CHATHAM — In response to what they say are problems with the whole group, not any individual member, selectmen Monday voted to abolish the embattled charter review committee. The 4-1 vote included the revocation of all committee members’ appointments. The board of selectmen stopped short of considering a measure to appoint itself as the new charter review committee. “The issues that are at hand with this ...

CHATHAM — Local author Elizabeth Rudnick Hessler has been on a roll in the past few years in terms of novelizations. Ever since 2006, she’s been novelizing films for entertainment titan Disney, and it’s proved to be a very exciting job. “I am lucky enough that when I worked at Disney, I made great contacts, and my editors and co-workers from that time are still there,” said Hessler. “They know what my strength...

CHATHAM — Though there has yet to be any big influx of workers, the contractor hired to build a new observation deck at the fish pier is making some progress, town officials say. In a report to selectmen Monday, Coastal Resources Director Ted Keon said the concrete deck on the north and south sides of the packing house has now been poured, and new shingles, windows and doors are being installed on the buildi...

CHATHAM – The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy was created with public safety, research, and education in mind, and this summer the nonprofit is taking the public safety piece to heart with its new Shark Smart Beach Program at Lighthouse Beach. Each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday between 9 and 10 a.m., folks from the AWSC will be offering informational talks on sharks and shark safety. “We want to increase t...

Orpheum To Screen Documentary On 50th Anniversary One Sunday afternoon in July 1969, Don St. Pierre was announcing a dune buggy race in a pit on Middle Road near what was then the Chatham dump. Then, when St. Pierre shouted through his megaphone that the “Eagle” had just landed on the moon, “everyone applauded and screamed and hollered,” St. Pierre remembered last week. It July 20, 1969, 4:18 p.m. Joyce K. W...

Phillips Farm Family's breathtaking depiction of a revolving globe supported by military men and women following a giant eagle—reminiscent of the Marine Corps Eagle, Globe, and Anchor  emblem—was named the best overall float in Chatham's Independence Day parade, the second top honor in a row for the family. The float also won for Best Patriotic Entry. The float, and many others, reflected the parade's theme, “...

CHATHAM – The Chatham Historical Society has awarded a special internship grant this year thanks to the generosity of the Robert Hardy Memorial Fund, created in memory of Mr. Hardy by his children, Jane Roiter and Robert “Chip” Hardy. The purpose of the Hardy grant is to help support a gifted student interested in museum studies experience the inner workings of an active and established museum. This year’s gra...

CHATHAM – Who is looking for housing in town? “I see every income, literally, from one extreme to the other,” said Tracy Cannon, the Chatham Housing Authority's administrative assistant. While emergency housing situations are almost always addressed immediately, some have remained on the waiting list for one of the agency's 72 units for as long as 15 years. During a wide-ranging discussion that touched on b...

CHATHAM — The shifting sands off Chatham will cause North Beach Island to fold in toward the mainland by the year 2045, experts predict. That will mean more sand to protect parts of the shoreline from waves and storm surges, but more trouble for boats trying to navigate in and out of Aunt Lydia's Cove. In a recent public forum, John Ramsey of Applied Coastal Research and Engineering presented the predictions...

CHATHAM – It was another fine and festive Fourth of July as the annual Chatham Parade rolled through town, this year honoring men and women of the United States Military. The Phillips Farm family had one of the first floats in the parade, a powerful piece featuring a copper-painted revolving globe supported by military men and women surrounded by poppies, with veterans waving American flags at the back. Fan...

CHATHAM — While the general contractor has promised to complete the installation of a new observation deck at the fish pier by July 19, as of Tuesday, no construction was visible except for a few laborers methodically working on a small concrete ramp. What was visible was a chaotic scene exacerbated by the construction zone. While an 18-wheeler backed in to unload fish and several refrigerated trucks jockeye...

CHATHAM – Don't look for a food truck downtown during this summer's Mondays on Main music events. In a split vote, the chamber of commerce board of directors voted recently to not submit paperwork the board of selectmen needed to act on a request to allow the Mom and Pops Burgers food truck downtown during the weekly music strolls. The issue will be tabled until after the summer. Chamber President Stephen W...