CHATHAM – It took just a couple of hours Tuesday for Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge staff to remove the bottom section of the stairs that led to the beach below the agency's Morris Island headquarters. The impact on public access, however, will be felt for months, maybe years to come. Erosion that Acting Refuge Manager Eileen McGourty called “extreme” has clawed away at the bluff that runs along the east and...

CHATHAM – Next Wednesday, the historic business district commission will hear plans to demolish five of the seven buildings on the former Monomoy Theatre property. Chatham Productions is proposing to raze all of the structures on the 776 Main St. property except the historic Washington Taylor House and the theater building. Included are the scene shop, apartment building, shed and costume shop/refreshment cent...

Officials Allege Barge Ran Aground In Quahog Nursery CHATHAM – Officials are investigating damage to seed shellfish caused by a vessel grounding out in the town grow-out area in Mill Creek. As many as 450,000 seed quahogs may have been compromised and 100,000 lost because of the damage, said Shellfish Constable Renee Gagne. While she put the value of the lost shellfish at about $7,000, the damage to the tow...

Following Ambitious Rescue Attempt CHATHAM — Despite a valiant rescue effort, a young humpback whale stranded outside Stage Harbor early Saturday died before it could be moved from the shoal where it had beached itself. The 31-foot male, estimated to be three or four years old, stranded on a sand bar about 200 yards south of Crescent Beach, off Morris Island, and was first spotted early Saturday morning. Ha...

On 400 th Anniversary Of Arrival CHATHAM – On a warm, sunny November Monday, more than two dozen descendants of Mayflower passengers gathered at the Lighthouse Overlook to mark the day 400 years ago when their ancestors sailed by just offshore. Twice. On Nov. 9, 1620, land was sighted from the deck of the Mayflower for the first time since the ship left Plymouth, England, 10 weeks earlier. The Pilgrims arr...

WEST CHATHAM — Years ago, when the town needed to relocate the skateboard park from the Main Street School to a new spot on the airport grounds – and when it was moved again to Volunteer Park – some worried that the new, more remote locations would lead to more vandalism and other mischief. Though that hasn’t been a serious problem, security cameras will soon let town officials keep an eye on the park and the peo...

Historic Register Designation To Be Sought CHATHAM – Town officials have asked engineers working on the new shellfish upwelling building at 90 Bridge St. to assess the former Stage Harbor Coast Guard boathouse's condition, as well as the feasibility of the historic structure's use as a shellfish grow-out facility. “We've asked them to do some due diligence, see what condition it's in, would it serve our pur...

Plus One Case At Monomoy High, Four At Squire NORTH CHATHAM — Two residents of Liberty Commons nursing home have tested positive for the novel coronavirus following a visit by a state public health inspection team, which was checking – among other things – the nursing home’s compliance with COVID-19 protocols. The cases were announced just as positive COVID-19 rates were ramping up nationwide. Locally, four...

With pandemic restrictions prohibiting large gatherings, local towns are planning to commemorate Veterans Day with virtual events held online and cable TV. Chatham will host a virtual Veterans Day parade on Channel 18 on Nov. 11 beginning at 11 a.m. Local residents are invited to participate by sending a high-resolution digital photo of a Chatham veteran (or veterans) to Shanna Nealy at snealy@chatham-ma.gov a...

CHATHAM – On Veterans Day, Tuesday, Nov. 10, from noon until 1:30 p.m., the council on aging will honor Chatham veterans and military spouses who are Chatham residents aged 60 or older with a free meal, distributed via a drive-through pick up at the Stony Hill Road senior center. This fresh meal will be prepared and packaged by COA Event Luncheon Chef Heather Bailey of The Optimal Kitchen and will be packaged ...

CHATHAM — Thanks to property tax revenues that remain strong and some early cost containment measures, town finances remain reasonably strong. But as town officials begin crafting the fiscal 2022 budget, they’re saying there’s still every reason to take a cautious approach to spending, given COVID-19. “Cases are increasing, so we have to be very conservative in our planning, and have an idea what the worst-c...

Environmental Study, Advisory Committee Draw Controversy CHATHAM – It's been seven months since the airport commission last met, and the controversy surrounding its proposed master plan update hasn't diminished one bit. At a sometimes contentious three-hour meeting last week, the commission fielded criticism from the public, and within its own ranks, on various elements of the plan, which has yet to be fina...