Lyme disease may be carried to humans by the deer tick, but this time of year, it's not the deer who are playing host to this tiny insect. It's the Island's white-footed mice.

Revenues fell $1 million at the Martha's Vineyard Land Bank in
the fiscal year just ended, reflecting a distinct new cooling in the
overheated real estate sales market that has made an indelible mark on
both the economy and the culture of the Island in recent years.

The land bank fiscal year ends on June 30 (because the date fell
over the weekend this year, the land bank closed the books on Friday,
June 28).

Almost 10 months after Sept. 11, patriotism will bloom fully on the Vineyard this Thursday as Edgartown invites all Islanders and visitors to its annual Fourth of July parade and fireworks at nightfall.

Parade grand marshal and Edgartown selectman Fred B. Morgan Jr. said the September terrorist attacks have brought out this year "more interest, more participation and more patriotism."

At 7:15 a.m. Sunday at the Rod and Gun Club in Edgartown, more than
100 people had their eyes set on a 20-inch TV screen in the corner of
the room. Brazil was playing Germany in the final game of the World Cup
in Yokohama, Japan. In the room, yellow, green and blue flags and soccer
jerseys to match made it clear this was not the place to cheer for
Germany.

A second round of blood tests has confirmed that two Island men who
fell ill earlier this month with symptoms of pneumonia actually had the
pneumonic form of tularemia, the rare bacterial disease that killed a
Chilmark man almost two years ago.

SSA Considers Ticket Fare Cut

Monies Saved by New Bedford's Refusal to Run Ferry Service
from State Pier May Mean Lower Prices for Islanders

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

The decision by the city of New Bedford early this year to cancel
Steamship Authority ferry service in and out of the State Pier there has
saved the public boat line substantial amounts of money - and the
savings may soon translate to reduced fares for Island residents.

Refuse District Faces Deepening Financial Woes

By MANDY LOCKE

Financial difficulties again dominated discussion at the
Martha's Vineyard Refuse Disposal and Resource Recovery District
meeting as committee members tried to find ways to climb out of a hole
half a million dollars deep.

Terry McCarthy will tell you point blank that cruise line passengers are the best thing going.

Down to the Sea with Love: They Come to the Island for a Memorable
Voyage

By JOHN BUDRIS and JAMES D'AMBROSIO

For three magic days they were not heart transplant patients or the
leukemia kids in the next ward. They were neither stuck with needles,
nor looped through high-tech machines.

For three magic days their parents forgot about blood counts, organ
rejection and the next visit to yet another specialist at Boston
Children's Hospital.

Huge Housing Plan Moves Toward MVC

Affordable Housing Project Is Pushed by Golf Developer and Partner
in Oak Bluffs Woodlands

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

Against a backdrop of quiet maneuvers to develop yet another plan
for a private luxury golf club in the southern woodlands, a massive
affordable housing project planned for the same property in Oak Bluffs
is now on track for review by the Martha's Vineyard Commission.