William Dennis Engs passed away at Loma Linda University Hospital Medical Center in California on July 2, 2021.  He was the son of the late Mildred and William Engs of Chatham.      He was born in Oakland, California, in 1932 and grew up there and in Rye, New York.  In 1954 he graduated from Harvard University and served as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army from 1954 - 1956.     He earned an M.B.A. from the Un...

On June 19th, 2021, C. Philip Smith, 89, passed away at home surrounded by his family and dear friends.  Born on January 10th, 1932, he was the son of the late Gerald A. and Gladys E. Smith.  Philip was a lifelong resident of Harwich Port.  He graduated from Harwich High School, the Salutatorian of his class in 1950.  Philip was a gifted athlete.  While attending Harwich High School he played and lettered in thre...

CHATHAM — Speaking at last week’s meeting, airport commission Chairman Huntley Harrison blasted critics whom he says are advancing a false narrative aimed at hobbling and ultimately closing the airport. Harrison read a statement, published as a guest editorial on Page 26 of this issue, that decries some critics’ campaign of “exaggeration, misinformation, innuendo,” and statements that border on harassment. ...

CHATHAM – The long tradition of summer residents gathering to hear about and discuss town issues will continue on Aug. 3. In fact, this will be the 75 th year of the annual summer town meeting, which was even held last summer during the pandemic, although it was virtual. “Meeting in person is much better for us,” said Joel Rottner, chair of the summer residents advisory committee, which sponsors the session. ...

CHATHAM — Housing advocates scored a number of key victories in last month’s annual town meeting. But an article reserving 19 acres of town-owned land off Middle Road for housing failed to get the needed votes, and town officials are pondering how they might try to advance the idea again. “The articles that passed, passed overwhelmingly,” Chatham Housing Partnership Chair Karolyn McClelland told her committe...

CHATHAM – Fred Crimins loved helping people and solving problems. He loved the outdoors, and found a way to combine his passions by volunteering for the Friends of the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge. When the pandemic struck and the refuge's visitors center on Morris Island closed, Mr. Crimins came up with the idea of erecting a tent near the parking lot so that Friends volunteers could still greet visitor. ...

Each Town Would Pay For Its Own Elementary School The Monomoy Regional School District is proposing changes to the regional school agreement that officials hope will address the growing cost disparity between the district's two elementary schools. The change to the agreement's funding formula would require that Harwich and Chatham each pay the entire operating cost of its own elementary school. If approved,...

Launched amid a crisis, the haddock chowder program developed by Cape Cod Commercial Fishermen’s Alliance is now being celebrated at the highest levels of the federal government and used as a national model. “There are all kinds of statistics to show how successful this program has been: Almost 300,000 pounds of haddock chowder distributed to food banks across New England and beyond. More than 200,000 pounds o...

HARWICH — Jason Barbour and Judy Abbruzzese could be homeless on Friday. The couple has been bouncing around since May 11 when fire and heavy toxic smoke destroyed their home in Dennis. But time and the generosity of others are now running out. Having lost cherished belongings to the fire, along with their cat Bobo, they are facing the reality of the housing crisis on Cape Cod. They have been working with s...

HARWICH — The town hopes to sell the historic West Harwich Schoolhouse at 5 Bells Neck Rd., which has been vacant for approximately 20 years. In May town meeting voters approved the sale of the building, which could include conditions that require preservation of the 1871 structure. Town Administrator Joseph Powers told selectmen last week that a request for proposals for the sale of the building is ready t...

HARWICH — The Children’s Center has received a contribution from former students at the preschool to purchase new books and puzzles. The $700 contribution came from the profits at a lemonade stand set up during the Chatham Independence Day Parade. Abby Newberry-West, the director of The Children’s Center, said the Meyers family children – Abigail, Kaleb, Paige, Cynthia and Eleanor – raised the money selling co...

HARWICH — Thayer’s Flowers Inc. has been dressing up and refreshing homes and spirits for nearly 90 years, but the South Harwich landmark will be closing its doors next month. “Time has caught up with us,” Pat Thayer said of the reason behind the decision to close the shop on Saturday, Aug. 28. “Gordon will be 80 in February.” Gordon Thayer’s father, Sheldon Thayer Sr., started the business in 1932, and ove...

HARWICH — Harwich has long been a seafaring town, and the nautical theme in the newly opened Bud’s Mini Golf, next to Bud’s Go Karts near the intersection of Route 28 and Sisson Road, reflects that maritime history. The course has been open since July 1. Owners Steve Gopoyan and Swavi Osev are planning an official opening and ribbon-cutting for Thursday, July 22 (today) at 9:30 a.m. Gopoyan said last week that...

COTUIT – Slowly, John DeGirolamo rubs a fresh baseball in the palms of his mud-stained hands. “This is Lena Blackburne’s rubbing mud,” he says. “It comes from a top-secret location on the shores of the Delaware River.” DeGirolamo points out that this particular mud — commonly used to rub new baseballs — was featured on Discovery Channel’s Dirty Jobs a number of years ago. He remembers the show’s host, Mike ...

CHATHAM – The Cape Cod Baseball League’s motto — “Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight” — pays homage to the collegiate summer league’s longstanding track record of developing world-class Major League Baseball prospects. However, the league’s “Stars of Tomorrow” moniker isn’t limited to the players on the field. Each team attracts talented interns from around the nation who are eager to spend a summer on ...

It’s all starting to click for the Harwich Mariners. After playing .500 baseball for almost the entire first half of the season, the Cape Cod Baseball League’s 2019 runner-up is hitting its stride at the right time. The Mariners extended their unbeaten streak to seven consecutive games and took sole possession of second place in the East Division standings following a 2-2 tie against Yarmouth-Dennis on Monday....