MAC: A Possible Gift for the Town

DID YOU KNOW …

The Lagadinos family is discussing with town officials the possibility of donating a two-story, 10,000-square-foot building to the town of Canton. The building is located at 222 Bolivar Street.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, the building was home to the sometimes-controversial Canton Reporter newspaper owned by Tony Pazasis. The paper helped propel its staff reporter, Sheila Cheimets, into the selectmen’s office as the first woman elected to that position in the town. Cheimets, after serving the town for three years, was appointed as executive director of the Massachusetts Municipal Association, a position she held for many years. Today, she lives in Boston.

Don’t forget about the new parking regulations on Greenlodge Street, near the Route 128 railroad station. From December 1 to March 1, parking on the right side of the street heading in the direction of the station will be prohibited. Parking will be permitted on the left side only. A town of Canton parking voucher is required. The Canton Police Department will be patrolling the area to ensure compliance.

Unity Feeds at 626 Washington Street has closed its doors.

The Hyde Park Savings Bank has changed its name to the Blue Hills Bank. The 140-year-old institution has branches in Brookline, Dedham, Norwood and West Roxbury and plans to open additional branches next year.

The median household income in the state of Massachusetts is $59,373, which is eighth out of the 50 states.

The temperature never reached 90 degrees in Boston this September. The high for the month was 87 degrees on September 5. On October 9, the temperature also reached 87 degrees, breaking the old record of 82 degrees.

Steve Shaughnessy and Joe Mula were named MVPs of the Canton Men’s Softball League playoffs, won by the Halfway Café softball team.

A big congratulations and thank you go out to the people responsible for organizing the 7th annual Reebok/ CABI Road Race. This year’s event raised a net of over $35,000, which will be given back to various Canton charitable causes. Incidentally, 520 runners participated in this year’s races, down from last year’s 760, but still 300 more than the first race seven years ago.

The center of Canton is getting darker as more than 10 lamppost light bulbs are out and need replacement.

The maximum weekly benefit for new unemployment claims is rising from $625 to $653. According to the state Office of Labor and Workforce Development, the new rate started on October 2.

Thirty-one Friendly’s Ice Cream restaurants in Massachusetts met their “unhappy endings” when the Wilbraham-based chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, closing 64 stores around the country. Friendly’s will continue operating 424 shops, including the one in Norwood. The Stoughton store, frequented by many Cantonites, has closed.

MAC sends condolences to Canton American Legion Manager Barry Schneider on the loss of his wife of 37 years, Barbara A. Schneider.

Al Davis, owner of the Oakland Raiders and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recently died at age 82. It is interesting to note that Mr. Davis was born on the 4th of July, 1929, in Brockton, Massachusetts.

One of MAC’s favorite pianists, Roger Williams, recently passed away at age 87. Mr. Williams was one of the greatest pianists in the world. His 1955 hit “Autumn Leaves” was the only piano instrumental to reach No. 1 on the Billboard Pop Charts. It remains the best-selling piano record of all time, with more than two million sold. The world will miss pianist Roger Williams.

If you do what you can do and not what others believe you can’t, you’ve won the half of the battle the others have lost.

This is all for now folks. See you next week.

Joe DeFelice can be reached at manaboutcanton@aol.com.

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=8881

Posted by Joe DeFelice on Oct 19 2011. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.