Jim McCabe

11 hours ago | capecod.com | Jim McCabe

ORLEANS – Orleans town meeting on Monday approved money to design a new fire station. The design will cost $4.5 million, including hiring architects and a project manager. The Orleans Select Board has called the current fire station, built in 1987, outdated. Town meeting also approved a $40 million sewer project which covers the area of Crystal Lake, Pilgrim Lake, Arey’s Pond, Lonnie’s Pond, and Namequoit River. Both items will require additional approval at the May 20th town election.

11 hours ago | capecod.com | Jim McCabe

YARMOUTH – The Town of Yarmouth is continuing to work with “Captain Jon” Tolley, a local lobsterman who sold lobsters from his house for decades before recently being told that the sales were not allowable in a residential zone. Last week, the Yarmouth Planning Board said they were starting the process of writing an amendment to the zoning bylaw to allow Tolley to resume sales, if the amendment is approved in a special town meeting this fall.

1 day ago | capecod.com | Jim McCabe

YARMOUTH – Jon Tolley, the Yarmouth lobsterman who was told that he could not sell lobsters from his house, appeared before the Yarmouth Planning Board last week. Last summer, the Yarmouth building commissioner took action after a complaint was issued by another resident. The order stated the retail sales could not continue in the residential zone, and that the sales were not protected as a pre-existing use. The Yarmouth Zoning Board declined to take up the matter in a contentious hearing in April.

2 days ago | capecod.com | Jim McCabe

HYANNIS – Drought conditions are improving in Massachusetts. The latest report from the commonwealth indicates mostly a mild drought. Recent rains have provided much-needed relief. The exception is Cape Cod, which is listed in a “level 2 significant drought”. The state of Massachusetts said as of May 6th, mandatory water use restrictions were in effect in Plymouth, Barnstable, Brewster, Chatham and Harwich. Voluntary restrictions are in effect in Bourne.

2 days ago | capecod.com | Jim McCabe

ORLEANS – A boating skills course to help meet the requirements of a new Massachusetts boating certificate law is being held on Cape Cod this weekend. The “Boat America” course is taught by U.S. Coast Guard-trained instructors. It will cover the legal requirements of voting, the “nautical rules of the road”, boat and paddlecraft handling and safety, basic navigation and trailering. This will be held on Saturday at the Orleans police station on Eldredge Park Way.