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Barbara Bick says she is neither journalist nor historian. Despite what she says, she looks at the worlds she encounters with the curiosity of a journalist, the eye of a historian — and always with the passion of a feminist. Rarely has she taken a trip — and she has been to many places most of us never get to — where she does not ask about and seek out the local women. How do they live? How are they faring?
Hours after adding his vote to an $825 billion federal stimulus package, Massachusetts Cong. William D. Delahunt was on the Vineyard yesterday to provide an economic backdrop for the bill to a group of Vineyard town and regional leaders.
Though much of his message was bleak, Mr. Delahunt offered hope in the form of coaching for secure programs and project funding as a result of the stimulus package and the promise of an upward economic trend some way off in the future.
An association of all six Vineyard finance committees this week called for every Island public employee to forego an annual cost of living increase amid the growing national economic crisis.
It is unclear how the request from the Martha’s Vineyard Finance Association will play out as each Island town wrestles with its budget.
The association put out a statement on Monday asking employees to band together to help avoid layoffs in the coming year
With all eyes on government budgets this year, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission last Thursday unanimously approved a $1.17 million budget for fiscal year 2010. The budget represents an 8.8 per cent reduction in overall spending from last year and an increase in town assessments of just under one per cent.
The commission’s budget for fiscal year 2009 was $1.28 million. Town assessments will increase a bit due to a reduction in state and federal grants of about $112,000.
Sitting among the other people using the computers at the Vineyard Haven library on a bleak, icy day this week, Jon and Rick blend right in. The only hints of their difference are a couple of small piles of possessions nearby.
These men are homeless, and for them, the primary purpose of coming here is not research or reading, but warmth.
It would no doubt come as a surprise to the other Vineyarders tapping away at adjacent terminals to know this. It might even surprise them that homelessness exists on the Island.
Dr. Raymond (Rocco) Monto talks about this treacherous, icy weather in different terms from most of us. He calls it his orthopedic stimulus package.
When your work involves repairing the strains, sprains and breaks which accompany frozen ground, these are busy times. He reckons business is up at least 25 per cent.