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

Correction

The hours for the eighth-grade car wash on Saturday, May 20 (rain date: May 21) have changed. It will now be held from 8 a.m–2 p.m., not 10 a.m.–3 p.m, as originally reported in the May 15 edition of News acorns. That post and calendar listing have been updated.

News acorns

Eighth-grade car wash on Saturday

The Lincoln School eighth grade will hold a car wash on Sunday, May 21 from 8 a.m.–2 p.m. at Town Hall to benefit their graduation activities. The cost is $20 though any donation will be accepted. You can pay on site using cash, PayPal or Venmo, or prepay with PayPal by clicking here.

Survivorship and disability panel discussion

The Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable will host a panel via Zoom on domestic violence survivors with disabilities on Tuesday, May 23 at 6:30 p.m. The event, held in partnership with the Sudbury Commission on Disability, will feature a program coordinator from IMPACT Boston, an attorney from the Women’s Bar Foundation, and a survivor advocate from Boston Center for Independent Living. They’ll highlight some of the challenges in seeking services as well as ways to support survivors with disabilities. ASL interpretation and closed captioning will be provided. Click here to register.

Lincoln Dems to caucus on June 4

The Democratic Town Committee will hold a caucus to elect delegates to the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention (to be held on September 23 in person in Lowell) on Sunday, June 4 at 2 p.m. at Bemis Hall. Doors open at 1:30 and close at 2:15 sharp, as required by Massachusetts Democratic Committee rules. Five delegate and four alternates will be elected to represent Lincoln at the 2023 Massachusetts Democratic Party Convention. All registered Lincoln Democrats are eligible not only to vote and be a delegate. Democrats who will be 16 by May 23, 2023 may pre-register for the caucus and participate and run as a delegate or alternate to the convention, although they are not eligible to vote in general elections until they are 18. Youth, minorities, people with disabilities, and LGBTQ individuals who are not elected as a delegate or alternate are encouraged to apply to be an add-on delegate to the caucus at the caucus or by visiting or at www.massdems.org/massdems-convention.

CCF marks 50th birthday with benefit dinner

Codman Community Farms will celebrate its 50th birthday at “An Evening in the Field” on Thursday, June 8 from 6–9:30 p.m. The adults-only event starts with cocktails and passed hors d’oeuvres followed by a multi-course plated dinner at a long communal table nestled in the fields surrounded by fruit trees and gardens. Tom Fosnot and Ruth-Anne Adams of The Hyve, will serve a menu almost exclusively made of Codman-grown ingredients: vegetables and herbs from the gardens, eggs from their chickens, and protein from their pastured animals. Click here to order tickets.

Meeting, public forums to tackle town’s options under Housing Choice Act

The Housing Choice Act Working Group (HCAWG) has scheduled a virtual multi-board meeting and two public forums in June to discuss the town’s path towards compliance with the state housing law.

The goal of the Housing Choice Act is to create more transit-oriented zoning areas (meaning areas surrounding MBTA stops including Lincoln’s train station) where multifamily housing is allowed by right. Under the updated guidelines released last fall, Lincoln would be required to allow either 692 or 563 units in one or more multifamily zones, depending on whether or not the Hanscom housing units are counted. In March, HCAWG met with consultants from Utile Design to review how the state calculates developable land and to walk through an initial analysis of current zoning in Lincoln to begin identifying areas that might be logical places for rezoning. 

The meeting co-hosted by the Select Board and the Planning Board will be on Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. Click here for the Zoom link. The public forums will be:

  • Friday, June 16 at 8 a.m. in person at the Town Hall
  • Tuesday, June 20 at 7 p.m. via Zoom — click here to register.

Police log for May 1–10, 2023

May 1

The one-car accident on Concord Road on May 1.

Orchard Lane (4:49 p.m.) — An officer responded to take a fraud report.

Concord Road (6:05 p.m.) — Single-car crash near Giles Road. the vehicle apparently drifted out of its lane, striking multiple objects. The operator of the vehicle appeared to attempt to correct the drifting but ultimately struck a tree, causing the vehicle to roll onto its side. The operator was transported to the hospital and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Aspen Circle (8:06 p.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident about an ongoing dispute with a neighbor.

May 2

Codman Road (5:52 a.m.) — One of the Codman Farm dogs was seen walking by the roadside. A message was left for the farmer.

Old Concord Road (8:19 a.m.) — A resident called to report a bank fraud scheme.

Codman Community Farms (11:56 a.m.) — Codman Farm requested to speak with an officer regarding an individual who visited the farm.

Bedford Road (4:51 p.m.) — A resident called to report a scam involving a fraudulent wire transfer.

Granville Road (5:11 p.m.) — A caller reported a fraudulent bank loan was initiated in their name.

Tower Road (8:45 p.m.) — An individual asked to speak with an officer regarding messages received over social media.

May 3

South Great Road (9:20 a.m.) — Police responded to a minor one-car crash. The operator was soon on their way.

Sandy Pond Road (9:40 a.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in their name.

167 Ent Road, Hanscom AFB (4:16 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in their name.

May 4

South Great Road (6:42 p.m.) — A caller reported what appeared to be a sick beaver walking by the side of the road near Farrar Pond. After a consult with Animal Control, it was determined that the best course of action was to let the beaver be.

Bedford Road (10:03 p.m.) — A caller reported two vehicles parked on Bedford Road making a lot of noise. The noise was a result of a promposal (outcome unknown).

May 5

Old Concord Road (9:06 a.m.) — An officer served court paperwork.

Wells Road (3:38 p.m.) — A wellbeing check was requested. The individual was fine.

May 6

The Commons in Lincoln (4:19 a.m.) — Police were notified that a resident was having difficulty gaining access to their residence. Staff were ultimately able to get the person safely inside.

St. Anne’s Church (10:04 a.m.) — A report was received for the odor of natural gas coming from the inside of St. Anne’s Church. The Fire Department responded and determined the cause was a faulty stove.

Lincoln Road (1:54 p.m.) — A minor motor vehicle crash occurred behind the police station involving a police cruiser and subcontractor vehicle.

Library Lane (5:14 p.m.) — An officer conducted a check of a vehicle parked and occupied on Library Lane. The operator had pulled and parked in order to change their shoes.

Old Winter Street (10:42 p.m.) — A caller reported an unknow vehicle was blocking their driveway. An officer responded and was able to locate the operator.

Lincoln Road (11:57 p.m.) — A caller reported hearing someone screaming. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate anyone in distress.

May 7

Winter Street (12:05 a.m.) — One-car crash resulting in the vehicle resting on its side. Officer arrived and spoke to the operator, who stated they were lost. The operator was issued a citation for negligent operation and a marked lanes violation. The vehicle was towed from the scene.

North Commons (9:56 p.m.) — A caller reported a possible argument involving two males. An officer responded and spoke to the reporting party.

South Great Road (11:45 a.m.) — A Lincoln officer assisted the Weston Police Department in a search for an elderly female who was reported missing. At 1:04 p.m., an officer was able to deploy a drone to aid in the search for the missing elderly woman from Weston. At approximately 2:30 p.m., Weston Police located the missing party.

Sandy Pond Road (12:36 p.m.) — A caller reported seeing a red dirt bike operating at a high rate of speed heading in the direction of the water treatment plant. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the dirt bike.

May 8

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound at Bedford Road (6:28 a.m.) — A caller reported a motor vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Lincoln police and fire responded to the scene; firefighters transported the operator of the motorcycle to the hospital. Massachusetts State Police were investigating the crash.

Codman Community Farms (8:26 a.m.) — Staff at the farm called to report an encounter with an individual they’d had dealings with in the past. The party left before police arrived on scene.

May 9

Wells Road (3:34 p.m.) — A caller reported a beaver in the parking lot. A police officer arrived on scene as the beaver was making its way to a stream behind the property. The beaver ultimately left the lot.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (5:41 p.m.) — Police and fire units responded for a two-vehicle crash. One of the operators was transported to Lahey Hospital by the Lincoln ambulance. Massachusetts State Police are investigating the crash.

Birchwood Lane (7:15 p.m.) — Notification was made to a resident at the request of an outside law enforcement agency.

May 10

Codman Community Farms (7:20 p.m.) — An officer responded to the farm at the request of the farmer.

Sandy Pond Road (2:39 p.m.) — A caller reported a slight odor of gas in the area. The Fire Department measured the air and found zero readings.

Deerhaven Road (3:36 p.m.) — An individual spoke to an officer regarding a fraudulent unemployment claim filed in their name.

Transfer station, North Great Road (4:20 p.m.) — An object believed to be an unexploded shell was turned in at the transfer station. As a result, the Massachusetts State Police Bomb Squad was called to the scene. A subsequent X-ray of the device showed it was safe to transport from the scene for safe detonation at a location to be determined by State Police.

Lexington Road (6:21 p.m.) — A resident who had observed potentially suspicious activity spoke to an officer.

Baker Bridge Road (8:35 p.m.) — A caller reported a pedestrian who looked lost. An officer responded to the area and located the pedestrian. The party was transported back to the station to make arrangements for transportation home.

Geraldine Hirshland dies at age 93

Geraldine “Gerry” Hirshland

Beloved mother of four, grandmother of ten, Geraldine “Gerry” S. Hirshland passed peacefully on Saturday, May 6 in Concord, Mass., surrounded by her loving family at the age of 93.

She was a previously a long-time resident of suburban Philadelphia, active in the community and a prolific painter and lover of art (one of her paintings was accepted to the Philadelphia Museum of Art).

Following the retirement of Sam, her husband of over 40 years, the two moved to Chestertown, Md., to follow their love of sailing and the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She loved her time in Chestertown and was on the board of Chester River Yacht and Country Club and was active with Washington College and the Sultana Education Foundation.

Following many wonderful years in Chestertown, Gerry moved to Lincoln, Mass., to be near several sons and grandchildren. She continued her painting and love of life helping launch the art program at her new home, The Commons in Lincoln. Gerry will be remembered by all for her kindness, radiant smile, exuberantly positive spirit, and for opening up her heart and home, in times of tragedy, in celebration, or just because “it was five o’clock somewhere.”

Her favorite quote was “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain,” and would want us all to dance in her memory.

In addition to her marriage with the love of her life Sam, Gerry also had two other loving marriages. She was first married to Richard Krauss in 1953 until his untimely death from cancer in 1960. After Sam’s death in 2001, Gerry married Allan Malcolm, who passed in 2010. As befitting of her cheerful outlook on life, Gerry did not dwell on the fact that she was three times a widow, instead saying “I was blessed with the love of three men and for that I am lucky.”

Gerry is survived by her four sons, Bob, Roy, Larry, and Mike; grandchildren Gregory, Sammy, Henry, Maggie, Jack, Oliver, Hailey, Lucy, Jamie, and Sam; and daughters in law Christine, Rasa, and Tina. She will be laid to rest during a private burial service on Friday, May 12, 2023. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in Gerry’s name to the Sultana Education Foundation, 200 S. Cross St., PO Box 524, Chestertown MD 21620. The foundation provides hands-on educational opportunities that promote stewardship of the Chesapeake Bay’s historic cultural, and environmental resources by helping students of all ages gain an appreciation for the Chesapeake Bay and the environment.

Arrangements are entrusted to Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. To share a memory or to offer a condolence in her online guestbook, please visit www.DeeFuneralHome.com.

News acorns

Getting to Zero #6:  Green Building and Restoration 

Do you love the look of your home but not the chill? Can any home become energy efficient, or is net zero just for new construction? Can Modern homes keep their uniqueness and while meeting 21st-century efficiency standards? In the sixth presentation of the Getting to Zero series (“The Builder’s Perspective – Green Building and Restoration”) on Thursday, May 18 at 7 p.m., Lincolnite Mark Doughty, president of Thoughtforms Construction Co., and Colin Flavin, founder of Flavin Architects, will discuss their experience with respectful renovation of historic homes, particularly Mid-century Modern homes, and how renovations can meet new energy codes. Click here to register for this Zoom meeting.

See recordings of previous presentations at LincolnGreenEnergy.org. The final presentation will be on May 23, when Paul Gromer from Peregrine Energy Group will talk about electric aggregation and what green energy means.

Film screening: “Le Meraviglie”

Join the Lincoln Library Film Society in the library’s Tarbell Room on Thursday, May 18 at 6 p.m. for “Le Meraviglie” (“The Wonders”), a 2014 film directed by Alice Rohrwacher (in Italian with English subtitles). A family of beekeepers living in stark isolation in the Tuscan countryside are disrupted by the simultaneous arrival of a silently troubled teenaged boy taken in as a farmhand and a reality TV show intent on showcasing the family. Both intrusions are of particular interest to the eldest daughter, Gelsomina (Maria Alexandra Lungu), who is struggling to find her footing in the world. Nominated for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

IDEA invites residents to complete diversity survey

The Inclusion, Diversity, Equity & Anti-racism (IDEA) Committee has working to develop a plan to help Lincoln become a community that more fully embraces diversity, and that commits itself to trying to create the conditions that foster it. IDEA’s new Community Survey, which is open until Friday, June 2, will be key in helping the committee understand the lived experiences of residents and to help prioritize actions to achieve its goals. The survey was developed with the assistance of the Racial Equity Group, the IDEA committee consultants who have done this work for many communities across the country. The completed surveys will be available only to the consultants and the anonymity of all participants will be protected. The survey results will be shared at a later date. Click here to take the survey.

Previous community engagement by IDEA has included a project kickoff public forum, a survey for town board and staff members, and focus groups. The group expects to complete a plan this fall that includes short and long-term actions to help the town achieve its goals.

Town observes Memorial Day

Lincoln’s Memorial Day observances on Monday, May 29 begin with an assembly at the corner of Pierce Park and Weston Road at 9:45 a.m. to march with Lincoln veterans down Weston Road to the ceremony. At 10 a.m., join veterans in the Pierce House tent as they honor and celebrate the lives of those lost in battle, as well as our active and retired service men and women. The ceremony will be led by Capt. Thomas Risser with traditional highlights including an invocation, the playing of “Taps,” and a speech from our keynote speaker, Col. Justin K. Collins. A cookout immediately following the ceremony will be provided by the Lincoln Police and Fire Departments. Events will be held rain or shine.

Lincoln author pens Codman library article, new mystery

Katherine Hall Page

Katherine Hall Page has an article on the books of the Codman estate in the latest issue of Historic New England Magazine titled “Bibliovoyeurism: An Author’s View of the Codman Family Library.” The Lincoln Public Library has copies of the magazine. Hall, an acclaimed mystery writer, has also just issued The Body in the Web. In this 26th book in the award-winning Faith Fairchild Mysteries series, Page’s amateur detective is hunkered down with her family during the pandemic when a Zoom-bombing scandal sends the community into a tailspin… and a dead body is discovered.

Property sales in March 2023

5 Laurel Drive — Fred Tingley to Sivaram Balakrishnan and Vaneeta Singh for $1,220,000 (March 31)

10 Blueberry Lane — Solomon Manson Trust to Charles Harold Ryback Trust for $1,560,000 (March 30)

59 Oxbow Rd. — Shihab Ahmed to Denis and Heather Malkov for $1,228,000 (March 30)

129 Lexington Rd. — RE Investments LLC to Elizabrth Yanez for $1,895,000 (March 29)

42C Indian Camp Lane — Vicki Brathwaite to Diana Brenda Trust and Virginia Leonard Revocable Trust for $379,000 (March 27)

12 Deer Run Rd. — Suvitya Nopakun to Mitchel Westwood and Sherya Dave for $1,515,000 (March 22)

200 Old County Rd. — Gulrez Arshad to Shengjun Ren abd Yu Zhang for $650,000 (March 16)

128 Chestnut Circle #6 — Stephanie Smoot to Philip and Mary Jane Sarocco for $675,000 (March 15)

My Turn: CCBC previews space needs at April 25 forum

By Lynne Smith

The Community Center Building Committee (CCBC), with the help of ICON Architecture, is hitting its stride. I was glad to see a draft of space needs for a new building but disappointed by the size and number of rooms being considered.

ICON project manager Mark McKivitz emphasized that the draft was preliminary and will be fleshed out in the next two weeks, but the 18,000 square feet for the Parks & Recreation Department and the Council on Aging & Human Services plus 5,000 square feet for the LEAP after-school program is a huge starting point — 23,000 square feet of new space! The architects said they think a two-story building will be required and much site development will be needed.

The volunteers and the architects are working hard and I appreciate this effort. However, they all seem convinced that a totally new building is the way to go. I am still not convinced. Given today’s high interest rates, inflation-affected construction costs, and the resulting impact on taxes, I still hope for a more creative solution involving renovation of current spaces and the use of the many acceptable spaces in town. At minimum, we must see a 50% option for a new building, not just a 75% option.

CCBC is truly committed to getting the community involved and has scheduled public forums on May 23 and June 13. Their communications have ramped up on LincolnTalk and those who are on the CCBC mailing list are receiving updates regularly.

The town must do something about the need for improved space for PRD and for COA&HS, and the CCBC wants the community to participate now rather than wait until the vote at the Special Town Meeting in November. I urge everyone in town to sign up on the CCBC mailing list and attend the upcoming forums [editor’s note: the next one is on Tuesday, May 23]. Information is on the CCBC website at LincolnCommunityCenter.com.

“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.