Felix Neck Has a New Leader: Ms. Bellincampi
By IAN FEIN
Suzan Bellincampi's favorite animals are mollusks, and her
favorite habitats are tidal ponds and marshes.
She grows animated when talking about the wetlands, her smile wide,
eyes sparkling. There is something about the brackish water flowing in
and out with the tide that strikes a chord with her.
"I don't know what it is," Ms. Bellincampi said
this week. "I guess it's change, but with
consistency."
State Bill to Force SSA Into Binding Arbitration Riles Managers,
Islanders
By JAMES KINSELLA
Gazette Senior Writer
A proposed state bill has raised the specters of lost management
control over Steamship Authority labor costs and a possible work
slowdown at the boat line this summer.
The SSA is digging in against Senate bill 2459, which would require
the boat line under certain conditions to submit to binding arbitration
on collective bargaining disputes.
Land Bank Management Plan at Old House Pond Is Unsettled
By IAN FEIN
Saying there is value in leaving some places difficult to find, West
Tisbury residents this week told Martha's Vineyard Land Bank
officials that the conservation organization will harm Old House Pond by
opening it to the public.
High school class rankings yield one winner come graduation, and the
competition to become valedictorian requires some strategy at
Martha\'s Vineyard Regional High School. Taking a class called
Stock Market or Sports Management could push you ahead. Architecture and
Island Cooking don\'t help or harm, but Journalism or Introduction
to Law could set you back.
Complicated Rank and Grading System Now Slated for a Possible
Overhaul by Administrators and Students
By RACHEL NAVA ROHR
High school class rankings yield one winner come graduation, and the
competition to become valedictorian requires some strategy at
Martha's Vineyard Regional High School. Taking a class called
Stock Market or Sports Management could push you ahead. Architecture and
Island Cooking don't help or harm, but Journalism or Introduction
to Law could set you back.
Voters Name Cynthia Mitchell as West Tisbury Town Assessor
By IAN FEIN
Voters in West Tisbury returned a former selectman to elected office
last night, naming Cynthia Mitchell to a one-year seat on the town board
of assessors.
Mrs. Mitchell outpaced rival Cynthia Riggs 245-189 in the special
town election.
"It's nice to be back," said Mrs. Mitchell, who
previously served 12 years as a selectman and 17 years as town
treasurer. "I appreciate the support of the voters and I look
forward to a good year on the board," she added.
Two Cynthias Vie for One Seat in West Tisbury Assessors Race
By IAN FEIN
They share the same first name and a passion for West Tisbury town
politics, but the similarities end there, and voters in West Tisbury
will be faced with a clear choice when they go to the polls in a special
election for town assessor next week.
NANTUCKET - The Steamship Authority is considering loosening
restrictions on the transfer of regular tickets, as well as on the
10-ticket discount books that are a staple of ferry travel for Vineyard
residents.
At present, the boat line restricts the use of regular tickets and
of the 10-ticket books to their buyers.
State Law Eclipses Stalled Health Plan
Health Insurance Reform Bill May Spell an End for Vineyard-Based
Project, but Backers Are Still Optimistic
By JAMES KINSELLA
The ground-breaking mandatory health insurance law signed by
Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney last month could spell the end of a
Vineyard-based health insurance program that has been struggling to get
off the ground for the past four years.
The gnarled grapevines that snake along two dozen rolling acres on Stoney Hill Road stand as survivors, straight rows that have withstood the cold, the creatures who would rob their fruit, and, perhaps most of all, the critics.
