Visions For Vacancies

Visions for Vacancies: Shaw's Plaza

What should go in the vacancy at Shaw's Plaza near Five Corners?

Drive around Easton and you'll notice far too many empty storefronts and buildings. This week, we're continuing series titled "Visions for Vacancies." We'll showcase an empty storefront and ask you what should take up the space. This week, we ask you what should go in the empty storefront at Shaw's Plaza at Five Corners? The storefront is located in-between Cooper's Jewelers and New Nail and Spa. We want to hear what kinds of businesses you think should open up in Easton. Tell us in a comment below.

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Muscato's Musings

Hello September

It Could Be The Best Time Of The Year In These Parts

  This being Labor Day, and it being a big transition in the year, I figured it appropriate to write as I did last year, another September and autumn cometh column. Yet, we have about three more weeks of summer, unless you don't know. Then again, soon enough the first frost will be upon us. Today sunset here is 7:14 p.m. On the final day of this month it will be 6:27 p.m. September is a great month, one of — as I frequently tout — warm days and cool nights. And it does seem that the planet is going through a warming phase, for whatever reason. Call me selfish, but if you live in New England, I don't know if this is all a bad thing. School is back in session, and at the secondary and post-secondary level, Easton has three schools: Oliver …

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Kennedy Makes a Stop in Easton

Kennedy discussed issues ranging from Iran to DJ Henry during his campaign stop at the Five Corners' Shaw's

Joseph Kennedy III (D-Brookline) made a stop in the Shovel Town Saturday morning as part of a seven-town, two day long tour across the southern portion of Congressional District 4. Kennedy, the former Assistant District Attorney in Middlesex County, announced his candidacy for Congress last month. Since then, he has spent his time campaigning across the region. Saturday's meet and greet at the Five Corners' Shaw's was his first stop in Easton. "It’s been great," he said. "It’s been a great treat to be able to go around and get around the district and see what people are talking about and the concerns in people’s minds. We’ve been able to get around the district quite a bit, that’s why we’re here - to be able to get out and listen a little …

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Two Alarm Fire Rips Through Five Corners Burger King

Significant damage to building but no injuries after fire Sunday night sends Easton and area fire departments to the scene.

A two-alarm fire ripped through Burger King at Easton's five corners Sunday night, causing significant damage to the building. There were no injuries reported, according to Easton Fire Chief Kevin Partridge. The cause of the fire, which started in the building's cieling, is still unknown and under investigation, Partridge said. The assistant general manager was in his office when he heard crackling coming from the cieling. He quickly got himself and the other two employees out of the building, according to the chief. Easton was assisted by Mansfield, Stoughton, Norton and West Bridgewater in putting out the fire. Workers used two ladder trucks and opened the roof of the building in order to put out the flames.

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The View From Here

Just As I thought! There's A Cover-Up At Five Corners!

The columnist forges ahead in pursuit of a resolution to the issue of the bogus left turn signal at Five Corners. Could it be that this is the final chapter in this ongoing campaign? And, as is his custom, he gives us a little craziness along the way.

“Some people see things that are and ask, Why? Some people dream of things that never were and ask, Why not? Some people have to go to work and don't have time for all that.” ~ George Carlin   Okay, now I’ve seen it all. Well, I suppose I haven’t really seen it all. I’ve seen a lot in my lifetime, but ‘all’ may be a slight exaggeration. In reality, that’s just a figure of speech. I suppose it’s better defined as hyperbole; an exaggeration to create emphasis or effect; like saying, “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”   I’m fairly certain no one has ever been so hungry that they could actually devour an entire horse, unless perhaps they were a lion or they were a hanging with a pack of jackals; but I suppose they still wouldn’t be saying, “…

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The View From Here

Apathy? Ignorance? What The Heck Is Going On At Five Corners?

The columnist is no longer amused by the precarious placement of a traffic light at the Five Corners construction site. So what does he plan to do about it?

The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ~ Stapp’s Ironical Paradox This past week was less than productive. I did a lot and got nothing done. Do you know what I mean? Have you been there?  It’s not that I procrastinated. I really did do a lot. It’s just that I did a lot of things other than what I should have been doing. Or maybe I did a lot of things I should have been doing, but there were other, more important things I should have done first. Confused? I’ll explain in a minute.  I’m a very organized person. If you ask my wife, she’d tell you that I’m too organized. But that’s because she’s totally unorganized. I suppose that’s how we ended up together. It’s a Yin and Yang thing. We …

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Bob Havey

11:25 am on Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Linda, Cooper, Jean, Kimberly and $ - Thanks for the comments/concerns. I've put in a two calls to the contractor, Pavao Construction in Dighton, MA. I called the office and spoke to a very nice lady who gave me the cell number for the foreman on-site. I've called him and left him a message voicing the concerns with the extra turn signal that leads into oncoming traffic. I'll post again when I …   more ›

The View From Here

I’m Steaming And It’s Not Because Of The Weather!

The columnist is rather annoyed about what may be the inadvertent disrespect of an Easton icon and the lack of action regarding the ‘renegade’ left turn signal at Five Corners.

The way I understand it, the Russians are sort of a combination of evil and incompetence... sort of like the Post Office with tanks. ~ Emo Philips  Something disturbing came to my attention this past week, quite by accident. Is the football field at Oliver Ames High School still named Valentine P. Muscato Stadium? I wasn’t paying that much attention as I passed through the school parking lot the other day, but I believe I saw that the name of the stadium had been covered by an advertising banner. Am I wrong?  I certainly understand the need for revenue generation in these tough financial times but I sure hope that, simply for the opportunity to raise a few dollars; we aren’t willing to devalue the prominence of the man who put Oliver Ames …

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Bob Havey

8:35 am on Saturday, October 15, 2011

@ Carl I believe Frida is right about the name of the restaurant, though that was a long time ago and my memory isn't quite what it once was! Their fried clams were great! The Five Corners left turn issue is baffling to me. I don't understand how something like that could happen. Even more disturbing is that nobody seems to care. Maybe they're waiting for someone to be killed before they act. …   more ›

The View From Here

Reading This Just Might Save Your Life! Unless You Happen To Be A Coyote

The columnist thought he’d written all he could about the ongoing construction project at Five Corners. He was wrong!

Have you driven East on Route 106 in Easton lately? If you have and you’ve turned left at the intersection of Routes 106 and 123 at five, or six, or seven, or however many corners there are there now; you had to have noticed the bright, shiny, brand-spanking new left turn signals that were recently installed.  Yes, I said signals – plural. There are two of them. Two signals would indicate to me that there are now two left turn lanes on Route 106 from which to make your turn on to Route 123. There’s one small problem though. Although there are, in fact, two left turn signals (arrows) and two ‘left turn only’ signs; there’s only one left turn lane, not two.  The signal on the right is in the same lane from which those of us who travel this …

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Weekly Traffic Report

A look at road work and construction, courtesy of the Easton DPW.

Major Traffic Delays Expected at Five Corners Friday

Gas company to conduct work in the area Friday.

Easton Police are warning motorists who plan to drive through the Five Corners intersection tomorrow. According to Police Chief Allen Krajcik, the company will be replacing a 12 inch gas pipe at the intersecting throughout the day. "Major traffic delays should be expected as there is also a separate reconstruction job also going on at that location," Krajcik said. Krajcik said motorists should seek an alternate route if they are passing through. Businesses, however, will remain open during construction.

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