Dukes County sheriff Michael McCormack is staking out his opposition to a draft bill from Gov. Deval Patrick that threatens to take over the seven county sheriff departments which still operate independently of the state.

Edgartown is a place where special town meetings often fail to attract a quorum and selectmen’s meetings seldom push the half-hour mark. In recent years the town has not been known for its red-hot electoral battles.

Charter School

Monday, March 3: Spaghetti with tomato sauce, meatballs, green beans, garlic bread, peaches and milk.

Tuesday, March 4: Corn chowder, grilled cheese sandwich, fruit smoothie and milk.

Wednesday, March 5: Bagels with cream cheese, tuna salad or melted cheese and tomato, Moroccan salad, pineapple and milk.

Thursday, March 6: Pizza (plain cheese, pepperoni or broccoli and mushroom), tossed salad, fresh fruit and milk.

Matthew P. Stackpole, the former executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, has been named a major gifts officer at Mystic Seaport – The Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic, Conn.

Mr. Stackpole will focus his initial efforts on raising support across the nation for the museum’s pending restoration of the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaleship in the world.

A three-year, multi-million dollar restoration of the vessel is set to begin in fall 2008.

A West Tisbury woman suffered minor injuries and was charged with drunk driving after she reportedly drove through a stop sign on Atlantic Drive in Edgartown early Tuesday morning and flew over a sand dune before coming to rest in shallow waters in Herring Creek.

Edgartown police said Susan Austin, 54, may have been stranded in the pond for several hours before a passing motorist spotted her vehicle and called 911 for help.

Lynne Irons stood in the kitchen, plate in hand and eyes wide. It was dinner time on Lambert’s Cove Road, but the Vineyard Haven gardener stood still, starstruck by the bowls heaped high with root vegetables, the pots of various sizes simmering on the stove and, the crowning glory, the roast pig nestled by backyard potatoes and sprigs upon sprigs of rosemary. Ms. Irons’s was the hand that slaughtered it.

By JULIA RAPPAPORT

Chilmark voters will be asked to spend half a million dollars at a special town meeting Monday as they consider whether to purchase two properties which will allow the Middle Line Road affordable housing project to move ahead. The project, now in its final planning stages, will be the first town-sponsored affordable housing project in Chilmark.

The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Chilmark Community Center. Moderator Everett H. Poole will preside.

The Youth Task Force of Martha’s Vineyard has landed a $100,000 grant to continue its work combating risky behaviors among Island teenagers.

Habitat for Humanity and the town of Edgartown are searching for an Edgartown family to purchase a two-bedroom, affordable house. The application deadline is March 31, with construction set to begin this summer.

Correction

A story in last week’s Gazette about musician John Cruz, Heather Goff was incorrectly identified as the author of the song Missing You. Mr. Cruz wrote Missing You, while Ms. Goff wrote Dream Song on the album. The Gazette regrets the error.

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The obituary for Maria Esther Nunes that appeared in last Friday’s Gazette reported incorrectly on the location of death.