CHATHAM — Even a few months ago, a summer without band concerts, the July 4 parade and crowded beaches seemed unimaginable. But in a heavily attended virtual forum Monday, speaker after speaker supported just that kind of approach in the fight against COVID-19. The board of selectmen and board of health will hold a joint meeting Monday, May 18 at 6 p.m. to discuss comments made at the forum and updates on the ...

CHATHAM – For the second time in two years, the historical commission has imposed a delay on a proposal to demolish a portion of an iconic home at the corner of Shore Road and Seaview Street. Commission members weren't happy with new plans to renovate and add on to the 93-year-old bow roof Cape at 233 Seaview St., which they said would be much larger than the existing building and would alter the historic stre...

HARWICH — Selectmen are awaiting legislation making its way through Beacon Hill that includes provisions on how municipalities in Massachusetts can address town meetings and funding a budget moving into FY21. Interim Town Administrator Joseph Powers said legislation has been approved in the Senate that will allow town meeting actions just on financial issues. But there has been no clear definition on what “fin...

HARWICH — The number of deaths in town related to COVID-19 has risen to 11, Health Director Meggan Eldredge told selectmen Monday night. The Wingate of Harwich nursing home accounts for seven of those deaths, she reported, although a nursing home spokesperson said nine of the facility's residents have died of the virus. There have been a total of 101 cases in Harwich, with 38 among residents and 63 at Wingate....

HARWICH — There is bright new life growing in Brooks Park Hollow. The hollow was devastated by the tornado that spun through Harwich Center last July. But Lily Daniels-Diehl, a Monomoy Regional High School student, is helping to restore life after nature's harsh swipe. The tornado uprooted an estimated 1,300 trees along public property in town. Particularly hard hit was a stand of shade-casting trees that f...

CHATHAM – For Chatham resident and D-Y senior Mark Pawlina, football has been a lifelong passion. Recently, that passion gave a little something back when the Dolphin quarterback received a letter announcing that he’d been selected as one of just 33 student-athletes to be honored by the Jack Grinold Eastern Massachusetts Chapter of the National Football Foundation. It was an award Pawlina might have seen comin...

Dance is beautiful and expressive, intimate and dynamic. The ultimate blend of the artistic and the athletic, dance is also a mixture of personal expression and connection with others. In this time of social distancing, while many of our favorite classes and performances have been paused until further notice, necessity has truly become the mother of invention as new ways to continue learning, sharing and connecti...

Do you know someone who is going above and beyond in this extraordinary time? Let us know! For the next few weeks we'll be highlighting those who do good deeds in our local communities by selflessly helping their neighbors. Drop us an email at editor@capecodchronicle.com if you know of any good deeds you'd like to see exposed. Ornaments Raise Money For Front-line Workers Blue heart ornaments made by Chat...

CHATHAMPORT – “The United States is today the only country in the world carrying on direct commercial communication by wireless with five other countries. Your corporation is the only company in the country operating high power radio stations communicating with other countries. This service has all been developed within the year.” The year was 1920, and these words greeted stockholders of the Radio Corporation of...

Once, it was pretty common for fishermen to sell whole fish right off the boat to local folks. The loss of that connection between consumers and commercial fishermen is one of the major victims of the changes the industry has undergone in the past several decades. But it's been rekindled, in a way, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While fishermen are deemed essential and are allowed to work during the shu...

Sidewalk Needed For Safety Editor: A number of years ago the town authorized the installation of a sidewalk on Old Queen Anne from Stepping Stones to Main Street. This is the only stretch on that road that does not have a sidewalk from Lakeshore Drive to Main Street. It is dangerous to walk one side of the road. You are to always face traffic when walking on a road, but there is little escape if a car was c...

“I spent many years in Central America dealing with destruction — when I retired I became involved with construction,” said Joe Towle, a Maryknoll Priest who lives in Harwich Port, during a lunch break at the Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod’s recent building project on Paul Hush Way off Tubman Road in Brewster. Having dealt with the harmful products of corrupt government, criminal activity and poverty in seve...

ORLEANS — You might call it the nuclear option. Should the board of selectmen decide to refer the F. W. Webb project to the Cape Cod Commission for review, and should the commission accept, all local permitting would be suspended. In a memo responding to the board’s request for an update on the proposed 38,329-square-foot development bordering Route 6A near the Brewster town line, Director of Planning and C...

These days I do a lot of my walking in the woods. I’ve always loved the woods and as a child I spent many happy hours exploring the woods around my home in Hyannis. Yes, it’s true. There once were woods all through Hyannis. I woke in the night to songs of whip-poor-wills outside my window and was entertained by the largest, fattest toad in the world that spent his evenings by our old brick steps wa...

HARWICH – Selectmen made it clear Monday night that Harwich beaches will be open this summer. Recreation Director Eric Beebe said he has reached out to other communities on the Cape and most are planning to open beaches. He said in some cases towns will be limiting parking to control the amount of people on beaches and ensure social distancing. There were questions about having a full opening with lifeguard...

In response to continued stay-at-home advisories and further precautions dur- ing the COVID-19 pandemic, our Entertainment Sampler has been temporarily revised. Please contact the theaters and galleries listed here directly for any additional changes in hours, exhibits, shows and online availability. VIRTUAL PAYOMET PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 29 Old Dewline Road, North Truro. 508- 487-5400; info@payomet.org;...