Sheriff Took Training with Tisbury Police

Controversy Over Nantucket Sheriff Spills Onto Vineyard Turf with News of Assault Weapon Instruction Here

By JAMES KINSELLA
Gazette Senior Writer

The Nantucket County sheriff, mired in controversy, including over his recent decision to buy assault weapons, obtained training and certification for the weapons several weeks ago from the Tisbury police department.

MCAS Scores Stay Even; High School Math Rises for Fourth Year Running

By RACHEL KOVAC

Vineyard MCAS scores remained relatively flat overall this year, although math scores at the Martha's Vineyard Regional High School and West Tisbury eighth grade rocketed well above state averages.

Scores for the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System exam were released by the Department of Education Wednesday, pushing educators into a tailspin as they rushed to analyze the results for their students, teachers and communities.

Martha's Vineyard Hospital leaders told the Oak Bluffs selectmen Tuesday they are confident in their fund-raising abilities and plan to begin the permitting process for the $42 million hospital building project soon.

Vineyard Residents Pour Out Stories of Tick Illnesses Before Wildlife Agency

By IAN FEIN

After listening to a crowd of Vineyard residents describe the high prevalence of tick-borne diseases on the Island as a public health crisis, the chairman of the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries & Wildlife board promised this week that the state agency will take action to address the Dukes County deer population.

Frank Words Punctuate County Discussion

By JAMES KINSELLA

A planned goal-setting session for the Dukes County Commission was interrupted abruptly this week when county commissioner Leonard Jason Jr. of Chilmark questioned whether the county would even continue to exist.

"The first thing you've got to do is determine if there will be county government," Mr. Jason declared at the regular county commission meeting Wednesday night.

The luxury steamship The City of Columbus sleeps deep in the shifting sands at the edge of Devil's Bridge, about a mile from the Gay Head Cliffs.