CHATHAM – Cockle Cove Beach has been in rough shape for some time. It's been almost two years since a significant amount of sand has been brought in to build up the eroding beach, and officials are worried that its condition could deteriorate further before a planned fall or winter dredging project at nearby Mill Creek can provide an additional buffer between Nantucket Sound and the beach parking lot. Last wee...

CHATHAM – In what has become a tradition on the Wednesday before July 4, members of the Chatham Merchants Association, artists and supporters last week helped relocate the Sharks in the Park exhibit from Kate Gould Park to the front lawn of the Eldredge Public Library. Along with the 50-plus sharks, the move also included the video monitoring equipment that has thus far recorded the theft or attempted theft of...

CHATHAM – The scene was quintessentially American and particularly Chatham: thousands of people lining Main Street, many in red, white and blue garb, flags galore, clear blue skies and a light sea breeze. A perfect July 4 for a perfect Independence Day parade.   With more than 100 entrants and some 2,000 participants, ranging from kids in mini-cars to the town's oldest resident, the parade had something f...

CHATHAM – At the Eldredge Public Library last week, University of Oregon professor and immigration expert Daniel Tichenor discussed the turbulent history of America’s often hostile attitude towards immigrants and ways in which they have contributed to the enhancement and bettering of our nation since its founding. Tichenor began by reminding the audience that we have always been reluctant to welcome immigrants...

The Chatham Chorale joined the Chatham Band at Kate Gould Park Friday, June 30, for a surprise rendition of "Look to the Day."

CHATHAM – The scene was quintessentially American and particularly Chatham: thousands of people lining Main Street, many in red, white and blue garb, flags galore, clear blue skies and a light sea breeze. A perfect July 4 for a perfect Independence Day parade.   With more than 100 entrants and some 2,000 participants, ranging from kids in mini-cars to the town's oldest resident, the parade had something f...

CHATHAM – After the automobile began to dominate the Cape's burgeoning tourist industry in the 1930s and '40s, small collections of cabins – referred to as cottage colonies – began to spring up throughout the region. Many were located on ponds or near the ocean, often away from business and other resort centers. The camps were mostly small and affordable for families with few of the amenities that vacationers ...

CHATHAM — Christopher Woods, 21, has plenty to learn before he begins his planned career in naval aviation. But he's already got one thing going for him: he knows how to keep his head in an emergency. A rising senior at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., Woods is a summer resident of Chatham and a seasonal employee of the harbormaster's department. His grandparents, James and Barbara Woods, are summer resident...

CHATHAM – Just as panelists were discussing the dynamic nature of the town's shoreline during a forum at the community center Saturday morning (see the story on page 14), Mother Nature was proving their point by creating a new break in North Beach Island. By Sunday the northernmost tip of the island was an isolated sandbar and the new cut was more than 100 feet wide and deep enough for boats to navigate, thoug...

CHATHAM – The 122 nd edition of the town's Independence Day parade promises to be as big, if not bigger, than any since the event began in 1896, with 101 official entries as of early this week, according to parade organizers. “We're looking forward to having a great, beautiful day,” said Brad Schiff, chairman of the town's Independence Day parade committee. Many perennial favorites – such as the Chatham Ba...

CHATHAM — Crowded by boaters, fishermen and the occasional kayak slipping in and out of Stage Harbor, the 150-foot hopper dredge Currituck is slowly, nimbly chewing through the shoals that choke the harbor entrance. A marvel of engineering, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge churns up the bottom with two large drag arms and pumps the muddy slurry into the large open hopper. The boat then maneuvers its w...

CHATHAM – An overflow, standing room only crowd turned out on Saturday morning at the community center to heard what the future holds for the town's changing shoreline. Sponsored by the Chatham Alliance for Preservation and Conservation, a panel of four local coastal experts examined the subtle and often dramatic changes to Chatham’s dynamic 60 miles of shoreline. Chatham is on the leading edge of dram...