Court Decision Might Affect CPA Spending

A Middlesex superior court judge ruled late last month that the town of Newton may not renovate two large recreational parks using funds from the Community Preservation Act (CPA) because the parklands were not acquired with CPA funds.

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Conservation Gift of Quansoo Farm Goes to Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation

A longstanding and unprecedented gift of 156 acres at Quansoo Farm in Chilmark from the late Florence (Flipper) Harris to the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation is now complete, leaders at the foundation announced this week.

Donated to Sheriff’s Meadow by Mrs. Harris over a period of years beginning more than a quarter century ago, the Quansoo Farm gift is the second largest land bequest in the history of Sheriff’s Meadow.

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Report Mixed On Cape Wind

A staff report released by the Cape Cod Commission this week gives a decidedly mixed review to the controversial plan by Cape Wind Associates to build 130 wind turbines on Horseshoe Shoal. The report finds that Cape Wind’s plan to connect the turbines to land in West Yarmouth through underwater electricity transmission lines meets only eight of 32 performance standards set by the commission.

In general, the staff report concluded, a good deal more information is needed in order to satisfy the requirements of the commission.

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Chappaquiddick Homes Allowed

Chappaquiddick Homes Allowed

Appeals Court Backs Edgartown in Affordable Homesite Case; Attorney
for Town Blasts Ten Suing Neighbors

By JULIA WELLS

Without reservation, the Massachusetts Court of Appeals upheld the
town of Edgartown last week in the Chappaquiddick affordable homesite
case that has attracted attention throughout the Cape and Islands
region.

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State Representative Race Begins to Take Shape: Crowded Field of Four

With a scant four weeks left until the November election, the race for Cape and Islands state representative is heating up quietly as four candidates — one Democrat and three independents — begin to work their campaigns in earnest.

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Bluefish Ate the Sluggo

Saturday night, an hour before sundown. The ferocious northeast wind from the day before has died, the only reminder a thick blanket of seaweed covering the rocky north shore. My friend and I are fishing. He has entered the derby; I have not. We trade off using two rods, one big, one small. The small rod has a sluggo, apparently the lure of choice for catching bass this year, the large one a popper.

Another lone fisherman stands in the rocks several
hundred yards away. We can hear the quiet whine of his reel as he casts far out into the setting sun.

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Eric Turkington Rides Through Old Battlegrounds on Wistful Day

On Tuesday at noon it was quiet at the polls in Edgartown. The midmorning rush was over and the lunch rush (the town clerk wondered if there would be one) had yet to begin. Gray clouds scudded across a September sky. A small crowd of elderly tourists spilled out of a bus onto Church street. Eric T. Turkington ducked inside the Baylies Room at the Old Whaling Church. A lone voter arrived and headed for the empty booths, paper ballot in hand. He looked up and spotted the longtime Cape and Islands state representative.

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Nell Coogan Is Named New Legislative Liaison

An Island native and young attorney with a bit of political legacy in her own right has been appointed as the next Vineyard legislative liaison.

Cape and Islands state Rep. Tim Madden, who takes office in January, announced this week that he has appointed Virginia Nelligan Coogan — she goes by the first name Nell — to the post.

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Special Town Meeting Is Set For Tuesday Night in Aquinnah

Winter is coming and the Aquinnah town hall needs a new furnace.

But first town voters must approve $8,500 to pay for it.

The money for the furnace is one of 10 articles and some $25,000 in spending — all transfers from one fund to another — that will confront Aquinnah voters when they convene for a special town meeting on Tuesday night.

The meeting begins at 7 p.m. in the old town hall and town officials are urging voters to turn out for what they expect will be a quick and painless — but necessary — business session.

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In Fireman’s Boots, Bookseller Finds Tears

She stood outside and watched, numb with disbelief.

And Ann Nelson — whose name is still synonymous with the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore even though she turned ownership of the store over to her son Jon three years ago (she stills owns the building) — wanted to go inside.

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