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May 17, 2013
Tax collections up, $20.8 million spending restored
Tax collections through April have exceeded benchmarks by $510 million, Includes $53,000 for grants to Visitor Information Bureaus

Patrick OKs $21M spending
Reverses December cuts

Covers special education costs and reimbursements to cities and towns for regional and homeless student transportation

In light of stronger than anticipated tax collections through April and under pressure from lawmakers, the Patrick administration announced Friday it would restore $20.8 million in spending to the fiscal 2013 budget, including outlays that cover special education costs and reimbursements to cities and towns for regional and homeless student transportation.

May 16, 2013
State's housing market rebounds, foreclosures down
But state lost 1,400 jobs in April, unemployment rate held at 6.4 percent

More evidence of housing market rebound

A big drop in foreclosures too, 6,000 homes placed under sales agreement last month

News earlier this week of a big drop in foreclosures was followed by a report that pending home sales in April were up 33 percent, the biggest monthly year-over-year increase since the Massachusetts Association of Realtors began tracking such data in 2004.

May 15, 2013
Cape Cod coke/heroin kingpin sentenced to 25 years in federal prison
Kelvin Frye is accused of leading a syndicate responsible for distributing drugs across the Cape

Kelvin Frye, 29 of East Wareham, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison on cocaine and heroin distribution charges Friday.  Frye, also known as Kelvin Andrews, Brian Wright, Cool Kel and Cool Cal, was found guilty of running an illegal drug distribution syndicate on the Upper Cape and supplying the towns of Falmouth, Bourne Mashpee and beyond with heroin and cocaine, according to a release from US Attorney Carmen Ortiz's Office. 

May 13, 2013
Barnstable, Sandwich, DY each will pay $2.3 million in charter tuition in fiscal year 2014
Cape Cod's two charter schools together will receive “sending district” tuition that totals over $17,034,322.

1,040 Students Will Attend Cape Charter Schools in FY14

Barnstable, Sandwich, DY each pay $2.3 million in charter tuition

1,040 students will attend the Cape’s two charter schools next year. Cape Cod Lighthouse Charter School will enroll 240 middle school students and Sturgis Charter Public School will welcome 800 high school students to its two Hyannis campuses.

The two charter schools together will receive “sending district” tuition that totals over $17,034,322. See the accompanying chart for the town-by-town breakdown below.

May 13, 2013
Senate recommends act creating uniform beach warnings flags be flown on all state beaches
Uniform warning and safety flag program would be requested at public beaches along the coast of the commonwealth

The father of a 2-year-old who was never found after she was swept out to sea last April in Rockport wants communities to voluntarily display warning flags along their beaches about ocean conditions.

May 12, 2013
As the area’s school populations drops 20% the Native American school population grows 4%
A Tribal Charter School would cost Mashpee $1.4M and DY $800K

$4.3 Million at Stake with Wampanoag Charter School

Area’s Native American school population grows 4% in one year

329 Native American children attend schools from Dennis to Plymouth, according to statistics obtained from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE). This represents a growth of 4% from 317 students last year.

Overall Cape area school enrollment dropped 1.42% in the same period and over 20% in the past decade.

The $4.3M Question

May 11, 2013
Tax collections running more than half a billion dollars above benchmarks through April
Patrick may reverse some of the $225 million in emergency budget cuts he made in December

With tax collections running more than half a billion dollars above benchmarks through April, Gov. Deval Patrick may reverse some of the $225 million in emergency budget cuts he made in December.

“Yes, we’re looking at that now,” Patrick told the News Service Friday as he left his office for an event in Waltham with his dog Tobey after a Cabinet meeting.

House Republicans want $24.M local aid cuts reversed

May 9, 2013
Cape Cod Restaurant Week
Nearly 50 Cape Cod restaurants participating.

Cape Cod Restaurant Week is May 13 through May 19. Nearly 50 restaurants are taking part in this semi-annual event.

Participating restaurants are offering 3 and 4 course pre fixe menus at special rates of $25, $30 and $35 per diner.

See website for participating restaurants and details. 

May 4, 2013
Top 20 things to do on the Cape this summer
Life's too short to lay on the beach!

Every visitor to Cape Cod knows that there are plenty of wonderful beaches to visit, but what to do in place of having fun in the surf and sun? Bill DeSousa-Mauk, leisure travel public relations expert at the Cape Cod Chamber of Commerce, has some recommendations for visitors young and old on what to do in place of the beach.

Here's #9:

May 4, 2013
USDA announces major cranberry buy
Government to purchase up to $5 million in cranberry concentrate

Local cranberry growers are getting a much needed boost courtesy of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) this season.  According to a release from US Senator Elizabeth Warren's office, the USDA has agreed to purchase up to $5 million in cranberry concentrate.

The cranberry products will be distributed through federal food programs, school lunch programs and in food banks.

May 2, 2013
CapeNet, OpenCape increase competition, lowers prices for Cape Codders
When we have more than one choice for broadband, we gain the power to demand better service and prices

How CapeNet and OpenCape increase buying power for local broadband

“It’s simple: when we have more than one choice for broadband, we gain the power to demand better service and prices.” – Alan Davis, President & CEO, CapeNet

There’s been a lot of coverage of an emerging story in the Cape region: the imminent launch of the OpenCape fiber optic network. My company, CapeNet, built it and is responsible for selling broadband services on it.

May 2, 2013
UPDATE: Senate passes $300M highway bill
Local road and bridge projects would jump from $200 million to $300 million a year - Bill may be “held hostage” due to differences between legislative leaders and Gov. Deval Patrick over how much to raise taxes

UPDATE: Senate passes $300M road financing bill dependent on higher taxes

While municipal officials had hoped a $300 million road repair would be wrapped up a month ago to spur spring construction projects, the bill continued its slow journey through the Legislature Thursday.

May 1, 2013
Comcast continues to innovate
At the core of Comcast’s network is a fiber backbone that stretches across the country with 140,000 miles of fiber - enough to wrap around the earth six times.

By Steve Walsh, vice president of business services for Comcast’s Greater Boston region.

Ever since arriving on Cape Cod in 2003, Comcast has been committed to providing innovative products and a superior customer experience for businesses and consumers.

May 1, 2013
Markey beats Lynch, to face Gomez June 25th
Markey warns of “tsunami of polluted political money” if Gomez refuses to sign pledge to stop Super PAC advertisements

Ed Markey over Stephen Lynch 57% to 42%

Gomez wins GOP primary

Emerging from a primary campaign that lacked the intensity many anticipated, U.S. Rep. Edward Markey held off delegation mate Rep. Stephen Lynch in Tuesday’s Democratic primary for U.S. Senate, moving on to face former Navy SEAL and political upstart Gabriel Gomez in a late June special election that will pit a 36-year-veteran of Congress against a political newcomer.

April 30, 2013
Exclusive interview with OpenCape CEO Dan Vortherms
The Capewide fiber optic network is about to go live

Network nearing completion and what lies ahead

As part of Cape Cod Today’s continuing coverage of the OpenCape roll out, today we are joined by OpenCape CEO Dan Vortherms for an exclusive interview.

April 30, 2013
U.S. Senate Special State Primary Tuesday, April 30
Polls open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. statewide

It's Special State Primary Day Tuesday and Massachusetts voters will choose the Republican and Democratic opponents for the open U.S. Senate seat.

On the Democratic side, Congressman Stephen Lynch will take on Congressman Edward Markey. Three Republicans seek the blessing of their party: Gabriel Gomez, Michael Sullivan and Daniel Winslow.

April 29, 2013
Catch limits decried at rally
Coakley, Keating, call the NOAA new regulations a "death sentence" for the fishing industry in Massachusetts

Feds look to replenish fisheries

Set to reduce amounts of fish that boats from around New England can catch by as much as 78 percent

Frustrated by the response of federal fishing regulators, top Bay State politicians on Monday decried new catch-limits on fisherman set to take effect in two days that they said could cripple the fishing industry in Massachusetts, while Gov. Deval Patrick has sought to intervene with the White House to protect the livelihoods of fishermen.

April 29, 2013
Cranberry Educational Foundation to award three scholarships for next school year
Applicants must be from cranberry growing towns

The Cranberry Educational Foundation (CEF) announced earlier this month that they will be awarding three scholarships, each in the amount of $1,000. To qualify for the scholarship, applicants must be currently enrolled at an institution of higher learning, must have completed their first semester and must maintain a GPA of 2.5.

The scholarships are not limited to any particular field of study, but students majoring in agriculture, the environment or natural resources will be given priority, according to a release from CEF.

April 29, 2013
Exclusive interview – Comcast talks high speed broadband
Steve Walsh, Vice President of Comcast Business for the Greater Boston Region

Comcast weighs in on Cape broadband competition

Competitors define the Cape’s fiber optic “information superhighway"

With the OpenCape fiber optic network set to go live in a few weeks, Cape Cod Today’s readers have many questions about high speed broadband and the companies that will provide it.

April 29, 2013
Gina Clark Trial - Day 13: Extensive bank record evidence
Large shortage in amounts given to families

Friday. April 26th was day 13 of the trial of Gina Clark, former President/CEO of defunct Marstons Mills-based charity Touched By Angels, along with the charity itself.  The first and only witness of the day was Amy Goyer, Chief of Investigations for the Fair Labor Division of the Attorney General's office.

April 29, 2013
Tax on Internet sales puts Grover Norquist on the run - Voters don't seem interested in tomorrow's primaries
Pol vows to open bomber's welfare records - Thousands of child-labor law violations here

Tax on Internet sales splits factions

Legislation that would force Internet retailers to collect sales taxes from their customers has put anti-tax and small-government activists like Grover Norquist’s Americans for Tax Reform and the Heritage Foundation in an unusual position: They’re losing. - Worcester Telegram & Gazette.

Candidate hustle with tomorrows' Primary looming

April 28, 2013
Massachusetts economy has "burst of growth"
Surge in tourism, consumer spending, home sales lead the way

State's economy grew at nearly 4 percent in first quarter

A solid growth in consumer spending, local tourism

Gross state product in Massachusetts grew at an annualized rate of 3.9 percent in the first quarter but economists cautioned Friday that they don't expect the "burst of growth" to repeat in the second quarter.

April 27, 2013
Saltwater pools and other backyard trends
Cape Codders are choosing saltwater pools for ease of maintenance and environmental reasons

There is a growing inclination among pool owners toward saltwater pools. Jeff Fanara, owner of Bella Pools and Yardscape in South Yarmouth, elaborated on what is popular in the world of pools on Cape Cod.

April 25, 2013
Exclusive interview with Aereo TV
TV-Over-Internet Service launches here May 15th

Exclusive Interview with Aereo TV’s Virginia Lam

TV-Over-Internet Service launches here May 15th

Wednesday’s story about the new Aereo TV-Over-Internet service generated considerable buzz around the Cape. Cape Cod Today’s readers had many questions about the service, which will bring Boston area broadcast television to subscribers for prices starting at $8 a month.

April 24, 2013
Aereo TV-Over-Internet coming to Cape May 15th
Prices start at $8 a month

Game changer for “cord cutters”, threat to cable companies

4.5 million potential customers in the Boston market

Broadcast-TV-Over-the-Internet arrives on Cape Cod next month. Prices start at $8 a month. The first new coverage area for Aereo since the service's March 2012 debut in New York is Boston, Cape Cod and The Islands.

The Barry Diller-backed company, Aereo TV-Over-Internet announced today that it will begin offering its service in the Boston market (including Barnstable, Dukes and Nantucket Counties) on May 15th.