Time For Unique Thinking Editor: As the Chatham COA was so focused on a new building, they did not notice that many seniors were filling their active lives with activities/programs without ever entering the COA building. Chatham seniors recognize themselves as part of a community, a feeling of fellowship with others sharing common interests. The Chatham Health Club could bring "health" benefits to all. G...

Boat Deserves A Mooring Editor: The Atlantic Workshop boat saga reminds me of a story about my dad. Willard Salter lived 30 years in Orleans and among his volunteer jobs he was a selectman, which he found a thankless position. Near the end of his job stint, a citizen complained that a “For Sale” sign on his beetle cat in the front yard violated sign bylaws. My dad, in his characteristic wit, wrote a lette...

There are many things about Massachusetts to find fault with, but one thing we really appreciate about living here is that we don't usually have to deal with narrow-minded efforts to ban books – at least, not locally. The same can't be said for Tennessee – where a school district took Art Speigleman's Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic novel “Maus” off the shelves because of panels showing naked cartoon mice – or Tex...

At a recent meeting with the Chatham Select Board, Airport Commission Chair Huntley Harrison said he feels the commission isn’t succeeding in promoting the positive work being done on behalf of the airport, as evidenced by the steady barrage of negative letters published in The Chronicle. First, we feel his pain. The letters from airport critics generally come from the same small group of authors, and sometime...

The town of Chatham and the Coast Guard have been at odds since the Coast Guard downgraded Station Chatham’s surf station designation and discontinued using two 42-foot nearshore surf boats on Jan. 5. Why the change? The Coast Guard’s own data revealed that surf conditions didn’t meet the criteria for Station Chatham to remain specially-designated as it had been for decades. In the meantime, two 45-foot respon...

Chatham Celebrates Women For Real Editor: Really! Women deserved much more than a “virtual” parade to celebrate the 100th anniversary of women’s rights in 2020. Granted, the COVID pandemic was the reason that the parade was canceled, but that doesn’t mean we can’t rectify the misfortune. I’m sure there were some fantastic ideas floated (pardon the pun) for honoring the greatness of women, past, present, and...

The tension between keeping land open and natural and using what little remains available to help ameliorate the regional housing crisis played out – and is still playing out – last year when Chatham officials tried to designate a portion of town-owned open space off Middle Road for housing. That request was defeated after open space advocates mounted a spirited defense of the plants and critters that call the ar...

Grateful For Tobin's Guidance Editor: We want to give a special thanks to Dan Tobin for his support as we formed the Chatham Windmill Group in 2010 to restore the Godfrey Windmill in Chase Park. This made the mill available once again to be visited and enjoyed by the public. Even though this added another area of responsibility to his work for the town, his guidance helped make this possible through at...

Chatham seems to have borne the brunt of the last weekend's blizzard, despite lower snowfall totals than many areas to the west. Almost the entire town from Morton Road east lost power, a full 89 percent of Eversource customers. Plunging temperatures turned the early wet snow into ice under the more powdery stuff that fell during most of Saturday, weighing down trees and wires and creating challenges in clearing ...

Spread CPA Funds Around Editor: Chatham is at another crossroads of deciding whether to preserve the historic fabric of this uniquely positioned town. Though graced with an extensive supply of beach frontage, it is its charm created by its streetscapes of houses built 100, 200, 300 years ago that attracts residents and visitors, all of whom invest in it when shopping and paying taxes.  My family has been do...

Re: Take Action In New Year Editor: ReThink, ReFurbish, ReBuild, ReFuse, ReDuce, ReUse, RePurpose, RePair. Or Rot. When it comes to plastic there is no ReCycle. What are you doing for the New Year? Patrick Otton East Harwich    Tobin Went To Bat For A's Editor: I would like to take this time to first congratulate Dan Tobin on his retirement after 37 years with the Chatham Parks and R...

What happens when too much development impinges on the natural environment? Conflicts develop. We've seen this in the abstract with the controversy over the open space off Middle Road in Chatham. Taking just a small part of it to build affordable housing prompted a backlash from residents who want to see the land remain undeveloped, despite the deep housing crisis the town and region are experiencing. Peopl...