As of this writing, The Cape Cod Chronicle and its readers have contributed about $23,500 toward the $60,000 goal for our Helping Neighbors campaign for the Family Pantry of Cape Cod. It’s a tremendous accomplishment. But we know we can do better. Perhaps it’s been the crush of holiday errands and travel, or maybe it’s the jittery stock market. Or maybe we’ve been focused lately on a certain letter to the editor ...

As this week's letters pages show, an opinion that might seem innocuous or insignificant, a mere question posed out of curiosity, can have repercussions far beyond what was intended. That, fortunately or unfortunately, is the nature of today's world of social media, memes and digital communications. Even more so than print, what we release to the cyberworld can grow beyond our control and haunt us forever. Just a...

Editor's note: Last week's letter to the editor headlined “Why Pay To Keep Young Families In Chatham?” clearly struck a nerve with readers. It was shared on Facebook hundreds of times and prompted hundreds more comments. It even inspired local musician Tom Leidenfrost to compose a song, “Poor Beverly,” which had garnered nearly 11,000 views on YouTube (youtu.be/Ep9x6cgo75g) as of early this week. He even perform...

“Why is Chatham on a different path than other communities in Massachusetts?” I suspect mine will not be the only voice raised to provide an answer to Beverly Nelson’s question posed in last week’s letter to the editor. Why should her taxes, as a second homeowner, be used by the town of Chatham to provide services to families that otherwise would not be able to afford to live here? Other than state-mandated af...

Why Pay To Keep Young Families In Chatham? Editor: My husband and I have been summer residents and taxpayers of Chatham for over 30 years. As summer residents while paying our full share of taxes we have limited powers related to voting for issues. This in itself is often frustrating as we read about some of the activities of the town governing bodies that we do not agree with and seem to be a waste of our ...

The pages of The Chronicle often feature articles about the need for affordable housing, accessible child care, and creative initiatives designed to help year-round residents – particularly young families – stay in town. Our coverage reflects a broader public dialogue that’s been underway for years. Chatham, for instance, recently created a Chatham 365 Task Force to consider issues of sustainability. Ensuring tha...

Commissioner Plays Politics As Usual Editor: In his Nov. 27 letter, Barnstable County Commissioner Ron Beaty apparently disagrees with those who seek a measured, well-researched, intelligent solution to Cape Cod’s seal and shark problem. In keeping with the lack of civility which pervades today's political discourse and instead of  presenting a cogent argument, Mr. Beaty chose to insult and bully those envi...

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” So goes a seasonal song by Johnny Mathis. A true statement – but not for everyone. For some the holidays can be difficult, a fact the rest of us should never forget. A newer part of the holiday season, “Blue” events are designed for those who, due to personal loss, addiction, illness, homelessness, etc., find this a difficult time. But what is the holiday season? Som...

It's an oft-repeated refrain: there isn't a single solution to the region's housing problem. That's not surprising, considering the problem itself is complex and multifaceted. Not only is there a dearth of capital “A” affordable housing – the kind that caps both the price and the income of buyers – the second-home market has increased the price of real estate beyond most workers, and apartments, even “attainable”...

Fortunately, folks in our neck of the woods take climate change and the resulting rise in sea level seriously. Chatham's experience in the past 30 years, since the 1987 break in North Beach, has provided a vision of how rising sea level will impact the shoreline in a number of ways. It's shown how unexpectedly flooding and damage can occur during a storm or even an unusually high tide, as well as the efficacy of ...

Letter Captures Right Spirit Editor: We laud Maria Mazzer’s recent letter "Take Care of Each Other" (Nov. 8). Her articulate response to the fracas that is consuming our nation was poignant and insightful. Her call to action for each of us to harness the power of compassion, kindness, and the words we speak, illuminates a clear pathway that each one of us can chose right now, today. It highlights how impera...

About 20 years ago, on a warm early June day, I was still wearing my neoprene waders. It wasn’t because the waters of Stage Harbor were still too chilly for me while I spent four hours scratching for quahogs. Rather, I figured I could get through enough of the spring before the summer shift over to digging steamers in my bare feet on the flats. Cooler canvas waders were for those who would be digging littlenec...