CHATHAM – A comprehensive master plan concept for the Eldredge Library grounds, including a restoration and repositioning of the Pioneers Monument along Main Street, was endorsed by the board of selectmen Tuesday. The most significant changes being proposed involve the construction of a sitting wall along the sidewalk in front of the library. The monument, erected in 1924 in honor of Chatham's first European s...

For many people, the tale of the Pendleton rescue is the stuff of big-budget feature films; for others, it's the story of the greatest small-boat rescue in the history of the Coast Guard. But for Renee Pellegrino of Maryville, Ill., it's part of family lore. Pellegrino recently made a 1,000-mile pilgrimage to the Cape to honor her father, the late Raymond Steele, who was one of the 32 men rescued from the ster...

When white sharks are off the coast of Cape Cod, it's clear that they're here for a single purpose: hunting seals. But tracking data shows that white sharks spend the off-season far out in the Atlantic, often in the dark depths far beyond the edge of the continental shelf. A journal article co-authored by state shark biologist Greg Skomal published Friday considers what they might be doing out there. Analyzi...

CHATHAM – Not all historic homes, it seems, are created equal. Although it was included as a contributing structure to the proposed Stage Harbor Road National Historic Register District, a 1940s-era home along the scenic roadway was recently given the nod for demolition. In a Sept. 19 ruling, the historical commission determined that although the bungalow-style home at 292 Stage Harbor Rd. met the technical...

CHATHAM ─ Wood shavings litter the floor at First Light Boatworks. The air inside one of the building's massive bays is pungent with the scent of cedar. There is something else, as well: a sense of excitement since progress has clearly been made in the build of a double-ended ketch, which is beginning to resemble the beauty she'll be upon completion next June. This is the part of boat building that First Lig...

CHATHAM — After a crack appeared in the ceiling of the computer training room, town officials brought in a structural engineer to check the condition of the council on aging building on Stony Hill Road. The results weren't good, and officials say the repairs could top $100,000. The problem was discovered in March, and the engineer recommended the installation of a steel beam to better support the roof. Witho...

Archaeological Dig Finds Evidence Of Hearth And Home Of Chatham's Founder CHATHAMPORT – An archaeological team digging in the woods behind the Nickerson Family Association’s property on Orleans Road last week made a spectacular find: the site of the circa 1664 homestead belonging to William and Anne (Busby) Nickerson, the founders of Chatham. “Locating the site of William Nickerson’s original homestead is a...

CHATHAM – The finance committee has joined the board of selectmen in backing the construction of a new Cape Cod Regional Technical High School building. The $127.9 million project will go before voters in all 12 towns in the regional district on Oct. 24. A majority vote will determine if the process of replacing the 42-year-old technical high school located on Pleasant Lake Avenue in Harwich will move forward....

CHATHAM – The airport commission has updated its website about unmanned aircraft systems – drones – to ensure that the correct information is available the devices proliferate. “We just wanted to put it out there,” said commission member Huntley Harrison. Information previously on the website was outdated, he added, and while there weren't many changes, the group felt it was important to ensure that the town w...

CHATHAM – When the town purchased the Eldredge trap dock on Stage Harbor for $1.5 million in 2016, it was with the understanding that at some point, the commercial facility would be upgraded at a significant cost. The work was included as one of several projects to be funded over the next five years through an $11.3 million bond issue approved by voters this past May. Officials also realized that it would make...

CHATHAM — Like an unwelcome visitor who wouldn't take the hint, José spun bands of rain and wind on the Lower Cape for the better part of last week, leaving a soggy parting gift of downed leaves and twigs, but caused no significant damage. José was at peak strength when it crossed the Atlantic. Approaching the Leeward Islands with a maximum sustained winds of 155 mph, the hurricane mostly dodged populated is...

CHATHAM — Gary Anderson, perhaps best known as the longtime chairman of the Chatham Parks and Recreation Commission, died unexpectedly last week at the age of 63. A native of Chatham, Mr. Anderson will be remembered by many for his contribution to parks, playgrounds and facilities that continue to serve the town's young people. “He was a member of the community,” friend and former selectman David Whitcomb s...