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

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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:

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.

Food pantry’s expenses are skyrocketing

Among those at the recent GBFB visit to the SVdP food pantry in Lincoln were (left to right) food pantry chair Karen Boyce; Christina Peretti, GBFB’s assistant director of community development; Norma Milligan and Lada Yunga, community investment associates; SVdP President Karen Salvucci; and Kim Mai, assistant chair of the food pantry.

Volunteers at Lincoln’s food pantry recently got a visit from their counterparts from the Greater Boston Food Bank (GBFB), which supplies a substantial portion of the food that gets distributed locally. 

GBFB representatives shared snacks and conversation on October 26 as part of its Apple Cider Donut Tour of some of its 590 food distribution partners in 190 Massachusetts communities. The local food pantry, which is tucked away in a former garage behind St. Joseph’s Church in South Lincoln, is run by volunteers from St. Vincent dePaul Society of Lincoln and Weston (SVdP).

SVdP Lincoln/Weston picks up, sorts, stores, and distributes about 4,000 pounds of food per month from the GBFB in addition to items donated by residents and local farms (with the help of grants from the Lincoln Agricultural Council). The GBFB goods account for roughly 40% of the total distributed by SVdP Lincoln/Weston.

“We rely heavily on donations of food and money, especially for our new ‘healthy food’ section which includes gluten-free, lactose free, low-salt, low-sugar. whole grains, vegetarian, nut-free and organic foods to aggressively address the dietary restrictions for those with hypertension, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and circulatory issues as well as individuals who choose vegan and other eating options for their diets,” said SVdP Chair Karen Boyce.

Both the GBFB and SVdP Lincoln/Weston welcome donations of money as well as food. GBFB purchases 70% of the food it distributes and is seeing an overall 15% increase in average food pricing compared to last year, according to its June 2022 quarterly report, which notes that “the demand for food assistance persists at the highest level in our 40-year history.” SVdP buys about half of the food it distributes in Lincoln and Weston and also provides emergency financial aid, which actually comprises the lion’s share in dollar value of the services it provides. Financial help for clients accounted for 42% of its expenses, with another 25% going to food purchases, 11% for gift cards, and 17% for adult continuing education scholarships. Grants and monetary donations that year amounted to about $152,000.

And the cost for that food is increasing at an alarming pace. According to the latest figures for the fiscal year that ended on October 31, 2022, SVdP spent $71,866 on food — just about double the amount it spent the previous year, which in itself was double the amount compared to the year before that ($36,034 vs. $18,182) as recorded in its 2020-21 annual report.

In October 2022 alone, the cost of food purchased from GBFB and retail outlets was $7,904, even after four food drives and drop-off donations. That includes a $2,553 payment to the GBFB. The average monthly payment from Jan. 1 to Oct. 31 was $2,155.

Because of high inflation, Thanksgiving will be more difficult than usual for many of SVdP’s clients, 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.

Real estate company leaves Old Town Hall

The Old Town Hall in Lincoln.

Coldwell Banker has closed its office in the Old Town Hall, leaving the venerable building with just a single tenant: the U.S. Post Office.

Stacy Osur, who manages the building for the nonprofit Lincoln Old Town Hall Corporation, said Coldwell Banker left suddenly with no advance notice. The Old Town Hall Exchange shop closed when the pandemic hit and has not reopened. The two agents who worked in Lincoln, Lois Tetreault and Vita Theriault, are now working in the company’s Weston office.

Of greater concern, Osur said, is that some items in the office are missing. “I drove up to the building and it was literally stripped… They’ve taken things that belonged to the building, antique stuff that was hanging on the walls,” as well as rugs and artwork. “It’s pretty shocking.” She finally got hold of someone in Coldwell Banker in New Jersey who was involved in the decision to close the office, “and they pled ignorance.” Osur added that she’s billed the company for the items.

“It didn’t surprise anybody that the office closed. With the [computer] technology we have now, I would go into the physical office maybe once a month,” said Tetreault, whose father ran a real estate business in the same location before it merged with Coldwell Banker. “I’m sure it’s going to be happening more and more with smaller offices.” As to the furnishings, “the company didn’t take anything that didn’t belong to Coldwell Banker as far as I know. Nobody was invited to take it and I have absolutely no idea where it went.” Theriault did not return calls seeking comment.

The office space is now being renovated and updated in preparation for offering it to one or more new tenants. “The idea is to keep that building vibrant and going, and we need the income to pay for snow plowing and gardening and stuff like that,” Osur said. She added that she hopes to get Community Preservation Act funds for a fire suppression system and seek permission to install electric car chargers in the rear. Meanwhile, Lincoln resident Kate Dahmen confirmed that she’s hoping to reopen a shop in the building but declined to provide further details until plans have progressed further.

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 time 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.

The Storrows built New England’s first bomb shelter in Lincoln

By Sara Mattes

“Did you know…?” that Lincoln had the first bomb shelter in New England and possibly the first in the United States?

The Storrows’ bomb shelter was so newsworthy in 1940 that the Wide World photo service circulated this photo nationally. It even appeared in the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

The bomb shelter under construction in 1940 on the Lincoln estate of James and Helen Storrow (now the Carroll School). The entrance in the foreground is still visible from Baker Bridge Road.

The puzzle is: Why did the Storrows think they needed a bomb shelter? Granted, Europe had been at war for over a year, and the United States had started drafting young men into the military. But the U.S. was not yet at war, and the attack on Pearl Harbor was more than a year away. Did Helen and James Storrow really think that Hitler would send bombers across the Atlantic just to attack their home in Lincoln? Tell us what you know about the Storrows’ bomb shelter and help us fill out the story.

Are you curious about other people or places in Lincoln’s history?  Tell us your question, and we will try to respond with another “Did You Know…?” Send your suggestions to president@lincolnhistoricalsociety.org.

“Lincoln’s History” is an occasional column by members of the Lincoln Historical Society.

News acorns

Free Covid-19 test kits available

Once again, the town has a supply of free iHealth antigen rapid test kits for residents who are symptomatic or have been in close contact with Covid-19. Supplies are limited to one box (two tests) per person in your household. Test kits can be picked up Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.–3 p.m. in the Select Board Office in Town Hall or the Council On Aging and Human Services Office in Bemis Hall. Test kits may also be picked up seven days per week, 24 hours a day at the Public Safety Building dispatch window. These kits currently expire in January, but expiration dates are being continually reevaluated. Each box has a barcode for you to scan and receive updated expiration information.

CCF offers sessions on sheet mulching and cooking

Codman Community Farms is offering a hands-on workshop on Gardening for a Changing Climate: Sheet Mulching on Sunday, Oct. 30 from 2–4 p.m. in the market garden. This workshop is free but registration is required; click here to register. The fall Gardening for a Changing Climate workshops are part of the Healthy Soils Series, a collaboration among the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust, Lincoln Common Ground, and Codman Community Farms. The farm is also offering classes on cooking turkey (Saturday, Nov. 5) and pumpkin ravioli (Wednesday, Nov. 9), and Sugar Shack Storytime for kids on Wednesdays from 4:15–5 p.m. through November 30. Click here to see all events at the farm.

Coat drive through November 14

The Town of Lincoln’s Staff Culture, Recognition, Unity, and Fun Initiative is sponsoring a winter coat drive from October 31 through November 14. Please bring new or gently used coats and jackets of any size to the donation bins located at Town Hall and the Public Safety Building during that time. Lapel Cleaners in Concord has generously offered to clean the donations at no charge. Donations will benefit  On The Rise and Reach MA.

The Great Pumpkin Smash is coming

Mothers Out Front is sponsoring the Great Pumpkin Smash at Codman Community Farms on Sunday, Nov. 6 from 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Every year in the U.S., an estimated 1.3 billion pounds of pumpkins are carted away to landfills or incinerators where they produce greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. Green your Halloween by bringing your pumpkins, jack-o-lanterns, and decorative gourds to this family-friendly event, smash your Halloween creations, and recycle them into the soil by feeding them to the Codman Farm pigs. Please remove any stickers, paint, candles, or other decorations. Suggested donation of $1/pumpkin to benefit  CCF. Click here to register.

Farmland available for licensing

The Conservation Commission is currently accepting proposals from persons, farms, or organizations for licensing municipal conservation land for agricultural purposes. The two parcels available for licensing for the 2023-2027 farm licensing period are as follows:

  • A 3.5-acre parcel at Umbrello Field (270 South Great Rd., parcel ID 179 32 0))
  • A 3.0-acre parcel at Mt. Misery Fields (60 South Great Rd., parcel ID 159 20 0))

Those interested in applying for these fields should contact the Conservation Department to get detailed Request for Proposals packets. Join Conservation staff for a site visit at both parcels on Wednesday, Nov. 16 (see packets for more details). Proposals must be received no later than 4 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.

Movie: “The Great Beauty”

Join the Lincoln Library Film Society in the Tarbell Room on Thursday, Nov. 17 at 6 p.m. for “The Great Beauty” (2013) directed by Paolo Sorrentino. In Italian with English subtitles. It’s a Fellini-esque tale of decadence and lost love featuring sensuous cinematography, a lush score, and an award-winning performance by Toni Servillo.

Service on Wednesday for Colin Smith, 1933–2022

Colin Smith

A memorial service will be held at the First Parish in Lincoln on Wednesday, Oct. 26 at 3:30 p.m. for longtime Lincoln resident Colin Louis Melville Smith, who died on October 20. Remote viewers can watch the livestream here. 

Colin was born just before midnight in Burnley, England on December 30, 1933. Since his twin sister Pat was born a few minutes after midnight, they always had different birthdays. He was fond of telling the story about when his young father heard news of the delivery and asked the obstetrician, “Is it a girl or a boy?” The puzzling answer was: “Both.”

Colin grew up biking long distances along the stone-walled lanes of Lancashire, and he was proud that he always used to run the whole length of his paper route. Since he was skilled at drawing, the idea of studying architecture appealed to him. His father thought he should find his first job and contribute to the family upkeep. Colin defied his father by obtaining a scholarship to the Architectural Association in London. 

After completing his studies at the AA, he applied for a scholarship to the Harvard Graduate School of Design. He said it was the only university he had heard of in the U.S. and he thought it would be fun to visit America. It came as a shock that he had to study quite hard. He was kept busy at the Cambridge home of Charlie and Barbara Rockwells where he lived, helped with baby baths in the evening, and formed a life-long friendship. His touring plans had to be put off until the next summer when he and his friend Walter Thomson traveled across the U.S. in an old wood-paneled station wagon. They made it out to California and picked peaches in Modesto where it was 110 degrees in the shade. The local newspaper, the Modesto Bee, learned about them and sent a reporter out. Their picture behind crates of Del Monte peaches appeared on the front page of the Newspaper with the headline: “Harvard graduates help with peach harvest.”

When Colin’s Graduate School of Design professor Walter Gropius started a new firm, The Architects Collaborative, he hired his best students, including Colin, who commented that it was exciting to be in charge of a whole project. He said that if he had stayed in London he probably would have been designing bathrooms for a society architect. When Ben Thompson left TAC in 1966 to form his own firm, he, like Gropius, took with him his prized employees and again, Colin was one. 

In 1969 Colin and a small group went on their own to form ARC/Architectural Resources Cambridge. Their work at TAC and BTA gave them a foundation as respected and capable architects and enabled them to begin a firm that is still flourishing in its 53rd year.

Their first major project was the Kennedy School of Government in which Colin played a major role. Colin went on to be the partner in charge of school and university projects at Buckingham, Browne and Nichols, Tufts, Syracuse, New York University, Russell Sage, UMC, Pappajohn Business School at the University of Iowa, and University of Missouri. He also was involved in projects for Digital Equipment, Lotus, and a historic renovation in Philadelphia for Design Research. Colin was a steady hand guiding the firm. His charm, grace, and good humor, served with a British accent, were appealing to everyone.

Colin was an active member of the Boston Society of Architects and was named a Fellow by the American Institute of Architects. He was appointed to the Massachusetts Designer Selection Board, whose responsibility was to appoint talented architects for major state projects.

Colin was married to Diana Dennison in 1970. They lived in Lincoln with their two children, Adrian and Isabel. Colin loved Lincoln and participated in Lincoln’s community life at many levels. He chaired the Lincoln Historic District Commission for over 20 years. He was also responsible for facilities at the First Parish Church in Lincoln, where he joked that when a lightbulb needed changing, he would receive a call. He saved the church’s leaning steeple from falling into the sanctuary with a major rebuild project in the mid-1980s. He would climb the scaffolding every morning to check on the work before he left for his office.

Colin loved to read and pursued his many interests by delving into all the books he could find on a subject. Books on British History and royalty, 18th-century English furniture and silver, Chinese porcelain, art history and the vagaries of the art market, French wine, the climbers of Mount Everest, and the Romanov family still fill up the family bookshelves.

Always interested in meeting new people and seeing new places, Colin had an international outlook that was unusual in his generation. He camped out under the stars inside the Parthenon in the 1950s, and he and Diana visited Hong Kong, Bali, Thailand, India, Nepal, Iran, Peru, Israel and Egypt, among many places. His close friends spanned many cultures and countries, from India to Switzerland to Iran and the U.K. as well as the U.S.

He is survived by his wife, Diana Smith; his children, Adrian Smith and Isabel Smith Margulies; two grandchildren, Alexia Margulies and Julia Margulies; his twin sister Pat Stephenson; his brother Gordon Smith; and an adored cousin, Linda Ramsden. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Colin Smith to the First Parish in Lincoln (14 Bedford Rd., Lincoln, MA  01773).