News Briefs
Oak Bluffs ready to explore regional police force
Oak Bluffs selectmen voted Tuesday to ask Tisbury selectmen whether they might be interested in creating a regional police force for the two towns. The Oak Bluffs officials voted unanimously to write to their counterparts in Tisbury about the possibility.
"They're using a consultant to look at replacing their police chief," said chairman Greg Coogan. "We've had these discussions in the past, about whether there could be any possibility of working with Vineyard Haven as a joint police department. I think we should at least make them aware that we've had these discussions in the past, and we would be willing to work with him."
Regionalization of the two police forces was explored, but eventually rejected, three years ago, after former Tisbury Chief Ted Saulnier resigned. Selectmen also briefly discussed the possibility of regionalizing ambulance and assessing services.
"We do need to start looking at attempting to regionalize as many services as we possibly can," said selectman Ron DiOrio. "We can no longer keep going back to the taxpayers."
Fast-moving gale leads to marine damage
A quickly developing low pressure system that brought high winds and waves caught many Island boaters by surprise early Friday morning. There were several reports of minor damage to vessels, docks, and moorings, reported in Oak Bluffs Harbor and Vineyard Haven Harbor.
A fishing boat washed ashore in Lagoon Pond. Photo by Steve Myrick
"It was six hours of scary," said Adam Demeusy, who endured a sleepless night trying to protect his sport fishing boat in Oak Bluffs Harbor from high easterly winds and the accompanying ocean waves. "It was as close to a disaster as we could possibly be."
Oak Bluffs Harbormaster Todd Alexander said several finger piers were damaged, along with ten wooden ladders along the harbor bulkhead. All the damage to the harbor infrastructure was repaired by Saturday afternoon. Many boaters in the harbor to participate in the Oak Bluffs Monster Shark Tournament experienced damage to swim platforms, scraped hulls, and twisted rails.
In Vineyard Haven Harbor, three boats were ashore Friday morning, though none were severely damaged, according to Harbormaster Jay Wilbur.
The National Weather Service issued a small craft advisory early Thursday, July 23. At 4 pm, the agency issued a gale warning, advising marine interests that winds could reach 34 to 47 knots (39 to 54 miles per hour) during the early morning hours of Friday, July 24.
Official observations from the Martha's Vineyard Airport recorded sustained winds of 26 knots (30 miles per hour) early Friday morning, but experienced boaters reported gusts of 35 knots (40 miles per hour) or more along the shoreline. The wind direction, from the East and Northeast, leaves local harbors especially vulnerable to large ocean swells. An observation buoy off Montauk, Long Island recorded 13-foot swells, and another off Nantucket recorded waves of nearly 10 feet.
On Saturday, The Tisbury Harbormaster, Environmental Police, and the U.S. Coast Guard responded to a capsized boat off East Chop. The two people aboard were unhurt. The vessel was towed into Edgartown Harbor.
Photo by Noelle Hall
Boch family chips in for Last Night, First Day
Ernie Boch Jr., center, presented a mock check for $12,500 to ambulance coordinator Jeffrey Pratt, left, and Tisbury selectman Jeffrey Kristal, right, at the Martha's Vineyard Airport last Saturday afternoon.
The oversized check represents the Boch family's donation to the Tisbury Volunteer Ambulance Association for this year's Last Night First Day festivities. The multi-event celebration to usher in the New Year will take place on December 31, 2009, and January 1, 2010.
Mr. Boch and his family have been generous supporters of the event for several years. He is the son of the late Ernie Boch, known for his string of successful automobile dealerships in Norwood. Mr. Kristal has served as a long-time committee member in planning and organizing Last Night, First Day activities.
SSA meets Friday to award contracts
The Steamship Authority (SSA) members will hold a special meeting Friday in Hyannis to award $11.25 million in contracts for three projects very nearly hung up by red tape associated with the receipt of $5 million in federal stimulus funds.
At the SSA monthly meeting on July 14, Wayne Lamson, general manager, explained that certain requirements associated with the Reinvestment and Recovery Act threatened to delay the award of contracts for projects that include almost $5 million for the Oak Bluffs terminal. The delay might have been as long as one year.
A Buy American provision hung up a rubber fender ordered from China, and a new transfer bridge ran afoul of federal highway standards.
This week, Mr. Lamson successfully negotiated those hurdles, putting the Hyannis, Oak Bluffs, and Woods Hole projects back on track. The members are to sign the contracts when they meet at 2 pm on Friday.
Edgartown guards commended for saving a life
Edgartown selectmen congratulated three members of the town's lifeguard staff, who revived a man on South Beach on July 18.
When 18-year-old Billy Reagan reached the man, he was bleeding from the head, had no pulse, and was not breathing.
"It's definitely pretty scary, but you have to keep your composure," said Mr. Reagan. Lifeguard David Espindle and beach supervisor Kurstin Meehan arrived quickly and began administering cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The three lifeguards revived a heartbeat and breathing by the time ambulance personnel and police arrived.
Witnesses said the man was driven headfirst into the beach by a large wave. It was later determined that he had broken a vertebrae.
Lifeguards undergo extensive training, conditioning, and certification, drilling every day before taking their positions on the beach. Just a week earlier, they practiced treating a victim of spinal injury.
"You do exactly what you're trained to do," said Mr. Espindle.
"You just get to work, and stay as calm as possible," said Ms. Meehan.
"You can really see how important your job is," said town administrator Pam Dolby, a former lifeguard. "You can make a difference with proper training. Everyone is extremely proud."
The victim of the accident was transported to a Boston hospital. He is recovering in a rehabilitation center.
Deb Roskowski was the winning bidder - at $3,500 - for a dinner by V. Jaime Hamlin and Sons and music by the Vineyard Sound.
VNA fundraiser
On Wednesday, July 22, the Vineyard Nursing Association (VNA) held its annual Clambake and Auction at the Field Gallery in West Tisbury. Celebrating 25 years in operation, VNA showed their guests a good time with great food, live and silent auctions, and music by the Vineyard Sound.
VNA's next fundraiser is the M.V. Savings Bank Golf Classic, on September 28, at the Vineyard Golf Club. For more information, call 508-696-0785.
(From left) Mary Kelly, Sarah French, and Michael Kelly fill their plates at the clambake, held at the Field Gallery in West Tisbury. Photos by Susan Safford
Robert Tonti, CEO of Vineyard Nursing Association.
Corrections
A column published in the July 23 issue of The Times, "Breakwater News: Sail MV Regatta," incorrectly identified the names of the chief underwriters of the Vineyard Cup. Men's Journal Magazine, the Black Dog Tavern, and Men's Journal advertisers were the underwriters.
