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We are going to pay more for
electricity
DID YOU
KNOW…
From the
“Bad News Department” comes the following: Many
Massachusetts businesses are in danger of closing due to sharply
increasing electric rates, which may increase by a whopping
40 percent because of surging prices in energy, particularly
natural gas and oil, which is used to fuel almost 60 percent of
all Massachusetts electric plants. An official from the
Associated Industries of Massachusetts predicts a few
energy-dependent businesses may go under in the coming months if
the price increases don’t ease soon.
 Wholesale
electricity rates have jumped in New England by 42 percent since
March, and the increases have forced some businesses to cut back
on their use of electricity. Some of the electricity increases
have already been passed on to business customers who pay more
than residential and small business customers. However, under
the state’s new deregulated electric system, NStar’s rates
for residential and small businesses will increase by 71 percent
on July 1, and National Grid’s summer rates have also jumped
about 53 percent.
Congratulations to the Boston Celtics. Their impressive
drubbing of the Los Angeles Lakers was a thing of beauty, and it
awoke the Celtic pride that was dormant for so long. Winning the
2008 World Championship was heartwarming for all of their many
fans, and it made all of us proud to be New Englanders.
The Irish
Cultural Center of New England located here in Canton has
received a $350,000 grant from the Irish government, which it
reportedly will use to hire two full-time employees. Founded 20
years ago, the Center is trying to double its membership to
10,000; and it is the largest Irish organization east of
Chicago. Published reports also say that the center is slated to
receive another $350,000 grant next year.
Several
downtown merchants are grumbling about lost business the days
the Streetscape Project contractors took up all the downtown
parking spaces with their equipment. The merchants say none of
their customers could park for a couple of days; and as a
result, some merchants say they should get some sort of tax
credit to make up for their losses.
One of MAC’s
favorite movie actresses has died. Cyd Charisse, 86, passed away
on June 17. Many of you will recall that Ms. Charisse was the
beautiful, tall and leggy actress/dancer who was classically
trained and danced with Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire in a number
of memorable musical films in the 1940s, 50s and 60s.
The
city of Quincy held its 57th annual
Flag Day Parade on Saturday, June 14, and thousands of onlookers
saw a great parade, which featured a number of marchers, floats,
and bands, including Canton’s American Legion band.
Terry
Leonard has been elected Commander of the Canton Beatty Post 24
American Legion for the coming year. June Teague will be
the president of the Legion Auxiliary; and the Sons of
the American Legion have selected Bill Murray to be their
commander.
Speaking of
the Canton Sons of the American Legion, they sponsored a bus
trip to the Pawtucket Red Sox game on Sunday, June 22;
and 75 eager fans (including MAC) made the trip to Pawtucket to
enjoy a delicious barbecue and a great game, which the Paw Sox
won with a walk-off homerun in the tenth inning.
Summer
officially arrived here at 7:59 p.m. on Friday, June 20, and
school is now out for the summer, freeing students for a couple
of months of fun, a time that many years from now when they
become work-weary adults, they will call the best time of their
lives.
Starting
June 30, the newsstand price of the Boston Herald is going to
rise 25 cents to 75 cents. The price increase will not affect
home deliveries or the paper’s Sunday edition.
Correcting
an error MAC made a couple weeks ago, the River Village
Condominium Project at the Old Emerson and Cuming property at
the corner of Walpole and Neponset streets is actually being
constructed by the Dellbrook Construction Company of Braintree,
not the Suffolk Construction Company. Same family, different
companies.
Canton
Fire Department Captain Wendell Robery and firefighters Thomas
Norton and Michael Moriarty have been named “Firefighters of the
Year,” and Canton police officer Michael O’Brien was named
“Police Officer of the Year” in the annual public awards
ceremony conducted by the Knights of Columbus.
Congratulations to all.
Norwell High
School senior and four-time South Sectional Champion Susan
Bitetti has won the State MIAA Individual Tennis Singles
Championship held at Clark University in Worcester. Miss Bitetti
had an outstanding high school tennis record of 98 wins and only
4 losses and had a winning record of 25-0 this year alone. She
is the daughter of Sam Bitetti, Jr. who was born and raised
in Canton and is MAC’s first cousin.
A
committee has been formed to plan fund-raising events in
September to benefit the late Ricky Shannon’s children. As
soon as the plan details have been formalized, look for some ads
asking for your support.
Here’s a wise
adage for the Canton Planning Board to mull over; “Planning is
but another word for the vision that sees a creative achievement
before it’s manifest. Control is but a name for direction.”
That this is all for now folks; see you next week.
Joe DeFelice can be reached at
manaboutcanton@aol.com
July 10, 2008
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