LATEST NEWS

Tisbury has spent $68,765.57 to both investigate and pay Fire Chief Gregory Leland, who has been on paid administrative leave since July. The town has not publicized what led to the chief being placed on paid administrative leave, but over a third of the cost paid since July has gone to a law firm, primarily for a review that began when Leland went on leave.

As the tides flow from high to low, so did emotions during Week 4 of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby. Shore fishermen cast for hours with very little to show for their efforts, while boat fishermen trolled and jigged with massive results. I witnessed the first...

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – [DOJ MEDIA STATEMENT, NO BOOKING PHOTO] – The former bookkeeper of a Falmouth flooring company pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer. Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025. Between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000. The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Harry T. Chavis Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case. ###

A prominent Edgartown shopping plaza has changed hands to a familiar face in town. The Hajjar family, which owns numerous properties in Edgartown and Oak Bluffs, late last month purchased the plaza on Upper Main Street that contains Al’s Package Store, Wicked Burger and Larry’s Tackle Shop. The...

The Seastreak ferry company has pulled the plug on its Vineyard winter commuter service, saying it didn’t have enough passengers to cover the costs. The boat line started the off-season ferry service between New Bedford and the Vineyard last fall with the hopes of making it easier for Island businesses to tap into the mainland workforce. About 40 people rode the service daily, but that was about 25 people short of the break-even point, according to the company.

A 22-year-old New Bedford woman pled guilty Tuesday in New Bedford District Court on a single charge of Improper Disposal of a Body connected to the male infant found at Fort Taber Park on December 9, 2023. Daniela Michell Escobar-Mejia, who is the mother of the deceased infant, was sentenced...

The air is crisp and the leaves are making their journey from green to brown, from tree to ground. Pumpkins dot the landscape as do all manner of gourds, standing proud in their pimply best. It is harvest season on the Island, and with that comes harvest festivals. The Agricultural...

A great white shark that washed ashore at a Cape Cod beach earlier this week is named Koala, and was known to local researchers, investigators said. Its cause of death is still a mystery, as a necropsy was inconclusive. Tipping the scale at 1,240 pounds, the shark was recovered from...

I would like to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to the incredible community that rallied around me when my boat, Wyknott, sank at the dock in Menemsha. It all started early Thursday, Oct. 17 morning when Christopher Mayhew called me at 6:30 am to inform me that Wyknott was on her side. When I arrived, I was met by Christopher and his father, Jonathan, and Chris Stein, who were already there, working tirelessly to stabilize the boat and prevent it from rolling completely over. Christopher donned a wet suit and put a line on her. Their quick action set the tone for the day.

Nonprofit leaders and educators gathered at Camp Jabberwocky Thursday evening to celebrate $1.3 million in grants given by the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation to support local projects on the Island and in Falmouth. The two largest grants of the night went to Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and the...

A motorcycle rider was injured after an afternoon Massachusetts motorcycle crash. According to the Lakeville Fire Department, crews were summoned to the highway by Massachusetts State Police for a motorcycle down at just before 3:15 p.m. Friday. The accident occurred on the northbound side of the highway, just south of County Road.

More than 3,000 fishermen registered this year for the 79th annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. On Sunday, it comes down to six, as the winners of each category vie for the grand prize boat, taking turns to see if their key fits the lock. Fishing continues...

Getting your Trinity Audio player ready... State and federal politicians lined up along the New Bedford waterfront last week to unveil a new terminal slated for offshore wind. From the Environmental Protection Agency’s regional director to Senators Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren, each took turns touting the port’s growing role in the nation’s green energy transition.

Looking out at the Elizabeth Islands in the distance on Tuesday, derby competitor Max Eagan cast his rod into the rocky waters off Menemsha. He had been out for hours, the cold October wind hitting his hopeful face, but not much hitting his line. He cast his line over and...

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity golf team put on a nail-biting performance at the state finals qualifying match this past Wednesday and is sending one senior on to the championships. Nick Rabeni and Jacoby Light had both qualified for the Division 2 South Section Invitational which was...

Sunny conditions are expected across Massachusetts today, but high astronomical tides are bringing minor flooding risks to coastal roads. Areas like Morrissey Blvd in Boston and Easy St in Nantucket are likely to experience shallow water during the afternoon high tide. Drivers should prepare for potential road closures or detours and avoid flooded areas.

There are no adoptions to report from this past week, but our featured pet of the week is Nellie, a beautiful 13-year-old, medium hair, torbi cat. Nellie came to us shy and fearful but has been making great progress. She comes out when being fed and is seeking out attention from both staff and volunteers. She seems to have a very sweet nature and we expect that she will blossom once she finds her person and goes to a home where she feels safe. Come meet her and see if you fall for each other.

Projected costs for a new high school range from $223 to $427 million, leading some Island officials to question if the project should be downsized in order to make it past the voters. The estimates were presented to the high school building committee this week by Tappé Architects, the firm...

When Leslie’s Drugstore, one of four pharmacies on the Vineyard, closed last month, health officials were scrambling to make sure Islanders would still be able to get their medications. Now more than three weeks later, pharmacies and providers say they are resettling patients to the remaining pharmacies and helping...

Five of the SouthCoast's six teams in action on Friday night were victorious with the only loss coming from GNB Voc-Tech against Old Rochester. Fairhaven senior running back Justin Marques added another record to his resume as the Blue Devils captured their fifth straight win. ...