Casting aside deep differences, moped dealers and their politically active opponents formally agreed yesterday to implement a nine-point plan aimed at one goal - reducing injuries to moped riders.

Trying to Follow the Steamship Authority Is Harder Than Chasing the Poor Red Sox

By JULIA WELLS

It's hard to follow the players without a scorecard, as the old saying goes, and when it comes to Steamship Authority affairs it's getting tough to decipher the box scores these days.

There is now a swirl of public confusion around the boat line, and this week the list of public meetings on SSA business suddenly grew long and tangled.

If West Tisbury voters approve a slew of money requests next week, first at annual town meeting and again at the polling booths, they could end up with an $8.8 million budget, 23 per cent higher than this year's.

Town Meeting: Edgartown

By KATHERINE WILEY

At this year's annual town meeting, Edgartown voters will decide issues that range from allowing affordable housing on substandard lots to accepting $300,000 from the Sheriff's Meadow Foundation.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday, April 10 in the Old Whaling Church at 7:30 p.m. This year's warrant contains 53 articles and is not viewed by town leaders as particularly controversial.

Vineyard Hospital Hikes Rates to Ease Pressures on Rising Budget Deficit

By JULIA WELLS

Fees went up at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital this week for the third time in 18 months, as hospital leaders work to tame a stubborn six-digit operating deficit amid an industry climate that is gloomy on a good day.

"If misery loves company, then I guess we are okay, but we are trying to present numbers here that really work," said hospital chief executive officer Kevin Burchill this week.

Brevity has rarely been a hallmark of town meeting season in Oak Bluffs, and next week's line-up of 52 articles spread across two warrants could well last more than one night. Voters will act on a range of issues - from affordable housing and funding for the hospital emergency room to new regulations for cell phone towers.