Quick, where’s “Children’s Beach?” If you’re a local from Chatham and you had trouble answering that question, you’re not alone. Having covered the town for nearly 60 combined years, our Chatham reporters didn’t know. A couple of lifelong residents we spoke with were stumped. The parks and recreation department doesn’t use the name, nor does the chamber of commerce. Aside from a few sparse references in our ar...

The future. That's why Monomoy Regional School District officials say they are leaning toward reducing or eliminating Spanish language instruction from Chatham and Harwich Elementary Schools in favor of more science/STEM. Given the changes in technology over the past two decades, students graduating 10 years from now will need even more grounding in science and STEM subjects to compete. That emerged from a rec...

Stop The Madness, Save Monomoy   Editor: Say it isn’t true that the town of Chatham, that is us, the people, the town government, the business owners, all who love Chatham tradition and summer after summer of superb theater, are going to let the Monomoy Theatre disappear. Will someone please come forward with a plan to stop this madness? Carole and Lou Maloof Chatham   Confused By Pet Ceme...

The clip-clop of these work boots always catches my attention. I heard it the other day and thought, that’s funny. I don’t ever recall ever hearing that over the past few months since I bought them. It would be outdoors. Not running. Typically on concrete or stone. Of course, then I realized the soles were cold. They had lost their bounce, and so sounded more like clogs on the hard winter surfaces. Or an old t...

For some, Valentine’s Day is just another blank square on the calendar, for others, it’s a special day to show appreciation for friends, children, parents and spouses. And for youngsters and oldsters, whose hormones are still raging, it may be a heart throbbing, love seeking adventure. Love relationships can be tough: half end in divorce or break-ups. To the unattached, Valentine’s Day may be SAD (Singles Awar...

Coast Guard Grateful For Support Editor: We would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to every person and business that helped the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Station Chatham. We were all completely overwhelmed by the kindness, compassion, and generosity that was extended to the active duty members and their families. We may be U. S. Coast Guard Station Chatham, but the enormous amount of support we receive...

Chatham resident and former long-time finance committee member Roslyn Coleman posed an interesting – and certainly “outside the box” – proposition at Monday's meeting of the board of selectmen. With the conversion of year-round houses to summer homes one of the factors driving up real estate prices and making it difficult for young families to stay in town, and with demolition of modest homes one of the main ways...

Chatham police received several calls Monday from residents worried about a seal that had hauled itself up on the ice at Harding's Beach. Even though the animal was probably just resting – basking in the sun on an unusually warm winter day – the human instinct is to conclude that something is wrong; this is a marine mammal and it's out of the water. It must need help. While injured or sick seals sometimes do h...

Chatham Helps With Shoe box Project Editor: I am writing to thank Chatham residents for sharing the true meaning of Christmas with children in need this past holiday season. Because of the generosity of donors in Chatham and across the United States, Operation Christmas Child, a project of Samaritan’s Purse, collected more than 8.8 million shoe boxes in 2018. Combined with those collected from partnering...

There is no doubt – we are in the midst of the dark, cold, quiet season of winter. Our weather has become unpredictable. Two years before I moved here the Cape’s snowfall made the national news – my first winter nary a flake fell. January 2017 was so mild that the snowdrops were blooming in my yard before being covered by six weeks of snow. Wind and ice last year damaged trees and fences and shut down our power t...

An Opportunity For Reflection  Editor: My name is Jim Nelson and I have spent some time researching my ancestry. Fortunately, it appears than I have less genealogical connection to the now infamous Beverly Nelson than the infamous Elizabeth has to the Cherokee Nation. One thing I do have in common with Beverly is that my family and I have the privilege of owning a home in Chatham. Our decision to move to...

Chatham selectmen heard the details of a recent comprehensive sidewalk management plan and the news was rather discouraging. There are 11 miles of sidewalks in town and 265 curb ramps, much of which requires repair or upgrade. The good news is that this inventory allows the town to rank the condition of sidewalks and curbs and determine how to prioritize repairs; only 1.78 miles are ranked as excellent, with more...