William S. O’Connell may have clear-cut a 100 by 106-foot area on his land in Chappaquiddick, put up a wind sock and a sign saying “Heliport,” but that did not make it a heliport, a Dukes County Superior Court judge was told on Friday.

Nor did occasional takeoffs and landings make it one, argued Thomas C. Grassia, appearing for Mr. O’Connell, who is battling the town of Edgartown over its refusal to allow him to fly to and from his Chappy home.

Chilmark voters opted for smaller government and a quieter town at Monday’s annual town meeting, approving a reduced town budget and stricter new noise bylaws.

The budget cuts, however, amounted to the lightest of prunings — about $6.64 million for fiscal year 2010 compared with 2009’s $6.68 million appropriation — after the meeting rejected proposals for a more serious attack on staff costs.

The newly created Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard opens today at the site of the Katharine M. Foote memorial shelter in Edgartown, quietly taking over where the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which ran the facility for the past 50 years, left off.

The old MSPCA sign came down early yesterday morning, and the last remaining animals — which included a German Shepherd mix and several cats — were adopted over the past week or sent to the MSPCA shelter in Centerville.

A project by the Island Housing Trust to build eight affordable homes at 250 State Road in West Tisbury has rankled some elected officials who question why the cost of construction — which is partially subsidized by the town — is so high — and why the contractor hired to build the project is also a member of the trust’s board of directors.

A budding plan to allow two Aquinnah concert promoters to build a summer outdoor performance center at the Gay Head Cliffs has begun to draw more darts than the P.A. Club on a Friday night.

A public hearing was set for last evening and Aquinnah selectmen moved the location to the old town hall because they were expecting a crowd.

In the face of legal action by the Steamship Authority, Ralph Packer has finally agreed to stop the unlicensed transport of rental cars to Martha’s Vineyard on his barges for the summer tourist trade.

Island House & Yard is changing its name to Fullers on May 1. Other than the name change, Fullers landscaping will continue with business as usual. Started in 1997 by Jesse and Luciana Fuller as a small lawn mowing and house cleaning company, the company has expanded over the years into one of the Island’s premier landscape construction and residential-commercial cleaning companies.

The IMP Free For All — when award-winning improv students open their doors to the community for free improv performances and workshops for all ages — begins on Friday, May 8, with two performances.

First the middle school troupe, IMP-act, takes the stage to perform short pieces from games and skits based on audience suggestions.

Then the IMPers, the teen professional improv troupe, take the stage to present their new piece — Animal Farm — created at the Chicago Improv Festival.

For the second time in three months, the sign at Lambert’s Cove Inn in West Tisbury was stolen sometime Saturday night or Sunday morning. Police said they are searching for suspects in a string of sign-related heists in recent months.

The previous sign at the Lambert’s Cove Inn was stolen in February, and the sign in front of the Focus Christian fellowship center down the road has also been stolen several times over the past year.

Oak Bluffs selectmen reacted with laughter but also some worry on Tuesday to a proposal from a Hollywood production company to shoot a pilot in town for a reality docu-drama depicting the lives of young people spending the summer on the Vineyard.

A majority of selectmen felt the proposal from 25/7 Productions about filming of a program called, appropriately enough, The Vineyard, was hilarious bordering on the absurd, noting it was clearly written by someone pitching a television show and not someone who has spent much time on the Vineyard.