News
After nearly two years of rejections and revisions, Aquinnah voters agreed at a special town meeting on Tuesday night to adopt a bylaw to regulate private and public wind turbines. Crafted as an amendment to the townwide district of critical planning concern, the bylaw is the first of its kind to be adopted on the Vineyard.
But approval did not come without a wide-ranging debate that was at times passionate.
“If you believe in global warming, I think you should pass this,” declared selectman Jim Newman.
Contributions fell sharply and cash evaporated while debt soared at the Island Affordable Housing Fund between the years 2007 and 2008, audited financial statements show.
And the public was led to believe that the fund was flush with money from fund-raising, when in fact the opposite was true, said T. Ewell Hopkins, executive director of the fund, in an interview with the Gazette yesterday.
Tisbury voters overwhelmingly endorsed a plan to spend some $7 million on a new emergency services facility at Tuesday’s special town meeting.
Concerns that townspeople might not be in a spending mood, given the tough economy, proved unfounded, and the article providing for the bulk of the money — $6.8 million — was passed by a count of 167 votes to 22.
The new building will house the town’s fire, ambulance and emergency management staff and equipment.
How many restaurants in Tisbury should be allowed to serve beer and wine?
Half the town’s populace, the last time they were counted, thought none should be allowed. Now the state is suggesting it might allow just five licenses. But the Tisbury selectmen are asking for 19.
And even that number represents a winding back of their previous position. Originally, when they filed the home rule petition with the state legislature, they sought permission for an unlimited number of beer and wine licenses.
Much like President John F. Kennedy’s challenge 50 years ago to beat the Russians to the moon, the green energy movement has tapped into many Americans’ competitive streak.
This competitive spirit is embodied perfectly in the West Tisbury home of Alexander Boyle, which recently won a national award for the most innovative green energy design in the country. The Boyle home was designed by Brian K. Nelson and David Sprague of Nelson Mechanical Design, and was built by general contractor Aaron Zeender.
There was a noticeable feeling of loss around the Vineyard this week.
“I can’t believe we’re not playing Nantucket this weekend,” one man lamented Monday while waiting for a haircut at Bert’s barber shop in Vineyard Haven. “What is the world coming to?”
For the first time in nearly 50 years, Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard will not play the Island Cup football game this weekend, one of the most celebrated and storied traditions for both Islands that was cancelled this year for financial reasons.