MVC Begins Review of Housing Plan

Ecumenical Group Proposes 32 Units on Tisbury Land

By JULIA WELLS

Calling it a new vision for the Vineyard, a novice Island nonprofit
last week unveiled a plan to build 32 units of affordable housing in 16
duplex-style buildings on the Norton family land off State Road in
Vineyard Haven.

Mac Schilcher Wins Honors on Gridiron

By JONATHAN BURKE

On June 20, Mac Schilcher, a six-foot, three-inch, 240-pound senior
who loves to hit, will represent the Vineyard on the football field one
last time. Next year, his primary allegiance will move to Wagner College
on Staten Island, where he has been recruited to play Division 1AA ball.

$100-Per-Hour Employee Raises Ire at High School

By CHRIS BURRELL

The full-time administrator's job pays $65,000 a year, but
when the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School needed a
replacement to fill in for the first five months of the school year, the
pay rate nearly doubled.

By the time the interim dean of students clocked out at the end of
January, he had earned $37,117 working from a contract that had him
working half days from September through January. That's nearly
$100 an hour or about $400 a day.

Announcing his intent to retire as editor and publisher of the
Vineyard Gazette after more than 27 years at the newspaper, Richard
Reston this week also named his successor.

Beginning in the middle of March, John W. Walter Jr., a former
executive editor of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, will arrive on the
Island and take over the leadership role of the Gazette.

A shed and a pier in the tiny town of Aquinnah were the fulcrum for court arguments this week that will ultimately test the question of whether the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) waived sovereign immunity when it signed a land claims settlement agreement in 1983.

The settlement agreement later led to federal recognition for the tribe.

Selectmen of Tisbury Approve Police Department Expansion

By JONATHAN BURKE

After reviewing a new report by an independent consultant, the
Tisbury selectmen agreed Tuesday night to increase the police force to
13 full-time officers.

In a 2-1 vote, the selectmen agreed to a $982,000 police department
budget for the year ahead that includes funding for two new full-time
officers. With an officer leaving the force at the end of this month,
that will bring to three the number of officers that Ted Saulnier,
police chief, needs to hire.

They are the Island's most beloved bridges. The Big Bridge and
the Little Bridge are going to be rebuilt in concrete, if the state has
its way.

Love Story: Couple Makes Sweet Music for Valentine's

By C.K. WOLFSON

Jacob Weissman, 89, gingerly joins his wife, Nikki Langer Weissman,
80, next to the large Steinway and softly asks, "Do you think I
can still do it?"

She shifts to make room beside her on the bench - "Of
course you can."

Sixteen-year-old Hans Buder isn't the Island's most
enthusiastic baseball player, but he certainly is an authority on the
physics of the sport. Mr. Buder won last weekend's regional high
school science fair by putting a lot of balls on a single bat.

County Assistant Claims Harassment

By JONATHAN BURKE

A legal complaint filed on Monday in Dukes County Superior Court
alleges that Carol Borer, former county manager, threatened to kill
Marsha Smolev, executive assistant, after Ms. Smolev inadvertently
knocked her foot against Ms. Borer's desk.

Ms. Smolev is seeking damages for emotional distress, defamation,
assault and battery and civil rights violations from Mrs. Borer and her
husband, Steven. She alleges that Mrs. Borer displayed a pattern of
harassment against her.