Seals, Not Dogs, Are The Problem   Editor: While I found the author’s point well presented and the issue of dog waste on the beaches is one worthy of conversation, I think that Chatham has a much larger problem on its hands. The letter cites that "one gram of dog waste can contain 23 million coliform bacteria,” which can cause adverse side effects in humans. Most of the unwanted results of the pres...

On this year's Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend, some friends of my younger son came from Assonet to Cape Cod. In the course of our conversation, we naturally ended up discussing politics, riveting on the present incumbent in the White House. “Do you know anyone who voted for him?” I inquired. “Actually I do,” responded the male member of the duo. “I recently met an old acquaintance who had voted for him, bu...

A preliminary study of Chatham's east-facing waterways, from Pleasant Bay to Nantucket Sound, together with anecdotal evidence from commercial fishermen, makes it abundantly clear that dredging near the North Cut will be necessary to facilitate navigation in the months ahead. The problem is that the town's effort to secure a permit to dredge the area is tied up in a lawsuit and state department of environmenta...

“What the world needs now is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of What the world needs now is love, sweet love No not just for some but for everyone”   Way back in 1965, Jackie DeShannon had her biggest hit with this Burt Bacharach-Hal David song. It reached number seven on the pop charts, further enhancing the Bacharach/David duo as popular songwriting greats. While...

Limit Dogs On Beaches Editor: I'm in favor of  changing the current Harwich dog on beach regulation from Friday before Memorial Day to May 1 to Oct. 14. I feel that allowing dogs on the beach for 265 days then abruptly opening the next day to beachgoers is much too soon considering residue that can be left behind by dogs. I find this analogous to one removing all of the solids from a litter box then lying i...

Quick, where’s “Children’s Beach?” If you’re a local from Chatham and you had trouble answering that question, you’re not alone. Having covered the town for nearly 60 combined years, our Chatham reporters didn’t know. A couple of lifelong residents we spoke with were stumped. The parks and recreation department doesn’t use the name, nor does the chamber of commerce. Aside from a few sparse references in our ar...

The future. That's why Monomoy Regional School District officials say they are leaning toward reducing or eliminating Spanish language instruction from Chatham and Harwich Elementary Schools in favor of more science/STEM. Given the changes in technology over the past two decades, students graduating 10 years from now will need even more grounding in science and STEM subjects to compete. That emerged from a rec...

Stop The Madness, Save Monomoy   Editor: Say it isn’t true that the town of Chatham, that is us, the people, the town government, the business owners, all who love Chatham tradition and summer after summer of superb theater, are going to let the Monomoy Theatre disappear. Will someone please come forward with a plan to stop this madness? Carole and Lou Maloof Chatham   Confused By Pet Ceme...

The clip-clop of these work boots always catches my attention. I heard it the other day and thought, that’s funny. I don’t ever recall ever hearing that over the past few months since I bought them. It would be outdoors. Not running. Typically on concrete or stone. Of course, then I realized the soles were cold. They had lost their bounce, and so sounded more like clogs on the hard winter surfaces. Or an old t...

For some, Valentine’s Day is just another blank square on the calendar, for others, it’s a special day to show appreciation for friends, children, parents and spouses. And for youngsters and oldsters, whose hormones are still raging, it may be a heart throbbing, love seeking adventure. Love relationships can be tough: half end in divorce or break-ups. To the unattached, Valentine’s Day may be SAD (Singles Awar...

Coast Guard Grateful For Support Editor: We would like to extend a heartfelt "thank you" to every person and business that helped the crew of U.S. Coast Guard Station Chatham. We were all completely overwhelmed by the kindness, compassion, and generosity that was extended to the active duty members and their families. We may be U. S. Coast Guard Station Chatham, but the enormous amount of support we receive...

Chatham resident and former long-time finance committee member Roslyn Coleman posed an interesting – and certainly “outside the box” – proposition at Monday's meeting of the board of selectmen. With the conversion of year-round houses to summer homes one of the factors driving up real estate prices and making it difficult for young families to stay in town, and with demolition of modest homes one of the main ways...