PROVINCETOWN — Outdoor dining for restaurants, new picnic areas on town property, an experimental car ban on Commercial Street, and extra oversight of the excursion fleet were all approved at […]
CIVICS
Women of the Hour: Our Health Agents
They are at the center of managing towns’ pandemic response
PROVINCETOWN — The Outer Cape’s health agents’ duties range from enforcing food and water safety to supporting emotional connection. Their jobs touch on sex, rats, and sewers. And that was […]
TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS
Out-of-State Arrivals Still Told to Lie Low
Gov. Baker’s 14-day quarantine is advisory, not an order
PROVINCETOWN — On March 27, Gov. Charlie Baker issued an advisory that travelers into Massachusetts from other states should self-quarantine for 14 days. At that time, New York State was […]
THE REOPENING
Memorial Day Presages a Long, Complicated Summer
Provincetown officials are getting 10 to 15 calls a day about rental violations
PROVINCETOWN — This week and next, town governments on the Outer Cape will be rolling out changes to traffic flow, restaurant rules, bathroom arrangements, and dozens of other adjustments to […]
SEASONAL PROSPECTS
Tourist Economy Can’t Open Till Mid-June
Lodging, dining, and retail get three weeks to prepare
PROVINCETOWN — Phase one of the governor’s reopening plan began on Monday, but for the Outer Cape’s hospitality-driven economy, the big changes will come with phase two. That’s when renting […]
HEALTH
Open Enrollment Ends May 25
How to get help signing up for low-cost health insurance and care
After multiple extensions, open enrollment for health insurance is set to end on Monday, May 25. It’s not too late to get help with signups for health insurance, and people who […]
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK
Where We Get Our Stories
The most surprising thing about this newspaper, for someone outside it, is probably how we pick what to write. The process shocked me when I first saw it, and I continue […]
RECOVERY
Gauging Town’s Population Key to Reopening
Balancing occupancy against health resources requires knowing who’s here
PROVINCETOWN — The town’s Recovery Coalition is working on a phased reopening of Provincetown’s economy that depends on knowing how many people are here. That won’t be easy.
ECONOMY
Small Businesses Seeking to Reopen Face Obstacles
Problems remain with health rules, staffing, and government assistance
PROVINCETOWN — Bringing a business back from a dead standstill is hard enough. But the problems surrounding that effort during the Covid epidemic are so fiendishly interwoven, they resemble the […]
ECONOMY
Rental Rules for Short Term Still Unknown
Officials expect ban to go on past Memorial Day
PROVINCETOWN — Memorial Day weekend is two weeks away, but there is no official guidance yet on whether anyone will be allowed to come here. Since March 31, a standing […]
RELIEF
The Cape’s Undocumented Workers on the Margins
Most pay into the social safety net, but can’t benefit
PROVINCETOWN — The coronavirus-induced collapse of the economy has people everywhere reaching for lifelines, from unemployment to SBA loans to MassHealth. At the edge of this scene is a group […]
ECONOMY
Local Banks Rush to Get Funds for Small Businesses
Second round of SBA payroll loans could be gone in days
Editor’s note: This story has been updated as of Saturday, May 2. PROVINCETOWN — The $310 billion that was added to the Payroll Protection Program (PPP) by Congress last week […]
RECOVERY
Coalition to Advise on Reopening Policies
Its meetings will not be open to the public
PROVINCETOWN — The Provincetown Recovery Coalition created by Town Manager Robin Craver had its first meeting on April 22. Its goal is to move from creative thinking on distancing-while-open to […]
HEALTH
Covid, HIV, and Cancer: Mulling the Relative Risks
The immunosuppressed could be vulnerable, raising troubling questions
PROVINCETOWN — The novel coronavirus threatens us all — but not equally. Since the earliest days of the outbreak, scientists and ordinary people alike have hunted for information about who […]
ECONOMY
Relief Is Slow for the Self-employed
Three programs could help; none is quick
Update: On Thursday, April 16, the Small Business Administration stopped accepting PPP loan applications because the $349 billion appropriation was exhausted. Congress is currently negotiating over an extra $250 billion […]
