News Briefs
Published: July 8, 2010
Nantucket travel lags the Vineyard in first five months
Steamship Authority traffic through the first five months of the year was up between Woods Hole and the Vineyard and flat or down for Nantucket-Hyannis travel.
The count for Vineyard passengers rose three percent over the period, autos 2.6 percent, and freight (trucks) 2.7 percent.
For Nantucket, passengers were off 1.4 percent, and freight was off 2.7 percent, compared with the same five-month period in 2009. Auto traffic between Nantucket and Hyannis saw no change from the year-ago period.
Despite the drag of the Nantucket volume declines, the Steamship Authority's revenues for passengers and automobiles rose for the period, up 1.4 percent for passengers and 1.3 percent for cars. Freight revenue for the line as a whole fell 2.8 percent for the five months. For the month of May alone, the line's revenue from freight fell just one percent, or just $21,000, compared with May 2009 revenue.
Through the five months of this year, passenger travel yielded $5.7 million, autos $5.6 million, and freight, despite its lagging pace, $7.4 million.
TTOR gives shorebird nesting update
The Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) are monitoring the nesting progress of four species of shorebirds on the properties they own or manage in Edgartown — Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, Wasque Reservation, and Norton Point Beach. The birds include piping plovers and three species of tern — least, common, and roseate. State and federal regulations require TTOR to monitor the nests and chicks and to provide adequate habitat for the birds. Those who consider using the beach should contact TTOR's Shorebird Hotline at 508-627-8390 for the latest information on over-sand vehicle (OSV) access. Updates are also posted at the entrances to all three properties. Beach users are reminded that dogs must be leashed and kept out of posted areas.
Island soldiers overseas need your generous help
The effort continues to support Island soldiers deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere. Your donations are welcome, and they're needed.
A longstanding initiative begun by Estelle Burnham of Edgartown, county veterans agent Joann Murphy, and Robert Pacheco of Reliable Market continues, and continues to need help from Islanders.
"Please," Ms. Burnham writes, "it's that time again to support our troops. When you donate, we send packages and mail to our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq or wherever needed. The packages contain food, clothing, personal items, and other essentials — our way of saying thank you for keeping our freedom. We only wish we could do more."
Please send donations to Estelle T. Burnham, RFD 140, 22 Mercier Way Edgartown MA 02539.
Call 508-627-9521 with questions. All contributions will be greatly appreciated. And, if you'd like a list of the mailing addresses of Island soldiers, Ms. Burnham and Ms. Murphy can provide it. Soldiers love to get mail from their Island home.
Governor signs no-text-while-driving ban
Gov. Deval Patrick on Friday signed legislation banning texting while driving, prohibiting teen drivers from using mobile devices of any kind while on the road, and establishing procedures for doctors to report cognitively impaired motorists. The bill does not include an emergency preamble so the texting ban and other provisions won't take effect for 90 more days.
During a press conference on the bill, Patrick's transportation chief said police would learn to enforce the texting ban, which has been administered in 29 other states. Mr. Patrick called the bill a "step in the right direction," but said a "full debate" on whether to eliminate all handheld cell phone use should be the next step. Asked about the potential for police to use the texting ban as a pretext for racial profiling, Mr. Patrick said his feelings on the issue are not "in the way" of his support for the new law. "As of a minute ago, or effective in October, texting while driving is against the law period," he said. "You know I have very, very strong feelings about racial profiling, but those are not in the way and will not be in the way of the enforcement of this law... Everyone knows what a hazard this is."
Sen. Steven Baddour, co-chairman of the Transportation Committee, joined Mr. Patrick, saying the law doesn't take effect until October to allow the Registry of Motor Vehicles time to develop regulations. "Part of what we did today and in October when this takes effect is to send a message," he said. "I don't care how good you are. You can't text and drive and do it straight."
Yesterday, Tisbury Police Chief Dan Hanavan agreed.
"Texting is definitely a poor choice to make," he said.
SMF receives matching grant to help preserve farmhouse
A national nonprofit preservation group has awarded a $3,000 matching grant to the Sheriff's Meadow Foundation to help the Island conservation organization preserve the Mayhew-Hancock-Mitchell House at Quansoo Farm in Chilmark.
The National Trust for Historic Preservation's Mildred Jones Keefe Preservation Fund for Massachusetts provided the grant. It will be used to create a site plan that will allow Sheriff's Meadow to create a document to be used in filings with the Chilmark Historical Commission and other town boards, according to a Sheriff's Meadow press release.
This trust is the leader of the national preservation movement and is committed to saving America's diverse historic environments and to preserving and revitalizing the livability of communities nationwide, according to a trust press release. Through its Preservation Services Fund program, the National Trust offers small matching grants to nonprofit groups and public agencies to support a wide range of local historic preservation projects across the nation.
Aquinnah voters approve new flood plain bylaws
It took two tries but Aquinnah successfully completed a special town meeting Wednesday, June 30, the last day of the 2010 fiscal year.
A total of 41 voters, or slightly more than ten percent of the town's 394 registered voters and two more than needed for a quorum were present when the meeting began about 7:30 pm.
It was the first meeting presided over by newly elected town moderator Mike Hebert. Mr. Hebert barely had time to hold the gavel. Voters made short work of the seven-article warrant.
Voters approved revisions to town bylaws pertaining to the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) National Flood Insurance Program.
Voters aproved budget transfers that included $5,448 from free cash to purchase a new rescue trailer for the police emergency all-terrain vehicle.
At the request of selectman Jim Newman, voters tabled amendments to the personnel bylaws intended to clarify personnel bylaws that included the definition of a full-time employee, a part-time employee, and the calculation for holiday pay benefits.
Corrections
An ad for the book, "The Art of Collecting — An Intimate Tour Inside Private Art Collections, with Advice on Starting Your Own," by author Diane McManus Jensen, in the July Art supplement that was inserted in last week's issue of The Times contained the incorrect web address. The correct address is www.jensenfinearts.com
In a story published on July 1, "M.V. Film Festival: 10 years and counting," May Oskan's name was incorrect.
In a story published in the July 1 issue of The Times, "Opening at Cousen Rose," a photograph by Debra Gaines was incorrectly identified as an oil painting by Mark Zeender.
Charter boat Banjo strikes sour note in sinking off Cape Poge
Four people were rescued from a well known Island charter fishing boat July 4, off Cape Poge. Banjo of Oak Bluffs sank after striking a submerged object, which ripped a large opening in the keel of the vessel.
Banjo was disabled near the two chimneys, in an area known for dangerous outlying rocks.
Edgartown harbor personnel responded shortly before noon with two boats, according to harbormaster Charlie Blair. The Dukes County Sheriff's patrol vessel and a private tow boat also responded.
Mr. Blair said his personnel used pumps and bailed with five gallon buckets, in an effort to keep the 32-foot sportfishing vessel afloat. The water was over the engine and cabin bunks, when the bailing effort was abandoned, and the vessel was towed to shallow water just off the beach.
"There was a lot of hydraulic fluids floating around," Mr. Blair said. "Luckily that evaporates."
Three people were rescued from the boat, and a 15 year old boy was taken off the beach. He swam to shore before the rescue boats arrived.
Mr. Blair said the boat is owned by Chris Clark, who was at Logan Airport in Boston when Mr. Blair reached him with news of the distressed vessel.
Oak Bluffs man arrested while on bail, faces heroin charges
Richard J. Morris, 55, of Oak Bluffs, was arrested on July 4, after Oak Bluffs police witnessed Mr. Morris in what they said appeared to be a meeting to purchase drugs. Police said they discovered six grams of heroin in the vehicle he was driving. He was arraigned in Edgartown District Court Tuesday, on a charge of possession of heroin with intent to distribute. Bail was set at $30,000.
Mr. Morris, who has an extensive criminal record on Martha's Vineyard, was out on bail at the time of this week's arrest. He faces heroin distribution charges, as well as stolen property charges, following his arrest in April. Bail was set at $20,000 during that court appearance.
On April 12, a team of Island police officers arrested Mr. Morris as he drove off the Island Home ferry at the Vineyard Haven Steamship Authority terminal. The arrest followed an investigation into heroin dealing and the theft of valuable copper wire from the NSTAR facility on Edgartown Vineyard-Haven Road.
Business Briefs
Cape rental agency says summer, fall bookings are up
WeNeedVacation.com, a Cape-based real estate agency, reported that the Vineyard's July and August bookings are up 13.7 percent and fall bookings are up 34.1 percent over 2009.
It usually takes two years to recover from a weak rental season like last summer's, but the Cape and the Vineyard have made swifter than anticipated comebacks, according to a press release.
The agency said in previous years vacationers tended to book houses far in advance, from January to March, but now people are more inclined to book later, in the hopes of getting better deals.
Although the Cape, Nantucket, and the Vineyard's fall bookings are all up from last year, the Vineyard has made the biggest comeback of the three. The agency reports that there was virtually no price change from the previous season. The agency says that there is typically a 2-4 percent increase in price over the winter, but this winter homeowners held their prices.
Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard have continued holding their prices but Nantucket's prices have reportedly fallen an average of $145 per week from last year. While last year there were massive price cuts, this year they are less drastic.
Out of the nearly 500 homes that made price adjustments this year, the agency reported that the average change was a drop of $56 per week. Homeowners are not reducing their prices, which would suggest that they are experiencing success with their summer rentals, WeNeedVaction.com said, declaring the real estate market for the Cape and Islands in full recovery.
Curves marks 1,000 workout milestone
Curves of Martha's Vineyard Tuesday celebrated the 1,000 workout of member Lorraine Clark of Vineyard Haven.
She is the first member of the Vineyard franchise location to pass that milestone. "We are absolutely thrilled with Lorraine for demonstrating such commitment and dedication to reaching her goals. She is a true inspiration to all of us at Curves of Martha's Vineyard, as well as all of our members," Bethany Seidman, owner, said.
Ms. Clark joined Curves, the workout system designed specifically for women, when it first opened in May 2004. For more information visit www.mvcurves.com
