CHATHAM – Almost a year after it was established, the Chatham 365 task force is preparing to bring a series of recommendations to the board of selectmen to address the group's goal of encouraging a diverse, sustainable, year-round population. The task force's proposals range from taxation and zoning changes to economic incentives, sharing beach stickers with Harwich, building a community pool and moving the an...

CHATHAM – To say the least, Tony Guthrie was disappointed that food trucks were not allowed downtown during this summer's Mondays on Main music nights. He feels having them there would have attracted more people and injected some fun into the event; instead, a few people were able to block food trucks by claiming they'd take customers away from downtown restaurants. “Not everybody wants to sit in a restaurant,...

CHATHAM — When it comes to providing emergency medical services, firefighters do what they can to help their patients make a complete recovery. But Chatham Firefighter Paramedic Michael Lopriore is going the extra mile—with a dog leash in his hand. Lopriore and his colleagues were repeatedly called to help a resident suffering from a severe medical condition. “It was kind of an ongoing thing. It was getti...

CHATHAM – The Chatham Merchants Association's Art in the Park exhibit ended last Friday, and while the auction of the painted and decorated Cape Cod and mermaid silhouettes did not bring in as much as Sharks in the Park did in previous years, the organizer are pleased with the final tally. “I think we did great, we really did well,” commented Susan Dimm, president of the merchants group. Online bids for the...

CHATHAM – Working under a directive from the board of selectmen, the planning board has begun investigating ways to limit the size and mass of new homes. Last week the board met with two members of the planning board in Truro, which recently enacted a residential house size bylaw. Chatham has no similar bylaw, although controlling the mass and size of residential construction is called for in the town's compre...

CHATHAM – For most of the summer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff and volunteers monitoring nesting shorebirds on South Monomoy Island have been living in the historic Monomoy Light keeper's house, which underwent a top-to-bottom renovation over the past few years. But on Aug. 7, everyone left the island as poor weather approached. When they returned a week later, they discovered evidence of vandalism to the 1849...

CHATHAM — At low tide, the depth of the entrance channel to Outermost Harbor is measured in inches, not feet. That’s good news for beachgoers who like to wade across without getting their knees wet, but it spells big trouble for Outermost Harbor Marine, whose customers can find their boats stuck at the dock until high tide. The owners of the marina have started an online petition seeking the town’s support...

CHATHAM — With most conflicts with commercial fishermen now resolved, the fish pier observation deck project is edging toward completion. The town is working with general contractor Sciaba Construction Corp. to finalize a change order that establishes a project completion date of Sept. 2. Health and Natural Resources Director Robert Duncanson showed selectmen photos Monday showing the progress of deck con...

CHATHAM — If you were among the hundreds of motorists inconvenienced by the surprise closure of Stage Harbor Road early this week, try to see the bright side. Your car might’ve been swallowed by a sink hole instead. About two months ago, town officials received word of drainage problems in a small bog on the east side of Stage Harbor Road opposite Oyster Pond Beach. “The property immediately adjacent to t...

Discussion Of Use Of The Park Postponed CHATHAM – A discussion of neighbors' complaints about the use of Chase Park, scheduled for Monday's board of selectmen's meeting, was postponed to provide staff more time to research issues related to the Cross Street park, and to allow the full board, as well one of the chief complainants, to be present. Twelve property owners on Grist Mill Lane, Shattuck Lane and Shat...

Observe nature by our kettle ponds, at our outer beaches and in the local woods and you will be well rewarded by the wonder that insects, birds, animals and flowers provide. “Observe, observe, observe. Be better observers.” That was the message naturalist Peter Trull delivered to about 160 members of the Chatham Conservation Foundation Inc. (CCF) at the group’s 57 th annual meeting at the Wequassett Resort...

Roundabouts To Be In Place By Winter CHATHAM – By this winter, temporary roundabouts should be completed along Route 28, allowing residents to get familiar with new traffic patterns along the West Chatham corridor. Construction on the two-year, $4 million reconfiguration of the 1,700-foot roadway between Barn Hill and George Ryder roads is scheduled to resume on Sept. 3, the day after Labor Day. The initial...