Mary Oliver
The wind wags its many tails. And in the evening the piled firewood shifts a little, longing to be on its way. —Mary Oliver
August 26, 2022
Thin Crescent Moon Next Week
A thin crescent moon appears low in the southwestern sky beginning next week. Take a look Tuesday night for the moon appearing near the bright star Spica, the main star in the constellation Virgo. The two are together for a short time and then they set in the west. The moon appears higher in the…
Beach Road Weekend Is Ready to Rock the Island
On Friday, thousands of concert-goers are expected to descend on Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven for Beach Road Weekend, the three-day music festival returning in full for the first time since its debut in 2019.
Court Typo Lands Chilmark Vacationer in Jail
Angus McCoubrey started his vacation in Chilmark last week much as he has for the last 30 years visiting the Island, relaxing and going to the beach. An arrest based on a typo and a two-night stay in jail without possibility of bail or a hearing quickly turned that peaceful few days into a nightmare.
Richie Smith Starts First Year as Superintendent, 21st as Island Educator
As teachers and students prepare to start classes in September, Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools new superintendent Richie Smith is sizing up the challenges ahead.
For Lucinda Williams, Music Is Healing
On Sunday, Lucinda Williams plays Beach Road Weekend, beginning at 4:15 p.m., picking up after her friend Emmylou Harris finishes her set.
Trying to Keep it Cool at College Drop Off
I am a crier and yet I don’t cry when I drop my son off at college.
Women’s Equality Day Is More Essential Than Ever
On August 26, Women’s Equality Day, the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard will again partner with Martha’s Vineyard Museum.
Moldy Peaches
My granddaughter and I were pleased to win second prize with our family traditional peach pie in this year’s fair contest.
Climate Action Plan Says Time Is Now
Local actions alone won’t be enough to stem sea level rise and the increasing frequency of major storms.
As the Crow Flies
David Lott’s article entitled A Squirrel Named Willie in last week’s Vineyard Gazette brought me such joyful memories of my own unusual childhood companion.
Adult Education Program Has New Name, Expanded Mission
Solving a series of Island problems is part of the revised mission of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Education and Training (MVCET).
Solitary Pursuits
From the August 26, 1938 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Walter Wlodyka: Apex Predator for Island Skunk Population
Walter Wlodyka, the Island’s skunk man, knows how to make an entrance.
Aquinnah Considers Mixed-Use Road Concept
The town of Aquinnah will weigh a new road setup south of West Basin Road in the coming months, aiming to create more safety for pedestrians.
Love, Poetry, Revolution Take Playhouse Stage
It’s show time again at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, which this weekend opens a play by Chilean author Antonio Skármeta.
Land Bank Revenues
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $151,340.55 for the business week ending on Friday, August 19, 2022.
Union Chapel Organ Recital
On Monday at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs Alcee Chriss 3rd takes his seat at the organ.
At the Fair
Before this Friday, I had never been to the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair.
Tisbury Drops Ballot Vote for $26 Million School Project Hike
The future of the Tisbury School reconstruction project rests entirely on the Sept. 20 special town meeting, after the select board on August 24 unanimously rescinded a town election that was tentatively set for Oct. 4.
Island Elderly Housing Sues MVC Over Plan Approval Conditions
Island Elderly Housing has sued the Martha’s Vineyard Commission following the conditional approval early this summer of a small affordable housing development for senior Islanders.
‘We Want You to Remember Tavaris and Tavaughn’
On the evening of August 23, the more than 100 friends and supporters of the Bulgin family heard words of faith, words of thanks for first responders and words of remembrance of the two young men.
Recent Real Estate Transactions: Week Ending August 19
Robert Andrew Gold and Amelia Elizabeth Ames purchased 9 Collins avenue and 12 Chapel avenue in Edgartown from Fiduciary Trust Co. Trs., David Ames Jr. Trs. and Ames Number Two Realty Trust for $285,000 on August 16.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: August 26
Shame on me, I missed the Fair!
Oak Bluffs Town Column: August 26
In some ways, this past week in Oak Bluffs has been a period of reviving old traditions and renewing old friendships.
Edgartown Town Column: August 26
We could not have asked for better weather over the past weekend.
Chilmark Town Column: August 26
Twenty-ish years ago we had one of the most enthusiastic summer helpers at the Texaco.
Chappaquiddick Town Column: August 26
If one stays in one place long enough, one is bound to lose things.
LUPC Recommends Public Hearing for Edgartown Affordable Housing Project
The scale of a project to develop 40 units of affordable housing in Edgartown led the land use planning subcommittee of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission to recommend a public hearing for the plan in front of the full commission.
Tabernacle Suits Withdrawn Against Oak Bluffs
The Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association has withdrawn both of the lawsuits it filed against Oak Bluffs this summer in response to town board decisions approving a planned roof replacement and 1,300 square-foot addition to the Tabernacle.
Getting Ready
Are hummingbirds really pugnacious? Many observers think so but I say they are not always feisty.
Serious Puttering
Working in Edgartown on Monday, we came away happily drenched.
Mimicry Masters
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, red-spotted purples live in praise of pipe vine swallowtails.
Town Meeting Vote Stays But Ballot Vote Optional for $26 Million Tisbury School Overrun
A two-thirds majority at the special town meeting Sept. 20 is still required to authorize issuing the additional $26 million in bonds.
Sailor Rescued After Hour Overboard
A sailor who fell overboard in the waters east of Chappaquiddick on August 22 was rescued by two members of the Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Boat S300.
Medalist Gives Lesson, Olympian Perspective to Island Skaters
At her lesson with the Martha’s Vineyard Figure Skating Club on August 22, Olympic bronze medalist Ashley Wagner began by breaking the tension, and the ice.
Nothing But Net When Building Bridges With Basketball
Competition will come second to community at the first annual Boys and Girls Jamboree basketball tournament this Saturday, hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Boys and Girls Club.
Committee Moves Wedding Venue Proposal to MVC
The proposal is to rent out the 9.6-acre property at 371 Edgartown-West Tisbury Road for wedding receptions and ceremonies up to 18 times per year, from late spring through early fall.
From Food and Rides to a Recycled Shark, Fair Captivates
West Tisbury was the place to be for the 160th annual Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair, where a blend of old and new kept crowds entertained from August 18 to 21.
Hutchins Forum Conversation Recasts Culture Wars
The 2022 Hutchins Forum brought a discussion of race and the American culture wars to the Old Whaling Church on August 18.
Standing Shoulder to Shoulder With Anna Deavere Smith
Award-winning playwright, actor and professor Anna Deavere Smith sees herself as a linking point between her subjects and the audiences for which she performs.
Grange Hall Film Fest Use Causes Tenant-Town Friction
The addition of a film festival to Grange Hall activities has led some in town hall to require a new special permit for the historic facility.
West Tisbury Considers Community Center at Howes House
Howes House in West Tisbury, home base for the Up-Island Council on Aging, would be a better place for old folks if it also served younger people, West Tisbury resident Susan Silk told the town select board on August 17.
Camp Ground Residents Organize for Change
Members of a newly formed leaseholders’ coalition want a change in Camp Meeting Association leadership and a vote in how the Camp Ground is managed. But the group is facing an uphill battle against more than a century and a half of past practice.
West Nile Found Again in Edgartown Mosquito Samples
For the second time this summer, the Massachusetts Department of Health has detected the presence of West Nile virus in mosquitoes collected in Edgartown.
Tisbury Begins Gutting School Gym, Finds Project Savings
The embattled Tisbury School renovation and addition project took another step forward this week when work began to gut the school gym.
Big Bridge Tragedy Triggers County Commission Efforts
Dukes County commissioners will seek to begin a dialogue with the state, Oak Bluffs and Edgartown about safety issues at the big bridge following the tragic deaths of brothers Tavaughn and Tavaris Bulgin last weekend.
