Meetings Ahead
Meetings are held remotely. To watch live, go to truro-ma.gov and follow the “helpful link” to Truro Channel 18.
Thursday, July 9
- Zoning Board of Appeals, Cloverleaf hearing, 5:30 p.m.
Friday, July 10
- Climate Action Committee, 10 a.m.
Tuesday, July 14
- Select Board, 5 p.m.
Conversation Starters
Covid-19 Update
As of July 2, there were zero active cases of the coronavirus, no deaths, and 10 resolved cases.
Drive-in Events at Payomet
The select board on July 7 limited the number of patrons at the Payomet Performing Arts Center to 100 for the first two shows, leaving open the possibility of increased attendance later this summer.
Phase three (which started Monday, July 6) allows musical performances. Kevin Rice, Payomet’s artistic director, wants to transform his tent space at the Cape Cod National Seashore’s Highland Center into a drive-in entertainment venue.
“The basic idea is the patrons (limited to four per car) come tethered to the car,” Rice told the select board.
Rice wanted 85 cars parked in the ballfield, a 68,000-square-foot area, which would allow for plenty of room between vehicles.
Since most performances would be either in the morning for the family circus shows or in the afternoon for concerts and other shows, it would be too hot to stay inside cars. People would sit right in front of their vehicles, Rice said.
But the state limits occupancy at entertainment venues to 100 people, said Town Manager Rae Ann Palmer. The select board members agreed with Rice that the Payomet drive-in proposal may not fit into any of the categories listed by the state, so town officials will seek clarification from the state Dept. of Public Health so that Rice may expand his audience in the future.
“I think it would be a great addition to the activities that people can take part it,” said Bob Weinstein of the select board. “Payomet has been a great treasure.”
Sharks, Beaches, and Free Parking
Head of the Meadow in Truro may be the best deal on the Outer Cape for those looking for a free ocean beach with plenty of parking and no sticker required. The Cape Cod National Seashore was unable to provide enough socially distant housing to employ its usual complement of lifeguards and booth staff this year, so parking at Head of the Meadow is free. The beach will also have no lifeguards this year, said Seashore Supt. Brian Carlstrom.
Truro has a town beach also named Head of the Meadow, which is open only to those with Truro beach stickers. Since the federal and town beaches are next to each other, people have been walking from the free federal beach to the guarded town beach, said Town Manager Rae Ann Palmer on July 7.
There have been complaints that the town beach is getting crowded. There are no easy solutions to this, except to perhaps ask the Seashore to provide rangers to keep people away from the town side, she said.
For those without a town sticker, the federal beach sounds perfect, but watch out for sharks. The first hour-long swimming ban of the summer happened on Sunday, July 5, around noon when a great white was spotted off Head of the Meadow, Carlstrom said.
Community Kitchen Permanent?
The nonprofit Truro Community Kitchen has moved from the Box Lunch on Route 6 to the Christian Union Church on Route 6A and is continuing to serve over 100 meals a week, according to the founder, Wendy Lurie, of Truro and Montclair, N.J.
Started by volunteers, the kitchen was originally formed to help people out of work or isolated during the pandemic, she said. In its first week 60 people were served, and now about 115 meals are delivered, she said.
“I think the number will go up again in the fall,” Lurie added. “So we’re working to do a second round of fundraising and we’re exploring the possibility of it being a permanent fixture in Truro.”
The food is cooked by David Sobel, Lurie’s husband, and other volunteers. Eli Sobel, 22, handles the fundraising and social media. For more information see trurocommunitykitchen.com —K.C. Myers
