ORLEANS — Snow Library has a lot going for it, and it's going to have a lot more going for it if the aspirations expressed at a public forum March 21 are realized. With consultant Mary Braney encouraging comments, about 20 people shared their ideas about the library's present and future. It was one of several general and targeted forums held as part of a needs assessment; another was scheduled for last night...

ORLEANS — The day after the Nauset Beach clam shack was demolished, town officials planned to talk about an alternative food service plan for this summer. The March 21 session was to be held after the newspaper's deadline, but documents in the selectmen's (meeting as park commissioners) packet indicated interest in a Mobile Kitchen Unit like those used by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protec...

ORLEANS — “ORLEANS IS OPEN” say the signs up and down Main Street, a reminder that shops and restaurants are still doing business during sewer construction. In another sense, Revoli Construction's excavators are doing a good job of keeping Main Street itself open, with two crews digging in to build the system toward routes 6A and 28. But there were other signs on some Main Street doors Monday, including Orle...

ORLEANS — With time and tide against them, the park commissioners voted 4-1 Monday to terminate John Ohman's lease for Liam's at Nauset Beach and demolish the storm-damaged concession stand. “I want to express our appreciation for Mr. Ohman's 28 years of shepherding this special business for the town,” commissioner Mefford Runyon said, “and thank him for 28 good years.” The commissioners, who more often mee...

ORLEANS — There was a grand opening on Main Street Monday, ill-attended save for construction crews and police officers. Shortly after 7 a.m. March 12, Revoli Construction opened the pavement of Main Street in front of Snow Library's parking lot to begin construction of the downtown sewer system. Giant earth-moving equipment clanked into position as pavement was ground down to dirt. Selectman Alan McClennen...

ORLEANS — “Don't change the onion rings recipe.” That's what Liam's at Nauset Beach owner John Ohman heard when he took over Philbrick's snack shack there almost three decades ago. But, as Ohman realizes more than most, there's no stopping change when an ocean and a shoreline meet. On Monday at 5 p.m., selectmen and other town officials will talk about whether to tear down Liam's in the wake of the weekend's...

ORLEANS — What do you like about Snow Library? What would make you like it more? Two public forums about the “strengths and weaknesses, opportunities for improvement, and specific aspirations that community members might have for their library” will be held March 14 at 7 p.m. and March 21 at 2 p.m. They'll be hosted by consultant Mary Braney at the library. But you don't have to wait to share your thought...

ORLEANS — The growing support for more housing options manifested itself last week when the selectmen asked the planning board to take a look at expanding its proposed apartment development bylaw amendment to include areas outside the village center district. On Tuesday night, the planning board voted unanimously to hold a public hearing on the idea March 27. The extraordinary series of events was set in mot...

ORLEANS — Talk may be cheap and housing unaffordable, but the Orleans Citizens Forum held a discussion Feb. 22 aimed at disproving those judgments. At “New Directions in Community Housing,” five panelists talked about what they've done and plan to do to increase housing options, including where to find the money to finance their activities. Facing an audience of about 90 at the senior center were Katie Wi...

ORLEANS — It wouldn't be much of a stretch for the town to adopt the state's Stretch Code, selectmen were told last week. That step is one of five required to achieve Green Community status as an energy-efficient community, which in turn could unlock hundreds of thousands of dollars in state grants. “Basically, we're already enforcing this code,” Building Commissioner Thomas Evers told the board at a publ...

ORLEANS – The downtown sewer construction project will begin March 5 on Main Street at the entrance to Snow Library's parking lot, DPW/Natural Resources Director Tom Daley told selectmen last week. For two days, library patrons will have to park across the street or in the Nauset Regional Middle School lot above the library. Other changes are ahead for businesses in the downtown area. Daley said Police Lt. Kev...

ORLEANS — The marine and fresh water quality task force heard from the public Feb. 6 on its recommendation that polluted Uncle Harvey's Pond be treated with a mix of aluminum salts to reduce the negative effects of phosphorus there. “This has been a very careful process,” a woman in the audience told the committee. “Not everyone will like your conclusion, (but) it's more dangerous not to do anything... I'd l...