CHATHAM – A Federal Aviation Administration skydiving safety risk assessment released Tuesday concludes that with some minor mitigation efforts, Chatham Municipal Airport is safe for skydiving. The four-page report dated Dec. 18 comes at a time when the town is engaged in two ongoing lawsuits over skydiving at the airport. In a statement, selectmen said it was time to “close the book on the debate regarding th...

CHATHAM – The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Natural Resources approved legislation Wednesday to restore the western boundary of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge to mean low tide. In last year's comprehensive conservation plan for Monomoy, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service declared as the western boundary an administrative line in Nantucket Sound that essentially added nearly 4,000 acres of wa...

CHATHAM — A well-known resident and longtime fixture at the Chatham Senior Center, Nancy Olson died Saturday, several days after she suffered accidental carbon monoxide poisoning in her home. Mrs. Olson’s death is renewing calls for seniors to take advantage of various programs designed to help elders live at home safely. “This is a terrible tragedy and it’s shocking, and it hits close to home for people,” C...

CHATHAM – Letters have gone out to Stage Harbor Road property owners to gauge support for declaring the neighborhood a National Historic Register District. The straw poll was sent Dec. 4 to 47 property owners within the proposed district, which would run from Cross Street to Bridge Street. The approximately 29-acre area includes 34 structures determined to contribute to a potential National Register District, ...

CHATHAM – Until about 15 years ago, the Friends of the Eldredge Library held an annual book sale, usually in July, on the front lawn of the historic Main Street building. Books would be stored all year long in the attic, recalls Library Director Irene Gillies. To get the books to the sale area, a “bucket brigade” of volunteers hefted heavy boxes from the third floor storage area and sent them down a slide to grou...

CHATHAM — Town officials have not yet decided on long-term uses for the former Eldredge Garage property at 365 Main St., or even intermediate uses next summer. But they’ve got a plan for the short term: secure the property with a split-rail fence, and prohibit overnight parking there until at least the spring. There’s a key exception: the property will be available for parking during First Night Chatham, whi...

CHATHAM – The June 2016 crash of a helicopter into Crow's Pond was the result of inadequate maintenance, exacerbated by an error in a maintenance log entry that delayed an overhaul beyond its mandatory timeframe, according to a report by the National Transportation Safety Board. Had the error not been made, timely maintenance would likely have led to the overhaul of sections of the engine that failed. Pilot...

Assessors See Drop In Sales Prices In Stage Harbor Road Area   by Tim Wood CHATHAM – The sale of homes in the Stage Harbor Road area for considerably less than the assessed value has caught the attention of the town's assessing department. Homeowners in the neighborhood are being polled on how they feel about a National Historic Register District nomination. The Massachusetts Historical Commission has...

CHATHAM – Surprises keep popping up during the renovation and restoration of the foundation of the Atwood House. The most recent discovery by Antique Buildings Specialist David Ottinger was a long, wide swath of 200-year-old wallpaper in very good condition for its age, according to museum officials. “As he was inspecting the parlor, he pulled back a section of wainscoting and there it was,” said Danielle J...

CHATHAM – The town has put out a solicitation for private land that might serve as a location for a new senior center. A request for proposals seeking parcels of land for sale suitable for a council on aging facility was issued last week. Bids are due Jan. 12. The move was made at the request of the board of selectmen. During a presentation of a COA space needs study Nov. 14, staff indicated that only a few...

Bylaw Would Allow Market-rate Apartments In Homes CHATHAM – Like a number of other Cape towns, Chatham has a zoning bylaw that allows the creation of apartments within single-family homes, but only if they are affordable. The bylaw has generated zero units, most likely because of that restriction. Other towns have had the same result. “In every case where that's done, there are no new units created,” said...

CHATHAM – The iconic Countdown Cod will return to help ring in the new year. Chatham First Night had taken the flying fish off its schedule for the upcoming New Year's Eve celebration after its creator, Richard Clifford, moved out of town. In its place the committee schedule a sing-along leading up to the countdown to midnight and fireworks over Oyster Pond. Clifford has since moved back to town and agreed ...