Government
Vowing to maintain an open and inclusive process, the group charged with finding an alternative restoration plan for Squibnocket Beach began met for the first time early Monday. Housekeeping items and broad discussion about the mission were both topics of interest.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and former federal health care executive Dr. Donald Berwick both won the backing of enough delegates, along with state Treasurer Steve Grossman, to set up a three-way primary race in September. The Democratic convention was held Saturday in Worcester.
The West Tisbury selectmen this week ordered the owner of a Husky to restrain her dog after an incident where the dog killed a chicken.
At a public hearing Wednesday, the selectmen learned that on May 4 the dog owned by Marina Sharkovitz killed a chicken owned by neighbor Angela Aronie on Otis Bassett Road. According to animal control officer Joan Jenkinson, this was the second time the year-and-a-half-old dog, Kota, had killed a chicken but it was the first time a formal complaint had been filed.
The seaward side of East Chop Drive will remain closed until further notice, as the bluff beneath continues to experience erosion. Selectmen voted this week to restrict traffic on the scenic drive, making this the first time the road has been limited to one lane during the summer.
Following a lengthy and well-attended public hearing last week, Tisbury shellfish regulations remain largely unchanged.
A minor change in language regarding area closures was easily approved last Tuesday by the selectmen, along with an update to commercial shellfishing regulations that makes them consistent with state laws. The latter change restricts the number of commercial license holders per boat to two.
The town historic district commission voted this week to save the existing so-called admiral hat fixtures but replace incandescent bulbs with compact fluorescent lamps, striking a balance between preserving the historic look of the town and allowing for more energy efficiency.