Harwich News

Selectmen Wrestle With Issuing A Second Sewer Contract

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — There seems to be a lot of second guessing and uncertainty on how to move forward with the East Harwich sewer project. After receiving bids for the second contract two months ago, there is still no decision on whether to move forward with the project. The project is facing cost overruns and a need to return to town meeting for funds to complete sewer mains for 600 homes in the second phase of the tow...

PTO Proposes New Playground For Elementary School

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — The Harwich Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization has filed an application for Community Preservation Act funds to replace the 25-year-old Castle in the Clouds playground adjacent to the elementary school. Monomoy Regional School District contributed $2,100 in 2018 to conduct a playground safety audit of the aging facilities. According to the PTO, health and safety issues and the lack of Amer...

Wequassett Settles Conservation Law Foundation Suit

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed more than a year ago against the Wequassett Resort and Golf Club by the Conservation Law Foundation which alleged the resort was illegally discharging pollutants impairing the health of marine waters. “CLF brought this case and others because nitrogen pollution is choking Cape Cod’s waters,” said CLF President Brad Campbell. “But in my 30 years of hold...

HARWICH – Students approaching the Game of Reality were initially excited to spin the wheel and see what life had in store, until, that is, they realized that more often than not the wheel landed them in a financial hole. This was just one of many lessons passed along to Monomoy Regional High School seniors during the 2019 Credit For Life event, held Oct. 10 at the high school. The event, sponsored by the Cape...

Jawsome Java Has Monomoy Abuzz

By: Kat Szmit

HARWICH – Mornings just aren't the same without a comforting cup of java, tea, or hot cocoa, especially now that the weather is growing cooler. That's probably why the folks at Monomoy Regional High School are all abuzz about the SHORE Program's latest venture: the Jawsome Java SHORE Caf e . Special Education teacher Shana Grogan, who helms the SHORE (Students Having Opportunities for Recreation and Employment...

AmeriCorps Member To Oversee Town Conservation Lands

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Hannah Schmidt grew up among the trees at the base of Mount Hood in Oregon and did not spend a lot of time along the edge of the Pacific Ocean. She never experienced wind like that churning the Atlantic Ocean and whipping trees last Thursday during a three-day nor’easter. But Schmidt has come east to work on land stewardship projects, help develop an arboretum and work on environmental education and ...

Historic Cold Brook Herring Run Could Be Restored

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Following the restoration of an American eel run through Cold Brook to Grassy Pond over the past several years, the state Division of Marine Fisheries and the Harwich Conservation Trust are now looking at restoring the area's native herring run. In a memo issued last month, DMF senior biologist Brad Chase pointed out there was a native river herring run known to occur in the watershed in the 1950s an...

A Student Proposal To Restore Brooks Park Hollow

By: William F. Galvin

Project Would Replace Habitat Lost In Tornado HARWICH — The power of the July tornado was measured by the number of fallen trees in Brooks Park Hollow, but the town may experience the strength of youth and dedication to community in Lily Daniels-Diehl, a Global Studies Program student at Monomoy Regional High School who has crafted plans to revegetate the hollow and restore its wildlife habitat. Daniels-Die...

Pleasant Lake Is Losing Its Local Flavor

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Like the trains that once rumbled by outside, Local Flavor, the modified general store, pastry, breakfast and sandwich shop at the Pleasant Lake General Store, will soon be no more. The business has been operating out of the old general store for nearly five years, but the lease they have with owners Robert and Jeannette Payne is about to expire and no agreement could be reached on a new lease. Lo...

Restaurant Unlikely At East Harwich Fire Substation

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — Town staff has recommended against locating a restaurant in the former East Harwich fire substation, a proposal raised recently by a local restaurateur who sought to lease the building next to the new fire station. Town Administrator Christopher Clark said he has been approached by the owner of the 400 East restaurant about leasing the soon-to-be-demolished East Harwich fire substation. Clark said th...

Senate Approves DHY Clean Water Partnership

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — The State Senate has joined the House of Representatives in passing legislation that could clear the way for a regional wastewater treatment partnership. The special legislation has now been sent to Gov. Charlie Baker for his signature. “The towns of Dennis, Harwich and Yarmouth have worked hard to come up with an important inter-municipal partnership that will reduce excess nitrogen that is pollutin...

Selectmen Mull Future Of Former Pet Cemetery Land

By: William F. Galvin

HARWICH — While it took a couple of years for town officials to bury the pet burial rounds proposal at 276 Queen Anne Rd., selectmen on Monday night began discussing what the future will bring for the 2.25-acre industrially zoned parcel where the project was proposed. The gazebo, which was purchased as a centerpiece of the pet cemetery, was relocated last week from the site to the roundabout in the new section...