HARWICH — Jason Barbour and Judy Abbruzzese could be homeless on Friday. The couple has been bouncing around since May 11 when fire and heavy toxic smoke destroyed their home in Dennis. But time and the generosity of others are now running out. Having lost cherished belongings to the fire, along with their cat Bobo, they are facing the reality of the housing crisis on Cape Cod. They have been working with s...

HARWICH — The town hopes to sell the historic West Harwich Schoolhouse at 5 Bells Neck Rd., which has been vacant for approximately 20 years. In May town meeting voters approved the sale of the building, which could include conditions that require preservation of the 1871 structure. Town Administrator Joseph Powers told selectmen last week that a request for proposals for the sale of the building is ready t...

HARWICH — The Children’s Center has received a contribution from former students at the preschool to purchase new books and puzzles. The $700 contribution came from the profits at a lemonade stand set up during the Chatham Independence Day Parade. Abby Newberry-West, the director of The Children’s Center, said the Meyers family children – Abigail, Kaleb, Paige, Cynthia and Eleanor – raised the money selling co...

HARWICH — Thayer’s Flowers Inc. has been dressing up and refreshing homes and spirits for nearly 90 years, but the South Harwich landmark will be closing its doors next month. “Time has caught up with us,” Pat Thayer said of the reason behind the decision to close the shop on Saturday, Aug. 28. “Gordon will be 80 in February.” Gordon Thayer’s father, Sheldon Thayer Sr., started the business in 1932, and ove...

HARWICH — Harwich has long been a seafaring town, and the nautical theme in the newly opened Bud’s Mini Golf, next to Bud’s Go Karts near the intersection of Route 28 and Sisson Road, reflects that maritime history. The course has been open since July 1. Owners Steve Gopoyan and Swavi Osev are planning an official opening and ribbon-cutting for Thursday, July 22 (today) at 9:30 a.m. Gopoyan said last week that...

HARWICH — Several allegations of liquor license violations were leveled against the Seal Pub and Cafe in police department reports during a show-cause hearing on Thursday. The allegations included serving after hours, serving intoxicated individuals, and allowing excessive noise. The allegations were contained in police reports filed by a number of Harwich officers. The owners will present a response to the...

HARWICH – Developer Christopher Wise filed suit against the planning board last week over the board's refusal to approve a five-lot plan for land along Hall’s Path. The board determined at a June 22 hearing that division of the 8.64-acre parcel would have to be done under the town’s subdivision control regulations, not as a by-right “approval not required” (ANR) plan, usually granted for lots that meet current...

HARWICH — The town’s Treasure Chest, a community swap shop at the transfer station, has been closed for 16 months due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While there is considerable interest in seeing the facility open once again, there are some mixed feelings about doing so. Selectman Larry Ballantine, the board's liaison to the Treasure Chest committee, said the board has received 40 to 50 emails from residents wantin...

In the wake of a confirmed case of raccoon rabies in Hyannis recently, wildlife officials are now distributing nearly 70,000 oral rabies vaccine baits in Harwich, Chatham, Orleans and surrounding towns. Some of the bait will be thrown from trucks, but most doses will be dropped by helicopter. A previous vaccination effort on the Cape held raccoon rabies at bay for nearly a decade, but a raccoon tested positive...

HARWICH — When he was serving in AmeriCorps taking down red pines in the town of Sandwich, Connor O'Brien learned that his grandfather worked with the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s planting the trees. “I was taking down the trees he possibly planted,” O’Brien said. Growing up in Dennis, O'Brien always loved the Cape's natural environment. Now the former AmeriCorps of Cape Cod program supervisor g...

HARWICH — WE CAN has been supporting and empowering women who are going through major life transitions and challenges for the past 20 years. To celebrate its anniversary, the Harwich-based non-profit is seeking to improve those services for women with a new $500,000 fundraising campaign which has already garnered major contributions from the business community. In honor of the milestone anniversary and to s...

HARWICH — The field is growing for an unexpired term on the board of selectmen. Former selectman Julie Kavanagh and aquaculturist and teacher Mark Kelleher have joined Jeffrey Handler in seeking the seat. After the passing of Selectman Stephen Ford in April, selectmen set the special election for Sept. 21. Candidates have until July 30 to take out nomination papers. The term will run to the May annual election...