was the wife of the late Robert Clement Pickett, who died in 2012. She is survived by her sister, Olivia O’Neill of Jamaica Plain, and sister-in-law Heather O’Neill of Petaluma, Calif. Also survived by many loving cousins and friends. Martha was predeceased by her parents, John J. and Rosemary L. (Donovan) O’Neill, and brother, John J. O’Neill, Jr. 

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember Martha at her memorial service on Saturday, Feb. 24 at 2 p.m. in St. Anne’s in-the-Fields Episcopal Church, 147 Concord Rd., Lincoln, MA. Donations in her memory may be made to St. Anne’s.

Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. Click here to see Martha’s online guestbook.

My Turn: Postlethwait announces candidacy for Planning Board

By Sarah Postlethwait

I am announcing my candidacy for Planning Board, and hope that my focus on critical thinking, thoroughly researched planning and inclusive dialogue will bring value to Lincoln and win your vote.

I have a background in education, and I enjoy comprehensively analyzing information and breaking it down so it can be explained to a large audience. As the marketing director for the Boston and Canadian branches of a global company, I have practice in navigating a constantly shifting commerce terrain while working with a team to achieve our diverse business goals.

When I moved to Lincoln with my husband 14 years ago, I was attracted to the open space and farmland that reminded me of my childhood in Ohio. Since then, we have welcomed three children who enjoy all the benefits of growing up in this beautiful town surrounded by a community with similar values. We love walking to Drumlin and Codman farms, visiting the fantastic children’s department at the library, and we have thoroughly enjoyed participating in the wonderful offerings of LincFam and the Recreation Department.

Although I have been an active voice at Planning Board and other housing meetings for a decade, I am growing increasingly concerned about the town’s future. Current leadership is rushing towards a response to the new Housing Choice Act (HCA) that goes far beyond what is required for our small town. Instead of rezoning for the HCA requirement of 42 acres of land and 635 units, they are backing a plan that rezones 72 acres of land and allows for 801 housing units, all in one concentrated half-mile radius of the train station. It is a mistake to rush. The likelihood of unintended consequences is too great.

I understand that the town must evolve. Expanding our housing stock will help address the housing needs of our state. At the same time, we need to protect the retail businesses that currently exist in Lincoln, and ideally find ways to attract more. We need to be smart and not race headlong into a plan that may endanger the town’s financial stability and the rural character that we love.

The goal of the HCA is to create housing for families; however, the bylaw we have created for the HCA district is unlikely to interest them. Most families don’t want to live in overpriced tiny apartments without any green space, surrounded by pavement. We need to consider ways to adjust our zoning to ensure that the kind of housing that appeals to families will actually be built. Furthermore, we need to maintain our attention on creating affordable housing units for all types of families. There is a desperate need for homes that are affordable for moderate and lower income individuals in the Boston area.

I am running for a seat on the Planning Board because I feel Lincoln can do better.  Lincoln has a long history of coming to consensus to build multifamily developments and to prioritize affordable housing. An enviable 40% of our current housing stock is multifamily. Nearly 13% of our housing is in the affordable housing inventory. We can continue on this admirable path by rezoning only for the HCA-required number of acres and units. Then, as a fully informed town, we (not the state, not developers) can plan for the reasoned and responsible fiscal, social, and environmental evolution of Lincoln.  

These same principles of thorough research and planning, measured implementation, inclusive dialogue, and collaborative problem-solving should apply to all of the key issues facing our town: the HCA, revitalization of the mall, the community center, and more.

This is a future of Lincoln that I would like to be part of, and if you agree, then I ask for your support at the March town election.

Questions or concerns? I listen and I respond. Please contact me at sarah@bayhas.com. 

Sincerely,

Sarah Postlethwait
Proud member of the Lincoln Residents for Housing Alternatives.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Service on March 26 for David Lattimore, 1931–2024

David Lattimore

David Lattimore, age 92, passed away on Thursday, February 15, 2024. David was a son, father, grandfather, husband, poet, translator, photographer, and professor. He was born on March 25, 1931, in Peking (Beijing), China, to travelers, authors, and scholars Owen and Eleanor (Holgate) Lattimore.

David circumnavigated the globe three times before the age of five. Evacuated from Perking in 1937 by the Japanese, the family eventually settled in Baltimore. David graduated from the Putney School ’48 and Harvard University ’52 and did graduate studies at Cornell and Yale Universities. A professor emeritus at Brown University for 35 year in Chinese studies, he prided himself on being a third-generation tenured professor without a Ph.D. (David Lattimore, Tianjin University and Dartmouth College, Owen Johns Hopkins, and Leeds University). An emeritus status was created for him at the Club of Odd Volumes.

David was a poet and spent many years translating the works of the eighth-century Chinese poet Du Fu. After studying at Yale, the family lived in Providence. After retiring from Brown, David lived with Gerry in Lincoln and Dingley Island, ME.

David is predeceased by his youngest daughter, Rosette, his second wife, Geraldine (Harrison), and his first wife, Emily (Sargent Lewis). He is survived by his children Michael, Maria Sheppard (Richard), Clare, Anne Price (Steven), and Evan (Jane); stepdaughters Karen Nazor and Leslie Riversmith (Clayton); foster children Margaret Lamar (David) and Michele Taylor (Steven); godson Sam Dennis; and grandchildren Marco, Duy Bao, John, Samuel, Eleanor, Dylan, David, Rhodec, Lenora, Frank, Jazz, and Rose.

Family and friends will gather to honor and remember David for a period of visitation on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, from 4–5:30 p.m. in the Concord Funeral Home (74 Belknap St., Concord, MA). His memorial service will follow at 5:30 p.m. Burial in Lincoln Cemetery will be private.

Arrangements under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary. Click here to see David’s online guestbook.

Correction

The February 6 article headlined “Ogden Codman trust pledges $500K for community center” incorrectly stated that the Lincoln Council on Aging (FLCOA) has promised to match donations for the community center dollar for dollar. In fact, the FLCOA has committed to match donations to the project up to a total of $1 million. The original article has been corrected.

My Turn: A new dog in town

The following was included by Codman Community Farms farmer Pete Lowy in the February 2, 2024 e-newsletter to CCF members and is reprinted here with permission.

By Pete Lowy

This week we welcome our newest livestock guardian dog puppy to the farm! Introducing… POPPY the pup!

Why do we have a new puppy? I’m sure the next question is can folks pet it (no), and where is it (it’s a secret). Aww, that’s mean. It’s not meant to be! Our dogs are not pets, but rather working animals, so we try and give them the respect (and space) the need and deserve. But we do like folks to know the latest happenings on the farm so…read on!

We have a new pup, because our dearest, sweetest, most beautiful Sophie will soon be moving to South Carolina with Alyssa, our farm store manager. Yes, Alyssa will soon be leaving us too (her official goodbye letter will be coming soon), and yes she is adopting Sophie, much to her (and our) delight. They are best buds and while we are so happy for both of them — we are also simultaneously deeply saddened in our heart of hearts to see them leave us.

Poppy the puppy and Pete Lowy’s son Abe.

The short backstory on why we are saying goodbye to Sophie is that last year she developed a naughty habit. While always a great, and very sweet (if not a bit jumpy) livestock guardian dog, Sophie developed a habit of sneaking under the chicken fences and sometimes chasing down innocent dog walkers as they passed by the chickens on Codman South Field. This scared the bejesus out of many folks who were not expecting Sophie to dash through (or under) the fence line at full stride, while also barking like a raving lunatic at them. Now, Sophie is a sweetie and she never ever was aggressive in the biting sort of way and I’m sure she just felt she was doing her job – but these momentary outbursts of energy weren’t that fun for anyone to experience. We tried again and again to tighten up the fences and to train her to stop the antics but we were ultimately unsuccessful. The only way we found to keep her contained was by adding a single strand of very electrified fencing at the inside base of the fences. This works most of the time, but it’s much too time-consuming for us to manage daily and was only a stop-gap solution. In the end, we decided replacing Sophie was the best solution.

At the same time Sophie was displaying this maddening behavior, Alyssa also was starting to bond with her. Alyssa is an animal lover through and through and would often visit Sophie in the field — and they developed a strong love for one another. Alyssa was there for Sophie when she needed a little extra TLC for the occasional bug bite or other minor ailments from living outdoors, and Sophie learned to trust Alyssa deeply during these visits.

So, in the end, this is as good a resolution as one can find in this kind of circumstance. Livestock Co-Managers Aimee and Abby get to train a new livestock guardian dog – and Alyssa gets a new best friend to keep her company as she settles into her new farming life in South Carolina. And we couldn’t be happier that Sophie and Alyssa will have each other during their transition and that we also get to spread a little bit of our best peeps from Codman Farm down south. We will miss them so much!

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnites. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.