Greg Coogan News Today

Sex workers were seen as a source of disease, then as enabling interracial relations. Sex work is still illegal in democratic South Africa

Oak Bluffs harbormaster Todd Alexander announced he will be retiring from his decades-long position at Tuesday’s select board meeting. Alexander, who has had the role of harbormaster for 29 years, will be officially ending his duties effective July 1. Acknowledging the need for a transition to his successor to be “as seamless and unobtrusive as […]

The Marthas Vineyard Times O.B. approves lighthouse lead testing Approval gives Coast Guard access to small portions of town-owned land where contamination may have spread. Oak Bluffs approved the Coast Guard to conduct lead testing and remediation on town owned land adjacent to East Chop Lighthouse. The Oak Bluffs select board approved lead testing to be conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard on town land adjacent to the East Chop Lighthouse where it believes contamination has spread. T...

The Marthas Vineyard Times Oak Bluffs: P.A. Club chicken dinner — Shelby Regan Seems like April Fool’s Day was a bit late as we got our surprise flurries of snow last week instead of April 1. But it lasted just long enough to look pretty and only encourage the flowers to bloom longer and the birds seemed to love it. Now we are really ready for more sun and warm days. Congratulations to the two winners of our town election on Thursday for the select board. Jason Balboni, who was ...

Green-Beach, Balboni win O.B. seats Only contested race is for two open seats on select board in O.B.; West Tisbury has no contested races. 1 of 4 Theres plenty of room for social distance at the West Tisbury polls where there is no contested race on the ballot. -Rich Saltzberg Challenger Rich Michelson, right, is a former airport commissioner.—Brian Dowd Incumbent Jason Balboni seeks a second term to the board.—Brian Dowd Challenger Emma Green-Beach won the most votes and is a newcomer to ...

The Marthas Vineyard Times O.B. hires Nelson Wirtz as new fire chief The Oak Bluffs select board chose Nelson Wirtz of Brewster as the town’s next fire chief. The Oak Bluffs select board chose W.F. Nelson Wirtz as the town’s next fire chief at a meeting Tuesday. A career firefighter for the past 25 years, Wirtz is currently a captain with the Chatham Fire Department. Wirtz said his familiarity with Martha’s Vineyard, working in a seasonal community, and his education and train...

The Marthas Vineyard Times Oak Bluffs candidates address the issues Three candidates are vying for two seats on the Oak Bluffs select board. From left, Rich Michelson, Jason Balboni, and Emma Green-Beach vie for two open seats on the Oak Bluffs select board. Incumbent Jason Balboni and newcomers Emma Green-Beach and Rich Michelson are the three candidates vying for two open seats on the Oak Bluffs select board, in the town’s only contested race. Balboni, the current chair of the t...

The Marthas Vineyard Times Oak Bluffs denies OPEB ballot question Selectmen denied placing a OPEB override question on the ballot. During a marathon meeting Tuesday night, Oak Bluffs selectmen denied placing a Proposition 2½ override question for the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on the town’s ballot. The $84,579 override ballot question was for other post-employment benefits (OPEB) for the high school. A Proposition 2½ override increases property taxes indefinitely, ...

The Marthas Vineyard Times Three vie for two selectmen seats in O.B. Longtime Oak Bluffs selectman Greg Coogan is not seeking a seventh term. Three candidates are seeking two seats open on the Oak Bluffs board of selectmen, as longtime selectman Greg Coogan will not seek re-election. Nominations closed earlier this week. Coogan, who has served on the board since 2003, is a retired Tisbury School math teacher of 30 years. Incumbent Jason Balboni is seeking his second term on the boar...

The Marthas Vineyard Times Oak Bluffs to focus on local search for new town administrator Town enlists UMass Boston for help in search. Oak Bluffs enlisted Umass Collins in its search for a new town administrator at a meeting Tuesday night. — Rich Saltzberg With longtime town administrator Robert Whritenour heading to a new post in Yarmouth, Oak Bluffs is enlisting the help of the Edward J. Collins, Jr. Center for Public Management at the University of Massachusetts Boston. At a m...