The noisy, motley group of runners suddenly waxed silent and awaited
the bullhorn. When it blasted, the soles of more than a thousand running shoes
began pummelling Middle Road against a canvas of shadows and golden
light.

On Saturday morning the 25th annual Chilmark Road Race began just as
its predecessors - but with an even richer sense of history, and
featuring a wonderful new gadget.

The ferris wheel's been planted, the entry forms returned, the dogs bathed, allowances saved, curfews set.

In the final days before the 141st annual Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society Livestock Show and Fair begins, volunteers are plugging through the fair's "to do" list. It's a list that Eleanor Neubert - fair manager for 19 years - knows well.

For Robert C. Cleasby, program director at the Martha's Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, there's no better time for singing and celebrating than tomorrow evening, minutes before the start of Illumination Night.

Illumination Night coincides with the culmination of many wonderful aspects of summer on the Vineyard. "This is the major Camp Ground festival as far as summer goes," Mr. Cleasby said. "It's the really fun one."

The water's too cold. The path's too long. There are too many rocks. And worst of all, you can't get a parking space.

Tisbury Inn Reconstruction Start Prompts Angry Complaints from
Business Owners

By JOSHUA SABATINI

A group of Main street business owners stood by helplessly this week
as their stores experienced earthquake-like conditions after
reconstruction work on the Tisbury Inn began Monday.

The former anchor of the downtown business district was destroyed by
a fire in December.

Hugh Weisman organized the first Chilmark Road Race in 1978 as a fun run for the kids at the Chilmark Community Center. He never imagined that tomorrow, he'd be presiding over the 25th annual event, nor that the road race would grow to landmark stature on the calendar of the Island summer.

"It's been very gratifying," said Mr. Weisman, who now gives up a week of vacation every year to run the race. "I ran into somebody in New York this winter who says he lives for the road race - he's flying up for it.

If it's bad news, gripes and complaints, Oak Bluffs selectmen don't want to hear it. This week they scrapped the annual meeting for the town's nonvoting taxpayers, saying they were in no mood to weather another barrage of criticism from the town's summer people.

Letter Shows Land Bank Position Misrepresented in Golf Deal
Maneuvers

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

In a confidential letter sent to the Oak Bluffs selectmen last week,
the executive director of the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank raised a
series of tough questions about the latest deal that was forged behind
closed doors between town officials and golf course developer Corey
Kupersmith, the Gazette has learned.

A live baby great white shark was brought into Menemsha harbor by a
local fishing boat Tuesday morning. And though the fish was only five
feet in length, the fact that it was a great white caused quite a stir.

Two farmers and three developers are among 13 candidates who will
vie for nine elected seats on the Martha's Vineyard Commission in
the state election this November.