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

Get connected—run for local office

Looking for a rewarding if occasionally vexing way to feel more connected? Willing to undertake new challenges? Unafraid to speak up? Then run for local office!

The annual town election will take place on Monday, March 31. Nomination papers are available at the Town Clerk’s Office starting Friday, January 3. Papers must be returned no later than Monday, February 10.

The following offices will appear on the March ballot:

  • Board of Selectmen (three years)
  • Board of Assessors (three years)
  • K-8 School Committee (two seats for three years each)
  • Water Commission (three years)
  • Board of Health (one seat for three years, one seat for two years)
  • Cemetery Commission (three years)
  • Planning Board (two seats for three years each)
  • Commissioner of Trust Funds (three years)
  • deCordova Museum and Sculpture Park board (four years)
  • Housing Commission (three years)
  • Parks and Recreation Committee (three years)
  • Lincoln-Sudbury Regional District School Committee (two seats for three years each)
  • Trustees of Bemis (one seat for three years and one for two years)
  • Town  Moderator (three years)

For additional information, please call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607.

 

Conservation group announces events

Here are films and other events sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust in the coming weeks.

Wednesday, January 15

The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust will  show The Legend of Pale Male as a part of its winter environmental film series at 7:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust Office (above the post office at the mall). The Legend of Pale Male is the story of a red- tailed hawk that lived overlooking Central Park in New York City and became a celebrity. This heartwarming tale chronicles how this wild creature captured the curiosity of thousands. Come find out if that can save him from harmful intent of others.

Sunday, January 26

Joan Walsh from Mass Audubon will give an illustrated talk about the recently released “State of the Birds 2013” and the Massachusetts Breeding Bird Atlas II. Come learn about which of our bird species are thriving, which are not, and what we can do about it.

Thursday, February 27

Lincoln resident Julie Dobrow and students from her 2013 Tufts University course “Producing Films for Social Change.” will discuss two of their films, Turning the Tide and USDA Incorporated, as part of the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust’s winter environmental film series.

Turning the Tide looks at how climate change threatens East Boston with the risk of severe flooding. This imminent crisis is overlooked due to apathetic and otherwise preoccupied residents. Chris Marchi is an East Boston resident who aims to raise awareness of this issue. Through his own dedication and the help of local volunteers, Chris develops a project that he hopes will spark discussion in the fight against climate change.

USDA Incorporated shows how the miraculous possibilities of genetic engineering are being methodically ignored, as the argument spurred by the organic food movement, under the banner of health concerns, seeks to undermine some of the world’s largest corporations. The corporations remain unperturbed as they continue their greedy practices. The small farmer, who tries to maintain sustainable practices amidst these conflicting opinions, has to keep one foot in each world in order to survive.

Sunday, March 2
Naturalist and author Mary Holland will give an illustrated program, “Naturally Curious,” taking viewers through the most memorable natural history events occurring in each month of the year. Her books will also be for sale and on display will be collected items from her forays into New England habitats such as skulls, scat, feathers, and antlers. Sponsored by the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust.

Correction on church events

correction-smIn a recent roundup of holiday religious events, the Lincoln Squirrel inexplicably forgot to include St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.  The original post has been corrected to include this information. The Squirrel apologizes for the omission.

St.-Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

Tuesday, December 24

  • Christmas pageant and family service — 3-4 p.m.
  • Holy Eucharist with choir and string quartet — 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Everyone is welcome.

Churches observe Christmas with services and pageants

nativity(This is a corrected version of the post that appeared on December 19.)

Churches in Lincoln  have the following Christmas observances lined up.

First Parish Church

Saturday, December 21 — Solstice service, 5 p.m.

Celebrate the longest night of the year and the return of the light as the days begin to lengthen. The service includes the Abbots Bromley horn dance, which has been preformed for more than 900 years. Traditional music, dancing, and candle-lighting in the dark make this a special part of the church’s religious winter celebration.

Visitors are also invited to walk a labyrinth, an ancient symbol of wholeness, which will be open in the Parish House for one hour before and one hour after this service. Walking the labyrinth is a special form of meditation that helps us focus on the connection of the inner self to the rhythmic patterns of the natural world. There will be refreshments after the service as well.

Sunday, December 22 — Christmas pageant, 11:30 a.m. 
Children will gather  at 10 a.m. in the Parish House for a quick run-through and then get into costumes and proceed to the auditorium, transformed into the inn in long-ago Bethlehem. The audience will watch the timeless story unfold and sing Christmas carols, accompanied by music director Ian Watson on First Parish’s newly refurbished organ.

Tuesday, December 24  — Christmas Eve service, 5 p.m.

Designed especially for parents with young children, this service features traditional carols, readings, and a story for all ages. Our Director of Religious Education, Ruth Owen, will lead the service, and Rev. Roger Paine will lead a guided meditation to close the service.

Tuesday, December 24 — Candlelight carol services, 8 and 10 p.m. 

A service of carols, readings, choral anthems, a Christmas prayer by Rebecca Hinds, and a homily and guided meditation by Rev. Paine. The two services are identical except that five high school students will be the readers at the 8 p.m. service, and five college students will be our readers at 10 p.m.

In a recent roundup of holiday religious events, the Lincoln Squirrel inexplicably forgot to include St. Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church.  The original post has been corrected to include this information. The Squirrel apologizes for the omission.

St.-Anne’s-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church

Tuesday, December 24

  • Christmas pageant and family service — 3-4 p.m.
  • Holy Eucharist with choir and string quartet — 5:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Everyone is welcome.

St. Joseph Church

Tuesday, December 24 — Christmas gospel pageant, 4 p.m. Mass

There is also a service at 6 p.m. with the choir (music begins at 5:30 p.m.)

Wednesday, December 25 — Christmas Day Mass, 10:30 a.m.

There will also be a Mass at 9 a.m. and 11:15 a.m. at St. Julia Church in Weston.

Aka Bistro closed due to water damage

aka

The Aka Bistro restaurant will be closed until further notice due to extensive water damage from a broken pipe.

The restaurant’s website announced the closure due to a damaged  floor, ceiling and kitchen equipment. The incident occurred early Wednesday morning (December 18).

“I pulled up to work at 5:30 in the moring and in front of me was a fire truck, and then three [police] cruisers pulled up,” said John Johanson, a personal trainer at Fitness Together, which is located on the second floor of the same building. “They had to break into the room where the piping was. I guess it was pretty bad.” Fitness Together was not damaged and is open, he added.

The building is owned by the Rural Land Foundation. Neither RLF executive director Geoff McGean nor Aka Bistro general manager Christian Touche could not immediately be reached for comment. 

Library holiday activities and hours

The library's winter display by Barry Palu.

The library’s winter display by Barry Palu.

On Friday, Dec. 20, the Lincoln Pubic Library will host two children’s activities. Preschoolers are invited to “Movies and Muffins” at 3:30 p.m. with screenings of three short films based on the beloved children’s books The Snowy Day, The Bear Snores On and Little Bear. Recommended for ages 2 and up; no signup necessary. Also on Friday, children of all ages can stop by the children’s department and make a winter craft any time between 11:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.

Meanwhile, don’t miss the library’s annual winter display, courtesy of Lincoln resident Barry Palu. The display will be up through the month of December in the bay window of the reference room.

On Tuesday, Dec. 24, the library will close at 1 p.m. and reopen with regular hours (9 a.m. to 6 p.m.) on Thursday, Dec. 26. The library will close at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 31 and reopen with regular hours on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2014, when children of all ages can celebrate the New Year by decorating a paper lantern and taking part in a light parade around the library from 4-5:30 p.m. Signup in advance is necessary; call 781-259-8465.

Memoir group open to new members in January

The memoir group is a good place to try out your writing on a supportive audience. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t written a word or if you’ve already written enough for two lifetimes—the group will welcome you and help you move along in the process. (They will also laugh and cry with you sometimes.) If you’re interested in joining the group or if you just want to know more before making a commitment, please get in touch with facilitator Connie Lewis at con.lewis@comcast.net or  781-259-9415.

The group meets on Wednesdays, usually twice a month from 10 a.m. to noon. The schedule for the winter/spring term isn’t set yet, but the first meeting will be on January 15. The cost is $50 if the group continues with the six-meeting schedule or $75 if they decide to meet eight times.

Free sand for slippery times ahead

snowcloudIn preparation for tomorrow’s snowstorm, you may have stocked up on snow shovels and windshield washer fluid, but your already-icy driveways and paths will be needing more sand—and Lincoln residents can get some for free

The Department of Public Works allows Lincoln residents to take one five-gallon bucket of sand from the small shed at the DPW site on Lewis Street. The shed is just to the right of the main building across from the school buses. There’s even a shovel you can use, but be careful unloading—sand is even heavier than you think.

The DPW also reminds residents that they are not permitted to take sand or salt from the larger sheds at the rear of the site.