Grateful For Tobin's Guidance Editor: We want to give a special thanks to Dan Tobin for his support as we formed the Chatham Windmill Group in 2010 to restore the Godfrey Windmill in Chase Park. This made the mill available once again to be visited and enjoyed by the public. Even though this added another area of responsibility to his work for the town, his guidance helped make this possible through at...

Chatham seems to have borne the brunt of the last weekend's blizzard, despite lower snowfall totals than many areas to the west. Almost the entire town from Morton Road east lost power, a full 89 percent of Eversource customers. Plunging temperatures turned the early wet snow into ice under the more powdery stuff that fell during most of Saturday, weighing down trees and wires and creating challenges in clearing ...

Spread CPA Funds Around Editor: Chatham is at another crossroads of deciding whether to preserve the historic fabric of this uniquely positioned town. Though graced with an extensive supply of beach frontage, it is its charm created by its streetscapes of houses built 100, 200, 300 years ago that attracts residents and visitors, all of whom invest in it when shopping and paying taxes.  My family has been do...

Re: Take Action In New Year Editor: ReThink, ReFurbish, ReBuild, ReFuse, ReDuce, ReUse, RePurpose, RePair. Or Rot. When it comes to plastic there is no ReCycle. What are you doing for the New Year? Patrick Otton East Harwich    Tobin Went To Bat For A's Editor: I would like to take this time to first congratulate Dan Tobin on his retirement after 37 years with the Chatham Parks and R...

What happens when too much development impinges on the natural environment? Conflicts develop. We've seen this in the abstract with the controversy over the open space off Middle Road in Chatham. Taking just a small part of it to build affordable housing prompted a backlash from residents who want to see the land remain undeveloped, despite the deep housing crisis the town and region are experiencing. Peopl...

Some members of the Chatham Select Board and other critics of re-use of the town-owned property at 127 Old Harbor Rd. as housing are shortsighted in their opposition to moving ahead with an assessment of the parcel's potential. Some say there's no hurry, that another use may eventually emerge for the property, while others say that it's not the best location for affordable housing and using it for that purpose...

Rather than asking for a study of parking after banning it on Barcliff Avenue, the Chatham Select Board should have done the reverse – gotten the results of a study first, then decided if parking should be prohibited on Barcliff. Parking has long been a problem in town, and there's never been a comprehensive approach to it – either in identifying problem areas or finding new locations. Officials designate no p...

More Housing Is Good News Editor: What Great News! I saw that the developer who bought the Underground Mall in Orleans plans to turn it into workforce housing. This is wonderful news for the Lower Cape. I was hoping that space would be turned into housing and it seems that my wish has come true! While the one- and two-bedroom units won’t help my family, who needs at least three bedrooms, it will help c...

Over the years, we’ve used this space many times to urge Chatham voters to support open space purchases, for the purpose of protecting our aquifer, saving critical wildlife habitat and providing wild spaces for the public to enjoy. Like many voters, we appreciate the need for land conservation to help protect the Cape’s ecology. But it’s helpful to remember that ecology is about the relationship between the en...

Grateful For Community Support Editor: Thank you, Tim Wood and Alan Pollock, for your touching words about Otis. We know that he reached the hearts and minds of everyone he met and your tributes truly capture Otis’ character. Words cannot describe how much the generosity of all who contributed means to us. The donations we received will aid us greatly in this difficult time we face. Beyond the monetary v...

Occasionally the loss of one person ripples through the entire community. We saw this with the passing of Juliet Bernstein in November; she touched so many people during her long life that just about everyone in town was affected by her death. Otis Russell arguably touched even more local folks. “Served” might be a better verb. During his decades as bartender and night manager of the Chatham Squire, Otis inter...

Today, Jan. 6, is the one-year anniversary of the assault on the Capital. Coverage of commemorations and recollections of the event – insurrection, protest, riot, whatever its called – will dominate the news, talk shows and social media, and deservedly so. Deniers will also have their say, spouting conspiracy theories and lies about what actually happened that day and who is responsible. Which is mind boggling...