Man About Canton: News Around Us

Did you know …

EMC Corporation of Hopkinton was recently sold to the Dell Company of Round Rock, Texas, for the unheard of price of $67 billion. It was the largest acquisition ever in the technology industry. EMC, founded in 1979, has over 9,700 Massachusetts employees. The deal brings uncertainty to the neighboring towns of Franklin and Westboro because it is not currently known what Dell plans to do with EMC.

Talking about takeovers, the world’s largest beer maker, Anheuser-Busch InBev, recently bought out the number two company, SABMiller Company, for approximately $106 billion.

The price of gas in Massachusetts continues its downward trajectory with the average dropping below $2 a gallon, the lowest in more than six years. The current average is 30 cents lower than the $2.30 national average for unleaded self-serve gasoline. A year ago, the average in Massachusetts was $1.16 higher at $3.26 a gallon.

This past Veterans Day, November 11, Friendly’s ice cream shops treated veterans and active military to a free breakfast, lunch, or dinner. All 270 Friendly’s restaurants offered this deal to guests showing a valid military ID or honorable discharge card.

Talking about Friendly’s, the new chief executive officer, John M. McGuire, is committed to bringing the national chain “back to its rightful place as one of the ionic brands in America.” Friendly’s sells its ice cream in 8,000 grocery stores nationwide and is in the process of establishing new restaurant locations in Massachusetts, including one at Logan Airport.

Philip Morris, the world’s largest tobacco company, is in the process of developing a new heat-not-burn device called IQOS, which is a less harmful substitute for cigarettes that heats but doesn’t burn tobacco, according to their studies. The new device will reduce the exposure to harmful compounds released by traditional cigarettes by 95 percent.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the country of France has an unrivaled love for “roundabouts,” the circular junctions that allow cars to rotate through intersections, merging traffic from different directions so drivers don’t have to stop and start. The country constructs between 600 and 800 roundabouts a year. There are approximately 40,000 roundabouts in France.

Playboy Magazine plans to cover up nude photos of women after 62 years of publication. Its circulation has fallen from a high of 5.6 million in 1975 to 800,000 today. It has been losing $3 million a year.

The Canton Council on Aging, the Canton Fire Department, and the American Red Cross are teaming up to keep you safe from fire and carbon monoxide. Free smoke alarms and CO detectors are available to any resident who requests the devices. The detectors will be supplied by the American Red Cross and will be installed for you by the Canton Fire Department. There is no age requirement, and the free program is open to all Canton residents. Make your home safe and prepare for winter before the snow arrives. Interested residents should contact the Council on Aging at 781-828-1323 to schedule an appointment.

In the past few weeks, MAC has received four advertisements for oil change specials: $17.95, $19.95, $21.95, and $22.99. MAC also received three cost reduction ads of $15 off, $14.44 off and $8.50 off service oil changes. Most oil change chains now charge upward of $40 without a coupon.

Jim Zoppo, longtime host of the radio garden show “Jim Zoppo’s American Landscape” and owner of American Landscape at Sharon View Nursery, 630 South Main Street in Sharon, recently announced the appointment of Peter Pineo of Canton. Peter is well-versed in the landscaping business, and Zoppo said that “Peter’s creative talent as well as his extensive background in special events and marking will be a valuable asset to our team.”

Most people will agree with you … If you’ll just keep quiet.

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

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

Share This Post

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=31712