The November 8 Lincoln Squirrel story headlined “Lincoln votes strongly Democratic in 2022 midterms” incorrect implied that all four ballot questions were approved in Massachusetts. While this was true in Lincoln, Question 3 was defeated statewide. The original article has been updated.
Kalyana “K.T.” Manthappa, 1934-2022
Kalyana T. Mahanthappa ca. 1961.
Kalyana T. Mahanthappa, age 88, of Lincoln, formerly of Boulder, Colo., died peacefully on November 2, 2022. “K.T.,” as he was known to friends and colleagues, was a theoretical physicist and educator who loved travel, art, and classical music, and was a devoted husband and father.
Born in Tumkur, Karnataka (then the state of Mysore), India on May 1, 1934, K.T. grew up in several towns as his family moved in the state to follow his father, a high-ranking civil servant. Showing an early aptitude for math and science, he completed a B.Sc. with honors in Physics from Mysore Univ. (Bangalore) in 1954, followed by graduate studies at Delhi Univ. While working towards his M.Sc., somewhat on a whim, he thought to apply to graduate schools in the U.S. He completed one application, took it to the post office, and — stunned by the cost to mail it — decided to apply to only that one U.S. university. A few months later, he told his father he had been accepted to Harvard and insisted on going.
With M.Sc. in hand, he boarded a Norwegian freighter in Kozhikode (known then as Calicut) destined for New York with only a few passengers. He survived the voyage subsisting as a Hindu vegetarian on “stinky cheese” eaten at the captain’s table, squeaked through the Suez Canal just weeks before it closed due to the Second Arab-Israeli War, and finally arrived in Cambridge in 1956. K.T. was fortunate to have as his mentor and thesis advisor, the future Nobel laureate Julian Schwinger, and he was awarded a Ph.D. in Theoretical Physics by Harvard University in 1961.
His professional career thereafter focused on “grand unification theories, fermion mixings, and masses including charge fermions and neutrinos”, and his appointments spanned fellowships and faculty positions at UCLA, UPenn, the Inst. for Advanced Study (Princeton), and from 1966 onward, the Univ. of Colorado at Boulder, where he became full Professor in 1970 until retirement in 2014. In addition, were sabbatical fellowships at the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics (Trieste), Cambridge University, and Imperial College London. Among recognitions received, he was elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1969.
Beyond his own research and teaching, for 25 years, K.T. took great pride in organizing, securing funding for, and leading the annual Theoretical Advanced Study Institute (“TASI”) in Boulder — an international gathering of scholars for lectures and workshops, a “rite of passage for most theoretical physicists in the US” as described by one of his former graduate students. Further to his academic legacy over 50 years, K.T. taught hundreds of undergraduates, trained, and mentored more than 20 graduate students and postdoctoral fellows, and published over 140 research papers in respected journals, conference proceedings, and book chapters.
Beyond a life in physics, K.T. loved travel. With his family, he enjoyed hiking in his beloved foothills of Boulder, exploring National Parks throughout the American West, and sought out art and culture during sabbatical years in Europe. His globe-trotting via research conferences and workshops took him to over 30 countries over the years before finally moving to Lincoln in 2015. Throughout, he remained close to his roots through philanthropic support of educational and community service institutions in Karnataka.
K.T. is survived by his wife of 61 years, Prameela; his three sons, Nagesh and his wife Valentine Talland of Cambridge, Rudresh and his wife Pooja Bakri of Montclair, N.J., and Mahesh and his wife Kara Burrow of Edina, Minn.; and four grandchildren, Tara Talland, Talin, Freya, and Asha. Donations in his memory may be made to the Boulder County Parks & Open Space Foundation or to the National Park Foundation.
A Celebration of Life will be held at a later time; for additional information or to leave condolences, please visit his memorial page maintained by the Dee Funeral Home.
Lincoln votes strongly Democratic in 2022 midterms
Editor’s note: This story was updated on November 9 at 1:50 p.m.
In keeping with its longtime political leanings, Lincoln voted decisively in favor of Democratic candidates for statewide office and U.S. Representative in the 2022 midterms, according to unofficial results on the evening of November 8.
All four ballot questions passed in Lincoln. Statewide, Questions 1, 2, and 4 were approved while Question 3 was defeated.
For the first time in recent memory, residents in Lincoln’s two voting precincts had different choices for state representative. Due to redistricting after the 2020 census, the new Massachusetts state House maps split Lincoln between two districts along the town’s voting precinct line: the 13th Middlesex (Precinct 1, in the western part of town) and the 14th Norfolk (eastern Lincoln). District-wide, State Rep. Carmine Gentile (D) ran unopposed for reelection in the 13th Middlesex, while Alice Peisch (D) beat David Rolde (Green/Rainbow) in the 14th Norfolk by a margin of 89% to 11%. Tom Stanley, Lincoln’s longtime state representative, no longer represents any part of the town.
The precinct line within Lincoln did not change because the population distribution within town did not shift enough to warrant an adjustment. State Sen. Michael Barrett (who ran for reelection unopposed in the 9th Middlesex) ran uncontested for reelection and still represents Lincoln.
| Precinct #1 | Precinct #2 | Total | % of votes in race* |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GOVERNOR / LT. GOVERNOR | ||||
| Healey & Driscoll (D) | 1,674 | 933 | 2,607 | 81% |
| Diehl & Allen (R) | 312 | 240 | 552 | 14% |
| Reed & Everett (L) | 27 | 23 | 50 | 2% |
| ATTORNEY GENERAL | ||||
| Andrea Campbell (D) | 1,665 | 919 | 2,584 | 80% |
| James McMahon (R) | 330 | 264 | 594 | 19% |
| SECRETARY OF STATE | ||||
| William Galvin (D) | 1,662 | 939 | 2,601 | 81% |
| Rayla Campbell (R) | 276 | 213 | 489 | 15% |
| Juan Sanchez (G/R) | 66 | 36 | 102 | 3% |
| TREASURER | ||||
| Deborah Goldberg (D) | 1,692 | 935 | 2,627 | 86% |
| Cristina Crawford (L) | 229 | 182 | 411 | 14% |
| AUDITOR | ||||
| Anthony Amore (R) | 423 | 307 | 730 | 24% |
| Diana DiZoglio (D) | 1,396 | 760 | 2,156 | 70% |
| Gloria Caballero-Roca (G/R) | 62 | 43 | 105 | 3% |
| Dominic Giannone (W) | 18 | 10 | 28 | <1% |
| Daniel Riek (L) | 42 | 22 | 64 | 2% |
| REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS | ||||
| Katherine Clark (D) | 1,661 | 929 | 2,590 | 82% |
| Caroline Colarusso (R) | 321 | 240 | 561 | 18% |
| COUNCILLOR | ||||
| Marilyn Devaney (D) | 1,579 | 896 | 2,475 | 99% |
| STATE SENATOR | ||||
| Michael Barrett (D) | 1666, | 933 | 2,599 | 100% |
| STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Precinct 1 | ||||
| Carmine Gentile (D) | 1,636 | — | 1,636 | 100% |
| STATE REPRESENTATIVE: Precinct 2 | ||||
| Alice Peisch (D) | — | 919 | 919 | 92% |
| David Rolde (G/R) | — | 77 | 77 | 8% |
| DISTRICT ATTORNEY | ||||
| Marian Ryan (D) | 1,639 | 924 | 2,563 | 100% |
| SHERIFF | ||||
| Peter Koutoujian (D) | 1,643 | 936 | 2,579 | 100% |
| QUESTION #1 (millionaires' tax) | ||||
| Yes | 1,164 | 642 | 1,806 | 58% |
| No | 797 | 517 | 1,314 | 42% |
| QUESTION #2 (dental insurance) | ||||
| Yes | 1,538 | 901 | 2,439 | 80% |
| No | 381 | 239 | 620 | 20% |
| QUESTION #3 (alcohol sales) | ||||
| Yes | 1,045 | 594 | 1,639 | 55% |
| No | 822 | 513 | 1,335 | 45% |
| QUESTION #4 (driver's license eligibility) | ||||
| Yes | 1,504 | 848 | 2,352 | 75% |
| No | 459 | 318 | 777 | 25% |
* Totals do not always add up to 100% because write-in and blank ballots are not included.
Police log for Oct. 30–Nov. 6, 2022
October 30
South Great Road (11:13 a.m.) — Caller reported a slight odor of natural gas outside. The Fire Department responded and confirmed. National Grid was notified.
Lewis Street (1:43 p.m.) — Party came to the station regarding a civil matter. An officer spoke to the party and advised them to seek their remedy at civil court.
South Great Road (3:13 p.m.) — Two-car crash near Mt. Misery. Police and Fire Departments responded; no injuries, one vehicle was towed.
October 31
Airport Road (1:31 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported that a vehicle crashed into the gates and left the scene. Officers responded; the operator was summonsed for leaving the scene of a crash, negligent operation, and speeding.
Hanscom Drive (8:14 a.m.) — MassPort Fire asked an engine to respond for an Alert 2 for an incoming plane having a mechanical issue. The Fire Department was cancelled while enroute.
Arnold Street, Hanscom AFB (10:05 a.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces reported they recovered a stolen vehicle on base. Officers responded and found that it was a civil matter. The vehicle was towed and the owner was contacted.
Beaver Pond Road (10:32 a.m.) — A resident called regarding a water problem on their property. The Water Department was notified.
Browning Lane (11:38 a.m.) — Caller asked to speak to an officer regarding a vehicle speeding in the neighborhood. An officer responded and spoke to the party.
Old Sudbury Road (2:51 p.m.) — Wayland Police Department reported someone called them reporting the gates at Old Sudbury were stuck down with no train coming by. An officer responded and the gates were up. Work crews are working on the rail line.
November 1
South Great Road (6:45 a.m.) — Caller reported that the railroad gates were stuck down. While still on the phone, they reported that a train was passing, response cancelled.
South Great Road (7:55 a.m.) — Report received that the railroad gates were stuck down at the crossing. An officer responded and found that the gates were up.
Lincoln Road (8:22 a.m.) — Two-car crash near Route 117 intersection. No injuries, one vehicle towed.
South Great Road (7:33 a.m.) — Caller reported smoke in the area of Lincoln Rd and Route 117. The Fire Department responded and determined it was fog in Drumlin Field.
November 2
Old Sudbury Road (11:05 a.m.) — Several callers reported the railroad gates were stuck down at the crossing. The gates were down due to work crew, according to the MBTA.
Deerhaven Road (4:01 p.m.) — Caller reported that a dog charged at them while walking on Deerhaven. An officer responded and found out the name of the dog owner.
The information was given to the Animal Control officer, who is following up.
Giles Road (8:20 p.m.) — Caller reported a delivery driver parked on their lawn while making a delivery and that a minor dispute resulted. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the delivery driver.
Lincoln Road (10:23 p.m.) — Family member requested a well-being check on a resident whom they hadn’t been able to get in touch with. An officer responded and made contact with the resident and delivered the message to call the family member.
November 3
Cambridge Turnpike westbound (3:13 a.m.) — Caller reported striking a deer near Bedford Road. An officer responded and located the deer. The vehicle was no long on scene. State Police were notified.
Tower Road (8:34 a.m.) — Caller reported the railroad gates were stuck down at the crossing. An officer responded and a work crew was on scene.
Boyce Farm Road (5:46 p.m.) — Party came to the station to speak to an officer regarding a civil matter. An officer spoke to the party and gave them their legal options.
November 4
Sandy Pond Road (9:04 a.m.) — Caller reported receiving a pamphlet in the mail that was bothersome. An officer spoke to the resident and followed up with the party who sent the pamphlet and advised them that the resident did not wish to receive any other correspondence.
Conant Road (9:51 a.m.) — Report of a carbon monoxide alarm going off. The Fire Department responded and found it was a problem with the system; no CO found. The homeowner will contact their alarm company.
Ridge Road (10:07 a.m.) — Party came to the station concerned about their neighbor. An officer spoke to the party and will follow up.
Lincoln Road (11:20 a.m.) — Concord Court send court paperwork to be delivered to a resident. The resident pick up the paperwork at the station.
Lincoln Road (11:45 a.m.) — A party came to the station to drop off items for their child who is in foster care.
Lincoln Road (11:50 a.m.) — Resident called the station and appeared to be confused during the conversation. An officer responded to check on their well-being.
Autumn Lane (12:35 p.m.) — Party came to follow up with an officer regarding an incident that was previously reported on Deerhaven Road. An officer spoke to the resident.
November 5
South Great Road (2:07 a.m.) — An officer stopped a vehicle on Route 117 and after an investigation arrested Luis Alvarado, 25, of Maynard for OUI–liquor and marked lane violation. He was later bailed to appear in Concord District Court.
Care Dimensions, Winter Street (7:43 a.m.) — Caller reported a water problem inside the building and they couldn’t turn the water off. Fire Department responded and turned the water off. A plumbing company was en route to handle.
Donelan’s Supermarket t(8:40 a.m.) — Party came to the station to report they lost their wallet last night in or around Donelan’s. No one had as yet turned in the wallet.
Teddy Bear Club, Concord Road (8:53 a.m.) — Caller reported landscapers using a leaf blower before 9 a.m. An officer responded and the crew was not using the leaf blower at that time. An officer followed up with the owner of the property to speak to the landscaping crew.
Deer Run Road (9:01 a.m.) — A family member requested a well-being check on a resident. An officer responded and everything was fine. An officer waited for the arrival of a family member.
MassPort Civil Terminal (9:40 a.m.) — MassPort Fire requested an engine for an Alert 1 with a plane incoming with a problem. The Fire Department response was subsequently cancelled.
South Great Road (5:30 p.m.) — Caller reported their fire alarm was going off. Fire Department responded and found no hazard; it was a problem with the system. Homeowner will contact the alarm company.
Silver Hill Road (11:39 p.m.) — Caller reported two people walking their dog near their property that’s for sale and felt it was suspicious. An officer located the parties, who had stopped their vehicle and taken their dog for a walk.
November 6
Lincoln Road (9:05 a.m.) — Caller reported a suspicious vehicle in their neighbor’s driveway. The caller then cancelled the response as it was a driving school vehicle.
Conant Road (9:16 a.m.) — Caller reported they were walking their dog on the road when another dog charged at them. No one was harmed but they wanted us to be aware. The Animal Control officer was advised.
Hanscom AFB Vandenberg Gate (4:36 p.m.) — Hanscom Security Forces asked an officer to respond to the station regarding a civil matter involving two civilians. An officer responded and the reporting party had already left before to the officers arrival. Hanscom Security Forces had already advised the individual that they needed to go to Concord District Court to seek a civil remedy.
Judith Balogh dies at age 92
Judith Balogh
Judith Olga Györgypály Balogh, M.D., 92, of Lincoln, MA passed away on October 30, 2022. Judith had celebrated 67 years of marriage to Károly Balogh, M.D.
Dr. Balogh was born in Budapest, Hungary. The daughter of the director of the largest flour mill in Hungary, Judith, an only child, was raised to be an independent person. In her youth, shortly before World War II impacted Hungary, her family moved to their farm in the countryside in an attempt to be spared the ravages of war in the city.
In 1954, Judith graduated from Semmelweis Medical School in Budapest. As a medical student she was an extern in the Department of Physiology and was the coauthor of a publication on renal function in shock. She met Károly Balogh when they were both medical students, and they were married in January 1955. After her compulsory military service, she started her training in psychiatry at the National Institute of Neurology and Psychiatry in Budapest.
Shortly after the October 1956 Soviet invasion, Judith and Károly escaped the communist occupation by fleeing separately to Austria. Successfully reuniting in Vienna, the young doctor couple traveled to the United States on an International Rescue Committee chartered flight. The pilot tilted the plane to show the Hungarians the Statue of Liberty. They entered the U.S. through Camp Kilmer, NJ, and received a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship and posting at the Tulane Medical School in New Orleans. After a year in New Orleans, Judith and Károly packed their VW bug and moved to Boston. They first lived in Boston, then moved to Cambridge and started a family. They settled in 1971 in Lincoln, where they raised their children and have lived since.
In 1962, Dr. Judith Balogh completed her training as chief resident in psychiatry at Boston City Hospital, then was on the staff of the Massachusetts Mental Health Center as a child and adolescent psychiatrist. For ten years, she served as chief of Pediatric Psychiatry at Cambridge City Hospital. Judith marveled at the resilience of children faced with harsh and stressful situations. As part of her psychiatric training, Judith underwent psychoanalysis with the renowned psychiatrist Helene Deutsch, M.D., the last member of Freud’s original Viennese School of Psychoanalysts.
Judith took great joy in helping her patients and seeing them flourish after treatment. As a young psychiatrist in Budapest, she treated a young woman with schizophrenia, remaining by her side during the patient’s shock therapy. The patient was cured. Many of Judith’s patients remained in touch with her, decades after their treatment.
Judith and Károly had three children, Adam, Peter, and Anna. Judith made raising her family a priority. Judith and Károly have three grandchildren, Charlotte, Eva, and Alexander. Judith and Károly shared their athletic passions and love of the outdoors with their children, including skiing as regular season ticket holders for many years at Pleasant Mountain in Maine. Since her childhood, Judith excelled in ice skating and won several competitions in gymnastics.
In addition to music, art and culture in general, Judith was passionate about collecting and reading books and newspaper articles on a multitude of subjects, and she filled stacks of notebooks with her own thoughts, analysis, and story ideas. Growing up as a practical person during the uncertain times of World War II and Soviet occupation of her native country, Judith chose medicine, but had times been different, admitted she likely would have pursued a literary career.
Anyone who met Judith remembers her Hungarian accent, kindness, energy, directness, courage and wisdom. She is oftentimes remembered for her youthful exploits. Notably, as a two-year old, when her mother took an afternoon nap after a large Sunday meal, Judith would use her thumb and forefinger to pry open the eyes of her sleeping mother. A lively five-year-old child, Judith would intentionally skate through the joined arms of couples. As a 14-year old on her family’s farm during the war when the farm’s horses were requisitioned by the occupying German soldiers, she had to present the horses at the collection point. After the German veterinarian examined the horses, Judith simply drove off with Flóra and Fácán (Flora and Pheasant).
Soon came the Soviet occupying soldiers. Judith, along with many of the village females, were hidden in haylofts to avoid rape. When she spotted a Soviet soldier taking Flóra, she ran out of hiding, grabbed the bridle of the horse on which the soldier sat, and pulled him off. Fortunately she was not shot or raped. At her first encounter with a Soviet soldier she was puzzled when he reached down to take her pulse. Thus she lost her wristwatch but saved Flóra a second time and survived to tell the story. At a tense point in the war when the Soviets were entering the village, some Germans were still present at the other end. Had the Soviets realized this, the entire village would have been killed for hiding them. Judith ran through the thick mud of the village to tell the Germans to leave, saving the village. She was interviewed as part of the Hungarian 1956 Memory Project.
Her adventurous nature never subsided. Well into her fifties, when her car broke down and a young male motorcycle rider offered her a ride to the nearest gas station, ever the sportslady, she thought nothing of getting on the back of the motorbike.
A graveside service for family and local friends was held on Friday, November 4th at the Lincoln Cemetery. A Celebration of Life for the family and friends will be held at a future date.
The Balogh family wishes to acknowledge their gratitude to the staff at the Waltham Crossing Benchmark facility and Caring Hospice Services where Judith spent her final days in their compassionate care.
In lieu of flowers, please consider honoring the memory of Dr. Judith G. Balogh with a donation to the BrightFocus Foundation’s Alzheimer’s Disease Research fund (22512 Gateway Center Drive, Clarksburg, MD 20871); Special Olympics (512 Forest St., Marlborough, MA 01752); or, Reach Out and Read (89 South St., Suite. 201, Boston, MA 02111).
Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord, which provided this obituary. Readers are invited to leave a note on her online tribute wall.
News acorns
FELS Thanksgiving pies on offer
FELS, the Foundation for Educators at Lincoln-Sudbury, www.FELSGrant.org, is offering its Thanksgiving pie sale again this year after a four-year hiatus. Pies baked by The Hyve will be sold through Friday, Nov. 11. Pickup will be available at the high school and the Lincoln Council on Aging on Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 3–6 p.m. Pies can also be gifted to staff and faculty at L-S and will be delivered by FELS Board members. For more details, go to www.FELSGrant.org. Pies can also be purchased for donation to the food pantries in Lincoln and Sudbury and the fire and police departments in both towns. Those who are traveling and can’t buy a pie may donate to FELS, a non-profit organization that awards enrichment grants to L-S faculty and staff to pursue their professional and personal interests and passions.
Family portrait fundraiser for food pantry
On Saturday, Nov. 12, Lincoln photographer Corey Nimmer will host a family portrait fundraiser at Flint Farm, where 100% of proceeds will be go directly to the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston, which operates the local food pantry and provides financial support to families in need. Sessions will be about 5 minutes each. To participate, click here to book a time slot; when it’s time to pay, just select “Cheque” as your payment method. The suggested donation is $75, but any amount goes a long way toward helping your neighbors this holiday season, and you can either bring a check made out to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or click here to make an online donation.
See “Seussical” at L-S
Tickets are now on sale for the LSB Players’ production of “Seussical,” with shows on Thursday to Saturday, Nov. 17–19 at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, Nov. 20 at 2 p.m. This bright and energetic musical combines several well-known Dr. Seuss characters to tell the story of Horton the Elephant and his fierce determination to protect the land of the Whos, despite the scorn and disbelief of his fellow jungle folk. This show explores hope, identity, inclusivity, and the importance of having that “one true friend in the universe who believes in you.” Directed and choreographed by Carly Evans, music directed by Michael Bunting, and conducted by Tom Grandprey, and performed in the Kirshner Auditorium at Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School. Click here to buy tickets. Please pick up your reserved, prepaid tickets at the will-call table on the night of the performance.
Donate gift cards and items for food pantry clients
SVdP board member Alpheen Menachery and her grandchildren with Turkey Tins they’re donating.
Because of high inflation, Thanksgiving will be more difficult than usual for many of the clients of St. Vincent de Paul Society of Lincoln and Weston, which operates the shared food pantry, and its distributor is unable to supply turkeys this year. As a result, the food pantry is asking for donations of $25 gift cards from grocery stores (preferably Donelan’s) and/or items that will go into “Turkey Tin” food baskets. They expect about 130 families will receive the baskets and gift cards. To find out more and to sign up to donate, click here. Questions? Call 781-899-2611 x4 or email svdplincolnweston@gmail.com.
Substitute teachers needed
Lincoln Public Schools need full and half-day substitute teachers at a variety of grade levels in Lincoln and Hanscom Air Force Base. For more information, click here, email Kerry Parrella at kparrella@lincnet.org, or call 508-958-6872.
Another Lincolnite firefighter hired
Michael Goldblatt, Lincoln’s newest call firefighter.
Michael Goldblatt was one of 22 recruits to graduate from the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy’s Call/Volunteer Recruit Firefighter Training Program on November 1. The program delivers a standard recruit training curriculum, meeting national standards, on nights and weekends. Recruits learn to respond to all types of emergencies including gas leaks, chemical spills, drug overdoses, and trapped people as well as fires. Goldblatt was initially hired in Lincoln as an EMT and had to finish this training before he was allowed to ride on a fire truck or enter a structure fire (the Fire Department has three career firefighters and one per diem call firefighter at night to make up a shift of four.) He’s the third Lincoln-raised candidate who’s been hired in Lincoln as a call firefighter in the last three years. The other were Ronnie Row (who was hired three years ago but left for a job in Maynard) and Tom Blair.
Skittish Lincolnites report more issues at railroad crossing
A photo taken by Abigail Adams on November 2 of a train (an engine pulling a car filed with ballast) slowly moving toward the Tower Road crossing.
Railroad crossing problems continue in Lincoln as multiple residents reported this week that gates were stuck down and even a non-passenger train approaching when the gates were up — though Keolis and MBTA officials said this was related to ongoing track work and there was no danger.
LincolnTalk was abuzz Tuesday and Wednesday with emails from Lincolnites who sat in their cars for extended periods at crossings where the gates were down but a train never came. Resident Abigail Adams had the opposite experience as she was approaching the Tower Road crossing on Wednesday.
“As I was nearing the gate (but still at a distance), I saw the gate going up and the red lights turning off, so I assumed a train had just passed,” she told the Lincoln Squirrel. “As I got closer, I saw a train moving out of the corner of my eye so I immediately stopped and honked the horn and starting waving at the oncoming car to stop. They too realized what was happening and stopped their car. The train was coming at a lesser speed than normal. I think the conductor realized the gates were not down, and someone got off the train, looked up at the gates and then stood on the side of the tracks to block cars from crossing, and then the train proceeded to move across the road.
“After the main part of the train was across the road and about two carriers as well, the lights came on and the gates went down,” she continued. “Once the train was gone and lights and gates off and up, I went across. I had to re-cross about 12 minutes later and there were then three Keolis trucks there upon my return looking over the situation.”
The Lincoln Squirrel sent Adams’s photo of the train to Keolis officials. “There is nothing in the photo to indicate that there was any safety risk to anyone or that standard safety procedures weren’t followed,” responded Keolis spokesperson Alana Westwater.
“Most of you have probably experienced the frustration of sitting at the railroad crossing with the arms down for what feels like hours, only of the arms to go up with either no train passing, or the arms never go up and people have to drive around the arms to get to the other side, or you give up and find another way that doesn’t involve crossing the railroad tracks,” resident Liz Lieblich wrote on November 1. “I feel like 85% of the time, the arms (when they come down), have problems.”
Lieblich said she called the phone number posted at the crossing (800-449-6393) and explained that the crossing has had issues for some time, though especially this week. This causes traffic to build up on Tower Road and 117, making turns onto 117 from Tower ever more difficult and dangerous. She quoted the person as saying that “the crossing mechanisms at Tower Road differ from most others and it’s the most problematic of the crossings.” They also said that trains were being required to slow down and stop at the crossing because something was wrong with the gates,
“His suggestion was to always call and report an issue so that the problem becomes elevated — to what end, I don’t know,” she said.
“I’ve experienced the delays and two close calls, both on Tower Road,” another resident wrote on LincolnTalk. “I don’t know if I’ll be able to trust the tracks even when they’re repaired!”
The issues are especially worrisome in light of an incident last April when, due to an error on the part of a maintenance worker, a train came through the Route 177 crossing at almost full speed and narrowly missed hitting the car of a Lincoln resident who got her car off the tracks just in time.
Town officials who contacted the MBTA in response to this week’s listserv posts were told that the MBTA is doing track maintenance along the Fitchburg line and is working in Lincoln this week. “When maintenance activities are taking place in close proximity to a crossing, the MBTA’s protocol is to take that particular crossing out of service,” Town Administrator Tim Higgins reported in an email to LincolnTalk. In that situation, the MBTA tower/dispatch center tells all approaching trains to come to a complete stop before reaching the crossing. “A train crew member then exits the train and walks alongside until the train has safely cleared the crossing. We have been told that this is standard operating procedure,” he said.
“However, we have also received reports of gates going up and coming immediately back down as vehicles are proceeding through a crossing, nearly coming down on top of the passing vehicle,” Higgins continued. “We have also reported this concern to the MBTA. We urge residents not to proceed through a crossing while the lights are flashing, even if the gates are in the upright position.”
Lincoln Police Lt. Sean Kennedy was more reassuring in another email to LincolnTalk earlier on November 2 after speaking to an MBTA construction supervisor and the track supervisor for the Lincoln area
“First and foremost, the track supervisor said there is no safety concern with the Tower Road crossing. The signal at that crossing is working properly, as are all of our crossings,” Kennedy wrote. The Tower Road crossing had had a problem in the past that required trains to stop, but it was resolved, he said.
“The reason why the gates are remaining down for an extended period of time is due to the ongoing construction which requires a speed restriction for the trains,” he continued. “As explained to me, the signaling [mechanism] which trips the crossing is approximately 4,000 feet before the crossing. Under normal operations, when a train is traveling at 70mph in that area, the signaling [mechanism] trips the crossing gates to come down. Due to the speed restriction, the trains are now traveling at 25-30mph and therefore the gates are down more than twice as [long as] usual.
An October 26 panoramic photo by Alaric Naiman of construction equipment on the tracks next to the Donelan’s parking lot (click to enlarge).
“From time to time, the construction crews working on the tracks will move equipment towards a crossing, which will in turn trip the signaling which causes the gates to come down and then go back up when a train isn’t in the area,” Kennedy said.
In an email to the Lincoln Squirrel on Thursday, Keolis spokesperson Alana Westwater confirmed that railroad ties and ballast (the rocky bed under the rails and ties) are being replaced as part of routine track maintenance.
“During construction, at impacted crossings, people in town will notice that we have put some additional safety measures in place that will change crossing operations temporarily. Crossings that are not impacted by construction will see normal operations,” she wrote. “Some of the changes may mean that crossing gates are down longer as trains reduce speed, or that trains adopt a ‘stop and protect’ procedure where the crew stops the train and walks it through the crossings in lieu of the crossing gates being activated. All these changes are designed to keep drivers, pedestrians, construction crews, train crews and passengers safe.”
Westwater said construction will be finished by December 2 “unless impacted by weather or other unforeseen circumstances” and that commuter rail passengers “may experience some minor delays.” She encouraged them to subscribe to T alerts and follow @MBTA_CR schedule information.
My Turn: Question 1 deserve a “yes” vote
By Barbara Slayter
This midterm election on November 8, Massachusetts has four questions on the ballot. I write in support of ballot question #1 which, in a time of growing inequities within this country (including Massachusetts), would provide a reliable source of funds for two critical public goods that have been deteriorating over past decades: transportation infrastructure and public education. The amendment has some identifiable shortcomings, but it is a step in the right direction. As with all policies, the test will be in its implementation.
What is the Fair Share Amendment?
If passed, this Ballot Question would amend the state constitution to allow for an additional 4% income tax on the portion of a tax filer’s taxable income that is above $1 million. The money raised by this tax must be used to support public education and transportation. The Fair Share Amendment is also known as a “millionaire tax.”
Why must we amend the Constitution
Massachusetts’ state constitution currently says that there can be only a single tax rate applied to personal income. Most other states — and the federal government — tax different levels of income at different rates. Adding an additional tax rate for high income earners requires an amendment to this part of the Constitution. The state Constitution has been amended many times.
Why vote yes?
- This amendment would bring in approximately $2 billion in additional tax revenue each year.
- The Fair Share Amendment will require that tax revenue raised by the additional 4% tax on taxable income over $1 million be spent on public education and transportation. This restriction is included in the language that will be added to the state constitution.
- Declining investment in state colleges and universities has caused tuition and fees to rise making higher education either unattainable or leaving students with high levels of debt. Increased investment in public education for children will help ensure that all students have the best chance to achieve their full potential.
- Deteriorating infrastructure and traffic congestion are significant problems in Massachusetts. A long list of projects is stalled for lack of funds.
What a “yes” vote would not do
- Tax a lot of one-time millionaire homeowners or business owners. Only a tiny percentage of Massachusetts households earn over $1 million in taxable income over the course of a single year, well under one percent of all households or fewer than 7 of every thousand. Even then, only that portion of their total taxable income that exceeds the $1 million threshold would be subject to the additional 4 percent tax.
- Force millionaires to move away. This is unlikely. High-income people tend to be older, married with children, and embedded in their communities and the local business networks that have created their wealth. An additional 4% tax on just a portion of their income represents a relatively small increase in their overall state, local and federal tax costs.
Sources of information on the Fair Share Amendment:
- Center for State Policy Analysis, Tufts University
- Massachusetts Budget and Policy Center
- “A yes vote on Question #1 will expand opportunities for everyone” — Boston Globe, op-ed by Elizabeth Warren and Ayanna Presley, 25, 2022 (advocates voting yes)
- “Hesitation over the flawed millionaires tax doesn’t make you a heartless capitalist” — Boston Globe, column by Larry Edelman, Oct. 27, 2022 (advocates voting no)
- Information for voters on Question 1, Mass. Secretary of State
Barbara Slayter is co-chair of the Lincoln Democratic Town 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.
My Turn: Vote “yes” on Question 4
By Joan Kimball
Many of us have been paying attention to candidates who will be on our ballot on November 8, more than to the ballot questions. I wanted to bring Ballot Question 4 to your attention. I am writing in favor of a “yes” vote on Question 4.
What: A “yes” vote on Question 4 would uphold the recently passed law known as the Work and Family Mobility Act, which:
- Allows qualified Massachusetts residents, regardless of immigration status, to apply for a standard driver’s license
- Requires residents wanting a license to provide proof of identity
- Requires immigrants to show two documents proving their date of birth and identity, like an unexpired foreign passport, consular identification document or certified copy of a birth certificate (they would not be able to get a REAL ID)
A “yes” would uphold the current law to allow immigrants to obtain licenses, while a “no” vote would reject the new law.
Why: To ensure that all drivers are tested and licensed.
- The law would ensure that all families and workers can drive safely and lawfully to work, school and health care appointments. Just like everyone else, immigrants have to go to the doctor, driver their children to school, travel to work, go to the grocery stores
What a yes vote does not do:
- It does not change immigration status
- It does not confer the right to vote
Secretary of State Bill Galvin has said that the RMV is already skilled at determining who should have a license to drive but not register to vote, from minors and green card holders to TPS visa holders. There are also severe penalties for illegal voting, including jail time and deportation. Other states (including our neighbors Connecticut and Vermont) that grant drivers’ licenses to immigrants have not had issues with illegal voting.
Other states — Similar laws in other states such as Connecticut, Vermont and California and 17 other states and regions (the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) have resulted in fewer uninsured drivers and reduced hit and run crashes. Implementation of the laws have been straightforward.
Who supports Question 4 (partial list includes those who supported passing the Work and Family Mobility Act) — Maura Healey, Conservation Law Foundation, Boston Foundation, Concord Indivisible, Episcopal City Mission, Greater Boston Interfaith Services, ACLU, American Friends, Catholic Charities, Unitarian Universalists Mass. Action, Jewish Alliance for Law and Society
As the Boston Globe concluded in its October 16 editorial: If everyone on the road is tested and insured, doesn’t that benefit all of us?
Joan Kimball is co-chair of the Lincoln Democratic Town Committee, which has supported the Work and Family Mobility Law and Question 4.
“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 Oct. 24–29, 2022
October 24
Twin Pond Lane (4:17 p.m.) — Caller requested assistance with their dog at their residence.
T&F Auto, Concord Road (9:08 p.m.) — Caller accidentally locked their car with their dog inside. The Fire Department responded and opened the car door.
October 25
Donelan’s — Caller requested a well-being check on a party who was laying down outside the supermarket. An officer responded and the party was sitting at an outside table and was fine.
Concord Road (4:42 p.m.) — One-car crash involving a guardrail near Walden Pond. No injuries, one vehicle towed.
Todd Pond Road (7:47 p.m.) — Resident reported their carbon monoxide detector was going off. The Fire Department responded, found the source of the issue, and ventilated the house.
Codman Road (9:51 p.m.) — Resident reported that a vehicle was pulled over outside their house for the past 15 minutes. An officer checked and the party was using their cell phone; everything was fine.
October 26
Brooks Road (11:55 a.m.) — Caller reported what appeared to be a truck abandoned on the road. An officer checked the area; a tow truck arrived to tow the vehicle away.
Hanscom Drive (4:07 p.m.) — Concord police reported a party walking on Hanscom Drive near Virginia Road who appeared to be disoriented. Officers were tied up so dispatchers requested assistance from the National Park police, who were also unavailable.
October 27
Moccasin Hill (8:49 a.m.) — Caller asked an officer to respond because of a civil dispute with a contractor. An officer responded and asked the contractor to leave the residence.
Beaver Pond Road (10:11 a.m.) — A Fed Ex driver asked an officer respond to the residence regarding a dispute with a resident. An officer responded and spoke to both parties; matter was civil in nature.
Lewis Street (2:47 p.m.) — A person came to the station reporting that she was scammed by a contractor who lives in town. An officer spoke to the party and advised them to file a report with the local police agency where the incident occurred.
Blackburnian Road (4:27 p.m.) — Caller reported a strong odor of smoke outside. The Fire Department responded and found that it was coming from Stonegate Gardens, which had a burn permit.
October 28
Winter Street (6:29 a.m.) — Caller reported an odor of gas inside the house. An officer and Fire Department responded and found it was coming from a vehicle in the garage leaking gasoline. The vehicle was removed from the garage.
Weston Road (8:00 a.m.) — A party came to the station requesting a harassment protection order. An officer spoke to the party and assisted them with information about getting one, as court is in session.
South Great Road (1:11 p.m.) — An agency requested a well-being check on a resident they couldn’t get in touch with. An officer responded and the party was fine.
Mayflower Road (7:40 p.m.) — A Hanscom AFB resident asked to speak to an officer regarding an issue with a roommate that occurred in Chelmsford and requesting a well-being check on them. An officer followed up with Chelmsford police, who conducted a well-being check and reported that everything appeared to be fine.
October 29
Brooks Road (12:34 p.m.) — A party came to the station wanting to speak to an officer regarding a warning citation they received regarding an inspection sticker violation.
Mary’s Way (1:43 p.m.) — Two-car crash; no injuries reported, both vehicles towed from the scene.