The Rev. Arlene Bodge sees life as a journey whose prime function is to establish a relationship with God. "It's not a trudge," she declares, smiling happily. "What you're doing is skipping through this garden."

But then, as she begins talking about transitions, comes an emotional moment.

"It's not an easy thing to do. Leave-taking is never easy, role change is never easy, losing anything is never easy; losing your routine - " she pauses and laughs - "or losing your mind." And the moment passes.

Voters in West Tisbury Reject Money Articles a Second Time

By MANDY LOCKE

There was something oddly familiar about the political week in West
Tisbury.

On Wednesday at a special town meeting, just as at town meeting six
weeks ago, voters approved spending items.

And yesterday, in a special town election, just as at the town
election six weeks ago, voters vetoed that spending.

The result:

* No money to continue funding a police officer position
created three years ago through a federal grant; voted down 277-99.

Teenagers who found themselves in trouble and needing a free ride home this year telephoned the SafeRides hotline at nearly twice the rate they did last year, according to statistics released this week.

The figures compiled by SafeRides of Martha's Vineyard show ridership jumped sharply compared to the numbers from last year. In the 20 weekend nights that the teen-run service operated this year, drivers picked up and drove home 177 of their peers. On average, that's about nine young people ferried home each night.

Martha's Vineyard Commission Approves Hillside Village
Housing, with Conditions

By MANDY LOCKE

The Martha's Vineyard Commission is wrestling a new kind of
development animal these days.

The Memorial Day weekend may be everyone's start to the summer
season, but for the veterans of the Island it is also a sojourn into the
memories of war and a meditation on the price of peace. This
year's Monday morning parade will take place in Vineyard Haven.
The march starts from the American Legion Hall at 11 a.m.

Economic Forecast: Sunshine, After All

Rental Market Season Begins Slowly, but Bookings Even with Last
Year; Ferry Reservations Filling Up

By JULIA WELLS
Gazette Senior Writer

The war in Iraq, four straight months of vicious winter weather
followed by something that only vaguely resembled spring - perhaps
it's little wonder that the economy on the Vineyard this year is
like the lilacs: late to bloom.

A flap has arisen in Aquinnah over the illegal shooting of a large
number of cormorants earlier this month on tribal land. The killings
took place near the historic herring run, the oldest operating herring
run on the Island. The incident raised questions about how laws are
enforced by the tribe.

Legislative Budget Proposals Salvage Many Island Programs

By MANDY LOCKE

There's potentially good news coming out of Beacon Hill this
week for the Island - as good as financial news can get in a
climate that brought a $3 billion revenue shortfall.

Island public schools, the Vineyard Affordable Child Care Project
and Family Planning of Martha's Vineyard could escape merciless
cuts this year, avoiding dire hits that the governor's proposed
budget announced in February.

But a showdown awaits the state Senate and House of Representatives.

In Annual Rental Shuffle, Some Exit

By MANDY LOCKE

The Island's great annual migration is underway as Vineyarders
hit the road in trucks loaded with all they own - moving out of
winter rentals into new spots for the summer season.

Oak Bluffs Turns to Healing Rifts from Election

Fault Lines Can Still Be Seen

By CHRIS BURRELL

The phones have stopped ringing, and the yard signs are down. In Oak
Bluffs this week, there is a weary sense of relief that the town finally
has its answer: They will remain in the Martha's Vineyard
Commission.

"People are so tired of fighting," said Renee Balter, a
resident and executive director of the Oak Bluffs Association.
"Now it's finally been settled."