HARWICH — The town has lost two department heads this past year and a third department head, Treasurer/Tax Collector Amy Bullock, has been offered a position in the town of Dennis. To retain employees, Town Administrator Christopher Clark sees the need to implement some “anti-poaching initiatives.” What often drives the decision to leave a position in one town to take a similar position in another town is comp...

HARWICH — The fire department has received a $70,866 Assistance to Firefighters grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to replace aging nozzles, add additional capabilities and provide training. “It's a huge bonus for us,” Fire Chief Norman Clarke, Jr. said on Monday of the grant that will cover the cost of replacing values and nozzles on firefighting equipment. The grant is critical because it ...

HARWICH — Outer Cape Health Services, Inc. has received a $1 million pledge gift from Tom and Trish Kennedy to assist with developing new healthcare facilities in Harwich Port and Wellfleet. The gift is the largest private donation in OCHS history, which dates back to 1987. The gift is being made through OCHS's capital campaign program, Enhancing Spaces, Impacting Lives. The campaign will support the opening o...

A series of “incredibly generous” donations has pushed the Helping Neighbors summer fund drive over the $100,000 mark. “I think it's amazing,” said Family Pantry of Cape Cod Executive Director Christine Menard. Two $5,000 donations, one anonymous and one from a local woman in memory of her husband, helped bring the campaign to a triumphant conclusion. All of the donations received by the Pantry during the e...

HARWICH — The board of appeals has been sued over the issuance of a special permit allowing the construction of a two-story addition on a single-family dwelling on Braddock Street. The special permit was issued to 34 Braddock Lane Realty Trust, Bruno Visco and Sandi Conroy trustees. The suit was filed by the abutters, Paul McCourt, Peter McCourt and Brian McCourt, property owners at 36 Braddock St. The appe...

SOUTH HARWICH — There is a tremendous need for affordable workforce housing in town, and the community development team will be looking at a proposal this week to utilize the Stone Horse Motel property to provide those accommodations. Trish Kennedy, CEO of Zudy, the South Harwich-based software company, said on Tuesday she and her husband, Tom, have a purchase and sales agreement on the 2.61-acre Stone Horse M...

HARWICH PORT — Spectators will be able to “Feel the Rhythm of Harwich” during the Harwich Hometown Parade that will roll through the village on Sunday, Sept. 9. That rhythm may have a little bit of a go-kart hum to it. This year's Grand Marshal is Emulous E. “Buddy” Hall, a lifelong resident of Harwich, who dedicated almost 50 years to community service and who has kept youngsters smiling for 58 years with Bud...

HARWICH — Selectmen continue to wrestle with the cost of permits as the town looks at bringing fees in line with the costs of running the building department. The topic has drawn some interesting debate, and selectmen could not come to a conclusion on increases in fees recommended by Building Commissioner Raymond Chesley. Over the past three weeks selectmen have been debating an increase in building departm...

HARWICH — For the past dozen years town hall departments have had their doors open and staff has been working until 8 p.m. on Mondays as an exercise in convenience to working people who may not be able to conduct business on the usual 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. schedule. But that practice will be changing. Beginning in January, town hall will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. five days a week. As a tradeoff for provid...

HARWICH — The planning board will be acting on mixed use and site plan review special permits for the former Mill Store property located along Route 28 in West Harwich. The proposal calls for retail use of the existing building and the addition of a three-bay garage with an apartment above. The applicants seeking the special permits are Ty Cronin and John Doherty, who have the property under contract to purcha...

HARWICH — The Conservation Law Foundation has filed federal lawsuits against the Wequassett Inn and Wychmere Beach Club charging the town's two largest resort complexes with illegally discharging pollutants which are impairing the health of local marine waters. “Nitrogen pollution is killing the Cape's beautiful waterways,” Christopher Kilian, vice president of strategic legislation at CLF, said in a statement...

EAST HARWICH — With a splash of champagne on its bow, a 37-foot pontoon boat named the Friend of Pleasant Bay was officially commissioned Saturday afternoon as a floating classroom and research platform. “She’s the belle of the ball,” Pleasant Bay Community Boating President Ted Baylis said. His organization has officially taken ownership of the vessel from the Friends of Pleasant Bay, which purchased it. Th...