A lifelong Cape Cod lobsterman has received overwhelming support in his fight for survival, helping him claw through bureaucratic red tape that could revive a nearly century-old family tradition of selling lobsters from his home.

Yarmouth resident Jon Tolley says he is still wary of whether town officials in the mid-Cape Cod town will allow him to reopen his shop next year at his home, even after residents approved a bylaw that opens the door for him to do so.

“The whole town was behind me,” Tolley told the Herald via phone on Friday. “I knew they were going to be. It’s a sad thing. One person complains, and then I have to go through all of this, get lawyers and everything. For what reason? For no reason.”

The 66-year-old has caught lobsters out of Sesuit Harbor in Dennis and sold the fresh crustaceans from his home in West Yarmouth for nearly his entire life. As a youngster, he helped his father, Fred, run the family business on the same property before he took over operations in 1975.

Despite Tolley’s success over the decades, town officials forced him to operate elsewhere this past season amid a controversy that blindsided the fisherman and his neighbors.

The battle with the town began in late August 2024 when Tolley received a violation notice that he said startled him. Zoning bylaws banned retail lobster sales in a residential district, the notice stated.

An unnamed West Yarmouth resident complained about a business sign Tolley put out on Route 28,  the town’s main corridor, prompting the fight, according to town officials. Tolley has argued that the complaint came from a Yarmouth police officer.

Yarmouth allowed the retail sale of fish as a commercial use in the residential district by right and without further permission until 1982.

The Zoning Board of Appeals shot down Tolley’s two appeals for a variance, which would have let him continue selling the locally harvested lobster from where his father opened up shop in 1957.

Town officials and Tolley settled on a compromise for the 2025 season.

The lobsterman found a private vacant lot along Route 28 to sell his lobsters, from where he said he found reasonable success, while the  Planning Board drafted an amendment to the zoning bylaw.

Residents at a Town Meeting this week eagerly raised their hands in support of the amendment, which allows fishermen to sell their legally caught live lobsters at their homes via a ZBA-issued special permit. Less than a handful of attendees disapproved.

“In theory, even though it is a bylaw now, they can still vote no,” Tolley said of the ZBA. “See what I mean? They can vote no, and of course, you take them to court, and you win in one second because it is a bylaw.”

“All of this is politics,” he added.

In a video previewing the Town Meeting, Town Manager Robert Whritenour called the lobster bylaw his “favorite” article that residents would be voting on. He described Tolley’s situation as “quite a kerfuffle.”

The bylaw, Whritenour said, will “provide a process to enable a fisherman to sell live lobsters out of a residential location, obviously under certain safeguards to protect the integrity of the neighborhood, but that addresses … concerns.”

Residents at the Town Meeting voiced their outrage over how lobster sales became controversial.

Resident Sally Johnson said she’s been a “very strong advocate” of Tolley’s. She pointed to how she felt the ZBA chairman was “very intimidating to his board and to the community in the building” during a meeting in April.

The chairman, Sean Igoe, blocked Tolley’s attorney, Jonathan Polloni, from arguing his client’s case and the dozens of residents in support, who flocked to Town Hall, from expressing how they viewed the business as not a detriment to the community.

Residents shouted out their sharp disappointment: “Read the room!” “Dictatorship!” “Generations are leaving Cape Cod!” “You will only have millionaires living here!”

“It is absolutely ridiculous that it’s gotten to this point,” Johnson said on Monday. “It has mushroomed into chaos.”

Tolley has sued the town over his battle, filing a complaint in land court. Following a July hearing, the court encouraged the lobsterman and officials to “consider the possibility of mediation or remand of this matter to avoid the time, expense, and risk of further litigation.”

As of Friday, the case wasn’t scheduled to be heard again until next March, according to records.

“It’s a shame Jon had to fight this battle,” resident Cheryl Ball, who leads the group, Cape Cod Concerned Citizens, told the Herald, “but I’m thankful our community and several board members stepped up to support him. We need to continue to defend Cape Cod’s culture before it’s completely eroded.”

Republican John Deaton is back in the political mix in Massachusetts following a failed bid to unseat Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren in 2024.

This time around, Deaton is running for the seat currently held by Democratic Sen. Ed Markey. He believes voters are ready for a change in political priorities.

“Polling suggests already that I could edge out Ed Markey … 1.35 million people voted for me last time, and now, I want to reach another million,” he said.

One obvious difference from 2024 is the competitive Democratic primary in 2026. Rep. Seth Moulton has already announced a primary challenge to Markey, while other Democrats like Rep. Ayanna Pressley are rumored to be considering a similar move.

“While Ed Markey and them are fighting it out in a primary, I’ll be able to bring that common-sense message,” Deaton said.

Deaton secured the endorsement of the Massachusetts Republican Party on Thursday. Some — like former Senate and gubernatorial candidate Geoff Diehl — have suggested that President Donald Trump is already backing Deaton’s candidacy.

“The White House hasn’t made any endorsement that I’m aware of, and I haven’t had any conversations,” said Deaton. “I don’t believe President Trump even knows that I exist.”

Deaton maintains he isn’t seeking endorsements from anyone, and when pressed on whether having Trump’s support would be helpful, he remained noncommittal.

“I don’t know if it would be helpful or not,” he said. “I really haven’t spent time thinking about it.”

While Deaton toes that line, he’s focusing on the issues and convincing voters why he is the best choice for Massachusetts in 2026.

“I got in this race because I see people losing faith,” said Deaton.

You can hear more from Deaton this Sunday at 9:30 a.m. during our @Issue Sit Down segment. Political Reporter Matt Prichard digs deeper into Deaton’s thoughts on Trump and his policies, plus how much of Deaton’s personal money is being funneled into his campaign.

A report was issued from the National Weather Service on Friday at 3:13 a.m. for patchy fog and black ice until 9 a.m. for Northern Worcester and Southern Worcester as well as Franklin, Middlesex, Essex, Hampshire, Hampden, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol and Plymouth counties.

“Patchy fog and isolated black ice are possible this morning across southern New England, especially in areas that typically fog over. As temperatures are at or below freezing, a few slick patches of black ice may form, especially on elevated surfaces; like bridges and overpasses. Please use caution heading out early this morning and allow for extra commuting time,” according to the weather service.

Navigating fog: Safety tips by the weather service

If you must drive in foggy conditions, keep the following safety tips in mind:

Moderate your speed:

• Slow down and allocate extra time for your trip to reach your destination safely.

Visibility priority:

• Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which automatically activate your taillights. Utilize fog lights if your vehicle is equipped with them.

Avoid high-beams:

• Refrain from using high-beam headlights, as they create glare that impairs your visibility on the road.

Keep a safe distance:

• Maintain a significant following distance to account for abrupt stops or shifts in traffic patterns.

Stay in your lane:

• Use the road’s lane markings as a guide to remaining in the correct lane.

Zero visibility strategy:

• In cases of near-zero visibility due to dense fog, activate your hazard lights and seek a safe spot, like a nearby business parking lot, to pull over and stop.

No parking options:

• If no designated parking area is available, pull your vehicle as far off the road as possible. Once stationary, deactivate all lights except the hazard flashers, engage the emergency brake, and release the brake pedal to ensure your tail lights remain unlit, minimizing the chance of other drivers colliding with your stationary vehicle.

By adhering to these precautions from the weather service, you can navigate foggy conditions more safely, reducing the likelihood of accidents and ensuring your personal safety.