PROVINCETOWN — As legal protections for transgender people are stripped away at the federal level, the effects are being felt far beyond Washington. That is true even here in Provincetown […]
Next Generation
DOGE DISRUPTION
AmeriCorps Grants Reinstated by Judge’s Order — for Now
Compliance with executive orders on gender and D.E.I. is still required
PROVINCETOWN — A federal judge in Maryland on June 5 blocked the Trump administration’s cuts to AmeriCorps, the community service agency, in 24 states including Massachusetts — reinstating, at least […]
TAXING
In Eastham, Property Tax Is a Hot Topic
Comparisons to other towns and the recent past can offer lessons, Bienvenue says
EASTHAM — Property taxes have been in the spotlight in Eastham this year. In the annual town election, two candidates for select board told the Independent that rising taxes were […]
CLASS OF 2025
Soon-to-Be Graduates Prepare to ‘Fit in the World’
Nauset High seniors look to the future with excitement and apprehension
TRURO — The mood among the members of the Class of 2025 at Nauset Regional High School gathered at Truro Vineyards for the senior banquet on May 30 was, by […]
PUBLIC HEALTH
Vaccine Clinics Aim to Head Off Measles Threat
No cases have been reported here, but summer travel has officials planning ahead
EASTHAM — For the past month, clinics across Cape Cod have been offering free measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccinations. Measles — which had been eliminated in the U.S. in […]
THE COUNT
Volunteers Track Alewives’ Return and Worry for the Fish’s Future
Recent threats include mid-water trawlers and cuts to NOAA’s data gathering
WELLFLEET — The alewives — also known as river herring — are coming home, though they’re not here to stay. They come to the Cape every spring and stay for […]
WISDOM
How to Live Through It
Seven women, seven lives: finding grace, joy, and grit in uncertain times
Over the course of four months, I sat with seven women — artists, caregivers, organizers, and revolutionaries — who have spent years living on the Outer Cape. They range in […]
GREEN ECONOMY
Curaleaf Sues Town to Claw Back $372K in Fees
The dispensary says new rules on community impact should apply retroactively
PROVINCETOWN — The Massachusetts branch of Curaleaf, the world’s largest cannabis company by revenue, is suing the town over claims that it improperly collected community impact fees from the company’s […]
SCHOOLS
Nauset Students Advocate for Drama Teacher’s Return
Although Hamilton’s contract won’t be renewed, school committee says program is not at risk
ORLEANS — Eight students filed into the bright yellow Nauset Room at the middle school here during the May 22 meeting of the Nauset Regional School Committee. Three more appeared […]
BLUE ECONOMY
Rock Harbor Redevelopment Is Delayed by Weather
With a new bulkhead installed, wharf will be operational by mid-June
ORLEANS — The wharf renovation on the Orleans side of Rock Harbor that was expected to be completed by early May won’t be finished before the summer boating season begins, […]
CREATIVE COMMONS
An Art Show That ‘Flips the Script’
At the COA, people over 60 teach, learn, and play
PROVINCETOWN — Maybe it was the Veterans Memorial Community Center’s past life as an elementary school, where kids once put on plays and climbed a rope to the ceiling during […]
ENFORCEMENT
As Immigration Raids Rise, Truro’s Leaders Look for Guidance
Town officials want clarity on how staff should respond to ICE warrants
TRURO — With federal immigration enforcement raids on the rise across Massachusetts, officials in Truro are weighing how staff should respond if one should take place at a town building […]
INTO THE WOODS
Friends of the 1651 Forest Start the Season of Habitat Restoration
A group combats runoff from foot and paw traffic with native plantings
EASTHAM — Step into the woods near Wiley Park and you’ll find yourself stepping back in time. That’s the idea, at least. Since 2001, Eastham’s 1651 Forest Advisory Committee has […]
NO SERVICE
DOGE Cuts Cancel Grants for AmeriCorps
County officials and nonprofits scramble to preserve jobs
WELLFLEET — AmeriCorps, the federal agency that funds community service projects, has terminated $530,000 in grants for work on the Outer Cape undertaken by AmeriCorps Cape Cod (ACC) and through […]
WATER POLITICS
Truro Makes Plans for Water, and for Misinformation
As housing and infrastructure advance, the town aims to communicate more clearly
TRURO — At a recent meeting with residents of Short Lots Lane, which runs just south of the 70-acre town-owned Walsh property, zoning task force chair David Bannard heard a […]