Over the years, we’ve used this space many times to urge Chatham voters to support open space purchases, for the purpose of protecting our aquifer, saving critical wildlife habitat and providing wild spaces for the public to enjoy. Like many voters, we appreciate the need for land conservation to help protect the Cape’s ecology. But it’s helpful to remember that ecology is about the relationship between the en...

Grateful For Community Support Editor: Thank you, Tim Wood and Alan Pollock, for your touching words about Otis. We know that he reached the hearts and minds of everyone he met and your tributes truly capture Otis’ character. Words cannot describe how much the generosity of all who contributed means to us. The donations we received will aid us greatly in this difficult time we face. Beyond the monetary v...

Occasionally the loss of one person ripples through the entire community. We saw this with the passing of Juliet Bernstein in November; she touched so many people during her long life that just about everyone in town was affected by her death. Otis Russell arguably touched even more local folks. “Served” might be a better verb. During his decades as bartender and night manager of the Chatham Squire, Otis inter...

Today, Jan. 6, is the one-year anniversary of the assault on the Capital. Coverage of commemorations and recollections of the event – insurrection, protest, riot, whatever its called – will dominate the news, talk shows and social media, and deservedly so. Deniers will also have their say, spouting conspiracy theories and lies about what actually happened that day and who is responsible. Which is mind boggling...

An Opportunity Missed Editor: What a terrible wasted opportunity that Chatham did not invest in the health of the community (seniors, students and others) by buying the former Chatham Health and Swim Club when it was available. The swimming pool there had just been rebuilt and could have become available to Chatham residents and, if necessary, supported by a nominal charge. It is well established and univer...

The end of the year is a time to both look ahead and reflect on the past 12 months. Remembering those we lost is a way to affirm our connection to friends, family and community members in a positive way. The local business community lost several members. Walter Meier founded Chatham Jewelers 70 years ago and made his mark on the town over those seven decades (including as one of the founders of the precursor t...

Time To Tax Alcoholic Beverages Editor: For the last 20 years, I have been very involved in the field of mental health. I know there to be serious gaps in providing services to those in need. I recently learned there is no sales tax on alcoholic beverages in the state of Massachusetts. I know for a fact that there is a sales tax in Florida. It seems like a “no-brainer,” as a way to raise money for muc...

It was a difficult decision not to travel to Connecticut for Christmas with my family. But these are difficult days, made even more frustrating by the tantalizing tastes of normalcy that we experienced in bits and pieces during the past year. This entire year has been like that. Baby steps out of the dark, dim glimpses of a light in the distance followed by a retreat and fear filled warnings. Get vaccinated an...

We all hoped this holiday season would be a return to normal, or at least close to it. Unfortunately, it looks like that won't be the case. With the new Omicron variant looming like a Grinch and COVID surging again – is this the fourth surge? – holiday celebrations are being scaled back or eliminated. Positive cases are higher than this time last year, even though there's a widely available vaccine. Some are c...

A recent airing of the planning board’s draft zoning proposal for Route 28 in West Chatham focuses on improving the streetscape. It’s about controlling the size and location of buildings, making the area more attractive to pedestrians, and creating opportunities for affordable housing. It’s not about the airport. Encouraging aircraft safety is a town-wide concern, and it’s one being addressed by the newly u...

An Existential Threat To Chatham Editor: OK, I understand why Chatham changed the name of the town’s governing body from the sexist “board of selectmen” to the “select board.” After all, the gender of the members of the board is totally irrelevant to their jobs. But why on earth was the name changed to the “select board?” That sounds awfully “elitist” to me. “Well, ‘we are among the select,’ and you are ...

Two decades ago, after the selectmen decided the former Main Street School would be repurposed as a community center, the idea of incorporating a senior center into the project was debated and, ultimately, rejected. Among those opposed were members of the council on aging board, who wanted seniors to have their own, separate facility. During the past several years, the idea of incorporating a senior center int...