PROVINCETOWN — Massachusetts’s new police reform bill will change many aspects of policing, including training and certification, with new use-of-force rules, a duty to intervene and stop other officers from […]
LET'S GET FISCAL
Short-Term Rental Tax Brings Outer Cape $3.8 Million
Revenue boost is received in all four towns
PROVINCETOWN — Even during the pandemic, the short-term rental tax is bringing in serious money to the four Outer Cape towns. The long-awaited tax — technically, an expansion of the […]
TESTING, PART 7
Free Rapid Covid Testing Extended to Feb. 28
Asymptomatic testing is finding new cases every day
PROVINCETOWN — Free asymptomatic coronavirus testing will continue on the Outer Cape. The free rapid-testing program that began here on Dec. 23 was scheduled to end on Jan. 10 and […]
IMMUNITY
‘Rollout’ of Vaccine Gets to Cape Cod
First responders set to receive Covid vaccine starting Monday
PROVINCETOWN — The Outer Cape is getting vaccinated for Covid. Outer Cape Health Services has been inoculating its staff here and in Wellfleet with the Moderna vaccine. Seashore Point Wellness […]
COVID TESTS, PART 6
Bill That Expands Free Testing Lands on Baker’s Desk
Asymptomatic frontline workers would be covered
PROVINCETOWN — A long-running legislative effort to secure free asymptomatic Covid testing for many classes of frontline workers — particularly those employed in health care, restaurants, and retail and hospitality […]
HEALTH
Free Covid Testing Has Come to Outer Cape Health Services
Asymptomatic rapid tests are now available at three clinic sites
PROVINCETOWN — Until this week, only people with symptoms of Covid-19 and those who have had direct contact with infected people have been able to get tested for the coronavirus […]
PANDEMIC RELIEF
Outer Cape Businesses Got $37 Million in PPP Loans
Most can reapply for more under new bill
PROVINCETOWN — A review of records released by the Small Business Administration (SBA) on Dec. 1 shows that small businesses and independent contractors on the Outer Cape received $37 million […]
SCIENCE
‘Docs for Safe Water’ Claim to Be Their Own ‘Peer-Reviewers’
But authors of report attack the town’s peer-review process
TRURO — The 40-page “Report on Private Wells and Truro Safe Water” released in September by a group calling themselves Docs for Truro Safe Water has been promoted by critics […]
ECONOMY
Disaster Loans a Quiet Lifeline for Outer Cape
$32 million for small businesses came in nick of time
PROVINCETOWN — The Covid-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program was so bedraggled in its rollout and early execution, it’s hard to pick which sadsack metaphor to use for it. […]
COVID TESTING, PART 4
County to Open Affordable Testing Sites
Falmouth, Hyannis will open next week; OCHS sites to follow
PROVINCETOWN — Cape Cod’s struggle to get expanded access to Covid testing took a big step forward this week. Legislators and county leaders announced that drive-through testing sites will open […]
PANDEMIC
Wastewater Testing Yields Messy Data
But it’s a still a valued tool for detecting Covid outbreaks
PROVINCETOWN — Testing wastewater for Covid was an unproved idea at the start of this pandemic. If it worked, it would be a way to cheaply test entire communities at […]
PANDEMIC
Outer Cape Expects More Testing in December
County leaders hope for a durable program
PROVINCETOWN — Resources are arriving to expand Covid testing on Cape Cod — at about the same time as the coronavirus itself is arriving. The timing wasn’t exactly planned, but […]
PANDEMIC
As Others Act, Outer Cape Still Lacks Asymptomatic Testing
Upper Cape and Nantucket adopt multipronged approach
PROVINCETOWN — In the popular children’s book Stone Soup, the soup is started with no great resources — in fact, it’s just a large pot of water with one stone […]
ELDER CARE
State Releases Partial Data on Covid Deaths in Assisted Living
One Cape Cod facility has had 11 previously unreported fatalities
Since late May, the state has provided detailed reports on fatalities from Covid-19 in nursing homes, but for assisted living facilities, the same information is hard to come by. The […]
PANDEMIC
Cyr Calls Out Gov. Baker on Testing Funds
Asymptomatic testing is key to controlling new outbreaks
PROVINCETOWN — In a recent press call, state Sen. Julian Cyr sounded an alarm about coronavirus testing on Cape Cod. “We see the cases coming south and east towards Cape […]
