When town meeting established an affordable housing trust, it wanted to shake things up. For years, the affordable housing committee had been trying to increase the stock of dwellings accessible to people of moderate means. Members would hear of an available property, but by the time they could bring its acquisition before town meeting, it would be off the market. So town meeting yielded some of its authori...

Harwich voters go to the polls next Tuesday, May 18, to choose among candidates running for the board of selectman and the water and wastewater commission. In these, the only contested races on the ballot, we recommend votes for Mary Anderson and Ed McManus. Mary Anderson has impressed us ever since she took over as executive director of the Family Pantry of Cape Cod in 2005. She took the pantry from a modest ...

As it nears completion, opinion remains divided over the West Chatham Roadway Project. The changes to the 1,700-foot-long corridor between Barn Hill Road and George Ryder Road, bookended now with roundabouts, are significant. The central turning lane, a feature for more than half a century, is gone, the roadway narrowed to two lanes and the sidewalks on the south side and multi-use path on the north side wider, w...

Food May Follow Fate Of Fuel Editor: So, I heard on Fox News that President Biden may be banning meat to combat global warming. Then I remembered that Colorado Democrat Governor Jared Polis had issued a similar proclamation last month. My first reaction was, what kind of cockamamie idea will the Democrats cook up next. But then I read the article they quoted, and it made a bit more sense. Apparently, ...

We've been trying to puzzle out why a majority of the Chatham Select Board opposes dedicating town-owned property at 127 Old Harbor Rd. to affordable or attainable housing. The .88-acre property was donated to the town in 1971 by Marion Nickerson Ellis to be used “as additional playground and recreation area for the present site of the school located on the abutting property of the town.” It was to be designated ...

Candidate An Effective Leader Editor: I have been a volunteer at The Family Pantry of Cape Cod for the past 10½ years and have had the opportunity to know and volunteer under Mary Anderson as our executive director. The Pantry always ran seamlessly and efficiently, thanks in great part to Mary’s efforts. What I consider even more important, though, was Mary’s passion for the people we served. Her attitud...

Responding to budget cuts in the mid- to late-1990s, Coast Guard brass decided that Station Chatham would be combined with Station Provincetown under a single command, with a paring-down of resources for the two key stations. On our editorial page, we opined that the move was shortsighted and jeopardized the safety needs of local mariners – and our readers agreed. But we were paid an office visit by the group com...

Candidate's Experience Is What Harwich Needs Editor: The Harwich Board of Selectmen deserves to have a capable, independent, problem solver elected to its board.  Mary Anderson is that person. I’ve known and worked with Mary for many years, in her capacity as the executive director of The Family Pantry. The Pantry, under Mary’s watch, has grown into one of the largest, most successful non-profit organizatio...

Every once in a while someone steps into the local political scene and gives us the sense that this is a person who can accomplish a great deal for the community. Selectman Stephen P. Ford, who passed away April 9, was one of those people. He brought in-depth government knowledge and experience to the position, learning under the tutelage of Senator Abraham Ribicoff of Connecticut, and Congressman Gerry E. Studds...

“Did you check lost and found?”  When, as I do, you live most of your days alongside middle schoolers, those wonderful, wild people traveling the skittery suspension bridge between child and young adult, you say that phrase – “Did you check lost and found?” – a lot! Did I say “check lost and found?” The length and breadth of the trail left in the wake of 200-plus children is magnificent, filled with all ...

Levity When Most Needed Editor: Your April Fool's Day wraparound offered prize-worthy levity at a time starved for such. I do admit that the Disney segment captured my immediate attention, so relevant to current greed obsessions. Fine insight, clever satire, laudable effort. The Cape Cod Comical deserves a gold star. Long life to our local publication. Ursula Corbett Harwich   Way To Retain E...

Clarifying Word Choice Editor: I write in the hope that James Coyle might allow himself a deep breath and a review of what he presents as fact. Then-president Trump never banned flights from China. He restricted travel of some non-Americans, but planes from China arrived here every day in the month following his Jan. 31 “travel ban,” and they carried tens of thousands of passengers. Most of these were Ameri...