MAC: More on Ex-Senator Joyce

Did you know …

Canton’s former state Senator Brian A. Joyce, 55, was called “greedy, plain and simple” by Hank Shaw, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Boston office. Joyce has been charged with 20 counts of extortion and seven counts of money laundering. According to a 102-page indictment, the feds contend that Joyce took bribes and kickbacks in exchange for official action using his senate office for private gain. Joyce was arrested at his Westport home and was released from the Worcester Federal Court on a $250,000 bond.

Joyce used his Canton law firm building for his bond. That office, according to federal officials, is the location that doubled as a “money laundering conduit.” One of Joyce’s attorneys, Max Stern, said that his client denies the allegations. Among the indictments was one where Joyce received up to 700 pounds of free coffee and approximately $125,000 in alleged kickbacks from a Canton Dunkin’ Donuts franchise owner.

According to a recent article in the Boston Herald, “Taxpayers have shelled out nearly $1 million in attorneys’ fees for state lawmakers and staff over the last five years, paid for using a little known account similar to the one used by Congress to pay a whopping $15 million in sexual harassment claims.”

Nomination papers for this year’s town election are now available. Prospective candidates have until February 13 at 7 p.m. to return the completed papers containing the signatures of at least 50 registered voters to the Town Clerk’s office. Nomination papers can be obtained at the Town Clerk’s office through Friday, February 9.

As reported recently in the Canton Citizen, longtime Canton School Committee member John Bonnanzio will resign in April, one year into his current three-year term. First elected in 2002, Bonnanzio served for 12 years in two separate stints. He also ran for state representative in 2004 against incumbent representative Bill Galvin and for selectmen in 2015, losing on both occasions. He plans to get married this summer and move out of Canton.

The 2018 annual town meeting is scheduled to begin on Monday, May 14, at Canton High School. The meeting will continue every Monday and Wednesday until all warrant articles are voted upon.

MAC has heard rave reviews for the new Copper City Espresso coffee shop recently opened by Kevin Vacca in the historic Canton Junction train station. Commuters can now get a coffee to take on their way to Boston.

Toys “R” Us, which filed for bankruptcy in September, is considering closing at least 100 U.S. stores in the face of weak holiday sales. There are 879 Toys “R” Us stores in the United States.

Tracy Kenney, Canton’s town clerk and chief election official, will be the guest speaker at the Canton Women’s Club on Tuesday, January 16, starting at 1 p.m. at the Senior Center. Kenney will talk about election issues and safeguards in the voting process.

There is free legal advice offered at the Canton Senior Center. The legal clinic is held every other month. You must make an appointment in advance to see the attorney by calling the Canton Council on Aging at 781-828-1323.

And finally, political correctness has run amok again. Here are some recent examples: Number one, the Brookline Board of Selectmen is now the Select Board after removing the reference to gender in the governing panel’s name. The change also replaces the title of “selectman” with “select board member.” Number two, students at Easthampton High School are being asked to use the term “first year students” instead of freshmen. Number three, the College of the Holy Cross is in discussions to drop its century-old sports symbol, the “Crusader,” out of concern that the image of a Christian warrior might be offensive to Muslims and other non-Christians. The Holy Cross Board of Trustees will make a decision at its February 3 meeting.

Keep every promise you make, and only make promises you can keep.

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

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

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Posted by Joe DeFelice on Jan 19 2018. Filed under Featured Content, Man About Canton, Opinion. Both comments and pings are currently closed.