EASTHAM — Vida DeMale and her friend Ann Darsie saw eye to eye on their town’s roadside traffic islands: they were awful and overgrown. The two of them gathered six […]
Next Generation
RAD
Skaters Jam at the Wellfleet SK8 Park
Riders from Boston and beyond compete for new gear and good cheer
WELLFLEET — Though the tricks executed at Wellfleet’s annual Skate Jam & Contest on Aug. 20 were serious, the competition was playful and welcoming. Skaters gathered across from Mayo Beach […]
ENVIRONMENT
Killing Weeds With Herbicides Is ‘Last Resort’
Invasive Phragmites is threat to pond ecosystems, says NPS
WELLFLEET — The National Park Service plans to treat six Outer Cape kettle ponds for the invasive weed Phragmites australis, which is threatening the ecology of Herring, Gull, and Higgins […]
CAMP OUT
Staff Shortage Limits Campground to Three Days a Week
The DCR’s late-June decision left Wellfleet Hollow campers in the lurch
WELLFLEET — A simple, affordable escape to the natural beauty of Outer Cape Cod grows ever more elusive as real estate and rental prices skyrocket. And Wellfleet Hollow State Campground, […]
BUGGIES & BIRDS
On ‘the Outer,’ Piping Plover Protection Is Working
From Nauset Beach to Race Point, shorebird programs balance over-sand vehicle access
ORLEANS — From the sandy bank of Pochet Creek emerge two small piping plover chicks. Their fuzzy plumage serves as camouflage against the sand, making it nearly impossible to spot […]
POND SCUM
Cyanobacteria Blooms Rise With Water Temperatures
Swimmers are advised to learn to spot and report ephemeral blooms
TRURO — Kettle ponds, the glittering pools of fresh water that are one of the Outer Cape’s most prized natural features, are facing a growing threat caused not only by […]
ASYLUM
Two Afghan Women Flee the Taliban and Land in Wellfleet
The sisters are safe but hoping to rescue the rest of their family
WELLFLEET — Maryam and Shabnam have been enjoying a typical Outer Cape summer — going to Newcomb Hollow Beach and the Fox and Crow Café and on whale watch excursions […]
OUT AND ABOUT
Dykes Study the Demise (and Plot the Return) of the Lesbian Bar
What’s needed more than safe spaces are places for pride and connection
PROVINCETOWN — Of all the places where one might expect to find a lesbian bar, Provincetown is surely near the top of the list. But residents and tourists say they […]
RACE FOR SHERIFF
Fate of County’s ICE Pact May Depend on Voters
Whelan would keep the agreement; Buckley would cancel it
Barnstable County Sheriff James Cummings presides over the only 287(g) agreement with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) left in New England. That could change after this fall’s election. Cummings […]
WATER QUALITY
Towns Work on Strategies to Address Title 5 Changes
Eastham is testing three sites for a sewage treatment plant
EASTHAM — The four Outer Cape towns are developing strategies — from raking pond bottoms to running oxygen through their waters — to address proposed changes in the state’s Title […]
FUN & GAMES
Daubers, Hourglasses, Lucky Charms, and Bingo!
Tuesday night regulars at the Elks have their rituals, but beginners are welcome, too
EASTHAM — I used to think that bingo was simple. Listen to the numbers as they’re called. Mark them if you see them. Five in a row means you’re a […]
FORMER HUB
The French Cable Museum Offers a Snapshot of History
It’s one of just three such cable station museums in the world
ORLEANS — Inside a small white colonial house in Orleans is a telegraph cable station that once made this spot an international communications hub. Now it’s the French Cable Station […]
LOST ART
Rediscovering a Forgotten Provincetown Artist
Edith Wilkinson’s great-niece worked for years to uncover the artist’s story
What is known about Edith Lake Wilkinson: she was a woman, a visual artist, a painter, printer, and draftsman; she was a pioneer of white-line printing; she lived in New […]
ART OUTSIDERS
Where Plein Air Is for Painting and Selling
On the lawn and in the Seashore, a guild gathers artists and their work
EASTHAM — The white tents are up, a summer ritual that fills the lawn of the 1869 Schoolhouse Museum. Under their shade, browsers rub elbows with painters, collect, and gossip. […]
FIREBIRDS PROFILE
Cape Baseball Is All Fun for Connor Burns
The Californian is one of the top defensive catchers in the country
ORLEANS — Californian Connor Burns, one of three catchers for the Orleans Firebirds this summer, has a grueling schedule. He’s up early every day to head for Nauset Fitness, where […]
