Fueled by a federal grant aimed at countering a bioterrorist attack, scientists at a Providence, R.I., pharmaceutical company are banking on the collection of blood samples from nearly two dozen Vineyarders to help them develop a new vaccine against tularemia, the rare disease with an unexplained presence on Martha's Vineyard.
Ecology Map Aids Planning
Released By Nature Conservancy, Sophisticated Color Blueprint Shows
Diverse Habitats End to End on Island
By IAN FEIN
A detailed map that identifies all of the ecological habitats on the
Vineyard was released this week by the Islands office of The Nature
Conservancy. The map is the first of its kind for the Vineyard.
Silver Screen: Theatres Seeing a Mere Trickle of Moviegoers
By MAX HART
At the Edgartown Cinemas on a recent evening, the most popular movie
in America plays to an almost empty theatre. About a dozen patrons enjoy
a laugh as Ben Stiller and Robert DeNiro engage in madcap hijinx in Meet
the Fockers.
Over at the Island Theatre on Circuit avenue in Oak Bluffs, Brad
Pitt and George Clooney are scheming their way to riches in
Ocean's Twelve, the fifth highest earner at the box office. But
they, too, look down from the screen to a mostly empty room.
Island Takes Number One Spot in State for Lyme Disease Rate
By IAN FEIN
When it comes to Lyme disease on the Vineyard, either you've
had it or you know someone who has.
The Health Report of Martha's Vineyard confirms what most
Island residents have known for some time: Lyme disease, a debilitating
bacterial infection transmitted by deer ticks, has reached epidemic
levels on the Vineyard.
Controversial Road Plan Wins Approval in Edgartown Meeting
By IAN FEIN
Edgartown voters last night continued to back the Pennywise Path
affordable housing project, turning a deaf ear to pleas that called for
postponing the controversial taking of a second access road to the
development.
Residents approved all 12 articles on the special town meeting
warrant, including a $310,000 appropriation to bring water, sewerage and
electricity to the project.
Two historic Vineyard inns - Lambert's Cove Inn in West
Tisbury and the Tuscany Inn at the Captain Fisher House in Edgartown
- were sold during the last week in heavily leveraged deals.
The sea was rough on the night of Dec. 17, when David McConky went out in the Menemsha Coast Guard 41-foot utility boat and tried to rescue a fishing boat presumed sunk south of Noman's Land. Waves off Gay Head were anywhere from 10 to 15 feet high, and he had to turn back.
Fortunately a Coast Guard helicopter rescued the three men who were already ashore on the deserted island.
Road Plan Hits a Raw Nerve
Edgartown Neighbors Question Access to Pennywise Project, Selectmen
Cut Short Debate and Look to Town Meeting
By IAN FEIN
A handful of Arbutus Park residents are fuming over a plan by
Edgartown officials to build a road over Tenth street south as the
second access to the Pennywise Path affordable housing project.
Vineyard residents enjoy good health, especially compared with the general population on the mainland. They smoke less, they are thinner and they visit their doctors regularly.
Tisbury Great Pond Property Owners Claim Land Bank Attorney
Misrepresented Sale
By JAMES KINSELLA
A family that unwittingly sold land to the Martha's Vineyard
Land Bank has accused the public agency of misrepresentation - and
is calling for an amendment to the land bank statute to prevent such
practices in the future.
