Ralph R. Crowell  1926-2020             Ralph R. "Eph" Crowell of Chatham, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, May 30, 2020 at Cape Cod Hospital.  Eph, as he was known by everyone, was born June 3, 1926, son of the late Frederick W. Crowell, Sr. and Helen Eldridge Crowell.  He was immensely proud of his lineage, being a 12th generation Cape Codder, and being a direct descendant to John Crowell, one of the...

Beverley E. (Perry) Ricci, 90, of Chatham passed away peacefully at Liberty Commons Nursing Home on May 30, 2020.                 Beverley was born in Taunton on July 28, 1929. She attended the Kathleen Dell Secretarial School in Brookline after graduating from Taunton High School. Bev worked at Harodite Industries in North Dighton before moving to the Cape in 1976 where she started her second career as Town C...

Diane E Karel, 73, passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on Wednesday, May 20, after succumbing to her illness of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.  She is survived by her loving husband, J. Sargent “Sarge” Slicer, whom she married in 1989, and her three sisters:  Lindy Ralphs of Idaho, and Laura Karel and Lisa Cavicchia, both of Florida.  She is also survived by her three stepchildren:  Eric (Laura) Slicer of...

CHATHAM — When it comes to safely managing the town’s bathing beaches this summer, officials are weighing more than just the public health implications of COVID-19. They have to consider a key source of town revenue and a major driver for the town’s economy. “The number one thing that everybody wants when they come here is the beaches,” said parks and recreation commissioner Kimberly Robbins, who also operates...

Annual Session To Be Held At Veterans Field CHATHAM — There won’t be any baseball played on Veterans Field this summer, but on June 22, town officials will be pitching an abbreviated town meeting warrant to a gathering of socially-distanced voters. For safety during COVID-19, the town’s annual legislative session is being held outdoors at 6 p.m. rather than at the middle school. It’s certainly the first tim...

CHATHAM — Because of COVID-19, Chatham firefighters couldn’t give Pete Connick the traditional gathering thrown for retiring chiefs. Instead, they surprised him with a rolling tribute: a parade with firefighters and police from around Cape Cod. With sirens blaring, the parade rolled in front of the Depot Road firehouse, where Connick, his family and other department members watched the procession. In addition ...

CHATHAM — Admitting that it will be very difficult to enforce, the board of health Monday issued an order requiring people to wear face masks at the lighthouse overlook, the fish pier observation deck and the town transfer station in a bid to prevent transmission of COVID-19. The initiative builds on a previous order requiring people to wear masks outdoors along Main Street in downtown Chatham. Public reaction...

SOUTH CHATHAM — Having ignored daily fines levied by the town, the owners of BodyStrong Fitness were served with an immediate cease and desist order Monday afternoon for opening despite the governor’s order to remain closed during the pandemic emergency. Delivering the order is “the last step of the procedures that the state has laid out for enforcement,” Health Agent Judith Giorgio told the health board Monda...

But General Business District Expansion Gets Skeptical Reception CHATHAM – A special zoning designation that would allow the development of the Monomoy Theatre property has been endorsed by the planning board. Board members were less amenable to a petition article to expand a corner of the downtown business district, putting off a recommendation to give the proponents time to work out some of the kinks. Vot...

CHATHAM — To provide more social distancing room for shoppers, downtown merchants have proposed banning on-street parking and allowing only one-way traffic on Main Street this summer. A new working group has been formed to review and refine the proposal. At last Thursday’s meeting of the board of selectmen, Chatham Chamber of Commerce Executive Director said business leaders have developed a plan for “a safe, ...

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Harwich High School graduate was among the protesters arrested in Washington, D.C. Monday to clear the streets so President Trump could walk to a nearby church for a photo op. Tyler Nickerson, a graduate student at American University's School of Public Affairs, said he was one of 350 to 400 protesters who were peacefully marching up 14th Street when police pushed them into a nearby reside...

HARWICH — Recreation Department Director Eric Beeb presented the board of selectmen with a 2020 beach season opening plan that limits some beach parking and reduces the sale of one-day beach passes to two beaches. The board approved the plan by consensus last week. Interim Town Administrator Joseph Powers said the plan takes in the town’s obligation under Gov. Charlie Baker’s first phase of reopening Massachus...

HARWICH — The Conservation Law Foundation and the Wychmere Beach Club have agreed to a proposed settlement in a lawsuit filed by CLF alleging that the resort was illegally discharging pollution into marine waters. The settlement would result in reduced pollution, new efforts to address nitrogen sources and protect the Wychmere Harbor Watershed, according to a press release from CLF. It follows a U.S. Supreme C...

HARWICH PORT — The Port and Ember restaurants will be investigated by the town for alleged violations of a state Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission prohibition against selling alcohol for on-premises consumption during the COVID-19 state of emergency. On May 18, when Gov. Charlie Baker issued his Reopening Massachusetts plan and announced the first phase, the ABCC reaffirmed an advisory which stated “all on...

A Projected Shortfall Of $4.1 Million In FY21 HARWICH — Selectmen warned department heads to expect revenue shortfalls going into FY21 and urged town departments to come together in creative ways to continue to provide services to the community. Board of Selectmen Chairman Larry Ballantine said while this year has been difficult, next year will be even more difficult. Selectmen made it clear, however, that ...

On Cape Cod, where so many of us are focused now on economic survival in the midst of a pandemic, Minneapolis and other cities where protests have raged seems a world away. But as we’re fighting to salvage the summer of 2020, and our livelihoods, others are fighting for justice. We share the world’s outrage at the death of George Floyd last week. There is no excuse for a police officer to pin a man to the grou...