☀ Size matters: Lobsters & air quality

Good morning Cape Cod, this is The Cape Coddah, the weekly newsletter that’s like your favorite pizza joint; fast, fresh and piping hot. 🍕

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

• Tragedy on Nantucket

• “Lease to Locals” in Chatham

• Events and live music

  
  Let’s get to it.

CAPE DIGEST

No working smoke detectors 💔

A Tuesday night house fire on Nantucket claimed the life of 62-year-old Peter S. Gurley, with investigators revealing there were no working smoke detectors in the home. Officials found six disabled smoke alarms, with either dead or missing batteries, and are investigating both smoking materials and an electrical power strip as potential causes of the fire that began in the living room.

While firefighters managed to rescue Gurley, who had called 911 from the second floor, he later died from his injuries at Nantucket Cottage Hospital. One firefighter sustained minor injuries, and the resident's dog Nixon survived thanks to emergency care from first responders. Fire Chief Michael Cranson emphasized the critical importance of maintaining working smoke alarms, urging residents to check batteries twice yearly and replace units after 10 years. Read the full story.

Lobstermen claw back on new rules 🦞

Local lobstermen are concerned about a new regulation that would increase the minimum legal size of lobsters by one-sixteenth of an inch, though its implementation has been delayed from January to July 2025. While the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission says the change will help protect lobster populations by allowing more to reach reproductive age, fishermen worry it could cut their catch by 10-30%.

The size increase, about the width of a penny, is particularly controversial because Canadian competitors operate under different rules, potentially giving them an advantage in the market. Captain Dave Casoni of Sandwich notes that while "just about everything eats them," lobsters remain a sustainable resource, and the industry is already facing multiple challenges. The change could eliminate the popular one-pound lobster from the market, leading to significant economic impacts for local fishermen. Read the full story.

Clean ocean air? New sensors will be the judge 👃🏼

Despite its location 30 miles into the Atlantic, Chatham's air quality isn't always as pristine as one might expect, affected by pollution from mid-Atlantic states and events like the 2023 Canadian wildfires. To keep tabs on what's floating around in our sea breezes, the town's health division has snagged five air quality monitors through a state grant program, significantly expanding air quality data availability for the Lower and Outer Cape.

The sensors, which must be mounted 7-30 feet high with WiFi access, measure tiny particles that can affect health, especially for those with breathing issues. One sensor is already operational at the annex, with four more planned for locations including the transfer station and fish pier. Residents can monitor the data in real-time through PurpleAir's website or the EPA's AirNow fire and smoke map. Read the full story.

@THECAPECODDAH

📸 @tbradlee | 📍 Sandwich, MA

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“Lease to Locals” program coming to Eastham? 🏠

Eastham is considering following Provincetown and Nantucket's lead by using short-term rental tax money to encourage property owners to switch to year-round rentals. The "Lease to Locals" program, which has helped house 35 people in Provincetown, offers financial incentives ranging from $4,000 to $27,000 to compensate owners for lost income from exiting the short-term rental market.

The town has $450,000 in unspent housing funds from 2022, and officials estimate a pilot program might cost $100,000. While some officials worry about the stability of one-year leases, program administrators report that 50-70% of landlords continue renting year-round after incentives expire. The town is also planning to launch an ADU assistance program offering up to $30,000 to help property owners design and build accessory dwelling units. Read the full story. 

LOCAL BUSINESS

Best onion rings on the Cape? 🧅

Falmouth's Flying Bridge Restaurant is getting attention for its onion rings after a chance mention during Barstool Sports CEO Dave Portnoy's recent pizza review at Paul's Pizza and Seafood. While Portnoy was reviewing Paul's pizza (giving it a 7.7), he asked locals where to find the Cape's best onion rings, and the crowd unanimously pointed him to Flying Bridge.

The waterfront restaurant's signature appetizer is known for being thick, double-battered, and served in portions "that could feed an army”, or at least one really determined foodie. Even other local restaurants, like Clancy's in Dennis Port, acknowledge Flying Bridge's onion rings as the "real deal." The unexpected spotlight came when Portnoy released his video review on November 6, cementing the Flying Bridge's reputation for having some of Cape Cod's best onion rings. Read the full story.

🫙 THE TIP JAR

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CIVIL NEWS

$5,000 reward offered in fire investigation 🔥

An ArsonWatch reward sign has appeared near the site of Sunday's fire that destroyed Anthony's Cummaquid Inn in Yarmouth Port. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services says it's too early to determine if the fire was intentionally set, though the ArsonWatch program offers up to $5,000 for information about arson crimes.

Multiple fire crews responded to the blaze around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with flames visible for miles. One firefighter received minor injuries at the scene, but there were no civilian casualties. The area remains taped off and under surveillance while investigators work to determine the cause. Read the full story.

PET OF THE WEEK

👋 Meet: Bob
🐾 American Foxhound
🎂 6 years old
♀︎ Male
Available to adopt at MSCPA-Cape Cod

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Friday

• Plymouth Rock-R Workshop @ CC Maritime Museum, Hyannis (8 AM)

• Historic Osterville Presentation @ Osterville Village Library (11 AM)

• Open Mic @ Cotuit Center for the Arts, Falmouth (6 PM)

• Pitch & Pints @ Naukabout Brewery, Mashpee (6 PM)

• Comedy Night @ Ten Pin Eatery, Hyannis (7 PM)

• Poshington Manor @ Cape Media Center, Dennis Port (7 PM)

• How Esmeralda & Dog Rescued the Dragon @ Woods Hole Theater Co.

• RENT @ Falmouth Theater Guild, (7:30) (Fri-Sun)

• Swing Dancing Class & Social @ Centerville Rec Building, Barnstable (7:30 PM)

Saturday

• Holly Berry Bazaar @ Nauset Middle School (9 AM)

• Gifts for Good @ St. Barnabas Episcopal Church (10 AM)

• Artist Beverly Fuller @ Snow Library, Orleans (11 AM)

• Wing Island: Archaeology @ CC Museum of Nat. History (1 PM)

• Cirque Fest @ Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater (1:30 PM)

• Tea with Queen Elizabeth @ Bourne UMC (3 PM)

Sunday

• Walk for Water @ Mashpee Commons Bandstand (9 AM)

• Sunday Hikes @ Head of the Meadow (9 AM)

• Artist Sarah Holl @ CC MOA, Dennis (4 PM)

Live Music 🎸

Friday

• Bob Bandera @ CC Coffee, Mashpee (3 PM)

• Natalie Bonfini @ CC Beer, Hyannis (5 PM)

• Mark Coleman @ The Sand Dollar, S. Dennis (6 PM)

• Grab Brothers @ Chatham Squire, Chatham (6 PM)

• Kim Moberg & Shannon Davis @ Wellfleet Preservation Hall (6:30 PM)

• SummerTown @ The Red Nun, Dennis Port (7 PM)

• Veterans Day Concert @ Church of the Transfiguration, Orleans (7:30 PM)

• Soul Purpose @ Lanes Bowl & Bistro, Mashpee (8 & 11 PM)

• Karaoke @ Jake Rooney’s, Harwich Port (8:30 PM)

Saturday

• Heyday @ Ring Brothers Marketplace, S. Dennis (12 PM)

• Liam & Johnny @ CC Winery, E. Falmouth (1 PM)

• John Redden @ CC Beer, Hyannis (5 PM)

• John Sage @ CC Coffee, Mashpee (6 PM)

• Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton @ P-town Town Hall (7:30 PM)

• Karaoke @ Anchor Ale House, Falmouth (9 PM)

Sunday 

• Bart Weisman @ West End Restaurant, Hyannis (11 AM)

• Willie J. Laws Band @ The Music Room, W. Yarmouth (5 PM)

• Sawaari @ Wellfleet Preservation Hall (7 PM)

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

WEATHER

Friday

62 🌡️ 40 | ☀️ | 💧1% | 💨 WSW 16 mph

Saturday

51 🌡️ 36 | ☀️ | 💧 0% | 💨 NNW 16 mph

Sunday

56 🌡️ 52 | 🌤️ | 💧 8% | 💨 SW 10 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 55ºF

HOME OF THE WEEK

24 Collins Lane, Orleans
Asking $2.75M

5 🛌 
3.5 🛀 
3,494 square feet

0.99 acre lot

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

THANKS!

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