CHATHAM – It's hard to believe, but growing up in Norwalk, Conn., Irene Gillies hated public libraries. “When I was a kid I was allowed to walk downtown to where the library was,” she explained. “I was into Agatha Christie, and that was in the adult section, and I was told I couldn't take [a book] out unless my mother was with me. Since I was allowed to be there by myself, I was highly insulted.” Other than...

HARWICH — The Monomoy Regional School Committee has decided not to pursue a controversial plan which would have allowed future realignment of the elementary school grades without the need to bring the plan to town meeting voters. The committee made its decision about two weeks after Chatham selectmen rejected the proposed change to the regional school agreement. Under that proposal, once the regional agreeme...

With two weeks remaining before the deadline to take out nomination papers for the annual election, a race has emerged for the three-year seat on the board of selectmen. Candidates Ed McManus and Thomas Sherry have both filed and had their papers certified by the board of registrars. “I want to be the voice of the people and give them a place to vent,” Sherry said on Monday. “Every town has issues, but as a se...

HARWICH — While public awareness of the opioid crisis is better, there’s not much other positive news on that front, officials say. “There’s not an awful lot of encouraging news,” Police Chief David Guillemette told the board of selectmen recently. The board had asked for an update on the problem in Harwich, and the chief said it continues to be a top concern. “Our community here reflects the trends acros...

HARWICH — Concerns have been raised about water intrusion at the new maintenance building at Saquatucket Harbor, with Selectman Donald Howell referring to the location as “Lake Downey.” Town officials admit there was a miscalculation on the depth of groundwater in a survey provided to the town before the start of the project, but Town Engineer Robert Cafarelli said this week adjustments have been made that wil...

Housing Assistance Corporation of Hyannis is seeking to work with the community to make improvements to the homes of seniors, the disabled or veterans. The program is called “Big Fix” and focuses on helping the most needy in the community. HAC Chief Development Officer Ann VanVleck told selectmen Monday night the group chooses one community each year and team leaders and volunteers provide small home repairs, ...

HARWICH — It has been a 13-year undertaking, but the results of the persistence of the Friends of the South Harwich Meetinghouse to preserve and restore the historic South Harwich Methodist Church will be on display over the St. Patrick's Day weekend with a grand opening series of benefit concerts by the Chatham Chorale. The Chatham Chorale will perform four of their popular Celtic concerts at the meetinghouse...

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a week early with the award-winning Celtic roots band Runa which will perform Irish and Scottish music in Harwich on March 10. “We’re bringing out all the celebration early,” says the band’s co-founder and manager Shannon Lambert-Ryan. “We’ll be playing high-energy songs and tunes from Ireland and Scotland and American Appalachian blue grass.” Runa will mark its own 10 th annive...

HARWICH – Elvis Presley caused a stir with his soulful songs and swiveling hips. William Shakespeare did the same with ribald plays like “Twelfth Night.” Now, the two have come together in Monomoy High School's rockin' spring musical “All Shook Up.” The show, which opens March 14, was chosen by art teacher Deb Donovan and music teacher Rose Richard, who serves as director and musical director, for its comedic ...

Living without electricity is fun for a while, but it gets old fast, as thousands of Cape residents can attest after last weekend's nor'easter. While some were fortunate to not lose power, many were out for 24, 36, 48 or more hours, growing colder and losing more perishable food by the hour. If you own a generator, you became the most popular household in the neighborhood. But more and more, communications and...

Projects Have Added Value Editor: Mr. Fulcher’s letter (Feb. 22) castigating Mr. David Oppenheim is mindful of the current dangerous national discourse of incivility, disrespect and divisiveness. I ask Mr. Fulcher to take a step back and think critically about the work of Mr. Oppenheim and his wife, Gail, over many years. Their numerous projects have added value as well as important resources to the town. ...

In 2005, the South Harwich Meetinghouse on Chatham Road barely stood, derelict and forlorn. Beset by ravages of time and vandals, both human and varmint, its future was as shaky as the structure. Along the way, after longtime use by Methodists, and later, Lutherans, it was put up for sale, with no takers. The town eventually bought it, and rudimentary efforts were made to maintain it, albeit in crude fashion – p...

Jack Curtis Lund             Jack Curtis Lund passed away at age 85 on February 20, 2018 in Friendswood, Texas.  He was born August 13, 1932 in Youngstown, Ohio to Carl & Anna Lund. He attended South High School in Youngstown, Ohio graduating in 1950. He then attended Youngstown State University graduating in 1955. Following graduation from college, he joined with his father in the family business of Lund ...

Kenneth John Ritchie             Kenneth John Ritchie, 90, formerly of West Chatham, passed away peacefully at St. Patrick’s Manor in Framingham on March 1, 2018. Ken was born in Dorchester on July 29, 1927 to Cecilia and Harold Ritchie of Milton. He was the husband of the late Jeanne (Dustin) Ritchie and the brother of Charlotte Mulvaney. He is survived by his sons, Stephen ...

Father Joseph Towle of Harwich gazes through the front window of the West Chatham Dunkin’ Donuts and across Route 28 to a cluster of four Habitat for Humanity homes where he worked until last fall, when the houses were completed. “I think it’s great because we’re hammering nails and cutting board but there’s a greater vision,” he says. “Building a more just society would be the secular way of looking at it. So...