In addition to casting their ballot at their regular precinct location on Election Day, Canton residents also still have the option of voting early at Town Hall, with the last two chances to do so being today, August 27, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and tomorrow, August 28, from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Those who submitted a vote-by-mail application by the August 25 deadline have until the close of polls (8 p.m.) on Election Day to return their completed ballots to Town Hall, either by mail, by hand-delivering it to the Town Clerk’s Office, or by placing it in the drop box outside Town Hall.

For the primary election, voters who are enrolled in a particular party may only vote in that party’s primary; however, unenrolled voters may choose to vote in either one (but not both).

Those who opt for the Democratic ballot will have multiple candidates to choose from in races for U.S. senator, U.S. representative in Congress (8th MA District), state representative (6th Norfolk District), and district attorney for Norfolk County.

In three of those four races, the eventual winner will face an opponent in the November 3 general election; however, that is not the case in the race for state rep, meaning that whoever emerges from the field with the nomination on Tuesday will have effectively secured that seat.

Adding to the intrigue is the fact that all three candidates are first-time challengers, after the district’s longtime incumbent, Bill Galvin of Canton, decided not to seek another term. Two of the three who are vying to succeed him, Lisa Lopez and Michael Loughran, are Canton residents, while the third candidate, Steve Cavey, is a resident of neighboring Stoughton. (The 6th Norfolk District encompasses the entire towns of Avon and Canton as well as precincts 1, 2A, 4A, 5, 7, and 8 in Stoughton.)

While none of the three have previously held a state office, they all have extensive municipal leadership experience and have all served one or more terms on their town’s Select Board.

Lopez and Loughran, in fact, ran against one another for a two-year vacancy in 2019, and the race was historically close, with Loughran ultimately prevailing after a recount by a margin of just three votes.

He has since been reelected twice, serving as chair in both 2021-22 and 2024-25, and before that he served for two terms on the Canton School Committee in addition to a lengthy stint on the Finance Committee.

Lopez, meanwhile, went on to run again for Select Board in 2020, securing a three-year term with a narrow victory over incumbent Tom Theodore. She was subsequently elected to the Canton Housing Authority and currently serves as that agency’s chair while remaining active on several town committees. Previously, Lopez served as chair of the Revere Heritage Open Space Committee, overseeing the development of the public green space on the site, and she championed adoption of the town’s Affordable Housing Trust, which she currently chairs.

In Stoughton, Cavey joined the Select Board during a contentious period in 2017 that culminated in the recall of three board members. He has since been reelected three times and has been named board chair on multiple occasions.

In addition to deciding the race for state rep, local Democratic voters also have a long list of choices for Norfolk DA, which has emerged as one of the most closely watched races in the entire commonwealth amid the fallout from the Karen Read murder trials and the Sandra Birchmore death investigation. With incumbent Michael Morrissey opting not to seek reelection, a whopping seven candidates are now vying to be his replacement, including his chief trial counsel, veteran county prosecutor Greg Connor. The field also includes a former federal prosecutor in Adam Deitch, three former Suffolk County ADAs (Macy Lee, Craig McLellan and Djuna Perkins), a district court clerk-magistrate (Bob Jubinville), and a public defense attorney (Jim Barakat). Snapshots on all seven candidates were published in last week’s Citizen, and the Canton MA Voter Guide has posted links to each of their campaign websites.

Whoever emerges from this crowded field will then move on to face attorney Joe Pagliarulo, who is running as an independent and therefore does not have to participate in the primary.

The two other contested races on the Democratic ballot are both head-to-head congressional battles featuring a veteran incumbent. In the Senate race, Ed Markey is vying for a third full term against U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton, with the winner then moving on to face Republican John Deaton, an attorney and Marine Corps veteran.

Also up for reelection is Congressman Stephen Lynch, who will look to fend off a challenge from Patrick Roath, a 39-year-old attorney and former Deval Patrick aide with roots on the south shore. The winner between those two would then square off against Republican Robert Burke, a grassroots candidate who has run for this same seat twice before.

On the GOP side, all eyes will be on the two gubernatorial candidates — Michael Minogue and Brian Shortsleeve — who are both competing for the opportunity to take on incumbent Governor Maura Healey in November.

Shortsleeve, a Harvard graduate, Marine veteran, and former MBTA executive, has been actively campaigning but likely faces an uphill battle against Minogue, a West Point grad and business executive who enters the race with the backing of the state Republican Party. Nearly all of the members of the Canton Republican Town Committee who attended the state convention also voted for Minogue, and he currently leads Shortsleeve in the polls by a 2-1 margin.

The Canton Democratic Town Committee, meanwhile, voted recently to endorse its own slate of candidates as they considered their public voting records, platforms, and “demonstrated commitment to Democratic values.” Based on those criteria, they came out in favor of Markey for senator, Roath for U.S. representative, Perkins for Norfolk DA, and Lopez for state rep.

Lopez, as detailed on her website, has also picked up endorsements from the likes of the Mass. Nurses Association, Progressive Massachusetts, and the Mass. Women’s Political Caucus, while Loughran has secured the endorsement of Rep. Galvin, current holder of the office in question. For more on all three candidates, check out their campaign websites at cantonmavoterguide.com.

The members of the Canton High Pops Chorus finally experienced their “rock-star moment” as they took the stage and performed alongside legendary rock band Foreigner in front of 20,000 fired-up fans at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield last Saturday night.

The once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was their big prize for winning the annual high school chorus contest put on by Boston radio station Easy 99.1 FM. Led by their choral director, Catherine Eckersley, the students sang back-up on Foreigner’s hit song “I Want to Know What Love Is” and then were warmly introduced to the crowd by Foreigner’s lead singer, Luis Maldonado.

Reflecting on the importance of creative self-expression for young people and preserving funding for music and art education, Maldonado reminded the crowd, “These are our future singers, our future bands, and our future songwriters — and they are worth it.”

“Ladies and gentlemen, with all sincerity, this is our future,” he said. “Please keep music and the arts alive.”

In addition to getting to see the concert and perform on stage, the chorus was also awarded a $1,000 cash prize, with $500 coming from Foreigner and the other $500 from the contest’s presenting sponsor, Canton-based FM Generator.

Mike Molway, FM Generator’s owner, said he was thrilled to learn that his hometown school chorus had been chosen for the honor, and the company also provided each participant with a custom t-shirt to wear for the performance that featured a Canton “C” on the front and “Foreigner x Canton Pops Chorus” on the back.

Eckersley, who besides leading the CHS chorus also serves as the performing arts coordinator for the entire Canton school district, got to join the students on stage for the performance and said it was a night they will all remember for a long time.

“The excitement backstage was extraordinary,” Eckersley said. “I am so proud of the students for all their hard work. I was thrilled to introduce some of them to their first rock concert and others to their first ever concert.”

Held on August 8 in Newton, the event provided swimmers with the opportunity to test their skills against the rest of the league, and the Dolphins held up quite well, placing sixth overall out of a field of 11 teams. That followed a regular season in which they finished fifth in the standings and were consistently competitive, winning six of their 10 meets. It was a similar story at this season’s annual Mile Relay event held in Dedham, where the Canton boys raced their way to a third-place finish while the girls finished a respectable fifth.

At the league championship meet, the brightest star for the Dolphins was youngster Alianna Burns, who went on to capture the girls 8 and under backstroke title, besting the entire field of 43 swimmers, while also adding a runner-up finish (2nd out of 62) in the 25-yard freestyle.

Fellow Dolphin Jane Perreault, who competes in the same age group as Burns, also earned herself a silver in the breaststroke to go along with a top-10 finish in the freestyle.

Other top girls finishers for Canton at the league meet included Akhila Shenoy Ross (8&U), who finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the backstroke and freestyle, and Aveline Mulhall (9-10), who placed seventh overall in the breaststroke and 14th out of 79 in the freestyle. Also scoring at least one top-10 finish were Mia Avery in the girls 15-18 breaststroke (7th) and Victoria Yanikowski in the girls 11-12 butterfly (9th).

On the boys’ side, the Dolphins were led by a trio of CHS standouts, all of whom competed in the 15-18 age group. Anderson Lee produced the highest placement with a fifth-place showing in the breaststroke while adding a ninth-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle. Teammate Aidan Pham finished just one spot behind Lee in the freestyle and also took sixth in the backstroke, while Maddox Carbone placed eighth in the breaststroke and 10th in the butterfly.

Canton’s 18&U boys 100 medley relay team of Tyler Nguyen, Nolan Redquest, Cooper Curry and Ryder Nguyen also impressed with a third-place finish, while Redquest finished top 10 in both the breaststroke and backstroke in the boys 13-14 age group. Also placing top 10 in at least one individual event were Ryder Nguyen in the boys 9-10 backstroke (8th), Cooper Curry in the boys 11-12 butterfly (9th), and Grant Watts in the boys 8&U freestyle (9th).

***

Other Dolphin team members who finished in the top half of the field in at least one event at the league meet included Addison Weiner, Hannah Healy, Caitlyn Reynolds and Isla Sbalbi for the girls and Spencer Tran, Owen Perreault, Radley Curry and Cole Hannah for the boys.

(Above) Graduating from the program this year were Tyler Nguyen (11 years), Caitlyn Reynolds (11 years) and Spencer Tran (5 years).

As we wrap up National Immunization Awareness Month and look forward to the start of a new school year, now would be the perfect time to begin thinking about seasonal vaccinations.

Vaccines are a safe, effective way to slow the spread of contagious disease. Not only do they protect the individual patient and help build up your own immunity; they also protect vulnerable populations and play a key role in maintaining community health. Massachusetts, according to a recent national survey, had some of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Are you up to date?

Here at the Canton Health Department, we offer a variety of pediatric and adult vaccines, including Hep B, Prevnar20, Shingles, Tdap, and adult RSV. 

Vaccinations are available to all Canton residents, including uninsured and underinsured. Don’t forget the annual flu and COVID vaccine! We will have pediatric, adult, and +65 flu vaccines for the 2026-27 season. See the full list and links to sign up at town.canton.ma.us/859/Vaccine-Information-and-Clinics.

Vaccines protect your family and our town from preventable disease like the flu, whooping cough, and measles. Do your part to keep Canton healthy. 

Call the Canton Public Health Nurse office at 781-821-2942 with any questions, and be on the lookout for our flu vaccination clinics starting next month.

On Tuesday, members of the Canton Select Board got their first formal look at the plan, which represents the first major update of the document since 2018. The report is also under review by the Planning Board, Conservation Commission, Parks and Recreation Commission and Metropolitan Area Planning Commission (MAPC).

On hand to present the key components of the new OSRP were Town Planner Connor Murphy and Krista Moravec of the Horsley Whitten Group, who prepared the new plan on behalf of the town. Spanning over 70 pages, the final report includes an inventory of open space and environmental resources within the town of Canton, including water resources, scenic landscapes, unique geological features, and rare plant and wildlife species.

Designed as a 10-year plan with implementation set to begin in 2027, the new OSRP will serve as a tool that local decision makers can use to guide investments in open space and recreational resources. It outlines resource protection, facility maintenance, and overall community needs associated with these resources while establishing goals and priorities to be accomplished over the next decade.

The newly updated plan spells out five main goals, the first of which is to protect 30 percent of Canton’s natural land by 2030 and 40 percent by 2050 in an effort to “build climate resilience; maintain and enhance water quality, biodiversity, and wildlife corridors; and connect the public with nature.”

Other primary goals include:

* Maintain and manage Canton’s conservation areas …

See this week’s Citizen to read the full version of this story. Click here to order your subscription today.

Since the start of the seasonal testing program in June, a total of 184 mosquitoes have tested positive for West Nile, including one sample collected in the town of Canton on Monday, August 17. Positive samples have also been recorded in the towns of Dedham and Avon over the past few weeks. As a result, the risk level for WNV has been elevated from “low” to “moderate” in dozens of Massachusetts cities and towns, including Canton, and it was recently raised to “high” in the city of Boston and five other adjoining communities.

“West Nile virus can be a devasting disease, especially for those who are older or have compromised immune systems,” said Mass. Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein. “The end of August is frequently a time for people to enjoy being outside before the start of the school year and the arrival of fall, but I want to remind everyone of the importance of taking steps to prevent mosquito bites.

“While most people exposed to WNV will not develop serious illness, some may develop very severe illness requiring hospitalization. In some cases, the disease can be fatal.”

The first human case of West Nile virus in the commonwealth this year was confirmed last week in a male patient in his 90s who was exposed in Middlesex County, and on Monday, another Middlesex County resident — a man in his 60s — also tested positive for WNV. Meanwhile, state health officials also recently announced that Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE) — another rare but serious and potentially fatal mosquito-borne illness — had been detected in mosquito samples for the first time this summer.

The samples were collected in the town of Kingston on August 17, and as a result, the risk level for EEE has been elevated to moderate in that community as well as the surrounding towns of Carver, Halifax and Plympton.

So far this year, there have been no documented human or animal cases of EEE, which tends to occur in outbreak cycles, according to State Epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. The last outbreak was seen in 2024, with a total of four human cases and one death reported. There were no documented cases in any of the previous three summers (2021-23), but there was a notable spike in 2019-20, with a total of 17 human cases and seven deaths recorded  in that span.

“When EEE is found in mosquitoes later in the season like this, there is less opportunity for the risk to increase to very high levels,” said Brown, “but anytime EEE virus is in mosquitoes, it can be spread to people. We rely on our mosquito surveillance program to monitor for the presence of virus to let people know when and where the risk is occurring so they can take steps to protect themselves.”

Brown said mosquitoes will remain a threat until the first hard frost and urged residents to take some basic precautions to protect themselves and their loved ones, including:

* Applying insect repellent with an EPA-registered ingredient (DEET, permethrin, picaridin, oil of lemon eucalyptus) when spending time outdoors.

* Wearing long sleeves, long pants and socks when outdoors to keep mosquitoes away from your skin and prevent them from biting.

* Being mindful of peak biting times for mosquitoes — dusk to dawn — and consider rescheduling outdoor activities that occur during evening or early morning in areas of high risk.

Homeowners should also take steps to mosquito-proof their home, such as:

* Draining or discarding items that hold water, as mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Be sure to check rain gutters and drains; empty unused flowerpots and wading pools; and change the water in birdbaths frequently.

* Ensuring that window screens are tightly fitted and are free of holes.

Animal owners can also reduce potential mosquito breeding sites on their property by eliminating standing water from containers — especially after heavy rains — and flushing out water troughs at least once a week during the summer months. Horses should be kept in indoor stalls at night to reduce their risk of exposure, and owners should speak with their veterinarian about animal-safe mosquito repellents and vaccinations to prevent WNV and EEE. If an animal is suspected of having either illness, owners are required to report it to both DPH (617-983-6800) and the Division of Animal Health (617-626-1795).

For more information on mosquito-borne illnesses, including prevention tips and the latest WNV and EEE risk maps, visit mass.gov/dph/mosquito.

* Canton Public Schools’ 2026-27 bus schedule

* Crews prep GMS site for start of school

* CHS Pops Chorus performs on stage with Foreigner

* CHS student wins state crown in first-ever pageant

* Highlights from the August 25 Select Board meeting

* Crimmins announces campaign for governor’s council

* Canton firefighters assist with well rescue

* Immunization guide from Canton Health Dept.

* CHS Athletic Director bullish on Bulldogs for 26-27

Also, don’t forget to check out our many weekly features, including:

* Police & Fire News Notes

* Senior Corner and letters to the editor

* Cable Guide, Citizen Around Town, and much more

* House of the Week and more local real estate resources

Loving son of the late Gladys and Ray Kendall, Ron was welcomed into the family shortly after his birth through the gift of adoption. Raised in Brockton and East Bridgewater, he graduated from East Bridgewater High School before enlisting in the Air Force at 18 years old. He served in the Military Police with distinction. His time in England and France broadened his view of the world and who he could become in it. After returning home, Ron, who in his own words “wasn’t much of a student,” earned his bachelor’s degree from Bridgewater State University before attaining his master’s at Suffolk University.

Ron met his wife, Donna, while at Bridgewater State and quickly became a fixture at the Hazels’ home on Althea Road in Randolph. Soon living as part of the family, Ron navigated the mix of big personalities in a small space, including the antics of younger brothers, Evern and Willy, who became his lifelong friends. After marrying, Ron and Donna had two children and followed his career through multiple states before settling in Canton permanently in 1987.

Ron began his career in the hotel industry as a bus boy at the Holiday Inn in Randolph. He doggedly chased opportunities for advancement and worked his way up, from front desk attendant to general manager, to regional manager and eventually to founding a small hotel development company. That small company grew to become Buffalo Lodging Associates, where he served as president for nearly 40 years. Having started at the bottom, he knew how valuable every individual’s contribution was, regardless of position, to the success of the company.

Ron was an individual who both loved to pursue goals and absolutely could not sit still. He put that energy to good use playing tennis competitively at Bridgewater State, running marathons, golfing, and playing and coaching basketball. Daily exercise and voracious reading calmed his mind, which was always in search of the next puzzle to solve or idea to contemplate. He enjoyed the camaraderie and connection of a great conversation, especially over a cigar.

Family was at the heart of Ron’s life. His legacy is the example he set — of leaving things better than he found them, championing the beauty of second chances, and showing that the right thing to do is not a choice but a given.

Ron is survived by his wife of 52 years, Donna (nee Hazel), who shared in his life with love and companionship. He also leaves behind his children, Joe Kendall and his wife, Trish, of Canton, and Rachel Rigoli and her husband, Jameson, of Canton. Ron was a proud grandfather to Lilly and Sam Kendall, and Cece and Tessa Rigoli, each of whom was a source of great pride and happiness. Ron is also survived by his many siblings, some whose friendship he enjoyed his whole life, Raymond Kendall of Florida, and some it was his great pleasure to find in adulthood, Brenda Patterson of Stoughton, Teresa Thomas of Norwood, Anne Beckira and her husband, Bill Mealey, of Portsmouth, NH, David Rosati and his wife, Jacqueline, of Millis, and Diane Carroll and her husband, Jim, of Somersworth, NH.

Ron lived a full life up until the very end, dedicated first and foremost to his family, followed by his passion for work and his employees, exercise, and close friendships. He will be deeply missed by his family and all who had the privilege of knowing him.

A funeral service to celebrate Ron’s life will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Friday, September 4, at the Congregational Church of Canton with a luncheon to follow. A private family burial will take place at Knollwood Memorial Park on Saturday, September 5. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Greater Boston Food Bank at gbfb.org/ways-to-give/honor-someone-special.

Born in Boston, Tom grew up in Canton, attended St. John’s elementary school, and graduated from Canton High School in 1964. Tom was a proud U.S. Army veteran who served two terms of duty in Vietnam. He was a career truck driver, most recently with Radford Transportation in Mansfield.

Tom is the loving son of the late Roger and Virginia Galvin of Canton. Beloved husband and friend of Marie Galvin. Devoted brother of Ellen Cimadon of Plainville, CT, the late Donald Galvin of Canton, the late Maureen Darling of Canton, and Roger Galvin of Wareham.

Interment and funeral services will be private. Arrangements by the Pushard Family Funeral Home, 210 Sherman Street, Canton.

When Pat met Toni in 1995, he was an answer to her prayers. When they married a year later, he embraced her family wholeheartedly, and they embraced him just as fully. To their seven grandchildren, he was Papou Pat — a grandfather who made each child feel uniquely seen, loved, and chosen.

Pat was known for being generous, trustworthy, compassionate, forward-thinking, bright, inquisitive, fun, and just a nice guy. He served his birth country for 10 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force, becoming the RCAF’s youngest master navigator flying the CP-107 Argus Sub Hunter, and proudly maintained his pilot’s license into his mid-60s. He loved sharing stories of his days as a pilot, especially the one when he had to build and stay in an igloo north of the Arctic Circle while on maneuvers. All of his storytelling ended in a good chuckle.

Before retiring 22 years ago, Pat spent 10 years as IT director at National Medical Care (now Fresenius) in Waltham. During his tenure, he was admired for his vision, steady leadership, kindness, humility, and his gift for bringing out the best in the people around him. After retiring, he remained close friends with many of his work colleagues.

Pat was a passionate golfer who played in all 50 states, all 10 provinces, and over 20 countries. He taught others that the main rule in golf was that there are no rules. When there were rules, they included: unlimited mulligans, skip holes you don’t want to play, play the first nine holes three times, one-handed putting for half strokes, and tee off from wherever, even the fairway. He was so good that he never kept score and he never hit out of a sand trap! An avid runner and walker as well, one who ran many marathons in his younger days, he inspired family and friends to stay active and enjoy the outdoors.

He was the fun uncle and grandfather — the one who took kids out for ice cream, chocolate, or donuts …  although the donuts were not the eating type; they were the car-in-parking-lot kind, his beloved “test drives!”

In his later years, Pat became a pied piper of the backyard — a backyard Saint Francis who fed countless birds, chipmunks, and squirrels year-round from his mancave (his garage). There he spent peaceful hours reading, working on cryptoquote and sudoku puzzles, watching YouTube videos, and slowly enjoying his daily stogie.

In addition to his wife, Toni, Pat is survived by his brother-in-law, Leo Murphy of Montreal. He is predeceased by his parents, Norman and Dorothy (Griffin) Marshall of Liverpool, NS, and his siblings Danny (Lelo and Audrey) Marshall of Ottawa, ON, Sally (Eddie) Lund of Saint John, NB, and Sheila Murphy of Montreal, QC.

A funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 7, at St. Gregory the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church in Mansfield, with visiting hours at 10 a.m. followed by the funeral service at 11 and interment at Knollwood Memorial Park in Canton. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Patrick Marshall to St. Gregory the Theologian Greek Orthodox Church, 1007 West St., Mansfield, MA 02048. May Pat’s memory be eternal.