The Sheriff's Meadow Foundation, now celebrating its 30^th anniversary, owes its existence to the vision, courage and determination of two remarkable people: the late Henry and Elizabeth Hough. In 1920, Henry's father gave the Vineyard Gazette as a wedding present to the two young graduates of the Columbia School of Journalism. Active as managing editor of the New Bedford Evening Standard, the father had introduced Henry to the exciting possibilities of small-town community journalism.

The historic Harbor View and Kelley House hotels in Edgartown were sold at public auction this week to First Winthrop Corp., a Boston real estate company which owns 160 commercial properties on Nantucket. Purchase price was $12,305,000.

The Vineyarders should have known better. No one eats whale meat anymore, and they couldn't change that Saturday on Nantucket.

More than 500 Vineyard fans chanted: "What do we eat? - Whale meat," as the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School football team lost to its Whaler rivals, 14-0.

Ten years ago, the Chilmark Road Race was small. Barely two hundred showed up for the inaugural run. But even this number was more than organizers expected, as they busily hand printed extra numbers and apologized for running out of T-shirts.

The Vineyard Gazette today announced new publishers for the newspaper in changes that take effect immediately.

Richard Reston, presently editor in chief of the newspaper, assumes The position and added responsibilities of editor and publisher of the Vineyard Gazette.

Mary Jo Reston, now the newspaper’s general manager, moves up to the role of publisher and general manager, with full responsibility for the financial affairs of the Gazette.

James Gutensohn, commissioner of the state Department of Environmental Management (DEM), plated a crucial role in the public effort to save South Beach from private developers.

A chapter in American maritime history will close Tuesday when the last car and passenger-carrying steamboat in North America sails out of Woods Hole harbor.

The retirement of the SS Naushon from the Steamship Authority fleet marks the end of a 170-year era of steam ferry service along the Eastern seaboard.

When John E. Phillips opened his store in 1928, penny nails were four cents a handful, a pound of putty was about a dime and every face that passed through the door was a familiar one.

The 233-foot M.V. Eagle, the Steamship Authority’s largest and most extravagant ferry, arrived in Woods Hole 24 hours ahead of schedule on Tuesday. Sailing out of a cold fog bank into the Vineyard Sound beneath a torrent of sleet and rain, the $8-million ferry completed her voyage from Louisiana.