HARWICH — Responding to clear direction from the board of selectmen, Interim Town Administrator Joseph Powers delivered an austere town budget proposal Monday that holds growth to less than half a percent in FY21. In presenting the draft spending plan, Powers announced that he has imposed a freeze on hiring for any new positions advertised after Feb. 6. Finalized just hours before this week’s board meeting, th...

There is a lot that we do not know when it comes to plastics and their impact on the environment, animals and humans. There is much that still needs to be learned before we can determine what needs to be done to better manage or eliminate this valuable modern resource. Far more scientific data must be collected, and research completed if we are to have a better understanding of plastics, micro-plastics, and nano-...

There might be some controversy regarding the outcome of the Iowa Caucus, but for the Monomoy Regional High School students that made the trip to see U.S. politics in action, it was an experience they won't soon forget. For the second time since the school's opening, history teacher John Dickson took 20 students from the sandy shores of Cape Cod to the snowy plains of Iowa where they had numerous opportunities...

CHATHAM – For the first time, Monomoy Regional School District officials are considering starting school before Labor Day this September. The new school year has traditionally begun the day after Labor Day, both in the Monomoy District and in the Chatham and Harwich schools before regionalization. This September, Labor Day falls on Sept. 7, as late in the year as possible. If school begins Tuesday, Sept. 8, it...

HARWICH — The appeals board approved a revised special permit for improvements to facilities at the Wychmere Beach Resort last week, despite opposition from neighbors. The board’s decision came one day after the planning board continued a hearing for the project in which applicant Wychmere Harbor Real Estate, LLC was seeking to amend the site plan special permit for a structure greater than 7,500 square feet. ...

HARWICH — The planning board held back on making a decision on a modification to a site plan permit for the first floor of the Harwich Port Commons building due to a dispute over beer and wine sales with abutter Joseph Della Morte of Cranberry Liquors. Attorney Andrew Singer made the presentation for the modification on behalf of 525 Camelot owners Paul and Diane Manning. The modification was a minor adjustmen...

HARWICH — The Royal Apartment presentation to the planning board has raised an interesting dynamic related to dwelling unit density in Harwich Center versus the need for additional workforce housing. The project presented to the board last week seeks to convert the former nursing home/assisted living facility and senior day care center on the corner of Bank and Parallel streets into a 26-unit apartment complex...

HARWICH — The planning board this past week approved a site plan review special permit to establish a large scale photovoltaic array at the Cranberry Valley Golf Course. There will actually be two locations where the arrays will be located. The larger one with 648 panels will be placed on a 1.26-acre parcel just north of the new cart barn running toward the municipal course’s maintenance facility. The other, c...

HARWICH — The community center is planning a 20th anniversary party that will run for the month of February. The actual anniversary, which celebrates the opening of the center, will be Feb. 5, and events on that day will include the showing of the video “Then and Now” at the center. “I’m really excited about turning 20. I was excited at 10 years,” said Community Center Director Carolyn Carey. “The building has...

HARWICH – The Monomoy After Prom Planning Committee needs help and they're not afraid to ask for it. Unfortunately, as the 2020 Junior Prom approaches, the answer to numerous requests for financial support for the annual After Prom event has been largely in the negative, which has committee members scrambling to raise the funds necessary to keep the program afloat. The After Prom is a special post-prom event l...

HARWICH — The second incumbent selectman whose term expires in May, Larry Ballantine, has joined Selectman Donald Howell in taking out nomination papers for another three-year term. Ballantine, currently the board's chairman, served on the board for six years before taking a hiatus in 2015 for a couple of years. He came back in 2017, winning election to a third term. He took out nomination for a fourth term on...

EAST HARWICH — With a little fanfare Monday morning, the Harwich Fire Department opened the new $6.75 million fire substation in East Harwich. Most of the fanfare came nearly two months ago, during an official ribbon cutting for the new station. Since that time, additional work has been taking place on the epoxy floor in the six-vehicle apparatus bay, and some challenges with the heating system have been addre...