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☀️ You Can Finally Take That Buoy Home...

☀️ You Can Finally Take That Buoy Home...

Plus: V-Day events and more

Cape Coddah
February 13, 2026

Together with:

Good morning Cape Cod. It’s Friday the 13th! And if the date itself doesn't scare you, maybe this will:

Americans are expected to drop a record $29.1B on Valentine's Day. So whether you're buying flowers, chocolates, or apologizing in advance for forgetting, Cape Cod florists and candy shops are about to have a very good weekend. 💕

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

Will MA harvest more horseshoe crabs?
Artist housing struggles
Events and live music

Let’s get to it.

🚧 The $32M Bridge Restoring Wellfleet's Marshes

Wellfleet's new Chequessett Neck Road bridge is over 80% complete, with an expected late spring opening as the linchpin of the $70M Herring River Restoration Project restoring 1,100 acres of estuary.

The 165-foot bridge will have 17 motorized tidal gates, each weighing 35,000 pounds, to control water flow into the marshes. Contractors choreographed construction while maintaining consistent tidal flow, continuously monitoring upstream and downstream gauges and consulting with state fisheries regulators.

On February 5, crews installed six 60-foot concrete beams on the middle span, marking the first day workers could walk across the entire bridge. The $32M project (up from $30M) is funded by state and federal grants and will include ADA-accessible parking, viewing platforms, kayak portage access, and shellfishing stairs. Read more»

💉 Horseshoe Crab Harvest Could Jump 40%

Massachusetts regulators are weighing whether to increase the number of horseshoe crabs captured annually for biomedical bleeding from 200,000 to 280,000, even as a lab-made alternative gains traction and New York phases out the practice entirely by 2029.

The crabs' bright-blue blood contains a substance that detects deadly bacteria in vaccines and medical devices, including COVID-19 vaccines. Two Cape facilities, Charles River Laboratories and Associates of Cape Cod, harvest the blood by strapping down crabs and piercing them through the heart, a process that kills some.

Last year, the US Pharmacopeia officially recognized synthetic alternatives as safe, and Eli Lilly has already transitioned 80% of its testing. Conservationists say the state is "moving backward" while others phase out crab harvesting, noting fewer crabs spawn on beaches than decades ago. Read more»

SPONSORED BY: CAPE SZN

🌞 Sorry. Can't. Cape. Bye.

We're 104 days out from Memorial Day weekend, but who's counting? (We are. Definitely counting.) Every day brings us closer to those long summer sunsets that stretch past 8 PM, beach traffic that's somehow worth it, and that first jump in the ocean that's still way too cold but you do it anyway.

This sweatshirt is your countdown companion—soft enough to get you through the winter wait, perfect for those first warm days when you can finally make good on that "sorry, can't" promise. Wear it now as a reminder that summer's coming. Wear it then because you're already living it.

Because the Cape doesn't care what month it is. And honestly? Neither should you.

🎨 P-town Struggling to House Artists

Provincetown struggles to house the artists who've defined its identity since Robert Motherwell and Stanley Kunitz founded the Fine Arts Work Center (FAWC) in 1964, fearing the town was already too expensive for creatives.

Only 15 artist live/work units exist in Provincetown, ten at Meadow Road (five rentals owned by FAWC, five affordable condos) and five rentals at the former Flamingo Bay site. No town-sponsored affordable housing projects have included studio space.

A new state law championed by Sen. Julian Cyr allows seasonal communities to use local funds for artist housing without violating fair housing laws, opening doors for future projects. Select board member Austin Miller said 288A Bradford Street near the Tennis Club might suit artist units, with community planning sessions starting this year to determine goals. Read more»

📸 @bettywileyphoto |📍Sandy Neck

Tag @thecapecoddah to get your photos in the Coddah!

🛟 You Can Finally Take That Buoy Home Legally

Massachusetts changed its fishing gear laws on January 30, making it legal for the public to clean up debris from beaches to prevent ghost fishing, protect marine life, and enhance safety, reversing rules that treated all fishing gear, even broken pieces, as private commercial property.

Beachcombers can now legally collect fragmented buoys without owner ID tags, though intact or whole gear marked with identification must be reported to Massachusetts Environmental Police. Over 9% of fishing gear is lost or abandoned every year.

The Center for Coastal Studies has removed over 100 tons of lost fishing gear since 2013. The regulations were developed by a 2022 task force of fishermen and conservationists and approved unanimously by the Marine Fisheries Advisory Commission in December 2025, updating laws largely unchanged since 1940.
Read more»

Nominations are open for the 25th annual Mercy Otis Warren "Cape Cod Woman of the Year" award recognizing outstanding contributions in business, education, civic engagement, and the arts.

LISTEN: Explore the benefits of cold water swimming with physician Mark Harper, a leading expert in cold water therapy, plus three Upper Cape swimmers who brave 30-40 minute ocean swims year-round including this winter.

Mashpee renewed Cape Cod Dog Center's commercial kennel license with strict conditions, including reducing capacity from 120 to 70 dogs, after a January hearing following two dog deaths and numerous complaints.

Anna Dann of Buzzards Bay celebrated her 100th birthday on February 9, crediting her longevity to "keep going," nightly blackberry brandy, and decades of community volunteering.

🍕 Squire Vets Take Over Rock Harbor Grill

Rock Harbor Grill in Orleans changed ownership last fall when husband-and-wife duo Tommy "Chooch" LeBlanc and Amy Dubis LeBlanc took over the popular restaurant on Old Colony Way. Both worked at Chatham Squire for decades, Chooch for 25 years, Amy for 22, learning to treat staff and customers like family.

The restaurant opens at 4 PM daily year-round, serving wood-fired pizzas, inventive starters like quahog bites and bacon-wrapped dates, and pretzel bread. Chooch's white bean pork chili topped with potato chips has become a new favorite and will compete in Chatham's annual chili contest this spring.

Weekly specials include Monday fish and chips, prime rib Tuesdays, and burger Thursdays. "My objective is value for the customer, especially these days," LeBlanc said.
Read more»

MV Regional High School's annual science fair showcased 16 student projects ranging from how music affects weightlifting performance to comparing synthetic and natural dyes under UV light,

St. Paul's Church rector Max Wolf was named Nantucket Magazine's 2025 Person of the Year for nearly a decade of community service including delivering over 1,000 bags of groceries to the food pantry.

Oak Bluffs officials are considering a $5M town meeting article to acquire the vacant Island Theatre by eminent domain after the 109-year-old building at the top of Circuit Avenue has deteriorated since closing in 2012.

Nantucket's Ralph Lauren has received six bomb threats since August 2025, including incidents on December 9 and January 3 where callers claimed to have placed IEDs.

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🚨 Police Probe Hockey Bullying Claims

Bourne police are investigating bullying allegations at Gallo Ice Arena involving the Sandwich Middle High School hockey team after 17-year-old senior Sean Collins alleged teammates bullied him and a teammate urinated on his clothing in a locker room after practice in December.

Collins' parents met with school administrators December 31 about their son's experiences and requested a School Committee investigation January 14. Sean left the team January 17.

Superintendent Joseph Maruszczak issued a February 4 statement saying the school began investigating December 22 "in alignment with district protocols" but provided no specifics about outcomes.

Bourne police began investigating after Sandwich police shared information about the incident January 31. Detective Sergeant Connor McAnaugh says interviews are ongoing. Read more»

👋 Meet: Ricky
🐾 Chihuahua - Smooth Coated
🎂 1 year old
♀︎ Male
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

FRIDAY - FEBRUARY 13

Glass Fusing @ Sandwich Glass Msm | 10 AM
V-Day Card Making @ Hyannis Library | 10:30
Scam Prevention @ Osterville Library | 10:30 AM
Story Time w/ Anna @ Wellfleet Library | 11:30
Art of Picture Books @ Sturgis Library | 12:30 PM
Galentine’s Day @ CC Nail Co. | 2 PM
Couples Glass @ Sandwich Glass Msm | 3:30
Owl Prowl @ Long Pasture Sanctuary | 4:30 PM
Love Trivia @ Barnstable Brewing | 5:30 PM

SATURDAY - FEBRUARY 14

Galentines @ Osterville Needlepoint | 10 AM
Cedar Trail Loop @ Nickerson State Park | 10 AM
Felted Valentines @ Highfield Hall | 10 AM
Chocolate Fest @ Osterville Library | 10 AM
Science Rocks @ CC Msm. Nat. History | 10:15
Knitters Guild @ Centerville Library | 11 AM
Animals @ CC Msm. Nat. History | 11:30 AM
V-Day Bingo @ Press Ahead Coffee | 12 PM
Bonsai Workshop @ Aquatic Brewing | 12 PM
Click Clack Moo @ CC Theatre Co. | 2 PM
Romance on Rails @ CC Central RR | 5 PM
Couples Paint @ Color Me Mine | 7 PM
Comedy Night @ Leeside Pub | 8 PM
Steve Sweeney (Comedian) @ Flying Bridge | 8
Dating Game @ Liam Maguire’s Irish Pub | 9 PM

SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 15

Galentine’s Party @ Verde Floral Design | 11:30
Click Clack Moo @ CC Theatre Co. | 2 PM

SUNDAY - FEBRUARY 15

Jazz Jam @ Cult. Cent. of CC | 12 PM
Jarad Moore @ Love Farms | 1 PM
Chandler Travis 3-0 @ Brewster Ladies | 2 PM
Erin Harp @ CC MOA | 4 PM
Texas Jim @ Chatham Squire | 5 PM
Sundown CC @ Neptune’s CC | 6 PM
Cody Bondra @ Margaritaville | 7 PM

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

Friday

34 🌡️ 17 | 🌤️ | 💧 0% | 💨 WNW 7 mph

Saturday

39 🌡️ 25 | 🌤️ | 💧 1% | 💨 WSW 8 mph

Sunday

34🌡️ 14 | 🌤️ | 💧 0% | 💨 NNW 8 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 34ºF

724 Commercial Street, Provincetown
Asking $3.7M
4 🛏️
3.5 🛁
4,277 sqft
0.29 acre lot

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

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