The Provincetown Brewing Co. hosts Brews Clues Trivia on Mondays at 7 p.m. Play in person at 141 Bradford St. or tune in on Facebook Live.
Provincetown Brewing Co.
Trivial Matter
The Provincetown Brewing Co. hosts Brews Clues Trivia on Mondays at 7 p.m. Play in person at 141 Bradford St. or tune in on Facebook Live.
Early Words
Join Harrison Fish and Bob Keary, Fridays at 9 a.m., for Wake Up! In Provincetown. This talk show, filmed live from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom, has special guests each week. Watch it on YouTube or Facebook.
Early Words
Join Harrison Fish and Bob Keary, Fridays at 9 a.m., for Wake Up! In Provincetown. This talk show, filmed live from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom, has special guests each week. Watch it on YouTube or Facebook.
Landscape Lunch
The Provincetown Conservation Trust is hosting a fall tree-planting celebration at the Shank Painter Pond Wildlife Sanctuary on Ships Way Road on Saturday, October 17th, 9 a.m. to noon. Afterwards, enjoy a free lunch at the Provincetown Brewing Co., 141 Bradford St., from 12:30 to 2 p.m. Registration required at provincetownconservationtrust.org.
THE COVID EFFECT
Rumors Swirl Over Closing of Restaurants
What were the test results? Answers are not required
Rumors started to circulate last week that a rash of Wellfleet restaurants had closed due to positive Covid-19 tests among staff.
According to public notices from restaurateurs, Mac’s Shack closed for 24 hours for a deep cleaning on July 30 after a staff member tested positive; the Fox & Crow shut down voluntarily for deep cleaning on July 30 and 31, though no staff tested positive; and Van Rensselaer’s closed for deep cleaning on July 31 and Aug. 1, without stating why. Mac’s and the Fox & Crow declined to comment for this article, and V.R.’s could not be reached before deadline.
(A July 27 article by Derek Thompson in The Atlantic argued that “deep cleaning” to prevent Covid transmission is a waste of time. Calling the practice “hygiene theater,” he cited research evidence that surface transmission of the virus is exceedingly rare, and that news reports of studies showing the virus remaining alive on surfaces for days were wildly exaggerated.)
The Wellfleet closings followed others in Provincetown. According to public statements by George’s Pizza and Provincetown Brewing Co., each had a staff member test positive for the coronavirus.
To verify such statements and halt false rumors, is there any official way to find out which restaurants have had employees with the virus?
The answer is no. In Provincetown, Wellfleet, and Eastham, local health officials are not naming restaurants with Covid cases. There is no state mandate for reporting. Emily Beebe, Truro’s health director, said on Tuesday that she was still pondering the question.
Elsewhere in the state, Quincy Mayor Tom Koch posts highly specific updates. On Aug. 3, he wrote: “An employee of Manet Lunch at 1099 Sea St. Quincy has tested positive for Covid-19. If you were a patron on 7/11/20 5PM-1AM, 7/12/20 12-5PM, 7/18/20 5PM-1AM or 7/19/20 12-5PM, please call Quincy Health Department at 617-376-1286 or 617-376-1272 so we may advise you regarding further actions.”
Morgan Clark, Provincetown’s director of health and environment, has no intention of naming restaurants because she does not want to “contribute to shaming,” she said. “This community should be more aware than most, given how we lived together in the 1980s,” she added, referring to the AIDS epidemic.
According to Mass. Dept. of Public Health epidemiologist Hillary Johnson, when and where a person worked may not be relevant. That is something contact tracers attempt to deduce.
“There is not a one-to-one correlation with work and infections,” Johnson told the Provincetown Select Board on Monday. That is, roommates, family, or a certain dinner party guest may need to be informed of positive test results, not a business where masks were worn.
Requiring Disclosure
Still, some are pushing for mandatory restaurant disclosures of positive tests among staff.
“Shining lights on the actual facts is the way to dispel the rumor mill,” said Louise Venden of the Provincetown Select Board. “I want to thank those who did disclose.”
Erik Borg, co-owner of the Provincetown Brewing Co., said it posted results on social media because “some story will get out there anyway, so why not get the real story?”
Provincetown Select Board member Lise King is advocating that the town list both the numbers of residents and workers employed in Provincetown who test positive. Particular businesses would not be named, said King, but it would give the public notice.
In Wellfleet, Mike DeVasto, chair of the select board, is pushing for full disclosure. “I feel strongly that restaurants should report if they have a case,” he said.
Beebe, Truro’s health agent, said naming the restaurant could motivate owners to focus on mask and hygiene requirements. But, she added, she doesn’t want to discourage businesses from communicating freely with her department.
In Wellfleet, Health Director Hillary Greenberg-Lemos said she depends on businesses to call her about positive tests, since there has been at least one significant lag in results going to the state.
Which Test Is Valid?
But testing itself presents a number of thorny questions. For one, which test is valid? The molecular test that’s covered by insurance at Outer Cape Health Services is the most reliable, but wait times for results have been a week or longer. (Quest Diagnostics claimed on Aug. 3 on its website that the wait time is now five days on average.)
Meanwhile, should a restaurant close, or should only a few employees stay home until results come in?
On his business website, Mac’s Shack owner Mac Hay stated that he learned on July 30 that an employee tested positive. “Following dept. of public health and local board of health directions and protocol, we closed for a deep cleaning and had staff tested,” the statement continued. “All tests came back negative. We believe the negative test results are a testament to following proper guidelines and mitigating risk whenever and wherever possible.” The tests were done at CareWell Urgent Care, with results back that same day for about $160 each.
Health agents, including Clark and Eastham’s Jane Crowley, said they don’t recommend the rapid tests, for which negative results are only about 70 percent accurate. Yet many businesses use the rapid tests anyway. “A lot of times, by the time they get to me, business owners have already gone to CareWell, spending almost $200 a test to do something I wouldn’t even recommend,” Clark said.
On the other hand, the week or longer lag in receiving molecular test results presents a huge problem for contact tracers and businesses. And there’s no easy solution, since Quest Diagnostics, which conducts the virus tests here, is backed up, due to high demand nationally and a lack of supplies, Clark said. Dr. Andrew Jorgensen, medical director of Outer Cape Health Services, said a shortage of plastic has made it difficult to get test pipettes.
Quest’s website says demand has “plateaued” and wait times on test results should decrease.
On July 31, the Provincetown Board of Health sent a letter to the Mass. Dept. of Public Health demanding 48-hour test results. Clark brings it up during every call to the DPH.
“We’re not going to stop talking about it until it is improved,” she said.
Wake Up! In Provincetown
Bob Keary and Harrison Fish will host a new morning show, produced with Live From Provincetown, called Wake Up! In Provincetown, streaming from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom and featuring live performances, interviews, and games. Check the Wake Up in Provincetown Facebook page for updates.
Wake Up! In Provincetown
Bob Keary and Harrison Fish will host a new morning show, produced with Live From Provincetown, called Wake Up! In Provincetown, streaming from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom and featuring live performances, interviews, and games. Check the Wake Up in Provincetown Facebook page for updates.
Wake Up! In Provincetown
Bob Keary and Harrison Fish will host a new morning show, produced with Live From Provincetown, called Wake Up! In Provincetown, streaming from the Provincetown Brewing Co. taproom and featuring live performances, interviews, and games. Check the Wake Up in Provincetown Facebook page for updates.
our picks for the week of March 12 through March 18
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Thursday, March 12, 6 p.m.
Fiction fellow Nora Corrigan and poetry fellow Francisco Márquez will read from their work at Fine Arts Work Center, 24 Pearl St. in Provincetown. Free.
Thursday, March 12, 6-7 p.m.
“Experience Ireland” is a presentation by Irish historian, musician, and dancer Sean Murphy at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Thursday, March 12, 6:30-8:30 p.m.
W.H.I.M Craft Night debuts at Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St. Come for a night of crafting. Registration $12 at wellfleetpreservationhall.org or 508-349-1800; materials fee $8.
Friday, March 13, 9-11 a.m.
Participants in the Foods to Encourage program will receive an extra bag of fruits and vegetables, free recipes, samples, and ideas for healthy eating, every two weeks at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Friday, March 13, 2 p.m.
Get Tech Help With Mia, hands-on assistance with computers, library resources, apps, phones, and more. Wellfleet Public Library, 55 W. Main St. Free.
Friday, March 13, 7-8:30 p.m.
Follow the dazzling Flight of the Woodcock at Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, 261 Route 6. Pre-registration required: $12 at massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay or 508-349-2615.
Sunday, March 15, 4-7 p.m.
Enjoy a Green Tea Dance with the sounds of DJ Lizzy Pitch at Pilgrim House, 336 Commercial St., Provincetown. No cover.
Sunday, March 15, 4 p.m.
Test your recall for the less-than-essential at Sunday Trivia at Truro Vineyards, 11 Shore Road. Winning teams earn a gift card. No cover.
Monday, March 16, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Take a seminar on “The Charm of Alertness: Focusing on the Image and Concrete Detail in Your Writing,” with Fine Arts Work Center fellow Kevin Fitchett, Mondays through March 30 at the Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Tuesday, March 17, 1:30 p.m.
Rick Cochran will give a reading from his newest murder mystery, Bound Brook Pond, set in Wellfleet in 1952, at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Tuesday, March 17, 6-7 p.m.
The library book group will discuss O Pioneers! by Willa Cather at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 10 a.m. (refreshments at 9:30)
Lorraine Ballato will give a talk on “Shrubs, the New Perennial,” as part of the Wellfleet Gardeners Meeting at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 West Main St. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 3-4:15 p,m.
“Unlearn the Self,” a talk by C. Sumner Phillips, on reflecting on our passions and moving forward with less weight, is at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 4 p.m.
“Are You Ready for Medicare?” is a talk given by Deb Ford of New York Life at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Wednesday, March 18, 4-5 p.m.
The HOW Book Club, presented by Helping Our Women in honor of Women’s History Month, will discuss Fun Home,by Alison Bechdel, at Provincetown Public Library, 356 Commercial St. Free, with copies available at the circulation desk.
Wednesday, March 18, 6-8 p.m.
Winter Wednesdays features the drop-in classes Storytelling Through Media: Lighting Basics; Graphic Design: Basic & Beyond; The Art of Calligraphy: Final Project, Part I; Ayurveda: Eating & Nutrition — Herbs & Home Remedies; Bookbinding & Zine-making: Making an Addition, Round 2; The Art of Dying — Celebration of Life; Talk (Wood)Shop; Future-proofing Cape Cod: Visions of a Sustainable Future; and Improv 101: Game; at the Provincetown Schools, 12 Winslow St. Free, with free parking, cab service, and childcare. Go to winterwednesdays.org.
Wednesday, March 18, 6:30 p.m.
Katie Ledoux hosts team trivia night at the Squealing Pig, 335 Commercial St., Provincetown. No cover.
our picks for the week of March 5 through March 11
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Thursday, March 5, 5-6:30 p.m.
An artist’s reception for the exhibit “Richard Perry: Scapes (land, sea, tree, and sky),” will take place at Eastham Public Library, 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Friday, March 6, 2 p.m.
Get Tech Help With Mia, hands-on assistance with computers, library resources, apps, phones, and more at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 W. Main St. Free.
Friday, March 6, 2-4 p.m.
Join a Spirituality Retreat for Artists, with Kathleen Henry, at the Unitarian Universalist Meeting House of Provincetown at 236 Commercial St. Free.
Friday, March 6, 5-6:30 p.m. & Saturday, March 7, 5-6:30 p.m.
You’ll need to pre-register to take part in Mass. Audubon’s Owl Prowls (Friday: adults; Saturday: children and families). Learn about local owl species, then head outside to listen for them, at the Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary, 291 Route 6. Friday: $12; Saturday: $10 at massaudubon.org/wellfleetbay or (508) 349-2615.
Saturday, March 7, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m.
The opening reception of the art exhibit “Carrot Cake: We All Make It Differently,” curated by the students of Art on the Edge, Art Reach 101, and Reaching Forward programs of the Provincetown Art Association and Museum, is at 460 Commercial St. Free.
Saturday, March 7, 2-4 p.m.
Sarah Naciri gives a lecture and tea-tasting, “Aromatic Kitchen Medicines: Deepening Our Relationship With Common Culinary Herbs,” at the Truro Public Library at 7 Standish Way. Free.
Saturday, March 7, 2-5 p.m.
Join Center for Coastal Studies biologist Lisa Sette and benthic ecologist Agnes Mittermayr for a Guided Walk through the dunes and marsh of Hatches Harbor. The walk is free, but registration is a must at coastalstudies.org: click “Connect and Learn” and “Event Calendar.”
Saturday, March 7, 2-5 p.m.
The Provincetown Playwright’s Lab meets on the first and third Saturdays of every month. Bring in your scripts (to be read and given feedback) to the lobby of the Provincetown Theater, 238 Bradford St. Free.
Sunday, March 8, 3-5 p.m.
There will be an opening reception for “Susan Anthony: Collages,” at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Sunday, March 8, 4 p.m.
Test your recall for the less-than-essential at Sunday Trivia at Truro Vineyards, 11 Shore Road. Winning teams earn a gift card. No cover.
Sunday, March 8, 5-7 p.m.
Have an activist evening at Do Something Sundays, with Indivisible Outer Cape, at Provincetown Brewing Co., 141 Bradford St. No cover.
Monday, March 9, 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Take a seminar on “The Charm of Alertness: Focusing on the Image and Concrete Detail in Your Writing,” with Fine Arts Work Center writing fellow Kevin Fitchett, Mondays through March 30 at the Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Tuesday, March 10, 10 a.m.
“Elder Services 101” is a presentation by Elder Services of Cape Cod and the Islands on the services that it offers, at Provincetown Council on Aging, 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Wednesday, March 11, 6-8 p.m.
Winter Wednesdays features the drop-in classes Bookbinding & Zine-making: Making an Addition, Round 1; Improv 101: Vulnerability; Future-proofing Cape Cod: Millennium Camera; The Art of Dying — Natural Burials; Storytelling Through Media: Video; Talk (Wood)Shop; Graphic Design: Basic & Beyond; Ayurveda: Eating & Nutrition — Cooking & Community; and The Art of Calligraphy: Creating a Greeting Card; at the Provincetown Schools, 12 Winslow St. Free, with free parking, cab service, and childcare. Go to winterwednesdays.org.
our picks for the week of February 27 through March 4
Indie’s Choice
Outer Cape Calendar
Friday, Feb. 28, 2-5 p.m.
Join the community volunteers at Boomerang Bags Cape Cod in sewing bags for re-use and distributing them free at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 W. Main St.
Friday, Feb. 28, 5-6:30 p.m.
During Family Fort Night, After Hours, families with children of all ages are invited to the Truro Public Library at 7 Standish Way to build their own forts. Bring blankets, pillows, flashlight, sheets and/or cardboard. Pizza and apple cider will be served; books to read and games to play will be offered. Free.
Friday, Feb. 28, 6-8 p.m.
Visual arts fellow Hannah E. Morris’s exhibit has an opening reception at the Fine Arts Work Center, 24 Pearl St. in Provincetown. Free.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 11 a.m.-noon, 1-2 p.m.
The Provincetown Independent invites you to an Open Newsroom: come join a conversation about what’s in the news and what you think ought to be at Wellfleet Public Library from 11 to noon, at 55 W. Main St., and Eastham Public Library from 1 to 2, at 190 Samoset Road. Free.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 3-4:30 p.m.
Sarah Naciri leads an Herbal Aromatic Workshop at the Wellfleet Public Library at 55 W. Main St. Free.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 3-5 p.m.
There will be an artist’s reception for Julia Salinger’s “If Only: An Exhibition of Drawings,” at Wellfleet Council on Aging, 715 Old King’s Highway. Free.
Saturday, Feb. 29, 5-7 p.m.
The exhibit of paintings by Diane Longchamps, “Standing in Water,” will have its artist reception at Wellfleet Preservation Hall, 335 Main St. Free.
Sunday, March 1, 2 p.m.
Visiting writer Susan Choi, whose 2019 novel, Trust Exercise, won the National Book Award, will give a reading at the Fine Arts Work Center, 24 Pearl St., Provincetown. Free.
Sunday, March 1, 3 p.m.
Amy James of the Center for Coastal Studies will give a talk on North Atlantic right whales at Wellfleet Public Library, 55 West Main St. Free.
Sunday, March 1, 5-7 p.m.
Have an activist evening at Do Something Sundays, with Indivisible Outer Cape, at Provincetown Brewing Co., 141 Bradford St. No cover.
Monday, March 2, 7 p.m.
Compete trivially and imbibe craft beers at Brew’s Clues: Trivia With Bob, at Provincetown Brewing Co., 141 Bradford St. No cover.
Tuesday, March 3, noon-4 p.m.
It’s Drop-off Day for the Members’ Open exhibit, “Freedom,” at the Provincetown Art Association and Museum at 460 Commercial St. It’s free to enter, members only (memberships available at drop-off), limited to one work per member; pieces of all media must be 24 inches in any direction (including frames), dry, and ready to hang. Early drop-offs during museum hours, Thursday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. are welcome.
Wednesday, March 4, 1:15 p.m.
Larry Moodry presents an “Erie Canal Barge Trip” via DVD as a Travelogue presentation at the Provincetown Council on Aging at 2 Mayflower St. Free.
Wednesday, March 4, 6-8 p.m.
Winter Wednesdays features the drop-in classes Intro to Illumination; Future-proofing Cape Cod: Back-casting; Storytelling Through Media: Podcast Basics; The Art of Dying — Home Funerals; The Art of Calligraphy: Copperplate, Part II; Graphic Design: Basic & Beyond; Improv 101: Desires; Bookbinding & Zine-making; Ayurveda: Eating & Nutrition — Discovery of the Inner Healer; and Talk (Wood)Shop; at the Provincetown Schools, 12 Winslow St. Free, with free parking, cab service, and childcare. Go to winterwednesdays.org.
