CHATHAM – Considering diversity, equity and inclusion in decision making has become standard practice for many businesses and institutions. It's a lens through which budgets, policies and processes can be filtered to ensure an outcome that all stakeholders can buy into. But the terms can also have different meanings to different people. So when a statement incorporating diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in...

CHATHAM – Louis Malzone, a 16-year veteran of the Chatham Police Department, was named deputy chief on Monday. Malzone takes over the position from Michael Anderson, who was named chief in late June. He will be responsible for much of the day-to-day management of the department. “He's the right person at the right time,” Anderson said of Malzone. “He's ready for this.” During his tenure at the department...

Turkey Drive Saturday Appeals To Local Residents Bird flu, supply chain problems, inflation. Those and other factors are making it difficult for local food pantries to find the turkeys they need to provide their clients with traditional Thanksgiving dinners. “I think it's going to be a little harder this year” for the Family Pantry of Cape Cod to get the 800 turkeys it will need, said director Christine Men...

WEST CHATHAM — State and local investigators are searching for the cause of a house fire that apparently claimed the life of a West Chatham man Monday. The Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office identified the man as 50-year-old Jason A. Custodie, the owner of the house at 1369 Main St. Firefighters from several Lower Cape towns responded to the single-family home at the corner of Vineyard Avenue just ...

CHATHAM – Plans for a four-house development at the former Monomoy Theatre property were dealt a blow last week after the board of appeals turned down a request for a special permit to build one of the homes. Board members said they didn't feel the proposed dwelling was compatible with the area. “It's a nice house, but it doesn't belong there,” said David Thomson. This is the second time the proposed dev...

CHATHAM – When it came time to celebrate the 400 th anniversary of the arrival of the Mayflower, it was the height of the pandemic. Local Mayflower descendants gathered at the Lighthouse Beach overlook, but put off plans for a large gathering. Now, two years later, near the 402 nd anniversary of the day the Pilgrims first sighted land in the New World, descendants and other interested folks will gather to ce...

CHATHAM – As town officials kick off the annual budget process, thoughts of inflation, supply chain problems and serving “the quiet parts of town” weigh heavily on their minds. In last week's annual “budget summit,” Town Manager Jill Goldsmith and Finance Director Alix Heilala presented a picture of a community with strong and growing revenue, a ridiculously low tax rate, and enough excess levy capacity (untap...

CHATHAM – A statement incorporating the concepts of diversity, equity and inclusion into the town budget process came under fire Tuesday from select board board member Dean Nicastro. Consideration of those factors has never been discussed by the board, he said. “This board is charged under the charter with making town policy, not the town staff, not the town manager,” he said during a joint budget summit wi...

CHATHAM – Surrounded by friends and family, Doug Kingsley arrived at Chatham Lighthouse Sunday morning to applause from first responders gathered at the parking lot across the street, concluding his 220-mile trek across Massachusetts. After touching the historic lighthouse and dipping his hands in the waters of Chatham Harbor, the 29-year-old Sherborn police officer posed for a group photo before a celebratory...

Is there a correction underway in the Cape's real estate market? Figures from the past few months would indicate so, although the message is decidedly mixed. Cape-wide, sales of single-family homes and condominiums were down 20 percent in September compared to September 2021, although the median sale price continued to remain at an all-time high and even increased by 8 percent. But pending sales at the end ...

Among the local races on the Nov. 8 election ballot is the race for the Cape and Islands state senate seat and the Barnstable County Commission with  incumbent Ronald Bergstrom of Chatham and former commissioner Ronald Beaty of West Barnstable, two old foes, facing off.. We sent questions to the candidates on issues of particular concern to local residents, and their answers are printed below. Early voting con...

CHATHAM – The fact that a short-term rental bylaw proposal went down to defeat at last week's Orleans special town meeting didn't deter the select board from continuing to move toward creating a similar measure in Chatham. Last week the board moved ahead with establishing a short-term rental bylaw working group, creating a 13-member panel that will consider a bylaw for possible action at next May's annual town...