WELLFLEET — On hearing there was a solar storm on the way, Jeremy Storer went online to find maps of where the northern lights might appear for those of us […]
News
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TRURO ELECTION
Four Candidates Vie for Two Select Board Seats
At a forum, views emerge on housing, taxes, water, demographics, diversity, and trust
TRURO — At a well-attended candidates forum on May 7, the four people running for two seats on the select board in the May 29 town election stated the priorities […]
ELECTIONS
Sandberg and Motta Field Win in Provincetown
Ngina Lythcott and Terese Nelson elected to school committee
PROVINCETOWN — According to a preliminary tally of the May 14 annual town election ballots, select board incumbent Leslie Sandberg has been elected to a second term on the board […]
ROAD SAFETY
Opinions Collide on Rules for Electric Vehicles on Commercial Street
Three select board members favor a ‘walk zone’; public hearing set for June 24
PROVINCETOWN — Disagreement about public safety on Commercial Street kept the select board from finding a consensus on May 13, with three members supporting a “walk zone” that would require […]
DEVELOPMENT
Proposal for 14 Condos at 33 Conwell St. Draws Objections
Inclusion of affordable units could allow waivers; neighbors cite density and traffic worries
PROVINCETOWN — Developer Jay Abbiuso has proposed building a 14-unit condominium complex encompassing five buildings on what is now a vacant lot at 33 Conwell St. Because the proposal includes […]
PUBLIC WORKS
Town Aims to Raise Bound Brook Island Road by Memorial Day
Wellfleet DPW takes on an ‘immediate fix’ to recent flooding
WELLFLEET — The dept. of public works expects to complete construction on a project to raise a section of Old County Road leading to Bound Brook Island by Memorial Day. […]
BIRD LIFE
Truro’s Ospreys Are Partial to the Transfer Station
An electrical fire and multiple power outages are traced to a bird nest
TRURO — Of the osprey, Henry David Thoreau wrote, “Its shrill scream seems yet to linger in its throat, and the roar of the sea in its wings.” At the […]
FISHERIES
Fishermen Join Fight for Herring Trawler Rules
Push to save river herring may help protect the oceangoing species
The marine ecosystem around Cape Cod is built on the backs of Atlantic herring. These baitfish school in massive numbers, providing food for marine mammals, seabirds, and large fish like […]
NATIONAL SEASHORE
A Year Later, Dune Shack Leasing Contest Concludes
Longtime occupants of Watson and Jones shacks selected for 10-year leases
PROVINCETOWN — The public leasing contest for eight dune shacks on the windswept back shore of Provincetown and Truro that began on May 1, 2023 has nearly come to an […]
HABITATS
A ‘Cape Cod Lawn’ Can Be a Haven for Turtles
Invite nesting by keeping a scrubby yard with sandy patches, not a swath of green
When people design a back yard suitable for wildlife, they tend to create places that are appealing to birds and butterflies. That makes sense, because these animals are appealing visitors […]
MILLION-YEAR PICNIC
Reflections on Totality
Awed by the spectacle, strangers fleetingly become friends
Last month I watched the solar eclipse from a park in Westport, N.Y. by Lake Champlain. The lake and mountains beyond were a beautiful sight — a proper setting for […]
THE SCUTTLEBUTT
The Whales Have Moved North, and the Stripers Are Here
Special speed rules to protect whales are lifted for the season
The bass are here, and the right whales are not. The whales left a week ago, and the latest aerial survey found no right whales in the area, so NOAA […]
CHEERS
Say It With Sassafras
The native Sassafras albidum is a tree full of wonders — scents of cinnamon and citrus from root to bark to tip; whimsical leaves shaped like mittens and tridents and footballs; resplendent […]
RARA AVIS
This Week’s Bird Sightings
Confirmed bird sightings on the Outer Cape in the week preceding the Independent’s deadline on Tuesday, May 14 included the following, based on a report prepared by Mass Audubon’s Wellfleet […]
PROVINCETOWN: THIS WEEK'S CURRENTS
Blinking Stop Sign
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 […]