CHATHAM – Working under a directive from the board of selectmen, the planning board has begun investigating ways to limit the size and mass of new homes. Last week the board met with two members of the planning board in Truro, which recently enacted a residential house size bylaw. Chatham has no similar bylaw, although controlling the mass and size of residential construction is called for in the town's compre...

CHATHAM – For most of the summer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife staff and volunteers monitoring nesting shorebirds on South Monomoy Island have been living in the historic Monomoy Light keeper's house, which underwent a top-to-bottom renovation over the past few years. But on Aug. 7, everyone left the island as poor weather approached. When they returned a week later, they discovered evidence of vandalism to the 1849...

CHATHAM — At low tide, the depth of the entrance channel to Outermost Harbor is measured in inches, not feet. That’s good news for beachgoers who like to wade across without getting their knees wet, but it spells big trouble for Outermost Harbor Marine, whose customers can find their boats stuck at the dock until high tide. The owners of the marina have started an online petition seeking the town’s support...

CHATHAM — With most conflicts with commercial fishermen now resolved, the fish pier observation deck project is edging toward completion. The town is working with general contractor Sciaba Construction Corp. to finalize a change order that establishes a project completion date of Sept. 2. Health and Natural Resources Director Robert Duncanson showed selectmen photos Monday showing the progress of deck con...

CHATHAM — If you were among the hundreds of motorists inconvenienced by the surprise closure of Stage Harbor Road early this week, try to see the bright side. Your car might’ve been swallowed by a sink hole instead. About two months ago, town officials received word of drainage problems in a small bog on the east side of Stage Harbor Road opposite Oyster Pond Beach. “The property immediately adjacent to t...

Discussion Of Use Of The Park Postponed CHATHAM – A discussion of neighbors' complaints about the use of Chase Park, scheduled for Monday's board of selectmen's meeting, was postponed to provide staff more time to research issues related to the Cross Street park, and to allow the full board, as well one of the chief complainants, to be present. Twelve property owners on Grist Mill Lane, Shattuck Lane and Shat...

Observe nature by our kettle ponds, at our outer beaches and in the local woods and you will be well rewarded by the wonder that insects, birds, animals and flowers provide. “Observe, observe, observe. Be better observers.” That was the message naturalist Peter Trull delivered to about 160 members of the Chatham Conservation Foundation Inc. (CCF) at the group’s 57 th annual meeting at the Wequassett Resort...

Roundabouts To Be In Place By Winter CHATHAM – By this winter, temporary roundabouts should be completed along Route 28, allowing residents to get familiar with new traffic patterns along the West Chatham corridor. Construction on the two-year, $4 million reconfiguration of the 1,700-foot roadway between Barn Hill and George Ryder roads is scheduled to resume on Sept. 3, the day after Labor Day. The initial...

CHATHAM — Later this month, Steven and Nancy Finch of Brewster will visit Coast Guard Station Chatham for a special remembrance of Steven’s great uncle, Norman. They’ll look out over the wide Atlantic, the final resting place for Norman and 129 of his shipmates who were lost on the Coast Guard Cutter Tampa nearly 101 years ago. And they’ll receive a Purple Heart on his behalf, honoring the ultimate sacrifice he...

Already endorsed by the Monomoy Regional School Committee, a plan to allow Head Start and the YMCA of Cape Cod to operate early childhood programs at Chatham and Harwich elementary schools has passed muster with selectmen in both towns. Superintendent of Schools Scott Carpenter said the lease of the classroom spaces must be finalized by the state education commissioner, but the new programs are expected to beg...

NORTH HARWICH — Maybe it was the disruption caused by the tornado, or perhaps people are starting to focus on back-to-school activities. Or maybe people are understandably focused on enjoying their Cape Cod summer vacations. But whatever the reason, donations had slowed to a trickle in our annual Helping Neighbors campaign to benefit the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. ...

Chatham has always been the “center of the universe” for Andy King, who grew up here and graduated from Chatham High School in 1979. But his appearance in an Emmy-nominated documentary now has King in the center of the social media universe. In “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened,” King's story about how he would “do whatever it takes” to help save the doomed music festival became one of the most tal...