The Chappaquiddick Island Association will host a webinar on wildfire and emergency preparedness called Firewise – Residents Reducing Wildfire Risks. The Zoom presentation will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 7 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. It will feature guest panelists from the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. They will outline the benefits of fire-adaptive communities, what makes them work and how, as residents, we can make our own homes and our island community safer and more resilient.

See the CIA website for the webinar link which might not be posted until just a few days prior.

The Fourth of July falls on a Saturday this year which makes for a very compact holiday weekend. Some folks may have Friday off and begin celebrating early but I’m guessing that everyone will be expected to be back at work bright eyed on Monday morning. Fortunately, they will have all day Sunday to clear their heads. The shorter the duration of the reveling, the less wear and tear on the town.

Back when I first joined the Chappy fire department half a century ago, the fireworks were still launched from the dune grass just north of the ferry landing. That made for an impressive display right over the narrowest part of the harbor. It also gave the Chappy fire fighters their annual practice at putting out a brush fire.

You have probably heard about the negative impact of the loud booms of the fireworks on animals both human and wild. Some municipalities have begun using noiseless fireworks displays. There’s an old adage in the mechanical industries that noise costs money. So, without including the intentional loud booms in the show, either the whole display will cost less or we can get more get more of the colorful oohs! and ahs! for the same price.

The Chappy Community Center 2026 calendar is in the final stages of printing after overcoming technical difficulties. Check the CCC website for availability. When they do arrive, they can be purchased online, then picked up in person at the CCC or mailed to you. Every Chappy household ought to have one even if that household is over in America during the winter. Remember that the sale of the calendars is an important source of operating income for the center. They make nice belated Christmas presents.