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
April 23, 2010
Breaking News: Wednesday, April 28 – Cape Wind Wins Approval
The federal government has given approval for the development of Cape Wind, America’s first big offshore wind farm, on Horseshoe Shoal in Nantucket Sound.
The Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, announced his decision to approve the project, with only minor changes, at a joint press conference with Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick at…
Tisbury Approves Beer, Wine Sales; Reelects Tristan Israel
Tisbury voters today approved the sale of beer and wine in the town’s restaurants.
Proponents of beer and wine sales have been pushing the measure for five years. When it last was put to a ballot, two years ago, a first count scored it 690 votes all. A subsequent recount found two more…
Moon and Saturn
The gibbous moon appears next to the bright planet Saturn, high in the eastern sky tomorrow night. If you haven’t yet seen Saturn in the night sky, the moon can be the guide. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Virgo.
Steamship Authority Governors Reduce Rates for Islanders With Medical Needs
Island residents who need to take the ferry to the mainland on a regular basis for special medical treatments such as chemotherapy will have a new, discounted rate, after the Steamship Authority board of governors approved the special rate at its monthly meeting on Tuesday in New Bedford.
Learn Business Basics
Learn Business Basics
To help potential and existing entrepreneurs on the Vineyard, the South Eastern Economic Development (SEED) Corporation and Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank will hold two free, basic business workshops at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown on Wednesday, April 14.
Learn the Fundamentals in Planning and Financing Your Business…
Two Join Endowment
Two Join Endowment
Melissa Hackney and Edward Miller have been elected to the board of the Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard, the Island’s community foundation, which provides grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships for Vineyard students.
Chilmark Voters to Meet on Monday
Both are fixtures in town, each in his own way. And Chilmark voters will be asked to choose one of the two candidates for selectman when they go to the polls next Wednesday.
Jonathan E. Mayhew is a lifelong resident and commercial fisherman who has served on numerous town boards, including selectmen, Martha’s…
Two Challenge Tristan Israel’s Seat
Tisbury has three candidates for selectman on Tuesday’s ballot. One is running on an understanding of management, one on understanding of the town and one on an understanding of the job.
Tristan Israel is the one who’s pitching job experience. Like the bumper sticker says, decisions are made by those who turn up,…
Forum on Beer and Wine Question: The Vote Against
Upending Town Tradition
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Once again, the good citizens of Vineyard Haven are being asked to vote on beer and wine sales, but this time the wording of the ballot makes it pretty hard to know exactly what we’re voting for.
Forum on Beer and Wine Question: The Vote in Favor
Make Town Vibrant Again
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Of the many important reasons to vote yes for beer and wine in Tisbury, I want to emphasize that the health of our business community is critical to the health of our entire town. It seems elitist to separate the needs and interests of…
Fishermen Feud Over Horseshoe Crab Protection
Among all the species taken by fishermen in this part of the world, horseshoe crabs have, until now, enjoyed a dubious distinction: they were the only ones targeted while in the act of reproducing.
The easiest way for many to catch them was to walk the beaches at the times of the full…
Stuck Up: Drawbridge Stops Traffic
The recently completed temporary Lagoon Pond drawbridge in Vineyard Haven that took six years to build and cost over $9 million is already suffering from some of the same problems that plagued the old drawbridge that was torn down last year.
No Hurt, No Blues, No Service in Oak Bluffs
The first two tumultuous nights of the Oak Bluffs town meeting are over, and despite some frayed nerves, the town has an approved budget for next year. Voters ratified a balanced budget in the amount of $24.7 million.
But that is only because at the town election last Thursday they rejected 11 of…
Huge Group of Rare Whales Off Vineyard
An extraordinary group of right whales — some 95 living specimens of the rarest of all large whale species — was feeding in the waters between Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island this week, while two mother and calf right whale pairs were spotted even closer to the Island.
On Saturday, federal scientists in…
Wind Turbine Moratorium Tops Chilmark Annual Town Meeting
A one-year moratorium on wind turbine applications and an array of housing initiatives, including a bylaw that addresses the thorny issue of inheritance for the children of affordable housing recipients, top the list of business for a double-header special and annual town meeting in Chilmark next week.
The meeting is Monday night in…
Voters Head to the Polls Tuesday to Decide Beer, Wine Question in Tisbury
After five years of division over whether or not beer and wine should be sold in Tisbury restaurants, five years of discussion and debate, ceaseless lobbying and innumerable letters to the editor, the issue will go to a vote of the townspeople this Tuesday.
Gazette Chronicle: Ferries Interrupted
From Gazette editions of April, 1960:
A Different Island for Every Islander
What Martha’s Vineyard do you live on?
Bullies: A Community Problem
Bullies: A Community Problem
The Beer and Wine Question
The Beer and Wine Question
Tisbury, also the port of Vineyard Haven, remains a town divided over whether to allow the sale of beer and wine in restaurants. The question will be decided by voters at the annual town election on Tuesday, and a strong voter turnout is expected on this crucial issue…
It’s Riding, Writing and Rhythm Camp
This week was the annual spring Safe Haven Camp, for kids living with HIV, at the youth hostel in West Tisbury. On Monday, the 25 campers and 15 counselors had enjoyed a chance to settle in since their Saturday evening arrival. The big icebreaker occurred on Sunday when the fun-loving Harley Riders showed up. First…
Bill Buckley Art Show
Bill Buckley Art Show
Vineyard Views, an art show by Edgartown painter Bill Buckley, opens at the Chilmark Public Library on Saturday, May 1, with a reception from 3 to 5 p.m. All are welcome.
The show includes paintings of familiar Island scenes, most in acrylic on canvas in vibrant colors.
Selectmen Postpone Tour Bus Decision
By JIM HICKEY
Edgartown selectmen on Tuesday delayed voting on an application for a new tour bus company for the second time in four months, stating the town lacks the criteria to review the request and the applicant has yet to prove the need for more tours through town.
Chilmark Selectmen Respond to Incident, Tweaking Community Center Rental Policy
Chilmark selectmen may in the future consider changes to the rental policy for the Chilmark Community Center, including requiring a certified bartender or a designated supervisor for events where alcohol is served, following a recent incident involving alcohol when a Menemsha fisherman was arrested at a memorial service event at the center.
This…
Energy Usage Reduced
Cape and Vineyard participants reduced their daily energy use by almost 10 per cent in the Cape Light Compact’s residential smart home energy monitoring pilot program, according to a report by PA Consulting Group.
The report found the program “was successful on many fronts, including customer savings and its objectives to save energy.”
Gynecologist Appointed
Terry Kriedman, M.D., who has a gynecology practice in West Tisbury, has been appointed as affiliate gynecologist and obstetrician at the Massachusetts General Hospital. This affords an opportunity for facilitated care for Vineyard patients, as well as for increased educational opportunities and consultations.
Dr. Kriedman also continues her staff appointment at the Martha’s…
Red Cross Blood Drive
All donors who give blood at the American Red Cross drive on Tuesday, April 27, from noon to 5 p.m. at the Portuguese American Club on Vineyard avenue in Oak Bluffs, will receive a free umbrella.
School vacations and mild spring weather have contributed to a drop in blood donations. As a result…
Controlled Burn
Controlled Burn
The Martha’s Vineyard Prescribed Fire Partnership plans to conduct a controlled burn today, April 23, at Quansoo Farm in Chilmark. Smoke may be visible above the south coast, heading south over the ocean.
Community Services Names New Development Director
Martha’s Vineyard Community Services has welcomed Angela Wheeler as its new director of development, providing strategic direction and management to its fundraising and marketing efforts.
Nearing its 50th anniversary, Community Services is hoping to increase its fund-raising and outreach efforts, to benefit a range of essential programs and services which are open to…
Vineyard Cyclists Ride for Multiple Sclerosis
Pedalers will move for people whose own motion is compromised when the National Multiple Sclerosis Society’s 17th Island biking event, Ride the Vineyard, takes off from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School on May 1.
Commission Approves Changes at YMCA Site
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission last Thursday unanimously approved a laundry list of changes to the new YMCA building off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road, including a walking bridge, outside basketball court, covered pavilion and temporary irrigation system.
The 35,000-square foot YMCA on a five-acre property across from the regional high school is planned for opening…
Library Pay Dispute Unsettled
After three legal opinions and ongoing disagreement among town boards, Aquinnah selectmen on Tuesday decided to send the issue of whether library employees are eligible to receive holiday pay back to the newly-reconstituted personnel board.
The issue dates back to last summer when the personnel board decided that the library staff — director…
Lots in Bailey Park Need Town Meeting Vote, Counsel Says
By JIM HICKEY
Acting on the advice of town counsel, West Tisbury selectmen on Wednesday agreed to schedule a special town meeting in early June, where voters will be asked to allow the town to convey three lots in Bailey Park to private homeowners or a group such as Habitat for Humanity or…
Other School Trips See Ash Disruption
The Minnesingers’ was not the only school-sponsored overseas trip upended by the volcanic ash that closed most of Europe’s air space last week.
Another Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School group was on its way to London on a school exchange when the travelers were grounded instead in Dublin. After a few days, the…
Grounded Minnesingers Stay in Tune
John Wightman was along for the ride — on the Minnesingers’ trip to Prague, that is. Mr. Wightman is the husband of Jan Wightman, the director of the choral group at the regional high school that was headed out on its every-other-year trip to perform abroad last week, when the giant cloud of volcanic ash…
Benefit to Send Island Actors to Scotland
BravÉncore is hosting Seats for Scotland, a gala dinner at the Harbor View Hotel in Edgartown on Thursday, April 29, in an effort to raise money for the travel expenses of the 17 Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students invited to represent their country in Edinburgh this August, at the 2010 Fringe Festival, the largest…
Ms. Smith,Teacher of the Year Nominee
“What’s the word for color?”
Kindergarten and first grade teacher Robin Smith dove head first into her class Spanish lesson at the Chilmark School on a recent Wednesday morning last week, despite not knowing the language. Parent and volunteer Anja May stepped in with the translation, sending Ms. Smith back to her task…
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
Chilmark is gearing up for the annual town meeting scheduled for April 26. Everyone please note that the starting time is 7 p.m. The special town meeting will be at 7 with the regular town meeting following directly after. The special town meeting will…
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
(alleys@vineyard.net)
The spring flowers are in bloom most everywhere. It was a great weekend, with lots of outdoor activities; a few grills were taken out of mothballs. The baseball field on Sunday hosted a youth baseball game, and the tennis courts were also busy. Short…
Aquinnah
JUNE D. MANNING
508-645-2574
(lthslnks@gis.net)
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) will host their annual Spring Social on Sunday, April 25, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Tribal Building on Black Brook Road. This is a potluck luncheon so please bring a dish to share. The public…
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
Here we are in spring and the sun is shining and the temperatures are in the 50s. I know it does not sound that warm, but try to remember when it is 70 here in the summer, it is 80 degrees and much hotter off…
Two Town Elections
Two Town Elections
Good morning. The Chilmark town meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Chilmark Community Center. The annual town election is Wednesday. The Tisbury annual town election is Tuesday. Polls in both towns are open from noon to 8 p.m. Remember to vote!
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
April 16 62 41 .05
April 17 48 40 .70
April 18 45 37 .06
April 19 52 41 .07
April 20 59 42 .00
April 21 65 42 .00
April 22 70 48 .00
…
Please Adopt Us
Last week was a very special week at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. Two wonderful dogs were adopted, the sweet bunny was adopted and the two kittens have an “adoption pending” sign on their cage. But check with us at the shelter because sometimes people change their minds and the kittens may not be…
The Berries and the Bees
Pollinators, start your engines!
I am hoping for a bounteous blueberry crop this year. Though only time will tell, we can get a hint as to what is to come by looking at the spring flowers that the blueberry bushes have started to produce.
Permanent Endowment
Permanent Endowment
Seven Island nonprofit organizations have been awarded spring grants totaling $12,870 from the Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard.
Recipients are the Farm Institute, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Martha’s Vineyard Boys’ and Girls’ Club, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services’ disability services, the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools, Vineyard Health Care Access…
Martin County Audubon
The last field trip of the season for Martin County Audubon, how could we miss it? It would be kind of tough when they asked us to present a program introducing it. So I put together a presentation of Warblers on the Move for the Audubon Society of Stuart, Fla. I never could have done…
The Vineyard Gardener
By LYNNE IRONS
It’s been a busy week in the garden world. The weather has been completely in our favor. So much so, in fact, I believe we are a few weeks ahead of last year. The cool evenings have helped hold the forsythia in full bloom for weeks.
Wellness Festival Highlights Alternative Health Practices
Wellfest, an afternoon of free health and healing workshops and sessions presented by the Martha’s Vineyard Whole Health Alliance, is on Saturday, May 1 from noon to 5 p.m. at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury. This free event features classes, demonstrations and workshops on movement, pilates, yoga, qigong, massage, reiki, acupuncture and more. Scheduled…
Used Books Wanted
The Library Friends of Oak Bluffs are preparing for their summer book sale, putting out the call for used books.
Arboretum Intern
Arboretum Intern
The Polly Hill Arboretum announces Justin Free as their 2010 collections management intern. This nine-month internship will offer Mr. Free the opportunity to expand his already substantial knowledge of horticulture. It also will provide him with an in-depth look at curatorial and management practices employed to maintain the arboretum’s diverse living…
Meditation Retreat
Spring is underway, and for those still shaking off the weight of the Vineyard winter, the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard is hosting a daylong meditation retreat with Mark Hart, on Saturday, May 1, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the society chapel on Main street in Vineyard Haven. Mr. Hart, founder of…
Call for Artists
The Vineyard Haven Library Art Show is coming up, running from June 7 to June 19, and the library Friends are putting out a call for work. Submissions will be accepted through May 1, in any medium, including painting, drawing, ceramics, mixed media, jewelry, computer design and collage. A photo of the artwork may be…
Documentary: It’s Not Easy Being Green
In honor of Earth Day, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society will screen No Impact Man, a documentary film that follows Manhattanite Colin Beavan and his family during their year-long pursuit of a lifestyle that leaves zero environmental impact. To Vineyarders, such a goal would seem ambitious, but certainly plausible. But for a young family living…
Free Talk on Growing Backyard Produce
Learn about the growing movement towards home vegetable gardening at a free talk with Chris Wiley, owner of Vineyard Gardens, at the Chilmark Public Library on Wednesday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m. Drawing from many years of experience growing with seed and determining the best varieties for the Island climate, Ms. Wiley’s lecture will focus…
Kids’ Theatre Workshop
Kids’ Theatre Workshop
Island theatre arts educator Phyllis Vecchia is offering a Thursday afternoon spring creative drama workshop from May 6 through June 10. Designed for children ages four-and-a-half to nine, classes will be held from 3:30 to 4:45 p.m. in the home economics room of the Oak Bluffs School. Each week, in…
Island Farm Shares Alpaca Shearing With Open House
Island Alpaca Farm’s third annual shearing day open house is this Saturday, April 24, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. The farm, located at 1 Head of the Pond Road in Oak Bluffs, welcomes families to meet and learn about the alpaca, and watch as expert shearers clip the luxurious fleece, to…
Island Fishermen Attend Sector Meeting
Fishermen from Martha’s Vineyard, Bar Harbor, Jonesport and Swan’s Island gathered last month for the inaugural meeting of members of the Northeast Coastal Communities Sector.
Over a 6 a.m. breakfast in Stonington, Me., the group elected a governing board and made plans for the opening of this year’s groundfishing season. This historic event…
Dean’s List
Dean’s List
The following students were named to the University of Massachusetts Boston dean’s list for the fall 2009 semester: Caitlin Crossland of Edgartown, Sophia Grimm of Oak Bluffs and Alicia Maciel of Vineyard Haven.
Visiting Reference Archivist Leads Genealogy Workshop
The Massachusetts Archives holds a number of records that can be used for genealogical and family history research. Whether you are just starting your family tree, or have been researching for many years, the archives is a great place to get information about your ancestors.
Named to Dressage Team
Jessica Forend of Oak Bluffs is a member of the Johnson & Wales University dressage team, which has qualified for the International Dressage Association national championship to be held in Laurinburg, N.C. this weekend.
The university finished as reserve champion team for the year in the Northeast A Region, and also had five…
Tower Foundation Grants
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is offering grant funds for eligible organizations located in Dukes County to purchase specialized equipment and/or assistive technology for use by children, youth and young adults up to age 26 with developmental disabilities.
The deadline for the letter of application is June 30. For more information,…
Calling All Stations
Calling All Stations
Garden Club Sisters Remake Ancient Art With Fresh Petals
For many years, the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club has sent two members to the mainland, to participate in the Boston Museum of Fine Arts’ exhibition, Art in Bloom. This annual April event is a collaboration between garden clubs from throughout New England and professional designers collaborating to produce vibrant floral displays, each one interpreting a…
Kids’ Clothing Dive
While the eruption of Eyjafjallajokull in Iceland may have drawn the world’s attention away from their troubles, the people of Haiti continue to struggle in the effort to rebuild their shattered nation. This has not escaped the Edgartown School’s parent/teacher organization, who are holding a clothing drive through the end of April to directly benefit…
Early Departure
Matthew Goldfarb, outgoing executive director of the Farm Institute in Katama, has left the organization earlier than originally planned. Mr. Goldfarb has been offered an opportunity to work for the Small Farms Program at Cornell University, continuing his work and studies in small farm viability. During the search for a new executive director, Bill Connolly,…
One Hundred Voices Sing Odes to Spring
The sound of 101 trained voices lifted to meet the acoustical splendors of the Whaling Church is one of those pleasures that come along only twice each year — during the Christmas holidays and over a weekend each spring. Last Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon, hundreds of Vineyarders took advantage of this offering.
Another Spin, Another Season: Flying Horses Resume Their Rounds
The Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Society may think it owns the Flying Horses. And of course we’re glad the living history group is under that impression. Who among us wants to start our day with, “Honey, the Wurlitzer is broken, can you spray it with WD-40 and bang the pipes?” But yes, we do individually own…
