Here are 10 of the stories that most engaged Gazette readers in print and online in 2024.
1. Julie Harris, a visitor to the Island from Florida, died in an Oak Bluffs moped crash in August. Ms. Harris’s rental moped reportedly swerved into an oncoming car. Her coworkers remembered her as a sweet soul who was dedicated to nurturing women business leaders.
2. Jared Ravizza, who had been living on the Vineyard, was arrested on Memorial Day weekend after he allegedly killed a friend and two dogs in Connecticut, and went on to stab six people in Massachusetts.
3. Former Oak Bluffs fire Chief John Rose was arrested in January for allegedly taping a woman during sex without her consent. Mr. Rose was later charged with two counts of attempt to commit a crime.
4. The debate over size limits on homes was rekindled this year after a Chilmark home was listed available to rent at the cost of $1 million for four weeks. The record-breaking price tag added another chapter to the property, which prompted the so-called “big house bylaw” in Chilmark in 2013.
5. Cases of alpha-gal syndrome, which causes people to be allergic to red meat and other mammalian products, have skyrocketed this year, raising concerns among Islanders and public health officials.
6. A trio of winter storms whacked the Vineyard in late 2023 and early 2024, tearing away dunes and causing waves of destruction along the south shore. Edgartown declared a state of emergency to deal with the storms, but beaches were able to be built back somewhat.
7. Ronald Rappaport, a respected and ubiquitous attorney whose work and relationships cut across nearly every aspect of Island life, died unexpectedly in June. Friends and colleagues remembered him as a deft negotiator who helped protect the Island way of life.
8. A New York businessman acquired the trademark for Chilmark Chocolates, the beloved chocolate shop that closed in 2019. A website appeared with the intent to sell chocolate products, distressing the former owners.
9. The Beach Road music festival in 2023 ended up being the final version of the popular concert series on the Vineyard, after the producer announced he was taking heavy losses. The festival is expected to be revived at some point on Cape Cod.
10. A Vineyard Wind turbine blade broke in July, sending thousands of pieces of fiberglass and Styrofoam into the ocean. Most of the debris washed ashore on Nantucket, but the failure reignited debate about offshore wind energy off the Vineyard’s coast.
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