Latest Stories

Bear Week got underway in Provincetown at a leisurely pace this year, with bears like these two strolling Commercial Street in breezy caftans. (Photo by Elias Duncan) This page is […]

HEALTH CARE

PROVINCETOWN — A multitude of changes to health care in the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” that was signed into law on July 4 have experts in Massachusetts sounding two […]

WASTEWATER

This article was updated on July 17, 2025. WELLFLEET — The select board asked the board of health on July 8 to “temporarily suspend its current septic regulations,” reverting to […]

SCHOOLS

ORLEANS — When Nauset’s new school superintendent, Glenn Brand, stepped into his office on July 1, he felt like he’d come full circle. Brand’s career in the U.S. began in […]

HUNGER

WELLFLEET — With a new federal budget that cuts SNAP benefits (known as food stamps) and Medicaid, local food pantries are preparing to address what they expect will be an […]

DEMOLITION WATCH

WELLFLEET — Helen Miranda Wilson, the new owner of the house at 177 Peace Valley Road, outlined for the historical commission on July 9 her reasons for concluding that the […]

PUBLIC HEALTH

PROVINCETOWN — A Supreme Court ruling on June 27 preserved a requirement in the Affordable Care Act that insurance companies cover preventive care at no cost to patients — including […]

THIS WILD CAPE

Dragonflies and damselflies have been flying over wetlands, meadows, and woodlands for over 300 million years, making them one of the most ancient orders of insects found on Earth today. […]

THE BERRIES

Ten years ago, when I was 12, a gaggle of friends gathered in a circle at summer camp in Vermont and organized ourselves into categories, each with its own implications […]

WATER KEEPERS

Under the gleam of the full Moon, the group of 12 women moved at a meditative pace through the woods along Old King’s Highway and past the still ponds of […]

MODERN TIMES

The screened porch of the house that eminent architect and designer Marcel Breuer built in Wellfleet in 1949, a box-like room cantilevered off the side of the house in such […]

MILLION-YEAR PICNIC

Summer is a great time of year for stargazing. On even the hottest days, the temperature drops after sunset, and often a cooling breeze picks up near the bay and […]

DOG TALK

Adam Piñero is fluent in the language of dogs. “Most people are familiar with the classics,” he says. “A wagging tail usually means happy. A tucked tail usually means scared.” […]

THE SCUTTLEBUTT

We’ve had another week of up and down bass fishing, interrupted by a late-fall-like mini-nor’easter bringing heavy rains and some wind. The storm chilled our water temperatures from 70 degrees […]

CAPE COD BASEBALL

ORLEANS — The Firebirds used a 5-run 6th inning and strong pitching from starter Isaiah Magdaleno and 6 relievers to best the Brewster Whitecaps 8-3 Sunday night at a fog-shrouded […]

ON THEIR MARKS

WELLFLEET — Mild temperatures and a gentle breeze on July 6 complemented the cooling spray of garden hoses neighbors trained on the 247 runners on the hilly 5-mile course from […]

NATURAL SELECTION

Baptisia tinctoria is a plant so nice they named it twice. Both the genus name and specific epithet refer to the native perennial’s use as an agent in dyes — […]

RARA AVIS

Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, July 15 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]

WEATHER

After cooling down late last week and remaining on the cooler side of things through the weekend, temperatures have climbed back to well above average this week. And those warm […]

FOUND AT THE FARMERS MARKET

July 12, 2025 Provincetown Many farmers have a bounty of colorful vegetables right now. Other farmers’ offerings are quieter in appearance but no less seasonal. Sarah Naciri of Wild Blossoms […]

DATE AND TIME

From the July 9, 1833 issue of the Newburyport Herald, selected and edited by Kaimi Rose Lum The sch. Charles, of Provincetown, Jacob Cook, master; James M. Needham, mate, arrived […]

ASTRAL PROJECTIONS

We’ve got a few more days to indulge in the cool refreshing tides of emotional connection and deep intuition before the Sun shifts into the sign of the Lion. It’s […]

PROVINCETOWN: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Provincetown are held in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to […]

TRURO: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Meetings in Truro are often held remotely. Go to Truro-ma.gov and click on the meeting you are interested in for an agenda and details on how to join. Thursday, July […]

WELLFLEET: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Wellfleet are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting that interests you on the calendar at wellfleet-ma.gov for details. All meetings are at […]

EASTHAM: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you are interested in on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for details. All meetings are […]

MYSTICISM

The paintings by Donald Saaf now on view at Rice Polak Gallery in Provincetown depict a man watering a garden, a couple seated at a kitchen table, a woman selling […]

ELEMENTAL ART

In a bright, high-ceilinged studio at the end of a dirt road in Truro, artist Ginny Zanger stands at a bench, working on her latest print. She’s surrounded by fresh-picked […]

‘CUMBIA IS LOVE’

Yeison Landero says he had “a beautiful childhood” in the green mountains of San Jacinto, Bolívar, in northern Colombia. Famous musicians came to his house: accordion players Alfredo Gutiérrez, Lizandro […]

DRAG DESK

It’s nearly impossible to describe a Joey Arias performance to someone who hasn’t seen one. It’s not just a show. It’s an experience: seductive, surreal, unfiltered, and always authentic. It’s […]

A CASE OF YOU

When Paul Lisicky happened upon the online video of Joni Mitchell singing at the 2022 Newport Folk Festival, he watched through tears of amazement and gratitude. That’s probably not so […]

THE STROLL

Rice Polak Gallery (430 Commercial St.) Greg Durio and Fred Klinker, from The Woodlands, Texas, are making their way down Commercial Street on Friday evening for the weekly gallery stroll. […]

Happy Birthday, Mary Oliver To celebrate what would have been the late poet Mary Oliver’s 90th birthday this fall, the Truro Meeting House (3 First Parish Lane) will hold a […]

VIGNETTE

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STEAMERS

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SPEECHES

Rep. Jamie Raskin of Maryland’s Eighth Congressional District, the ranking Democrat on the House Judiciary Committee, told a standing-room-only crowd at Wellfleet Preservation Hall on July 11 not to give […]

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

At his first inaugural on March 4, 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this: “Let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear […]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Phragmites Redux To the editor: Ronald Gabel’s letter titled “Phragmites vs. Spartina” [July 10, page A2] misquotes a sentence in the cited publication, Phragmites: Considerations for Management in the Critical […]

OBITUARY

Deborah Paine, formerly of North Truro, a custom home builder and general contractor known for her expertise in historic restoration, died on June 25, 2025 at Midcoast Hospital in Brunswick, […]

OBITUARY

A celebration of life for AIDS Support Group of Cape Cod volunteer Maggie Bartlett, who died at 90 on Jan. 24, 2025, will be held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, […]

OBITUARY

Mona Dukess, a Truro artist known for her paintings and handmade paper whose work is in the permanent collection of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, died on July 5, […]

OBITUARY

Larry Basile always made time for what mattered most to him: standing up for what’s right and tearing up the dance floor. So, in 1991, when the AIDS Coalition to […]

OBITUARY

A memorial service for Jere Lee Milliken of Truro, who died on Aug. 2, 2024 in Palm Bay, Fla. of complications from a fall, will be held at 5 p.m. […]

OBITUARY

Mary Nardini, a chemist and real estate broker, died at her home in Eastham on May 18, 2025 of complications from Parkinson’s disease. She was 83. Mary was born on […]

TIDE CHART

Know when to hit the flats. This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.

Recorded at the Barnstable County Registry of Deeds from July 7 to July 11, 2025.  PROVINCETOWN July 11. Evan Falchuck and Felicia Falchuk to Curtis McClay. 52 Point St. $2,959,000. […]

CLASSIFIEDS

MUSIC Music and Magic of ’BCN Boston. Join WOMR’s Mike G on a magic carpet ride through ’60s and ’70s rock from 8 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22. […]

TOWN CLERK JUNE 27, 2025 ZONING BYLAW APPROVAL On the date above, in accordance with the requirements of G.L. c.40, §32, I posted copies of the Zoning Bylaw amendments referenced […]

PLANNING BOARD The Board will hold a Public Hearing on THURSDAY, JULY 24, 2025, AT 6:00 P.M. in the Judge Welsh Hearing Room, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA. […]

Sundown Soirée (Thursday, July 17) The Summer Sunset Market at Provincetown Arts Society (466 Commercial St.) on Thursday, July 17, 4:30 p.m. features pasture-raised meat and seafood, herbs and flowers, […]

Nature Walk (Thursday-Wednesday, July 17-23) Naturalists from the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History (869 Main St., Brewster) lead 90-minute guided field walks for kids and families along the John […]

A Woman Named Carlos: New Girl in Town Post Office Café & Cabaret Thurs, July 17 and Thurs., July 24, 10 p.m. $35-$45 plus fees at postofficecafe.net   Alexis Mateo: […]

VIEWFINDER

FOOTLOOSE   This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.

FOURTH OF JULY

We asked our contributing photographers to show us what they were seeing on the streets on July 4th. They answered with candy scramblers, stilt-walkers, beachgoers, protesters, and flag-wavers (and wearers), […]

PUBLIC SAFETY

PROVINCETOWN — Over two days last week, two different bias crimes are alleged to have happened on Bradford Street: a physical attack on a gay man near the intersection of […]

HEALTH CARE

This article was updated on July 14, 2025. PROVINCETOWN — This spring, the U.S. House of Representatives took a cue from the 27 Republican-controlled states that have restricted gender-affirming health […]

ENTITLEMENT

WELLFLEET — Chellise Sexton and her son Kevin Sexton have failed again in their effort to wrest the land at Fred Bell Way from the town. The Sextons have pursued […]

LAND USE

TRURO — A state Land Court judge has set a pretrial conference for Aug. 14 to discuss three appeals related to whether the bulk sale of landscaping material on the […]

HOUSING

WELLFLEET — As house prices become increasingly unaffordable on the Outer Cape, interest is growing in ways that individual property owners could help create opportunities for year-round residents to own […]

BLUE ECONOMY

PROVINCETOWN — State data finalized in April show that 2024 saw the smallest sea scallop haul from the Outer and Lower Cape’s ports since at least 2019. The in-shell weight […]

PUBLIC WORKS

PROVINCETOWN — The town is moving forward with plans to renovate its public restrooms to the gender-inclusive standards in the state’s newest building code — a shift that would replace […]

CIVICS

This article was updated on July 10. TRURO — With the terms of all the members of the ad hoc building committee set to expire at the end of June, […]

BIRDWATCHING

It doesn’t seem possible that these hills around us were planted. We know they were clear cut; Europeans and their ships had not seen trees this size in centuries. It […]

THE WHOLE KITCHEN

I have never been to France, never eaten a true French crêpe or croissant, never walked over the “Japanese Bridge” painted in multiplicity by a man with a long beard […]

GARDEN TOUR

Artist and gardener Alex Tureaud never wants to mow the lawn again. “Having a lawn is a very demanding chore to have to do at a beach house,” he says. […]

GRAVEYARD SHIFT

On March 5, 1864, Massachusetts ceded jurisdiction of Provincetown’s Long Point to the United States for a military reservation. People in town didn’t like the idea much, although they did […]

THE COCKTAIL

It’s weird how many drinks we consider classics were first mixed in France — a country that doesn’t really do cocktails. Admittedly, many of them were concocted largely for American […]

FOOD

To Elspeth Hay, it has always seemed clear that, when it comes to food, we take more from this planet than we give. In her new book, Feed Us With […]

GOOD FENCES

We never put much effort into the woods at the back of our property. Hurricane Bob took out most of the locust trees, then sycamore maples, honeysuckle, and runaway privet […]

THE SCUTTLEBUTT

The waterfront was alive with activity this past week, culminating in a spectacular fireworks show on one of those 10-out-of-10 Chamber of Commerce perfect summer days. Given how much awful […]

CAPE COD BASEBALL

ORLEANS — The beaches of San Diego are about as far away as you can get from Cape Cod and still be in the continental U.S., but two Orleans Firebirds […]

NATURAL SELECTION

If Dolly Parton were a flower, she might just be a butterfly weed. Just like Dolly, Asclepias tuberosa is small in stature but bursting with life (native bees and bugs […]

RARA AVIS

Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, July 8 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]

ICE DREAMS

ORLEANS — Harper Meads said she was feeling “more excitement than nerves” as she and her friend and fellow skater Sloane Young ripped across the ice at the Charles Moore […]

WEATHER

If you watch the news or follow the weather at all, chances are you’ve heard of the Bermuda high. Meteorologically, the Bermuda high is really an extension of the Azores […]

FOUND AT THE FARMERS MARKET

July 5, 2025 Orleans Garlic has come early to the market, a result of dry and hot weather. Many farmers have garlic on offer, but Benjamin Chung of Caroline’s Corner […]

DATE AND TIME

By Charles O. Stickney, from the July 12, 1890 issue of the Boston Evening Transcript, selected and edited by Kaimi Rose Lum  The daylight of one of the loveliest of […]

VIEWFINDER

TWICE AS NICE DAYTIME FIREWORKS This page is available to subscribers. Click here to sign in or get access.

I SCREAM

At the Independent, many things change every year: the headlines, the bylines, the deadlines, and, for a few, the hairlines. But some things never change. Independent writers are back in […]

ASTRAL PROJECTIONS

While we walk boldly into a new era of ideas, be prepared for the small changes. They sometimes affect us more than the big ones. With Uranus freshly stationed in […]

PROVINCETOWN: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Provincetown are held in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to […]

TRURO: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Meetings in Truro are often held remotely. Go to truro-ma.gov and click on the meeting you are interested in for an agenda and details on how to join. Thursday, July […]

WELLFLEET: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Wellfleet are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting that interests you on the calendar at wellfleet-ma.gov for details. All meetings are at […]

EASTHAM: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS

Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you are interested in on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for details. All meetings are […]

PATHWAYS

Drawing is a personal art. There’s often not much more than a line of ink or graphite dividing an artist’s idea from the artwork. It is both direct and exploratory. […]

BOOKS

Betty Friedan worked so hard she forgot to pee. Norman Mailer was married twice in four days. The only way to get Leonard Bernstein out of bed was to play […]

ARTS FUNDING

Provincetown artist Laura Shabott, playwright Patrick Riviere, and the executive director of the Cape Cod Chamber Music Festival were relieved to learn that they had been selected for grants from […]

GUTS

Before David Hills began following fishermen, he rarely saw the sea. Born in Iowa City, Iowa, Hills grew up in Houston, where his father, Kent, was a physicist working on […]

ARTISTS

Walking into the Shirley Gorelick exhibition at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, one is “knocked out with color,” as exhibition curator and PAAM CEO Christine McCarthy puts it. Many […]

DRAG DESK

The day after the debut of his new summer show at the Crown & Anchor last month, Jeffery Roberson — the beating heart of Provincetown drag, better known as Varla Jean […]

COMICS

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Barbara Cohen Captures Four-Legged Frolic A college art teacher once warned Barbara E. Cohen against becoming an abstract painter, advising her that only “realists” can support themselves through their art. […]

VIGNETTE

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STEAMERS

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THE YEAR-ROUNDER

It has been two years since I discovered David Read’s painting on a seawall in the East End of town (“Painting on the Seawall,” June 29, 2023). That amounts to […]

INDEPENDENCE DAY

On the evening of July 3, I and 69 million other Americans who get Social Security benefits received an email “celebrating the passage of the One Big, Beautiful Bill, a […]

LETTER FROM THE EDITOR

A March 27 pronouncement titled “Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History” ordered the secretary of the interior to take action to ensure that public properties “do not contain descriptions, […]

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Safety in Restrooms To the editor: Our trans siblings have experienced violence and a lack of safety in our public restrooms. They have asked to be seen, heard, included, and […]

OBITUARY

Artist, cat lover, and bohemian Peter Hutchinson died on June 26, 2025 exactly as he wanted to, sleeping in his favorite chair in his Provincetown home with a glass of […]

OBITUARY

A memorial service for Elizabeth G. Welsh of Provincetown, who died at 72 on March 27, 2025, will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, July 11 at the Nickerson […]