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

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Primary voting information

Election day for the state primary on Tuesday, Sept. 1 takes place from 7:00am–8:00pm in the Reed Gym.

  • The last day to register to vote for is Saturday, Aug. 22. Register at Town Hall or by clicking here.
  • The deadline to submit an application to vote by mail is Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 5:00pm. Apply online here. If you have applied to vote by mail and have not received your ballot, call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607. Independent/unenrolled voters in Massachusetts may can choose a Republican or Democratic ballot, but this will not register you as a member of that party and you do not need to remove yourself from that party after the election. 
  • Early voting in person begins Saturday, Aug. 22 from 9:00am–3:00pm at Town Hall. This will continue Monday through Thursday, Aug. 24-27, from 7:00am-5:00pm.  

Anyone who has questions or needs assistance may call the Town Clerk’s office at 781-259-2607.

Outdoor movie night: “The Lorax”

Join the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust for a family-friendly outdoor screening of “The Lorax” on the lawn at Lincoln Station on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 7:00pm. Food and drinks will be available for purchase from the Tack Room. Come early for family-friendly activities and to meet the Lorax himself. Free, but registration required.

Sonnenfeld at next LOMA

Craig Sonnenfeld will be the headliner at the next Lincoln Open Mic Acoustic (LOMA) on Monday, Sept. 4 from 7:00-10:00 p.m. in Bemis Hall (doors open at 6:30pm, featured performers play from 8:30-9:00pm). Sonnenfeld’s style on songs like “Midnight Train” dwells in Delta blues and American folk. LOMA is a monthly open mic night event with mics and instrumental pickups suitable for individuals or small groups playing acoustic-style. Come and perform (email loma3re@gmail.com to sign up) or just come listen to acoustic music and spoken word. Free admission.

Coming up at Codman Community Farms

Summer tomato galette workshop
Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 5:00-7:00pm
Make a buttery, versatile pie dough perfect for galettes, pies, and quiches after a trip to our tomato greenhouse, harvesting tomatoes to use in a rustic summer galette. Buy tickets here.

“Do Bees Pee?” story and scavenger hunt
Saturday, Sept. from 11:00am-noon
Linda Booth Sweeney will read her new book “Do Bees Pee? The Curious and Amazing Ways Nature Avoids Poo-lution” before families can join a farm-wide scavenger hunt exploring how pollinators connect to flowers, crops, soil, and compost. Also on hand will be the CEO of Dean’s Beans Organic Coffee Co. Free, but registration required.

Lincoln history: Did you know…

Some say “Tra-PELLo,” some say “TRAP-elow,” but only in Lincoln? Read more on the Lincoln Historical Society website.

Charles ‘Lem’ Kusik, 1934–2026

Charles “Lem” Kusik

Charles “Lem” Kusik, a devoted husband and father, accomplished engineer, lifelong adventurer, and endlessly curious student of the world, died on August 14, 2026, at the age of 92.

Lem was born in New York City on April 24, 1934, and spent his early years in New York, Estonia, and Richmond, Mass. His childhood in the Berkshires helped foster a lifelong love of the outdoors. He joined the Boy Scouts at age 12 and quickly embraced camping, hiking, orienteering, and wilderness skills, ultimately earning the rank of Eagle Scout shortly before his 15th birthday. Scouting also sparked interests that stayed with him throughout his life, including mineralogy, birding, skiing, and a seemingly inexhaustible appetite for adventure.

Lem possessed an extraordinary intellect and an equally strong desire to put it to use. He attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, earning a bachelor of science in chemical engineering in 1956 and then a master of science in nuclear engineering in 1959. He continued his education at New York University, where he pursued graduate studies in engineering and earned his doctor of science in engineering in 1961.

While pursuing his education, Lem also served his country. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army Reserve in 1956. During the Berlin Crisis in 1961, he was called to active duty, and his service was subsequently extended during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He completed his military service as a first lieutenant in 1963. While in the Army, Lem also joined a flying club and learned to pilot airplanes — another pursuit that suited both his curiosity and his adventurous spirit.

Lem went on to build a distinguished career as an engineering and management consultant. In 1964, he joined Arthur D. Little in Cambridge, Mass, where he would spend nearly four decades. His work took him around the world and involved projects for private industry as well as major governmental and international organizations, including the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. His consulting work spanned industries including steel, chemicals, mining, energy, and manufacturing.

For Lem, however, work was never confined to an office. His career gave him the opportunity to pursue one of his greatest passions: seeing and understanding the world. Over the course of his life, he traveled to more than 70 countries across nearly every continent. Whether an assignment brought him to Botswana, Morocco, the Philippines, Bangladesh, Peru, Australia, Japan, Russia, Nepal, or elsewhere, Lem rarely passed up an opportunity to stay a little longer, explore somewhere nearby, meet people, or discover something new.

Adventure was a defining theme of Lem’s life. He hiked mountains, skied throughout the United States and abroad, flew airplanes, and continued seeking new experiences well into later life. His adventures occasionally placed him in situations that, in retrospect, even Lem admitted were perhaps more daring than sensible. He survived close calls on mountains, ski slopes, and in the cockpit, and later recounted them with characteristic humor and an appreciation for just how fortunate he had been. Reflecting on some of those experiences, Lem once jokingly wondered that if a cat had nine lives, how many he might have left.

Behind those accomplishments and adventures was a man with an abiding curiosity about the world around him. He loved learning, traveling, nature, birds, minerals, skiing, and the outdoors. He maintained a life list of more than 200 species of birds, kept track of the countries he had visited, and accumulated a lifetime of stories along the way. As Lem himself once wrote, “My whole life has been an adventure.”

Among the most important chapters of that adventure was the family he built.

Lem married Wendy Palu in 1984. Together, they eventually made the deeply considered decision to become parents through adoption. Lem believed strongly in the importance of opportunity. It had shaped his own life through education, hard work, travel, and the freedom to pursue his many interests, and he wanted to give children the same chance to discover who they could become.

In 1999, Lem and Wendy adopted Lida and Aleksander, a sister and brother from Russia. With their arrival, Lem began an entirely new adventure: fatherhood.

He brought to being a father many of the qualities that characterized the rest of his life. He believed in education, independence, curiosity, perseverance, and experiencing the world firsthand. He wanted his children to have opportunities, to think for themselves, and to pursue lives and ambitions of their own choosing. Most importantly, he wanted them to grow up knowing they had a family that loved them and believed in what they could become.

For a man who traveled to more than 70 countries and spent a lifetime seeking out new places and experiences, some of Lem’s most meaningful years were ultimately centered on home and family. Becoming a husband and father was not separate from his life of adventure and discovery; it became one of its most important parts.

Lem leaves behind far more than a remarkable list of professional achievements, degrees earned, countries visited, mountains climbed, or adventures survived. He leaves the example of a life lived with tremendous curiosity, determination, courage, independence, and an eagerness to see what might be around the next corner.

From his early days in New York, Estonia, and the Berkshires, to the classrooms of MIT and NYU, from military service during pivotal moments in American history, to an engineering career that carried him around the globe, and from the many adventures he collected along the way to the family he and Wendy created together, Lem packed an extraordinary amount of living into his 92 years.

He will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered by his wife, Wendy; his children, Lida and Aleksander; and the family, friends, colleagues, and countless others whose lives intersected with his during a long life spent exploring, learning, and embracing the world around him.

The Lincoln Review wants YOU! 👩‍🎨

Get creative, Lincoln! The deadline for submitting stories, poetry, artwork, photos, and other creative work for the next issue of the Lincoln Review is Tuesday, September 15. It’s now free to all — just click that link to see the Summer 2026 issue.

Email your stuff to lincolnmareview@gmail.com to share your work and have it preserved online in the Lincoln Review. Anyone who has a Lincoln connection (current or former residents, extended family, employees, etc.) may submit — for details, click here. Questions? Send an email that address or call 617-710-5542. We look forward to seeing your work!

Legal notice: Historic District Commission – Sept. 1 hearing (15 Bedford)

LEGAL NOTICE — HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION

The Historic District Commission will hold a virtual online public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to consider the application of the Lincoln Cemetery Commission, 15 Bedford Road for a Certificate of Hardship to support vaults in the cemetery which appear to be unsafe.
Anyone wishing to be heard on this matter should be present at the designated time and place.

Join Zoom Meeting

Meeting ID: 983 9661 4379
Password: 167620

You can find Zoom link information on the Town of Lincoln Historical Commission website.

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.

Legal notice: Historical Commission – Sept. 1 hearing (208 South Great)

LEGAL NOTICE — HISTORICAL COMMISSION

The Historical Commission will hold a virtual online public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to consider the application of The Massachusetts Audubon Society, 208 South Great Road, M/P 172-12-0 for determination of the significance of an existing structure/s in connection with an application for demolition. Anyone wishing to be heard on this matter should be present at the designated time and place.

You can find Zoom link information on the Town of Lincoln Historical Commission website.

Join Zoom meeting

Meeting ID: 983 9661 4379       Password: 167620

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.

Legal notice: Historic District Commission (68 Conant)

LEGAL NOTICE — HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION

The Historic District Commission will hold a virtual online public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to consider the application of Bjorn Slate and Olivia Pennock, 68 Conant Rd., M/P 168-1-0 for a certificate of appropriateness to replace existing garage doors. Anyone wishing to be heard on this matter should be present at the designated time and place.

The agenda with the Zoom information will be posted to the Town website at at least 48 hours prior to the hearing.

Join Zoom Meeting:

Meeting ID: 983 9661 4379
Password: 167620

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.

Legal notice: Historic District Commission (51 Stonehedge)

LEGAL NOTICE — HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION

The Historic District Commission will hold a virtual online public hearing at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, to consider the application of Niels Bradshaw, 51 Stonehedge Road, M/P 189-2-0 for a certificate of non-applicability for energy efficient window glass replacement. Anyone wishing to be heard on this matter should be present at the designated time and place.

The agenda with the Zoom information will be posted to the Town website at at least 48 hours prior to the hearing.

Join Zoom Meeting:

Meeting ID: 983 9661 4379
Password: 167620

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.

Public safety log for July 27–Aug. 11, 2026

July 27

Sandy Pond Road I1:13am) — Fire and police units responded to a residence for an external fire. A small fire was located and extinguished.

Stonehedge Road (8:38am) — Several utility wires were pulled into the roadway after a truck became tangled. The area was cordoned off and Eversource was contacted.

Wells Road (12:16pm) — A caller spoke with an officer regarding the possible theft of packages from their property.

Battle Road trails (4:50pm) — During a walk, a caller reported getting separate from their spouse. Prior to an officer’s arrival, the two were reunited.

Mount Misery parking lot (6:44pm) — A caller reported seeing a possible unoccupied motor vehicle idling in the parking lot. An officer spoke with the occupant who was resting in the back seat before continuing on with their travels.

Ent Road, Hanscom AFB (10:32am) — An officer spoke to a person seeking legal process from Concord District Court.

Wells Road (11:28am) — An officer spoke to a person regarding a civil matter.

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (12:44pm) — A person spoke to an officer regarding locating a possible overdue family member. Contact was made and the party was OK. A
A follow-up was conducted on the previously reported incident at 10:06pm.

July 28

Scott Circle, Hanscom AFB (1:06pm) — An officer performed a well-being check at the request of an out-of-state municipal agency.

Ridge Road (3:52pm) — A person reported a lost document.

Stratford Way (7:09pm) — An officer spoke to a person about properly securing property.

July 29

Wells Road (12:27am) — An officer checked the area behind a residential unit for a reported suspicious noise. Everything appeared OK and the source of the noise was not located.

Old Sudbury Road (6:25am) — A rafter of turkeys was spotted in the roadway after escaping from their enclosure. An officer responded and was able to corral a respectable contingent of itinerant poultry but required the assistance of more seasoned professionals. A member of Codman Farm assisted in the collection and refortification of the fence structure.

Todd Pond Road (9:37am) — A caller reported a landscape company using gas-powered leaf blowers in violation of the town bylaw. An officer spoke with the homeowner and advised them of the violation.

Delaney Street, Stow (4:46pm) — A member of the Lincoln Fire Department responded to the town of Stow for a mutual aid request to help find a missing person.

South Great Road (6:44pm) — A fallen tree limb was blocking part of he roadway.. The DPW removed the limb as an officer directed traffic around the obstruction.

July 30

South Great Road (12:33am) — A caller reported a tree branch had fallen into the roadway. An officer arrived and removed the obstruction.

Wells Road (12:42am) — A caller reported hearing a loud noise for the second time. An officer checked the area but was unable to find the cause.

Baker Bridge Road (6:35am) — A partially severed tree branch was suspended above the roadway by vines. The area was coned off and the DPW notified.

Huntley Lane (11:43am) — A person asked to speak with an officer about a possible fraud incident.

Todd Pond Road (12:37pm) — A caller reported the use of a gas-powered leaf blower at their neighbor’s residence. An officer responded to the area.

Davison Drive (5:47pm) — An officer spoke to a person about a fraud incident and followed up on July 31 at 4:44pm.

July 31

Hanscom Drive (12:18pm) — Hanscom Air Force Base Security Forces called requesting assistance with a person who had an active arrest warrant. Daven Zayas, 25, of Hyannis, was taken into custody for an outstanding warrant. He was booked then transported to Concord District Court.

Orchard Lane (8:04pm) — A caller reported seeing a suspicious female on their property who fled when approached. Officers checked the area but were unable to locate anyone matching the description.

Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (8:19pm) — While en route to another call, an officer located a pedestrian on Route 2. The Massachusetts State Police were notified.

The Commons of Lincoln (8:38pm) — Officers responded to the entry way of The Commons for a person requiring assistance. The party in question was picked up by an acquaintance.

August 1

North Great Road (6:01pm) — An automated crash detection emergency call was received. While resources were en route, the involved party was able to report that there was no crash. The person had left their phone on the roof of their vehicle, resulting in the crash notification being activated after the phone fell into the roadway.

August 2

Todd Pond Road (6:18pm) — A caller reported hearing what they thought were gunshots. The area was checked but nothing else was heard.

Wheeler Road (10:16pm) — A person spoke with an officer about a court document.

August 3

Cambridge Turnpike westbound (1:30am) — Officers assisted the Massachusetts State Police in attempting to locate a vehicle.

Old Sudbury Road (7:15am) — The turkeys, once again, escaped their enclosure and made their way into the roadway. Codman Farm sent specialists to corral the turkeys and strengthen the fences. Only time will tell.

South Great Road (8:41pm) — A caller reported a large bat had gained entry into their residence. Officers did the best they could but were unable to locate the animal.

Underwood Circle (11:49am) — Court paperwork was served in hand.

Birchwood Lane (12:05pm) — Court paperwork was served in hand to a person.

Scott Circle, Hanscom AFB (9:37pm) — An out-of-town agency requested a well-being check on an overdue party. Contact was made; the person was OK and the message was relayed to the calling party.

August 4

Old Concord Road (8:51am) — A caller reported the use of a gas-powered leaf blower in the area. An officer checked but was unable to locate the bylaw violation.

South Great Road (4:06pm) — A motorist reported that a series of beavers were making their way across South Great Road, slowing traffic in both directions. An officer arrived on scene and provided safe passage for the remaining rodents.

South Great Road (8:42pm) — A caller reported the bat that got into their house the previous evening had not made its way out. An officer assisted by opening a door. The bat eventually made its way outside.

Harvest Circle (12:25pm) — The fire department responded for the report of an elevator stuck between floors. The elevator was returned to the first floor and placed out of service for maintenance.

Lincoln Road (1:31pm) — An officer performed a VIN check on a vehicle at the request of the owner.

Short Hill Road (1:22pm) — A caller reported the use of a gas-powered leaf blower in the area. An officer checked but was unable to locate any evidence of the bylaw violation.

August 5

Virginia Road (1:56am) — An officer performed a well-being check at the request of an outside agency.

Old Sudbury Road (7:54am) — Several utility wires were reported to be hanging in the roadway. Verizon was notified and the area was cordoned off.

South Great Road (10:32am) — A delivery driver requested help with maneuvering their vehicle into a driveway for delivery. An officer assisted.

Greenridge Lane (11:32am) — A caller reported the use of a gas-powered leaf blower in the area. An officer checked the landscape crew working in the area and found that only lawnmowers were being used.

Donelan’s Supermarket (3:33pm) — An officer helped motorists exchange paperwork related to a minor motor vehicle accident.

South Great Road (6:18pm) — An officer helped motorists exchange information related to a two-vehicle crash. There were no reported injuries. The driver responsible for the crash was cited for failing to yield.

Woodcock Lane (6:29pm) — Several callers reported a solicitor in the area selling solar panels. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate the person.

Donelan’s Supermarket (7:43pm) — An officer assisted a caller in tracking down a family member, who was located without incident.

August 6

Mount Misery parking lot (5:03am) — The DPW was contacted about a large tree branch partially blocking the roadway.

Mill Street (11:12am) — A caller reported that part of a tree was blocking a travel lane. The DPW was notified and responded.

Bedford Lane I11:31am) — A caller reported a possible fraud incident.

The Commons of Lincoln (3:25pm) — An automated fall detection notification was activated. The owner of the device was located and there was no issue.

Todd Pond Road (10:22pm) — An officer assisted a person with a civil matter.

August 7

Concord Road (4:01pm) — Officers were able to track down a vehicle after it struck another at the entrance to Walden Pond in Concord. Concord Police were advised and responded.

Silver Hill Road (6:36am) — An officer was able to remove a tree branch blocking a travel lane.

Trapelo Road (2:47pm) — Police and fire units responded to the intersection of Trapelo Road and Old County Road for a three-vehicle crash. There were no injuries reported. Two of the vehicles were towed from the scene and the driver responsible for the crash was cited for failing to yield.

August 8

Bedford Road (10:20am) — A caller requested a well-being check on two small children waving at passing vehicles. An officer checked the area but found no one in the area.

DeCordova Museum (1:39pm) — A motorist called to report a past motor vehicle crash in the parking lot. An officer spoke to the caller and filed a report.

Old Concord Road (8:44pm) — The Massachusetts State Police requested assistance from the fire department for a motor vehicle lockout.

August 9

Deerhaven Road (10:30am) — A person spoke with an officer regarding a possible fraud incident.

Baker Farm Road (4:26pm) — A caller reported two unknown vehicles parked on their property. The vehicles were moved a short time later.

Shrewsbury (4:21pm) — A member of the fire department responded to the town of Shrewsbury for a mutual aid response involving a missing person who was later found to have drowned in Lake Quinsigamond.

August 10

Nothing of note.

August 11

Old Concord Road (12:55pm) — A person spoke to an officer regarding possible bank fraud.

Hartwell Lot, North Great Road (1:47pm) — A caller reported seeing two dogs in a parked vehicle. Officers checked the lot but were unable to locate the vehicle. All lots on Route 2A were also checked with negative findings.

Bedford Road (3:26pm) — A caller reported that a vehicle was precariously parked partially in the roadway. An officer checked the area; the vehicle belonged to a surveyor and left the area moments after the officer’s arrival.

Lincoln Road (5:17pm) — Several individuals spoke with an officer about an ongoing incident.

Lincolnites invited to submit art for courthouse

The Middlesex Superior Court has invited the Lincoln Council on Aging & Human Services, among others, to participate in its Community Art Program, a courthouse initiative designed to celebrate and showcase local artists. The program is made possible through a $25,000 grant from the Cummings Foundation.

The COA&HS encourages local Lincoln artists to submit artwork centered on the theme “Community.” Past submissions have included murals of local landmarks, paintings of meaningful places, and drawings highlighting the natural beauty of the region. Original artwork and high-quality digital reproductions are both welcome.

Submissions should measure 11″ x 14″ and may be created in pencil, watercolor, or oil on paper or canvas. Each submission should include the artist’s name, location, artwork title, and a brief description to accompany the displayed piece. Artwork is due to the COA&HS by Friday, Sept. 4 with a 100-word maximum explaining how the work represents the town of Lincoln and its community. Submit artwork in person to the Bemis Hall or digitally by emailing Katherine Kmetz at kmetzk@lincolnma.gov. Submissions will be reviewed and a selected piece will be presented to the Middlesex Superior Court.

The selected Lincoln artist will have their art professionally framed and displayed with works throughout the courthouse. Participating artists, their guests, community members, court staff, and judges will be invited to a celebratory event in November recognizing the artists and highlighting the important role that art plays in strengthening community connections.

News acorns

Coming up at the deCordova

deCordova Performance Series: Midtown Horns
Saturday, Aug. 22 from 6:30-8:00pm
The concert will take place outdoors on the front lawn — bring a blanket or lawn chair. Tickets are $32/$40 for adults, $12/$15 for children.

Sip and String: Whimsical Wind Chimes
Saturday, Aug. 22 from 1:00-3:00pm
Use found objects, materials collected from the Sculpture Park grounds and delicate metal chimes, create your own symphonic sculptural creations to hang from a porch or in your back yard. All materials plus tea for sipping included. Cost: $48 for members, $60 for nonmembers.

deCordova Performance Series: Tom DiMenna 
Friday, Sept. 4 from 6:30-8:00pm
Recreating the iconic story songs of Cat Stevens, Gordon Lightfoot, and Harry Chapin. Tickets are $32/$40 for adults, $12/$15 for children.

Did You Know …

That one-time Lincoln residents Bernard and Avis DeVoto incurred the wrath of Edgar Hoover and were investigated by the FBI due to their dogged efforts to uncover corruption and protect wild Western landscapes… and that they earned the trust and friendship of Ansel Adams, Wallace Stegner, and Julia Child among others in the process? Read more on the Lincoln Historical Society website.

Garden Club party

The Lincoln Garden Club invites anyone interested in joining the club to a Prosecco and Tea party on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 3:00pm. Committee chairs will be there to answer questions about the many things club does. To RSVP and get the location, or if you can’t make it but are interested in joining, email Belinda Gingrich at belinda.gingrich@gmail.com to RSVP.

Back-to-school PTO picnic

Local groups will have information tables at the back-to-school PTO picnic on Wednesday, Sept. 9 from 5:30-7:30pm in the Lincoln School back fields behind the Smith gym (in the gym in case of bad weather). If you would like your organization to host a table at the picnic, please respond using this form. The PTO will provide water and pizza (one slice apiece) to students. Families are encouraged to set up picnic blankets, bring additional food, and get together to celebrate the kick-off of the school year.