In North Carolina, far a way from the shoreline, Hurricane Florence has left mile after mile of destruction – and as of early this week, some of the rivers hadn’t yet crested. It’s a sight not soon to be forgotten by a handful of local firefighters who’ve just returned from a 10-day tour of duty in the disaster area. “In the towns that we did end up searching, just to see the devastation and the destruction,” ...

WELLFLEET — With emotion still raw after a fatal shark attack on Newcomb Hollow Beach less than two weeks earlier, there was a spirited discussion in Wellfleet Thursday evening about how to keep beachgoers safe. There were renewed calls for reducing the number of seals off the outer beach as a means of deterring sharks. Most such measures would be prohibited by the federal Marine Mammal Protection Act, and r...

CHATHAM – From the front parlor of the Carriage House Inn, co-owner Brian O'Connor has a clear view of the intersection of Route 28, Old Harbor Road and Shore Road. He's watched over and over again as pedestrians try to cross the intersection, which lacks crosswalks or a pedestrian crossing signal. “We've got a great view of people not being able to cross,” he said as cars zip through the intersection, often t...

CHATHAM — The dredging of a key Chatham Harbor access channel faced a number of obstacles, like obtaining emergency permits, addressing opposition from a neighbor, and tackling malfunctioning equipment. But in the end, the project was done in by early-season easterlies. Persistent winds from the east have caused ocean swells to come through the North Inlet, exposing the county dredge to dangerous conditions,...

CHATHAM — Saying the time for rhetoric has passed, the board of selectmen this week resolved to find concrete steps to help attract and retain young families in town. They voted to create a task force to investigate the town’s demographic and economic imbalances, ultimately leading to actions designed to ease the burdens on young working families. Census data confirms what most people already know: the popul...

CHATHAM – After numerous delays, town officials have decided to scrap planned emergency dredging of shoals near the North Inlet in Chatham Harbor. In an email to selectmen Thursday, Town Manager Jill Goldsmith said part of the reason for the decision was the safety of the crew of the Barnstable County dredge. Authorized in August, the project was plagued by mechanical and computer delays with both the origi...

CHATHAM – It started as a sore throat that just wouldn't go away. The diagnosis of stage three cancer, with a 50-50 chance of survival, came in early August. The treatment West Chatham resident Mike Keeler is now receiving has left him requiring nearly round-the-clock care, said his wife, Wendy Sequin. A 52-year-old fishermen and landscaper who more recently helped out in the family business, Sequin Cleaning, ...

From Sharks in the Park to numerous shark-based businesses, Chatham and other communities embraced the arrival of the apex predators in Cape waters. But for years, people have wondered: What will happen when a fatal shark attack occurs? That happened last Saturday, when a 26-year-old Revere man was killed while boogie boarding off Newcomb Hollow Beach in Wellfleet. Shark merchandise, however, wasn't immediatel...

CHATHAM – Louis Guarracina loved fishing. If he wasn't with his family or working, it was likely he was on the waters off Chatham catching stripers or tuna. “He just loved fish,” said Peter Harris, CEO of HighRes Biosolutions, the company Mr. Guarracina co-founded in 2004. The conference rooms at the company's Beverly headquarters are all named for different species of fish, he said. Last Wednesday, Mr. Gua...

CHATHAM — A stroll around Chatham reveals lots of war memorials, including ones for World War II, Vietnam and Korea. But nowhere are the town’s Revolutionary War veterans honored. “We did have a Chatham presence before and during the revolution,” said selectmen Chairman Dean Nicastro, who asked the board to consider supporting the creation of a new memorial. Chatham never hosted a large battle and didn’t sen...

CHATHAMPORT — In helping shape the fledgling Monomoy Regional School District, former Superintendent Carolyn Cragin focused on improving education, building partnerships and enhancing the district’s long-term sustainability. As the new board president of the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, her to-do list isn’t that different. Even though she retired as a public school administrator in 2013, Cragin hasn’t le...

CHATHAM — Despite a few setbacks, the paid parking operation at the former Eldredge Garage site did well this summer, providing some relief for motorists and a little revenue for the town. That was the message that Chatham Valet co-owner Miladin Terziyski told town officials late last month. While a committee is still mulling the best long-term uses for the property, this summer’s experiment showed that, par...