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

My Turn: Thanks from Domestic Violence Roundtable

By the Domestic Violence Roundtable

This year, despite the continuing circumstances created by Covid, the Sudbury-Wayland-Lincoln Domestic Violence Roundtable held its annual Valentine collection at Sudbury Wine and Spirits. Although community members could not be invited to help fill the Valentine bags for families affected by abuse, members of the Roundtable gathered to fill the bags and delivered them to clients of REACH Beyond Domestic Violence, The Second Step, and Voices Against Violence. Due to the generosity of our local communities, the Roundtable was able to provide 50 gift bags to all the residents who ranged in age from 5 months to 71 years old.

Domestic Violence Roundtable members sort donations for Valentine’s Day bags.

The Roundtable would like to thank everyone who generously donated Valentine gifts and made this year’s collection a great success. We would like to offer special thanks to Joseph Saia of Sudbury Wine and Spirits for again hosting the collection basket, to the students at Sudbury Extended Day for decorating the gift bags, and to the staff and the families of Sudbury Extended Day for their wonderful donations. Thank you also to Kate Ryan for using her birthday celebration to collect donations in lieu of personal gifts. The Roundtable also appreciates the ongoing support of members of the League of Women Voters of Sudbury.

The pandemic has been especially difficult for families in abusive situations, and these Valentine’s Day bags brighten the lives of families living in domestic violence shelters and transitional housing and let them know that they are supported in their efforts to rebuild their lives free from abuse.

“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 Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Artwork by Lincoln’s Selvage adorns new MBTA station

Commuters approach “Speeding Green Line” at the new Medford/Tufts MBTA station.

By Maureen Belt

While thousands of commuters impatiently waited years for the MBTA to extend its Green Line to the Tufts campus in Medford, Lincoln resident Nancy Selvage was at home shaping the art to characterize the new station.

Her contribution to GLX (the MBTA’s Green Line Extension project) took more than seven years from the day she was granted the commission. It finally saw the light of day (actually predawn) at 4:40 a.m. on Dec. 12, 2022, when the Medford/Tufts station opened to large crowds and great fanfare including a ribbon cutting. In a later interview with the Lincoln Squirrel, she pulled up a Twitter post of then-Gov. Charlie Baker, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, and other dignitaries flashing big smiles while cutting a ribbon at the inauguration. One of Selvage’s newly installed pieces, “Speeding Green Line,” was a prominent backdrop.

“I’m not a Twitter follower myself,” she remarked. “Someone forwarded this to me.”

“Speeding Green Line” and the station’s wayfinder signs — platform indicators that give commuters information — are now part of Selvage’s public art work portfolio, which includes an installation at the Google building lobby in Cambridge and at the Canyon Rim in Arizona, among others. Selvage incorporates location, environment, and usage into all of her work.

In an earlier plaza design that was later scrapped due to budget cuts, the purpose of the GLX art was to camouflage unsightly ductwork and to compensate for the lack of landscaping. The current purpose is to simulate the visual effect of trees speeding past a moving train.

Nancy Selvage at her desk.

“Speeding Green Line” consists of two 22-foot-long, 120-pound backlit glass panels placed over the Medford/Tufts entrance. Selvage made complex blueprints and engineered a design to ensure the finished art would hold up to New England weather and the expected hustle and bustle of a long-overdue light-rail station. Aesthetically, she meticulously designed it to reflect light and, though static, give the appearance of motion as one passes by.

“The piece is activated by the view of movement,” said Selvage. 

On the station platform, the artwork suggests a correspondence between commuters and honeybees in a sequence of four panels: setting forth (flying off), finding sustenance (foraging), returning to nourish a community (back home), and sharing news of the journey (waggle dance). The images were created digitally by collaging and warping photographic details of Selvage’s perforated metal sculptures.

She was unaware at the time that Tufts University was the first urban campus in Massachusetts to be certified in the Bee Campus USA program. Selvage is also a Tufts alumna — she holds an MFA in sculpture from the School of the Museum of Fine Arts/Tufts University as well as a BA in art history from Wellesley College. Gardens maintained by the Tufts Pollinator Initiative at four sites on campus contain native plants to feed a diversity of pollinators, according to a December 2022 article about Selvage’s work in TuftsNow.

“It’s about coming and going and finding your way,” she said, comparing her images of bees on their journey of finding nectar to “commuters finding sweetness in the city.” (Click here to see detailed proof images.)

Selvage’s creativity is only one of the ingredients that are essential to her multilayered work. She also needs plenty of patience, trust in others, the ability to work within budget constraints and, in the case of public art, a tolerance for multiple bureaucratic meetings.

As with any major project, challenges cropped up. When sketching ideas for “Speeding Green Line,” she wanted natural shades of green. She toyed with iPhone photos of local summer foliage, but the images became blurred when enlarged using Photoshop. She then hired a photographer with a high-resolution digital camera, so images of individual pine needles and oak leaves remained vivid.

Once digitally expanded across 22 feet, she captured the green abstract lines she sought. Intentionally, she added a thin colorless vertical stripe every few inches, necessary to give the effect of motion. Selvage then delivered her files to a fabrication company with expertise in printing and a kiln to fuse her images onto hurricane-proof glass. Despite that precaution, installers broke one of the panels during the installation. It had to be refabricated and installed a few weeks after the opening.

Selvage’s honeybees hover about curved blossoms, also of her creation, on the 4-foot by 18-foot wayfinder signs. The blossoms, which look like calla lilies, are actually warped and altered photographs of a variety of Selvage’s metal sculptures.

The same photographer was hired to take high-resolution photos of the pieces. Selvage Photoshopped the images into cartoonish flowers. She made the bees from details of other 3-D pieces, then worked to proportion each bee to a flower. One oversized bee performs a waggle dance, a rhythmic, geometric succession of rapid movements performed to announce they’ve found the cache. 

“It took forever to do these bees,” Selvage said. “It just took forever.”

Once the honey bees were situated, the MBTA outsourced her work to a factory for printing the images on metal panels. Unhappy with the results, the agency shopped around for other niche companies. “The only thing I could say is that the yellows are too orange,” Selvage said. But the second time was the charm. 

After factoring in supplies, payments to vendors and other expenses, Selvage barely broke even on her predetermined design fee. But she isn’t in it for the money. Interactive art is a passion she turned into a lifelong career. Other public installations by Selvage in the Boston area include “Hydro” in Lowell and “Water Wall” in Trolley Square in Cambridge, and she’s excited about a project to sculpt an interactive gathering place for children in Virginia.

“I’m totally comfortable in three dimensions,” Selvage said. “There’s nothing better than a big empty space. On the other hand, there’s nothing worse than a blank canvas.” 

News acorns

Claudia Fox Tree

“On Belonging” speaker series kicks off

The “On Belonging in Outdoor Spaces” series returns with three upcoming events:

  • Lincoln School teacher and social justice activist Claudia Fox Tree — Wednesday, Feb. 22 at 7 p.m.
  • Leah Penniman, co-founder of Soul Fire Farm and author of Black Earth Wisdom — Wednesday, March 8 at 7 p.m.
  • José G. González, founder of Latino Outdoors and co-founder of the Outdoorist Oath — Wednesday, March 29 at 7 p.m.

The free speaker series, which launched in 2021, seeks to feature individuals whose work is advancing efforts to strengthen belonging and connection between communities of color and the outdoors. Click here for more information and to register. This year’s series is sponsored by the Ogden Codman Trust, Freedom’s Way, and the Lincoln Cultural Council. The host organizations are Farrington Nature Linc, Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, Mass Audubon, Walden Woods Project, deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum, and the Food Project.

Saturday ranger walks scheduled

Join Lincoln Conservation Ranger Will Leona to visit different trails in Lincoln on the first Saturday of each month (March 4, April 1, and May 6) from 9:30–11 a.m. Walks are generally two miles long and are appropriate for all ages. Click here for registration, which is required to keep group size under 15 people and to ensure we can contact you in case of cancellation due to weather.

Lincoln student featured in Concord theater production

Huxley Jade

Lincoln youth Huxley Jade is in the cast of the Concord Youth Theatre’s (CYT) Mainstage Company production of the musical “Robin Hood.” Robin Hood, Maid Marian, Merry Men, and other timeless characters in this classic story find new life through the original script and score written by Rene Pfister and Jan Mankowsky. CYT’s Mainstage Company includes young performers ages 10-18 from several towns. Performances are Friday, March 3 and 10 at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, March 4 and 11 at 4 p.m.; and Sunday, March 5 at 2:30 p.m. at the theater 53 Church St. in Concord. Click here for more information and to buy tickets.

L-S Parents Night for incoming freshmen on March 9

Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School’s Eighth-Grade Parent/Guardian Night, will be held at Lincoln-Sudbury on Thursday, March 9 from 7–8:30 p.m. This evening is for parents and guardians only. The evening begins in the L-S Auditorium with an overview of the ninth-grade curriculum and the scheduling process, followed by an opportunity to visit faculty members of the various departments to ask questions about course selection and curriculum. 

Brush burning permits now available

To apply for a permit for outdoor brush burning, which is allowed until May 1, fill out this online form and mail a check for $5.00 to the Lincoln Fire Department, 169 Lincoln Rd., Lincoln MA 01773. Or if you prefer, send your name, address, phone number and email address along with a check for $5.00 to the fire department, or drop them in the red box in the lobby. All applicants are also required to call on the morning you plan to burn to ask permission and give the dispatcher your address.

Town library wins five-star rating

For 15 years, Library Journal has used statistics collected by the Institute of Museum and Library Services public library survey to score U.S. public libraries and award star ratings. The FY2020 scores and ratings were published in December 2022 and Lincoln Public Library received five stars, the highest rating, in its category. Libraries are put into peer groups based on their annual expenditures and Lincoln was one of 10 libraries nationwide to earn five stars in the $1 million to $4.9 million category. The survey looks at measures of service delivery including the number of checkouts (both physical and electronic), library visits, program attendance, website visits, Internet computer use, and public WiFi sessions.

Old Town Hall Exchange is back in business

Kate Dahmen shows off some of the wares on offer at the Old Town Hall Exchange.

The Covid-19 pandemic closed the Old Town Hall Exchange’s doors for almost two years — but the shop is back.

“I’ve always loved this place and wanted to see if I could help reopen it,” said Lincoln resident and artist Kate Dahmen. She reached out to Stacy Osur, who manages the building for the nonprofit Lincoln Old Town Hall Corporation, and reopened the store on an intermittent basis during the holiday season.

On the main floor, visitors can browse through the pre-pandemic stock of gifts, cards, toys, baby clothing, and books as well as new penny candy — a favorite of Lincoln kids for decades. The basement is fuller than ever with antiques (“a lot of stuff came in during the pandemic,” Dahmen said). The Exchange does consignment sales, returning 70% of the proceeds to crafters and antique owners while the remainder goes to building maintenance and shop operations.

“We’ll slowly bring in new stuff as space allows,” she said. “We’d love to bring in more unique things and create wall space for original art. This is a place where you can buy something you couldn’t find on Amazon or a major store, but we’ll always have cards and penny candy no matter what.”

The hours of operations are still not set in stone since Dahmen is in the process of finding volunteers to help for two hours a week apiece, so she advised calling ahead (781-259-9876). She hopes to be open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Saturday from noon–4 p.m. when staffing allows. Anyone interested in volunteering may email her at kate.dahmen@gmail.com. “It’s a really happy place to spend time and it’s a great way to meet people,” she said. 

The Old Town Hall is now in its third location. It was built in 1848 close to the current location of Bemis Hall “for all Political, Temperance, Antislavery & Peace Meetings and Lecturers for Lyceum, and Singing Schools, for Picnics, Fairs and Sabbath School celebrations and for all Literary & Scientific Lecturers,” according to the building’s website. It was moved down the hill closer to the First Parish Church in 1884 and then to its current location in 1918. At various times it housed Lincoln’s first high school and the public library. Later tenants included a general store and gas station, a law office, and a small publisher.

Coldwell Banker occupied some of the upstairs office space until leaving in October 2022. The space is being renovated for new tenants, but Osur said she didn’t know what the space will be used for and when. “The whole thing is still up in the air,” she said.

Missing man found after large-scale search

Officials are briefed during the search for a missing North Commons resident. (Photo courtesy Lincoln Fire Department)

A North Commons resident with Alzheimer’s who disappeared from his North Commons home on February 18 was safely located about two hours after a town-wide alert went out via phone and text.

Lincoln police and firefighters were notified at 8:30 a.m. that David Myer, 79, had gone missing. About 50 officers and firefighters from area towns set up a command post and swung into action with ATVs, mountain bicycles, and on foot. Also involved in the search were a Massachusetts State Police helicopter, Minute Man National Historic Park officers, Lincoln’s Conservation Ranger, and even the Lincoln Fire Department’s new public safety drone operated by a Lincoln firefighter who is an FAA-certified drone pilot.

At about 1:30 p.m., staff at a soup kitchen at the Church of Our Redeemer on Merriam St. in Lexington alerted authorities that they had Myers, who had apparently walked there, Lincoln Fire Chief Brian Young said. He had an abrasion on his head and was transported to the hospital by Lexington ambulance.

My Turn: DeLisi on why she’s running for reelection to the Planning Board

By Lynn DeLisi

Lincoln’s local election on Monday March 27 is going to have crucial implications for the long-term future of the town. You are not casting your vote for individual personalities and their backgrounds, but instead are making important choices about decisions that will impact the town for a long time to come.

One key topic is whether to comply with the Housing Choice Act (HCA) of the state of Massachusetts. It is not mandatory to do so, but there are some benefits that come with that compliance. The Planning Board currently has mixed views on how to pursue this important discussion. Some prefer to jump ahead now and create zoning for significantly more dense housing (a minimum of 15 units per acre for at least eight acres) that would comply with the HCA, even before the town’s HCA Committee studies it carefully and suggests how best to respond. I disagree.

I support a more logical approach to an unbiased examination of the risks and benefits that this significant (more than double) change in zoning will have on the town. (Currently, the target area allows approximately six residential units per acre). I believe collecting these basic data is a must to drive our decision-making:

• What all the residents of Lincoln want for the future of their town;
• What other towns like ours are doing;
• What our town’s infrastructure can support (septic, water, roads, fire/safety); and,
• What the financial implications of development are.

Only then can we make responsible decisions about the planning in the center of South Lincoln.

Thus, I am not biased toward or against development. Rather, I am biased toward fact-based, responsible planning for the long-term future of the town and, most importantly, taking the time to gather the input of the people who live within the region we want to change. I will not vote for new zoning that puts anyone who currently rents a home at risk of losing it. I currently do support Jennifer Glass’s leadership of a committee representing major town boards that will attempt to do this.

We do have some data on what the town wants. Last year, the Planning Board conducted a town-wide survey as a means of gathering input about the future of the Lincoln commuter rail area. Its scientific rigor was lacking, but even so, more than 800 responses were obtained, and many pointed comments  indicated two priorities:

  1. Maintain Lincoln’s unique rural character; and
  2. Maintain viable commercial activities in Lincoln Center.

Significantly fewer respondents listed more housing as a priority.

We owe it to the town, its residents, and future residents to do our homework, to provide balanced information for solid decision-making, and not rush into decisions that will be difficult to reverse. We need to take time to understand what the people who now live in Lincoln would like to have as a town for future generations of residents. If you agree, then please vote for me in the March 27 election.

In summary, this is what I advocate for:

  1. Representing the interests of the people who currently live in Lincoln, both South and North Lincoln
  2. Preserving the unique character of the town of Lincoln with an historical and conservation perspective
  3. Creating an interesting and unique town center where people can have services they need and find an enticing place to gather
  4. Careful and responsible planning, with no preconceived bias toward development without understanding its long-term implications such as for noise, traffic, wildlife loss, and associated financial costs.
  5. Understanding what Lincoln specifically gets by complying with the HCA, and weighing the pros and cons of compliance carefully without any inherent bias.
  6. No expansion of the Hanscom airfield in any way. Any further noise and other environmental pollution would be beyond what should be allowed for North Lincoln, as well as Minuteman Park.
  7. Not supporting any zoning changes that put anyone at risk of losing their current housing.

I am committed to serving the Town of Lincoln and to representing you. As such, I am interested to know your views on all of these topics. I welcome speaking with you 1:1. You can email me at delisi76@aol.com or lynn_deLisi@hms.harvard.edu.

“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.

My Turn: Domnitz withdraws from Planning Board race

By Bob Domnitz

It has been my honor and privilege to have served on the Planning Board for 15 of the last 20 years. After many hundreds of meetings and countless hours spent on issues facing the town, I have decided to step back from the daily rigors of board membership. I am therefore withdrawing from this year’s race for Planning Board. I do look forward to continuing as an active voice in Town affairs.

My decision is made easier by the emergence of first-time candidate, Mark Levinson. Mark will bring new energy and focus to the important work of the Planning Board. Mark has been a regular attendee at board meetings for years. As a resident of the economically diverse Lincoln Station area for a quarter century, he has been an important voice in discussions regarding the area’s future. He has a strong conservation ethic and will help steer the town as it evolves while maintaining its rural character.

I also support the re-election of Lynn DeLisi. Lynn and I have been colleagues on the board for years. Lynn has an independent, fearless dedication to rational thinking about what is best for the town, and she is, above all, a uniquely empathic listener when residents ask to be heard. Many neighborhoods around Lincoln have benefited from Lynn’s support. Like Mark, she will continue her work to preserve the character of Lincoln that we all treasure.

“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.

Police log for February 2–15, 2023

February 2

Indian Camp Lane (11:51 a.m.) — A well-being check was requested. Police made contact with the individual.

February 3

Minuteman Technical High School (2:38 p.m.) — Minor two-vehicle crash in school parking lot. No injuries were reported. An officer assisted both motorists with exchanging information.

Lincoln Road (8:38 p.m.) — Multiple callers reported that the railroad gates were stuck in the down position. The MBTA was notified.

February 4

St. Anne’s Church, Concord Road (9:04 a.m.) — A broken sprinkler head was reported. The Fire Department responded and maintenance was notified. 

Silver Birch Lane (8:53 p.m.) — A caller reported that their neighbor’s dog had been barking for the past three hours. An officer responded to the area and heard nothing for 15 minutes. The Animal Control Officer was notified.

Codman Road (9:22 p.m.) — An individual came into the police station after getting off the train earlier than expected. An officer spoke to them to make sure everything was OK.

February 5

South Great Road (12:18 a.m.) — A caller reported hearing approximately 10 gunshots. Officers from Lincoln and Concord conducted an extensive check of the area and side streets but did not discover anything out of the ordinary. 

Hawthorne Circle (2:40 a.m.) — A caller reported possible suspicious activity at a residence. An officer checked the area and discovered nothing out of the ordinary. 

February 6

Gerard’s Farm Stand, Route 2 (9:51 a.m.) — On February 4, a package delivered by a FedEx driver was stolen from Gerard’s Farm Stand. Two hours after the delivery, a male suspect with a shaved head and beard, wearing eyeglasses, a light blue/gray hooded winter coat and light colored pants, was seen walking around the farm stand. It is believed that this individual removed the package from the property. An investigation is ongoing.

Airport Road (12:32 p.m.) — A police officer was asked to stand by while a person retrieved some items. 

North Great Road (6:35 p.m.) — The Fire Department responded to the comfort station located by the Hartwell Tavern for a water main break and provided additional assistance at 9:58 p.m.

Lincoln Road (6:43 p.m.) — The Fire Department was dispatched to a residence for a water main break and later provided additional assistance at 7:33 p.m.

February 7

10:43 a.m. — The Fire Department was mobilized for District 14 coverage related to nine-alarm fire in Brockton.

February 8

Birchwood Lane (9:08 a.m.) — An officer spoke to a resident regarding potential fraudulent transactions. 

Lincoln Road (11:09 a.m.) — An officer checked on a motorist in the commuter lot. 

Weston Road (4:01 p.m.) — A resident asked to speak to an officer regarding an ongoing situation. 

February 9

Indian Camp Lane (10:00 a.m.) — An officer assisted an individual with a well-being check. 

Sandy Pond Road (11:04 a.m.) — The town Conservation Ranger reported an incident with an individual walking too many dogs on conservation trails. 

South Great Road near Tower Road (3:47 p.m.) — A caller reported locating two goats. Animal Control was notified.

Lincoln Road (4:04 p.m.) — A resident asked to speak to an officer regarding several firearms that were being turned over for destruction. 

February 10

(12:20 p.m.) — A well-being check was requested for a resident. Contact was made by a responding officer.   

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (7:24 p.m.) — A motorist was lost and required directions.

February 11

Concord Road (12:24 p.m.) — A caller reported a suspicious motor vehicle parked at the end of their driveway. The vehicle was gone on the officer’s arrival. 

Tower Road (5:34 p.m.) — The Fire Department was asked to investigate an odor of gas. They determined that there was an issue with the stove. 

Lincoln Road post office (7:17 p.m.) — An individual reported that a mail truck parked at the mall appeared to have its hazard lights on. An officer responded and discovered the truck’s lights were malfunctioning. Post office staff were notified.

February 12

Goose Pond Road (7:23 p.m.) — A caller reported damage to their mailbox. Several other mailboxes on Goose Pond Road, Deer Run, and Sandy Pond Road also were damaged. An investigation is ongoing. 

Liberty Lane, Hanscom AFB (10:38 a.m.) — Officers assisted Hanscom Security Forces with a domestic assault and battery. 

Huckleberry Hill (3:39 p.m.) — A caller requested police assistance with a suspicious motor vehicle that may have followed them from Concord. 

February 13

Old County Road (6:43 p.m.) — A motorist reported that their vehicle had been struck by a deer. 

Beaver Pond Road (12:10 p.m.) — A resident reported that a delivery van had caused minor damage to their lawn. 

Lincoln Road (1:34 p.m.) — An officer helped a pedestrian across the street.

February 14

Lowell Road, Concord (10:32 a.m.) — The Lincoln Police and Fire Departments responded to the Middlesex School in Concord to assist with a confirmed phone call hoax. 

Huckleberry Hill (12:26 p.m.) — A resident called to report a suspicious item had been left behind by an unknown individual.

Ridge Road (5:44 p.m.) — A caller located an empty box by the side of the road that had contained two cell phones.

Silver Birch Lane (7:43 p.m.) — A caller reported that their neighbor’s dog had been barking for the past three hours. An officer responded to the area and heard nothing for 15 minutes. The Animal Control Officer was notified. 

February 15

Minuteman Technical High School (7:58 a.m.) — An officer responded for a community caretaking response. 

Woods End Road (4:22 p.m.) — A resident reported sums of money being taken from their bank account. 

News acorns

Ash Wednesday at St. Anne’s

Join the St. Anne’s community for an Ash Wednesday evening service on Wednesday, Feb. 22 from 7–8 p.m. to mark the threshold to the season of Lent. We welcome everyone from all walks of life and faith. For more information, visit StAnnesLincoln.org.  

Event for new and expectant parents

Join LincFam for an upcoming coffee meetup at Twisted Tree on Saturday, Feb. 25 from 2-3 p.m. Little ones are welcome. LincFam is eager to update their New & Expecting Parents list of families with children under 2 or expecting a child. If you’d like to join the list for information on future events and meetups, please click here.

Session on home backup battery power

MetroWest Climate Solutions, of which First Parish in Lincoln is a founding member, is offering a webinar on “Backup Power: Battery Storage for Homes & Businesses” on Tuesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m. Onsite battery storage systems are seeing a spike in interest to power homes during blackouts and/or to make the most of an existing solar system. These battery systems often provide backup for 10 to 20 hours and can be charged either by solar panels onsite or electricity from your utility. In this session, Matt Honkonen of East Coast Solar will provide an overview of issues to consider when installing battery storage systems in your home and/or business, including cost. The session will also discuss the often-overlooked human rights abuses associated with cobalt/lithium mines in Africa. Two local residents will also share their experiences in evaluating vendors and installing battery storage systems in their homes. Click here to register.

Climate Action Plan workshops

Climate Action Lincoln is gathering input for a Climate Action Plan that will guide efforts to reduce carbon emissions and increase our community’s resilience to climate change impacts. Developing the plan involves community outreach and engagement, the identification of needs and goals, and the development of actionable strategies to increase resilience and sustainability. There will be two community workshops for the public on Wednesday, March 1 at 7 p.m. and Friday, March 3 at 8:30 a.m., with the same information shared and input welcomed at both.

Spring concerts at deCordova

Old-style Irish dance and music
Saturday, March 4 from 6–8 p.m.
Enjoy an evening of traditional and old-style Irish dance and music with a performance by the quartet Eight Feet Tall and social céilí dancing for all with live music to top off the night. The dances are fun and simple group dances, no experience is needed, and all dances will be taught – everyone is welcome. The event is liked to New Formations exhibition at the deCordova. Click here for tickets.

Musical performance with Antje Duvekot
Thursday, March 9 at 7 p.m.
Antje Duvekot has won some of the top songwriting awards including the Grand Prize in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition, the prestigious Kerrville (Texas) Best New Folk Award, and the Boston Music Award for Outstanding Folk Act. Click here for tickets.

Route 126 bridge slated for two-year repair project

The Route 126 railroad bridge looking south.

The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will begin work to repair the Route 126 bridge over the railroad tracks near Baker Bridge Road in fall or winter of 2024.

The bridge, which was built in 1950, has needed repair for some time. The project will involve replacing the superstructure (steel beams, concrete deck, and attachments) and upgrading the piers and foundations to handle the new superstructure.

Construction will take place in stages over a period of 24 months so a detour will not be required. Bicycles and pedestrians will be accommodated during construction by the installation of a temporary bike/pedestrian bridge, said MassDOT Project Manager Eamon Kernan. When completed the bridge will have one lane each way, a usable shoulder in the southerly direction, and a multi-use side path on the northbound side.

“Plans have not been advanced to know if any private property will be taken, but the adjacent properties will be disturbed. Disruption will be kept to a minimum but is inevitable,” Kernan said.