Man About Canton: Happy New Year 2016

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At midnight on December 31, 2015, an old and decrepit Father Time, representing the year 2015, will come to an end. For some, it will be a happy passing, while others will be sad about it. For many, it is a time to make a lot of New Year’s resolutions, most of which, if not all, will be rapidly ignored or forgotten in just a few days. Many of us will be looking forward to 2016 in the hope that it will in some way be better than 2015.

Most of us won’t bother to actually go down to New York’s Times Square — the New Year’s Eve mecca for millions — to watch the big lighted ball drop down at midnight, opting instead to watch it on television. Of course, if you had a mind to, and a warm set of long johns, you can always brave the usual icy-cold weather by going into downtown Boston for the First Night festivities and the impressive fireworks display. It is not Times Square, but you may consider it a reasonable alternative. In any event, suffice it to say that MAC wishes you and yours a happy and healthy New Year, and he hopes you have a safe and prosperous 2016.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, you are entitled to free credit reports at annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228 toll-free. You can examine a report from the three major credit bureaus once a year to help ensure that your personal and financial information is accurate — and not being used by an identity thief.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 25 percent of Americans over the age of 60 have diabetes.

Hessco Elder Services needs drivers in Canton for its Meals on Wheels program, which delivers meals to homebound elders from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The program is looking for a commitment of one day a week. If interested, call Jayne Davis at 781-784-4944 ext. 21.

The U.S. Postal Service reported a $5.1 billion loss for the 2015 fiscal cycle. The loss reflects continued erosion in the delivery of first-class mail and expensive mandates for upfront funding of its retiree health care obligations. There was some good news for the Postal Service as revenues were up, and it made an operating profit of $1.2 billion, reflecting continued growth in its package delivery business. The Postal Service registered revenues of $68.9 billion in 2015, a $1.1 billion increase over 2014.

The first session of Canton’s 2016 annual town meeting will be held on Monday, May 9.

Lori McKenna of Stoughton, one of Nashville’s premier songwriters, was awarded Song of the Year at the 49th annual Country Music Association (CMA) awards night for the song “Girl Crush.” A sultry ballad recorded by the group “Little Big Town,” the song became a No. 1 hit and has sold close to 2 million tracks.

Today, 59 percent of Russian males still smoke cigarettes compared to just 15 percent of American males. Fifty years ago, over 40 percent of American males were smokers.

The controversial state-sanctioned deer hunt in the Blue Hills Reservation ended with only 64 deer killed over a four-day span. If there were really 85 deer per square mile, the deer did a pretty good job of dodging the bullets. The deer hunt drew the ire of animal rights activists who lambasted the hunt as an unnecessary exercise in cruelty. However, there were six $60 citations issued to the hunters for infractions, including driving in a restricted area, hunting after hours, and failing to wear an orange vest. If trained hunters could only kill 64 deer, a new independent study should be done to determine the actual number of deer in the Blue Hills Reservation.

The Canton Board of Selectmen will once again offer to Canton senior citizens (age 60 and older) the Senior Citizen Tax Credit Program. The program affords seniors the opportunity to work part-time for the community; in exchange, the town will provide a residential property tax credit up to $1,000 per year. Participants will be credited at an hourly rate up to $8 per hour for a maximum of 125 hours annually. To obtain an application, see Diane Tynan, director of the Council on Aging, at the Senior Center at 500 Pleasant Street, or call 781-828-1323. Applications must be submitted by February 2, 2016.

The Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is offering Massachusetts veterans the option to have the word “veteran” appear on their driver’s licenses or ID cards.

Finally, tonight, many of you will be celebrating New Year’s Eve in one form or another. If you plan to have a few drinks to celebrate the arrival of 2016, MAC suggests you make arrangements to have a designated driver take you home.

Now and then, it is good to pause in our pursuit of happiness and just be happy!

Again, MAC wishes everyone a Happy New Year!

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=31980

Posted by Joe DeFelice on Dec 31 2015. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.