It was 97. That’s what my phone read. East Capitol Street started here, the Capitol at my back, with the Library of Congress across to my right and the Supreme Court to the left. There was a nice breeze off from the north, and it was remarkably dry. D.C. is known for its swampy humidity, so you could almost stand the temperature. First week of October in our nation/s capital and it was nearly 100 degrees. Four...

Advice To Chatham Selectmen Editor: My wife and I have just become residents of Chatham. We did so because Chatham is the quintessential quaint New England town and has been so for decades. We were aware when we moved that Chatham had a small, quaint, (we thought) daytime-use-only airport, which was consistent with the town’s beauty and character. We have recently learned that the Chatham Airport Commiss...

This week Monomoy Regional High School administrators revealed the results of the latest Youth Risk Behavior Survey, which aims to spotlight the potentially dangerous activities students are engaging in, as well as how they view their mental health. The 2019 survey results were alarming. Of the 522 students included in the final sample, 148 reported experiencing depression in the past year, with 18 attempting ...

Stay Out Of National Politics Editor: As I was reading the editorial in the Sept.12 Chronicle, it occurred to me I was reading the ultra-left Cape Cod Times. Alas, upon checking the page I was dismayed—it was The Cape Cod Chronicle! Until then I was a huge fan of the C.C.C. First of all, our president did not “insist” Dorian would hit Alabama. I have heard his comment several times. Call him a liar again...

I can tell it’s October on Cape Cod. Still warm days, coolish nights and the quiet, insistent refrain running through my head, “By the pricking of my thumbs, something wicked this way comes…” Something wicked good, that is. Hello Halloween! That was a quote from Macbeth, by the way, and also the title of one of my favorite books by Ray Bradbury, which I read when I was 11. The expression was first noted in a 173...

Help For Successful Launch Editor: The villages of Brewster, Chatham, Harwich and Orleans have a heart for giving. So does Hyannis! Protect Our Past, the newly formed not-for-profit organization which is focused on changing the tide of the current trend of losing historic properties, was at the receiving end of such generosity. I want to publicly thank the following businesses that gave selflessly for the r...

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 805 lung injury cases related to e-cigarettes and vaping have been reported in 46 states—including Massachusetts—and one U.S. territory. Twelve deaths have been confirmed. Vaping products containing THC appear to have played a role in most cases, but no single product or chemical links all of the cases. Last week's declaration by Governor Charlie of a...

“Everything’s up to date in Kansas City They’ve gone about as far as they can go.” Oscar Hammerstein I am often asked how I find subjects for my Cape Cod Chronicle articles. My answer is that sometimes ideas just come to me as I am walking and sometimes they evolve from events in my life. This article comes from the latter. We all drive cars today that are literally filled with hundreds of computers a...

A Community That Paints Together... Editor: On behalf of the Guild of Harwich Artists, thank you (again) Harwich for supporting our “for art and community” mission. Saturday, during the Harwich Cranberry Festival, the Guild hosted our annual “Make-It-Take-It” event at the community center. Like our spring “Mystery Painting Puzzle,” the MITI engages the community with a hands-on painting experience. Upwards ...

Observers of town government, or probably any level of government, will know that there’s a familiar pattern that plays out day after day, year after year. A crisis happens or a problem arises, and elected officials and town staff work to find a solution. If there’s anything worse than reactive governance, it’s probably government that’s not reactive at all. Still, when town officials explore really creative, ...

Airport Plan Threat To Town Editor: Believing that my home-seeking-and-buying experience is representative of some other Chatham homeowners, I am writing to express great dismay at the intentions of the airport commission to carry out a master plan of extensive expansion that will create safety risks and negatively affect quality of life. After several years of considering numerous coastal towns and looking...

Harwich officials made the right move in nominating the section of Route 28 in West Harwich known as Captains' Row to the Cape Cod Commission as a District of Critical Planning Concern. Given the development pressure that is creeping into this area, a DCPC designation can't come too soon. The neighborhood, from the Denis town line to the west bank of the Herring River, contains a dense grouping of well-preserv...