Martha's Vineyard News Briefs
Woman arrested after hitting police cruiser
Oak Bluffs police arrested a Boulder, Colorado woman Friday, after she backed into a police cruiser on Circuit Avenue. Police will seek charges of operating under the influence of alcohol against Nicole Miller, age 29. According to police, this is the second time Ms. Miller has been arrested on drunk driving charges. She will also face other motor vehicle charges, in connection with last Friday's accident.
Early Saturday morning, police arrested Geraldo Ferreira, 48, of Oak Bluffs, as he was riding a moped on Dukes County Avenue. Mr. Ferreira faces charges of drunk driving, operating a moped without a helmet, and operating a moped without a license.
Also early Saturday morning, Oak Bluffs police captured a suspect after a foot chase along Circuit Avenue. They arrested Clemildo Deabreau, 39, of Tisbury. He faces charges of disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and misleading a police officer. Police say there were two outstanding warrants for his arrest.
Woods Hole dredging begun near Great Ledge
Islanders traveling to and from Woods Hole will be surprised to find their Steamship Authority passing close to a tug and dump barge at work in the vicinity of Great Ledge, in the center of the southern entrance to the hole.
The Army Corps of Engineers has begun a $1.6 million dredging project to deepen the harbor channel to a depth of 25 feet at mean low water. The deeper channel will allow the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) new research vessel, the Henry B. Bigelow, to maneuver in the harbor. The Bigelow has already been commissioned and is carrying out fisheries surveys, but she is currently working from a temporary berth in Newport, Rhode Island. Research data gathered by the Bigelow is used to craft national fisheries regulations.
The project plans call for dredging of the channel between Nobska Point and Naushon, further dredging in the turning basin near the ferry slips, and construction of a new pier on the Woods Hole waterfront. The dredging phase of the project is due for completion by January 14.
About 57,000 cubic yards of material will be removed from the harbor and channel. The fine sand is separated and dumped at a shallow offshore location, where the Barnstable county dredge will pump it onto Falmouth Beaches. The rest of the dredge spoils, including coarser gravel and larger rocks, will be dumped about 40 miles off the Rhode Island coast.
SSA travel down, but revenue up
Steep declines in Steamship Authority traffic during October trimmed the year over year gains the boatline had posted through September of 2008. Vineyard passengers fell five tenths of a percent, compared with October 2007. Automobile traffic was off 1.1 percent for the month, and trucks (or freight) fell 2.1 percent.
The news was much worse for Nantucket service. October passengers on Nantucket ferries fell 7.6 percent, autos 3.7 percent, and freight an astounding 15.2 percent.
As of the end of October, for the boatline as a whole, passengers are up just a tenth of a percent, autos up just three tenths of a percent, and freight down 1.7 percent.
Vineyard numbers for the year so far are better than the line's as a whole, but they're nevertheless feeble. Autos, as of the end of October, were up nine tenths of a percent, freight seven tenths of a percent and, the dim bright spot, passengers were up 1.7 percent.
Measured by revenue and thanks to a rate increase in early spring, passenger dollars for the line as a whole are up 3.9 percent, auto dollars up 2.5 percent, and freight income down three tenths of a percent.
Parking changes at hospital
On Monday, the Beach Road entrance to Martha's Vineyard Hospital will be reopened for all access to the current main parking areas behind the building. Those parking areas will no longer be accessible via the Eastville Avenue entrance. The emergency department parking lot will remain open, but will be restricted to emergency department, dialysis, and rehab patients only. For information, call 508-693-0410 or visit www.mvhospital.com/map.
Lost purse, please help
Clara Marshall of Oak Bluffs kindly asks for the help of her friends and neighbors in finding two purses lost on Sunday, November 9, as she drove her motorized wheelchair home from church.
Ms. Marshall attends Our Lady Star of the Sea on Massasoit Avenue. This past Sunday, she left the church with her granddaughter. Both their purses were hung by a hook on the back of the chair.
Ms. Marshall drove her chair along Niantic Avenue to Tuckernuck Avenue, around the park to Pocassett Avenue, across Circuit Avenue to Masonic Avenue, to Dukes County Avenue to Wing Road, and then to her home at 220 County Road.
"It was such a beautiful day, I was so happy to be out," said Ms. Marshall. "We didn't take any short cuts, we stayed right on the pavement. It either slipped or fell off. I had a very sentimental wallet that was my husband's that I kept my things in." Also inside the bag was important medical cards and a small amount of money.
Ms. Marshall described her purse as a denim bag with two handles. Her granddaughter's purse was tan with brown handles.
Oak Bluffs police were notified, and her family has retraced the route twice looking for the purses, with no luck.
If anyone has any information about the lost items, please call Oak Bluffs police at 508-693-0750.
Just as we thought
Chilmark, with 1,760 registered cars and light trucks - that's 1.8 vehicles for each man, woman, or child in its population of 963 - has "the most road-ready population" in Massachusetts, according to state Department of Revenue data. Edgartown is second on the list, according to the fall edition of CommonWealth magazine. Chelsea has the fewest registered vehicles per person. Amherst and Cambridge are next in line.
The writer of the brief item in CommonWealth suggests that Island-dwellers have a lot of vehicles because getting rid of old iron is tough. Indeed, Aquinnah residents top the list when it comes to average age of their vehicles, 14.4 years, the typical age of a Vineyard beater. Nantucket cars are slightly younger, and that distant sandbar is in second place.
Business Briefs
Conroy Apothecary offers new services
After celebrating 20 years in business this summer, Conroy Apothecary has announced two new services: Island-Wide Prescription Delivery Service and a Drive-Thru Prescription Service. Prescriptions phoned in by noon will be delivered the same day.
Also, Conroy's now accepts the Our Island Club card. The recently expanded store is at 459 State Road in West Tisbury. For questions or information, call 508-693-7070.
Tisbury School receives ExxonMobil grant
Tisbury School's math department received a $500 grant from the ExxonMobil Educational Alliance program, matched locally with $500 from the Airport Mobil at the airport business park. Pictured, from right, are the station's general manager, Jennifer Medeiros and owner, Michael Rotondo, assisted in holding a mock check by math teacher Judy Giegler, principal Richie Smith, and grade 5-6 math teacher Greg Coogan, surrounded by several math students who attended Monday's ceremony.
Mr. Rotondo and Ms. Medeiros applied last spring for the grant, one of 4,000 funded by the ExxonMobil Corporation that are available to schools across the country in areas served by Exxon or Mobil stations. Grants were awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, with only one application accepted per service station.
According to ExxonMobil, stations such as Airport Mobil met stringent eligibility criteria before applying for and being awarded the grant, including having a commitment to provide a superior buying experience for customers. After receiving notification of the grant's award in early October Ms. Medeiros and Mr. Rotondo decided to match it.
"We at Airport Mobil feel investing in our children's future is very important," Ms. Medeiros said. She and Mr. Rotondo chose to put the grant towards Tisbury School's math program in particular, she said, because in running a business, they know how important it is for children to learn basic skills. Principal Richie Smith said Tisbury School is emphasizing math school-wide this year. The grant money will be used to purchase logic-based and math-based games that will be placed in kits in all homeroom classrooms, he said. "It will be nice to put the money towards something that will benefit every child in classrooms in kindergarten through grade eight," Mr. Smith added.
Edgartown National Bank names new president
D. Warren Vose Jr., chairman of the Edgartown National Bank, announced last week that Fielding Moore has been named president of the bank.
"The new title of president and CEO reflects my wishes and the board's decision to pass the title of president from my father, Donald W. Vose, to Mr. Moore. Fielding has done an outstanding job of strengthening our balance sheet, implementing new technology, adding key personnel, and positioning the bank for continued success. He has earned the title of President," Mr. Vose said in prepared remarks.
Donald W. Vose had served as president of The Edgartown National Bank from 1957, until his death in October. "My father loved the bank, was proud of our family of employees, and enjoyed working with and helping the Vineyard community. He was passionate about our independence and committed to maintaining our 100-plus years as an independent community bank. As chairman of the board, I look forward to carrying on this tradition and maintaining our independence," said Mr. Vose.
"I consider it an honor to succeed Donald Vose as president and will work to grow upon the rich heritage he built during his 51 years as president," Mr. Moore said.
Fielding Moore has been responsible for managing the bank since joining the firm in 2003, as executive vice president and CEO. Mr. Moore is a native of Vermont and has over 25 years of senior management experience at community banks. Prior to being recruited for the CEO position at ENB in 2003, Mr. Moore was the president and CEO of the Northern American Bank and Trust Company in Waterbury, Conn. Mr. Moore is a resident of Chappy and is active in Island organizations including Rotary and the Boys and Girls Club.
The Green Room wants to get fleeced
The Green Room at 71 Main Street in Vineyard Haven, would appreciate donations of old polar-fleece garments from any manufacturer, as well as worn-out synthetic long underwear and Patagonia-brand tee-shirts. The Green Room has joined clothing manufacturer Patagonia in support of its Common Threads Recycling Program.
Donated garments will be remade into new clothing through Patagonia's recycling program, which was launched in 2005. Currently, almost one-third of the manufacturer's garments are recyclable.
For more information, visit the website www.patagonia.com\recycle or stop by or call the Green Room at 508-693-6888.
Curves aids breast cancer fundraiser
Curves of Martha's Vineyard, a member of the national chain of women's fitness clubs, raised $900 in support of the American Cancer Society during the month of October. The money was raised as part of a fundraising event, Making Strides Against Breast Cancer.
"Making Strides is such an important event for us," said Curves owner Bethany Seidman. "So many people are touched by breast cancer in some way, and this is a great opportunity for us to come together as a community and do something about it. It's exciting to know that we're not just participating with the members in our own community, but with other Curves owners and their members across the country as well."
Curves of Martha's Vineyard, at the Woodlawn Center off State Road in Vineyard Haven, is currently collecting donations for the Red Stocking Fund and the Island Food Pantry. For more information, or to make a donation, call Curves at 508-696-3030.
