The Cape Coddah
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☀️ Door-to-Door Guy Picks Wrong House

☀️ Door-to-Door Guy Picks Wrong House

Plus: Cape’s drought just got more serious

Cape Coddah
August 15, 2025

Good morning Cape Cod. Here’s a plot twist for your next trivia night:

Captain Kirk himself, William Shatner, got his start performing at Cape Cod's Melody Tent, alongside Humphrey Bogart and Bette Davis at the Cape Playhouse in Dennis. 🪐

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

Meet Spruce
Lobster wars
Events and live music

Let’s get to it.

🥪 26K Meals to Honor Teen's Memory

Dozens of volunteers packed 26,000 meals at Stone Horse Yacht Club in Harwich to honor 14-year-old John Hughan, who died in a Yarmouth crash last August along with his uncle. The John W. Hughan Foundation, created by his family, partnered with End Hunger New England for the effort, continuing John's passion for helping others.

The foundation provides opportunities in music, service, and sports – John's three passions. They're completing his Eagle Scout project, an outdoor classroom at Norwell Middle School, and plan to offer music scholarships and sports support. The foundation's motto reflects John's character: "Work Hard. Be Kind." His sailing friends from Cape yacht clubs helped pack the meals, which will be distributed through local pantries. Read more»

🪾 The Drought Just Got More Serious

The state upgraded Barnstable County to "significant drought" status as groundwater levels continue dropping in wells and dry vegetation increases wildfire risk. While July brought heavy rain to interior Southern New England, most of Cape Cod received little rainfall, with temperatures running 2-5 degrees above normal.

Groundwater levels reached seasonal highs in late May at far below historic peaks and have already fallen to levels typically seen in late fall. All Lower Cape towns have implemented mandatory water restrictions, limiting outdoor watering to two days per week during specific hours. Experts urge residents to fix indoor leaks, which account for over 60% of water use, as forecasts show no significant precipitation expected through mid-August. Read more»

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🎣 Meet Spruce: Great Point's Fav Ranger

Burton "Spruce" Balkind is a beloved Trustees of Reservations ranger who gives tours at Great Point, one of the world's best fishing spots. The former landscaper from Plymouth came to Nantucket 27 years ago as a poor college kid with a backpack and bike, working three jobs while surfing and playing hockey with former Bruins center Ken Linseman.

After running his own landscaping business for decades, Spruce found his perfect fit as a Great Point ranger, sharing his passion for photography and nature with visitors from around the world. Beyond his day job, he's a community helper who organizes Red Cross events and charity auctions, embodying the spirit that makes Nantucket special. Read more»

📸 @tbradlee | 📍West Dennis

Tag @thecapecoddah to get your photos in the Coddah!

🦞 Cape Lobstermen Fight New Rules

A new federal rule requiring all lobstermen to follow stricter V-notch size restrictions has forced Outer Cape fishermen to throw back about 25% of their catch. The rule standardizes notch size limits at 1/8-inch for all permit holders, ending a previous split between state and federal regulations.

The Outer Cape Lobstermen's Association is seeking a federal injunction, arguing they had a decades-old exception that made V-notching optional in exchange for larger minimum size requirements. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission denies any such exception existed. The change aims to protect spawning stock as southern New England lobster populations hit record lows, though Gulf of Maine stocks remain near record highs. Read more»

A researcher is studying why moon jellyfish, have suddenly started stinging swimmers in Cape waters.

The Bourne Braves won their third Cape Cod Baseball League championship in four years.

MA health departments are warning about a rare case of flesh-eating Vibrio vulnificus bacteria.

🚚 Bringing the Middle East to Cape Cod

A colorful food truck called "Uncle Jou-Jou" has appeared at Bank Street beach in Harwich Port, operated by siblings Miriam and Charbel Massaad. Their parents, Lina and Mikhael, fled Lebanon in 2001 as Maronite Christians fearing religious persecution and eventually settled on Cape Cod after a few years in New Hampshire.

The family runs the truck seven days a week, serving authentic Mediterranean food like shawarma, falafel, and hummus made by the parents who also operate a catering business. Miriam studies biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins while Charbel works as an engineer remotely. They named the truck after their uncle George, who despite being paralyzed since age 18, helped raise them during summer visits to Lebanon. Read more»

A Nantucket homeowner and pilot has been permanently banned from flying in and out of Nantucket Memorial Airport.

Martha's Vineyard Land Bank voted to limit visitors to one reservation per week at James Pond Preserve in West Tisbury.

Boston sports radio host Michael Felger was airlifted from Nantucket to Mass General Hospital after crashing his bike Saturday night.

MV's 8th annual Meet the Fleet event brought together scallop shucking contests, green crab races, Coast Guard demonstrations, and live music to celebrate the island's fishing community.

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🚨 Door-to-Door Guy Knocks on Chief

Bourne Police Chief Brandon Esip got an unexpected lesson in irony when an unpermitted door-to-door solicitor knocked on his front door while he was home. The chief, known for his humorous "Minion tips" on the department's Facebook page, used the incident to remind residents that town bylaws require permits for door-to-door sales.

After the magazine subscription salesman couldn't provide verifiable company information, Chief Esip gave him a bylaw citation disguised as a "thank-you for visiting" note. The chief noted that no active door-to-door sales permits are currently issued in Bourne and encouraged residents to call police if they encounter unauthorized solicitors, as officers can quickly verify if the activity is legitimate. Read more»

👋 Meet: Riley
🐾 Pit Bull Terrier Mix
🎂 6 years old
♀︎ Female
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

SUNDAY - AUGUST 17

Late Bloomers @ CC Winery | 12 PM
Jazz Jam @ Cult. Cent. of CC | 12 PM
Fred Clayton @ Neptune’s CC | 1 PM
Steve Burke @ Falmouth Raw Bar | 1 PM
Diamond Blues @ Naukabout | 3 PM
Caroline Brennan @ CC Beer | 3 PM
Bob Bandera @ CC Coffee | 3 PM
Bourbon Sunset Trio @ CC MOA | 3:30 PM
Horns Rock! @ Cotuit Center | 4 PM
King Cullen @ The Lanyard | 4 PM
Disinterested Gentleman @ Chapin’s Bayside | 4
Greg Abate Quartet @ Highfield Hall | 4 PM
Sarah Burrill @ Chatham Squire | 5 PM
Al’s Highway @ The Woodshed | 5 PM
The Beach Brothers @ The Sagamore | 5 PM
Chris LeBeau @ Bluewater Grille | 5 PM
Lee Brice @ Cape Melody Tent | 8 PM
Connor Cox @ The Woodshed | 9:30 PM

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll let you know when something's sponsored.}

Friday

76 🌡️ 62 | ☁️ | 💧2% | 💨 NNE 9 mph

Saturday

79 🌡️ 63 | ☀️ | 💧 1% | 💨 E 7 mph

Sunday

84🌡️ 66 | 🌤️ | 💧 55% | 💨 SSW 13 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 69ºF

47 Pond Road, Truro
Asking $1.595M
1 🛏️
1 🛀
512 sqft
4,356 sqft lot

_{Nothing in this section is sponsored. We'll always let you know when something's sponsored.}

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