Edgar Allan Poe
For the night, tho’ clear, shall frown And the stars shall look not down, From their high thrones in the Heaven, With light like Hope to mortals given. – Edgar Allan Poe
October 30 2026
Vineyard Skies: Jupiter, Mars, Regulus
The best astronomical show is taking place now and in the early morning sky. Whether you stay up late, past 1 o’clock, or rise early well before the sunrise, look up.
Carl Siktberg Service
Carl Siktberg‘s memorial service will be held on Friday, Nov. 20 at 11 a.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church of Springfield, with a luncheon to follow.
Gary Williams, 73
Gary M. Williams, of Edgartown, died on Oct. 21 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was 73.
Falmouth Academy Open House
Falmouth Academy will host an open house on Saturday, Nov. 7 from 1 to 3 p.m., to welcome prospective students and their families to explore the school’s academic programs, and meet faculty and students.
Recent Real Estate Transactions: Week Ending Oct. 23
Damaris and Matthew Hanson purchased 130 Vineyard Meadow Farms Road in West Tisbury for $1,100,000.
No on Question 7
The Massachusetts real estate lobby, responsible for squashing legislation to fund affordable housing through transfer fees on high end real estate sales (Vineyard Gazette, August 7, 2026), is the money behind Question 7 on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Donald Willoughby, 83
Donald E. Willoughby (Don), 83, of Centerville, died on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Cape Cod Hospital. He was 83.
Dr. James Kehler, 89
Dr. James Stewart Kehler, of Annapolis, Md., died on Oct. 2 at home, surrounded by family. He was 89.
Dorothy Underwood, 99
Dorothy Ellen Bruce Underwood, of Oak Bluffs, died at home on Sept. 20, She was 99.
Lucille Ann Joel, 88
Lucille Ann Joel, an Edgartown summer resident for over 55 years, died on Oct. 13 at Villa Marie Claire in Saddle River, N.J. She was 88 years old.
Robert Sheldon Dietz, 76
Robert Sheldon Dietz (Robbie) of Menemsha, and Warm Springs, Va., died on Oct. 2, after a brief battle with metastatic liver cancer. He was 76.
Margaret (Meg) Burke
Margaret “Meg” (Silva) Burke, of Edgartown, died unexpectedly on Oct. 18. She was 56.
John Kevin Carroll, 88
John Kevin Carroll, formerly of Oak Bluffs, died in the care and comfort of his family on Oct. 15. He was 88.
Allen Patrick Carney, 76
Allen Patrick Carney, of Boston and Aquinnah, died Oct. 6 at Tufts Medical Center in Boston.
Rock Opera Has Many Vineyard Roots
A new rock opera that debuted this week at the American Repertory Theatre in Cambridge has strong Vineyard ties.
Wild Winds
It has been a slow week, with not a lot of migrating birds to report due to the incredibly windy weather.
Mahjong Thanks
What a wonderful day of mahjong, friendship, and community spirit. On Oct. 17, MV Center for Living hosted its first annual mahjong tournament at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury.
With Respect
To quote Einstein: “Nothing is more destructive to the respect for the government and the laws of the land than the passing of laws which can not be enforced.”
Every Single Vote Is Essential for Democracy
Some mornings, the news doesn’t arrive as a series of events. It arrives as an accumulation. One revelation follows another.
Halloween Happens
From the October 27, 1995 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: To a number of Vineyard residents, Halloween is no small observance. At Shirley’s Hardware in Vineyard Haven, the staff treat the annual day of Hallow’s Eve as a big event.
Magazine Names New Editor
Nicole Fullin has been named editor of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine, the 41-year-old award-winning magazine owned by the Vineyard Gazette Media Group.
West Tisbury Town Column: Oct. 30
This mid-fall interval is one of exceptional darkness and light. Halloween speaks for itself. (Boo, it says.)
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Oct. 30
Snickers is my favorite candy bar. I have already finished one bag of them all by myself waiting for Halloween.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Oct. 30
Long time Vineyard resident Fletcher “Flash” Wiley was posthumously awarded the W.E.B. Du Bois Medal by the Hutchins Center for African American Research at Harvard University.
Edgartown Town Column: Oct. 30
It is official, we can turn the heat on. Of course, this week we have had great sun, and it is warm.
Chilmark Town Column: Oct. 30
I must admit I have been somewhat remiss in keeping my finger on the pulse of town these past few days.
Chappy Town Column: Oct. 30
If you were unavailable to attend Alex Schaeffer’s fire emergency preparedness talk, check out the Chappaquiddick Island Association website for the recording.
Cutting Back
Sunday morning on a trip up-Island, I noticed the remains of the previous night’s frost. It still clung to the shady areas of the open fields.
Steamship Considers Outside Assessment of New Reservation System
The Steamship Authority is looking to bring in an outside company to see if its plan to roll out a new reservation system is plausible over the next year.
Edgartown Cove 40B Housing Project Sent to MVC
The Edgartown zoning board of appeals referred plans for a new housing development to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission this week despite the developer’s assertion that the Islandwide planning agency shouldn’t have jurisdiction over the project.
Haunted House Is a Frightful Passion
For two weeks in late October, Martha’s Vineyard Screenprinting shuts down their normal operations to prepare for a distinctly different business venture: a haunted house. It will be open on Oct. 30 and 31.
Jaws Memorabilia Auction
An auction of Jaws memorabilia will take place at the Willow Auction House in Lincoln Park, N.J.
Islanders to Cast Their Ballots at Midterm Elections
Islanders will weigh in on the governor’s race, Massachusetts’ federal representation in Washington, D.C. and an array of ballot questions at the midterm elections next week.
Halloween Horrors at Ghost Island Farm
Rusty Gordon, who owns Ghost Island Farm, was still hard at work on this week adding the final touches to his annual Halloween display.
Cross Country Team Wins League Championship
The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys cross country team won the Cape & Islands League Championship last weekend.
Island Housing Projects Get Funding Boost
On Tuesday, Governor Maura Healey announced $2 million in Seasonal Communities Grant Program awards to support housing and infrastructure in 24 seasonal Massachusetts towns, with more than $400,000 going to the Island.
Harbor Homes Names New Shelter Director
With the Harbor Homes overnight winter shelter set to open for the season this weekend, the Island homelessness nonprofit announced today the arrival of a new shelter director.
Pet Parrot Escape Has a Happy Ending
In early October Coco the parrot escaped from his home in West Tisbury. Five days later, he was rescued by a fourth grader at the Tisbury School.
Vineyard Golfer Shines at State Tournament
Jacoby Light shot a 78 at Monday’s state golf tournament, earning him a 17th place tie for his round at Franklin Country Club.
New Appeal Asks About Cape Pogue Trail Permits
A new appeal from a Chappaquiddick land owner is questioning if The Trustees of Reservations has the proper permits for its oversand vehicle trails on Cape Pogue.
Sheriff’s Meadow Receives Its Largest Land Acquisition
This week, the Vineyard Open Land Foundation gifted 335 acres of land to the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation in what marks the largest conservation land acquisition in the organization’s history.
Aquinnah Split on Best Course of Action for Circle Properties
The Aquinnah select board this week debated the best way to consider the future of two high profile properties along the Aquinnah Circle.
Council on Aging Highlights Needs for the Howes House
The Up-Island Council on Aging is warning town officials that deteriorating infrastructure and a growing need for services could necessitate improvements or even a new location for the council’s headquarters.
State Police Suspend Two Troopers in Relation to Rape Investigation
A pair of state police troopers have been pulled off duty in connection with investigation into an alleged rape at police housing in Oak Bluffs.
