News
The Tisbury selectmen voted a maximum age of 65 for its firefighters on Tuesday night, at the recommendation of the town's attorney - and to the dismay of about 10 firemen in attendance.
The pressing question of whether fire captain Michael Carroll - who turned 65 this month - would have to leave the department had a more popular outcome. Mr. Carroll will be exempt from the new policy, which is effective only for firefighters turning 65 on or after Oct. 1.
Sengekontacket Pond will reopen Monday to shellfishing, but the source of the bacterial contamination which led to its closure for most of the summer remains a mystery.
Edgartown shellfish constable Paul Bagnall announced on Monday that new tests of the pond’s water, done last week, showed coliform bacteria counts down to within safe levels, allowing most of it to be reopened.
The tax rate in Chilmark will go up from $1.87 to $1.96 in 2008, assistant assessor Pamela Bunker reported at an annual public property rate classification hearing with the selectmen on Tuesday. This marks an increase of nine cents.
Benefit Yard Sale
The girls field hockey and girls lacrosse teams are holding a benefit yard sale, Saturday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center. A wide variety of items will be available.
Both teams are raising monies for uniforms and team travel for the current season. This is a collaborative effort with both girls’ sports sharing all proceeds to support field hockey and lacrosse.
Ella Lynne Luening-Goidicke is a natural performer. She should be — the stage is in her blood. Her mother is Island singer and actress Sabrina Luening. Her uncle is local musician Erich Luening. They have lent their talent to many bands — 2nd Power, Drawn Butter, 36 Grit to name a few — and a dizzying number of theatre performances. To top it off, Ella is named for the sultry crooner Ella Fitzgerald. “She has rhythm,” Mr. Luening said recently about his niece who turns three in November. “She’s already a better dancer than I am.”
Bone Marrow
Next weekend offers two opportunities for Vineyarders to test their ability to donate bone marrow, in the Save Giovanni’s Friends Bone Marrow Drive.
A simple cheek swab procedure will be performed by Caitlin Raymond International Registry. According to state law, your health insurance must pay the donor fee, and if you don’t have health insurance, it’s free.