The highlight of last week's summer town meeting, sponsored by the town's summer residents advisory committee, was a report on the group's opposition to the residential tax exemption. Allowed as a local option under state law, the exemption gives a community the option to lower property taxes for year-round residents. As the summer residents' presentation noted, this shifts a portion of the tax burden onto non-re...

You’ve heard the one about the man who fell off a tall building? Each floor he passed by, he was heard saying, “so far, so good.” Well, that’s how it’s been with this year’s summertime Helping Neighbors campaign to benefit the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. Generous donations have been coming in steadily, making the most of dollar-for-dollar matching grants. So far, so good. But with the campaign set to end in ...

Vacation Rentals Vital To Economy Editor: I read with interest your article “Can Property Managers Help Guide Short-Term Rentals” in The Chronicle (Aug. 4).  As you’re probably aware, many towns on the Cape and Islands are grappling with the growth in STRs and how to regulate them while at the same time, allowing homeowners to rent out their homes seasonally as they have for decades. My husband and I own...

Forsooth, They Enjoyed It! Editor: My husband and I are still raving about last night's production of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" at Kate Gould Park. We can't recall when we have laughed so heartily or so continuously! It was a rollicking joy-filled evening thanks to an outstanding and enthusiastic cast, direction and production and the splendid backdrop by artist Carol Odell, at once authentic and whimsica...

Water is the lifeblood of Cape Cod. Hundreds of millions of dollars are being spent to clean up the coastal waters that surround us and represent the essence of the Cape and the chief reason that millions flock here every year. Millions more is invested in an arguably more important resource: the water that lies beneath our feet in the Cape's sole-source aquifer. Our groundwater is arguably an even more fragile r...

The National Shellfish Sanitation Program is a cooperative program between states and the federal government aimed at ensuring that shellfish are safe to eat. The program coordinates shellfish sanitation regulations between states so that they are uniform, with similar growing area classifications and dealer certification programs. But imposing uniform regulations over many shellfish-growing states doesn't nec...

Who Needs Climate Change? Editor: Not “on a winter's day” (credit Mamas and Papas) but here and now on California's Monterey Peninsula. Walking along Scenic Drive in Carmel, Calif. this week, I wore a hat, leather gloves, and a Polar Fleece jacket. The temperature was struggling to hit 48 and a high of around 60. Typical. I was reminded of that wonderful 1957 Novel by Nevil Shute, “On the Beach.” As many...

Changing the name of the Chatham Senior Center is a good idea, but we can't say that we're crazy about any of the suggestions listed on a survey being put out by the town's council on aging. “Chatham Adult Resource Center,” “Chatham Center for Active Living” and “Chatham Community Life Center” aren't bad, but we're pretty sure that “Chatham Center for Balanced Living” and “Chatham Anchors Center For Active Liv...

Enforce No Dog Rule On Beach Editor: Around 9 or so at Jackknife Beach in Harwich, there have been a bevy of dogs, some aggressive. The signs posted say “No Dogs Between Labor Day and Memorial Day,” yet six to eight dogs are present each morning. Could the Harwich dog officer please enforce these rules? It's out of hand. Jack Ford Harwich and Troy, N.Y.   Sharing The Hydrangea Magic Editor: ...

By not offering an explanation about how mail from Chatham's main post office ended up in a dumpster behind the Chatham Laundromat, U.S. Postal Service officials are doing a disservice to local residents. We understand that the incident is under investigation by the agency's Inspector General's Office, but the public needs reassurance that their mail is safe and will be delivered promptly, especially given the po...

If utility companies are not going to go through the effort of placing wires underground, despite popular support for such a plan, then they need to ensure that the above-ground infrastructure is safe and, more importantly, sound. Verizon owns most of the utility poles in our area and is responsible for their maintenance. The company reportedly inspects poles throughout a community on a periodic basis. And whi...

A Good Post Office Story Editor: West Harwich has many treasures. One is the beautiful Herring River. Another is a person. Her name is Marge Cummings. Marge is the mail carrier for the West Harwich Post Office. Every day Marge loads the postal truck twice. Once with all of the Amazon deliveries and once with the first-class mail. During COVID a senior resident was reluctant to pick up her mail from her pos...