A hotly-debated proposal to build a new Tisbury school, a first step toward banning mopeds, and lots of spending is on the agenda tonight as annual town meetings convene in Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, Tisbury and West Tisbury.

If annual town town meetings are the heartbeat of Edgartown, moderator Jeff Norton has set the rhythm for as long as most people can remember.

A growing budget, a lengthy agenda featuring nearly $6 million in budget overrides and the end of an era await Edgartown voters when they gather next week for special and annual town meetings.

An incumbent running on his 24-year record of service to the town will face off against a political newcomer promising change in a two-way selectmen race at next week’s Edgartown election.

The ferry Martha's Vineyard gave a brief scare Saturday evening when a warning light cancelled the 5 p.m. trip from Woods Hole to Vineyard Haven, but technicians were able to fix the issue, said Marc Hanover, the Vineyard representative on the Steamship Authority board of governors.

Oyster farming is no longer a promising trend but a vibrant reality and a million-dollar industry on the Vineyard, five members of the Island aquaculture community told a gathering at the Gazette newsroom Tuesday.