HARWICH — Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg has issued a “final decision” upholding the conservation commission and a superseding order of conditions issued by DEP allowing the reconstruction of the former Lucas fish house in the Herring River. The owners of the fish house, Francis and Debra Zarette, trustees of Farm View Realty Trust, have been seeking to reconst...

HARWICH — The Monomoy Regional School Committee has decided not to pursue a controversial plan which would have allowed future realignment of the elementary school grades without the need to bring the plan to town meeting voters. The committee made its decision about two weeks after Chatham selectmen rejected the proposed change to the regional school agreement. Under that proposal, once the regional agreeme...

With two weeks remaining before the deadline to take out nomination papers for the annual election, a race has emerged for the three-year seat on the board of selectmen. Candidates Ed McManus and Thomas Sherry have both filed and had their papers certified by the board of registrars. “I want to be the voice of the people and give them a place to vent,” Sherry said on Monday. “Every town has issues, but as a se...

HARWICH — While public awareness of the opioid crisis is better, there’s not much other positive news on that front, officials say. “There’s not an awful lot of encouraging news,” Police Chief David Guillemette told the board of selectmen recently. The board had asked for an update on the problem in Harwich, and the chief said it continues to be a top concern. “Our community here reflects the trends acros...

HARWICH — Concerns have been raised about water intrusion at the new maintenance building at Saquatucket Harbor, with Selectman Donald Howell referring to the location as “Lake Downey.” Town officials admit there was a miscalculation on the depth of groundwater in a survey provided to the town before the start of the project, but Town Engineer Robert Cafarelli said this week adjustments have been made that wil...

Housing Assistance Corporation of Hyannis is seeking to work with the community to make improvements to the homes of seniors, the disabled or veterans. The program is called “Big Fix” and focuses on helping the most needy in the community. HAC Chief Development Officer Ann VanVleck told selectmen Monday night the group chooses one community each year and team leaders and volunteers provide small home repairs, ...

HARWICH — It has been a 13-year undertaking, but the results of the persistence of the Friends of the South Harwich Meetinghouse to preserve and restore the historic South Harwich Methodist Church will be on display over the St. Patrick's Day weekend with a grand opening series of benefit concerts by the Chatham Chorale. The Chatham Chorale will perform four of their popular Celtic concerts at the meetinghouse...

HARWICH – When former pro football player Ray Rice received a shorter suspension for the domestic abuse of his wife than New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady did for allegedly deflating footballs in the AFC Championship, the disparity in punishment prompted the creation of Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership. The program came to Monomoy High school recently, offering students the chance to l...

HARWICH PORT — With any luck, kids and their parents could be spending some fun, quality time together at a new Cape Cod Toy Library as early as this summer. But it’ll take more than Play-doh to make the toy library a reality. Deb Wilsea of Chatham, who is organizing the effort, is spreading the word about the need for children and their families to spend time engaged in creative play. Doing so strengthens f...

HARWICH — While town meeting will have the final say on a couple of the requirements, town officials are ticking off the boxes that will allow Harwich to receive grants and incentives under the state Green Communities initiative. Town Planner Charleen Greenhalgh said that, when she worked for the town of Truro, the town met the five criteria to qualify as a Green Community and qualified for a grant of $125,0...

HARWICH — When it comes to supporting local theater, providing studio space for artists, and giving local musicians public performance venues, Harwich deserves to take a bow. But by all accounts, the show’s just getting started. On Monday, the town and the Harwich Cultural Council signed a formal agreement with the Harwich Chamber of Commerce and the Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC). In so doing, it beco...

They were mad for it. One commentator called it “ice boat fever.” In the late 19 th century, when temperatures dropped below freezing in December, residents had reason to rejoice: Harwich’s Long Pond and Chatham’s Oyster Pond froze solid with a foot of ice that could linger through March. During the 1870s, ’80s and ’90s, frozen ponds lured residents onto the ice in droves in both daylight and moonlight wit...