Dylan Thomas
The birds of the winged trees flying my name Above the farms and the white horses I rose in rainy autumn And walked abroad in a shower of all my days. – Dylan Thomas
June 26, 2009
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has two beautiful cats who need homes: Star, a two-plus-year-old spayed female calico who has had all her shots; and Luna, a long-haired lovely black and white three-year-old female, who is also spayed and has had all her shots.
Dogs available for…
Selectmen Tasked With Recovery of Obscured Views at Tashmoo
The task of finding a solution to the gradual disappearance of the view from the Tashmoo overlook was firmly dropped back in the laps of the selectmen by the town’s conservation commission this week.
The commission told a small group of people concerned about the view that it would not attempt to force…
Oak Bluffs Fuel Spill Goes Unreported for Three Days
A fuel truck making a delivery to Jim’s Package store in Oak Bluffs on Friday spilled an undetermined amount of gasoline near Nancy’s Restaurant along the harbor. The spill was not reported to town or state officials until three days later.
Pet Blessing
Pet Blessing
Father Nagle of the Good Shepherd Parish will be conducting a blessing of pets, with Plum TV filming on site, when Island animal lovers celebrate pets on Saturday, June 27, from noon to 2 p.m. at Sunset Park in Oak Bluffs.
There will be an open house the same…
Island Broker Receives Green Realty Designation
Jean Kelleher of Kelleher Real Estate has become the first Island broker to be awarded the National Association of Realtors’ new green designation. She completed a course giving participants comprehensive knowledge of green homes and buildings and issues of sustainability.
Ms. Kelleher was trained in understanding what makes a property green, to help…
Consumer Price Watch
Gas
Prices for regular unleaded gas as of June 23:
Edgartown
Airport Mobil $3.399 Depot Corner $3.399
Edgartown Mobil $3.459
Oak Bluffs
deBettencourt’s $3.359
Jim’s $3.379
Vineyard Haven
Citgo $3.359
Tisbury Shell $3.459
…
Great Job, Chris
Great Job, Chris
Christopher Brennan Francis Post of West Tisbury was among 418 members of the class of 2009 to earn degrees from Wheaton College in Norton, Mass., on May 16. Mr. Post graduated with a bachelor of arts in psychobiology.
Sophomores Speak Out
The end of another school year is a bittersweet process. This is our final Sophomores Speak Out. We are reflecting on our history class, and what we will take with us on our journey as students and as people. Students start summer jobs, study for finals and get ready for the long wait of summer…
Commission Had Ample Data on Cape Wind
A recent Vineyard Gazette article reported a legal challenge by the Cape Cod Commission to the certificate of environmental impact and public interest issued to Cape Wind by the unanimous vote of the Energy Facilities Siting Board (EFSB).
On Alligators (from Safe Distance)
Alligators like to eat marshmallows, although they shouldn’t. Alligators also like to eat turtles because they are crunchy outside, but soft and chewy inside. Clearly, alligators have good taste and undoubtedly, 50 years ago when Alley’s General Store carried penny candy, alligators would have been in seventh heaven there. Alligators are not, however, voracious eaters…
Gazette Chronicle: Shine On
Shine On
From a June, 1950 Gazette edition:
A retrospect of prohibition days on Martha’s Vineyard brings to light certain annals not unlike those familiar to the nation at large. It was inevitable that an Island conveniently situated off the coast and accessible from the sea would be involved in some…
Human Spirit Cries in Cradle of Civilization
God is great!
Letters to the Editor
Tilton House
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Hello. I am wondering if anyone could send me some photos of the Tilton house as it looks today. Our family tree goes back to the late Benjamin S. Tilton of Chilmark.
Paul Tilton (fourhounds@att.net)
Apache Junction, Ariz.
•
POOR…
As Sophomores Turn to Juniors
As Sophomores Turn to Juniors
End of the Boom
End of the Boom
So more evidence of the change in the Vineyard’s real estate market is emerging, with Island banks reporting brisk refinancing activity that brings good and bad news for banks, homeowners and our towns.
Whaling Captain’s Home Opens As Summer Designer Showcase
In the past few decades, the only way to spiff up an antique captain’s house was to sell it to a millionaire and have the buyer’s workmen attack it with pick-axes and bulldozers. But something very different and refreshing is happening to the 1840 Captain Thomas Mellen house on Main street, Edgartown, designed by master…
Cronig’s Market Banishes Styrofoam from Shelves
To reduce its environmental impact, Cronig’s Market has teamed up with Eco MV to replace all its styrofoam packaging. Styrofoam is a byproduct of petroleum and has a landfill life of over 3,000 years, and while it has been touted as a light and well-insulating material, more sustainable alternatives abound. For Cronig’s Market, the more…
Best of the Vineyard
Best of the Vineyard
Martha’s Vineyard Magazine hosted its 2009 Best of the Vineyard awards party at Mediterranean Restaurant in Oak Bluffs last night.
Close to 1,500 readers of the magazine went online to vote this year, and awards were presented to winners in 75 categories, from Best Burger to Best…
Wet, Stormy June Has Islanders Contemplating Sunless Summer
A classic northeaster early this week on top of an unusually wet and gray June left Islanders wondering if they would ever see the sun again. From Monday through Wednesday an offshore ocean storm spun 200 miles southeast of Nantucket, bringing sustained wind, ruining outdoor events and keeping sailors on dry land.
Meteorologists…
Wildflower Volunteers
The New England Wildflower Society will hold an informational meeting about their Plant Conservation Volunteer program at the Polly Hill Arboretum on Tuesday, June 30 from noon to 2 p.m. Learn about becoming a citizen scientist and monitoring rare plant sites in the region. Volunteers survey known rare plant populations, manage invasive plants, and participate in a…
Critics Assail, Owner Defends Home Planned at Pond’s Edge
With rising concern over the health of Sengekontacket Pond, an application to build near the shore of the pond may fail where others, grander in scale and more intrusive in scope, have succeeded.
The latest in a series of town conservation commission hearings on a plan by John Lacroix to build a modest…
Goose-About-Oak Bluffs Finds Temporary Home at Bird Park
A wandering domesticated goose that has been a frequent visitor on Circuit avenue in Oak Bluffs lately has been rescued and placed in a new home — at least for the time being — with Island naturalist Augustus (Gus) Ben David 2nd at his World of Reptiles and Bird Park in Edgartown.
Help Wanted? Not This Year
A flood of foreign workers, a sagging economy and terrible weather have combined to create a turnabout in the Vineyard summer job market: too many workers and not enough work.
Employers across the Island report that they have many job applicants but far fewer jobs to offer this year as they tighten their…
The Six Hundred Million Dollar Plan
Of course, when you are working on the largest cooperative project in the history of marine biology, a 10-year, $600 million census of all the world’s marine life, you need to know something about the tax regime in 14th century Czarist Russia.
Let professor Jesse Ausubel, cofounder of the project, explain.
Vineyard Fishermen Win Sector in Fisheries Management Overhaul
Vineyard commercial fishermen scored a key win in the struggle keep them from being squeezed out of the groundfish industry yesterday when the New England Fishery Management Council voted to adopt the sector system, granting the Vineyard its own sector.
The vote came after three days of meeting in Portland, Me. The meeting…
Falling Values Hit Real Estate
Historic low interest rates that have led to a flood of mortgage refinancings in recent months have by accident exposed a marked trend of slumping property values on the Vineyard.
In roughly 75 per cent of June home reappraisals conducted on behalf of Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank, the Island’s largest lender, properties were…
Vineyard Conservation Society Meets Tuesday
This Tuesday, June 30, the Vineyard Conservation Society’s annual meeting will be held at the Wakeman Conservation Center off Lambert’s Cove Road in Vineyard Haven at 5:30 p.m. The society will have an opportunity to preview the New Views of Ocean Life Census of Marine Life program, a highly ambitious endeavour that began in 2000…
East Chop
RICK HERRICK
508-693-8065
(herricklr@verizon.net)
East Chop said goodbye to Ray Howick last Saturday night at the tennis club. The rain held off, the club looked great, all clean with new lighting, and the large crowd was enthusiastic about celebrating the life of this fine man.
Starship Adventure Blasts Into Vineyard Haven Library
The Vineyard Haven library’s summer reading program for children of all ages begins June 30. This year’s theme is starship adventure, in celebration of the 40th anniversary of the first man landing on the moon. Children are encouraged to visit the library and sign up, keep a log of books read and attend programs, such…
Memorial for Shelton Bank
Memorial for Shelton Bank
A celebration of the life of Shelton Bank of West Tisbury will be held on Sunday, June 28 at 3:30 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury. There will be a memorial program and potluck supper. All are welcome. Mr. Bank died Jan. 12 at the age of…
West Tisbury Church Hosts Annual Strawberry Festival
The West Tisbury Congregational Church, on the corner of State Road and Music street, is hosting the 21st Annual Strawberry Festival this Saturday, June 27, from noon to 4 p.m.
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
June 19 66 60 .46
June 20 68 59 .03
June 21 73 60 Trace
June 22 64 57 .02
June 23 60 57 .19
June 24 63 57 .11
June 25 67 60 .01
…
Chappy
JO-ANN TILGHMAN
508-627-7669
(tilghmanjb@aol.com)
It certainly seems as though there should be something more important to write about than the weather, but spring passed with more gray, misty days than anyone would care to count and thus far this summer (all five days of it) the weather continues to…
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
Can you believe that the Fourth of July is next weekend and we have only seen about three days of sun? Everyone is hoping that things will clear and the festivities can go off without a care.
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
(alleys@vineyard.net)
Our weather records tell us that this has been the coldest and rainiest June in 75 years and we still have four days to go! People continue to arrive for their vacation and hope the weather turns into summer. Starting on Wednesday the crunch…
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
This gloomy June is almost over. Chilmark has been in and out of sun and mostly under damp fog and rain all month. Gardens must be thriving and the roadsides are so lush and overgrown that they seem to be trying to encompass the…
Aquinnah
JUNE MANNING
508-645-2574
(lthslnks@gis.net)
Trying to find a summer rental on the Vineyard is still a daunting task.
Moon and Saturn
Tomorrow night’s crescent moon appears under the bright planet Saturn. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Leo. Saturn is the ringed planet and looks great through a telescope. Anyone with a powerful scope will have no trouble pointing it toward the planet and the moon.
Bravo, Michelle
Bravo, Michelle
Stonehill College recently named Edgartown resident Michelle S. Alton, a member of the class of 2011, to its dean’s list for the spring 2009 semester.
Film Festival Bringing The Circus to Chilmark
A new program for kids — Cinema Circus — is coming from the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival. The children’s cinema offerings will precede the festival’s established summer film series screenings at 8 p.m. every Wednesday in July and August at the Chilmark Community Center.
Children’s Theatre Begins Monday at Sailing Camp
Island Theatre Workshop’s long-running summer program, Children’s Theatre, begins on Monday, June 29 and runs through Friday, August 21 at the Sailing Camp park on Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs,
Guitarist Jon Zeeman Plays at Featherstone
Musical Mondays at Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs start this Monday, June 29, at 6:30 p.m. with renowned guitarist Jon Zeeman and Friends. The rolling hills at the Featherstone campus create a natural amphitheatre, an ideal environment to enjoy a picnic while absorbing the sounds of Mr. Zeeman’s funk, jazz and blues…
Library Quest
Library Quest
A quest launching party will be held at the Chilmark Public Library on Saturday, June 27, from noon to 5 p.m. A quest is a treasure hunt designed to connect people with a place: its details, stories and history. The Library Quest and the Village Quest were done in collaboration with…
Community Center Opens
Community Center Opens
The Chilmark Community Center will be opening for the season on July 1. Registration will take place on Tuesday, June 30 from 9 a.m. to noon. As always, the center has a full range of activities for all age groups both morning and evenings. Chilmark and Aquinnah residents should look…
Featherstone Flea Market Postponed Until June 30
The rainy and windy weather last Tuesday postponed the start of Featherstone Center for the Arts’ 4th Annual Flea and Fine Arts Market. The market will officially begin on Tuesday, June 30, from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Over ninety vendors will showcase fine art, folk art, photography, pottery, sculpture, jewelry, clothing, accessories, flowers, vintage…
New Exhibition at the Carol Craven Gallery
The Carol Craven Gallery has announced a new exhibition, featuring painters Derek Buckner, John Evans and Ben Shattuck, and sculptor Gary Mottau, running from June 24 to July 3.
Documentary Looks at Holocaust Survivors
This Sunday evening the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center’s Summer Institute screens a powerful documentary, Four Seasons Lodge: Survival of the Joyous, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 at the door.
In 1979, nearly 100 German and Polish survivors of Nazi death camps created a sprawling retreat in New York’s Catskill Mountains, calling it…
June 19: Overcast, Gray Day
Friday, June 19: Overcast, gray day. High humidity. Downtown Water street Vineyard Haven is bustling with pedestrian traffic in the afternoon. Clouds lighten. Brief sunshine. Clouds thicken late.
Two Great Choreographers at The Yard
A concert of new work by Michelle Mola and Dudley Brooks, two innovative choreographers chosen from an international pool of over 100 applicants, opens this weekend at the Yard on Middle Road in Chilmark.
Mr. Brooks’ work has a sense of the ridiculous; he’s funny. This weekend, Brooks will premiere D was a…
Hebrew Center Hosts Palestinian Peacemaker
Palestinian interfaith expert Aziz Abu Sarah, a peace building practitioner of 10 years, will offer a first-hand perspective on the prospects for a negotiated, two-state resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role activists can play in achieving it at 7 p.m. on Friday, June 26, free at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on Centre…
Art Every Day
Art Every Day
Featherstone Center for the Arts is pleased to announce a new arts program for children. Art Every Day for children entering grades 1-6 will begin Monday, June 29 and will continue each week through the week of August 17. Art Every Day will be offered Monday through Friday from 2…
Fly Soars at the Vineyard Playhouse
“Gentlemen, I am tickled pink to be instructing you colored fliers,” announces white Captain O’Hurley (Joe Forbrich) to his black World War II aviation cadets, in a voice dripping more sarcasm than the crankcase of a P-40 Warhawk extrudes oil. In truth, at the time that the first black airmen were trained at Tuskegee Army…
Fifteen Years Later, Gallery Owner Nancy Shaw Cramer Still Innovating
M ost people are familiar with the adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” Stick to what works. Don’t take unnecessary risks.
It’s a bit of advice that Nancy Shaw Cramer has chosen happily to ignore throughout her career.
Making choices and changes, even riskier ones, has been vital to…
The Fishermen
By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL
Fishing boats are back out in Vineyard Sound, after what has been a long stretch of really bad weather, not just on the land, on the water.
The Menemsha fleet returned to fishing for fluke on Wednesday, after being kept shoreside since last weekend because of the…
Hot Diggety Dog
It is absolutely not true that I am not a dog lover.
My favorite dogs in the woods, though, are the dogwoods, those flowering beauties whose bark is worse than their bite. And, contrary to canines, you can teach an old dogwood a new trick: that of fantastic flowering each year, and pollen…
The Vineyard Gardener
By LYNNE IRONS
Shearwater
The Vineyard weather has been the pits, so I hear. I flew to Florida to join Flip to bring our boat back to the Vineyard. While you have been under gray skies and drizzle, we have been running in hot and humid weather. The temperatures inside the boat have hovered around 93 degrees. The water…
