HARWICH — Classes will once again be in session at the Harwich Middle School, with a room rental program by the town eliciting interest from a summer environmental education program and others. Since a sign was placed in front of the school announcing the availability of rooms Community Center Director Carolyn Carey has been busy serving as the town's real estate agent. “I show it on a regular basis,” Carey...

HARWICH — Crews responding to a fire in an attached garage in the sleepy Great Sand Lakes neighborhood last Tuesday didn't expect to find anything other than a run-of-the-mill blaze. But literally before the smoke had cleared, they knew they had uncovered a major marijuana growing operation. Police have issued an arrest warrant for one man and are also investigating a second man believed to be connected to t...

HARWICH — With limited interest by boat yards in leasing sections of landside area at Saquatucket Harbor for winter boat storage, Harbormaster John Rendon has put forward a plan for the town to take on the rental of the space. Selectmen on Monday night held a public hearing on an amendment to the harbor management plan allowing the town to conduct winter boat storage at the site. Rendon told selectmen he di...

HARWICH — Town officials continue to wrestle with the cost and need for a full-service generator for Brooks Free Library. The library trustees voted a few weeks ago to submit an article for the annual town meeting in May for a “full-building size generator.” The article has a $110,000 placeholder price tag, but it was clear Monday night when the proposal was discussed with selectmen that with an estimate yet t...

HARWICH — The circa 1815 cannon installed Monday on the grounds of the Brooks Academy Museum has a colorful history. Most of it red. Thanks to voters who approved Community Preservation Act funds, the cannon will now have a peaceful retirement guarding one end of Harwich Center. Two other cannons guard the east end of the village at Brooks Park. Harwich center's cannons have shuffled around somewhat. A fe...

EAST HARWICH — In May, town meeting voters will be asked to appropriate $310,000 for an architect to draft up plans to expand and renovate the 40-year-old East Harwich fire substation. And if they approve the measure, construction funds would be sought next year for what fire officials say is a badly needed capital project. The expansion of the fire station is still in its early conceptual phase, and officia...

HARWICH — Police say a garage fire in the Great Sand Lakes neighborhood Tuesday was sparked by a large marijuana growing operation. No one was hurt in the fire at 20 Freshwater Rd., which was discovered by neighbors shortly before 4 p.m. When firefighters arrived, flames were coming from the rear of the attached garage. Crews extinguishing the flames allegedly discovered a large number of marijuana plants. A...

Harwich Town Administrator Christopher Clark was bypassed for the town administrator job in the town of Yarmouth on Saturday, when selectmen there voted unanimously to hire former Westfield mayor Daniel M. Knapik. Clark was one of two finalists interviewed by Yarmouth. However, after a hour-and-15-minute interview, the board chose Knapik, who is presently employed as the director of the Green Communities Divis...

HARWICH — Marina Brock has been known for her commitment to public health across Barnstable County for more than 30 years. Now she will have her voice heard on environmental issues at the federal level. Brock, a Harwich resident for most of her life, has been appointed to a government advisory committee within the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency. In that role she will serve with 14 other members in provi...

HARWICH PORT — For almost a quarter century, Brax Landing has made sure that nobody in town has to be alone on Thanksgiving. This year, owners Tad Peavey and Jeff Gomes will be serving up 800 turkey dinners as part of their free Thanksgiving dinner for seniors. That's 200 more than they prepared just three years ago. They'll be accommodating all of the guests in three seatings, but it promises to be a full h...

HARWICH — Oyster Creek Preservation, Inc., the neighborhood association around the lagoon off Allen Harbor, will be allowed to provide maintenance dredging and expand the channel width in the creek, the conservation commission decided last week. The issuance of the notice of intent was a much easier process this time than the same initiative more than a decade ago. OCP at that time appealed a commission's deci...

HARWICH — It will take a lot to work to put in place proper permitting for The Resilient Family Farm off Chatham Road, but the conservation commission agreed last week to lift a stop work order to begin moving the project forward. There are a number of issues that need clarifying on the 9.14-acre site just east of Lovers Lane. Owner Barry Viprino and his attorney, Ben Zehnder, were before the commission last W...