HARWICH — The lack of landfill space and other means of disposing of municipal solid waste in Massachusetts is having a major financial impact on communities. That was made perfectly clear Monday night when selectmen approved two one-year contracts with per-ton rate increases of nearly $20. “Recycling markets have degenerated and we have more trash than we have outlets,” DPW Director Lincoln Hooper told select...

ORLEANS— Jeremy Gingras, the former Harwich Chamber of Commerce executive director who was fired for stealing thousands of dollars from the chamber and its charitable foundation, will avoid a trial on embezzlement charges as part of a plea deal accepted Friday in Orleans District Court. Through his attorney, Gingras pleaded guilty to two reduced charges of larceny under $250 and agreed to repay the Harwich Cha...

If you needed any proof of the power of generosity, here's some: In the 15-year history of The Chronicle's annual Helping Neighbors, our readers have contributed more than $1 million dollars to the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. The milestone was reached last week. Support Helping Neighbors “That's a pretty bre...

HARWICH — Fire Chief Norman Clarke, Jr. told selectmen Monday night that he will be retiring on July 18 after 43 years of service to the community. He endorsed Deputy Fire Chief David LeBlanc as his replacement. The department has had a history of promoting from within. When Clarke was appointed fire chief in October 2011, former selectman Allin Thompson pointed out the department had only one chief appointed ...

HARWICH — The ad hoc Harwich Port parking committee will be wrapping up its tasks after one more meeting. The committee made its report to selectmen Monday night listing recent improvements made and making a few suggestions going forward. Committee chairman Al Donoghue said the group met 15 times. In the report the committee said signage, the use of the TD Bank parking lot for employee parking and efforts to c...

HARWICH — The Barnstable County Assembly of Delegates gave its unanimous approval to the designation of a West Harwich District of Critical Planning Concern last week. The final step in the approval must be taken by the Barnstable County Commissioners, but it is unlikely to receive unanimous support. In a statement, commissioner Ron Beaty said he was opposed to the proposal and intended to vote against the ord...

HARWICH — Affordable housing trust members said they need time to examine if they would have any use for the century-old house the Bishop of Fall River is seeking to have torn down on the Holy Trinity Church property in West Harwich. A demolition is pending before the historic district and historical commission, which wanted to see if the town’s affordable housing trust might have an interest in moving the Vic...

HARWICH — If you’re looking to put the twinkle back in your holiday spirit, Bob Doane’s got just the thing. Swing by the Harwich Cultural Center after dark and you’ll see a dazzling display of holiday lights synchronized to music. Candy canes dance to Tchaikovsky, reindeer take flight and frisky penguins play in a winter landscape. The display is free for all to enjoy, and visitors tune in the music on their c...

When the Family Pantry was created 30 years ago, it was designed to be a safety net for the most vulnerable members of the community: people who had just lost their jobs or experienced some major financial crisis. Support Helping Neighbors Those days are gone. Today, the Family Pantry also helps meet a d...

HARWICH — Members of the fire and police departments were scheduled to set up an encampment in Brooks Park on Wednesday to draw attention to the plight of homelessness and community members who have fallen on hard times. Firefighter Brad Willis was before selectmen Monday night to inform the public that the fifth annual “Homeless for the Holidays” encampment will once again be located in Brooks Park. This is a...

PLEASANT LAKE — Some of them just graduated, and others did so decades ago, but none of the former students figured they’d be coming back to Cape Tech. This time, they’re part of the army of skilled tradesmen and women working on the new high school building project. “A lot of memories,” said Jonas Ayala, looking at his alma mater. A 2012 graduate, Ayala is a laborer with the Harwich-based Robert B. Our Co., w...

HARWICH — Selectmen have agreed to appoint a wide-ranging local planning committee to craft a new local comprehensive plan for the town. The committee is expected to work with consultants in shaping a plan for defining the future of the community. Voters in the May 2019 annual town meeting approved $200,000 to update the 2011 local comprehensive plan, which is supposed to be revisited every five years. Town Pl...