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 ...

HARWICH – There may be no band time in Chatham this summer, but there will be in Harwich. Health Director Meggan Eldredge has given the green light to the Harwich Town Band to start its concert season, interim director Tom Jahnke said. The band will be offering limited, socially distanced concerts in Brooks Park in Harwich Center beginning Tuesday, Aug. 4 at 7 p.m. "We have been working with Meggan in the h...

HARWICH — This year's Fall for Harwich and the town's traditional Christmas events are not likely to resemble the celebrations of the past, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On Tuesday, the chamber of commerce board of directors decided to cancel September's fireworks and Hometown parade, centerpieces of Fall for Harwich, and indicated that the annual Christmas stroll will be substantially changed and downsized. ...

HARWICH — Legal issues could delay construction of a photovoltaic array on the roof of Monomoy Regional High School. The project is one of four approved for Harwich under round four of the Cape and Vineyard Electric Cooperative’s agreement with the town to expand solar power generation. Liz Argo, Executive Director of CVEC, told selectmen a couple of weeks ago the project was approved about a year and a half a...

HARWICH — The Bob Murray Housing with Love Walk will be a virtual marathon this year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which is also driving a more than 200 percent increase in requests for emergency help for families across the Cape. For 28 years the Housing with Love Walk has been raising funds for a number of housing assistance organizations on the Cape and focusing on relocating families from motel units i...

People typically flock to the beaches on the Fourth of July, and this year was no different, save for the destination. While many people simply wanted a beach day, a surprising number wanted to get their hands dirty and possibly score some dinner in the process. How? Shellfishing. According to area shellfish constables, the recreational activity has seen a sharp uptick in popularity this season, which could be...

To those who are passionate about casting their vote and letting their voice be heard when election time rolls around, the numbers of registered voters who actually turn out to do their civic duty by casting a ballot can seem frustratingly and mystifyingly low. As November approaches, bringing with it an election which feels historic, a group of local women are applying their enthusiasm and artistic talent to ...

It comes down to personal responsibility. No matter how much we wish it could be so, there is no way to mandate that people wear masks and socially distance in private settings. Face covering mandates in public spaces are difficult enough to enforce; try telling someone having a few friends over that they must wear masks while entertaining in their back yard. And yet, taken to extremes, failure to comply wi...

Facebook Page Opens Eyes Editor: A few weeks ago, I joined the Facebook page America Backs the Blue. I didn’t know what it would be like, but every day there are incredible postings of positive things: families proud that their relatives are joining the force, photos of African American children hugging a member of the force, brave K-9 partners, the list goes on and on. A long time ago I saw a Peanuts ca...

NORTH EASTHAM – A surge in COVID-19 numbers on Cape Cod has necessitated another cancellation, this one impacting Nauset Regional High School’s Class of 2020, which had its planned July 28 commencement ceremony called off. In the wake of stories regarding an uptick in new cases following a July 12 party in Chatham that has so far resulted in 13 new COVID-19 cases, Nauset administrators, including Principal Chr...

ORLEANS — At an extraordinary online meeting of the town’s and regional school system’s leadership July 22, Nauset Superintendent Tom Conrad pledged that he and his colleagues will be “good partners and find ways to help each other in terms of saving precious dollars we have coming in from the community.” “We’re anxious to brainstorm with others and find ways to find savings to still serve educational needs ...