Go ahead. Try to pull off Tom Eldredg'e Santa beard. “Ouch! It's the real thing,” he says, with a Santa-esque belly laugh. “After all, I am a member of the International Brotherhood of Real Bearded Santas.” Eldredge, who lives in Chatham, says that he had a normal child's love of Santa Claus as a boy, but not the slightest idea that he would one day don the red suit himself. “I think like a lot of kids, ...

CHATHAM — In a time when intensive tobacco education has fallen by the wayside in many school health programs, town regulations can be an important tool when it comes to curbing teenage smoking. That's the perspective of Bob Collett, the director of the Cape Cod Regional Tobacco Control Program. Collett is working with the Chatham board of health on a more restrictive local tobacco regulation that aims to ke...

Chatham Elementary School CES is one of over 30 schools from all over the world to follow Mass Maritime's TS Kennedy as it travels with their cadets this winter. The students will have an opportunity to blog with the crew, keep a logbook, watch the crew complete their chores and maneuvers, and learn about calls of port on the voyage. CES has a special connection to the crew: Ms. Barnard's daughter is a cadet...

HARWICH PORT — Dr Gravity's Kite Shop has been a mainstay here for more than 40 years. It will soon be joined by an expanded Dr. Cavity's Candy Shack, to be located in the former First Church of Christ Science building. The former Christian Scientist building was purchased a couple of weeks ago by Dennis Miller, a resident of Bedford who owns several properties along Route 28 in the village and two condominium...

At age 102, Helen Krumpe's reputation precedes her. One person after another, after hearing that I intended to interview Krumpe, smiled and expressed their delight. “Oh, you are going to love Helen!” “She is a hoot!” “Oh, wait until you hear that sense of humor!” “I want to be Helen Krumpe when I grow up.” Krumpe seemed surprised and amused by the news that so many people express such enthusiastic affectio...

In the past few weeks, a high school student from the Lower Cape took his own life, leaving a gaping hole in his family, his circle of friends and his community. Far from a new phenomenon, teen suicide happens with striking regularity – and there are warning signs that, if heeded, can sometimes prevent tragedy. Child psychiatrist Dr. Bart Main of Cape Cod Human Services, a Hyannis-based group practice affiliat...

Chatham Elementary School   Computer Skills Kindergarten students have been improving their mouse and website navigation skills on the website www.starfall.com. They are working their way through the alphabet with great interactive activities. This is a great site for kindergarten through grade four with lots of reading and math learning. Students in grades one and two have been practicing beginning ...

Beth Bishop Shop, the iconic women’s clothing store in Orleans, has closed its doors for the final time after 61 years. “I’ve loved it,” says owner Lynn Comandich, who began working here in 1975 and took over as the store’s third owner in 1980. But “I’ve done this for 41 years and I want to retire.” The stately white Colonial on Route 28 about half a block from Main Street set the tone for the quality women’s ...

“Playfulness is one of my top values,” laughs 73-year old Sharon Cobb of Orleans. With one look at her rainbow-hued tie-dye shirt and sparkling sequined head wear, this does not come as a surprise. It's hard to imagine anyone meeting Cobb walking away without the gift of her contagious smile. The fun continues as we enter her Orleans home, the front room of which is completely devoted to Christmas collectibles,...

In “Silent Spring,” her 1962 book that started the environmental movement, Rachel Carson presented the revolutionary idea that tiny levels of common household chemicals could cause disease. More than a half-century later, and long after Carson died of breast cancer, the idea has more scientific traction than ever. The Massachusetts Breast Cancer Coalition (MBCC) and its research partner, the Newton-based Silen...

Harwich Elementary School MRHS Student Leaders Complete Community Service At HES A “shout out” to Monomoy High School student leaders who donated their time and effort to their elementary school community by providing a much appreciated 'childcare' opportunity for parents/guardians. Their community service hours, once again, made our Curriculum Nights a success!   Chatham Elementary School ...

Harwich Elementary School   New Staff Chris Roberts will be music teacher this year. He is a native of Coedpoeth, North Wales. He has been involved in vocal and instrumental music since the age of seven, singing in Church as well as in local “eisteddfodau” (music competitions). He began teaching music in 1978 in Wrexham, North Wales. He has been a music teacher on Cape Cod since 1993. He previously t...