CHATHAM — Despite severe overcrowding Monday, the board of health says that parking restrictions and other efforts are reducing congestion on the beach at Schoolhouse Pond. The board ordered additional parking deterrents in a bid to keep COVID-19 from spreading among beachgoers who are not social distancing or wearing masks. On Friday, the town installed signs along Sam Ryder Road limiting parking to residen...

CHATHAM – All of the 33 people who attended last week's pop-up clinic at the annex tested negative. The town originally reported that 34 people were tested, and that all were negative with one pending. In a press release issued Wednesday, officials said that the Visiting Nurse Association of Cape Cod (VNA) and Cape Cod Healthcare verified that 33 people were tested. The results come as a relief to local off...

With unemployment on Cape Cod standing at 28 percent and food pantries seeing unprecedented demand, it’s clear that many local families are on the edge financially. Without federal action, many of them will be facing the loss of their housing this fall. Given that uncertainty, local towns and housing groups are hurriedly knitting together a new safety net. “With Federal Pandemic Unemployment Insurance en...

CHATHAM – Two non-profit organizations are teaming up with the town's historical commission to try to save what many believe is the oldest house in town. The house at 68 Shell Dr., which sits on Bassing Harbor, is believed to have been built by the son of Chatham's first European settler, William Nickerson, around 1700. A demolition delay on the house imposed by the historical commission expired last month, an...

Tropical Storm Isaias is expected to track up the Hudson Valley Tuesday evening and overnight, bringing some rain and occasionally gusty winds to Cape Cod.  Most of the storm's effects were expected to be felt well to our west; read the  latest updates here . A tornado watch was issued for Southern New England, including the Cape, through 9 p.m.  Tornadoes and waterspouts are common when tropical storms make l...

CHATHAM — As they did last week, selectmen on Tuesday again rejected a request to have a special town meeting sometime this fall. At issue is a proposed zoning change designed to facilitate the redevelopment and preservation of the Monomoy Theatre property. Developer Greg Clark last week asked the board to consider calling a special town meeting to address the zoning request, which was among many articles re...

Cluster From Chatham Party Rises To 13 CHATHAM – The cluster of positive COVID-19 cases stemming from a July 12 party in town stood at 13 Tuesday, but the number could climb depending on results from a pop-up testing clinic Monday. Thirty-four people were tested at the clinic held at the town hall annex on George Ryder Road. Director of Health and Environment Robert Duncanson said results were expected in 2...

Looking at the real estate sales figures for June, you'd never know we're in the midst of a pandemic. “In 30 years in the business, I think this is the busiest I've ever been,” said Sandra Tanco, a broker with Kinlin Grover Real Estate in Harwich Port. A combination of pent up demand, low inventory and interest in second homes — driven largely by the pandemic — broke real estate records on the Cape in June,...

Fatal Attack In Maine Is Stark Reminder CHATHAM – The death Monday of a woman in Maine from an apparent shark attack is a stark reminder that even though sightings are down this year, the apex predator is still present in area waters. Between June 1 and July 19, there were 54 percent fewer sightings in Cape waters compared to last year, according to the Atlantic White Shark Conservancy. But that doesn't mea...

CHATHAM — If you’re wondering about the validity of sea level rise, visit Jackknife Harbor Beach. An unofficial sign erected there warns visitors that the sandy parking area floods at extreme tides, but somebody has scratched off the “extreme” and written “every.” With erosion threatening the beach’s access road, the Pleasant Bay Alliance and the town are working on solutions that preserve public access whil...

CHATHAM — Members of the board of health this week said they’re hopeful that better enforcement, parking restrictions and signs will prevent overcrowding at Schoolhouse Pond so they can avoid ordering it closed over COVID-19 concerns. The board voted to limit parking at the beach by 50 percent and to revisit the topic at its next meeting. Though the health department has received numerous complaints that ...

CHATHAM – For the first time in as long as anyone can remember, the traditional summer town meeting — held to update seasonal residents on local issues and solicit their input — will not happen. Instead, the 13-member summer residents advisory committee, which has sponsored the event for a number of years, is putting together a pre-recorded video presentation which will cover many of the same topics, although ...