On first glimpse, through the trees along Northern Pines Road in Vineyard Haven, the new building might be taken for an incongruously placed sports grandstand.

It’s a huge inclined rectangle, propped on poles, eight feet off the ground at the front, 28 feet at the back, looking out across a pretty green field.

The Massachusetts Attorney General is investigating the town of Oak Bluffs for possible violations to state bidding laws in connection with roof work done at the former town library, electrical work at the town harbor, and a project connecting the high school, YMCA and Martha’s Vineyard Community Services to the town sewer. The investigation was triggered by a complaint filed by a former town selectman.

Aquinnah voters agreed to condemn the federal government’s handling of the Cape Wind project, explore the use of solar panels at the landfill and trim the Tri-Town Ambulance budget at the annual town meeting Tuesday night. And an article to banish the practice of tabling controversial issues? That was tabled.

Nearly all of the 30 articles on the warrant passed during the three-and-a-half-hour meeting that saw much debate over the ambulance budget, an amendment to the town affordable housing bylaw and an article to reduce the size of the quorum.

The good news for the Vineyard economy is that in the first three months of this year banks loaned some $240 million for new mortgages, well above the numbers for the previous two recession years.

Even better, said Chris Wells, president and chief executive officer of the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, most of that was for new purchases rather than refinancing of existing loans, the biggest part of the mortgage business during the downturn.

Coming Back

From Gazette editions of May, 1986:

Announcing Jheyson

Denise da Rocha and Josias da Rocha of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Jheyson Samuel Ferreira da Rocha, born on May 9, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Jheyson weighed 5 pounds, 13.6 ounces at birth.

Hello, Louis

Roberta Bradford Mendlovitz is pleased to announce the arrival of her grandson, Louis Michael Matt, to daughter Martha and son in law Andrew of Chester, Conn.

He joins his five-year-old brother, Samuel James Matt, who was born at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.

Mr. and Mrs. Matt were married at St. Elizabeth’s in Edgartown in 2003. Mrs. Matt’s mother was born and raised in Vineyard Haven and is currently a resident of Woodside Village in Oak Bluffs.

MARGARET KNIGHT

508-627-8894

(margaret02539@yahoo.com)

JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

JUNE D. MANNING

508-645-2574

(lthslnks@gis.net)

Congratulations to Beverly Wright in winning the Aquinnah selectmen’s race at the annual election on Wednesday. Congratulations to Jean Lince, who was a first-time candidate for Aquinnah Public Library trustee. Jean has tirelessly volunteered many hours at the library so she will make a smooth transition. All other incumbents were returned to their positions. Town clerk Carolyn Feltz achieved the highest number of votes, with 211 of the 225 votes cast. There are 398 on the voting list.