Capt. Howard M. “Mike” Veillette, USCG (ret.)               Captain Mike Veillette, 83, of Virginia Beach and Chatham passed away on June 21 at his home in Chatham.               He was born in Hartford, Connecticut to Howard and Anna (Walsh) Veillette. He was a member of the 1955 graduating class of the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and spent a 30 year career with the Co...

ORLEANS — Hundreds of July Fourth revelers rocked out during the annual Independence Day parade Tuesday, taking to heart the parade's theme, “Dancing to the Beat of Freedom.” Waving flags and decked out in red, white and blue, people on floats danced, sang, and played all kinds of music as the rolling party made its way through town.

ORLEANS – Days before its mandate expired, the town's revenue committee urged the board of selectmen and finance committee to face facts and do something to avert a steep property tax increase over the next four years. At a joint meeting, committee chair John Laurino said the town must establish a policy to pursue grant opportunities aggressively, thereby reducing the cost of borrowing for long-term projects i...

ORLEANS — Mashpee was the first “green community” on Cape Cod, and since 2010 has received $446,093 in state funds. That kind of “green” appeals not only to the Orleans Renewable Energy Committee but also to the town revenue committee. Both boards were represented at the June 21 joint meeting of the selectmen and finance committee to hear a presentation on getting to green from Seth Pickering, southeast region...

CHATHAM – The scene was quintessentially American and particularly Chatham: thousands of people lining Main Street, many in red, white and blue garb, flags galore, clear blue skies and a light sea breeze. A perfect July 4 for a perfect Independence Day parade.   With more than 100 entrants and some 2,000 participants, ranging from kids in mini-cars to the town's oldest resident, the parade had something f...

ORLEANS — Hundreds of July Fourth revelers rocked out during the annual Independence Day parade Tuesday, taking to heart the parade's theme, “Dancing to the Beat of Freedom.” Waving flags and decked out in red, white and blue, people on floats danced, sang, and played all kinds of music as the rolling party made its way through town.

It has been said that fear is a powerful motivator. I agree, which is why I titled this blog “Mostly Fearless.” But while that's the simple version of my title inspiration, there is definitely more to it. See, fear has long played a role in my life, often times too big a role. This blog is part of my continued attempts to address that. Remembering a time in my life when fear wasn't a factor is difficult. Back ...

Drone footage of the new cut at the northern tip of North Beach Island taken by Tom Olson Thursday, June 29.

CHATHAM – After the automobile began to dominate the Cape's burgeoning tourist industry in the 1930s and '40s, small collections of cabins – referred to as cottage colonies – began to spring up throughout the region. Many were located on ponds or near the ocean, often away from business and other resort centers. The camps were mostly small and affordable for families with few of the amenities that vacationers ...

CHATHAM — Christopher Woods, 21, has plenty to learn before he begins his planned career in naval aviation. But he's already got one thing going for him: he knows how to keep his head in an emergency. A rising senior at The Citadel in Charleston, S.C., Woods is a summer resident of Chatham and a seasonal employee of the harbormaster's department. His grandparents, James and Barbara Woods, are summer resident...

CHATHAM – Just as panelists were discussing the dynamic nature of the town's shoreline during a forum at the community center Saturday morning (see the story on page 14), Mother Nature was proving their point by creating a new break in North Beach Island. By Sunday the northernmost tip of the island was an isolated sandbar and the new cut was more than 100 feet wide and deep enough for boats to navigate, thoug...

CHATHAM – The 122 nd edition of the town's Independence Day parade promises to be as big, if not bigger, than any since the event began in 1896, with 101 official entries as of early this week, according to parade organizers. “We're looking forward to having a great, beautiful day,” said Brad Schiff, chairman of the town's Independence Day parade committee. Many perennial favorites – such as the Chatham Ba...

CHATHAM — Crowded by boaters, fishermen and the occasional kayak slipping in and out of Stage Harbor, the 150-foot hopper dredge Currituck is slowly, nimbly chewing through the shoals that choke the harbor entrance. A marvel of engineering, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredge churns up the bottom with two large drag arms and pumps the muddy slurry into the large open hopper. The boat then maneuvers its w...

CHATHAM – An overflow, standing room only crowd turned out on Saturday morning at the community center to heard what the future holds for the town's changing shoreline. Sponsored by the Chatham Alliance for Preservation and Conservation, a panel of four local coastal experts examined the subtle and often dramatic changes to Chatham’s dynamic 60 miles of shoreline. Chatham is on the leading edge of dram...