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
January 21, 2011
News Update: Thursday, January 27 – Three Arrested in Oak Bluffs Drug Seizures
Three men were arrested on drugs and gun charges Wednesday after a search in an Oak Bluffs home revealed 175 marijuana plants, a shotgun rifle and ammunition, according to a press release from the Oak Bluffs police department.
Brothers Joseph DePriest, 41, and Luke DePreist, 31, face charges in Edgartown district court of…
Oak Bluffs Selectmen Doubt Usefulness of DRI Checklist
The ongoing discussion of the role of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission in reviewing commercial development continued on Thursday as Oak Bluffs officials took aim at the regional planning commission’s development of regional impact (DRI) checklist.
After a commission meeting last Monday where Edgartown selectman Michael Donaroma urged more leniency in the Upper Main…
Wheels Stopped in Edgartown, Tour Operator Appeals to State
Edgartonians are fiercely proud of their narrow streets, the widow’s walks, 18th century homes, gardens with perfect roses on white picket fences. They prefer you enjoy it by foot (careful with the thorns); as the town Web site explains, “To view and appreciate this town fully, you must walk its streets.”
Downtown residents…
Digital Footprints Make Deep Impressions
Most people use social media sites on the Internet to share stories with friends, post pictures of their vacations with family or a night on the town or check up on a long lost friend.
Others use these sites to taunt, harass and bully people who are different from them.
Summer Resident Earns Golden Globe Top Honors
On Sunday night, Jan. 16, Jeffrey Levy-Hinte, a West Tisbury summer resident, won the Golden Globe award for best movie in the category of comedy or musical. The movie he produced is called The Kids Are All Right, a feature film that explores the complex journey of parenthood through the story of a lesbian couple…
Heroic Rescuers Up for Posthumous Award
Jan. 18 marked the 127th anniversary of one of the worst marine disasters in southeastern Massachusetts, when the 275-foot steamer City of Columbus foundered on the rocks of Devil’s Bridge and sank a half mile off Gay Head. A total of 103 passengers and crew were lost.
Health Care Access Funds
Health Care Access Funds
The county of Dukes County was awarded $25,000 from the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts Foundation to continue the Vineyard Health Care Access Program.
The program provides comprehensive enrollment, education and retention services with a focus on coverage maintenance and appropriate use of health care services.…
Finding Family, Finding Themselves
A few weeks ago when Sienna Dice met her grandmother for the first time, the older woman began sniffing her. Big sniffs. Audible sniffs. The kind of sniffs one might expect to receive after not washing for a while.
But her grandmother was in no way upset or even mildly concerned with Sienna’s grooming habits.…
Island Housing Trust Seeks Community Board Members
The nonprofit Island Housing Trust, a community land trust serving Martha’s Vineyard, is currently accepting nominations for six community representatives to its board of directors.
Community members with expertise and skill in business finance, housing development, project financing, organizational leadership, fund-raising, housing services, and real estate and contract law are encouraged to apply.
Fibromyalgia Support
Fibromyalgia Support
The Martha’s Vineyard Fibromyalgia Support Group will have their first meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 26 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
For more information and for the location, contact mvfmsg@aol.com.
Town Hall Rocks Hit the Fence, Sidewalk Cost Goes to Voters
West Tisbury town officials have mostly agreed that the rocks will have to go.
Members of the town historic district commission appeared before selectmen on Wednesday to denounce the large boulders in front of the recently renovated town hall which they feel are not in keeping with the town historic district.
…
A Gentle and Spiritual Soul, Sorely Missed
Ronnie Simonsen was most likely look ing forward to singing O Holy Night on Christmas at Triumphant Cross Lutheran Church in Salem, N.H. He loved to sing. But on Dec. 15 Ronnie lost his fight against leukemia. He was 55.
“The good news is that recurring thoughts of sorrow are overshadowed by feelings…
Never Be Afraid to Do What’s Right
Community service was the theme at the annual Martin Luther King Jr. dinner at the Harbor View Hotel on Monday night. More than 100 people attended the four-hour event which included speeches and an awards ceremony, concluding with the swearing in of officers of the local branch of the NAACP, both new and renewed. “Martin…
Carmen Sandiego Was Never This Hard
Geography is a demanding discipline as stumped students of the Edgartown School discovered on Tuesday morning at the schoolwide geography bee. But while the Thousand Islands Bridge and Wabash River eluded school geo-buffs, by correctly placing Tianjin in China, eighth grader Charlie Morano will now enjoy the grand prize of another written test and a…
A Dream Night For Many Fans of Jon Lipsky
Theatre has a more vibrant afterlife than other art forms. Each play is a community event, a coming together of actors and directors interpreting a writer’s vision. With each performance the play takes on a new life and so, in a sense, a playwright’s baby never ages. It just continues to grow with each successive…
Neighbors Make Noise About Dirt Bikes
A fight over dirt bikes has pitted neighbor against neighbor in the rural backwoods of West Tisbury.
At a contentious public hearing before the West Tisbury zoning board of appeals on Wednesday, some 40 town residents and bikers attended either to defend the dirt biking at Nip ’n’ Tuck Farm off State Road…
Chilmark Farms’ Wind Turbines: Debate Does Not Sway Decision
The Chilmark zoning board of appeals upheld two building permits for working farm wind turbines on Wednesday night at a standing-room-only public hearing that saw wide-ranging and at times heartfelt debate.
The turbine permits are for the Grey Barn and Allen farms, both on South Road in Chilmark. The hearing went on for…
Three West Tisbury Restaurant Owners Press Petition for Beer and Wine Sales
If a group of West Tisbury restaurateurs are successful the town may join Tisbury and Aquinnah in the ranks of the Island’s formerly dry towns.
It’s been a long time since West Tisbury residents have been able to imbibe at a local establishment. In the mid-19th century, proprietor Sanderson Manter Mayhew held a…
Affordable Housing Fund Eyes Larger, Denser Rental Designs
In a significant change of direction, the director of the Island Affordable Housing Fund, Ewell Hopkins, is looking to large-scale affordable rental projects rather than home ownership developments as a solution to the Vineyard’s chronic housing problem.
And as money for affordable development from the traditional source, private donations, has dried up, he…
Comcast Talks See New Twist
Contract negotiations between Martha’s Vineyard’s six towns and Comcast for the provision of cable services to the Island were thrown into confusion this week after Tisbury’s negotiator appeared to suggest the town would pull out of MVTV, the local cable access channel.
Under the terms of a franchise agreement reached between the towns…
Walking in the Pawprints of Others
Last week while the snow was still fresh on fields and in woods, I went out animal tracking. I am said to be a descendant of Robert Gray, who discovered the Columbia River on the Lewis and Clark expedition, and that may be, since it was water that he discovered. But it has never been…
Dean’s List
Dean’s List
Zachary Coutinho of Chilmark was named to the dean’s honors list for the fall semester at Franklin Pierce University in Rindge, N.H.
Mr. Coutinho is a junior majoring in management.
Cottage City Coffers on Empty
Cottage City Coffers on Empty
The financial crisis that has been gathering for three years in Oak Bluffs appears to be deepening, with the Massachusetts Department of Revenue throwing down the latest penalty flag on the field: The town must cut nearly a quarter of a million dollars from its current fiscal year…
Sheriff McCormack’s Bad Call
Sheriff McCormack’s Bad Call
Winter’s Icy Grip
Winter’s Icy Grip
We know where we live this winter for sure: This is New England, no doubt about it, the place where if you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute and it will change.
Community Grants
Community Grants
The Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard is accepting applications for its spring grant cycle. Through its grants program, the endowment seeks to raise awareness of Vineyard issues, respond to community needs, foster collaboration among nonprofit organizations and support innovative approaches to improving the quality of life on the Island.
…
Course Helps Families Deal With Mental Illness
Course Helps Families
Deal With Mental Illness
A free family-to-family educational course in Oak Bluffs for family members of individuals with a serious mental illness will begin on Thursday, Feb. 17.
Emma Hallbilsback, Delmont Araujo at State House
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students Emma Hallbilsback and Delmont Araujo were sworn in on Friday by Gov. Deval Patrick to serve on the Governor’s Statewide Youth Council. They will hold their positions for a two-year term.
African American Culture, Southern Food on Menu
The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living will hold its second in a series of winter cultural luncheons on Saturday, Jan. 29, from noon to 2 p.m. at The Grill on Main in Edgartown. The cultural influence of African Americans on Martha’s Vineyard will be highlighted in a two-part program presented by author Tom Dresser, who…
Edey Foundation Grants Are Open to Nonprofits
The Edey Foundation, founded by the late Maitland Edey of Seven Gates Farm, announces funds available for grants to Island nonprofit organizations.
The purpose of the foundation is to provide money for conservation and environmental programs on Martha’s Vineyard. Submissions that relate to ongoing conservation, energy, education and scientific studies are welcome. The…
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
Welcome Jacob
Welcome Jacob
Sarah and David Henry of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Jacob Matthew Henry, born on Jan. 15, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Jacob weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces at birth. He was welcomed by big sister Abigail Henry, too.
To the Mansion
To the Mansion
Vineyarders are invited to book a room at the Mansion House for $26 per person during the month of January to celebrate Sherm and Susie Goldstein’s 26 years as innkeepers.
Moon and Saturn
In the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the gibbous moon appears near the distant ringed-planet Saturn. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Virgo and rise after midnight. For those who haven’t seen Saturn, the moon acts as a perfect guide. Saturn is 892 million miles away, while the moon is much closer at 232,000…
Chappy
By HARRIET POTTER
Gazette Chronicle: Buried Treasure
Buried Treasure
From a 1967 article by Joseph Chase Allen:
The wild duck and goose on passage may well look down in surprise to see this pond. An acre, perhaps an acre and a half in area, it is so close to the waters of Vineyard Sound that hurricanes have always…
Oak Bluffs
HOLLY NADLER
508-274-2329
(hollynadler@gmail.com)
I’m not joking, so please track with me: We’ve got a problem right here in Oak Bluffs and, indeed, all around the Island. The problem is called January.
The Christmas decorations are stowed back in their boxes, along with the few new ornaments…
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
(alleys@vineyard.net)
Well, it is clearly evident that the winter blahs have set in. The weekend weather was cold with an occasional dusting of snow. However, on the brighter side we are less than two short months away from the start of daylight saving time and…
Vineyard Haven
NANCY GARDELLA
508-693-3308
(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)
One of the saddest notes I ever had to read was posted on the door of the Ocean View and in the bar when I went for lunch last Monday. It reads: “Due to the recent demise of the New England Patriots, the Ocean View…
Aquinnah
JUNE D. MANNING
508-645-2574
(lthslnks@gis.net)
The Martha’s Vineyard Youth Task Force sponsored an evening with Katie LeClerc Greer on Wednesday, Jan. 19, at the Martha’s Vineyard YMCA. Thank you to youth task force coordinators Theresa Manning and Jamie Vanderhoop and the task force for their presentation, the first in…
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
Chilmark is snowless as I write midweek. We are eyeing the next storm coming along and hoping it also brings us rain.
Hello, Hailey
Hello, Hailey
Ashley and Michael Waters of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Hailey Joan Waters, born on Jan. 14, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hailey weighed 8 pounds, 1 ounce at birth. She joined older sister Danielle Ponte and brother Michael H. Waters.
Mya Arrives
Mya Arrives
Julia and Ryan Smith of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Mya Wild Smith, born on Jan. 13, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Mya weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces at birth. She is welcomed by two-year-old sister Hailey Elizabeth Smith, too.
Edgartown Woman Pleads Guilty; Receives Prison Term
An Edgartown woman was sentenced to two years in state prison this week after pleading guilty to a series of home break-ins in the downtown village of Edgartown.
Christine Houston, 58, a resident of Norton street and familiar figure in town, where she had previously worked at the council on aging, was ordered…
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Jan. 14 32 19 Trace
Jan. 15 28 14 .00
Jan. 16 39 21 .04
Jan. 17 35 19 .00
Jan. 18 38 20 Trace
Jan. 19 42 35 .81
Jan. 20 43 29 .00
…
Emilly Arrives
Emilly Arrives
Rubiana Barbosa and Maxley Barbosa of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Emilly Amaro Barbosa, born on Jan. 17, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Emilly weighed 9 pounds, 15 ounces at birth.
Hello, Scarlet Rose
Hello, Scarlet Rose
Amber Simonin and Morgan Rogers of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Scarlet Rose Rogers, born on January, 11, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Scarlet weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces at birth.
Announcing Danika
Announcing Danika
Elizabeth Schreck and Mark V. Peters Jr. of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Danika Sharon Peters, born on Jan. 16, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Danika weighed 7 pounds, 7 ounces at birth.
Announcing Leticia
Announcing Leticia
Luciana Oliveira and Adacir Fogaca of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Leticia Oliveira Fogaca, born on Jan. 13, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Leticia weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces at birth.
Welcome Kristyan
Welcome Kristyan
Kenia K.B. Rodrigues and Rogerio N. Rodrigues of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Kristyan Barbosa Rodrigues, born on Jan. 18, 2011, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Kristyan weighed 6 pounds, 15 ounces at birth.
Full Hearts on Stage, Misty Eyes Off
The littlest violinists had waited a long time for their stage debut, when at last they could flourish their bows just as their teachers did: up, down, out in front, sideways, up, down, on their heads.
Man’s Best Friend Drives the Story
Author and farmer Jon Katz will talk about his new novel, Rose in a Storm, at the Edgartown Public Library at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 29.
Tennis Tournament
Tennis Tournament
The Vineyard Tennis Center, Workout and Spa is hosting a winter tennis tournament to benefit Haiti.
This is a doubles tournament with four separate draws for various levels. It will take place Jan. 21 through Jan. 23.
The cost is $50 per player. Register at vineyardtenniscenter.com or…
Days Get Longer, Summer Camp Registration Begins
Felix Neck’s summer day camp encourages kids actively to investigate their surroundings, make their own discoveries, appreciate nature and have fun. Campers hike the 350-acre sanctuary’s trails, net at the ponds, monitor wildlife, play games, sing songs and much more. Sessions run from June 20 to Sept. 2.
For details, go online to…
More, More and Some More Please
More, More and Some More Please
Seems greed, debt, overspending and the desire for bailouts did not begin with Ben Bernanke, George W. Bush or Barack Obama.
Shakespeare for the Masses is going obscure again — hands up who has heard of, let alone seen, Timon of Athens? (Yes, it’s a…
Red Sky at Night Sailor’s Delight
Red Sky at Night Sailor’s Delight
Sail Martha’s Vineyard launches another season of its winter dinner series at the Black Dog Tavern in Vineyard Haven on Wednesday, Jan. 26, with a program featuring the Island’s own globetrotting photographer, writer and sailor, Sam Low.
Polly Hill Road Trip Journeys to Director’s Roots
The Polly Hill Arboretum will host a guided garden tour of the Delaware Valley May 16 to 19. This region encompasses both Philadelphia, Pa., and Wilmington, Del., with wonderful arboreta, historic landscapes and public gardens that combine history, garden design and up-to-the-minute horticulture.
Big Chili Contest Lights Up Mouths and Hearts
Etiquette questions abound as the 25th anniversary of the MVY Radio Big Chili Contest draws near.
There may be no sterling silver flatware (we’re guessing plastic or biodegradable) nor any silver-framed photos of the happy couple (though it was there that MVY program director PJ Finn met his wife, a multiple-time winner of…
Library Expansion
Library Expansion
Find out everything you ever wanted to know about the West Tisbury Public Library expansion: How much bigger? How much better? How on earth will they pay for it? Preliminary drawings and floorplans, possible new features, and a state grant that could pay up to 50 per cent of the cost…
Heimlich Maneuver
Heimlich Maneuver
Resumé Builder: Classes for Professional Development
Three Adult and Community Education (ACE MV) professional development opportunities begin Jan. 29. The three courses are either for college credit, or certification, or work towards certification: English Composition 102-49 taught by Peg Regan through Cape Cod Community College, EKG and CPR training towards a medical certificate taught by Nancy Phillips, M.S.N., A.P.R.N. through Health…
Cooking in the Curriculum: ACEMV Heads to Kitchen
Island chefs and healthy cooking experts soon will be offering classes through Adult and Community Education (ACE MV).
On Jan. 25 MJ Delekta, director of the Sacred Circle of Yoga, will be teaching The Yoga of Food Cooking Workshop.
On Feb. 2 especially (but not exclusively) for Valentine’s Day, Christian Thornton,…
Greenhouse Afternoons
I am happy in the winter. I love the slowed pace, don’t mind the snow, and appreciate the time indoors to regroup. However, the icy working conditions are too much.
51st Christmas Bird Count
It was warm and foggy all day, but the 51st annual Christmas Bird Count held on Jan. 2 was a great success. There were 77 observers — 48 in the field divided into 11 teams, each covering a different part of the Island, and 29 more at home watching their bird feeders.
Hard as a Rock
Petrified as it was, scared would not be the best way to describe it.
Shiny, smooth and colorful would do for the piece of petrified wood that was dredged up by an Island scalloper recently. And fascinating, too, would be another appropriate adjective to add after this sizable chunk of weathered wood was…
