News Briefs
Two arrested with drugs as they arrive on Island
Two men were arrested Tuesday morning as they brought heroin and cocaine to the Island for street distribution, according to police.
State Police put two drug dealing suspects into a cruiser for transport to the Dukes County Jail. Photo by Steve Myrick
Arrested as they came off a Steamship Authority ferry were Jose Luis Arias, age 29, of Jamaica Plain, and Wilken Ariaz Baez, age 24, of Orlando, Florida. State Police Sgt. Jeff Stone, who heads the Martha's Vineyard Drug Task Force, said Mr. Baez originally gave police a false name. When his fingerprints were checked against an FBI database, police found his real name and determined that federal authorities want him for questioning. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has issued a detain order for Mr. Baez, indicating he entered the United States illegally, according to Sgt. Stone.
Both men were taken to the Dukes County Jail, where they were ordered held on $20,000 bail. They will be arraigned in Edgartown District Court this morning. The Martha's Vineyard Drug Task Force has been targeting the pair in an investigation that has lasted nearly a year.
Sgt. Stone said police seized 105 grams of heroin, and 79 grams of cocaine from the suspects. He estimates the heroin has a street value of $20,000, and the cocaine has a street value of $8,000. Police said the value could be higher, depending on the purity of the drugs, because before being sold, it would be cut with other substances. A state drug lab will analyze the seized drugs.
The drug task force, the Tisbury police, and State Police cooperated in the arrest.
Photo by Kim Heath
Edgartown plant wins environmental award
The staff of the Edgartown Wastewater Treatment Plant won a significant environmental award at an industry association ceremony on September 30.
The Massachusetts Water Pollution Control Association recognized the plant for "consistent outstanding plant efficiency," and awarded it the Outstanding Plant Performance Award. The Edgartown facility was the only plant of its size to win the honor.
"This award is truly a team effort award," wastewater facilities manager Joe Alosso said in a news release. "Our chief operator, David Thompson, and his staff should be very proud of this major accomplishment."
Receiving the award (pictured above from left to right) chief operator David Thompson, junior operator Mike Perry, operator Matthew Rodenbaugh, operator Dale Morgan, junior operator Corey Randolph, administrative assistant Shelly Reed, wastewater commissioner Tim Connelly, and facilities manager Joe Alosso.
Reward offered for info on Chilmark theft
A thief or thieves entered the Turtle Cove, Chilmark, home of Janice and Robert Brown Monday afternoon and stole a fireproof safe containing personal papers, family jewelry, and cash.
The thievery took place between noon and 4 pm, while the Browns were away from home. There was no sign of forced entry, Chilmark Police Chief Brian Cioffi said.
A reward has been offered for information leading to the recovery of the safe and its contents. Call the Chilmark chief at 508-645-3310.
School swine flu clinics start, absenteeism declines
Superintendent of schools James Weiss said that the number of absences due to swine flu and other illnesses diminished this week. On Monday, there were 40 students absent at Martha's Vineyard Regional High School, compared to an average of 100 over several days last week.
Among the few H1N1 (swine) flu cases in the Island's elementary schools, Oak Bluffs School and Edgartown School have the most, although fewer than 10 each, Mr. Weiss said.
The first school clinics for H1N1 vaccinations were held at Chilmark School, West Tisbury School, and the Martha's Vineyard Public Charter School on Monday.
"We held the first clinics this morning in Chilmark and West Tisbury, and they went off well, and faster than anticipated," Mr. Weiss said in a phone call Monday afternoon. "Now we're just waiting for more doses to do the same at other schools."
In an email to the Martha's Vineyard Public Health Coalition, Vineyard Nursing Association chief executive officer Bob Tonti said that about 30 Chilmark School students were immunized in about 30 minutes and about 125 West Tisbury School students in under an hour.
Mr. Weiss estimated about 60 percent of the students at West Tisbury and Chilmark schools participated in the immunization clinics.
"That means 60 percent got the vaccine at school and another percentage have received it from their physicians, so we may be getting to that critical mass in numbers where it will do some good," Mr. Weiss said.
The Edgartown Fire Department's wings took top honors at Sharky's Wingfest 2009. Assistant Chief Scott Ellis holds the trophy. Left to right, the team includes Meaghan Hughes, Lindsay Bryan, JB Blau (member of team Sharky's not the fire department), Andrew Kelly, Tim Klein, and wing chef Matt Millman.
Edgartown Firemen fire up wings at Sharky's Wingfest
The Edgartown Firemen's Association is the champion of Sharky's Wingfest 2009. Their Fire House Special Wings beat entries from 11 other competitors, including the Edgartown police, Edgartown Town Hall, the Edgartown School, the Black Dog, and Vineyard Vines. The Spicy Wings award went to Jordan Insurance and owner Steve Jordan. Each contestant made a sauce that was applied to Sharky's wings and consumed by the voting crowd. The event raised more than $5,000 for the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club, and almost 5,000 wings were consumed.
"This will definitely be an annual event at Sharky's Edgartown", said JB Blau, owner of Sharky's. "With hundreds of people attending the event this year for the first annual, we really look forward to raising even more money for the club next year. They provide such a valuable service to this island and we are so proud to be able to help in any way." Sharky's donated all the wings, tee-shirts, advertising, and staff, while local organizations donated the sauce, their time, and some creative booths. Contributing supplies and their time were MVY Radio, MVOL.com, Coors Light, Big Sky Tent, Eco MV, Trader Fred's and Allied Waste. Money$hot and Phil daRosa supplied the music.
Gina Bettencourt served the Edgartown School entry.
The Firemen's association had a booth with working fire truck lights on top, the Edgartown Police featured their pepper spray wings, while town hall employees wore chicken hats and aprons next to the Edgartown School employees with blackboard props and even brownies to attract a few votes.
"It was great to get people out at noon on a Saturday in November to have some fun and raise some money," Mr. Blau said. "Pete Lambos and the entire crew at the MV Boys & Girls Club do such a great job and with two children of my own, my wife and I couldn't think of a better cause."
The champion Edgartown Firemen's Association will have their wings featured on the menu at both Sharky's starting this week and a portion of the cost of each one ordered over the next year will be donated to the Martha's Vineyard Boys & Girls Club.
Winging their way through the event were Deanna Gertsen and Pat Echlin.
Vinny Papalino and Kristen Conklin staffed Hound Dog Wings.
Photo by Danielle Zerbonne
Tisbury School Pizza Night benefits hospital
At Tisbury School's Pizza Night last Friday, seventh-grader Raz Sayre, at left, delivered all the empty boxes he could carry to Alison Smith and Denise Lambos, who served up the delectable pies. Proceeds from Pizza Night pushed the total of funds raised by Tisbury School to benefit Martha's Vineyard Hospital (MVH) to more than $20,000 since 2002.
"Tisbury School's contributions have bought a lot of needed equipment for the hospital," MVH director of development Rachel Vanderhoop said Tuesday. Items purchased over the years include a recumbent bike for physical therapy, a surgical positioner for hip operations, and intravenous pumps for dispensing medication to adults and children.
Tisbury School's contributions also went towards maternity ward renovations and the new hospital building, Ms. Vanderhoop said.
Corrections
In a story published on November 5, "Women Empowered: experts at your service," Nancy Gardella was incorrectly identified as the director of the Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce. In the photo, the women were incorrectly identified as board members instead of volunteer facilitators. Of the people pictured, only Christine Williams is a board member.
As an update to an article, "Veterans Day honors those who served," published in November 5 Times, the name of Raymond J. Moreis, Sr., should be added to the list of Island veterans who died since last Veterans Day and for whom funerals with military honors were held.
"A notable teacher: Chelsea Pennebaker," incorrectly reported that Ms. Pennebaker has a son. Ms. Pennebaker is currently pregnant with her first child.
The District Court Report, published on November 5 reported the disposition of charges against Nicholi D. Sullo of Vineyard Haven. That disposition was subsequently changed, after negotiations with prosecutors. In the end, the district attorney's office declined to prosecute Mr. Sullo on charges of disorderly conduct and intimidating a witness, and a complaint of operating a motor vehicle with a suspended license against Mr. Sullo was continued without a finding for three months.
A News in Brief, published November 5, entitled "Café Moxie rebuilding effort short circuited" explains that construction has been halted after an electrical inspection found the construction work too close to a primary electric cable. Paul Currier and Michael Ryan, owners of the building, said this week the electrical contractor they have employed to wire the building "is in no way at fault" for the problem. That leaves the town of Tisbury and NStar responsible for resolving the issue.
Barbara Armstrong took the scalloping photo on Page 4 of the November 5 Times.
