Old House Pond Plan Allowed, but with Oversight from State

By IAN FEIN

The Martha's Vineyard Land Bank can open its 11-acre property on Old House Pond in West Tisbury to the public, but not without ongoing state oversight, the Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs said this week.

It is not surprising that the first book published by Michael Pollan, who has built a national reputation for his magazine articles and bestselling books about food and nature, was actually a no-holds-barred travel guide to Martha's Vineyard.

Commission Accepts the Nomination of Mullen Way as Critical District

By IAN FEIN

Suggesting that historical middle-class neighborhoods might be of irreplaceable value to the Island, the Martha's Vineyard Commission last week unanimously agreed to consider a narrow tree-lined street in Edgartown for designation as a district of critical planning concern (DCPC).

Jenney Lane Dispute Comes to an End

Edgartown Affordable Housing Project Is Now Back on Track for Building After Long Delay in the Courts

By IAN FEIN

A two-year legal dispute over the Jenney Lane affordable housing project was settled last week only days before a scheduled trial date, putting the Edgartown development back on track for construction.

Robert Murphy Has High Hopes for the Vineyard of the Future

By IAN FEIN

Robert C. Murphy remembers his childhood winters in Oak Bluffs, when there were no movie theatres open and the bowling alley was the only source of social activity.

Island children today by comparison have a bounty of entertainment and cultural opportunities - which Mr. Murphy sees as one of the many positive aspects of the growth that the Vineyard has experienced over the last few decades.

Housing Bank Legislation Languishes as Lawmakers Ready to Recess Session

By IAN FEIN

With the state legislative session set to expire in 10 days, a proposal to create public housing banks on Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket appears to be effectively dead for the year.