The director of the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group said yesterday that nearly four million healthy juvenile shellfish under culture at his Lagoon Pond hatchery have died in the last three weeks because of extremely poor water quality in the pond.

The deteriorating water quality has not affected mature shellfish and there is no danger to humans who eat shellfish from the pond.

Like most Island cocktail parties, the Tisbury Street Fair was slow
to start. An hour into the annual town celebration though, and it was
standing room only.

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish rocked through the evening. Youngsters
danced in the middle of the street in front of the band. Many of the
Island's nonprofit organizations sold T-shirts, raffle tickets
and plenty of food on the sidewalks.

Refusing to let the fundraiser be a stage for escalating labor
tensions, Martha's Vineyard Community Services officials this week
denied the request of Possible Dreams poster child Carly Simon to
earmark a portion of her gift's proceeds to staff wage increases.

The Fourth of July crowds arrived last week with a vengeance -
clogging ferry lines, buses and the hospital emergency room - but
remained a bit cautious at the cash register.

Ferry Fee Proposal Advances in Boston

It Could Only Have Happened This Year: Added Fee of $1 Per Ferry
Ticket Is Proposed for Municipal Relief

By JULIA WELLS

A bill chugged along in the state legislature this week that would
allow all port communities in the region to charge a fee of $1 per
ticket for visitors traveling on ferries.

Gray skies and sprightly winds launched the 80th annual Edgartown
Yacht Club Regatta yesterday. A record number of 420 class sailboats
turned out for the 10 a.m. start. At least 50 of these one-design
sailboats crossed the line. William Roman, manager of the yacht club,
said this year's regatta is clearly the year of the one-design
sailboat, with record participation by young people.

Costs for Edgartown School Prompt August Town Meeting

By MANDY LOCKE

Edgartown voters are invited to a midsummer special town meeting to
tie up some loose financial ends for the Edgartown School construction
project.

At Jabberwocky's Celebration, Human Spirit Is Triumphant

By C.K. WOLFSON

The Tabernacle was filled Saturday night. There were speeches and
music and a printed program, "David Crohan and Friends,
Celebrating 50 Years of Jabberwocky," with pictures and names.
Simple.

vspace="8" border="1" align="right">

But simple had nothing to do with it.

Oak Bluffs Police Seize Man, Shotgun

By JULIA WELLS

A 17-year-old New Bedford man spent the holiday weekend in the
Edgartown house of correction after he was found by the Oak Bluffs
police with a stolen, loaded sawed-off shotgun in his backpack and an
open bottle of cognac in his hand.

Justin Barry was arrested and charged with a long list of weapons
and alcohol violations. Arraignment was set for yesterday morning in
Edgartown district court.

The incident took place behind Jim's Package Store in Oak
Bluffs just after 9:30 p.m. on July 4.

Everything about this Fourth of July was huge. The parade was
colorful and long, the fireworks overhead were grand and the crowds in
downtown Edgartown were phenomenally large.