It began as a drill, and the more people became involved, the more
believable it got. More than 100 public safety volunteers gathered
Saturday for a mass casualty drill at the little bridge in Oak Bluffs.
There were sirens, fake blood on the ground and children screaming in
apparent pain.
The 56th annual Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish
Derby begins at 12:01 a.m. tomorrow, a minute past midnight. The first
groggy fishermen of the month-long contest will line up to weigh in
their catch when the derby headquarters opens at 8 a.m. in Edgartown.
Controversial County Deal with Hospital for $50,000 Fee Raises Legal
Questions
By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer
An unusual county contract set up to funnel taxpayer money into the
Martha's Vineyard Hospital continued to cause shock waves this
week as local officials tried to sort out the origin of a deal to pay
the county a $50,000 fee to administer the contract.
Yesterday, West Tisbury town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport questioned
whether the county has the right to charge the fee.
Work began on the fire breaks in the Manuel F. Corellus State Forest
this week, with the blessing of the state attorney general but over the
protests of a watchdog group which promises to seek a court injunction
today.
Island Leaders Act to Block Decisions on Fast Ferry Service to New
Bedford
By JULIA WELLS and JOSHUA SABATINI
In an unexpected move that marks a new turn in the road for the
Steamship Authority, the All-Island Selectmen's Association voted
without dissent this week to tell the Vineyard boat line governor to put
the brakes on plans for high-speed ferry service between New Bedford and
the Vineyard.
Justice System Often Fails in Rape Cases
By MANDY LOCKE
When asked about their experiences with the criminal justice system,
the women paused and then broke the silence with strained laughter.
For the four sexual assault and rape survivors who offered their
stories to the Gazette with the promise of anonymity, their hesitation
to proceed through the courts - or their frustrating experiences
once involved in the system - force these women to find meaning
and resolution outside the criminal justice system.
Selectmen Support Tough Moped Laws
All-Island Selectmen Association Hears Emotional Appeal
To Pressure Boston to End Carnage on Island Roads
By JOSHUA SABATINI
After listening to a presentation by Sam Feldman of the Mopeds Are
Dangerous Committee, the All-Island Selectmen Association unanimously
decided to support legislation that would require a motorcycle license
to rent a moped.
The county manager and the chief executive officer at the
Martha's Vineyard Hospital scrambled to contain the damage this
week after the surprise revelation last week that the county will
collect a $50,000 fee on an unusual contract that will funnel some
$500,000 in taxpayer money into the hospital.
The taxpayer money is intended to help defray the cost of emergency
services at the hospital.
School Bells Ring for 2,400 Island Children
New Academic Year With High Energy to Reach Goals
By MANDY LOCKE
The school children waiting at the ends of driveways Thursday
morning confirmed what the empty shelves of school supplies at area
stores suggested earlier this week.
Nearly 2,400 Island children - filled with stories from summer
adventures - headed back to school yesterday.
And there to welcome each and every one were eager teachers and
administrators.
The state's fire control plans for the 5,200-acre Manuel F.
Corellus State Forest have come under attack by the scientific community
and the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), a
watchdog organization. The advocacy group threatens possible legal
action to block state forest teams from clearing hundreds of acres of
woodland along strategic fire lines.
