MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA –Yesterday's high north-easterly winds could prove disastrous for local shellfish. Researchers from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute are worried that the strong winds could blow red tide cysts into coastal waters and shellfish beds. There are early indications that a bloom to rival the devastating tide of 2005 could be in store for the northeast from Maine down to the Cape and Islands and into Buzzards Bay where Nauset's shellfish beds have already been closed. Biologists and shellfish constables across the Cape and Islands will be setting out test cages of blue mussels. The bivalves are the often the first place where the deadly toxin can been seen. A record bloom in 2005 cost the local shell fishing industry tens-of-millions of dollars.
Another Edgartown Fire
EDGARTOWN, MA – Another early morning fire rips through an Edgartown building. An equipment shed located behind the house at 47 Pine Street burned to the ground Monday morning. The house on the front of the lot is unoccupied. A call to 911 just before 3-am alerted police and fired officials but by the time the first police cruiser arrived on-scene the old shed was completely engulfed in flames. Fire fighters worked against high winds and hot embers, keeping the fire from spreading to the surrounding area. Chief Peter Shemeth reports that while the recent increase in the number of fires is a concern the cause of the fires is not. Last week, a fire destroyed a home on 4th street. The cause of that blaze is still unknown.
More Detours To Come
CHILMARK/ OAK BLUFFS, MA – It is the season of highway repairs. Road closures continue in Chilmark today. North Road from the Crossroads to Tabor House will be closed to traffic from 8-am until 5-pm. Alternate routes will be needed. Meanwhile, in Oak Bluffs, residents along Circuit Avenue may have trouble sleeping tomorrow night as road crews work overnight to try to complete the repaving of that street. The highway department will be closing the main drag to traffic from Thursday night until Friday morning.
HEADLINES FOR TUESDAY, MAY 13
Aquinnah Could Pull Plug on School Budget
AQUINNAH, MA – One vote in Aquinnah could unravel months of budget work. At tonight's annual town meeting, voters will have the option of supporting the budget approved by the other two towns in the Up Island Regional School District or sending the school committee back to the drawing board. According to schools' superintendent Dr. James Weiss, if the town chooses to adopt the state funding formula, it would mean that the budget's already approved by Chilmark and West Tisbury would be out the window. While Aquinnah could save itself 25-thousand dollars by adopting the state equation, it would shift an enormous burden to West Tisbury. Dr Weiss adds that the shift would be hurtful to the tri-town agreement saying, "This is the kind of thing that causes regional districts to fall apart." Aquinnah residents will begin to consider that article along with the rest of their warrant following a special town meeting that begins at 7-pm at the old town hall.
Traffic Up for Steamship
TISBURY, MA – The Steamship Authority meets in Vineyard Haven this morning. Board members are expected to receive good news with passenger numbers for March pushing the Martha's Vineyard route up nearly 6-percent over last year. The General Manager's office will also be reporting that the first of three phases of construction on the Oak Bluffs pier will be completed before the dock opens for business on May 21st. And, just in time for some spring cleaning, the motor vessel Nantucket is back in service in time for the Island Home and Martha's Vineyard ferries to be taken out for repairs and a fresh coat of paint. The meeting begins at 10:30 at the Katherine Cornell Theatre.
Detour
CHILMARK, MA – Drivers face detours around Chilmark as road crews finish work that began last fall. North Road will be closed between the crossroads and Tabor House road from approximately 8-am to 5-pm today and tomorrow. Chilmark police are advising drivers to use alternate routes. Some drivers will remember the extended closure last year while new blacktop was being laid. The work being done over the next two days will apply the final coat to that stretch of roadway and could be finished sooner than expected.
HEADLINES FOR MONDAY, MAY 12
Beach Walls Need More Work in Oak Bluffs
OAK BLUFFS, MA – A preliminary study of the retaining walls along the old pay beach in Oak Bluffs finds more repairs maybe needed soon. An engineer from CLE Engineering in Marion, a company that specializes in coastal engineering, inspected the remaining stretch of walls above and behind the snack bar of the public beach. One section of wall has already collapsed and is under repair. The initial study finds that the remaining bank may need to be shored up before the summer season. Prior to any final recommendation, the engineer will be taking core samples from inside the sandy banks to help determine the overall safety of the beach, boardwalk and state highway.
HEADLINES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 9
Aquinnah Annual
AQUINNAH, MA – Beer, wine and school funding take the stage again but this time in Aquinnah. The last town to the west will be the last town to conduct their annual meeting this Tuesday. By placing more than 110-thousand dollars in overrides on the ballot, administrators have been able to level fund the town for the next fiscal year. A Special Town Meeting will precede the spring annual, with several small funding requests and a proposal to amend the bylaws to prohibit open containers of alcoholic beverages in the town. The measure is in response to the anticipated legalization of beer and wine sales in restaurants. That question along with five overrides and a three way race for selectmen, will be decided on Wednesday. The Special Town Meeting begins on Tuesday at 7-pm at the old town hall, to be followed by the annual town meeting.
HEADLINES FOR THURSDAY, MAY 8
17 Year Cicada
Has it Been 17 Years Already?
MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA – It's a song that does not come along often but is certainly memorable. The last time the cicadas sung on the Cape and Islands was in 1991 and they are getting ready to emerge for another series of spring concerts. According to Dave Simser from the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, the insects will be emerging as the soil temperature warms up to around 64-degrees. At this time of year, dime size holes will appear at the base of deciduous trees. It is from these holes that the large, edible and some say annoying insects will emerge to mark another 17 year cycle. Because groups of cicadas tend to stay in one area, some naturalists consider them a barometer of human development. While the number and size of swarms cannot be predicted, one thing is sure, many of the wedding guests across the Cape and Islands this season will dancing to an unexpected sort of music.
Chappy Residents Support Ferry Owner
EDGARTOWN, MA – News of higher ticket prices does not surprise some Chappaquiddick residents. Edgartown selectmen approved a fare hike for the Chappy ferry on Monday. The 3-car, double-ended barge is the only way for residents or visitors to bring a vehicle to the island. The vessels new owner, Peter Wells, cited higher fuel prices and other economic pressures in his request for the raise. Many of those who live on Chappy seem resigned to the increase. A discount rate is available to island residents without which, according to one 28-year resident of the island, "We wouldn't be able to live here any longer."
HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 7
When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes
MARTHA'S VINEYARD, MA - A fire on Nomans Land sent smoke billowing into the sky and rolling over Martha's Vineyard this afternoon. A tall plume could be seen rising from the small island around 2:30pm. By 3-pm, flames could be seen from the south shore of the Vineyard as the smoke began to cover the sky from Chilmark to Chappaquiddick. Navy officials had contacted Island law enforcement and warned them of the possibility of small fires due to a training exercise but it seems that no one was expecting that much smoke never mind a fire that large. Within an hour the fire looked to have burned from one end of the tiny island to the other. Navy officials have not immediately returned calls.
Will There be Marshmallows?
WEST TISBURY, MA – It sounds like summer camp. Some municipal employees in West Tisbury are preparing to move into the back yard. Town Hall renovations are not expected to begin until the end of summer but preparations are already underway to move 15 offices and all municipal documents out into temporary trailers and another town owned building. At a recent selectmen’s meeting, department heads were asked to provide plenty of notice before taking a half-day to close their offices and start packing. The town is currently seeking trailers that would, unlike camp, have to be winterized. Two trailers will need to be equipped with plumbing, electric and internet infrastructure. Meanwhile, the construction documents for the renovation are nearly complete. Energy, heating and insulation issues along with handicap access are all being finalized before that document goes out to bid in June.
VTA Faces H2B
EDGARTOWN, MA – With fewer returning workers, the Vineyard Transit Authority is pushing hard to have enough drivers on the road for the summer schedule. Due to changes in the number of returning workers allowed under the H2B visa program, the island’s busiest public transit fleet has lost a significant number of trained drivers who are not allowed to return to the U.S. for work this summer. According to a spokesperson, the Transit Authority has struggled to find replacements over the last few months. And with approximately 6-weeks of training required to put a driver on the road, the window is quickly closing in on the busiest time of year. Despite the shortage, the bus line says that with a little extra overtime it will be able to run a full schedule of nearly 20-buses and keep all 13 of its routes open.
HEADLINES FOR TUESDAY, MAY 6
Still Cheaper to Swim
EDGARTOWN, MA – Edgartown selectmen have approved a fare hike for the Chappy ferry. Meeting last night, the 3 member board of governors decided to grant Peter Wells' request for an increase in the maximum allowable rate for passage between Chappaquiddick island and downtown Edgartown. The selectmen are setting a cap on the boat line's rates but are not mandating its pricing. Mr. Wells purchased the ferry earlier this year in a deal that also had to be approved by selectmen. The last rate increase for the approximately 3-minute trip was back in 2004. Supporters of the higher fares say that recent increases in fuel costs need to be reflected in ticket prices.
No Serious Injuries
OAK BLUFFS, MA – It was a scary way to start the weekend for one New York woman. On Friday afternoon, just before 5-pm the 30-year old victim was walking down Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs when a car driven by 89-year-old Ellen Kendrick jumped the curb and pinned her to a storefront. According to police, Ms. Kendrick, of Lake Mary Florida, was attempting to park her car when she accelerated forward and pinned the victim to the wall outside Reliable Market. The 30-year old woman suffered injuries to her legs and abdomen and was taken to the Martha's Vineyard Hospital, she has since been released. Though no formal charges have been filed against the driver, her license has been temporarily revoked.
HEADLINES FOR MONDAY, MAY 5
DCPC Review for Aquinnah
AQUINNAH, MA – The Martha's Vineyard Commission will be meeting this week to discuss amendments to the Aquinnah Energy District of Critical Planning Concern, or DCPC. Thursday's meeting comes just 5 days before the annual town meeting when voters will be asked to approve the implementation of the new by-laws. The amendment to restate the boundary of the DCPC, brings the floor of the district down to sea level from the original 32-feet, above which an energy generation project would trigger a review. The regulation is intended to provide guidelines for the citing of renewable energy generating systems such as wind turbines. The Commission approved the original designation back in December of 2007.
Trying to Save the Fleet
CHILMARK, MA – Diversification may hold the key to keeping small fishing fleets alive. A Wednesday lecture at the Chilmark Public Library will explore this and other ideas with fisheries activists Ted Ames (AIMs) and Robin Alden. The industry has recently begun to trend toward diversification in small harbors like those on the Cape and Islands. Activists and environmentalists argue that by allowing fishermen to rely on the seasonality of different species as well as aquaculture, the market can achieve balance with the cycle of fish stocks. The program begins at 5:30-pm at the Chilmark Library.
HEADLINES FOR FRIDAY, MAY 2
The Sale of Beer and Wine Defeated in Tisbury
TISBURY, MA - The town of Tisbury will remain dry for now. In a hand recount of the 1401 ballots cast in the April 15 election, the measure to allow a partial repeal of prohibition in the town of Tisbury has failed. Counters have determined that Voters cast 690 ballots in favor and 692 ballots in opposition of the measure to allow beer and wine sales in the town. A recount was ordered after the original machine count delivered a startling tie of 690 votes for and against with 21 blanks. Meanwhile, nothing changed in the selectmen's race and winner Jefferey Kristal gets to keep the job he won by 14 votes.
HEADLINES FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 30
Fire Destroyes Two Family Home
EDGARTOWN, MA - An early morning fire in Edgartown puts two families out of their home. Fire crews from Edgartown and Oak Bluffs arrived #12 North Fourth Street at approximately 5-am this morning to find the single story house and two-story garage completely engulfed in flames. José Olivera rented a room in the house with his wife Maria. They shared the house with another family of 5. According to Mr. Olivera, the fire started in the garage at about 4:30 in the morning and spread quickly to the rest of the dwelling. An alert housemate was able to wake everyone and get them out in time. It took firefighters nearly three hours to clear the structure and leave the residents to begin trying to salvage what they could. The Red Cross was on scene to provide assistance and as residents filled out paperwork, neighbors made their way over and began to offer places to sleep, clothes, toys and help. A team of investigators will be working over the next few weeks to determine the cause of the blaze.
Chilmark Puts Public Safety First
CHILMARK, MA - After more than an hour of debate in Monday night's town meeting, Chilmark residents voted overwhelmingly in favor of an article to allow the United States Coast Guard to install a new tower and base station atop Peaked Hill. The government already has a 48-foot tower and small equipment shed on the site. But, according to the Coast Guard the tower and base station are too outdated to be upgraded to the so-called Rescue 21 system. In order to utilize a more effective direction finding antennae, the Guard needs to raise a new tower over 100-feet tall. Several neighbors voiced concern at an earlier meeting about how little work had been done to mitigate the visual impact. Menemsha Station's commanding officer, Senior Chief Barr, says that he recognizes how hard Monday night's decision was but adds that, "it is a decision that will pay high dividends in terms of saving lives." Voters also approved a 6.6 million dollar operating budget.
Lifeguards Wanted, Again
OAK BLUFFS, MA - Oak Bluffs needs lifeguards. In the annual spring meeting, the town spoke out against cutting lifeguards from the budget. When the town amended the budget and reinserted 55-thousand dollars for lifeguards it was as plain as could be to the Parks Department. Advertisements for the job, with a higher hourly rate than in yearsd past, have been posted and applications have already been received. While there is money in the current fiscal year to fund the positions, unless the town approves the 55-thousand in a proposition 2½ override on May 28th, that money will run out in July. According to Parks Superintendent Richard Combra, that doesn't mean that anyone would be losing their job. Mr. Combra adds that if the money is not approved then something else will have to be done and he could be going back before the selectmen but according to Mr. Combra, “the town wants their lifeguards, they want better lifeguards, that is what we're trying to do."
Aquinnah Could Pull Plug on School Budget 
Detour
When Smoke Gets in Your Eyes 
Will There be Marshmallows? 
Still Cheaper to Swim 
DCPC Review for Aquinnah
Fire Destroyes Two Family Home 
Chilmark Puts Public Safety First