Chatham selectmen should move quickly to address neighbors' complaints about the use of Chase Park. We say “use” and not “ever-increasing use,” as it’s worded in a recent petition park neighbors submitted to the park and recreation commission, because in our view, Chase Park is one of the most underutilized public spaces in town. The land, off Cross Street, was donated to the town in 1953 by Avis Chase “as a p...

West Chatham Site Close To Home Editor: I read with interest in your paper recently that a location on Main Street in West Chatham could be the new site for the senior center currently located on Stony Hill Road. The West Chatham site has many things going for it, including:  1. On a main highway accessible for all types of vehicles in all types of weather.  2. Public transportation available. 3. Medic...

The dwindling of the school-age population in our area is a real concern; it is symptomatic of the failure to retain and attract young families. We all know the economic realities that contribute to the situation: the dearth of high-paying year-round jobs, the lack of affordable rental housing and the soaring price of homeownership. These are systemic, regional problems that Chatham, Harwich and Orleans cannot wh...

Park Is Meant For The Public Editor: Real estate has always touted the tag-line location, location, location, and while property value is affected by this, so is adjacent activity.  If you purchase property abutting or close to a public area, expect the public.  Because current or past use has been one way does not guarantee nothing will change in the future. It has always been my feeling that Chase Park...

Don't Hide New Senior Center Editor: The “Triangle” land proposed in the letters column (July 25) was a poor choice. Instead of hiding the council on aging senior center out of sight in Chatham’s backwoods, place it in a prominent downtown location where our elders can enjoy beautiful views, either by acquiring a home along Chatham’s extended waterfront or dedicating a parcel of land from the town-owned gol...

When Cape Codders or their visitors hear the expression “thar she blows,” they are usually then directed to glance over the right or left bow of the whale watching vessel they are motoring on to see a whale spouting water from its blowhole. But on July 23 the words took on a different connotation. In an eerie case of life imitating art, “Sharknado” was actually upon us, with sharks to the right of us and tornados...

Both the town and the Citizens for a Safe Chatham Airport have spent thousands of dollars in a court battle over allowing skydiving at the town's airfield. Last week, a Barnstable County judge allowed the town's motion for summary judgment in the suit brought by the citizens' group, essentially dismissing their claim that skydiving constituted a nuisance under the state Tort Claims Act. Because the town was compe...

Last week’s tornado was violent, frightening and destructive, and now that most of the trees are cleared away and the power’s been restored, a proper damage assessment is taking place. The cost to municipalities, businesses and private homeowners will almost certainly be in the millions of dollars. But make no mistake: when it comes to disasters, this wasn’t the big one. The tornado that crossed Harwich had...

Can't Control The Weather Editor: This past Tuesday, the Chatham Police Department reported that it had come to their attention that some utility work crews had been "accosted, harassed  and screamed at by citizens demanding that power to their home be turned on." Who are you self-centered, obnoxious jerks? If you are  Chatham residents, I am so  ashamed and embarrassed you are my neighbors. If you are v...

Leave Politics Out Of It   Editor: Best parade I ever attended—except for the Democratic contingent. Politics should have been left out.  Thomas Collins South Grafton   Churches Share Abolitionist Past Editor: Thank you for your two thoughtful articles in your respective newspapers about the current exhibit about slavery at Pilgrim Church Harwich Port. I celebrate Pilgrim Church’s research a...

A tornado. In Harwich? Unbelievable as it seems, that's what National Weather Service officials say happened – in Harwich and in Yarmouth – Tuesday. Viewing the devastation in Harwich Center, it was easy to believe. Many mature trees were knocked to the ground, branches fell on vehicles and buildings, and the front lawn of Brooks Academy looked, well, as if a tornado had struck. Front end loaders had to be use...

Out on Sears Point yesterday I could hear the instructors of the Stage Harbor Yacht club announcing directions to the fleet of white Optis sailed by their students. A center console skiff cruised slowly out of the Oyster River as a breeze pulled in from the southwest, across Harding's Beach from Nantucket Sound, pushing out the last of the fog from earlier in the day. Out of the near-milky sky, as if on cue, a se...