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FOOD PANTRY MUST MOVE
DID YOU
KNOW…
On August
15, the staff of the Canton Food Pantry was informed that
the building that has housed the pantry for the past few years
has been sold, and the pantry must vacate the premises by
September 30. The Canton Food Pantry distributes free food to
Canton residents in need and is currently located at the rear of
715 Washington Street, across from St. John’s Church. Those most
likely to benefit from the pantry’s help are children, working
families, the elderly, the retired and the disabled. The owners
of the Washington Street building had generously donated the
space free of charge since the building opened, but that is no
longer possible. The pantry is actively looking for a new space
in order to continue its fight against hunger in Canton and will
welcome any and all suggestions.
 Well-known
comedian and self-proclaimed presidential candidate Stephen
Colbert has apparently started a personal jihad on towns
named Canton on his popular Comedy Central show, “The
Colbert Report.” He called the town of Canton, Texas an
“incorporated outhouse” and referred to Canton, Georgia as “the
crappy Canton.” He next attacked Canton, Kansas with an
unprintable epithet and said Canton, South Dakota is “North
Dakota’s dirty ashtray.” Fortunately, he skipped over Cantons
in Connecticut, Illinois, North Carolina, Ohio and our own
Canton, Massachusetts, at least for now.
Caritas
Norwood Hospital has signed a lease for 12,000 square feet
at the campus at Chestnut Green, a redevelopment of the former
Foxboro State Hospital.
Don “Mac”
MacDougal, the World War II veteran who passed away recently
at age 90, was a friendly Cantonian who was well-liked by all
who knew him. For many years, Mac was the drum major of the
Canton American Legion Marching Band, and band members still
respectfully and fondly talk about his tenure leading the band
in parades all over New England. He was a 43-year member of the
Legion Post 24 and a former post commander.
MAC hears
there will be a new ice cream shop in Canton where King’s
Barbershop is located at 635 Washington Street, and it is slated
to open sometime in October.
NorthEast Electrical Distributors,
located on Will Drive, has opened its 33rd electrical
supply store. The new store is located in Milford, is 7,400
square feet in size, and has a 1,400-square-foot store in
front.
Things
didn’t go so well in Massachusetts in July for a number of
workers. The Executive Office of Labor and Workforce said
manufacturing employers eliminated 2,500 jobs, and 2,500 more
were cut in the leisure and hospitality field.
Those of you
who use the facilities and trails at the Blue Hills
Reservation to commune with nature will be delighted to
learn that the State Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)
resumed patrols by park rangers on horseback after an
absence of four years due to crippling budget cuts. This year,
the DCR budget was increased by $100,000 to pay for three
horses, two horse trailers, training for rangers, and the
stabling of the horses at a Westwood stable since the former
stables in the Blue Hills are no longer usable. The new horses
are three- to five-year-old geldings that are called ”draft
horses.” Draft horses are intelligent, less temperamental and
more patient. They are specially trained in how not to be afraid
of small children, fireworks and campfires.
Governor
Deval Patrick appears to have stirred up a hornet’s nest
with his move to allow civilian flagmen to control traffic flow
at various roadside traffic projects rather than higher-paid,
off-duty uniformed police in an effort for the state, cities,
and towns to save money.
Speaking
of Governor Patrick, he recently signed a $3 billion state bond
bill for capital projects, which includes $1 million for a new
senior center in Canton and $10 million for a new municipal
maintenance building for the Canton DPW. Everyone in Canton
has their fingers crossed that the two Canton projects will
actually be funded and carried out. Also included in the bond
bill is the funding necessary to consolidate various Norfolk
County courts back to Dedham where they originated. They include
the Probate and Family Court, which is presently located in
Canton, as is the Norfolk County District Attorney’s office.
If you are
looking for great, locally grown fruits and vegetables, a
farmer’s market is now located on the grounds of the
Massachusetts Hospital School on Thursdays between 2 p.m.
and 6:30 p.m. The farmers will appreciate your business.
Congratulations to Sue Desjardins who was appointed by
the Board of Selectmen to the position of assistant treasurer
and collector, effective September 1.
Finally,
things may be looking up for Canton High football. Almost
100 football players have signed up to play this coming season,
which is an increase of almost 40 over last year, and it
includes 35 freshmen, the largest number in several years. The
increased level of interest has excited head coach Jim Goff,
who has been busy preparing this year’s team for its first home
scrimmage against Hanover High on August 30 and the Hockomock
Jamboree against Stoughton on September 5. Go Bulldogs!
General
George S. Patton (1885-1945) once said, “If a man has done
his best, what else is there?”
That this is all for now folks; see you next week.
Joe DeFelice can be reached at
manaboutcanton@aol.com
August 28, 2008
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