Olivia Hull
When he was a young boy, Peter Herrmann loved to fish off the Steamship wharf in Oak Bluffs. Before the first boat, and after the ferry stopped running for the winter, Mr. Herrmann and his friends would climb over the fence, fishing rods in hand.
Traffic delays are expected at the Roundabout in Oak Bluffs this week, as the White Brothers-Lynch Corporation paving company sets down the final coats of asphalt on the central intersection. Work began Monday, and is expected to conclude sometime Thursday, said Richie Combra, highway superintendent.
The construction contract states that the traffic delays not exceed five minutes.
One stimulates the imaginations of young and old. The second brings care to the uninsured. The third feeds schoolchildren with the fruits and wisdom of the earth.
All are invested in the well-being of the Island community.
Together, they serve the hearts, souls and bodies of Islanders in their daily work, said Women Empowered board member Ljuba Davis.
Richard North Patterson likes to think of himself as a method actor. The 66-year-old writer and part-time resident of West Tisbury writes mostly fiction, but while his characters are born out of the quiet space in his imagination, he said, their every thought and movement is grounded in research.
For many years, Social Security Administration representatives paid regular visits to the Island to assist with applications for benefits, and answer general questions about eligibility.
But in 2011, citing budget cutbacks, the federal agency said it could no longer afford the costs associated with travel to the Island. Over the next two years, 490 contact stations were eliminated, including the one on the Vineyard. People who qualify for benefits have been encouraged to seek assistance over the phone or online, or travel to East Falmouth to speak to a representative in person.
With standardized test results made public last Friday, school leaders Islandwide have begun to examine the wealth of data and discuss student performance with staff and parents.
Scores from the MCAS test administered to Island students last spring show the majority of students at Island public schools are performing at or above state standards in English language arts, mathematics and science.