Purple Squirts Cap Off Season with Win Over Vineyard Rivals

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

It was 5:55 p.m. Tuesday, and the atmosphere on the ice was highly charged. The championship battle was about to begin. More than 80 people were on their feet at the Martha's Vineyard arena, shouting encouragement to two teams who had swept across the Cape and Nantucket since October to get here.

This was a salute to the Squirts.

Fishermen, Regulators Brace for Spring Herring Moratorium

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

Alewives, one of the great harbingers of spring, have returned to Vineyard waters.

But there is a crucial difference this year: the state of Massachusetts has barred people from catching or possessing these anadramous fish, which return from the ocean to spawn in freshwater ponds.

Mr. Hearn Finds Political Change Suits Him Fine

By IAN FEIN

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

You might call Glenn Hearn the presumptive Reform Party nominee of West Tisbury town politics.

Since 1999 he has ousted incumbents from the land bank commission and board of selectmen in close elections, and now he has his sights set on the board of assessors.

Mr. Hearn will challenge longtime board chairman Michael Colaneri in a three-way election in the annual town election next month.

Fall Study of Cod Affirms Troubled State of Fishery

By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL

A survey of fish stocks completed last fall and released this month by the National Marine Fisheries Service continues to identify Atlantic cod as a depleted resource in need of help.

The cod was once the fish of choice in fish markets across New England.

But despite severe cuts in fishing efforts and the closing of large areas of Georges Bank and waters southeast of Martha's Vineyard, signs of recovery are lacking.

Roman Catholic Church officials are considering building a centralized church in Oak Bluffs that would serve the entire Island.

At a special town meeting next month, Oak Bluffs voters will be asked whether the town should enter negotiations to swap a parcel of land next to the Martha's Vineyard Arena for the Good Shepherd parish hall property on School street.

State Focuses on Tribe, Assessors in Review of Aquinnah Finances

By IAN FEIN

Adopting a formal payment structure with the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and overhauling the town assessing department are among the recommendations provided to the town of Aquinnah in a state report released last week.