Stay-at-home Advisory, Business Closure Extended To May 18 The human toll of COVID-19 continues to grow, but key public health indicators hint that the virus emergency could be starting to level off on Cape Cod. “We’re starting to see that plateau start to happen,” Barnstable County Health and Environment Director Sean O’Brien said Tuesday. But at the town, county, state and federal level, public health off...

CHATHAM — More than ever, fire departments need to make sure that ambulances are fully sanitized between each response, and that can be a labor-intensive process. But Chatham firefighters are trying a new way to sanitize ambulances, police cars and other vehicle interiors using an improvised aerosol system. Fire Chief Peter Connick said credit properly goes to the Tulsa, Okla., fire department, which posted a ...

CHATHAM – Just over a week after it was established, the Chatham Coronavirus Impact Fund is nearly two-thirds of the way toward its fundraising goal, and has already dispersed money to local residents in need. “It's working,” said Stephen Daniel, who co-founded the fund with his wife Mary Beth. As of Monday the Chatham Coronavirus Impact Fund (CCIF) had raised about $220,000, Daniel said, with more donation...

CHATHAM – Unable to hold an in-person event due to the coronavirus emergency, a local group is taking its Earth Day celebration online. Chatham Acts On Climate, formed recently to promote local action on climate change, will host a “stay home event” Saturday, May 2, to mark the 50 th anniversary of Earth Day, which fell on April 22. Nine speakers will talk about actionable ideas, projects and opportunities th...

Ask local business owners about the upcoming summer season, and you'll hear a mixture of trepidation and optimism. Many feel that once the coronavirus emergency eases, Cape Cod will be well positioned as a summer driving destination for millions of vacationers who are likely to avoid air travel in the near future. Uncertainty over exactly when that easing will occur, and how continued provisions for social dis...

CHATHAM — At the end of next month, when Fire Chief Peter Connick retires after more than four decades of service in town, Deputy Chief Dave DePasquale will take over leadership of the department. Taking DePasquale’s desk as deputy will be Lieutenant Justin Tavano, a 16-year veteran firefighter. Town Manager Jill Goldsmith recently announced Tavano as her choice for the department’s number two position. Connic...

CHATHAM – A 300 th anniversary only happens once. The First Congregational Church of Chatham has the bad luck to have its tricentennial coincide with a once-in-a-century pandemic. Like most events scheduled for the next few months, upcoming celebrations around the downtown church's anniversary have either been postponed or canceled. Work on a multi-million dollar renovation of the historic structure is also o...

CHATHAM – Seniors are among the most vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus, and they can also be the most susceptible to loneliness and isolation even during normal times. In these extraordinary times, local councils on aging are working hard to maintain connections with seniors, maintaining many of their usual services and even launching new ones to try to meet changing needs. “Outreach is particularly busy at thi...

CHATHAM — A private dredging company is now clearing the Stage Harbor entrance channel, continuing the work started by the Army Corps of Engineers' dredge Currituck in January. In light of severe shoaling, the work was essential to keep the channel open for this summer's boating traffic, but the job is costing significantly more than it would have if the Barnstable County dredge had been available. Texas-bas...

With COVID-19 expected to reach its peak number of cases in Massachusetts around Monday, the death toll is climbing at an alarming rate. But public health officials are saying that people are heeding their advice to stay home and practice social distancing, and that’s helping. As of press time Tuesday, Cape Cod had 502 active cases of the virus with 17 deaths. Between Friday and Monday, the state saw a one-thi...

CHATHAM – The closure of restaurants locally and around the state because of the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the town's $2.5 million commercial shellfishing industry, throwing dozens of residents out of work. In an effort that's about as grassroots as it gets, several local groups are scratching together a program that aims to get clam chowder onto the dinner tables of local families and some dollars into the ...

CHATHAM – A group of residents hopes to raise $300,000 to provide financial assistance to community members undergoing hardships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Working with Monomoy Community Services (MCS) and the Lower Cape Outreach Council (LCOC), the Chatham Coronavirus Impact Fund will focus on paying housing, energy, medical and vehicle repair bills for residents who have lost jobs or are otherwise sufferi...