The Island was crowded but calm over the Fourth

By Aubrey Gibavic - July 6, 2006

By all accounts Martha's Vineyard was crowded but calm over the Fourth of July holiday period. Forecasts of fine weather and the timing of July Fourth on a Tuesday gave many people the opportunity for a five-day weekend.

Unfortunately for approximately 400 people a visit to the Martha's Vineyard Hospital emergency room was part of the holiday weekend.

Tim Walsh, hospital chief executive officer, said the ER treated 77 people on Saturday, 94 on Sunday, 105 on Monday and 91 on Tuesday, July Fourth.

"It was very busy," he said.

The highlight for many residents and visitors alike was Edgartown's annual Fourth of July parade and fireworks.

Starting at the Edgartown School and winding its way to the Harbor View Hotel, onlookers clapped for old favorites like the Pimpneymouse Farm float which featured a large mouse made of hay, surrounded by a throng of youngsters wearing mouse-ears, and the group of Jabberwocky campers and counselors whose energetic drumming could be heard blocks away.

Kids of all ages jostled for position on the sidewalk to catch pieces of candy as they were thrown from passing floats. It was a "candy craze" according to one mother, whose young son was scrambling on the ground for discarded Jolly Ranchers and Tootsie Rolls.

The Steamship Authority (SSA) reported a 4.8 percent increase in ferry traffic to and from the Island, compared to last year. 25,290 passengers traveled from Woods Hole to the two Island ports on Saturday and Sunday, said SSA treasurer Bob Davis.

Despite the high traffic volume, the only problem SSA officials faced was a lack of available parking spaces when all three of its lots filled.

In general Island police departments reported nothing out of the ordinary with an average amount of arrests and few other disturbances. The otherwise pleasant Island holiday was marred by a fatal moped accident in which a visitor from New York died and her boyfriend was seriously injured.

The Dukes County Jail, the Island's regional lock-up facility, admitted 37 people between June 30 and July 4, just two more than last year said Major Durwood Araujo.

Up-Island

Aside from Sunday's tragic moped accident West Tisbury Police Chief Beth Toomey said she received a few calls of noise and fireworks complaints Tuesday.

The other up-Island towns were equally quiet. Aquinnah police made one arrest for operating a vehicle without a license and responded to a few minor car accidents. Chilmark police officer Jonathon Klaren said police logged one disturbance at Quansoo, a private beach on the south shore after someone busted the lock off of a gate in order to gain access. He said no arrests were made.

Tisbury

Tisbury remained "nicely quiet" over the holiday weekend, according to acting Police Chief Timothy Stobie. Calls included a couple of ambulance runs, a dirt bike complaint, a couple of fireworks and noise complaints, and a few minor accidents, he said.

A hit-and-run accident involving a forest green pickup truck with a cap on it occurred at 9:15 pm on Sunday night at 49 William Street in Vineyard Haven. The driver of the truck hit a concrete post and wrought-iron fence on the property and drove away. A neighbor across the street who saw the truck and reported the accident could not identify the make and model, and was unable to see a license plate number.

With the influx of holiday revelers into Vineyard Haven came a few minor traffic delays, Chief Stobie said. Directing traffic at Five Corners proved challenging when traffic came to a standstill because, "There were just so darn many cars, there was no place to direct them to go."

In continuation of the town's policy this summer to provide traffic management around the Five Corners area, Chief Stobie said he likes to station police officers on Main Street as much as possible, and then send them to the Steamship Authority terminal area to help offload traffic when ferries arrive. "If we need someone at Five Corners, we get the traffic off Water Street, and then leave once it quiets down," he added.

Although Chief Stobie enjoyed his town's relatively peaceful holiday weekend, he sympathized with his fellow police officers in Edgartown. "The amount of people at that parade in Edgartown was incredible, and then they just kept pouring in for the fireworks," he observed. "The Edgartown police must have been busier than a one-armed paper hanger."

Edgartown

Edgartown Police Sergeant Tony Bettencourt said this year was "right in line" with last year in terms of arrests and disturbances.

"We were very busy," Sergeant Bettencourt said, "but we didn't have any major incidents."

The earlier parade and later fireworks display Tuesday went particularly well, he said.

"We had less calls during the parade and fireworks, which allowed us to concentrate on the traffic and crowds of people."

Police received 97 calls during the same time period, compared with 91 calls last year.

Oak Bluffs

Oak Bluffs police Lieutenant Tim Williamson said that for a long busy holiday weekend there was nothing out of the ordinary. He said that the police department was busy but that was to be expected over the Fourth.

"The crowds were heavy, traffic was fairly heavy but we had a relatively low number of arrests," said Lieutenant Williamson.

Over the course of the five-day period that began Friday and ended Tuesday Oak Bluffs police responded to 204 calls for service and made 14 arrests for a variety of crimes including motor vehicle violations and underage drinking.