West Tisbury Voters Gather Tuesday

By IAN FEIN

The fate of the West Tisbury town hall has been in limbo since town voters rejected a cost overrun to the renovation project last November. But a new direction may emerge next week when voters convene for the annual town meeting to consider a series of articles that address the town hall project in different ways.

Voters should be familiar with the topic. The town hall renovation, in one form or another, has been discussed at six town meetings over the last three years.

State High Court Ruling Protects Tiny Park Lands in Oak Bluffs Subdivision

By IAN FEIN

Affirming the value of open space, no matter how small, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court this week blocked development on three wooded lots behind Crystal Lake in Oak Bluffs.

The seven-page decision, which unanimously reversed two lower court rulings, was issued on Tuesday.

The case has wider significance because it could help secure the fate of dozens of similar parks throughout the town and many more across the commonwealth.

Tisbury Voters Agree to Spend, but Argue Long on Sewer Plan

By MAX HART

After breezing through a 40-minute special town meeting last week, voters in Tisbury had little problem approving all 21 articles at the annual town meeting Tuesday night, saying yes to everything from $600,000 in capital expenditures to a $17.5 million operating budget for the upcoming fiscal year.

And while voters also supported a town-sponsored plan to allocate $271,500 in embarkation fee money, the evening was not entirely without debate.

Voters at the Oak Bluffs annual town meeting next week will consider a number of articles that could radically alter the design and layout of the town for generations to come.

Town Assessor Serves 30 Years, and Wants More

By IAN FEIN

Last in a series of profiles leading up to the West Tisbury town election.

When Michael Colaneri first walked into the West Tisbury assessors' office more than 30 years ago, the method for determining property values was simple: handwritten three-by-five cards listed the owner's name, the acreage and the number of houses.

Hospital Statistics Point to Baby Boomlet

By JAMES KINSELLA
Gazette Senior Writer

Delight courses through Althea D'Antonio's voice as she talks about giving birth last week to twin boys at the Martha's Vineyard Community Hospital.

"It went really, really, really well," Ms. D'Antonio said Wednesday, in between to cooing to her newborns. "I'm up and having fun."