Nancy Coles Hegeman Stephens, a fourth-generation East Chop seasonal
resident, and for more than 50 years the Gazette's East Chop
correspondent, died Jan. 14 in Charlotte, N.C. after a long illness. She
was the wife of the late Page P. Stephens.

On an Island well known for celebrating anniversaries of all sorts,
the town of Oak Bluffs this week quietly passed a milestone with nary a
mention or nod. There was no celebration in Ocean Park, no ringing of
bells in town churches, and no plaques or statues were dedicated.

Oak Bluffs selectmen at their regular meeting Tuesday took a hard
line on how raises and bonuses should be awarded to town employees,
asking town administrator Michael Dutton to involve the board in such
matters in the future.

After the news surfaced last week that Mr. Dutton had approved a pay
raise and change in job title for building inspector Jerry Wiener in
October without the knowledge of selectmen, Mr. Dutton on Tuesday
defended his actions.

Art Buchwald, the familiar, funny and irreverent Pulitzer-Prize
winning newspaper columnist whose decision to refuse kidney dialysis and
end his life earned him international acclaim early last year, died
peacefully at home late Wednesday night in Washington, D.C. He was 81.

Several shellfishermen and fishermen are taking a first step on a long road to raise blue mussels for market in Vineyard waters.

Rick Karney, director of the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group, the project's principal investigator, has applied for a state grant to fund half of a $28,730 feasibility project.Blue mussels are a highly prized shellfish. Island consumers buy plenty of them in local fish markets, but nearly all the mussels come from Canada.

Faced with Denial by Board of Appeals, Developers of Katama Private
Club Withdraw Application for Now

In an unexpected turn, the applicants for an upscale members-only
recreational club in Katama abruptly withdrew their application at a
zoning board of appeals meeting Tuesday, after two members of the board
said they intended to vote against the proposal.

Oak Bluffs officials were surprised to learn this week that town
administrator Michael Dutton approved a pay raise and job
reclassification for building inspector Jerry Wiener in October without
the approval or knowledge of the selectmen.

After posting a 17-3-2 record, the Martha's Vineyard high
school boys' soccer celebrated its first conference title this
past fall - a feat even more impressive considering it was the
team's first year as a member of the South Coast Conference.

Nobody could have guessed at the time the title might have been the
first and last for the Vineyard - both for the soccer team and the
seven other teams from the high school allowed into the conference on an
interim basis in 2005.

As 2007 gets under way, the Vineyard schools are swimming in
challenges.

The West Tisbury School principal left for active Marine duty last
weekend, the Edgartown School principal leaves today after resigning in
November, the Oak Bluffs School principal will take a leave of absence
next year and one of two assistant superintendents will retire at the
end of this school year.

After a busy week on the floor, Cong. Willliam Delahunt could not refrain from putting his feet up on his desk to rest. "It's been frenetic," he said last Friday, taking a short break in his House office across the street from the Capitol.