☀️ Bad oysters & a murder mystery

Good morning Cape Cod. This is The Cape Coddah, the weekly newsletter that’s as delightful as getting the last piece of peach pie. 🥧

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

• Summer jobs booming

• Affordable housing hearings

• Events and live music

  
  Let’s get to it.

THE DIGEST

Gov signs new housing law 🏘️

Governor Maura Healey has signed the Affordable Homes Act into law, a significant housing bill with special provisions for Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, and Nantucket. The law designates parts of the Cape as "seasonal communities," granting specific policy tools to address high housing costs.

Key features include allowing accessory dwelling units without special permits statewide, mandating "tiny houses" in seasonal communities, and permitting year-round housing on undersized lots.

The bill authorizes over $5 billion in spending over five years, aiming to support the construction and rehabilitation of more than 65,000 homes. While housing advocates celebrate the new opportunities, a proposed real estate transfer tax on high-priced homes was notably absent from the final version. Read the full story.

The summer grind 💰

Cape Cod's summer job market is booming with teenage workers, as local businesses lean heavily on young employees to fill seasonal positions. The trend is driven by inflation, a tight housing market for seasonal workers, and an influx of younger families. Teens are hustling to save for college, help their families, or gain financial independence, with many working multiple jobs.

Local business owners are flooded with applications, a stark contrast to recent years. This surge in teen employment mirrors a national trend, with labor participation rates for 16- to 19-year-olds hitting highs not seen in years. For Cape Cod's seasonal economy, these young workers are a welcome solution to the usual summer staffing crunch. Read the full story.

Shell shock: Cape oysters recalled 🦪

Massachusetts big wigs have recalled oysters harvested from Lewis Bay in Cape Cod on July 1 and 3, following four cases of campylobacter illness. The potentially contaminated oysters were distributed to restaurants and retailers across 11 states. Two shellfish dealers, Island Creek Oysters and Chatham Shellfish Co., voluntarily recalled all oysters harvested from the site between July 1 and 18.

The bacteria, Campylobacter jejuni, can cause symptoms like diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps, typically appearing 2-5 days after consumption. Consumers and restaurants are advised not to eat, serve, or sell the recalled oysters. Read the full story.

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Homeless housing hearings heating up 🚪

Tension is rising in Dennis over a proposed family homeless shelter, with the project's attorney, Robert Brennan, accusing the town's Planning Board of allowing misleading statements during public hearings. The Housing Assistance Corp. plans to consolidate three existing family shelters into a single 57,000-square-foot facility in South Dennis, capable of housing up to 79 homeless families.

While project officials emphasize the shelter's focus on local families, some residents and officials have expressed concerns about potential use for migrants. The Planning Board and Brennan clashed over the project's qualification under the Dover Amendment, with board members defending their concerns and Brennan criticizing their approach. As the project moves forward with initial permits, the debate highlights broader tensions surrounding housing and immigration issues on Cape Cod. Read the full story.

LOCAL BUSINESS

Best movie theaters on the Cape? 🍿

This week the folks on Reddit: Cape Cod had a thread about the best movie theater experiences on the Cape. Here’s the top 5 places to watch a flick according to upvotes in the subreddit: 

1. Wellfleet Drive-In
2. Falmouth Cinema Pub
3. Cape Cinema (Dennis)
4. Chatham Orpheum Theater
5. Entertainment Cinemas (S. Dennis)

What’s your favorite spot to watch the big screen on the Cape?

CIVIL NEWS

“Town Neck Torso” case still a mystery 🚨

A decade-old Cape Cod mystery continues to baffle investigators. In June 2014, a dismembered torso was discovered on Sandwich's Town Neck Beach, wrapped in plastic and duct-taped to a blue dolly. The victim, an unidentified Black man, wore a distinctive T-shirt from a Rhode Island company. Despite extensive efforts, including DNA testing and public appeals, the man's identity remains unknown.

Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O'Keefe believes the victim was killed elsewhere and dumped on the beach. The case, known as the "Town Neck Torso," remains open, with authorities hoping that someone involved might eventually come forward with information. Anyone with potential leads is urged to contact the State Police. Read the full story.

PET OF THE WEEK

👋 Meet: Bear
🐾 Schipperke
🎂 9 years old
♀︎ Male
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Friday

• Death of a Salesman @ Cotuit Center for Arts (Fri - Sun)

• Hedwig & the Angry Inch @ Provincetown School (Fri & Sat)

• Provincetown Gallery Stroll @ Commercial St., P-town

• High School Musical Jr. @ Mashpee High School

• A Centered Universe Film Screening @ CC MOA, Dennis

• The Waitress @ The Cape Playhouse, Dennis (Fri & Sat)

Saturday

• Nauset Summer Craft Fest @ Nauset MS, Orleans (Sat & Sun)

• Tour of Captains’ Row @ Depot St. W, West Harwich

• 2024 Sand Sculpture Contest @ Mayflower Beach, Dennis

• Touch a Truck @ Star Market, Harwich

• Painting the Outer Cape @ Wellfleet Public Library

• 14th David’s Old Silver Swim @ Seacrest Beach Hotel, N. Falmouth

• Woods Hole Science Stroll @ Water St., Woods Hole

• Artist Reception: Pia MacKenzie @ Snow Library, Orleans

• 12th Food Truck & Craft Beer Fest @ CC Fairgrounds, E. Falmouth

• Annual Blueberry Day @ Thornton Burgess, E. Sandwich

• Paula Poundstone @ P-town Town Hall

Sunday

• Sandwich Flea Market @ Oakcrest Cove Field, Sandwich

• Guided Family Field Walks @ CC MONH, Brewster

• Terrace Talk @ Salt Pond Visitor Center, Eastham

• Fleet Moves Explorations @ Wellfleet Preservation Hall

• Evening Glo Eco Paddle Fun-Raiser @ Arey’s Pond, Orleans

Live Music 🎸

Friday

• Ripe @ CC Melody Tent, Hyannis

• Riptide @ Red Nun, Dennis Port

• That 80s Band @ The Lure, Mashpee

• ARLO @ The Captain Kidd, Woods Hole

• Grab Brothers @ The Restaurant & Pub Next Door, Dennis Port

• Adam Hanna @ CC Winery, E. Falmouth

• Jeans & Jewels @ Highfield Hall, Falmouth

• Soul Purpose @ Lanes Bowl & Bistro, Mashpee

• Ryan Montbleau @ Mashpee Commons

• Syndicate @ Woodshed, Brewster

Saturday

• David Wax Museum @ Guyer Art Barn, Hyannis

• Tribute to Allman Brothers, Skynard & more @ Naukabout, Mashpee

• Zajac Brothers Band @ Music Room, W. Yarmouth

• Geoff & Wally @ The Blue Water Resort, S. Yarmouth

• The Beach Boys @ CC Melody Tent, Hyannis

• Grab Brothers @ Hog Island Surf Lodge, Wellfleet

• Twister the Band @ Chapin’s Fish n’ Chips, Dennis Port

• Alias Draleaus @ Old Colony Tap, P-town

• Walk of Shame @ Sundancer’s, W. Dennis

• Nolan Driscoll & Friends @ Woodshed, Brewster

Sunday

• Face 2 Face Tribute @ CC Melody Tent, Hyannis

• Chris LeBeau @ Oliver’s & Planck’s Tavern, Yarmouth

• Jody Moore Band @ Dino’s Sports Bar, Mashpee

• Bart Weisman Smooth Jazz @ West End Restaurant, Hyannis

• Duke Robillard @ Highfield Hall, Falmouth

• Laura Brisbane @ Cotuit Center for the Arts

  
  Cape Cod Music in the Park - Free Outdoor Concerts Guide

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

WEATHER

Friday

82 🌡️ 73 | 🌧️ | 84% | 💨 SSE 13 mph

Saturday

83 🌡️ 62 | 🌦️ | 67% | 💨 SSW 16 mph

Sunday

81 🌡️ 64 | 🌤️ | 9% | 💨 WSW 8 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 69ºF

LISTING OF THE WEEK

16 Harbor View Road, Chatham, MA
Asking $4,275,000
4 🛌
3.5 🛀
3,629 square feet
0.69 acre lot

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

THANKS!

Thanks for reading The Cape Coddah today. If you found something useful or entertaining, please share it with a teenager working a summer job.