PROVINCETOWN — Despite a Jan. 21 memo from the federal Dept. of Justice directing U.S. attorneys to crack down on state and local officials seen as uncooperative with immigration enforcement, […]
Next Generation
CUTTING CARE
Mental Health Center Closing Would Ripple Across Cape, Officials Say
State budget cuts would affect access to the Cape’s only inpatient psychiatric care
Editor’s note: Because of a production error, the last section of this article did not appear in the print version of the Feb. 13 edition. The full text of the […]
MORNING FLIGHT
Bird Love Knows No Bounds
Sex and mating stories in the bird world appear to be as diverse as they are in the human one
Though winter’s grip has not loosened on the Outer Cape, the birds are already signaling the changing season. Chickadees, song sparrows, and house finches are beginning to sing more frequently, […]
CLIMATE OF FEAR
Schools React to Federal Moves on Immigration
Catholic Charities and Provincetown businesses are also watching new rules
PROVINCETOWN — In response to the Trump administration’s decision on Jan. 21 to lift restrictions barring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers from making arrests in “sensitive locations” including […]
H5N1
Avian Flu Is Spreading, Affecting Wild Birds Most
Waterfowl hit hardest, with poultry and pets at risk; more surveillance underway
WELLFLEET — If you feel like you’ve been noticing a lot of dead birds lately, you’re not alone. According to State Ornithologist Andrew Vitz, we are in the midst of […]
WELLFLEET MARINA
Cavanaugh Aims to Clean Up Harbormaster’s Act
He plans upgrades to infrastructure and a new approach to engaging fishermen
WELLFLEET — A Jan. 18 notice from the harbormaster raised eyebrows among shellfishermen here. Winter dockage fees for use of the pier, due on Jan. 31, were being increased dramatically […]
ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS
Enrollment Declines Steeply in Wellfleet and Truro
Wellfleet isn’t part of regionalization study with the rest of Nauset district
This article was updated on Jan. 30, 2025. WELLFLEET — With young families finding the Outer Cape increasingly unaffordable, elementary school enrollment has plunged by about 30 percent since the […]
ENVIRONMENT
Wellfleet Adopts New Septic Regulations
Priorities: upgrades, cesspool removal in stages, and case-by-case decisions
WELLFLEET — The board of health approved a new set of septic system regulations at its Jan. 22 meeting. The rules are an essential part of the town’s Targeted Watershed […]
FISCAL DUTIES
Wellfleet Debuts Joint Committee to Review Draft Budget
Guerino, foreseeing a tight squeeze, awaits free cash certification to present final figures
WELLFLEET — Town Administrator Tom Guerino is even busier than usual, says his executive assistant, as Wellfleet embarks on a new kind of financial review. For the first time, a […]
WHALE WATCH
Government Withdraws Tighter Vessel Speed Rule
Opposition focused on ferry services, but critics say NOAA was slow to adapt
PROVINCETOWN — The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) — the part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration charged with stewardship of the nation’s ocean resources and their habitats — […]
COMMUNITY
Serving Food and Fresh Clothes Amid L.A.’s Fires
Cape residents who winter in Los Angeles find ways to support neighbors
PROVINCETOWN — Michela Murphy, who owns Sal’s Place in Provincetown with her mother, Siobhan Carew, landed in Los Angeles for the winter on Jan. 6 to help manage the Italian […]
REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK
Into the Vortex
WASHINGTON, D.C. — A polar vortex swooped down from the Arctic on Monday, fueled by climate change-driven instability in the jet stream, forcing Donald Trump’s inauguration indoors. But nobody in […]
ISRAEL AND PALESTINE
After Tense Prologue, Film and Discussion Go Forward Without Incident
About 20 people protested a documentary, claiming it is anti-Semitic
WELLFLEET — The organization Wellfleet for Palestine organized a screening of the 2016 documentary film The Occupation of the American Mind on Tuesday, Jan. 14 at the Wellfleet Public Library. […]
WASTEWATER
Wellfleet Maps Its Expanded Sewer District
High-density and low-lying areas shape path to nitrogen reduction target
WELLFLEET — A map showing the town’s proposed sewer district, updated as of Dec. 11, 2024, has been posted on the board of health page of the town website. The […]
BACKLOG
Truro Select Board Takes Months to Release Minutes
Vacant positions and overwhelmed staff are said to bog down a routine duty
TRURO — The process of keeping minutes of select board meetings and getting them approved and released slowed to a crawl last year, with minutes from late August and September […]
