The Cape Coddah
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☀ Winter drought hits hard

☀ Winter drought hits hard

Plus: Inside the Cape's best mac & cheese

Cape Coddah
February 14, 2025

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Good morning Cape Cod and Happy Valentine’s Day. Whether you hate today or love it, I hope you’ve got wonderful people around you who make you feel special. 💕

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

Nantucket cops net record bust
Summer theatre internship opens
Events and live music

Let’s get to it.

CAPE DIGEST

🏥 The Fight to Save Pocasset Mental Health Center

About 150 locals packed a community meeting to fight Governor Healey's plan to shut down the Pocasset Mental Health Center, one of only two inpatient psychiatric facilities on the Cape. While the state claims the 16-bed facility has "low utilization," residents paint a different picture - from family members sharing success stories to the sheriff warning that closing it would criminalize mental health crises by forcing patients into jails and ERs.

State lawmakers from both parties are joining the fight to save the $4.8M facility, arguing that sending Cape patients to Westfield - a three-hour drive away - would devastate families who need to stay connected with loved ones during treatment. Read the full story.

🛜 Bourne Keeping Details of Cyber Hit Quiet

A month after getting hit by hackers, Bourne officials are playing things close to the vest, confirming resident data was breached but staying mum on specifics. While the town hall suits work with federal agents to investigate, most services are limping back - though the library's still having tech troubles.

The good news? The schools, police department, and 911 services dodged the cyber bullet, running on separate systems. Town Administrator McCollem promises they'll notify affected residents by mail, but for now, the who, what, and why of the attack remain a mystery. Read the full story.

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🚫💦 Cape Faces Rare Winter Drought

The state has bumped the Cape and Islands to "Level 2 - Significant Drought" status after the region came up short on rainfall by nearly 4-6 inches over the past six months. Environmental pros are especially worried because winter is prime time for replenishing the Cape's groundwater supply before trees leaf out and start soaking up the moisture.

The drought isn't just a summer worry anymore - it's threatening vulnerable wildlife spots like vernal pools where salamanders breed, and officials are pushing folks to fix leaky faucets and follow local water restrictions. While the Mid and Upper Cape's wells are holding steady for now, experts say this kind of winter drought, though rare, is becoming more common over the last decade. Read the full story.

@THECAPECODDAH

📸 @poetry_with_a_camera | 📍 West Dennis Beach

Tag @thecapecoddah to get your photos in the Coddah!

🎭 Theatre Seeks Next Gen of Playwrights

The Cape Cod Theatre Project is offering college theater buffs a chance to work elbow-to-elbow with Broadway heavyweights this summer during their month-long intensive in Falmouth. For $2,850, six lucky students will get to help develop new plays alongside top-tier playwrights and directors, from tracking script changes to marketing shows at the local farmer's market.

The program isn't just about work though - participants can expect beach-side playwriting seminars, late-night theater talks, and plenty of chances to create their own pieces while living steps from downtown Falmouth's sandy shores. Read the full story.

AROUND THE CAPE

WATCH: The search & excavation of the Whydah pirate ship wreckage.

Former Yarmouth health chief tapped to lead county's health department.

School bus hits pole in Marstons Mills, all 25 kids safe and unharmed.

Nickerson estates gift $3M to Chatham nonprofits, honoring legacy of Mid Cape Home Centers founder.

Judy Garland's former Hyannis Port rental hits market at $7.5M.

LOCAL BUSINESS

🍽️ Inside the Cape's Top Mac & Cheese

Embargo in Hyannis is dishing out the Cape’s favorite mac and cheese, winning a recent CC Times poll by a landslide with 57% of the votes. The Main Street hotspot serves up three versions of their secret-sauce creation - a classic for $17, a buffalo chicken kick for $21, and a luxe lobster version packed with a quarter-pound of meat for $27.

Co-owner David Noble says the recipe, which uses curly cavatappi pasta and a mysterious béchamel sauce, hasn't changed in 12 years, and it's now their most-delivered DoorDash item. The dish is such a hit that diners often split it alongside picks from the restaurant's massive 98-item menu. Read the full story.

THE ISLANDS

Mysterious black-spotted 'Dalmatian' scallops spook Nantucket fishermen.

Five Corners tops list of Vineyard's most dangerous intersections.

Island indie supergroup Martha's Vineyard Ferries drops new covers of punk classics.

Construction worker dies in fall at Vineyard apartment site, DA rules accident.

New Steamship freighter hits rough waters with speed, loading and draft issues.

🫙 THE TIP JAR

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CIVIL NEWS

⚖️ Nantucket Cops Seize $257K in Cocaine

A months-long investigation on Nantucket ended with police nabbing Francisco Fernandez Sanchez and what they're calling the island's biggest cocaine bust ever - 5.67 pounds worth about $257,400. Sanchez spilled the beans to detectives, admitting he was running cocaine from Lawrence, Mass. to both Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard, moving up to 10 ounces weekly.

While his lawyer argued for release, pointing to his clean record and military background, the judge wasn't having it - ordering Sanchez held without bail for 120 days. The 31-year-old now faces at least 12 years in prison if convicted of trafficking. Read the full story.

PET OF THE WEEK

👋 Meet: Jojo
🐾 Rottweiler
🎂 11 months old
♀︎ Male
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

LIVE MUSIC 🎸

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

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

WEATHER

Friday

34 🌡️ 22 | ☀️ | 💧0% | 💨 WNW 23 mph

Saturday

30 🌡️ 26 | ❄️ | 💧 78% | 💨 W 6 mph

Sunday

45 🌡️ 25 | 🌧️ | 💧 99% | 💨 SE 20 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 37.2ºF

HOME OF THE WEEK

8 Hiram Pond Road, Dennis
Asking $5.5M
4 🛌
4.5 🛀
4,335 square feet 
0.46 acre lot