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
November 27, 2009
Island Plan
Island Plan
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission will hold a public hearing on the Island Plan on Thursday, Dec. 3 at 7:30 p.m.
Public input was sought during the plan’s preparation; this hearing, at 33 New York avenue in Oak Bluffs, is the last before the plan is finalized: it is scheduled…
Talking Pictures
Talking Pictures
The North Water Gallery hosts photographer David Fokos for an artist talk on Saturday, Nov. 28 from 1 to 3 p.m. Now living in San Diego, Mr. Fokos is back on the Vineyard, where he is most well known for his square black and white photographs with long exposures, ranging from…
Antiques Roadshow Pros Will Appraise Island Items
Antiques Roadshow regulars Sara Wishart and Stuart Whitehurst of Skinner Auctioneers & Appraisers will evaluate items at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s second annual Appraisal Day, on Saturday, Dec. 5, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the museum campus on School street in Edgartown.
The cost is $10 per item, or three items…
Charlotte Inn Stars
Charlotte Inn Stars
The Charlotte Inn in Edgartown was honored this month with a 2010 Forbes Four Star Award by Forbes Travel Guide and named one of the top 20 small resorts in the United States as voted by the readers of Conde Nast Traveler Magazine.
The Forbes Travel Guide has…
Readying for Winter on the Waterfront
Vineyard harbors have emptied. Mooring balls that bobbed up and down through the summer were replaced by floating blue and white stakes. The osprey are gone and herring gulls dominate the shoreline.
Inspiring Women
Inspiring Women
Striped Bass Hearing is Postponed
Pending legislation to make striped bass a game fish in Massachusetts was further delayed this week when a public hearing was postponed at the request of backers of the bill.
The hearing by the joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture was due to be held on Tuesday on Beacon Hill, but…
Fund Set Up After Fire
Fund Set Up After Fire
An account has been set up at Bank of Martha’s Vineyard (Sovereign Bank) for the Moreis Burney Yazinsky family, one of the families displaced by the fire that occurred on Nov. 2 at Fisher Road town house apartments in Edgartown. The family, with three small children, is still…
Tribe Takes Aim at Mr. Garcia: Deli Owner Dodging Big Debt
Accusing West Tisbury businessman Paul Garcia of bolting on a $10,000 debt and dissolving his corporation to avoid paying it, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) came out swinging this week in the dispute that erupted when the deli still popularly called Back Alley’s closed abruptly at the start of this month.
…
Vineyard Players
Vineyard Players
Falmouth Academy seniors Janaye Rooney and Clea Baumhofer, both of Vineyard Haven, will perform and have solos with Falmouth Academy’s Chamber Orchestra for Holidays at Heritage, at concert at Heritage Plantation in Sandwich on Friday, Dec. 11 from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Falmouth Academy’s orchestra will play Corelli’s Christmas Concerto Grosso…
Better Than Tamiflu: an Island Weekend
There it was — on a Sunday morning a few weeks ago, the slight tickle at the back of the throat. By noon I was coughing and by the time darkness settled over Cambridge, I was running a fever.
I had the dreaded flu.
On Monday morning I tried going to…
Thanksgiving 2009
Thanksgiving 2009
Fischer Family Wins Preliminary Protection Plan for Flat Point Farm
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission last Thursday unanimously approved a family plan to protect Flat Point Farm in West Tisbury as a working farm for the future.
The plan was submitted by the Fischer family which has owned the 91-acre farm nestled between two coves of the Tisbury Great Pond for several generations.
Superintendent’s Budget Sails Through Committee Approval
Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss’ $3.5 million dollar budget was approved with little ado by the all-Island school committee this week, a month after the committee voted to restore $11,000 in funding to the budget for arts and enrichment programming across the Island.
The superintendent’s budget is called a shared services…
Despite Tidal Energy Talk, Selectmen Soft on Solar
Edgartown energy committee chairman Kitt Johnson outlined a priority list for projects before the town selectmen on Monday. The most complex and expensive is an experimental tidal energy project that hinges on the completion of an extensive pilot plant application due at the end of February. The idea was introduced in early 2007, when Edgartown…
North Water Street Restoration Complete
Whaling captains might feel at home today if they ventured along North Water street in Edgartown.
The street has a new look that is decidedly old. Utility poles, transformers and overhead wires are gone. And the street is lined with historic reproduction lanterns that glow softly at night.
S. Bailey Norton,…
Of Fishermen, Facebook and Flying Saucers
On the evening of Sept. 19, eyewitnesses across the Island called the Dukes County communications center to report strange lights in the sky, lights that led many to think they were witnessing a UFO. Online, Twitter and Facebook networks were abuzz with Vineyarders’ speculation about it. Dozens of people, many fishing the Martha’s Vineyard Striped…
Saltwater License Law Takes Effect in January
Gov. Deval Patrick this week signed into law a saltwater recreational fishing license requirement that is the first of its kind in the commonwealth.
The license law takes effect Jan. 1; its purpose is to improve the way federal and state fisheries managers gather data about fish landings.
Home Buyers Give Island an October Jolt
The federal first home-buyer’s credit appeared to pay off on Martha’s Vineyard, where October sales of existing homes were up on the same month last year.
A surge in home sales nationwide was reflected in Dukes County — the six Island towns posted 25 sales in October this year, compared to 17 last…
Mediation Program is Without Rival
Last Thursday, past and current members of the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Dispute Resolution celebrated their 25th anniversary in the one place they have been so effective at keeping people out of for years: the Edgartown district court.
Formerly the Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program, the organization trains mediators who try to facilitate peaceful…
Quiet Please, Across the Seas: Pause Ships to Hear the Fish
To the human ear, the sea is a silent place. To float on your back in the ocean is to enjoy a blissful absence of sound.
But our senses deceive us. The ocean is actually a very noisy place. A blue whale can generate sounds of nearly 190 decibels. Its low frequency vocalizations…
Gosnold Embraces Wind Farm Plan
The town of Gosnold has written to the state indicating its willingness to allow wind turbines to be located in its waters, and its determination that it be able to negotiate its own terms for any development, free of interference from the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
Weisman-McDowell Vows at Lighthouse
Alexandra Susan Weisman, a daughter of Suzanne Steinfeld Weisman and Hugh Stix Weisman of New York city and Chilmark, was married on Sunday, Oct. 11 to Malcolm Hume McDowell 3rd, a son of Kathleen Otto McDowell and The Very Rev. Malcolm Hume McDowell Jr. of Harwich.
Wet Wreath Workshop
Wet Wreath Workshop
The Polly Hill Arboretum welcomes Melinda Rabbitt DeFeo for her popular holiday wet wreath workshop this Saturday, Nov. 28, from 9:30 a.m. to noon. Wet wreaths are created on a foundation of wet sphagnum moss, which works to keep the greenery moist and fresh. Bring pruning shears and your favorite…
Light the Tree With Glee As Town Turns on Music
The annual Oak Bluffs tree lighting ceremony will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 2 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Post Office Square. The community is invited to join in the caroling, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Vineyard Classic Brass Ensemble will perform a medley of traditional holiday carols and board of selectmen chairman Greg…
Go Slow at Détente
Go Slow at Détente
Open Studio
Open Studio
An artist’s studio should be a small space, Leonardo da Vinci said, because small rooms discipline the mind and large ones distract it. Small spaces do, however, present occasional storage issues.
With that in mind, artist Deborah T. Colter of Edgartown will be opening her studio to the public…
Jostle With Fossils
Jostle With Fossils
Dr. Fred Hotchkiss is giving a free talk, Connecting with Fossils, at the Chilmark library on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 5:30 p.m. Connecting with fossils has many dimensions — including artistic inspiration and personal wonderment. No prior experience is necessary. Known to many young students as Fossil Fred, Dr. Hotchkiss…
Students Go the Distance for a Difference
It’s a little after 7 a.m. on a Friday morning, and the ferry has just taken off from Vineyard Haven. A lively group of teens and preteens is seated around tables in one of the boat’s back corner rooms. The aisle is stacked high with backpacks, purses and lunchboxes, and the room is stifling hot…
Plans to Boost Cell Signals Take the Next Step
American Tower Corporation, the company that wants to build a distributed antenna system (DAS) to improve cell phone coverage in the three up-Island towns, is close to filing formal plans with West Tisbury.
The company has scheduled a pre-application meeting with the town zoning board of appeals, in accordance with the town cell…
Elders Find a Village at Their Service
Sometimes it takes a village, not only to raise a child, but to keep that child going through adulthood and beyond. That’s the idea behind Vineyard Village at Home — a program that connects elderly Vineyarders with a network of service providers who help ease the challenge of living independently on the Island.
Lovebird on the Loose
Lovebird on the Loose
Pet Reprieve: Animal Shelter Spins Sad Situation Into Success Story
At the same time many Vineyard businesses are succumbing to the recession and closing their doors, the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard in Edgartown is taking in more money than it is spending, allowing it to expand hours and raising hopes it will continue to operate through next year and beyond.
“It’s a…
Renewable Energy at What Cost
Looking out from the magnificent expanse of the Gay Head Cliffs in Aquinnah, one of the few visible structures is the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge, located some 30 miles distant. The towers of the bridge stand 400 feet above mean sea level, the approximate height of the tower and blades of the current generation of…
Gosnold Adds Its Voice to Oceans Plan
Gov. Deval Patrick, his administration and the legislature are to be commended for the passage of the Massachusetts Oceans Act of 2008 and the drafting of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan. In the absence of good planning, development of our coastal resources can happen in a haphazard way, with significant unintended consequences.
Editor’s…
Beethoven, Fauré Concert in Annual Music Tradition
The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society continues a popular holiday tradition this Saturday, Nov. 28, presenting its annual Thanksgiving weekend concert at 7:30 p.m. at the Whaling Church in Edgartown.
Pianist Delores Stevens, the music society’s artistic director, has invited three notable artists to join her in a concert program that will feature…
Auditions for Young Actors: Goldilocks’ Musical Twist
Do you like to act? sing? dance? Are you between the ages of 8 and 18? Then here is a performance opportunity for you: IMP is producing the family fun play with music Bears Beware! Goldilocks Is in Your Town, by Donna Swift and Ross Mihalko, lyrics by Ross Mihalko, music by Brian Weiland and…
Cheerleader Injures Neck; Full Recovery Expected
Amanda Gonsalves, a high school junior and varsity cheerleader who was seriously injured during a practice earlier in the week, is at home recovering with her family.
Vineyard schools superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss said Ms.Gonsalves was injured during practice at the high school on Thursday; emergency responders rushed to the scene and…
Scott Condon, Eco MV’s Executive Vice President
Eco MV is proud to announce the promotion of Scott Condon to the position of executive vice president.
Before joining Eco MV in December of 2008, Mr. Condon, a graduate of Syracuse University with a degree in Business Management, worked in Hong Kong for a gaming company and in Arizona for an organic…
Public Invited to Shotgun Shoot at Rod and Gun Club
The Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club’s Shotgun Shoot, the annual marksmanship competition the day before the shotgun deer season begins, is open to members and the public on Sunday, Nov. 29. Everyone is eligible for prizes, which include scallops from Coop and hams from Cronig’s.
This highly competitive contest includes the Egg…
Cape Air Flight Makes Emergency Landing
A Cape Air flight bound from Boston to the Vineyard on Saturday evening was forced to make an emergency landing at the Barnstable Municipal Airport when the landing gear malfunctioned.
None of the seven people on board the twin-engine Cessna 402 were injured.
The pilot, John Call, 32, of Marshfield, was…
Vineyarders Crush Brighton in Final Game
The final game of the season for the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School football team on Saturday offered plenty of excitement for the homecoming crowd, as the Vineyarders rolled over Brighton by a final score of 41-8.
It was a satisfying win for players and coaches — as well as the approximately 500…
Family Film Feast Puts Frogs, Toads and Taste on the Table
Island kids won’t have to complain about being banished to the children’s table for Thanksgiving dinner this year. Two days later, they’re invited to be the guests of honor at a feast of their own — the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival’s Family Film Feast event at the Chilmark Community Center.
Kid Critic: Loyalty, Love, Pancakes and Subtitles
Film: Frogs and Toads
Exhibit Goes to War’s Personal Front In Pressure Suits, Painted-on Nylons
S ome six decades ago the Vineyard was at war. Military outposts dotted the landscape, Islanders kept watch for enemy aircraft at East Chop Light and unlit ferries slinked across Nantucket Sound wearing battleship gray. There were air raid drills, rations and even United Service Organizations in Vineyard Haven and Edgartown that brought in the…
Islanders Play for Islander’s Benefit
Islanders Play for Islander’s Benefit
Nectar’s closes out its first year here in true Vineyard style: a legion of Island musicians will take the stage for the venue’s final show, and a portion of the $15 ticket sales will go to a pair of charities: West Tisbury’s David Tucker, who suffered a heart…
Wild Turkeys
Announcing that there are no wild turkeys on Martha’s Vineyard is akin to breaking the news that there is no Santa Claus. But that is the truth whether you like it or not. Barbara Pesch and I noted in Vineyard Birds 2 that wild turkeys were introduced by Gus Ben David from Arkansas in the…
Shellfishly Yours
Sometimes life is perfect.
As I write, there is a bucket of Island oysters in my sink, a quart of heavy cream in the fridge, and a handsome French chef to put it all together. I guess that I am lucky in love and in shellfish.
The oysters were collected from Tisbury…
Self-help
Alcoholics Anonymous
Information: 508-627-7084.
All meetings are nonsmoking.
Sunday, 6:45 a.m., open discussion meeting, First Baptist Church, William street, Vineyard Haven.
Sunday, 10 a.m., open discussion, State Beach, first bridge, Oak Bluffs, (weather permitting).
Sunday, 11 a.m., open discussion meeting at the Council on Aging…
The Vineyard Gardener
By LYNNE IRONS
Chappy
MARGARET KNIGHT
508-627-8894
(margaret02539@yahoo.com)
Welcome back to the seasonal residents who are here for Thanksgiving and possibly their last visit to Chappaquiddick for the season. With a few more people on the roads and riding the ferry, it doesn’t seem quite so much like winter is around the corner…
Announcing Nathaniel
Announcing Nathaniel
Sarah Karlinsky and Seth Karlinsky of Chilmark announce the birth of a son, Nathaniel Richard Karlinsky, born on Nov. 18, 2009, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Nathaniel weighed 8 pounds, 10 ounces at birth. He is welcomed by big brothers Andrew and Matthew.
Crystal Arrives
Crystal Arrives
Pricila Ray and Casey Ray of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Crystal Nichole Ray, born on Nov. 19, 2009, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Crystal weighed 6 pounds, 7.6 ounces at birth.
Hello, Lillian
Hello, Lillian
Rebecca Claussen and Erik Claussen of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Lillian Rebecca Claussen, born on Nov. 20, 2009, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Lillian weighed 6 pounds, 15.4 ounces at birth.
Hello, Jake
Erica and Kenny Ponte of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Jake Fischer Ponte, born on Nov. 20, 2009, at the Falmouth Hospital.
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The roster of animals available for adoption at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard is all feline; we have some great cats looking for new homes and some have been at the shelter for a long time, so won’t you please come and see them?
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Nov. 20 61 52 .03
Nov. 21 61 43 .26
Nov. 22 57 43 .00
Nov. 23 54 47 Trace
Nov. 24 53 50 .54
Nov. 25 52 48 .02
Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 53º…
Full Moon
The gibbous moon will dominate the sky over the coming weekend. The moon is in the zodiacal constellation Aries over the weekend and slips into the zodiacal constellation Taurus early in the week. The moon is full on Tuesday and has the seasonal name Holly Moon.
Gazette Chronicle: Run for the Money
Run for the Money
From the 1972 Thanksgiving weekend edition of the Gazette:
“I guess,” said one down-Island boat-owner, as he stood in the clipped grass field in the light of the pale warm November sun, “we can afford to give over one day a year to the horsey set.” So…
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
(alleys@vineyard.net)
Most of us are still recovering after a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner yesterday that was shared with family and friends. Today is the traditional start of the Christmas season and considered by retail merchants the busiest shopping day of the year; however, with the economy…
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
By the time you are reading this, you will, hopefully, be resting after an enjoyable Thanksgiving Day with friends and family. There were many folks in town for the weekend and there were some who traveled off-Island to celebrate. Herb and I traveled to…
Aquinnah
JUNE D. MANNING
508-645-2574
(lthslnks@gis.net)
The holiday week has brought many back to the Vineyard for the holiday and grand family gatherings. It is nice to see people you perhaps only run into on these special occasions.
Beatrice Gentry is a patient at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and…
Correction
Correction
The Colonial Inn property sold for $2,050,000 not $2,000,050 as stated in last Friday’s article. The Gazette regrets the error.
