Trashing Route 39, Harwich Editor: I know that you get many letters and have contributors writing about all the trash, but I have yet to read a “thank you for trashing” letter. Here is mine. Dear Careless, Thank you for carelessly losing your $100 American Express gift card along Route 39 near my home in Harwich. The date was the palindromic 8-18-18. As a member of the Garden Club of Harwich G-Tras...

The Chatham Historical Society missed an opportunity 38 years ago when it declined the Cape Cod National Seashore's offer of the historic motor lifeboat CG36500. The vessel used in the rescue of the crew trapped on the stern section of the Pendleton on Feb. 18, 1952 – still considered the Coast Guard's greatest small-boat rescue ever – instead went to the Orleans Historical Society, which continues to own, mainta...

The label “fake news” is thrown around a lot since its coining on the Trump campaign trail. Sometimes it’s used to distinguish gossip, opinion and commentary from actual journalism. Of course, those things aren’t news at all – fake or otherwise. But sometimes the term “fake news” is applied to actual, verifiable facts that the labeler finds uncomfortable. If it’s provable, that’s not fake news. Period. Even he...

Shoes No Longer Secure Editor: I am sad to report that visitors can no longer safely leave their shoes at the bottom of Lighthouse Beach steps. After our allotted 30 minute visit, ours had been taken. What a shame! Judy Nichols Chatham   Accident Reinforces Safety Concerns Editor: The Trustees and staff members of Brooks Free Library would like to thank you for the Aug. 9 article “Safety Concerns R...

Not again. Unlike yesterday, we were going to get an early start. With an outgoing tide from Menemesha Pond, we would slide out into the northwest current and make it around West Chop and out of Vineyard Sound well before noon. Then, despite the reversal of the tidal flow to against us, the southwest wind would hurry us home diagonally across Nantucket Sound. If the engine would start. A little after fiv...

It’s been a great week for a swim. The area beaches are pristine, the water is clean and cool, and with the mercury flirting with 90 degrees in recent days, plenty of people are in the water. It’s a quintessential Cape Cod summer. But heed this gentle reminder: the ocean is where the wild things are. The waters off the Lower and Outer Cape are particularly sharky right now. On Tuesday alone, the Atlantic Whi...

Our formal introduction to art begins early. By three, most American tots have begun their 12- to 20-year academic trek. Art exploration starts in preschool. Smocked children delightedly dibble and dabble in billowy yards of newsprint, glue (not the tasty '50s paste of our youth) tempera paint and pipe cleaners. This process ensures messy children and equally messy creations, which are then clipped to miniature ...

A Primer On Nuisance Law Editor: If one does not agree with an opinion, there is no reason to insult the writer. Both David Bixby and J. Dennis Glover begin their anti-airport letters by personally insulting Barry Fulcher. Bixby describes Fulcher’s opinion (“The Chatham airport has been here a lot longer than you have; why weren’t you aware of the proximity to your property when you bought your home here?”)...

With new a new manager now on board at Chatham Bars Inn, it's time for the town and its major resort and largest private employer to resolve their various differences and begin working together. Over the past several years, the town and the 104-year-old Shore Road resort have been involved in several disputes, a few of which have ended up in court. While it isn't unusual for municipalities and businesses to fi...

The Benefits Of Seniority Editor: Mr. Lindsay, David Bixby,and J. Denis Glover: The Chatham airport has been here a lot longer than you have, and why weren't you aware of the proximity to your property when you bought your home here? Barry Fulcher Chatham   Democracy Not In Action Editor: Congratulations to the folks of Wellfleet who convinced MassDOT to change their plans for a roundabo...

“First the tide rushes in Plants a kiss on the shore Then rolls out to sea and the sea is very still once more” The Righteous Brothers I’m a beach guy. Not everyone is. I’ve been going to the same beach between Holway Street and Andrew Harding's Lane for more than 70 years. The water there is always too cold. This year, the spring, or the lack of spring, had me totally discouraged. I was afraid it wou...

We’ve had a stretch of great weather recently, and it seems like more people than ever are taking to kayaks and stand-up paddleboards to explore area waterways. It’s a fun, healthy, family-friendly activity that’s popular with lots of visitors – many of whom haven’t spent much time on the water. Becoming a recreational boater usually requires a little financial commitment: buying the boat, maintaining it, tran...