HARWICH — The chamber of commerce will be kicking off the summer season a bit early this year and doing so in “Five-Star style” with the Toast of Harwich returning to a single location at the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club. Over the past couple of years, the Toast was held at several locations, with patrons moving around town in trolleys, but the decision was made this year to return to the original concept o...

HARWICH – A snow day might have delayed the walkout at Monomoy Regional High School, but come Friday morning, a significant number of students braved the brisk and breezy weather as they stood in silence for 17 minutes, senior Grace Boyle reading aloud the names of those killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. There was one name for each minute the local students stood outside, some with sig...

HARWICH – A snow day might have delayed the walkout at Monomoy Regional High School, but come Friday morning, a significant number of students braved the brisk and breezy weather as they stood in silence for 17 minutes, senior Grace Boyle reading aloud the names of those killed at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14. There was one name for each minute the local students stood outside, some with sig...

HARWICH – Since the Feb. 14 shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., much of the buzz pertaining to local schools has been on safety protocols. While important, those at Monomoy Middle and High Schools know that what also matters is creating a culture among students in which violence takes a backseat to kindness. At Monomoy Regional High School, a number of initiatives aimed at impro...

HARWICH — There may be a symbol of peace and meditation added to the town's Cultural Center on Sisson Road as selectmen consider a proposal put forward by Community Center Director Carolyn Carey to locate a peace labyrinth and garden on the front lawn. A labyrinth and garden is something she has been thinking about for a while, Carey said, and when she learned one of the artists at the Cultural Center, Laurind...

HARWICH — Given recent debt exclusion votes, town officials are having difficulty keeping the annual budget in check. It won't get any easier as the town faces the need to fund wastewater infrastructure under the town's comprehensive wastewater management plan. With a 7.2 percent increase in the budget, projected at $65.4 million, selectmen expressed concern about the overall increase that could be presented t...

HARWICH — Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Martin Suuberg has issued a “final decision” upholding the conservation commission and a superseding order of conditions issued by DEP allowing the reconstruction of the former Lucas fish house in the Herring River. The owners of the fish house, Francis and Debra Zarette, trustees of Farm View Realty Trust, have been seeking to reconst...

HARWICH — The Monomoy Regional School Committee has decided not to pursue a controversial plan which would have allowed future realignment of the elementary school grades without the need to bring the plan to town meeting voters. The committee made its decision about two weeks after Chatham selectmen rejected the proposed change to the regional school agreement. Under that proposal, once the regional agreeme...

With two weeks remaining before the deadline to take out nomination papers for the annual election, a race has emerged for the three-year seat on the board of selectmen. Candidates Ed McManus and Thomas Sherry have both filed and had their papers certified by the board of registrars. “I want to be the voice of the people and give them a place to vent,” Sherry said on Monday. “Every town has issues, but as a se...

HARWICH — While public awareness of the opioid crisis is better, there’s not much other positive news on that front, officials say. “There’s not an awful lot of encouraging news,” Police Chief David Guillemette told the board of selectmen recently. The board had asked for an update on the problem in Harwich, and the chief said it continues to be a top concern. “Our community here reflects the trends acros...

HARWICH — Concerns have been raised about water intrusion at the new maintenance building at Saquatucket Harbor, with Selectman Donald Howell referring to the location as “Lake Downey.” Town officials admit there was a miscalculation on the depth of groundwater in a survey provided to the town before the start of the project, but Town Engineer Robert Cafarelli said this week adjustments have been made that wil...

Housing Assistance Corporation of Hyannis is seeking to work with the community to make improvements to the homes of seniors, the disabled or veterans. The program is called “Big Fix” and focuses on helping the most needy in the community. HAC Chief Development Officer Ann VanVleck told selectmen Monday night the group chooses one community each year and team leaders and volunteers provide small home repairs, ...