News Briefs
Suspects arrested in Leslie's break-in
Tisbury police arrested Joseph Jones, age 20, of Tisbury and Allannah N. Ledford, age, 17, of Tisbury, after finding in their possession stolen prescription drugs and goods missing after a robbery at Leslie's Drug Store in Vineyard Haven.
The police investigation began when Tisbury police officers Dustin Shaw and Joe Ballotte responded to an alarm from Leslie's Pharmacy at 1 am on July 3. Although the police responded quickly, whoever gained entry into the building was gone. Several filled prescriptions were missing from behind the cash register area, according to the police report.
Yesterday, Tisbury Police Detective Mark Santon told The Times that he learned that Mr. Jones and Ms. Ledford had approached an informant in Tisbury on July 4. They offered the person a handwritten menu of prescription drugs, with prices.
Detective Santon told Detective Nicholas Curelli of the Oak Bluffs Police Department that he was interested in talking to Mr. Jones and Ms. Ledford about the pharmacy break-in. Detective Curelli reported to the Tisbury detective that he found a Ford pickup registered to Mr. Jones backed into the woods off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, near the NSTAR facility in Oak Bluffs, and that it appeared someone was living in the truck.
Detective Santon met Detective Curelli and Officer Craig Wiggins at the truck, where he observed several Leslie's Drug Store prescription bottle labels and several used needles and syringes lying on the ground near the driver's side of the vehicle. The police officers also found a mountain bike and an American Express (AMEX) credit card. Both had been reported stolen.
The stolen AMEX card belonged to a woman who gave a ride to Mr. Jones and Ms. Ledford, as they hitchhiked on Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road near the NSTAR building. She told Detective Santon she discovered the card was missing, along with her wallet, when she got home.
Detective Santon discovered that two purchases were made at Cumberland Farms with an American Express credit card that had been reported stolen. Manager Liza Buckley found the charges in her records and cued the store's video system. The video showed Mr. Jones and Ms. Ledford making purchases that matched the AMEX records.
After obtaining a search warrant for Mr. Jones's truck, Detective Santon found prescription drugs, including Oxycodone tablets, Vicodin, and Fentanyl patches.
Detective Santon said the two suspects were arrested and arraigned on Tuesday. Police applied for charges against both suspects, including receiving stolen property worth more than $250 (prescription pills, mountain bike, and wallet and contents), possession of a Class E controlled substance with intent to distribute, misuse of a credit card, and larceny under $250.
A review of previously published Court Reports disclosed that Mr. Jones is serving a one-year pretrial probation and 10 hours of counseling on a charge of assault and battery.
A lifesaving lunch
Quick execution of the Heimlich maneuver by Linda Hicks and Pam Ray helped a man who was choking and unable to breathe at Tropicale Restaurant in Vineyard Haven on Monday.
The women were finishing their lunch at about 1:15 pm when a man in his 50s approached two restaurant employees serving food, pointing to his throat and holding his arms in the air.
"Then he turned around and walked to us, probably because he saw our scrub smocks, and I knew he was choking," Ms. Ray said. Alerting her friend to the man's distress, Ms. Ray said she grabbed him from the front as Ms. Hicks grabbed him from behind and performed the Heimlich maneuver.
"He thanked us, I think in Portuguese," Ms. Hicks said. "It was very nice to see his eyes look so relieved after seeing such terror in them."
In a phone conversation later that afternoon, an employee who preferred not to give her name said the customer is from Brazil and a regular patron who comes in for lunch every day. She did not know his name.
The two employees who witnessed the incident were unable to provide any information, because they do not speak English, she said.
Both Ms. Hicks and Ms. Ray said they knew how to perform the Heimlich maneuver because of first aid training associated with their jobs.
Ms. Hicks, a former nurse, is a naturopathic intern who works at MV Holistic Retreat, under the direction of naturopathic doctor Roni DeLuz. Originally from Los Angeles, Ms. Hicks has lived in Vineyard Haven for five years.
Ms. Ray works overnight shifts in patient homecare for Community Systems Inc. She has lived in Vineyard Haven for 12 years.
Knowing how modest Ms. Hicks is, Pam Haigazian, who also works at the MV Holistic Retreat, called The Times to report her co-worker's good deed.
"We're honored to have her on our staff," Ms. Haigazian said. "Just think - that could have been anyone's family member. I said Linda, you just saved someone's life - what if it had been President Obama?"
The Heimlich maneuver is a technique that uses a series of under-the-diaphragm abdominal thrusts to aid choking victims. It is named for Dr. Henry J. Heimlich.
Old library bids high, no local contractors apply
Bids to convert the old Oak Bluffs library building into a mix of affordable housing and retail space came in considerably higher than expected. All of the bids were received from off-Island companies.
The affordable housing committee meets today, faced with two possible courses of action. The committee could reject all bids and re-open the bidding process, or accept one of the bids, and raise more money to fund the project.
Plans call for the building to be remodeled into three affordable housing apartment units on the second floor, with retail space for a pharmacy on the first floor.
A.P. Whitaker & Sons, Inc. of West Bridgewater was the low bidder, at $1,261,000. Next was J.K. Scanlon, Inc. of East Falmouth, at $1,294,000. The highest of the three bids was Construction Dynamics of Fitchburg, at $1,587,100.
The committee anticipated bids in the range of $700,000. Ron DiOrio, chairman of the affordable housing committee, said one reason the bids were higher than expected may be that the off-Island contractors are figuring the cost of transporting equipment and housing workers into their bids.
The affordable housing committee strongly encouraged local contractors to bid on the project, but no local general contractors or sub-contractors submitted proposals. Since state grants make up part of the funding, all contractors must be state-certified, a process that involves securing a bond, and proof of all proper licenses and insurance for the required work.
Other town governments face similar issues. In Chilmark, local contractors are being encouraged to bid on the Middle Line Road affordable housing project. Executive secretary Tim Carroll is arranging a workshop on state certification with the Division of Capital Asset Management (DCAM), the state agency that certifies contractors. Representatives from DCAM will visit the Island this fall to explain the process of qualifying for state and municipal projects.
Chilmark considers Middle Road bus route
At next Tuesday's regular meeting, Chilmark selectmen will discuss the possibility of allowing Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) buses on Middle Road.
The town has banned all buses from the narrow, winding road, based on safety issues. Some supporters are circulating a petition to test support for extending VTA bus service along Middle Road.
Also to be discussed is the possibility of using the "beach bus," to provide service along Middle Road. That bus, a smaller VTA vehicle, runs a summer route from local inns to Chilmark beaches, but ridership is significantly down this year because several inns now provide guests with transportation to local beaches.
Selectmen suggest those with an interest in the issue should write a letter or attend the July 21 meeting, which is scheduled to begin at 7:30 pm.
SSA mulls New Bedford fast ferry cutback
The Steamship Authority (SSA) members met Tuesday in Hyannis. The members voted to approve the 2010 winter and spring operating schedules and allow the New England Fast Ferry (NEFF) company, which now provides service to New Bedford, to use the Oak Bluffs SSA terminal for New York route service (see related story on page 1).
NEFF currently uses the SSA Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs terminals for New Bedford service.
The company also asked the board for permission to end winter service during the months of December through March. Company representatives said the service averaged only five passengers per trip during the past winter, according to notes of the meeting provided by the SSA.
In March 2003, supporters of the initial effort to open up a fast ferry passenger route between the city and the Island did not contemplate winter service. When the SSA included winter service in its request for proposals, Boston Harbor Cruises, the only other private operator interested in the route, said year-round service did not make sense.
However, Kathryn Roessel, the Vineyard SSA member at the time, made winter service a high priority, despite skepticism from ferry operators and Vineyard officials regarding the probable off-season demand.
At the request of Bob Marshall, Falmouth SSA member, NEFF will also explore the possibility of providing "triangular" service next year between New Bedford, Woods Hole and Martha's Vineyard.
The fast ferry now passes the Woods Hole terminal. The company plans to test how much time a Woods Hole stop would add to the schedule and passenger demand.
Tisbury responds to MCAD complaint
The town of Tisbury submitted a position statement Tuesday to the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) in response to a complaint of sexual discrimination, harassment, and retaliation filed by Tisbury Police Officer Kelly Kershaw on April 7.
Notice of an MCAD investigation of Officer Kershaw's complaint was served on April 28 to the town of Tisbury, the Tisbury Police Department, and Sgt. Timothy Stobie, who is named in the complaint.
In a phone call yesterday, Tisbury town administrator John Bugbee said the town filed for an extension of the initial 21-day deadline for responding to Ms. Kershaw's complaint. MCAD agreed to an extension to July 14.
Mr. Bugbee said Tisbury has retained attorney Gareth Notis, who has handled several MCAD cases. Mr. Notis works for the law firm Morrison Mahoney in Boston.
Mr. Bugbee said the position statement, written by Mr. Notis, includes information from personnel files, executive session discussions, and case law references. Given what he described as the sensitive personnel information contained in the town's statement, Mr. Notis told Mr. Bugbee that requests for copies of the document must go through MCAD.
According to MCAD's website, requests for information in an ongoing investigation are limited to the complaint. Once a determination has been reached in an investigation, other pleadings and documents contained in the file may be opened to public inspection.
Mr. Bugbee said that, as he understands it, the next step will be a MCAD review of the town's statement and Ms. Kershaw's complaint. She will be given the opportunity to respond to Tisbury's document.
Third slip proposed for Chappy Ferry
Chappaquiddick ferry owner Peter Wells told Edgartown selectmen Monday he plans to build a third ferry slip, with a mobile Travelift to hoist the ferries out of the water in case of a hurricane. The lift would also be used to haul the ferries for maintenance.
Proposed slip
The third slip will be located on Chappaquiddick Point, just north of the small shelter.
Mr. Wells also has plans to build a third ferry, and the slip would become the berth for the extra vessel.
Mr. Wells anticipates an 18-month process of acquiring local and state permits. He will take his proposal next to the town's marine advisory committee, and then to the conservation commission.
"I've learned, again and again, new things to worry about," said Mr. Wells. "I realize that's my job, to worry. One of the things that worries me now, are hurricanes." He told selectmen that there is no safe shelter on Martha's Vineyard for the Chappy ferries in the event of a powerful hurricane. He said his only option is to get the vessels out of the water.
A proposed 50-ton Travelift, similar to the one located near the Edgartown Harbormaster's office, would be stored away from the slips when not in use. The lift is a steel frame on wheels that rolls out over the slip. Slings slide under a vessel, and hydraulically lift it out of the water.
Also, as part of the project, Mr. Wells wants to extend the bulkheads on the current slips, in order to protect the vessels from the strong tidal current. The bulkheads would be extended to the length of the ferries. Currently the ferries jut out of the slips, causing the ferry captains difficulty in exiting in a strong current.
A news brief published July 9, "Taxi wars nettle West Tisbury selectmen," incorrectly reported that Bluefish Taxi's owner said a complaint against his company several years ago resulted in a public hearing. Another company was the subject of the complaint and hearing.
Vineyard Cup is this weekend
About 80 boats are expected to compete in the Vineyard Cup this weekend, including nearly all of the Island's classic wooden schooners.
Friday's racing features four classes competing in a Nantucket Sound course. On Saturday, the fleet will test skills in a 31.5-mile course that dips into Buzzards Bay. Sunday's event is a pursuit race.
For those who want to get a look at the impressive fleet, the starting line should provide a good vantage point. All races begin on the eastern side of Vineyard Haven Harbor, near the end of East Chop. Friday's races begin just after 1 pm. Saturday's race gets underway just after 10 am, and Sunday's race begins just after 9:30 am.
Corrections
A news brief published July 9, "Taxi wars nettle West Tisbury selectmen," incorrectly reported that Bluefish Taxi's owner said a complaint against his company several years ago resulted in a public hearing. Another company was the subject of the complaint and hearing.
