David R. Muto CHATHAM-David R. Muto died in the early morning hours on April 3rd with his children by his side at the age of 64. David dug the blues, surfing, and gardening.  He has owned and operated Olde Cape Landscape since 1982. He loved his friends, family, and most importantly, he loved his Savior, Jesus Christ. He lived his life the best he could. He shared a lot of laughs, love, good times, and raised ...

John Thomas Gillis passed away at his home in Chatham on April 2 nd.  He was born on June 15, 1945 in Boston and grew up in Chestnut Hill. Jack and sometimes Jake, as he was called by his family and his many dear friends, was the beloved husband and best friend to his love of fifty-two years, Leslie Hadge Gillis. He was father extraordinaire to his son Kevin and his wife Jennifer, his daughter Kristin and her hu...

CHATHAM – Under a new U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan, hunting could be allowed on the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge for the first time since it was established in 1944. In a draft hunting plan released last week, the agency is proposing allowing hunting of migratory waterfowl and coyotes. Fish and Wildlife Service officials will hold an information session on the proposal on April 30 at the community c...

CHATHAM — Concerned about the ability of crews from Coast Guard Station Chatham to respond to emergencies during high surf, selectmen voted this week to send a letter to Washington for clarification of a recent decision to downgrade the unit from a surf station to a “heavy weather station.” On Monday, station commander Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Carlos Hessler was before the board of selectmen to answer q...

CHATHAM — In a bid to leverage a $1 million state grant, the town is proposing to spend $851,798 on a package of flood prevention improvements for the Little Beach neighborhood. Residents and property owners in the area have pledged the remaining $617,245, or 25 percent of the nearly $2.5 million project. There may be a need to call a special town meeting this fall to ask voters to approve the town’s cont...

CHATHAM – When Assistant Conservation Agent Paul Wightman needed boxes to hold trail guides for the town's conservation properties, he searched for commercially-made boxes that would fit the bill, but couldn't find any that had two compartments, were rugged enough to withstand the weather and looked good. When the woodworking group of the Chatham-Harwich Newcomers Club inquired if the town had any projects the...

Forum Participants Suggest Ways To Keep Town Vital CHATHAM – Prior to Saturday's Chatham 365 task force forum, Courtney Alex Wittenstein said she wrote a break-up letter to Chatham. “I'm living proof of what's happening here,” said Wittenstein, who grew up in town but lives in Harwich. “I couldn't move here, I couldn't raise my family here, I couldn't start a business here.” During the two-and-a-half-h...

CHATHAM — With it becoming less likely that some sort of shark barrier will be ready in time for swimming season at Oyster Pond Beach, selectmen have asked the parks and recreation commission to consider moving swimming lessons to a freshwater pond this summer. “I don’t know if I’m overreacting or not,” said selectman Jeffrey Dykens, who proposed the move. “I’m using an abundance of caution.” The town iss...

SOUTH HARWICH — Ospreys have returned to the Cape for the spring, following their migration from South America, and are busy settling into nests that have been used year after year. But one pair, unable to return to its nest on a South Harwich utility pole, has been offered alternate housing arrangements. Osprey pairs have been nesting on the pole near 915 Route 28, near Handren Bros. Builders, for several y...

HARWICH — Weston and Sampson Engineering, Inc. will serve as the town's wastewater management and outreach coordinator, selectmen decided Monday night.  Selectmen have been considering such a position for several months due to the need for someone to communicate with and answer questions raised by citizens and work closely with town staff and the design engineers on the multi-million dollar wastewater project....

HARWICH – It was a room full of blues as police officers from near and far came to the Harwich Public Safety Facility on Sisson Road to observe the swearing-in ceremonies of officers ascending the chain of command. Following the retirement of Deputy Police Chief Thomas Gagnon on April 6 after 33 years of service to the department, Police Chief David Guillemette conducted an extensive promotional selection proc...

HARWICH — The ad hoc Harwich Port parking committee is recommending a two-hour parking limit in the public Schoolhouse Road parking lot in the center of the village. The group is also considering asking employees of village businesses to park at the former fire station on Bank Street and take a shuttle to Harwich Port. The group is planning to make its recommendations to the board of selectmen on Tuesday night...

HARWICH — A resident of Hawksnest Road in the Six Ponds District of East Harwich is seeking to have the town make improvements to that road and Round Cove Road, which lead into the Hawksnest Pond and Hawksnest State Park.  Area residents, however, objected to the request, saying the proposal would increase traffic and open up more land for development. Robert D. Fratus, Jr. has made some improvements to Haw...

HARWICH – The D-Y Dolphins might have scored the opening goal on Monday, but the game, and a big victory, belonged to the Sharks as the girls varsity lacrosse team played to a 12-4 win in non-league play. After the visiting Dolphins found the scoreboard first in the opening half, Monomoy went to work, with Aleidy Rodriguez offering an answer at 14:55 in the frame to tie the score 1-1. Seconds later a lightning...

HARWICH – If the opening games of the Monomoy girls varsity softball team are any indication, it's going to be a tough season—for their opponents. After trouncing Sturgis West in the Sharks home opener 33-0, Monomoy went on to defeat Rising Tide 17-0 in their second home game of the season. Starting pitcher Mollie Charest had eight strikeouts in three innings against Rising Tide, opening the game by retiring t...