HARWICH — The state Department of Environmental Protection conducted an onsite hearing last week at the Resilient Family Farm off Chatham Road at the request of owner Barry Dino Viprino, who is asking the state to reverse a conservation commission ruling that the farm is not exempt from Wetland Protection Act provisions. The commission made the decision at a hearing in mid-February after determining the farm h...

HARWICH — With $5.7 million in tax liens sitting on the books, Treasurer/Tax Collector Amy Bullock has made the decision to sell the liabilities to a private investor. The sale could provide the town with a quick infusion of money. Bullock brought the idea to selectmen nearly a year ago, pointing out state law allows municipalities to sell tax liens to private investors. She said this week the town presently h...

SOUTH YARMOUTH ─ Though the D-Y Dolphins eked out a 3-2 victory on Monday against the Monomoy Sharks, the visiting Sharks certainly gave them a fight in the pitchers' duel. Mollie Charest added another 10 strikeouts to her ever-increasing count for the season as the Sharks held their own and then some against the non-league hosts. Monomoy hit the scoreboard first in the outing when Emma Thacher swung into...

HARWICH ─ Monomoy High has more than a dozen competitive sports throughout the school year, and though there are no fees for students who want to play, there are costs. To help defray those costs, the school's relatively new Monomoy Unified Booster Club is holding its first-ever mattress sale fundraiser in May. On May 7, those in the market for a new mattress, including area inns, are invited to visit the gy...

If you've been to a game at, or have driven past, the Monomoy Athletic Complex, you've seen the beginnings of what will eventually become the school's snack bar and restroom facility. When it's complete, it will provide a place for teams to earn much-needed money through food and memorabilia sales, and will offer fans a place to “go” in comfort. So let's get it finished. Work initially began on the structure l...

Monomoy Boys Lacrosse Celebrates First Varsity Win The Monomoy boys lacrosse team earned its first win as a varsity program this week, defeating Sturgis West 11-10 on the road on Monday. Connor Santoni scored four goals for the Sharks, while Rory Carpenter, Kyle Gabri, and Connor Deveau each netted two and Elijah Beasley scored one. Nick Malone had some strong saves in goal, while the defense was led b...

Chatham Elementary School Third Graders Study Water Table Ranger Barbara from the National Seashore taught the third graders about the water table, how pollution impacts our water, and how pollution can be cleaned up. The third graders had models in which they made ponds, added food coloring (for “pollution"), watched how the "pollution" drained into the water table, and then worked to clean up their mo...

You ’ d never know that off of Route 6A, down a dirt road about a half mile from the sign that gleams “ Cape Rep ” beside a big yellow house, a creative community is growing and alive within the restored theaters tucked behind the trees. But Director Maura Hanlon and her troupe of actors know exactly where to go to find creative respite three times a week. Cape Rep Young Compa...

While it's only a coincidence that the release of an administrative decision regarding a proposed revetment on Shore Road came just days after a new break was formed in South Beach a few miles to the south, both events highlight the dynamics of Chatham's eastern shoreline and provide guidance as to how officials can approach these highly complex issues. The administrative decision upholding the denial of a 108...

We love our water; we love to drink it, cook with it, wash our whitey whites in it, bathe in it and swim and fish in it. But once we’ve used it, the love affair is over. We just want to flush it out of our lives, which is what we’ve been doing for a good long time. Water conservation and its waste is not a new concept. Greek playwright Aeschylus in 470 BC penned, “By polluting clean water with slime you will ne...

Questions Need For Chatham PAC Editor: I write in response to the letter from Rick Leavitt describing a new group called Chatham Citizens for Responsible Government (CCRG), which is self-described as a Political Action Committee, a PAC.  The letter also stated that CCRG “pledges to work diligently for a responsible town government, fairly addressing the needs of one Chatham.”    That’s not wha...

HARWICH - Neville J. Coomber, 47 of Harwich was taken from us suddenly on April 8, 2017. He was the loving and devoted husband of Megan VanNatter Coomber for nearly 17 years. He was an exceptional father to Cameron N. Coomber, Tristan D. Coomber and Isabella R. Coomber. Neville was born on July 24, 1969 in Englewood, N.J. and lived in Ridgewood, before coming to Cape Cod with his family at the age of three. H...

Some volunteers possess a quality beyond mere free time and a willingness to do some good free of compensation. The ones who really stand out are those who, when working with those in need, manage to minimize any feelings of discomfort associated with needing help, replacing them with warmth and camaraderie. Such a person is retired federal judge Ralph Smith of Harwich, age 80, who volunteers at both the Harwich ...

ORLEANS — Next month, town meeting will vote on spending $33,527,010 to pay for the combined town and schools budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1. But voters will look well past FY18 both financially and philosophically as they weigh in on major commitments by the town. On May 8, Orleans will be asked to continue work on water quality projects to the tune of $3,733,660 and to approve spending $13,575...

ORLEANS — To every time, there is a season. Unfortunately, the time for the first season of community gardening at Putnam Farm won't be this year. There have been many encouraging signs for getting under way at the municipally-owned property behind Second District Court, but the town will not be able to put through an access way from Bridge Road until the fall. “The water is in, but it's not on,” agricult...