CHATHAM — Town officials have mixed news when it comes to two projects they’d hoped to have complete before the Memorial Day weekend. While the Mitchell River drawbridge repairs were completed ahead of schedule, the construction of a new observation deck at the fish pier might not be. The contractor carrying out the work at the fish pier has requested a slight extension of the deadline for building the new o...

CHATHAM — By the slimmest of margins, voters Tuesday rejected a plan to seek a shark detection and deterrent system for Oyster Pond Beach. But they passed most other articles in the second and final night of the annual town meeting, and soundly approved a $325,000 plan to acquire property interests in the VFW to support renovations to its building. Voters approved several bans on consumer plastics, and decided ...

CHATHAM – Despite warnings that delays would escalate costs, concerns about the size and location of a new senior center led voters to reject the $6.6 million project and send it back to the drawing board on the first night of the annual town meeting. Also Monday, voters approved a zoning bylaw that will allow the creation of apartments in single-family homes, which advocates say will increase the stock of mar...

CHATHAMPORT — Before Lucky Lindy, Amelia Earhart or Howard Hughes took their places in aviation history, there was the crew of the NC-4, whose all-but-forgotten adventure began a century ago in Chatham. “Without an exaggeration, it changed the world,” retired Coast Guard Capt. Greg Ketchen said. “To paraphrase Neil Armstrong, it was a giant leap forward for mankind.” On Tuesday, Ketchen led a small assembly ...

In the 18 th century, sophisticated Parisians met in private homes to hear music performed in intimate venues. So it is appropriate that to mark the 20 th anniversary of the Chatham Music Club (CMC), which also meets in private homes to perform classical music, the group is planning a gala concert called “Vive La France.” The May 19 concert will feature a dozen soloists—singers and instrumentalists—as well as ...

CHATHAM — By the slimmest of margins, voters Tuesday rejected a plan to seek a shark detection and deterrent system for Oyster Pond Beach. But they passed most other articles in the second and final night of the annual town meeting, and soundly approved a $325,000 plan to acquire property interests in the VFW to support renovations to its building. Voters approved several bans on consumer plastics, and decided ...

CHATHAM – Despite warnings that delays would escalate costs, concerns about the size and location of a new senior center led voters to reject the $6.6 million project and send it back to the drawing board on the first night of the annual town meeting. Also Monday, voters approved a zoning bylaw that will allow the creation of apartments in single-family homes, which advocates say will increase the stock of mar...

CHATHAM – Saturday is “Free Locals Day” at two museums. As long as one person in a party has a driver's license with a Cape Cod address, the entire group gets free admission to the Atwood House and Museum and the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 11. “It's our way of making the museums accessible to local families across the Cape that might not be able to come otherwise,” said Dani...

CHATHAM – The annual town meeting begins Monday at 6 p.m. at the Monomoy Regional Middle School on Crowell Road. Voters should prepare to settle in for a longer-than-usual annual legislative session covering a number of significant topics, including funding for a new council on aging facility, a controversial accessory dwelling unit bylaw, funding for a shark barrier at Oyster Pond, bans on plastic bottles and st...

CHATHAM – As a way around a 164-year-old state law that prohibits municipalities from contributing public money to private institutions, the town will buy a portion of the Chatham VFW property on George Ryder Road, with the purchase price going toward renovation of the post building. At a single-article special town meeting next Tuesday, voters will be asked to purchase an L-shaped lot around the perimeter of ...

CHATHAM — Town Manager Jill Goldsmith’s job performance is good and getting better. That’s the word from the board of selectmen, which issued her annual evaluation this week. Board members rated Goldsmith on a four-point scale in each of six broad categories, giving her a composite score of 3.89, up from last year’s score of 3.64. The ranking “indicates strong collective praise from the selectmen for her ong...

WEST CHATHAM — Facing sticker shock over what could be up to $1.15 million in additional expenses for enhanced lighting, landscaping and sidewalks, selectmen will not be asking town meeting voters to pay for enhancements to the West Chatham roadway reconstruction project. But they will be asking the state to consider meeting some of the costs. The board included Article 60 on the May 13 warrant as a placehol...