After First Weekend of Stop Signs, Some Traffic Backups, Complaints

By CHRIS BURRELL

The stop signs went up at the notorious blinker light intersection early Friday morning, officially ending the days of nonstop travel between Vineyard Haven and Edgartown.

It took seven hours and 43 minutes for the fastest sailboat to complete the 'Round the Island race on Saturday. Sforzando, captained by Blair Brown of the New Bedford Yacht Club, was the first to cross the finish in the Edgartown outer harbor at 3:43 p.m. The speedy Taylor 44's lap around the Island typified the pace of most sailing in the 80th annual Edgartown Yacht Club event.

Gray skies and sprightly winds launched the 80th annual Edgartown Yacht Club Regatta yesterday. A record number of 420 class sailboats turned out for the 10 a.m. start. At least 50 of these one-design sailboats crossed the line. William Roman, manager of the yacht club, said this year's regatta is clearly the year of the one-design sailboat, with record participation by young people.

The director of the Martha's Vineyard Shellfish Group said yesterday that nearly four million healthy juvenile shellfish under culture at his Lagoo

Like most Island cocktail parties, the Tisbury Street Fair was slow to start. An hour into the annual town celebration though, and it was standing room only.

Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish rocked through the evening. Youngsters danced in the middle of the street in front of the band. Many of the Island's nonprofit organizations sold T-shirts, raffle tickets and plenty of food on the sidewalks.

The Fourth of July crowds arrived last week with a vengeance - clogging ferry lines, buses and the hospital emergency room - but remained a bit cautious at the cash register.