☀ Heartbreak, history & hometown changes

Good morning Cape Cod. This is The Cape Coddah, the weekly newsletter that’s your cheat sheet for the weekend ahead. 📆

In this week’s Cape Coddah:

• Vineyard Wind cleanup begins

• Hyannis man sentenced

• Events and live music

  
  Let’s get to it.

CAPE DIGEST

Tragedy strikes Cape family 💔

A house fire in Clinton, New York claimed the lives of Shannon K. Hubbard, 35, and her 1-year-old daughter, both from Cape Cod. Shannon's husband, a Dennis police officer, and their 3-year-old son survived with non-life-threatening injuries. Shannon was a preschool teacher at Chatham Elementary School, and her loss has deeply affected the Monomoy Regional School District community.

The Dennis Police Department expressed profound sadness and pledged support for Patrolman Hubbard and his family. An online fundraiser has been launched to support the family, while the cause of the fire remains under investigation. Read the full story.

Renovation turns to rubble 🔨

Cape Cod Builders Inc. unexpectedly demolished a 84-year-old cottage in Truro that was meant to be renovated for employee housing, shocking town officials. The Walsh cottage had been moved at a cost of $75,500 and was part of a $900,000 state-funded project.

Town officials are scrambling to address the situation, considering legal options and alternatives like installing a prefabricated accessory dwelling unit. Meanwhile, Truro's historical commission has approved the demolition of seven other cottages on the Walsh property, deeming them not historically significant. Read the full story. 

What happened to Koala? 🦈

A mature male white shark, measuring over 12 feet, was found washed ashore on Nauset Beach in Orleans this week. The Atlantic White Shark Conservancy identified the shark as "Koala," a specimen they documented in 2022.

Dr. Greg Skomal, a scientist from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, led a necropsy on Thursday morning. Despite a thorough exam, no immediate cause of death was apparent. There were no visible external or internal injuries, prompting further pathological testing of tissue samples, which may take several months to yield results.

One hypothesis suggests the shark may have become stranded in shallow waters during low tide. The incident drew attention from local authorities, with Orleans police describing it as an "unusual call for service." They enlisted Nauset Recovery to remove the shark from the beach. Read the full story.

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Underwater deep cleaning begins 🌊

Three months after a blade from a Vineyard Wind turbine broke off and fell into the ocean, GE Vernova has started cleaning up the debris from the seafloor. They began the operation on Sunday, using a vessel called the HOS Mystique. So far, they've successfully lifted one piece of debris without any issues.

When the blade collapsed in July, it scattered pieces across beaches on Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard, and parts of Cape Cod. Some beachgoers are still finding small remnants.

GE Vernova believes the blade failure was due to poor bonding, but they're still investigating the exact cause. The cleanup is being done carefully, with a second boat standing by to collect any fragments that might break off during the recovery process. Local officials are keeping a close eye on the operation, which is taking place in waters up to 197 feet deep. Read the full story.

LOCAL BUSINESS

Cape Cod Coffee scores Chatham Perk ☕️

Cape Cod Coffee Company has acquired Chatham Perk's two locations, integrating the local coffee shop into its expanding network. Cat Martin, Chatham Perk's founder, is stepping down after nearly a decade, expressing pride in her venture and gratitude for community relationships. The new management, led by Cape Cod Coffee CEO Jan Aggerbeck, plans to maintain Chatham Perk's community focus while introducing extended hours and their locally roasted coffee.

Employees will retain their positions, ensuring continuity in service. This acquisition marks a significant step for Cape Cod Coffee, which has grown from a small roastery in 1970 to a regional presence, and represents a blend of local charm with broader coffee industry experience. Read the full story. 

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CIVIL NEWS

Hyannis man sentenced in gun case ⚖️

Ryan Diefenbach, a 33-year-old man from Hyannis, has been sentenced to six years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for illegally possessing and selling a Chinese SKS rifle. Diefenbach, who has previous felony convictions including firearm-related offenses, was prohibited from possessing firearms.

He pleaded guilty in July 2024 after being indicted along with co-defendant Donnell Pina in November 2022. The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program aimed at reducing gun violence and making communities safer. Pina is scheduled to plead guilty on November 21, 2024. Read the full story.

PET OF THE WEEK

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

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’

Friday

• Friday Films - Ghostbusters @ Falmouth Public Library (3 PM)

• Walking Tour of the Brewster Cemetery (4 PM)

• Trick or Treat & Boo Bash @ Chatham Bars Inn (4 PM)

• Shooters & Sliders - Pre-fest Party @ Wellfleet Preservation Hall (5 PM)

• Horror Movie Trivia @ Color Me Mine, Mashpee (7 PM)

• Mask Making Workshop @ Community Center, Orleans (7 PM)

• The Heart Sellers @ Cape Rep Theatre, Orleans (Fri-Sun)

• Fiddler on the Roof @ Cotuit Center for the Arts (Fri-Sun)

Saturday

• Wellfleet Oyster Fest @ Main St., Wellfleet (Sat & Sun)

• Gills Club @ Shark Center, N. Chatham (9 AM)

• Celestial Navigation @ CC Maritime Museum, Barnstable (9 AM)

• Feet for Flippers 5K @ National Marine Life Center (10 AM)

• Halloween Costume Swap @ Brewster Ladies Library (10 AM)

• Fall Fest @ CC Winery, E. Falmouth (11 AM)

• Chatham Oktoberfest @ Kate Gould Park (11 AM)

• Oktoberfest @ CC MOA, Dennis (3 PM)

• Paranormal Dinner & Investigation @ Dan’l Webster Inn (5 PM)

• Comedian Drew Dunn @ Sea Crest Beach Hotel, N. Falmouth (8 PM)

Sunday

• Walk to End Alzheimers @ Heritage Museums & Gardens, Sandwich

• Fall Frolic & Pumpkin Patch @ Chatham Bars Inn Farm (11 AM)

• Revolutionary War Experience @ Windmill Village, Brewster (12 PM)

• Oktoberfest @ Barnstable Brewing, Hyannis (12 PM)

• Hyannis Open Streets, Main Street, Hyannis (12 PM)

• Howl-o-ween! @ Off the Grid, Sandwich (12 PM)

• Dance Party @ The 204, Harwich (2 PM)

• Open Streets After Party @ Mariner Cafe, Hyannis (4 PM)

• Oktoberfest! @ Barley Neck Inn, Orleans (4 PM)

• Best of the Fest - Shorts @ Cotuit Center for the Arts, Falmouth (5 PM)

Live Music 🎸

Friday

• Grab Brothers @ Wellfleet Pearl (3 PM)

• Kurt High Attitude @ CC Winery, E. Falmouth (4 PM)

• Tony Disavino @ CC Coffee, Mashpee (6 PM)

• Amoricans @ Music Room, W. Yarmouth (7 PM)

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

• Karaoke @ House of Hatchets, Hyannis (8 PM)

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

Saturday

• The Music of Motown @ Barnstable PAC, Hyannis (3 PM)

• Falmouth Chorale @ UMC, Falmouth (3 PM) (Sat & Sun)

• Open Mic @ First Church UCC, Sandwich (5 PM)

• ARLO @ CC Coffee, Mashpee (6 PM)

• Les Sampou @ Cultural Center of CC, S. Yarmouth (7:30 PM)

• Darling @ Jake Rooney’s, Harwich Port (8 PM)

• Sister Funk @ The Underground, P-town (9 PM)

Sunday 

• Songbirds @ Sons of Erin, W. Yarmouth (4 PM)

• Donna Byrne Quartet @ Highfield Hall, Falmouth (4 PM)

• Rickie Lee Jones @ Tilden Arts Center (5 PM)

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

WEATHER

Friday

61 🌡️ 46 | ☀️ | 💧0% | 💨 NNE 20 mph

Saturday

64 🌡️ 50 | ☀️ | 💧 0% | 💨 E 6 mph

Sunday

70 🌡️ 51 | ☀️ | 💧 3% | 💨 SW 8 mph

💧🌡️ Water temperature = 56ºF

HOME OF THE WEEK

981 Long Pond Rd., Brewster
Asking $860,000
3 🛌
2.5 🛀
1,264 square feet
1.38 acre lot

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

THANKS!

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