In a prepended editor’s note, the Aug. 10, 2026 piece headlined “My Turn: SPJE coalition launches weekly protest at Hanscom Field” incorrectly identified Hanscom Air Force Base as the originator of flights transporting immigrants arrested by ICE. That function is being carried out at Massport-owned Hanscom Field civil airport. The story has been updated.
My Turn: Drumlin days
By Stewart Coffin
With all the talk in the news these days about nuclear weapons, some Lincoln residents might be surprised to learn that nuclear bombs were once deployed right next door. Don’t worry — note my use of the past tense.
This story begins when my wife and I, together with our three children, move to Lincoln in the summer of 1964. Right away we noticed that our little transistor radio periodically made a strange hissing sound a couple times a minute. It wasn’t long before we associated this with a radar antenna merrily revolving on top of the nearby Drumlin Hill. Back then the top of the hill was clearly visible from our farmyard on Old Sudbury Road, although hard to believe now with so many more trees everywhere.
We were told by neighbors that it was a Nike site of nuclear-armed missiles for defense against Soviet bombers. My later research revealed, to my relief, that this site was only for tracking, and that the actual nuclear-armed missiles were housed deep underground a mile away off of Oxbow Road. Since a few years earlier I had been employed at Lincoln Laboratory working on, of all things, the Sage System of continental air defense, you might think I would have known all about this. But my division worked only on computers. The site was opened in 1959 and decommissioned in 1974. All that remains now, thankfully, is the once bare hilltop now partly covered with trees.
I actually have many fond memories of that hilltop. We had a family tradition of taking the children for a stroll up there on one special evening during the summer to gaze at the full moon rising far to the east. We called it our Moon Walk. The view back then was spectacular. It is less so now with so many more trees, but the large fields that were once Boyce and Van Leer farms are now still open and cultivated as part of Drumlin Farm, thus still affording at least a partial view. Even our own nine-acre plot remains the same, as does so much along our rustic road. Ah yes, so many memories.
Editor’s note: Learn more about the Nike missile sites in Lincoln and Wayland here and here. Stewart Coffin was profiled in the Lincoln Squirrel on April 1, 2026.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.
Legal notice: Conservation Commission public hearing (Farrington trail)
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING — CONSERVATION COMMISSION The Lincoln Conservation Commission (LCC) will hold a public hearing on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 at 7:05PM in accordance with the Town of Lincoln Wetlands Protection Bylaw. This is in response to the duly filed Request for Determination of Applicability by the Town of Lincoln Conservation Department for creation of a trail within the 100-ft Buffer Zone at 59 Page Road and 295 Cambridge Turnpike (Parcel 132-25-0). Information on how to log onto the virtual public meeting will be included in the LCC Agenda posted on the town’s website at least 48 hours prior to the hearing. More information can be reviewed here. |
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Note that legal notices often must be posted twice by law. For previous legal notices and details on how to submit a legal notice to the Lincoln Squirrel, click here.
My Turn: SPJE coalition launches weekly protest at Hanscom Field
By Alex Chatfield
Editor’s note: Area residents are also gathering every Friday at the Hanscom traffic circle to protest the use of Massport-owned Hanscom Field civil airport to transfer people arrested by ICE as suspected illegal immigrants (Lincoln Squirrel, March 9, 2026).
On Wednesday morning, Aug. 5, nearly 40 people gathered around the traffic rotary at the entrance to Hanscom Field Civil Terminal in Lincoln to demonstrate their opposition to a proposed controversial private jet hangar expansion at Hanscom Field (not the adjacent Hanscom Air Force Base), which would double the private jet hangar capacity of the airport.
The proposal has been undergoing a state environmental review since 2023. Standout participants traveled from Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Cambridge, Carlisle, Concord, Lexington, Lincoln, Newton, Roslindale, Somerville, Sudbury, and Watertown. The event was held by the Coalition to Stop Private Jet Expansion at Hanscom or Anywhere (SPJE.org). Candidates Ravi Simon and Alison Leary who are running for state representative in 13th Middlesex and 10th Middlesex districts respectively, also attended.
Photo by Andy Platt.
Participants held signs and banners with hard-hitting messages directed toward morning commuters entering the Hanscom Civil Terminal parking lot, among them: “Welcome to Massport — Enjoy Your View of the Dying Earth from Your Private Jet” and “CO2 Super-emitter Private Jets: a Luxury Our Climate Can’t Afford.”
According to a 2024 independent analysis, the proposed private jet hangar expansion would add 66 to 79 additional private jets to Hanscom, generating 6,000 additional flights annually and 150,000 new tons of CO2 each year.
If the expansion goes ahead, private jet emissions at Hanscom alone are expected to cancel approximately 70% of the climate gains from all solar PV ever installed in Massachusetts, which opponents say is a direct and immediate threat to hard-won efforts by towns and cities across Massachusetts to reduce their carbon footprint and combat a worsening climate crisis. For this reason, the fight to stop the immense 50-acre, nearly 500,000-square-foot expansion has transcended to statewide opposition with the engagement of 120 organizations across Massachusetts and, over 15,000 individuals who have signed a petition to Gov. Healey urging her to stop what they consider to be an indefensible expansion in the middle of a worsening climate emergency.
Photo by Will Winchell.
“This proposed expansion must be stopped,” said Andy Platt of Acton, who participated in the standout.
Though work on the old Navy hangar on the eastern portion of the proposed project site began last month, this is by special waiver from MEPA (Mass. Office of Environmental Policy) specific to that one hangar only. Regarding the remaining proposed 17 new hangars and five new underground fuel tanks, MEPA is waiting for a re-do report from the developers which would replace a previous report that MEPA rejected in 2024 (see this Boston Globe article). The new report is now expected no sooner than this fall. Meanwhile, the fight to stop the expansion continues to grow and protests are in full swing, say activists at the Aug. 5 standout.
More photos and video from the event can be found here. More information about this issue can be found at www.spje.org, or contact info@spje.org.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.
My Turn: Befriending our landscapes and rethinking summer health
By Annamaria San Antonio (Jai Kaur)
August is National Wellness Month, but what is the point of celebrating wellness nationally if we ignore the root of the word “national”? A nation is fundamentally the land — our shared outer terrain, which directly mirrors our inner bodily terrain. True wellness requires us to care for both, yet a growing cultural paranoia is driving us to treat our environments as battlegrounds to be sterilized rather than ecosystems to be befriended. When we recognize that our internal vitality is deeply interconnected with the health of the earth, we shift our mindset from knee-jerk panic to mindful, proactive stewardship.
To underscore why it is critical to become aware of what is moving in and around this shared land, we can look at two events that recently occurred right outside my door at our historic Codman Estate in Lincoln.
Last month, I witnessed a contractor spraying pure glyphosate to kill poison ivy along our stone walls. It was a windy morning, setting up the perfect condition for chemical mist to drift toward our community organic farm, where local children play and neighbors walk their dogs. Pesticide and herbicide drift accounts for up to 25% of an applied chemical becoming airborne. Because I advocate for reducing our reliance on synthetic chemicals, I wrote a firm, fact-based email to management laying out the science of chemical drift, gut microbiome destruction, and soil biology. The very next day, management permanently banned chemical herbicide applications across the entire property.
Two days later, during a summer gathering, a bumblebee stung an elderly guest twice. Instead of panicking or running for a chemical spray can, I used ice packs to handle the external heat and an internal homeopathic remedy to soothe the swelling. By the end of the evening, she experienced no pain (or hard feelings!).
These two events highlight a major cultural dilemma: how proactive are you when it comes to reducing the hidden disruptors in your own environment? The hard truth is that man-made toxicants are monumentally harder to get out of our bodies than they are to get into them. While biological toxins like a bee sting can be mobilized out of your tissues through standard circulation, exercise, and massage, clearing synthetic toxicants out of your cells is a far more complex process.
Reacting in blind fear to nature leads to a broader, systemic poisoning of our soils, plant life, and waterways.
When towns panic and order widespread aerial spraying for non-endemic risks, those chemicals settle into the food we eat and the water we drink. Heavy metals and lipophilic — or fat-loving — chemical compounds cross the blood-brain barrier over time, triggering mitochondrial damage and chronic inflammation. We must look past what chemical corporations or regulating boards deem as baseline “safe” and consult independent advocacy groups like the Environmental Working Group to research what we allow into our homes.
The answer to environmental risk is absolutely not to retreat indoors, lock our windows, and hide from the world. In my practice, I notice a concerning trend of people pulling away from the natural world out of sheer anxiety. This hypervigilance has evolved past bugs into an avoidant fear of sweat, exercise, and even the sun. Complete sun avoidance leaves us severely Vitamin D-deprived, yet this vital hormone is monumentally beneficial for our immune systems.
Yes, being outside carries some risk. But the responsibility is on us to be educated and prepared, not to demand that nature be tamed so we feel secure. When we rush to use harsh chemical barriers in our yards, we try to kill a fly with a blowtorch, knocking out entire ecosystems in the process.
Mindful prevention is necessary, but sheer panic cuts us off from the exact nature medicine our nervous systems need. Step outside with confidence, arm yourself with a little natural education, and go enjoy the expansive peace that is waiting for you right outside your door.
“My Turn” is a forum for readers to offer their letters to the editor or views on any subject of interest to other Lincolnians. Submissions must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. Items will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Submissions containing personal attacks, errors of fact, or other inappropriate material will not be published.
Eoin Trevelyan, 1939–2026
Eoin W. Trevelyan
Eoin William Trevelyan, age 87, died in Concord on August 5, 2026. A long-time resident of Lincoln, he was predeceased by his devoted wife, J. Ann Devitt Trevelyan, and is survived by his children, Fiona S. Trevelyan and Stuart E.D. Trevelyan and their families, as well as his sister, Anna Trevelyan Stoker and her family.
Born in Yorkshire, England, on July 23, 1939, to Margaret Mary Edith Gardiner Montgomery Trevelyan and Percy Trevelyan, Eoin was educated at St. Peter’s School (York) and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Leeds before joining Ford Motor Co.(U.K.). He and his new bride then crossed the Atlantic so both could attend graduate school at Harvard University; he received his MBA in 1967 and his doctorate in 1972 from the Harvard School of Business. Eoin then joined the faculty of Harvard Business School before moving to the Harvard School of Public Health, where he remained for the rest of his career.
Having served as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at Spelman College in Atlanta between his MBA and doctoral programs, Eoin maintained a close affiliation with the college, including serving as a trustee for many years. He and his wife were also active members of Trinity Copley Square.
A private service will be held at a later date. Donations may be made in Eoin’s honor to Trinity Boston Connects, 206 Clarendon St., Boston MA 02115. Arrangements are under the care of Concord Funeral Home, which provided this obituary.
Group releases first set of Dark Skies survey results
A Planning Board subcommittee has released the first batch of results from a townwide survey on outdoor lighting.
Around the time of the Town Meeting vote in March 2026 in which residents approved new restrictions on outdoor lighting to protect wildlife, the Lincoln Dark Skies Committee sent out the survey to better understand residents’ experiences with nighttime lighting and their preferences for future lighting practices in Lincoln.
The amended zoning bylaw establishes Dark Skies lighting standards for new construction and major renovations as well as new fixtures on existing buildings. It requires:
- Shielding to direct all light toward the ground
- A maximum light color temperature of 2700K (down from the current 3000K)
- Limits on brightness (900 lumens)
- New rules on hours of operation for lighting not associated with active use
The measured passed with a 195-48 vote, clearing the required two-thirds majority hurdle. Earlier in March, the Planning Board endorsed the proposed zoning amendment by a 3–1 vote, with board member Gary Taylor casting the only “nay” vote.
The first of three installments of the results of the survey, which garnered 268 responses, focuses on demographic information and opinions about outdoor lighting. Future installments will look at safety and technology.
The first batch of results indicates that respondents share the concerns of the committee. Almost 80% of respondents thought that having light on all night is not helpful, 90% thought having lights on all night impacts wildlife, and 71% thought having lights on all night does not make residents safer.
The majority also said from a neighbor’s property bothered them. Eighty precent or respondents said lights from neighbors were visible from their homes and 64% said they experienced “light trespass,” where artificial light spills beyond the intended property and into neighboring properties or natural areas. Additionally, respondents frequently identified institutional properties as sources of excessive lighting.
However, many who took the survey stressed that some outdoor lighting remains important to help prevent falls on uneven or icy surfaces, navigating long driveways, personal security when arriving home, and visibility around parking lots and transit areas.
The survey discussion also acknowledged that the study had several limitations. Participation was voluntary, meaning self-selection bias is possible, the report noted. Also, the findings were based on participants’ self-reported perceptions rather than objective measurements. “Consequently, the results should be interpreted as reflecting residents’ experiences and perceptions rather than direct assessments of lighting levels or environmental conditions,” the report said.
News acorns
“Three Italian Pigeons” by Michael DiToro (oil on canvas, 22″ x 20”)
Artist’s reception with DiToro
There will be an artist’s reception on Wednesday, Aug. 5 from 6:00–8:00pm at the Lincoln Public Library to mark the opening of an exhibit in the library art gallery by Lincoln resident Michael DiToro.
Lincolnite’s movie debuts
Lincoln native Abigail Ory has had her first feature film, “Death Do Us Part,” accepted into the Rhode Island International Film Festival, which is known for featuring “inventive, incisive, bold, vital and otherwise provocative” movies of any style or genre. The multinational romantasy-dramedy-musical, which Ory co-wrote and co-directed, will have its world premiere on Sunday, Aug. 9 at 7:30pm at the Avon Cinema, 260 Thayer St., Providence RI. See the trailer and learn more about the movie at www.ddup.movie. Single $15 tickets to the screening are available here. Festival passes that include other films can be purchased here.
Mitchell J. Levine. (Photo courtesy Legacy.com)
Mitchell Jay Levine, 1953–2026
Mitchell Levine, M.D., of Lincoln died on June 29 at age 73 of pancreatic cancer and was laid to rest in a green burial in Wellfleet. Read his obituary, which includes suggestions for donations in his memory.
Coming up at the library
Fizzy Flavor Lab
Monday, Aug. 10 from 2:00–3:00pm, Tarbell Rom
Children ages 5+ are invited to a program with the New England Chef’s Collective that turns scientific concepts into fun, hands-on experiments using safe, edible ingredients. Registration required (please register only attending children).
Celebrating America’s 250th: “Act Worthy of Yourselves”
Monday, Aug. 10 from 7:00–8:00pm, Zoom
Author Salina B. Baker will discuss her book, Act Worthy of Yourselves: A Novel of Dr. Joseph Warren and an American Rebellion, a historical novel that brings Dr. Joseph Warren to life in vivid detail. Register here. This program is in partnership with the Ashland Public Library.
Magical Ms. Kimberly’s Mindful Musical Adventure
Wednesday, Aug. 12 from 11:00–11:45am, Tarbell Room
In this 45 minute, one-woman musical, “Magical Ms. Kimberly,” the whimsical fairy guides audiences through an interactive theatrical experience full of movement and songs. Geared towards children ages 3-8 but all are welcome. No registration required.
Police log for July 20–26, 2026
July 20
Tower Road (11:53am) — An officer spoke with a person about the theft of political lawn signs.
Wheeler Road (2:15pm) — An officer assisted the Waltham Police with a civil matter.
Lincoln Road (6:56am) — Multiple calls were received for a tree that had fallen and blocked the roadway. Eversource and the DPW were contacted to coordinate the removal of the tree.
Bedford Road (12:52pm) — Electrical wires sparked a brush fire after a tree had fallen in the area. The fire department knocked down the fire while Eversource cut power to the area.
Lewis Street (9:02pm) — A person spoke with an officer about a possible scam.
Winter Street (12:21pm) — An officer conducted a well-being check on a person. They were OK and assistance arrived a short time after the officer’s visit.
July 21
Marconi’s Auto, Concord Road (6:54am) — Police and fire units arrived on scene of a crash that occurred when a vehicle left the roadway, struck a utility pole, then crashed off to the side of the roadway. The operator was the sole occupant of the vehicle and reported only minor injuries at the scene. The vehicle was towed and the operator was cited.
Boyce Farm Road (8:45am) — A utility wire was reported to be hanging into a travel lane over the roadway. An officer arrived and coned off the area. Verizon was notified.
Winter Street (10:39am) — Officers closed off a section of Winter Street for a large tree that had fallen on electrical wires. Eversource was notified.
Todd Pond Road (2:19pm) — A caller reported a landscape company using a gas powered leaf blower in violation of the Town bylaw. An officer spoke with the landscaper and advised them of the bylaw.
Old Cambridge Turnpike (9:01pm) — A caller requested a check on a person who appeared as though they might be in distress. An officer checked the area but was unable to locate anyone matching the provided description.
Mary’s Way (11:34pm) — An officer assisted a person with a well-being check. The party in question was OK.
July 22
Wells Road (1:28am) — An officer checked the exterior of a residence after a calling party reported a loud noise. Everything appeared normal.
Robbins Road, Hanscom AFB (7:37am) — Hanscom AFB Security Forces requested assistance with a person with an active arrest warrant. An officer responded and took custody of Daniel Flanders, 48, of Rumney, NH. He was taken into custody, booked, then transported to Concord District Court.
Todd Pond Road (8:28am) — A caller reported a landscaper was using a gas-powered leaf blower in violation of the town bylaw. Officers were dedicated to another call and did not respond.
Birchwood Lane (9:10am) — A person spoke with an officer about a possible scam
Lincoln Road (10:24am) — Police and fire units responded for a single-vehicle crash. There were no reported injuries and the vehicle was towed from the scene.
Ridge Road (2:39pm) — A caller reported a landscaper was using a gas-powered leaf blower in violation of the town bylaw. An officer spoke with the homeowner and advised them of the bylaw.
St. Anne’s Church/Concord Road (2:56pm) — An officer responded to the area and removed a large pile of branches from the roadway.
July 23
Wells Road (12:26am) — A caller reported hearing a door being repeatedly opened and closed, causing a loud banging noise. An officer checked the area and found no one near the doorway in question.
South Great Road (8:26am) — A caller reported a minor motor vehicle crash. An officer arrived on scene and assisted both operators with exchanging information. Both vehicles were driven from the scene.
Harvest Circle (1:09pm) — An officer spoke to a staff member about a past incident.
Concord Road (5:49pm) — Police and fire units responded to the intersection for a two-vehicle crash. There were no reported injuries but both vehicles were towed from the scene. One of the operators was cited for failing to yield.
July 24
Cambridge Turnpike eastbound (3:50pm) — A caller reported the traffic lights at Route 2 and Bedford Road were not properly cycling. An officer checked the intersection for several cycles and reported no issue with the traffic lights.
Lincoln Road (6:03pm) — An officer spoke with a person at the station about a civil matter.
Hiddenwood Path (7:35pm) — Police and fire units responded after a low-voltage residential electrical service was pulled from a residence. Eversource was notified.
July 25
Lincoln Road (12:20am) — An officer spoke to a person about an ongoing incident.
Fox Run Road (9:04am) — An officer responded to a residence about a vehicle causing damage to a several lawns in the area.
Dilla Street, Milford (2:51pm) — Lt. Scott Christensen of the Lincoln Fire Department was among the responders from several towns involved on July 25-26 in the search and recovery of a body of a teen who drowned in a Milford quarry. He serves as a shift commander handling vehicle maintenance and fire prevention and has trained alongside regional mutual aid partners as part of the Massachusetts District 14 hazardous/ice rescue and dive units.
Ent Road, Hanscom AFB (4:22pm) — Officers responded for a dispute between neighbors.
Lincoln Road (1:29pm) — A caller reported an incident while on the commuter rail. The individual sought assistance at the next stop.
Lincoln Road, Wayland (2:07pm) — A caller located a dog walking along the roadway in Wayland. The caller was transferred to the Wayland Police Department.
Wells Road (7:14pm) — An officer spoke with a person about a civil matter.
July 26
Sandy Pond Road (1:13am) — A caller reported seeing flames near their residence. An officer arrived on scene and extinguished the fire. The fire department arrived and overhauled the area.
Concord Road (3:59pm) — A person spoke with an officer about a prior vandalism incident.
Silver Hill Road (4:10pm) — An officer was able to remove a tree limb blocking the road.
Baker Bridge Road (5:02pm) — An officer cited several vehicles that were illegally parked by people accessing Walden Pond.
Legal notice: ZBA (Aug. 6, 2026 hearing)
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LEGAL NOTICE — ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS The Zoning Board of the Appeals of the Town of Lincoln will hold a virtual online public hearing Thursday, Aug. 6, 2026, at 7:00 p.m. to hear and to act on the following petitions under the Zoning Bylaws: New:
Anyone wishing to be heard on this matter should be present at the designated time and place. Meeting ID: 92780169188 Password: 735886 |
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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.