If you’re a parent or grandparent in Harwich, there’s a reasonably good chance that you’ve got fond memories of time spent at the Castle in the Clouds. It was—we speak in the past tense because it may have been demolished by the time you read this—one of the most creatively designed playgrounds on the Lower Cape. It inspired children for 25 years, which means that some of the kids who played there now have kids o...

It's People Who Save Old Houses Editor: Our family has read with interest the stories this fall regarding efforts to save our former summer home on Champlain Road. We are pleased that Bob Mahoney, the current owner, has pledged to save it, either at its present location or elsewhere in Chatham. He would not have had that choice (or us, for that matter) were it not for the loving labors of the late Steve H...

Amazing grace [how sweet the sound] That saved a wretch like me! I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. “Amazing Grace” is a beautiful hymn. In a way, it is the perfect hymn, expressing gratitude to the Lord for redemption. So it is not a great surprise that “Amazing Grace” is part of so many funerals. It seems I have reached the stage in life where attending funerals has become somet...

The findings of the shark mitigation analysis released last week were hardly a surprise. Of the 27 alternatives examined by the Woods Hole Group, most were found to be ineffective or unproven in deterring shark attacks. Some, the report found, bear further examination and might help provide more timely warnings of the presence of the predator. But the bottom line of the $50,000 study—commissioned by six Outer Cap...

Autumn is a season of color on Cape Cod, with vibrant pumpkins and falling leaves. But if you’re really into the color orange, you’ll find it in the traffic cones and detour signs at any of dozens of road construction projects. The sewer work in East Harwich is an inconvenience for sure, as was the work at Main Street and Route 28 in Orleans. Additional sewer work will be taking place around Chatham, Ha...

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...