CHATHAM — There's little disagreement that the town's trash transfer station and recycling center suffers from traffic congestion, odors, noise and general inefficiency. But the cost of fixing those problems is higher than expected; public works officials told selectmen last week that, using figures that are both very conservative and preliminary, the improvements could cost between $7.3 and $8.6 million. “T...

CHATHAM – The site of William and Anne Nickerson’s circa 1664 homestead proved so significant during a three-month archaeological excavation that the board of the Nickerson Family Association, Inc. (NFA) voted unanimously to extend the dig for an additional two months in 2019. A primary focus of next season will be to locate all of the outbuildings, including the barn and stables. “We have some tantalizing ...

Even though the Veterans Day holiday is being observed on Monday with school and local government closures, communities will hold Veterans Day ceremonies at the traditional time and date – Sunday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. This year marks the 100 th anniversary of the official ending of hostilities in World War I. Initially celebrated as Armistice Day, the holiday officially became Veterans Day, in honor of all vete...

Safety Concerns Raised Over Potential For Bird Strikes CHATHAM – For more than three decades, fishermen have stored gear on vacant Chatham Municipal Airport land off Wilfred Road. The practice may soon end, however, after a wildlife consultant raised alarms about birds attracted by the gear become a hazard to airplanes taking off and landing. The airport commission was all set to end the storage and had dra...

WEST HARWICH — On Sunday, Americans come together to honor veterans, on what will be the 100 th anniversary of the signing of the armistice that ended World War I. With all its witnesses now gone, the bloody battles of the Great War seem impossibly long ago and intangible. An artist, most likely a soldier in the trenches near Verdun, painstakingl...

Voters turned out in high numbers for Tuesday's state election, deciding several local races and ballot questions as well as contests for governor, federal and state legislators. In the only contested local race, Harwich voters sent Elizabeth Harder to the Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates for a two-year term. She won over incumbent Peter Hughes 3,390 to 2,752. Both had applied for the seat when Ed McMan...

HARWICH — The need for affordable year-round housing is nothing new. But town officials are hoping that a new approach – the creation of accessory dwelling units – could provide some relief. Town Planner Charleen Greenhalgh updated selectmen Monday on efforts to draft an ADU bylaw in time for voters to consider at the next annual town meeting. If enacted, the bylaw would allow accessory apartments within the...

SOUTH HARWICH — The board of appeals approved a use variance last Wednesday that puts in motion a plan to replace several structures at the former Stone Horse Motel and build two new dormitory buildings to provide housing for as many as 180 seasonal workers. The project must also go before the planning board and board of health for final approvals. Outer Cape Health Services, Inc. (OCHS) is the current owne...

HARWICH — The energy level was high as stakeholders gathered last week to push for a cultural district designation for Harwich Center. The district is seen as one of the cogs in the wheels that could get the vitality of the village rolling once again. During the session led by Town Planner Charleen Greenhalgh and Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cyndi Williams at the Harwich Cultural Center last Tuesday,...

EAST HARWICH — It started simply enough. One day this past summer Jill Abraham walked out of her house and noticed bees hovering over and flying back and forth between plants in her small garden. While busy running her own business, she was also participating in a four-month leadership training program held by Landmark Education of Quincy which, among other activities, required her to undertake a community servic...

HARWICH – The Monomoy girls varsity soccer team played hard in the MIAA Div. 4 South quarterfinals against Hull Tuesday, but a well-placed corner kick gave the Pirates a 1-0 victory, bringing to an end the Sharks' 2018 season. Back and forth play marked the start of the game, played on Monomoy's home field, before Hull maintained a fair amount of possession near the Monomoy net, but the visiting Pirates were u...

HARWICH – The Monomoy Sharks dominated the first half of their Nov. 2 game against Randolph, and then held on in the second to win by a precious two points in non-playoff action that saw strong performances from the majority of the Monomoy roster. Quarterback Mark Pawlina ran in Monomoy's first touchdown of the game in the opening quarter, with Chris Hall snagging an impressive two-point conversion to ignite t...

HARWICH – The Sharks were the bosses of the ball for the better part of their Div. 4 South first round game against South Shore Christian on Sunday, but two lucky goals from the Warriors made the difference as Monomoy bowed out in a 2-0 heartbreaker. In spite of a dominating performance that saw stellar play from every Monomoy player on the pitch, the Sharks were unable to score in the outing, much to the frus...

HARWICH – The Cape Tech Crusaders started out strong Saturday but couldn't keep up the momentum, ultimately falling 28-6 to the Bellingham Blackhawks in non-playoff action. Cape Tech senior Payton Walker hopped into the end zone from a yard out for a first-quarter touchdown to put the Crusaders up 6-0 early, but the visiting Blackhawks responded quickly with a touchdown of their own, followed by a successful t...

Bestselling author Leslie Meier of Harwich has just celebrated the publication of her 25th mystery, appropriately called “Silver Anniversary Murder” (Kensington Books, 2018). “I feel very fortunate to have the success I’ve had with my books,” Meier said during a recent email interview. “I’m immensely grateful to my readers and hope I can keep writing books that people will want to read. Writing is the best job...

Ever wondered how William Shakespeare came up with “Romeo and Juliet?” Surely only a man in love could have conceived of such a love story, right? Marc Herman and Tom Stoppard creatively wrote the screenplay “Shakespeare in Love” with such an idea in mind. Their script, with Lee Hall’s adaptation for the stage, incorporates Shakespearean dialect with a contemporary flair. The play, on stage now at the Cape Rep...