Meteor showers, eclipses, and other unusual celestial events get a lot of press. Sometimes this is deserved. The total solar eclipse of 2024 was stunning; in 2020, Comet NEOWISE was […]
News
Fresh local news that brings you closer to your neighbors and the community.
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THIS WILD CAPE
The Big Appeal of Our Smallest Thrush
The unpredictable outcomes (and predictable responsibilities) of inviting bluebirds into your yard
No matter the season, people are always asking me about eastern bluebirds. Musicians and poets want to write about them. There’s no question that whatever our fondness for birds may […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
Bass Are Here, There, and Not Everywhere
Flounder on the shoals, bluefish in the sound
Striped bass are playing hide and seek with us now. One day we have them good, with big numbers of fish around and feeding well, and the next day there […]
NATURAL SELECTION
A-Dime-a-Dozen Daisy
Maybe the cattle of Europe and western Asia, where Leucanthemum vulgare is native, once upon a time had striking yellow eyes with thick white lashes. Otherwise, it’s hard to imagine […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, June 17 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
WEATHER
Cape Cod Summer Starts at the Solstice
Welcome to summer. At 10:42 p.m. on June 20, the earth’s tilt toward the Sun will reach its maximum point in the Northern Hemisphere, with the sun passing directly over […]
PROVINCETOWN: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Juneteenth Events
Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Provincetown are held in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you want to attend on the calendar at provincetown-ma.gov for a link to […]
TRURO: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Ad Hoc Redux
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. Monday, June […]
WELLFLEET: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Planner Hired for Maurice’s Overlay
Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Wellfleet are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting that interests you on the calendar at wellfleet-ma.gov for details. All meetings are at […]
EASTHAM: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Hippos and Zippos
Meetings Ahead
Most meetings in Eastham are in person, typically with an online-attendance option. Click on the meeting you are interested in on the calendar at eastham-ma.gov for details. All meetings are […]
RADIOACTIVITY
Hearing on Holtec’s Appeal of DEP Denial Begins
Either way, the decision won’t stop the evaporation of Pilgrim wastewater
PLYMOUTH — The Dept. of Environmental Protection determined last July that the proposed discharge of over one million gallons of radioactive wastewater from the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station into Cape […]
COMMUNITY
Transgender Rights: ‘Change Can Happen Here’
As federal proclamations threaten trans people, a call to action is heard here
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 […]
PROMISES, PROMISES
Health Officials Tighten Oversight at Sandbars Inn
Noise, rowdiness, and no one in charge: ‘The same conversation we’ve had for several years’
TRURO — The board of health is all too familiar with complaints about the Sandbars Inn at 570 Shore Road. Many of them stem from lack of oversight of the […]
HOUSING
Board Approves $500K for 26 Shank Painter
‘Forgivable loan’ would be repaid if developers fail to build 40 units
PROVINCETOWN — The town’s effort to get 40 condos — 30 of which would be sold to town residents at below-market prices — built at the site of the former […]
IMMIGRATION
Amid Threats to Foreign Students, a Harvard Choir Sings in Provincetown
New scrutiny at airports means international travel is a risk for visa holders
PROVINCETOWN — The Trump administration’s increased pressure on student visa holders nationwide — and its all-out campaign against Harvard — came into view in Provincetown last week when the Harvard […]
