With Cape Wind hoping to break ground in the coming years and a huge new swath of ocean opened for wind farm development south of the Vineyard, the impact of turbine noise on fisheries is still poorly understood.

“The long-term impacts of these wind farms are just totally unknown,” said Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution biologist Scott Gallagher this week.

Drug Abuse Forum

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and the Youth Task Force will host a community forum on prescription drug abuse at 5 p.m. on March 21 at the regional high school library conference room.

Guest speaker Dr. Charles Reznikoff, a world-renowned expert on addiction medicine at the University of Michigan heads the agenda, along with a panel that will include a pharmacist and representatives from the police, hospitals, the task force and community services and the treatment community.

Edgartown Elections

There will be two contested races in Edgartown town elections this spring.

Megan E. Anderson, Carlene Gatting, and Alexander K. Rentumis are all running for one open three-year term on the school committee, a seat left vacant by committee member Leslie Baynes, who is not running for reelection.

Mr. Rentumis is also running in the Edgartown Library board of trustees race. He is vying with Denise Searle and Carl E. Watt, who were both appointed to the board to fill vacancies, for two two-year terms.

Oak Bluffs Race Heats Up

The race is on in Oak Bluffs for two selectmen seats on this spring’s town ballot.

Roger W. Wey is challenging incumbent selectmen Gregory Coogan and Kathleen Burton for a three-year terms on the board. Both incumbents are facing reelection.

Mr. Coogan, a teacher at the Tisbury School, has served on the board since 2000. Ms. Burton, the current chairman, was elected to the board in 2009.

Mr. Wey served 21 years as an Oak Bluff selectman before he decided not to run for re-election in 2009.

By PETER BRANNEN

The bylaw that allows beer and wine sales in Vineyard Haven will not be expanded — at least not this year.

Tisbury selectmen announced on Tuesday that a special town meeting article asking voters to allow wine sales at the Tisbury summer farmers’ market failed to gain the backing of the finance committee, and as a result will not go on a special town meeting warrant this spring.

There are signs of life in downtown Edgartown: Two new dining options received the green light Wednesday night.

The zoning board of appeals approved Patrick Courtney’s proposal to open a 49-seat seafood restaurant at 55 Main street, the former In the Woods store, and Bryan MacPhail’s proposal to serve food and ice cream from a take-out window on Dock street.

Both establishments will have outdoor seating and are expected to open this summer.