It has been written that upon approaching our shores shipmen of old would take great pleasure in the sweet perfume of Clethra alnifolia that traveled over the waves to welcome […]
News
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RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, August 6 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
PROVINCETOWN: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
33 Conwell St.
Meetings Ahead Most meetings in Provincetown are held in person, typically with an online-attendance option for both committee members and residents. Click on the meeting you want to attend on […]
TRURO: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
‘The State of the World’
Meetings Ahead Meetings in Truro are often held remotely. Go to Truro-ma.gov and click on the meeting you are interested in for an agenda and details on how to join. Thursday, Aug. […]
WELLFLEET: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Select Board Goals
Meetings Ahead Most meetings in Wellfleet are remote only, but some are held in person. Go to www.wellfleet-ma.gov/calendar and click on the meeting you want to watch, then follow the […]
EASTHAM: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Speedy Select Board
Meetings Ahead Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for a link […]
WORKER HOUSING
When the Boss Is Your Landlord, It’s Complicated
The agreements keep businesses open but are legally ambiguous
PROVINCETOWN — When eight longtime employees of Marine Specialties owner Patrick Patrick arrived back on Cape Cod from Jamaica in 2019, their housing had fallen through. After a fruitless search, […]
SEASHORE POINT
Reviewers Suspect Fraud in Nursing Home Filings
Experts find evidence of hidden profits in the millions
PROVINCETOWN — Since taking over the nursing home at Seashore Point in 2019, the current owners have used a complex network of companies to pay themselves hidden profits — possibly […]
A SAFE DISTANCE
Seashore Offers Up a House on the Edge
Threatened by erosion, the Bartlett House will be demolished if it’s not spoken for soon
EASTHAM — The Cape Cod National Seashore announced last week that the Bartlett House, a gray shingled ranch overlooking Coast Guard Beach, is no longer safe for habitation, as it […]
FORECLOSURE
Orleans Motel Is Set to Be Auctioned
Owner has defaulted on $5.2-million mortgage
Editor’s note: The auction of the Seashore Park Inn that was scheduled for Aug. 8, as reported below, has been postponed to Friday, Aug. 23 at 11 a.m. ORLEANS — […]
MASTER PLAN
In Eastham, Housing Plan Must Wait Until 2035
As the number of affordable units shrinks, the town has no near-term strategy
EASTHAM — It has been five years since the town bought the 11-acre T-Time property for housing and commercial development. During that time, a nine-person committee spent four years gathering […]
HOUSING
Provincetown Aims to Lure Landlords to Year-Round Rental Market
‘Lease to Locals’ has helped secure 15 properties for 27 tenants so far
PROVINCETOWN — When Steven Rayl and Scott Presley purchased a gallery space at 352 Commercial St. with an attached apartment in 2017, they planned to rent out the one-bedroom unit […]
REST AND REASSESS
Covid-19 Pauses Outer Cape Entertainment
Two venues canceled a week of performances in July
PROVINCETOWN — Four years after Covid-19 brought live performances worldwide to a halt, the virus is still working its will on Outer Cape arts venues. The Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater […]
TURTLE WATCH
Midway Into Their Season Here, More Sea Turtles Are Dying
Boat strikes and entanglements affect both leatherbacks and loggerheads
The leatherback turtles are here for their annual visit, feeding in Cape Cod Bay. The loggerheads are here too — though they’re more recent arrivals as climate change has made […]
DUMPS
Peak Trash Season Strains Outer Cape Transfer Stations
Staffing shortages, equipment delays, and one experiment greet the season
August is peak trash season here, and the staff who run the Outer Cape’s transfer stations say there will be challenges in coping with volumes more than four times what […]