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
December 5, 2008
News Update: Saturday, December 6 – Vineyarders Lose Heartbreaker To Amesbury
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Playing With Dreams: New Book On Acting from the Inside Out
Explore Your Dreams by Acting them Out. By John Lipsky. Larson Publications, 208 pages. Softcover, $16.95.
DREAMING TOGETHER: Explore Your Dreams by Acting them Out. By John Lipsky. Larson Publications, 208 pages. Softcover, $16.95.
Prize-winning playwright, director, and professor of drama at Boston University, Jon Lipsky has been pioneering for decades in…
Announcing Ava
Announcing Ava
Laura and Daniel Townes of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Ava Spencer Townes, born on Nov. 28, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Ava weighed seven pounds, ten ounces.
Deployed Overseas
Deployed Overseas
Army National Guard Sgt. Christopher C. Willis has been mobilized and activated for deployment overseas to a forward operating base in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Sgt. Willis graduated from Martha Vineyard Regional High School in 1999. The sergeant, a military policeman with 10 years of military service, is normally assigned…
Shotgun Deer Season Opens Favorably
A two-week shotgun hunting season for deer opened on Monday, and state public safety and wildlife officials report a strong turnout of hunters and large number of deer being taken.
Hunting is allowed from a half hour before sunrise to a half hour after sunset, and continues through Saturday, Dec. 13.
As…
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Nov. 27 47 31 .02
Nov. 28 46 30 Trace
Nov. 29 54 30 .04
Nov. 30 45 25 .00
Dec. 1 56 37 .87
Dec. 2 59 43 Trace
Dec. 3 50 28 .00
Dec.…
Artisans Offer Gifts for Sale and for Food Pantry
Island-designed items worth well over $1,000 comprise the prize in a raffle to benefit the Island Food Pantry. This collection has been handmade by Vineyarders who are part of the Artisans Gift Gallery at 18 State Road, Vineyard Haven, the former home of the Belushi Pisano Gallery. The kick-off for the fundraiser will be the…
Chappy
MARGARET KNIGHT
508-627-8894
(margaret02539@yahoo.com)
As we approach the darkest time of the year — when we’re ready for dinner at 4:30, and bed a little later — the Chappaquiddick Community Center has some social events planned to keep us cheerful, our bellies full, and in touch with our neighbors.
Feast on French Toast — For the Sake of Children
Bring you family and friends to have breakfast for dinner on Sunday, Dec. 7, when Garden Gate Child Development Center will be holding a breakfast for dinner fundraiser at the ArtCliff Diner in Vineyard Haven.
From 5 to 8:30 p.m., diners will be able to choose from a few of the ArtCliff’s delicious…
Chappy Bike Path Plan Stirs Debate
Editor’s Note: Under discussion for 30 years, a Chappaquiddick bike path is on the drawing board again. An application has been filed with the Edgartown Community Preservation Committee for funds, and an active debate is now under way on the separated island about the pros and cons of a bike path. What follows is a…
An Island Hooked on Real Estate Sales
Sometimes the juxtaposition of two appar ently unrelated stories provides more incisive commentary than the best editorial or op-ed. Take the front page of last Friday’s Vineyard Gazette.
Letters to the Editor
WORTH FIGHTING FOR
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
I’m writing in response to your Nov. 21 editorial titled Educating Children Early.
Coming Home, But Not Alone
We drove down the driveway, turned right so that we could see the front of the house one last time, and then the dam broke. The tears and the deep breaths and the attempt to control all well-intentioned behavior was for naught. The house looked so empty. The grounds were just beginning to look like winter…
Zen and the Art of Splitting Wood
Zen and the Art of Splitting Wood
This is the time of year when the woodpile beckons. Stacked, split logs of nicely seasoned oak are the outdoor version of putting food by for the winter — like jars of canned summer tomatoes, or jam made with the frozen berries that were picked in…
Cinderella Legislators
Cinderella Legislators
In these long nights of December, lawmakers far away from the Vineyard are busy with what they call midnight regulation, changes that would affect our lives and livelihoods. President Bush calls it sprinting to the finish of his final term. He also calls it “working to enact a wide array of…
The Dark Side of the Island
The Dark Side of the Island
Party at the Ag Hall
Party at the Ag Hall
West Tisbury’s annual holiday party will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9, from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Agricultural Hall. All are welcome.
As usual, main dishes are provided, but appetizers, side dishes, desserts and beverages are potluck. Bring a dish and lots of good…
Welcome, Ethan
Welcome, Ethan
Jennifer and Stephen Knight of West Tisbury announce the birth of a son, Ethan Henry Knight, born on Nov. 27, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Ethan weighed five pounds, fifteen ounces at birth.
Announcing Kevin
Announcing Kevin
Daniela and Walter Pinto of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Kevin Pacheco Pinto, born on Nov. 27, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Kevin weighed seven pounds, four ounces at birth.
Welcome Eva
Welcome Eva
Janelle and Gilmar Coelho of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Eva Julianna Coelho, born on Nov. 20 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Eva weighed eight pounds at birth and joins big sister Elayna.
Vineyard Haven
NANCY GARDELLA
508-693-3308
(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)
Congratulations to two new American citizens who studied very hard and passed their tests: Joalson Cardoso who became a citizen on Oct. 23, and Ana Maria Cecilio who passed her test on Nov. 24. Both are pleased and proud and looking forward to voting in…
Oak Bluffs
HOLLY NADLER
508-274-2329
(sunporch@vineyard.net)
If you live or walk or get lost near a wooded area at this time of year, you’re bound to hear the distant (or worse, not so distant) blam! of gunfire. This is especially disconcerting when you realize you’re wearing earth-tone clothes, and you recall…
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
The sky this week gave us a beautiful show. The crescent moon and the planets Jupiter and Venus were very prominent. Monday night was the best night and the first things you saw when you looked up.
Family to Family
Family to Family
On Friday, Dec. 12, the Serving Hands Program and the Family-to-Family Program hand out Christmas dinners. As in the past, the group will provide all the ingredients for a wonderful holiday.
Distribution to income-qualified Islander will take place at the First Baptist Church parish house, on William street…
Moon and Planets
The performance of the crescent moon, Venus and Jupiter drew a lot of attention on Monday night. The three celestial objects formed a perfect triangle, close together, high in the western sky after sunset. Anyone outside couldn’t miss the show as it lasted until all three set in the west. Venus is brighter than Jupiter.
Athenaeum Collects Islander’s Images
Vineyard Haven native Marshall Pratt recently sold just over 20 photographs to the Boston Athenaeum, an achievement made all the more impressive by the fact that the photographer is just over 20 years old.
Mr. Pratt is a junior at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, where he studies…
Handmade from the Heart
Handmade from the Heart
All Island artisans and bakers are invited to contribute to the much-anticipated holiday fundraiser for Hospice of Martha’s Vineyard, the Handmade from the Heart Bazaar. The one-day event will be at the Daniel Fisher House during the Christmas in Edgartown weekend, on Saturday, Dec. 13 from 10 a.m. to…
High School Budget Cuts Teaching Jobs, Under Pressure from Town Purse Holders
A $16.4 million Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School budget for 2009, a 1.7 per cent increase on the previous year, was certified by the high school committee Monday in a 9-1 vote.
The budget cuts five and two fifths positions at the high school, in English and math, assistant in special education, custodial…
Hospital’s Tree of Lights Tradition to Mark 25 Years
This holiday season, remember someone you love and celebrate a revered Island tradition, when the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Auxiliary marks the 25th anniversary of its Tree of Lights fundraiser to benefit Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Every December, a tree at the hospital is lit with hundreds of lights, each donated in honor or in…
Bank Warning: Telephone Scam Again Seeks Account Details
An elaborate scheme seeking to trick people into providing sensitive information about their bank accounts over the telephone resurfaced on the Vineyard this past week. Reports indicate several Islanders received automated phone calls on Sunday and Monday telling them there was a problem with their bank account.
Bend in the Road Project Done, Dredge Work Moves to Cow Bay
The project to restore Bend in the Road Beach with dredge spoils from Sengekontacket is now complete. Charlie Blair, town harbor master and overseer of the $200,000 project, said this week that the 10,000 cubic yard project was completed under budget and on time. Next spring the beach, which is well piled with soft sand…
New Bradley Square Plan Ready for MVC Review
The Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals on Tuesday agreed to a preliminary list of conditions that will be sent to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission as it prepares to review the revised Bradley Square affordable housing project.
Tisbury Weather Vane Fix Sails Close to the Wind
It took a few attempts, but Tisbury finally got its sense of direction back on Wednesday, when the long-broken weather vane on top of town hall was repaired.
It was no small endeavor. At roughly 79 feet, the steeple on town hall is about seven feet higher than the Christmas Tree which they…
Edgartown Man Recalls Pearl Harbor Boyhood
Sunday marks the 67th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Noel C. Orcutt, 79, of Edgartown was there. He was 12 years old and he witnessed the events of Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941 up close. He saw aircraft flying overhead. He watched Pearl Harbor and the fleet ablaze at night.
…
Welcome, Malia
Welcome, Malia
Erin and Mark Goldberg of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Malia Grace Goldberg, born on Nov. 27, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Malia weighed seven pounds, nine ounces at birth. She is welcomed home by her big sisters, Carly and Audrey.
Big Warrant Faces Edgartown Voters Tuesday
A meaty 20-article warrant will confront voters at an Edgartown special town meeting Tuesday, addressing a proposed trust and accompanying bylaw to govern affordable housing and the potential town acquisition of 180 feet of private beach at Cow Bay, among other issues.
The meeting is set to begin at 7 p.m. at the…
Oak Bluffs Special Town Meeting: From Wastewater to the Waterfront
Oak Bluffs voters will consider a number of weighty issues at a special town meeting next Thursday, including whether to hire a firm to investigate the source of treated effluent seeping to the surface at Ocean Park and whether to rescind $400,000 in Community Preservation Act funds previously approved for the Bradley Square project.
…
Topsail Schooner and Boatline Spar Over Town Harbor Space
Since 1964, the tall ship Shenandoah has brought picturesque maritime charm to Vineyard Haven, moored in the same place in the harbor. But maybe not for much longer.
The Army Corps of Engineers has written to the owners of the 150-foot wooden sloop, the Douglas family, threatening to suspend the permit for the…
Naturalist Rose Treat on the Art Of Living at 100
Rose Treat turns 100 on Sunday. At 99, she is genial, relaxed and aware, if a bit hard of hearing. Though she uses a walker to get around, she is energetic and excited to share. She stands no more than five feet tall, and yet the strength of her character fills the room. She is…
Super Bowl Road: Vineyard Plays Amesbury for Title Tomorrow
The juggernaut Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School football team continued its ascent toward a championship on Tuesday, easily defeating a talented team from Monument High School in South Boston in the state divisional playoffs to advance to a Super Bowl showdown against Amesbury tomorrow at Bentley University in Waltham.
Tomorrow’s Eastern Massachusetts Division…
Garage Begins To Come Down
After five years, a pile of lawsuits and more public meetings than anyone could count, Joseph G. Moujabber’s illegal three-story garage in the North Bluff section of Oak Bluffs started to come down this week.
Town Prevails in Graham Case
The longest-running residential tax dispute in Massachusetts history, over the $51 million valuation of a West Tisbury property owned by William W. Graham, has finally ended with a win for the town assessors.
The last chapter in the long legal story closed on Friday with a unanimous decision by the Massachusetts Court of…
Merit Scholar
Merit Scholar
Elin R. Nelson, a senior at Falmouth Academy, has been recognized by the 2009 National Merit Scholarship program after scoring high on the qualifying test. Elin was named a commended student. She is the daughter of Jeffrey Nelson and Dawne Charters-Nelson of Vineyard Haven.
The Vineyard Gardener
By LYNNE IRONS
Green and Groovey
I guess that you could say that I am on a roll.
If you read last week’s column, you may get the pun. For those that missed it, the article was a thanks giving to yeast and the bread and booze that it provides. While it wasn’t my intention to continue the thread…
Snowy Owl Fallout
There has been a fallout of snowy owls on the Vineyard. It all started on Nov. 7 when one was spotted in the Squibnocket area. Now there have been sightings of this large and powerful white owl in Chilmark, West Tisbury, Edgartown and Chappaquiddick. Gus Ben David and I figure there have to be at…
D.A.W., Well-Known Bard, Poems Held in High Regard
Daniel Waters will read new and old poems, formal and informal, at a free reading on Tuesday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Vineyard Haven Public Library.
Also known as DAW, the prize-winning Mr. Waters’ work has appeared in the Vineyard Gazette and Yankee Magazine, and is regularly broadcast on the Cape…
Playhouse Awards Party: All Welcome for Crow
The Vineyard Playhouse invites everyone to a seasonal gathering for drinks and good cheer, with a small awards ceremony, on Sunday Dec. 7 from 4:30 to 6 p.m. at the playhouse on Church street in Vineyard Haven.
The playhouse will be offering soul-warming libations in the form of tempting treats, fortified wines and…
Chapter 29: About the Birds and Bees
In this year-long serialized novel set on the Vineyard in real time, a native Islander (“Call me Becca”) returns home after two decades to help her eccentric Uncle Abe keep his landscaping business, Pequot, afloat. His staff includes Mott, the big-brotherly general manager, and Quincas, a cute Brazilian. Abe has a paranoid hatred of Richard…
Gift of The Nutcracker: World Where Mice are Kings and Snowflakes Dance
The stage will fill with mice and soldiers, snowflakes and fairies as Children in the Arts of Martha’s Vineyard presents the Nutcracker Gala this weekend at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center. This is a joint production of the Martha’s Vineyard School of Ballet, directed by Beth Vages, and the Atlantic Coast…
