HARWICH – Selectm a n Donald Howell resigned from the affordable housing trust on Monday night , avoiding a vote on a motion by Selectmen Chairman Michael MacAskill to remove him from the trust. It was a night filled with finger pointing and back and forth over what some selectmen described as dysfunction and the inability of the trust to improve the town’s subsidized housing inventory. Monday night’s ...

HARWICH — It has been a long time in coming, but the Massachusetts Cultural Council last Thursday approved designations for two cultural districts in the town. “It’s like going to the Olympics and winning the gold in two events,” said Harwich Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Cyndi Williams. Harwich is the fourth community in the commonwealth to have two districts within its boundaries, joining Barnsta...

Residents Want Brick Sidewalks And Period Lighting HARWICH – West Harwich residents sent a clear message to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation that retention of the historic character of the village is of primary importance in the planned reconstruction of Route 28 from the Herring River Bridge into Dennisport. Approximately 30 people attended MassDOT’s Jan. 24 public hearing on the 25 percent d...

HARWICH – The Seal Pub and Cafe host ed its second annual GI Jive e v ent Jan. 28 , rai s ing more than $1,500 for the Cape and I s lands Veterans Outreach Center in Hyannis. The Outreac h center has been working to end chronic veteran homelessness. Its mission is to provide comprehensive life sustaining services and programs for veterans and their families. “ The event was a celebrat...

NORTH EASTHAM — Make your way to a local gymnasium, ice rink or playing field and you’ll likely find a couple Cape Cod high school sports teams competing against each other. The teams likely approach their competition with a fierce intensity, grit and determination: three qualities that are keys to success on scoreboards and in standings. Over the course of four afternoons split across two weeks, high schoo...

HARWICH — Town Administrator Joseph Powers, acting as chairman of the affordable housing trust, issue d an apology for his actions in the affordable housing trust session on Jan. 17. That session contained very combative dialogue between Powers and member Judith Underwood, and ended abruptly. The lack of progress in creating affordable housing over the trust’s five years, combined with t...

HARWICH — The selectmen made it clear last week they will not renew a seasonal liquor license for the Summer House Café unless the owners take major steps to show they can meet the public need. Though it has held a license for the past two years, the business has never opened its doors. “ The fundamental problem is you are not capable of operating as a food and liquor operation until you have a standa...

Construction Puts Museum Off-limits HARWICH — The front steps to Brooks Academy are gone and so are the in-person visits to the Harwich Historical Society’s museum. With the new foundation work underway to shore up the historic structure, the society will be functioning remotely. “ Since the foundation repair and excavation on the building is phase one of a multi-step plan for Brooks Academy, the soci...

HARWICH – The plan to extend a sidewalk from Harwich Port to Saquatucket Harbor was well received by local residents during a design presentation last week. In fact, residents wanted to see the state expand the project and provide additional amenities. The project calls for a five-foot sidewalk on the south side of Route 28 from Saquatucket Harbor to the intersection at Bank Street. There would be int...

HARWICH – The cemetery commission is seeking funds t o establish Revolutionary War and Civil War m emorials in Evergreen Cemetery in East Harwich. The commission would like to have the memorials in place for the 250 th anniversary of the start of the Revolutionary War in 2025. The commission has filed an application with the community preservation committee for $256,282 in Community Preservatio...

Selectmen Weigh Spending $7.4 Million HARWICH – The town’s free cash is at a record-high level and selectmen are examining how to spend it. For fiscal 2022, which ended July 1, free cash was certified at $7,488.155. That money is available to spend this year. “There is considerable interest in free cash given the eye-popping numbers we received,” Town Administrator Joseph Powers said last week. ...

HARWICH – T h e planning board has unanimously approved permits for the historic West Harwich schoolhouse to be converted into seven one-bedroom apartments and for a second structure with three additional one-bedroom apartments to be built on the east side of the property. There is one additional approval necessary before the project can move forward. Project proponent John Carey requested a 60-d...