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

Citizens’ petition seeks to ban certain rodenticides

A group called Save Lincoln Wildlife is seeking to ban the use of anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) in Lincoln, saying the chemicals are harming raptors and other animals that eat rodents who have ARs in their systems.

Their citizen’s petition for the March 28 Annual Town Meeting asks voters to approve a home rule petition that would authorize the Select Board to ask the legislature to allow the town to ban the use of ARs. The town can’t do so without this step since pesticides are regulated by the state.

When rodents eat trap bait containing ARs, they usually don’t die right away, and the chemical — which prevents blood from clotting, leading to uncontrolled bleeding and death — builds up in the systems of predators including coyotes, hawks, and other birds that eat those rodents and can eventually cause their deaths as well, Trish O’Hagen of Save Lincoln Wildlife told the Select Board on Feb. 9.

“I can’t help but think back to the 1960s when there were only 500 bald eagles left in the country” due to widespread use of the insecticide DDT, which severely weakened eagle eggshells, leading them to break under the weight of parents during incubation.

Mice, rats and other pests are attracted to food in compost piles and garbage cans, and raptors are the best way to control them naturally — “and it’s sort of ironic,” O’Hagen said, since raptors are the ones being harmed by ARs in their prey.

According to Mass Audubon, the federal government banned the retail sale of second-generation ARs in 2015 due to the dangers posed to children, pets, and wildlife, but they remain legal and widely used by licensed pest control professionals in Massachusetts, so “homeowners really need to know the specific questions to ask” of exterminators, O’Hagen said. 

A number of other towns have banned the use of ARs on town-owned property (Lincoln doesn’t use the chemicals but has no formal ban). Cities and towns including Arlington, Billerica, Brookline, Concord, Lexington and Newton are also seeking legislative approval to ban the use of ARs on private property.

Donelan’s and Lincoln Woods have both switched from ARs to other types of rodenticide, said O’Hagen. The best methods to pest control are rodent-proof containers, blocking entry holes, and using snap traps or contraceptive rodent treatments, she added.

Legal notice: Lincoln Road Water Main Replacement – Phase 2

LEGAL NOTICE — LINCOLN ROAD WATER MAIN REPLACEMENT — PHASE 2

Town of Lincoln, MA (Owner) invites sealed Bids for Lincoln Road Water Main Replacement – Phase 2 for replacement of approximately 5,450 linear feet of 12-inch water main to replace the existing 10-inch and 12-inch mains. Substantial Completion: August 27, 2027. Final Completion: May 26, 2028.

Bidding is per MGL Chapter 30 s39M. Prevailing wage rates per MGL c149 s26 to 27D inclusive issued by Dept. of Labor Standards.

Request electronic Bidding Documents (no cost): 10:00 a.m. February 11, 2026 by email to MunicipalBids@woodardcurran.com with complete contact information & subject line Lincoln MA – Lincoln Road Main Water Replacement – Phase 2. Official Bidding Documents will be available once registered. Documents from third parties are not considered official Bidding Documents.

MANDATORY pre-Bid conference: 10:00 a.m. local time on February 24, 2026 at Lincoln Town Hall, 16 Lincoln Road, Lincoln, MA 01773.

Receipt of Bids: 10:00 a.m. on March 5, 2026.

Submit to: Lincoln Water Department Office, 77 Sandy Pond Road, Lincoln, MA 01773, Attention: Richard Nolli, Water Superintendent with Bid security at 5% of total Bid.

Also published on www.commbuys.com.

Note that legal notices often must be posted twice by law. For previous legal notices and details on how to submit a legal notice to the Lincoln Squirrel, click here.

My Turn: Sing peacefully in protest

By Margit Griffith

Perhaps you have seen the videos of the good people of Minneapolis singing peacefully in protest against the surge of violence in their city. Across the United States and in countries around the world, people are joining in song. If this is news to you, please see this Anderson Cooper story. 

Recently, the Minneapolis organizers have been helping people organize in community groups. There is no cost, no ask. They seek to help those interested in engaging to protest in song.

If you look at singingresistance on Instagram you can see their toolkit, which is an important start. They recommend groups get together to sing and build community before going out to sing in protest.

Taking their advice and guidance, I have started singingresistancelincolnma on Instagram and invite you to join me at a first Lincoln community gathering to talk about this movement and sing some songs. All are welcome — all ages, those who sing on pitch and those who find their own notes. Please RSVP (I plan to provide some pizza and salad since it’s dinner time):

Monday, Feb. 23, 6:00–7:30pm
St. Anne-in-the-Fields is happy to host us in the Flint Room (147 Concord Road, Lincoln)

If there is interest and enthusiasm, we can meet every other week, and plan actions on other dates. It’s entirely possible we will be joined by other pods of singers from other communities. Hope to see you and sing with you.

“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. 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 Feb. 1–11, 2026

February 1

Marconi’s Auto, Route 126 (5:15pm) — An officer assisted a motorist with transportation back to their residence.

February 2

Winchelsea Lane (11:06am) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding identity theft.

Lincoln Road (5:55pm) — An officer spoke with a person about an ongoing incident.

February 3

Lincoln Police Department (6:20pm) — An officer spoke with a person about an ongoing incident.

Trapelo Road (6:34pm) — An officer spoke with a motorist regarding a past motor vehicle crash.

February 4

Pheasant Lane (7:35am) — A caller reported seeing a suspicious vehicle in their neighborhood. An officer checked the area but the vehicle was gone on arrival.

Trapelo Road (6:34pm) — An officer spoke with a person about a vehicle hitting a deer.

February 5

Codman Road (3:36pm) — Police and fire units responded to the area for an accident that occurred when a vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. The operator was transported to the hospital and the vehicle was towed from the scene.

Hemlock Circle (4:57pm) — An officer performed a well-being check on a person. The person was OK.

Hemlock Circle (6:47pm) — An officer was involved in a minor motor vehicle crash as they were attempting to leave a residential area. There were no reported injuries.

Indian Camp Lane (5:35pm) — Officers assisted the Fire Department with a residential lockout.

Bedford Road (5:55pm) — An officer helped two drivers after a minor crash. Both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene. There were no reported injuries.

February 6

Lincoln Road (10:27am) — A caller reported the railroad gates appeared to be stuck in the down position. Keolis reported that they were in the process of removing snow from the crossings and that intermittent delays should be expected.

Sunnyside Lane (11:39am) — An officer performed a well-being check on a resident.

South Great Road (12:06pm) — A caller reported malfunctioning railroad gates at the Rte. 117 crossing. Keolis was notified and sent out a technician.

North Great Road (4:40pm) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding an incident occurring in another jurisdiction.

Acorn Lane (11:09pm) — An officer performed a site check of a residence.

February 7

Bedford Road (1:27am) — A possibly stolen item recovered at the Birches School was dropped off at the Police Department.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (9:49am) — Lincoln police assisted Massachusetts State Police with a motor vehicle crash.

Concord Road (12:58pm) — Officers responded to a three-vehicle crash that happened when one vehicle lost control while attempting to stop on snow-covered roads and started a chain reaction occurred involving two other vehicles. There were no reported injuries and all vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.

Bedford Road (4:39pm) — Officers responded to a residence for a damaged mailbox.

February 8

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (8:03am) — Officers assisted Concord Police and Massachusetts State Police with a motor vehicle crash.

Hanscom Drive (9:35am) — Officers responded to Hanscom AFB for a person with an active arrest warrant. Irvin Guillen, 37, of Lawrence, was taken into custody. After the booking process, he was bailed and ordered to appear at court later.

Morningside Lane (7:51pm) — The fire department responded to a residence for a possible burst pipe.

Mill Street (11:55pm) — Officers responded after a motor vehicle deer strike. There were no reported injuries to the driver. The vehicle was towed from the scene and the DPW was notified.

February 9

South Great Road (4:43pm) — An officer responded to the railroad crossing after Keolis reported a possible malfunctioning gate. The officer reported the gates appeared to be working properly. Keolis responded to the scene a short time later.

February 10

Lexington Road (8:13am) — Officers responded to a minor two-vehicle crash. There were no reported injuries and both vehicles were able to be driven from the scene.

South Great Road (5:28pm) — Officers helped Concord Police look for a vehicle that fled an accident scene. The vehicle was not located in Lincoln.

Lexington Road (5:43pm) — Officers served court paperwork.

February 11

Lincoln Road (11:17am) — Multiple callers reported the railroad gates stuck in the down position. As an officer arrived, Keolis was already on scene addressing the issue.

Baker Bridge Road (12:00pm) — A caller reported missing packages from their mailbox.

Bedford Road (8:57pm) — An officer notified the DPW of a pothole that required attention.

Council on Aging locations next week

Given the continued closure of Bemis Hall due to a failed boiler, here are the locations for COA&HS activities next week.

Friday, Feb. 13

Tuesday, Feb. 17

  • 9:00-10:00am — Glucose screening: Town Hall by appointment only
  • 9:30-11:00am — Knitting group: Town Hall
  • 10:00-11:00am — Doo Wop Group: Pierce House music room

Wednesday, Feb. 18

  • 9:30am — Line Dance: Pierce House
  • 10:00am–noon — Memoirs Group: Zoom
  • 10:30am — Cardio Jazz: canceled due to Instructor medical leave
  • 1:00-4:00pm — SHINE Office Hours: TBD
  • 1:00pm — Tai Chi: Zoom only at this time

Thursday, Feb. 19

  • 9:00am-noon — Veterans Office Hours: Town Hall by appointment
  • 9:15am — Tai Chi 1: Zoom
  • 1:00pm — Mah Jongg: Town Hall

Friday, Feb. 20

  • 10:00am — SAIL/BALANCE: Zoom
  • 10:00am — German Conversation: Zoom
  • 11:30am — Senior Dining Lunar New Year lunch with dumplings: First Parish stone church (RSVP to 781-259-8811)
  • 12:30pm — Classical Piano Concert played by Abla Shocair: Pierce House

Indoor Walking, Stretch and Flex, Active Aging, and Open Art Studio are canceled next week. If you need to speak with staff, please leave a voicemail on 781-259-8811 and they will call you back.

More road work ahead for drainage fixes, water main

More road excavation is in Lincoln’s future, even for Bedford Road residents who already suffered through the water line replacement last year. There will be an information session to explain the work and answer questions on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at 6:30pm in Town Hall and via Zoom.

Phase 2 of the water main project set to begin in May will extend further down Lincoln Road from Ballfield Road to either Codman Road or Route 117 (“we’ll see how our bids come in,” Director of Public Works Steve Olson in a Feb. 9 presentation to the Select Board).

This phase is budgeted at $5.83 million on top of the $3.0 million for Phase 1. The $8.83 million total is being funded by an $8.4 million bond plus an MBTA Community Catalyst grant of $430,000 made possible by the town’s passage of the Housing Choice Act in 2024.

Bedford Road

Meanwhile, Bedford Road from the top of the hill to Five Corners will be closed to traffic from March to May as workers replace stormwater drainage pipes that were found to be in poor condition when the water main work was happening. The main line, lateral lines, and catch basins are all in “pretty rough shape… it turned into a pretty good-sized project,” Olson said, though subsequent camera inspections have shown that the lines from Five Corners down to Codman Road are mostly OK.

The drainage project will cost about $630,000, which will come from state-funded Chapter 90 road work grants. The town receives $250,000–$300,000 in Chapter 90 funds each year and will budget $400,000 from the current balance of about $1 million, Town Administrator Tim Higgins said.

The town has set up a dedicated web page at LincolnBigDig.com to keep residents informed about both the drainage and water main work, including expected detours. One lane will remain open “except when conditions dictate a closing,” though the segment running under the railroad tracks at the mall will almost certainly require total closure for some period of time, Olson said. Reverse 911 calls will be made for “unforeseen, last-minute changes only.”

In addition to the water main, Phase 2 will also involve replacing lateral lines, fire hydrants, and main gates or shutoff valves found in numerous locations under Lincoln Road. Workers normally shut the valves on either side of a water main break to limit the number of homes whose water is shut off while repairs are ongoing, but many of the gates on Lincoln Road aren’t working. In 2022, workers tried to isolate the area around a break near Todd Pond Road but had to go all the way from Codman Road to Weston Road to find working gates that could be shut. 

In March 2024, the town approved bonding $2.2 million for Phase 1 when it was thought that the project could be done over the course of four consecutive summers, though it was later decided that this would be too disruptive and more costly in the long run.

Looking down the road, so to speak, the town is working with a consultant on a townwide assessment of pavement, since it’s been at least 16 years since town roads were last repaved, Higgins said.

Country Pizza owner still bitter; fundraising campaign started

Harry Kyros, the outgoing owner of Country Pizza, is bitter about having to leave, though his landlord says that Kyros “never came to talk to me about it” when issue of increased rent was raised.

Johnny Frangieh bought the gas station and car repair business along with the Doherty’s property for $1.6 million in 2023, and Country Pizza was thereafter on a month-to-month lease for its portion of the space. Kyros told the Lincoln Squirrel last week that Frangieh raised the rent by $1,000 two years ago and recently told him it would be going up by another $1,000, while at the same time refusing to give him a multi-year lease.

“I can’t charge $100 for a pizza, What does he think this is, a gold mine?” Kyros said on Feb. 11.

But Frangieh disputed the notion that he had forced Kyros out. “He wants to leave,” he said on Feb. 11. “I didn’t kick him out — he never came to talk to me about it [the latest rent increase]… There’s always two sides of a story. I’d like it if people came and asked me and not make a judgment.”

Asked about his plans for the restaurant, Frangieh said, “There’s still going to be a pizza place on his town.” It will probably close for a week or so for maintenance and repairs (“no major renovations”) but will reopen under the same name, at least for the time being, depending on who ends up running the business day to day, and Frangieh said he did not know who that would be.

Corporate records from the Secretary of State’s office show that Kyros established Country Pizza LLC in 1997. On Feb. 5, a new corporation with Frangieh as head called Lincoln Pizza LLC was established. Resident Mark Holzwarth said Kyros told him the on the evening of Friday, Feb. 6, so he posted the news on LincolnTalk early the next morning.

Kyros confirmed on Feb. 11 that Frangieh had bought the pizza ovens and other equipment from him. “I’m kind of stuck,” he said, since it would cost him money to remove and store the equipment while trying to find a buyer for the items, which was no sure thing. At least one potential buyer of the business offered about $90,000 if it came with at least a three-year lease, but that wasn’t forthcoming from Frangieh, said Kyros.

Though he wouldn’t say what Frangieh paid him for the equipment, it was “an insult… pennies on the dollar” compared to what he had paid or it or what it was now worth, Kyros added. “No one’s going to buy a business without a lease. So I leave with something or I leave with nothing. Not only am I out of a job, but I’m out of my investment… What he’s doing is perfectly legal but not good business. I don’t think he knows this town.”

An outpouring of sympathy for Kyros culminated in a GoFundMe campaign started by resident Greg Darnall.

“With both of their children currently in college and this business being Harry’s lifelong work, the loss of income is a heavy burden. Harry has always been there for us, and now it’s our turn to be there for him,” Darnall wrote in the GoFundMe pitch. “100% of the funds raised will go directly to Harry, his wife, and their kids to help them through this difficult transition. Your support will help cover living expenses and, depending on how much we raise, may even help Harry open a new restaurant or find a new path forward.”

As of Feb. 12, the campaign had raised almost $5,300 toward its $7,000 goal.

Wanda Paik, 1934–2026

Wanda Paik, 91, of Lincoln, passed away on Jan. 24, 2026, after suffering a stroke in December. She passed in her sleep at The Commons in Lincoln.

Ms. Paik was predeceased by her husband, Dr. S. Francis Paik, engineer and executive. She is survived by her children and their families, Carol Paik (Daniel Slifkin) of New York and their children Jonathan Slifkin and Meredith Slifkin; Richard Paik (Barbara) of Marblehead and their daughter Frances Paik; and George Paik (Janice) and their daughters Laura Paik (Burak Bagkesici) and Sarah Edwards (Benjamin) and their daughter Lily Edwards.Ms. Paik was born Won-hi Yi on Sept. 17, 1934 in Seoul, Korea. She emigrated at age 5 with her family to Chicago, where her father was minister of the Korean Methodist Church of Chicago. She excelled in piano performance, which led to her earning a B.A. and M.A. in piano at the Northwestern University School of Music. She and Dr. Paik were married in 1957 and moved several times until settling in the region in 1966, first in Sudbury then in Lincoln from 1986. Here she re-launched her piano career, teaching and performing, which she continued until her stroke.

She performed in numerous sites around New England and the country. Notable appearances included two solo performances with the Boston Pops, a recital at the Smithsonian National Gallery in Washington, D.C., and a concert at Yonsei University in Korea. Her students over three generations included many who went on to study at major music conservatories.

Wanda delighted in her personal collaborations and friendships. She was an active leader in the Concord Area Music School Association and the New England Piano Teachers Association, and she and Frank were long time members of the First Parish Church of Sudbury.

A private interment is planned.

Arrangements are under the care of the Duckett Funeral Home of J.S. Waterman & Sons in Sudbury, which provided this obituary (the family requested that the Lincoln Squirrel not include a photo). Click here to add a memory or send flowers.

Bemis Hall closed due to boiler failure; library also needs new HVAC

Bemis Hall is closed after its boiler failed last week, and repairs can’t be completed until Feb. 23, leaving the Council on Aging & Human Services as well as Bemis Hall auditorium renters scrambling.

The 14-year-old boiler system initially failed right before the December holidays, according to Assistant Town Administrator Dan Pereira. “We were able to repair it and had hoped the fix would sustain us long enough to plan for a full replacement. Unfortunately, it failed again last Thursday [Feb. 5] and cannot be repaired, so we are forced to make an emergency replacement immediately. Next week is the earliest we can schedule the work,” he told the Lincoln Squirrel on Feb. 11.

COA&HS Director Abigail Butt and Barbara Low, who manages the building rentals, said they heard that certain parts were not available right away. Butt referred further questions to facilities manager Brandon Kelly, who could not be reached for comment

The COA&HS has made some of its Bemis Hall events for seniors hybrid or virtual while others have been relocated. Exercise classes will be held at the Pierce House, while tax help, tech talks, knitting, and mahjong will take place in Town Hall. The town social worker will be able to meet with clients in their homes or in private spaces in Town Hall or Lincoln Woods. Butt and her staff have contacted regular attendees to let them know of the change. Senior dining and Lincoln Academy will take place in the stone church.

There were no private events scheduled at Bemis Hall for the weekend of Feb. 14-15, but there are three slated for the following weekend that are up in the air. On Saturday, Feb. 21, Bemis was expected to host a Kids 4 Humanity charity talent show, while on Sunday, Feb. 22, it was booked for two events: “Uncovering What is Lost: Telling the Under-told Stories of Black Lives” sponsored by the Lincoln Historical Society, and a Music Street concert that requires a piano but could be held at the Pierce House. Low is hoping that the repairs will be done by Friday, Feb. 20 so they events can go ahead as planned.

The repairs will cost about $50,000 that will be paid from the town’s emergency reserve fund, Pereira said.

Library HVAC system

Coincidentally, Bemis Hall is not the only town-owned building in need of major HVAC work. Voters will be asked to appropriate money to replace the Lincoln Public Library’s 35-year-old gas-fired boiler, which is at risk of failure. Rather than simply replacing it with another gas system, the library agreed to study decarbonization options aligned with the town’s climate goals, as detailed in the January 2026 Select Board newsletter.

In 2025, the Green Energy Committee (GEC) secured a MassSave Energy Manager Grant to conduct a comprehensive 20-year cost lifecycle analysis of conventional, air-sourced heat pump, and geothermal options. A multiboard group (the library trustees, Select Board, and Green Energy Committee) determined that a ground-source heat pump system is the preferred approach due to the availability of grants and federal and state incentives that will make the net cost of comparable to that of a conventional system replacement.

“A full conventional HVAC system would only be marginally less expensive than a ground-source heat pump solution, with a worse environmental impact,” the newsletter says. The analysis was presented in detail at the Jan. 12 Select Board meeting.

The system will cost an estimated $5.5 million, and the town will have to finance $4.5 million after receiving an initial Massachusetts Climate Leaders Program grant of $1 million. Once the project is complete, the town can expect to receive state and federal incentives of roughly $2 million, making the final net cost to the town roughly $2.5 million.

The Community Preservation Committee will recommend bonding the $2.5 million and paying the debt service for that bonding from Community Preservation Act funds. If the project is approved by residents at Town Meeting next month, the project will not cause any tax bill increase to residents, although it will incrementally crowd out other CPA-eligible projects in the future, the newsletter says.