“Demolition by neglect,” the practice of allowing a building to deteriorate to the point that renovation or restoration is not practical or financially feasible, received a much-deserved calling out last week by members of the Harwich Historic District And Historical Commission. The commission agreed to issue a demolition delay on the circa 1870 structure at 52 Route 28, known as the Capt. George Winchell Baker H...

Poor Quality Road Work Editor: Compaction, compaction, compaction! I'm talking about what has happened to the new sewer lines in Orleans on Main Street. It is absolutely the worst case of no compaction I've ever seen. Look at the dips, hollows and cracks at every seam in the roads. When the dirt was put in after the pipes were laid in place there should have been tamping done around and on top of tho...

“The summer wind came blowin’ in from across the sea It lingered there, to touch your hair and walk with me All summer long we sang a song and we strolled that golden sand Two sweethearts and the summer wind…..”   Frank Sinatra recorded the most memorable rendition of “The Summer Wind” back in 1966. The song was written by Heinz Meier with lyrics in German by Hans Bradtke in 1965. The great Johnny ...

Something Smells Fishy Editor: Wequassett Resort and Golf Club is held in the highest regard as one the most respected businesses on Cape Cod; principle-centered, socially responsible, philanthropic, and a leader in management solutions. The resort was recognized last year as “Business Leader of the Year,” does endless philanthropic work including major land conservation work in Harwich and beyond and, in f...

Saturday's tragic death of 26-year-old Arthur Medici of Revere forces local officials to decide to continue to education the public about the dangers of sharks in our coastal waters or take a more drastic approach – whatever that may be. Medici was killed after being bitten by a great white shark off a Wellfleet beach, where he was boogie boarding with others. He wasn't doing anything unusual; the day before a...

President Trump has famously said he doesn't have time to read books. Perhaps if John Kelly hid the TV remote, the president might have a couple of hours here and there to read a book. And we'd like to propose something really radical: that he read a banned book. Sept. 23 to 29 is Banned Books Week, which the American Library Association has been sponsoring since 1982. The event celebrates not just the freedom...

I opened a tiny shop at our house on Main Street in Harwich Port this summer. I call it an itty bitty art boutique since it’s only 180 square feet. Due to my husband’s hip replacement and never-ending family visits, I’ve been open just three hours a week during the Wednesday night music strolls (also by chance or appointment, but most people don’t know that.) If a wandering curious or brave soul meanders down the...

Different Approach To Opioid Crisis Editor: As many are already aware, opioid addiction is without question a crisis of epidemic proportions in this country. It is an urgent and ongoing conglomeration of healthcare, financial, social, political and spiritual factors. It impacts every geographical locale: urban, suburban and rural. Moreover, it stretches across nearly all human ethnicities and socioeconom...

Frankly, we were blown away. Just as we were putting together an article marking the end of our summer Helping Neighbors campaign, Family Pantry of Cape Cod Executive Director Christine Menard informed us that a last-minute $5,000 donation – the second one in that amount in a week – had come up. Both of the donations will be matched by a group of summer residents who wish to remain anonymous, pushing the final...

It is time to address the elephant in Harwich’s living room, to acknowledge a very personal and private topic, difficult to assess or resolve, kept from view by elements that belie its reality. One that has not been a subject of this monthly column – until now. Why now? Because of a sign in the Harwich Community Center, a poster resembling those that mark municipal boundaries across Massachusetts. Under the na...

CFL Attracted By Deep Pockets Editor: Regarding the article ("CLF Sues Harwich Resorts") in the Aug. 30 Chronicle, please take a look at this link: tinyurl.com/y84h6qa4. I'm hoping that The Chronicle is going to be "fair and balanced" with regard to assessing whether or not CLF is just bullying our resorts with baseless claims all in the name of soaking enterprises with deep pockets so they can pay their bu...

Trashing Route 39, Harwich Editor: I know that you get many letters and have contributors writing about all the trash, but I have yet to read a “thank you for trashing” letter. Here is mine. Dear Careless, Thank you for carelessly losing your $100 American Express gift card along Route 39 near my home in Harwich. The date was the palindromic 8-18-18. As a member of the Garden Club of Harwich G-Tras...