JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
If you are superstitious, sprinkle a little salt over your left shoulder before reading today’s column. It sure has been quiet in town since the holidays. Not much traffic in the evening, we have had a few cold nights, no skating at all, folks are going away on vacation. We are heading into a long weekend, as Monday is Martin Luther King Day so the school, post office and all town buildings will be closed.
Our daughter, Nicole, gave birth to a baby boy last Friday at the Providence Lying-in Hospital (now known as Women & Infants Hospital). His name is Robert John Hambardzumian, named after both of his grandfathers. Mother and son were discharged on Sunday. They are now back home in East Taunton. Grandma Anna was with Nicole helping out before the birth and is staying on for a few days. Sam and I went up to be with them over the weekend and see my grandchild. Sam was reminded that he was an Uncle Sam more than once.
Old friend John Mayhew passed away at the hospital Tuesday morning. In addition to serving the town as a selectman and member of the Finance Committee, he was a veteran of WWII. Our sincere condolences to his wife, Shirley, and family.
Shanti Blum of Music street returned home last week after spending six weeks with her children. First she went down to New Jersey and visited with her daughter Leslie and family, then she went up to Toronto, Canada to visit her daughter Michelle, her husband and their family. She reports having a wonderful time at both locations and at a number of cultural events.
Judy Hall of Pond Road and Oklahoma City reports that her husband, Malcolm, has been busy planning their vegetable garden and has started growing plants indoors in their Oklahoma City home to bring to the Vineyard. He is growing two different types of okra plants this year so he can transplant them immediately upon arrival. He knows Bob Ganz had a good crop of okra last year in his garden but lacked recipes so he will share them if Bob shows him how he grows them from seed. He also reports that Judy just returned from Bethany Beach, Del., were she attended the annual Carmen Miranda midwinter art festival last week.
Sal Laterra of Providence arrived on Wednesday to visit with Phyllis Meras at her Music Street home. It is his first Vineyard visit of the New Year and he plans to be here more often this year.
Arsen Hambardzumian arrived on Tuesday to do a number of septic inspections in Oak Bluffs and Vineyard Haven.
Cynthia Riggs of Edgartown-West Tisbury Road reports that she has begun to plan her 25th annual Groundhog Day party at the Cleaveland House. Her party is also viewed by many as the kickoff of the local political season.
An old friend and a “summer person” for decades, Peter Ochs has been ill in Vienna, Austria, his winter home, for the past few months. He reports that he is slowly recovering and would appreciate hearing, via e-mail, from his Vineyard friends and neighbors; his address is oxmark@chello.at
Tara Whiting, town clerk, reminds you that the census forms you will be receiving in the mail shortly need to be filled out and returned to the chairman of the board of registrars, so that your name will remain on the voting list, as the presidential primary will be held in March.
The Martha’s Vineyard Democratic Council will meet tomorrow morning from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at the Howes House. There will be a discussion about town caucus times next month. Mary Jane Sorrentino, trained by the Gore Climate Change Project, will be speaking about the causes of climate change, how it is affecting New England and particularly our coastal areas, and what responses our communities can make. Ms. Sorrentino lives in Providence and is a sustainability consultant helping non-profits, small businesses, schools and other organizations/individuals reduce their environmental impact.
Ellen Weiss, a longtime summer resident, has authored the book, Robert R. Taylor and Tuskegee, with a forward by Henry Louis Gates Jr., another summertime resident. A New York Times book review is scheduled for this morning’s paper. Holly Nadler will also review it for the Gazette. Congratulations!
Lynne Ditchfield reports that the Winter/Spring catalog from Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) offers over 60 classes and seminars. Classes start Jan. 21 with registration available now, online and by mail, or in person Tuesday or Wednesday at the regional school from 4:30 to 6 p.m. in the lobby. All Thursday evening ACE MV classes at the school offer free child care.
Jennifer Tseng, over at the library, reports that on Jan. 26 at 4:30 p.m. author Cynthia Riggs and photographer Lynn Christoffers will be talking about their new book, “Victoria Trumbull’s Martha’s Vineyard.” It is a different kind of tour book, an insider’s guide to the Island. Ms. Riggs takes visitors, old hands, and fans of the Martha’s Vineyard mystery series to some of the places where much of the action is set in her novels, and where some of the (fictional) bodies are found. The book also includes poems by the late Dionis Coffin Riggs, on whom Victoria Trumbull is based.
Also, until Feb. 1, the library will be accepting nominations for the new West Tisbury Poet Laureate. Nomination forms are available there and will require the nominator’s name and information along with the nominee’s name and contact information. Finally, on Saturday, Jan. 21 at 3:30 p.m., Michael Hopper from the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition will be giving a talk about dam removal projects and funding sources and grants for such projects. The event is free and open to the public.
Danielle Bailey reports that artist Margot Datz will present Re-energizing in the New Year for the Martha’s Vineyard Women’s Network next Tuesday. The talk had to be cancelled this week due to illness. Datz is well-known for her murals and is the author/artist of the book, A Survival Guide for Landlocked Mermaids. The program will be held at the Baylies Room of the Old Whaling Church. Registration is from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
On Jan. 15, 1948, an article was placed on the next month’s annual town meeting warrant that was sure to generate a lot of discussion. The proposal sought approval to build a new schoolhouse. There were two lots offered to the voters by the building committee: the “Cottle property” in North Tisbury and a lot on the east side of the state highway in the village. The purchase of either of those lots was being considered only because it was felt the existing school lot was much too small. Each classroom would accommodate four grades, a teacher’s room, two lavatories, storage and closet space. The estimated cost of the building, unfurnished, was reported to be $43,000.00-- the largest single expense in the history of the town to that point.
Happy birthday to Brian Athearn, Joe Eldridge and Pierce Kirby III today; Barbara Day, Mal Jones, Astrea Young, Mary Orcutt and John Mancuso tomorrow; Richard Lee, Butch Downs, Kelly Smith Robertson, Bob Luskin and Tara Kenny on Sunday; Jordan Clements, Jane Rossi and Paul Jackson on Monday; Wendy Benedetto, Dr. Judith Fisher and Dan Serusa Tuesday; Eleanor Dale Neubert, Chris Fielder and Hannah Maxner on Wednesday; Patty Linn, Roy Hope, Debra Swanson and Liz Branch on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Kern Grimes, Jennifer Cloer Garcia and Sam Arruda. Happy anniversary to Manny and Jessica Estrella on Monday. Belated wishes go to Dan and Beth Serusa.
Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. Please call or e-mail me with your news. Have a good week.
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