Food trucks likely will never be permitted in downtown Oak Bluffs, according to draft regulations presented at a public reading at Wednesday night’s selectmen’s meeting. At the well-attended meeting, the public and the selectmen spoke out passionately on both sides of the issue — in support of the allowance of food trucks in the downtown area, or in opposition.

Amid growing negative public sentiment over a telephone pole replacement project on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, the Tisbury selectmen have referred the project to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for possible review. Meeting in emergency session last Friday, the selectmen voted to refer the NStar project to the MVC as a development of regional impact (DRI). The height and size of the poles is at issue. The move to refer the matter to the commission was recommended by town administrator John (Jay) Grande after consulting with town clerk Marion Mudge.

Vineyard voters followed the rest of the state in electing Cong. Edward J. Markey to the U.S. Senate in a special election Tuesday.

Mr. Markey, a Democrat from Malden who has spent 37 years in the House of Representatives, was elected to the senate with 55 per cent of the vote, the Boston Globe reported. His opponent was Gabriel E. Gomez of Cohasset, a businessman and former Navy SEAL.

Voter turnout on the Island averaged 32.5 per cent, higher than the statewide average of 27 per cent.

Plans to add a large expansion to an Oak Bluffs church continued to face scrutiny at the Martha’s Vineyard Commission late last week, as commissioners and neighbors questioned the impact on the neighborhood and the environment.

The Alliance Community Church (formerly Nova Vida) has applied to build a 9,000-square-foot addition to its Ryan’s Way building in order to build a 150-seat church.

Polls will be open across the Island for an unusual June election today. Republican Gabriel E. Gomez of Cohasset and U.S. Cong. Edward J. Markey of Malden, a Democrat, are vying to take the Senate seat vacated by John Kerry, who stepped down in January to become Secretary of State.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has released updated preliminary floodplain maps that predict increased flooding in coastal areas during northeasters, gales and other strong storms. The maps are the first significant update since the mapping program began in the 1980s and are expected to directly affect federal flood insurance premiums for towns and counties, as well as mortgage programs for some homeowners.