HARWICH — Barnstable County has placed an order for a second dredge to be used in keeping local harbor channels open for boaters. But the county is also beginning to discuss extending dredging activities into freshwater, including rivers and streams leading to headwaters. “My main goal is to clean up estuary passages because they are not flushing out the way they should,” County Commissioner Leo Cakounes said ...

The St. John Paul II cross country teams put forth a good effort on Tuesday, but even before the last runners crossed the finish line the meet belonged to the home team Monomoy Sharks, who earned a solid victory in the Cape and Islands League. The meet kicked off around 4:30 on Oct. 11, with the Sharks dominating on their home course, a nearly three-mile trek that winds through the Island Pond Cemetery and sur...

HARWICH ─ Don't let the score fool you. Though the Monomoy Sharks fell 41-13 to West Bridgewater on Friday night, it doesn't mean the effort wasn't there. Just ask head coach Paul “Spanky” Demanche. “The kids' effort was terrific,” said Demanche following the loss. “I thought they played hard.” The Wildcats surprised the Sharks at game's start, pushing across the first of several touchdowns as Monomoy wor...

In 2003 the Boston Red Sox introduced a new player. In 2016, some 13 years and 483 home runs later, David Ortiz marked his final game in Boston with a bittersweet farewell as more than 20,000 fans cheered, clapped, and cried. Now this fan is left with one question: what do you say to someone like that? Every sports fan has their player, the one person they hold in high esteem always, through highs and lows and...

Today, medical science supports the many health benefits of laughter, which can enhance the immune system and lower stress. In other words, The Academy of Performing Arts’ delightfully preposterous “Monty Python’s Spamalot” is just what the doctor ordered. If you’re not familiar with the 2005 Tony Award-winning Best Musical, its tagline says it all: “A new musical lovingly ripped off from the [1975] m...

Chatham Elementary School CES Winter Clothing Drive CES is having its annual coat and boot exchange during parent conference days, Oct. 25 and 27, from 12:45 to 3 p.m. Donations will be accepted through Oct. 21. Boxes for donations are located near the main office or may be brought to the nurse's office. Donations sought include gently used clean children’s coats, outerwear, boots, sneakers, skates, glo...

Vital Help For Library Editor: Recently the Friends of Brooks Free Library sponsored a raffle to benefit the library’s Vision Impaired Technology Assistance at the Library program (VITAL). An afghan that was knitted and donated by members of the library’s Knit Lit group was won by Harwich resident Bev Thatcher. I would like to thank the Knit Lit group for providing such a beautiful raffle prize, the many vo...

It is appropriate that Halloween and Election Day are only a couple of weeks apart. Mysterious October skies portend the reality of brooding November just around the corner. It is the season for change, when we embrace the light or the dark, good or evil. The hanging of glowing Halloween lights and choosing costumes precedes the spooky night of All Hallows Eve. In the spirit of the season, immersed in the afor...

Chatham clearly needs a new council on aging building. The current senior center on Stony Hill Road doesn't even come close to meeting the agency's needs, and never has. It always seemed a forced marriage between form and function. Built as offices and apartments, the COA's operation was shoehorned in from the beginning. Where to start with the deficiencies? No real meeting space; poorly arranged offices; three l...

Brenda M. Nickerson, 71, of South Chatham passed away on Sunday, October 2 nd .                         She was a graduate of Chatham High School She was the wife of the late Kenneth Nickerson, and the daughter of Laroyce F. and Dorothy (Marshall) Rivers. She is survived by her three sons Steven, Kenneth and Corey Nickerson.             Burial in Union Cemetery will be private.  For online condolences, p...

CHATHAM – John J. LaCroix, 43, of Chatham died unexpectedly on Thursday, October 6, 2016. Born on March 8, 1973 in Brockton, he was the son of the late Emile LaCroix and Mary (O'Riley) LaCroix of West Bridgewater.               He is survived by his wife Kate A. Galop LaCroix of Chatham and his son Eli B. LaCroix of Yarmouth Port. John is also survived by his sisters Mary (LaCroix) Galvin and he...

“Playfulness is one of my top values,” laughs 73-year old Sharon Cobb of Orleans. With one look at her rainbow-hued tie-dye shirt and sparkling sequined head wear, this does not come as a surprise. It's hard to imagine anyone meeting Cobb walking away without the gift of her contagious smile. The fun continues as we enter her Orleans home, the front room of which is completely devoted to Christmas collectibles,...

ORLEANS — The Oct. 24 special town meeting warrant is small – just seven articles – but it calls for some big decisions. Should Orleans spend almost $3.3 million to continue progress on addressing water quality needs? Should it pay $20,000 to a land use consultant to make sure that the residential rezoning proposed for downtown will work within the town's bylaws? Should the town commit $200,000 to engineerin...

ORLEANS — The cycle of life has always fascinated Judy Scanlon. When she was a child here in summers, her parents took her to Skaket Beach, where she observed activity in tide pools. “They encouraged my inquisitive nature,” she said. Scanlon had something of an acquisitive nature as well. “Snake, turtle, I brought it home,” she said. “I had a flea and wanted to see what would happen if you freeze it. I p...

A toxic plankton bloom discovered last week in Buzzard's Bay prompted state officials to close all of Nantucket Sound to shellfishing Monday. The closure includes all of the waters, flats, bays and embayments along the south coast of Cape Cod. That includes Stage Harbor, Mill Pond, Mitchell River, Forest Beach, Cockle Cove Beach and Ridgevale Beach. In Chatham, waters to the east of Morris Island, including...