CHATHAM — A Crowell Road resident is clinging to life after being exposed to deadly carbon monoxide in her home Monday. Officials received a call Monday morning from two women at the senior center reporting that their friend, 91-year-old Nancy Olson, hadn’t shown up as expected. “She goes there regularly to play Scrabble, and she didn’t show up this morning,” Deputy Fire Chief David DePasquale said Mond...

CHATHAM – Some changes are in store for this weekend's 39 th annual Christmas By The Sea, but the essence of the event – a celebration of community in the holiday spirit – will remain the same. “All of the traditions of the past 38 years will be in place,” said Jenn Allard of the Chatham Merchants Association, which is sponsoring the three-day event. “We're just trying to make it a little more special.” A cha...

CHATHAM ─ Clad in tall hip waders and bright blue rubber gloves, Monomoy Middle School student Yoangel Rodriguez reached into a purple mesh bag and began scattering what looked like peanuts onto the flats at Mill Creek in Chatham. Rodriguez was really laying down quahog seeds that should come to maturity around the time the young man who planted them graduates high school. The bond between student and shellfish...

CHATHAM – For the first time in a decade, First Night revelers may welcome in the new year without the Countdown Cod. First Night officials were working this week on the logistics to include the illuminated cod in the midnight countdown after earlier deciding to forego the fish after its builder and owner moved out of town. This week, however, Richard Clifford said he'd be happy to provide the cod but could...

CHATHAM – “There's no such thing as just leaves and dirt.” That mantra, recited by Monomoy Regional Middle School science teacher Melinda Forist, was repeated by students recently as they dipped nets into the brackish water of a vernal pool located behind the school. The nets came up with leaves and dirt, for sure, but also contained a number of wriggling and squirming creatures. Students counted nine tadpo...

CHATHAM — Suffering a clear case of sticker shock, selectmen last week asked committees to scale back plans for a $4 million waterfront facility envisioned for 90 Bridge St. Answering a mandate by voters who purchased the land for future commercial and recreational marine uses, the town’s three water-related advisory committees worked with a consultant to find options for the small parcel next to the Mitchel...

CHATHAM — This year, good tidings will be coming to the children of Chatham courtesy of an actual one-horse open sleigh. And it’s a sleigh with a story. On Saturday, Dec. 9 from 1 to 4 p.m., visitors to the Chatham Historical Society’s Atwood House Museum will be able to see the fully-restored sleigh, which was rescued from the basement of the former Eldredge Garage before it was razed. Visitors are encourag...

CHATHAM – The town's annual Christmas celebration officially gets underway this Sunday when Santa Claus arrives at the Chatham Fish Pier. Santa will arrive in style, on the historic CG36500 motor lifeboat, featured in the book and film “The Finest Hours,” at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 3. He'll be escorted by members of the Chatham Coast Guard Station and greet children at the pier. After making his way through the crow...

CHATHAM — Selectmen agree that it’s probably time to consider hiking water rates to better maintain and expand the town’s water system. But they don't want to do so in a way that soaks low-income residents or small businesses. Meeting as water and sewer commissioners Tuesday, the board held a hearing on a complex proposal that would increase the amount customers pay for water, both to raise revenue for capital...

CHATHAM — Having provided a measure of financial stability for local families for decades, the Chatham Children's Fund is now enjoying a little stability of its own – just in time for the holidays. On Monday, resident David Oppenheim said he and his wife, Gail, intend to make the office at 210 Stony Hill Rd. available to the Children's Fund on a permanent basis. It's a boon for the longstanding nonprofit, wh...

On Sunday, 450 local families queued up at the Family Pantry's headquarters in Harwich, and a satellite center in West Barnstable, to receive Thanksgiving dinners. Each left with a turkey and grocery bags filled with potatoes, vegetables, stuffing and a pie, courtesy of the Family Pantry and its donors. Now that's something to be thankful for. As we've done each Thanksgiving since 2004, The Cape Cod Chronic...

CHATHAM — In an organizational meeting last Thursday, members of the new Eldredge Garage Property Planning Committee said they'd already received scores of suggestions for the re-use of that prime downtown real estate. The nine-member panel was chosen by the board of selectmen to review the potential uses of the property at 365 Main St., which was purchased by town meeting last January for $2.5 million. The ...