Expansion plans for the historic Shearer Cottage in Oak Bluffs remain undecided, as longtime family owners attempt to balance a need for economic survival with environmental impacts.

In April 2013 an overflow crowd packed the Chilmark annual town meeting to cast a historic vote on what by then had been dubbed the big-house bylaw, a zoning bylaw aimed at regulating a perceived trend of super-sized homes.

Covid-19 case counts on Martha’s Vineyard continued to see a slight upward trend last week, with 19 confirmed positive cases reported by the Island boards of health in their weekly report issued Monday.

Laurence A. Mercier, a former longtime Edgartown businessman and town official who was widely respected for his civic-minded nature, died at home on Sunday. He was 81. A son of Edgartown, he had worn many hats through the years.

With construction of a bingo hall in Aquinnah on indefinite hold, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has petitioned Gov. Charlie Baker to enter into formal negotiations for a full gaming license, including mobile sports betting.

A new legal chapter opened this week in the tangled, long-running litigation between the Harbor View Hotel and a group of neighbors.