PROVINCETOWN — Camp Lightbulb, a summer program for queer youth, is not returning to the Outer Cape this year, ending a run that began in Provincetown more than 14 years […]
Next Generation
THE JUSTICE SYSTEM
ICE Arrests Defendant Outside Orleans Courthouse
Biden-era limits on arrests at criminal courts were canceled in January
ORLEANS — Thiago Bastos, 27, who lives in Hyannis with his children, ages 4 and 5, his girlfriend, and her toddler, was arrested by state police on Saturday, May 10 […]
MONEY MATTERS
Wage Theft and Fraud Alleged at Pilgrim House
Several lawsuits, six wage complaints, and a venue drained of performers
PROVINCETOWN — At one of Provincetown’s premier drag performance spaces this season, the lights and lineup have dimmed. The Pilgrim House, a hotel and entertainment venue, used to host “three […]
INCARCERATION
Barnstable Jail Sees Sharp Rise in Women Inmates
A large number of Essex County women are moved to the Cape’s county jail
PROVINCETOWN — The number of women locked up at the Barnstable County Correctional Facility in Bourne has ballooned in the last 15 months — the result of two unrelated factors. […]
HUNGER
Outer Cape Food Pantries Prepare for Rising Need
Local organizations assess how cuts to SNAP and Medicaid will hit home here
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 […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Federal Cuts Could Imperil Local Sexual Health Programs
About $1.5 billion in HIV funds are on the chopping block
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 […]
WATER KEEPERS
Tending the Commons
A group gathers to get rooted in the nature of this place
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 […]
HEALTH CARE
State Makes Moves to Protect Transgender Care
A new trust fund would try to replace threatened federal dollars
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 […]
HOUSING
On One Parcel, a Land Trust Becomes a Reality in Wellfleet
Finding a nonprofit to own the land could make the process easier for others
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 […]
ICE DREAMS
Two Outer Cape Figure Skaters Head to National Excel Festival
After a full season on the ice, they’re still training (and smiling)
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 […]
BOOKS
The Liberty and Luck Behind the Jewish Golden Age
David Denby’s 'Eminent Jews' is a romp through postwar American culture
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 […]
TOWN HALL
Clark Is the Only Finalist for Truro Town Manager
Select board says 9 years as assistant made her the best of 16 applicants
TRURO — The select board voted unanimously on July 1 to interview only one of 16 applicants for the job of town manager: current acting Town Manager Kelly Clark. She […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
The Lone Star Tick Settles In, Bringing New Risks
As the species becomes widespread on the Cape, prevention is key
PROVINCETOWN — There’s a newcomer on the Cape’s tick scene. It bites hard, reproduces fast, and, in some cases, leaves victims allergic to red meat. It’s the lone star tick. […]
SHERIFF’S DEPT.
Barnstable County Jail Has Brought Health Care In-House
Almost two years after ending Wellpath’s contract, Buckley has hired counselors and case managers
PROVINCETOWN — When Barnstable County Sheriff Donna Buckley announced her campaign for that office in March 2022, she told the Independent that “the sheriff’s responsibility is not to do law […]
GRACE GOUVEIA SERVICE AWARD
Bruce Mason Goes Forth Into the World, to Rejoice and to Protest
Spreading peace and love, he says, ‘I receive more than I give’
PROVINCETOWN — There were still 20 minutes left of the documentary, and Bruce Mason wanted to know if he could finish it before giving an interview. It was the day […]
