About this column:
Patch's editor gets the chance to express his thoughts. Dear Easton Patch Readers, Here at Patch, we're always looking for ways to make your life easier. So, with an upcoming election for State Representative in the 11th Plymouth District, we thought we'd bring the candidates directly into your living room, office or cubicle. Patch has given all five of the State Rep candidates (Democrat and Republican) the opportunity to blog on our site. We hope that providing each candidate with this platform assists in what is most important: providing our readers with as much information as possible in order to make a well-informed decision come election …
As this year's May 21 Town Meeting draws closer, Town Officials on Elm Street are working to finalize a budget and provide a final draft of this year's Town Meeting warrant. They are making tangible progress on closing the deficit, which was approximately $800,000 when Town Administrator David Colton first presented a preliminary budget in February. As of last week, the budget subcommittee had closed the deficit to $361,000, according to Finance Committee chair Carol Nestler. "I thought that was pretty good news and we’re early on in the process," she said. "We should be able to get that down…
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. Groundbreaking for the Beacon Shovelshops project, which has been years in the making, is around the corner, Town Administrator David Colton said Monday night. "All of the documents needed for the closing are in the process of coming together," he said. "The closing is scheduled for April …
Easton's Town Clerk officially ranks among the top Town Clerks in Massachusetts. Jeremy Gillis was recognized at Monday's Board of Selectmen meeting for qualifying for Massachusetts Town Clerks' Association's prestigious CMMC (Certified Massachusetts Municipal Clerk) designation. Of Massachusetts' 301 Town Clerks, only 115 hold the designation. Gillis, who will receive his commemorative pin and plaque at the MTCA Summer conference in North Falmouth on June 7, earned the qualification by attending MTCA-sponsored educational courses and passing a two hundred and fifty question aptitude test …
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. While voters were heading to the polls to Tuesday to vote in the primaries for the Presidential Election, the Town Election field was being finalized. Tuesday is the last day to hand in nomination papers for the April vote. The highlight of the election? A four person race for two Board of …
When the Oliver Ames Tigers and the Stoughton Black Knights take to the court in the South Sectional Semifinals tonight, you know you're in for an exciting game. The Davenport Division rivals split their season series this year, 1-1. After falling to the Black Knights in January, the Tigers avenged their loss on Senior night with a 75-67 win. Last year, OA and Stoughton went head to head twice. While both were OA losses, one game went to overtime and the next went to four overtimes. This time around, the stakes are even higher. A win for either team will mean a trip to the South Sectional …
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. The Board of Selectmen meeting room overflowed Monday night when the Board honored those involved in the rescue of Easton resident Brian Edlund. Brian's wife, Heather, was on hand to thank the good samaritans who pulled him from a burning vehicle after it struck a telephone pole and tree on…
Do you feel it? Spring is in the air. Well, maybe not quite yet - but we're getting there. We can at least say that it is around the corner, and this winter -as mild as it has been- is beginning to wind down. How do I know? Well, for one, Town Administrator David Colton has officially released a memo requesting warrant articles for this year's Annual Town Meeting, slated for May 21 at the Oliver Ames High School auditorium. Warrant articles are to be submitted to Colton by March 19 and Town Counsel is available for help with drafting. The .pdf of the memo is attached. Town elections are …
Easton Patch has made room for local bloggers on the site. We're looking for bloggers who can sound off on various topics, share their personality and engage our readers in discussions. Patch is more than a news site, it's an online conversation about your community. Are you passionate about Easton’s core issues? Are you an expert craftsman or hobbyist who can share do-it-yourself tips? Do you have strong opinions about local government? Can you just make us all laugh? Can you write compellingly? Then, we want to hear from you! Whether it's food, family, schools, government, business, social …
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. After what has been years in the making, the deal is almost done and workers will be at the Shovel Shops this spring. Beacon Communities LLC CEO Howard Cohen said Monday night that his group needs to close on the deal by the end of March so that construction can begin by April 1. The …
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. Let the budget talks begin. This past week marked the beginning of town budget discussions for FY2013. If you were at Easton Special Town Meeting last night, you might have already noticed whispers. Resident Donna Abelli wanted to wait until we had a FY13 budget before adding new positions …
Once a week, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire will open up his notebook and share his notes with you. If you have a question, comment, or opinion, share it in the comments section or email Patrick.Maguire@Patch.com. Many of Patrick's notes will be followed with a more in-depth article later in the week. The retirement of Easton Fire Chief Tom Stone was made official last night at the Board of Selectmen meeting. Stone, whose last day with the department was Friday, was honored with a plaque for his service. "It’s always been a spirit of cooperation and it's made my job a lot easier," he …
I created the "Editor's Notebook" column topper when Easton Patch launched with the thought that I might occasionally chime in. Perhaps I could use it as a platform to write about my experience covering Easton, an event I attended, or an opinion I had. I quickly learned that while my intentions were good, my idea for thought-sharing was better in theory than in reality for a few reasons: 1. For every experience or event, there is someone out there who can explain it better than I can. 2. The opinions that really matter are the those of the experts - the town officials, policemen, firefighters…
Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack. If you listen closely, you’ll hear it tonight. Of course, you’ll have to be at the right place. If you’re in Easton tonight, that place is Muscato Stadium. It’s a distinct noise - and it only comes out about 11 times in the fall – 12 or 13 if you’re lucky. It's usually something you’ll hear on a Friday night. Occasionally, you’ll hear it on a Saturday. Click-clack, click-clack, click-clack Spikes on pavement. But its not just the spikes. It's not the sound of baseball players in a dugout or a golfer on a cart path. If you listen closely you’ll hear …
Easton Patch's blogging platform gives residents the opportunity to offer their opinions on their own personal blogs hosted on our home page. Since the launch earlier this year, we've posted a number of fantastic blog posts - well-written and well-received by the community. We have signed up other great Easton residents to take part, but we’re always looking for more. Here are five quick reasons why you should blog on Easton Patch: It’s easy. You get signed up and then with a few clicks of a mouse, you will be able to put your thoughts and expertise on the website. The time commitment is up …
Know a great kid who made Eagle Scout or local soccer team that took the championship? Maybe a high schooler who just scored a scholarship to their first choice college by being an all-star volunteer? They may be our next Patch Whiz Kid honoree. Each week, Easton Patch will seek suggestions from readers for individual kids, youth groups, teens and even sports teams that deserve a shout-out. We want to hear about these amazing children and teens and select one each week as the "Patch Whiz Kid." Submit your nomination in our comment box below or e-mail the information to Patrick.Maguire@Patch.…
You may have seen in the shout box that Easton Patch is looking for local moms to join our Moms' Council. We've received a little interest so far, but I thought I would lay out a few more details and make one last call out to you - the parents of Easton. You are some of our most avid readers, some of our best contributors and some of the community's most important assets. We at Patch would like to recognize that. With that in mind, I hereby give you: Momsday! Momsday will be one day a week where we feature parenting-friendly content. We'll feature local shopping deals for parents, a grab and …
As part of Patch's "Give 5" program, Easton Patch Editor Patrick Maguire and Advertising Manager Brian Hemmert spent time volunteering at the Ames Free Library yesterday. The two Patch workers transported books from the library across the street to storage at the Queset House. Although those books weren't light, Patch was happy to give back to a community that has given us so much. Patch's "Give 5" program is a program inwhich Patch employees take time off and donate their time to the community five days a year. For more information about Patch giving back and "Give 5," click here.
This past week, Easton Patch hit a milestone. Dec. 7 marked the two-month anniversary for the site, which was designed to be a one-stop place for Easton residents to get news and information, including directory listings of local businesses, a community calendar, and a forum for residents to discuss local issues and happenings. Of course - Patch has also been here to report the news and entertain. Along with a team of tremendous writers, reporters and columnists, I have had the opportunity to embed myself in this remarkable community, meet some people along the way, and learn a few things. …
