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
June 6, 2025
Regional High School Class of 2025 Celebrates Graduation Day
The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School graduating class of 2025 was welcomed to the Tabernacle on Sunday by family, friends and the wider Island community for the regional high school’s 66th commencement exercises.
Charter School Graduates Are a Dynamic Duo
A red carpet was rolled out on the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School grounds Saturday afternoon to celebrate its two graduating seniors: Morgan Caruso and Quinn Floyd.
West Tisbury Farmers’ Market Opens
The West Tisbury Farmers’ Market opened its 2025 season on Saturday morning at the Agricultural Hall, with over 40 local vendors setting up shop.
Community Awards Over $2 Million in Scholarships at Class Night
Graduating seniors were presented with over $1.2 million in scholarships from Island-wide organizations Friday evening during Class Night. The community also gave away $1,227,974 in post-grad scholarships.
Full Moon and Scorpius
The Summer Moon, the full moon of June, takes place on Wednesday. The Moon is moving through one of the southernmost zodiacal constellations Scorpius, the mythological scorpion. Throughout all of next week, the moon moves through the constellations of summer. Later in the week, the moon appears in Sagittarius. This brilliant moon will be a…
Steamboat Days
Em Elliott — the familiar form of Emulous C. (for Carter) Elliott — of Edgartown was talking the other day about his steamboat days.
Boys and Girls Tennis Earn Trips to Semifinals of State Tournament
In front of a roaring home crowd Thursday afternoon, both the Martha’s Vineyard boys’ and girls’ tennis teams punched their tickets to the state semifinals with convincing wins in the Elite Eight.
Class of 2025 Made Its Mark on the Community
When describing the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School class of 2025 one word immediately comes to mind for class advisors Erin Slossberg and Nell Coogan: resilience.
Charter School Graduates Two Seniors
Although the 2025 graduating class of Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School consists of only two students, their impact has been felt throughout the student body, according to Pete Steedman, the director of school.
Co-Valedictorians Found Inspiration by Working Together
Arianna Edelman and Avery Mulvey have been best friends since they were four years old, climbing trees, jumping rope and taking dance classes together. A few weeks ago as seniors in high school, the two were called into the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s front office where they learned they had the identical highest grade…
ICE Arrests Leaves Immigrant Community on Edge
The Island immigrant community is still reeling from the arrest of an unconfirmed number of undocumented Island residents, believed to be mostly Brazilians. And celebrating the life of an Oak Bluffs boy and an Island man.
Lessons From an Old Friend
Old age swaddled him like a heavy garment. I watched as without moving he reacted to the sounds and sights of things goings on around him.
Finding Inspiration in the Wisdom of Youth
I am sitting in my car in the parking lot of a nursing home in central New Jersey.
Too Much
This Island is a finite piece of ground. Before you, in the aggregate, are proposals to add at least 500 bedrooms to the finite Island.
Vineyard Bookshelf: Boy
The two young main characters in Nicole Galland’s boisterously winning new novel Boy are each at a kind of personal crossroads.
Remembering the Big One That Got Away
These days the Island is getting caught up in the excitement of the Jaws 50th anniversary. However, veteran Vineyard anglers still tell stories about a true denizen of the deep.
Historic Edgartown Storefront Hits the Market
The building at 37 Main street, currently home to the boutique Sole, is owned by the North Water Street Corporation and is one of the oldest storefronts in downtown Edgartown.
From Broadway to God’s Pocket
For more than 15 years, from the 1960s into the 1980s, Broadway and Hollywood costume designer Patricia Zipprodt was the owner of the 19th-century West Tisbury farmhouse, God’s Pocket, on the West Tisbury-Edgartown road.
Not Enough
The recent news reports concerning the trial use of second-generation biodiesel for the June through August runs of the Island Home is a small but encouraging step for the Steamship Authority.
West Tisbury Farmers’ Market Opens
The West Tisbury Farmer’s Market returns for its 51st year this upcoming weekend at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury.
Stillpoint to Host Wampanoag Climate Talk
Stillpoint will host a discussion on Sunday, June 22 entitled Wampanoag Voices: Enriching the Climate Conversation.
Baseball Is Back at the Shark Tank
The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks opened their 2025 season at the Shark Tank with an evening dedicated to youth baseball and softball.
Oak Bluffs Approves $30 Million for New Well, Water Storage Tank
Oak Bluffs voters this week took steps to help the town increase its water supply in the face of a looming shortage.
Principal Search Heads Off-Island After Muted Interest
The search for a new Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School principal will focus initially on off-Island candidates after none of the current Vineyard principals expressed interest in the job.
Politicians Push for More Information on ICE Arrests
U.S. Rep. William Keating is asking several federal agencies how many people were arrested on the Island, how they were targeted and if there was probable cause to detain them.
Temporary Agreement Struck in Cape Pogue Gate Spat
The Trustees of Reservations and a group of Chappaquiddick landowners have brokered a temporary peace as a state court considers the dispute over a gate blocking an oversand vehicle trail to the Trustees’ Cape Pogue properties. The Trustees, a nonprofit that manages miles of sandy trails on Chappy, filed a lawsuit against five Cape Pogue…
Welcome Raphael
Simone and Eliezer Barbosa, of Oak Bluffs, announce the birth of a son, Raphael Barbosa born on May 30 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Hello Vera
Nevena Sawyer and Nicholas Sawyer, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a daughter, Vera Margaret Sawyer, born on May 30 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Land Bank Revenues as of May 30
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $187,122 for the business week ending on Friday, May 30, 2025.
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending June 1
Amanda Zoref purchased 10 Rumpus Ridge Road in Chilmark from Harrison P. Kisiel and Caitlin G. Kane for $1,050,000 on May 29.
SSA Seeks to Ease Woods Hole Traffic During Terminal Work
The Steamship Authority is looking at ways to alleviate congestion in Woods Hole after weather cancellations paired with the terminal construction caused traffic jams last weekend.
Strong Winds
It’s been a particularly windy spring. I’m not a fan. I can take the cold rains and/or snow. I do not like hot and humid, but I can tolerate it.
Lucy Arrives
Ashley Killian and Brendan Karalekas, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a daughter, Lucy Ellis Karalekas, born on May 27 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
New Arrivals
Migrating shorebirds, seabirds, insect-eaters and sparrows arrive as June also arrives.
Muskrat Love
Ralph Waldo Emerson recognized that “to be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending June 6
I believe there is nowhere in the world where one is more conscious of the value of each day than in New England. It is a place that is steeped in tradition and rich in history and culture.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending June 6
We have had a lot of rain and wind, we have sun and warm weather upon us, but one thing we still have is pollen. It has been very high this season and a lot of people are feeling it.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending June 6
Has it truly been 11 weeks since we had an all-sunshine weekend? I know that it has rained at least a little every Saturday since early April, but I am not sure about the length of the string.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending June 6
“It took me quite a long time to develop a voice and now that I have it, I am not going to be silent.”
Girls Tennis Team Heads to Quarterfinals After Gutsy Win
The Martha’s Vineyard girls tennis team earned a trip to the quarterfinals in the Division 3 state tournament thanks to a gritty 3-2 win at home Thursday afternoon over Boston Latin Academy.
Gay Head Tribe Sues Over Offshore Wind Farm
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) joined a lawsuit last week that is attempting to nullify the approvals of New England Wind off the Vineyard’s shores.
Boys Tennis Sweeps; Heads to Quarterfinals
The Vineyard boys tennis team continued its dominant postseason run Monday afternoon with a commanding 5-0 victory over Groton-Dunstable in the round of 16.
Feel the Vibe
The new MV Vibe Fest is coming to Alley Waban Park this summer.
ICE Leaves Island Immigrant Community on Edge
Several Island immigrants said members of their community are full of fear, and, whether they have the proper documentation or not, some are opting to stay home instead of going to work and school.
Island Community Gathers to Honor Life and Legacy of Ron Rappaport
The Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury was standing-room only on Saturday afternoon as the Island celebrated the life of Ronald H. Rappaport, who died suddenly in June 2024.
Boys Tennis Sweeps as Playoffs Begin
The boys tennis team defeated Gloucester in first-round play, sweeping them 5-0. Boys lacrosse hosted Monty Tech, but the Vineyarders couldn’t overcome a wave of injuries, falling 11-7.
