A well-known Cambridge businessman and prominent seasonal resident of Edgartown is a key backer of a bill quietly making its way through the Massachusetts legislature that has the potential to affect dramatically the ownership rights on barrier beaches around Great Ponds, the Gazette has learned.

New clues surfaced this week to the mysterious series of on-again, off-again swimming closures at public beaches that have plagued the Vineyard, when the Edgartown health agent sent water samples to two different labs for testing — and saw different results.

The Steamship Authority has decided against closing its offsite booking office, at least for the foreseeable future, although it will relocate.

Tuesday’s July meeting of the SSA board of governors at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven was told the boat line would advertise this week for new premises and already has had preliminary discussions with management at the airport about moving there.

Shakespeare of Hollywood on Board

Each summer the folks at the Vineyard Playhouse host a series they call Monday Night Specials. This summer’s series began last Monday and runs through the summer to August 29. The idea is simple. Host one-night-only readings of plays. If you’ve never been to a reading, the experience is well worth it.

The YMCA has a fantastic pool. All year long Islanders have enjoyed this new and incredible gift to the community. No need, really, to head south during February vacation now that we can escape the late winter blues with a simple trip to the Y. Okay, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but not much.

Tomorrow night, Saturday, July 23, the Louisa Gould Gallery is hosting an artists’ reception from 5 to 7 p.m. entitled Vineyard Reflections. The event celebrates the work of Joan Kennedy, Kate Huntington, Anthony Benton Gude and Kathryn Wronski and includes works that reflect each artist’s interpretation of the Island in their own medium.

All are welcome to enjoy a 3-D evening — desserts, dancing and donations — plus music by Mike Benjamin and auctions (live and silent) of one-of-a-kind items on Saturday, July 23, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center.

Up for grabs are a James Taylor-signed guitar, Joan Nathan cooking class, Guy Webster photograph, Cuttyhunk boat and breakfast trip and a one-on-one basketball lesson with Junior Farrell.

Baseball Hosts

Today, Friday, July 22, the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks will be hosting Island Elderly Housing at their 5 p.m. baseball games. Game time is 5 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School baseball field.

Josepha DeSorcy DeLay was recently named the 2011 Laboratorian of the Year by the Canadian Animal Health Laboratorians Network.

Master of ceremonies Ed Jerome led a string of Vineyarders who paid tribute to veteran journalist Walter Cronkite and his love of the Island on Sunday, July 17, when the Stone Soup Leadership Institute held the second annual Walter Cronkite Awards at the Old Whaling Church.