ORLEANS — If you had Cecil Newcomb's view of Lonnie's Pond, you might not be as willing as he is to spend a lot of time as a selectman. Looking through the windows of the unique joined-domes house he shares with wife Anne Sigsbee, Newcomb spoke in a clear, quiet voice last week about his decision to run for office now that he's retired from fishing and his mooring business. “Years ago, I gave it a fleetin...

ORLEANS — At times, it sounded like a modern version of Monopoly. At their initial joint meeting March 6, the town's affordable housing trust board and affordable housing committee talked about getting on the game board by, among other possibilities, acquiring a motel. The trust drew favorable Community Chest cards when town meeting voted to support it with community preservation money and annual funding amo...

Uncertainty Surrounds Future Of Historic Playhouse CHATHAM – The Monomoy Theatre stage will be dark this summer for the first time in more than 60 years. When the curtain will rise again at the historic Main Street theater is uncertain. Artistic Director Alan Rust said that the company that has an agreement to purchase the property plans to renovate and preserve the buildings, and that will take time. “W...

It was bitter cold on this sunny morning. I’d put out extra seed and suet and the feeders were busy with the usual suspects taking their fill. Just the day before it had been warm enough that song sparrows were singing, and flickers were flirting. On this day, however, their attention was on food, not premature thoughts of spring. There have been more than the usual amount of blue jays at my house over the las...

For the 13th year in a row, in what has become a highlight of the winter, owls will invade Harwich on Saturday, March 9.  Sponsored by the Harwich Conservation Trust, with proceeds going to help support HCT’s ability to create and complete land preservation projects including efforts to protect wildlife habitat for local owls, Marcia and Mark Wilson will present a new program, “Owls from Near and Far.” The two...

  William Joseph Toohey died at Massachusetts General Hospital on Feb. 11th of a sudden illness.  Bill was born August 1, 1941 to Mary Elizabeth Parker and William Joseph Toohey Sr. He is survived by his wife, Andrea Petitto.             On Cape Cod a memorial celebration of life for Bill will be held April 13, 3 - 6 pm at the Chatham Marconi Maritime Center, 831 Orleans R...

Robert Joseph Norris died unexpectedly and peacefully February 26, 2019, at Cape Cod Hospital in Hyannis, with his wife and extended family with him.          Bob was born July 22, 1945 in Boston, to John Michael Norris and Margaret Angela (Sullivan) Norris.  Bob graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in the “North End” of Boston in 1963, and attended Boston State College.     Bob always dreamed of li...

WEST CHATHAM — With the controversial Route 28 reconstruction project set to begin, state officials are downplaying the likelihood of disruptions to local residents and business owners. But while the state’s contractor will not be working during the peak summer months, the same can’t be said for utility contractors. The project contractor, Falmouth-based Lawrence-Lynch Corp., provided the town with a work sc...

CHATHAM — Officials last week unveiled scaled-down plans for a new 10,200-square-foot senior center proposed for town-owned land off Middle Road. But before bringing the plan to town meeting, proponents want to make sure they’ve answered questions about the cost and the location. At a public meeting hosted by selectmen Saturday, architect Joel Bargmann of the Boston-based firm Bargmann Hendrie and Archetype ...

Summer Season May Be Possible, Says Principal  CHATHAM – The mystery of who is buying the Monomoy Theatre was solved Monday when a Morris Island Road homeowner announced that his company plans to purchase the Main Street property. Gregory T. Clark of Alexandra Properties in Newton Upper Falls, announced during the public forum segment of the board of selectmen's meeting that his company has an agreement wit...

CHATHAM – The town will file a new order of taking for seven Stage Neck roads after reaching agreement with several property owners who sued to invalidate a previous taking. Selectmen next week are expected to approve an article for the May 13 annual town meeting authorizing an order of taking for Battlefield Road, Cedar Street, Champlain Road, Port Fortune Lane, Sears Road, Stage Harbor Road and Stage Neck Ro...

CHATHAM – Most of the municipal fish pier will be closed to the public for the next few months as construction crews replace the facility's popular observation deck. Sciaba Construction Corporation was scheduled to begin staging equipment at the pier first thing Monday, but heavy snow at the company's headquarters in Walpole delayed its arrival. The company was expected to be on scene early in the week, but ex...

CHATHAM – After making some minor wording adjustments, the planning board last week endorsed a zoning bylaw that will allow the creation of accessory dwelling units – essentially apartments – within single-family homes. The measure now goes to the board of selectmen for placement on the warrant for the May 13 annual town meeting. Last Tuesday's public hearing on the accessory dwelling unit (ADU) bylaw amend...

CHATHAM — Armed with firmer design figures, detailed cost estimates and a sharp pencil, a consultant now says the renovation of the town transfer station would likely cost $4.5 million, rather than the $7.5 to $8.5 million projected last year. The goal, said Mike Richard of Weston and Sampson, is to make the facility more user-friendly and efficient, to make vehicle traffic patterns less confusing, and to re...

CHATHAM – Selectmen last week declined to support proposed federal legislation to declare Nantucket Sound a National Historic Landmark. Chatham is the only Cape town bordering Nantucket Sound that has declined to endorse the legislation, which is being promoted by the Alliance To Protect Nantucket Sound. Some 50 towns, municipal agencies and nonprofit organizations signed on to a letter to Senators Edward Mark...

CHATHAM — For vessels over a certain draft, getting in and out of Chatham Harbor is now impossible except during the most favorable tides. While smaller boats can still pass freely, commercial fishing vessels and even Coast Guard rescue boats are increasingly unable to leave the harbor. Experts say the south inlet opposite Outermost Harbor is predominantly feeding Nantucket Sound through the so-called Foo...