Gone are the days of coming home from school and telling Mom and Dad there was no homework. With about 80 per cent of teachers at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School using school Web sites to post assignments and a host of other information, parents know what's due tomorrow - and down the road.

The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School football team's 42-6 drubbing of Cathedral High School on Saturday could be summed up when Panther kicker Kancley Val lined up for an on-sides kick, rushed the ball furiously, and missed.

Whether Val actually made contact, or the rush of his body created a gust of wind, the ball did manage to come off the tee and roll a good two or three inches. The only problem was it rolled in the wrong direction.

Dukes County Is Due for Test of Its Charter

By JAMES KINSELLA

Hopes were high over a decade ago when a newly reorganized government went into effect for Dukes County.

Voters in the county had bought the vision put forward by a charter study commission in 1992 that reorganizing rather than eliminating county government offered an effective way to confront regional issues, such as solid waste disposal and affordable housing.

Years later, the vision retains its appeal.

Vineyard Backs Deval Patrick

Following Commonwealth Trend, Island Democrats Throw Support to Gubernatorial Front-Runner in Hotly Contested Primary

By IAN FEIN

Dukes County voters mirrored the rest of the commonwealth and offered strong support for Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deval L. Patrick in the state primary election on Tuesday.

Sentencing Is Near in Map Theft Case

By JAMES KINSELLA

Federal authorities have asked that E. Forbes Smiley 3rd of Chilmark serve more than four years in prison and be fined at least $10,000 for stealing a rare 1578 map.

U.S. Attorney Kevin O'Connor said that although the court should take Mr. Smiley's cooperation into account when sentencing the felon next Wednesday, the court should not depart from standard sentencing guidelines.

Boat Line Fares Set to Go Up

Steamship Authority Governors Review $78 Million Budget; Managers Say Tariff Hike Needed to Cover Costs

By JAMES KINSELLA
Gazette Senior Writer

Passenger fares are expected to rise more than eight per cent on the Martha's Vineyard route under a set of across-the-board rate hikes proposed Tuesday by Steamship Authority managers.