Barbecues, road races, and lobster rolls are on the agenda and parades are planned at both ends of the Island as the Vineyard welcomes one of the busiest days of the year. All eyes will turn to Edgartown tonight for the annual Fourth of July parade and fireworks.

Two men were uninjured after the Jeep they were traveling in caught fire near the Big Bridge on Beach Road Friday afternoon. The Oak Bluffs fire department said their response was delayed because traffic did not yield to the emergency vehicles but they quickly extinguished the fire once they arrived.

The Vineyard may seem far removed from racial violence, but it has not been a silent observer in the struggle for equality. Every summer people from around the country gather here to continue the civil rights discussion.

With the Fourth of July holiday and peak summer boating season under way, the U.S. Coast Guard, local police departments, and town harbor masters are pledging extra vigilance on the water, enforcing state laws to prevent life-threatening accidents.

The decline of the Vineyard's fisheries has little to do with a lack of fish and more to do with lack of access, Island fishermen say. A new regulatory system tends to favor larger companies that can afford to purchase quota from other fishermen and reinvest in equipment.

The chairman of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) announced that work will begin soon to convert a tribal community center into a gambling hall. Selectmen will hold a special executive session Monday.