It was nearing four o'clock at the Martha's Vineyard Agricultural Society's 143rd annual Livestock Show and Fair on Saturday - time for the Birds of Prey show to begin - but in the heart of the crowd beside the tent full of owls and hawks, it was not a peregrine falcon but rather President Bill Clinton who was attracting the attention.

If you have seen the television commercials or read the ads in the newspaper, you know that Chris Gabrieli is first and foremost, a man who expects

Clear weather plus a generous gathering of spectators helped make the annual Oak Bluffs Firemen's Civic Association fireworks a booming success this past weekend.

A cloud-free night sky provided the perfect backdrop for the world-class fireworks display, which dazzled the crowd with shell bursts, candle bursts and rockets. On the ground, onlookers stuffed the association's donation bucket, helping to ensure this year's display was a success both technically and financially.

While high rates of Lyme disease and depression have long been documented among Vineyard residents, a new report indicates that the two may possibly be linked.

The first time Carlos Montoya came to the Vineyard, he took a ride up-Island and turned onto Moshup Trail - the unmistakable three-mile length of road that hugs the western edge of the Island.

"Oh my god," Mr. Montoya said this month, recalling his impression from that 1970 visit. "It was unbelievable."

Now a 10-year resident of Moshup Trail, he characterizes it as the single most important stretch of land in Aquinnah. "It is simply one of the most magical places," Mr. Montoya said.

Donations Lagging, Sizzle of Fireworks May End This Year

By JAMES KINSELLA

For more than three decades, the Oak Bluffs Firemen's Civic Association fireworks have served as the unofficial notice that the Vineyard summer is drawing to a close.

This year, the fireworks, a 45-minute spectacular scheduled to get under way around 9 tonight, may be serving notice that they themselves are coming to an end.