Guarding the Flanks of Conservation

By IAN FEIN

From her hilltop home in Seven Gates Farm in West Tisbury, Elizabeth
(Tess) Bramhall can tell the month of the year by where the sun sets on
the horizon.

"In December it goes down just to the left of the Gay Head
Lighthouse, and we lose it for two weeks in June when it goes all the
way north," she said, looking out over a panoramic view of
Vineyard Sound.

Looks of calm, looks of determination, looks of pain and of pride:
the expressions were as varied as the runners themselves, crossing the
finish line of the annual Chilmark Road Race on Saturday morning -
or, for the walkers, afternoon.

Just over 1,500 people ran the race, ranging from six to 79 years
old. The youngest and oldest runners finished just 14 seconds apart.
Some runners were turned away toward the end of registration, since
1,500 is the town's set capacity for the race.

This week brings the dog shows and skillet throws, tractor pulls and
spinning wools, oyster shucking, horse bucking, burger making and prize
taking that make up the 145th annual Martha's Vineyard
Agricultural Society Livestock Show and Fair - better known in a
single breath as the ag fair.

The festivities begin Thursday at 10 a.m. at the agricultural hall
in West Tisbury and close on Sunday at 7 p.m.

Mr. Patrick Urges Voters to Shape Political Dialogue

By MAX HART

Deval L. Patrick can understand the disillusionment.

Building Plan Comes to MVC

Commission Pledges to Expedite Hearing on Kennebec Proposal;
Developer Requests Leniency on Project Restrictions

By IAN FEIN

An Oak Bluffs building owner made his case to the Martha's
Vineyard Commission last week that the regional planning agency should
not impose any restrictions on the three-story structure that is nearing
completion on Kennebec avenue.

Capawock Stays Closed for Now

Rising Discontent Over Theatre Leads to Closed-Door Meeting Where
Hall Family Pledges to Open by November 1

By MAX HART

In the aftermath of a closed-door meeting last night with town and
business leaders, the owners of the Capawock movie theatre have pledged
to reopen the Vineyard Haven cinema by Nov. 1 or sooner.

Citizen Kennedy: Proudly American

General Contractor Arnold F. Kennedy Hails from Brazil

By JAMES KINSELLA

You know when Arnold F. Kennedy is coming down the road. He's
driving a blue Ford Econoline 250, with yellow letters hand-painted on
the van's side that say, "Arnold F. Kennedy, General
Contractor." Then there's the phone number and the fax
number, and a big four-petal flower that looks like a lotus but more
likely is meant to be a clover. An American flag on paper is taped
inside the back window.

Hospital Building Plans Ready for Commission

By IAN FEIN

Patients in any one of the new 24 state-of-the-art rooms on the
second floor of the proposed Martha's Vineyard Community Hospital
would have views of Lagoon Pond, Vineyard Haven harbor, or a garden
slated for the first-story roof of the 90,000-square-foot addition,
according to formal plans for the $42 million project that were filed
with the Martha's Vineyard Commission last week.

Olga Hirshhorn: Curator Knows Artistic Value Is More Than Price

By MAX HART

The woman with an eye for Rodins, Picassos, de Koonings and
O'Keeffes also, as it turns out, likes Zitos.

In addition to running against three candidates with considerably
more experience in town politics, Mr. DiOrio was a relative newcomer to
the Oak Bluffs scene.