Mary Oliver
The wind wags its many tails. And in the evening the piled firewood shifts a little, longing to be on its way. —Mary Oliver
February 18, 2011
News Update: Wednesday, Feb. 23 – Oak Bluffs Voters Slash Spending
At a special town meeting Tuesday, Oak Bluffs voters agreed to deep cuts to balance the budget for the current fiscal year. Voters slashed $249,666 from the budget; the majority of the cuts came from leaving positions unfilled including the town finance director, two teaching aide positions at the Oak Bluffs School, the zoning board…
News Update: Tuesday, February 22 – No High School Classes Wednesday
Classes will be cancelled at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Wednesday due to the death of Joy Flanders, a longtime teacher at the high school who died over the weekend after a lengthy illness.
A service for Ms. Flanders will be held at the Abel’s Hill Cemetery in Chilmark followed by a…
Never Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
Never Too Many Cooks in the Kitchen
The Martha’s Vineyard High School culinary arts program is a great training ground for future chefs — hopefully future Island chefs. It’s a hands-on learning experience of all facets of the restaurant business: The students not only prepare and cook the food, they learn how to…
Fire Damages Home
Fire Damages Home
Thieves Targeting Contractors Arrested
A recent rash of unusual thefts involving thousands of dollars worth of stolen construction and landscaping tools from Island contractors ended with the arrest of three young Island men, including two juveniles, this week.
Glenn Goulart, 18, of West Tisbury and two 16-year-olds from Edgartown were arraigned separately in Edgartown district court on…
Gazette Wins 17 Awards, Nine First Place
The Vineyard Gazette won 17 awards in the annual New England Newspaper and Press Association contest this year, including nine first-place awards for excellence in journalism and advertising. The awards were announced at the annual banquet held by the small newspaper press association in Boston last weekend. The contest saw nearly 3,000 entries from small…
Heated Exchange at Planning Board Leads to Grievance Filing
The Edgartown personnel board sent a letter of reprimand to the town planning board last week following a grievance that was filed claiming inappropriate behavior by an elected official toward a town employee.
Planning board assistant Georgiana Greenough filed the grievance against board member Fred Mascolo on Feb. 2, following a heated exchange…
Stay of Execution for Historic House
Tara and Daniel Whiting have withdrawn their application to the West Tisbury historic district commission to demolish the Old Parsonage house.
On Wednesday historic district commission chairman Sean Conley said his board had received an e-mail from the Whitings earlier in the week effectively ending their pursuit of a demolition permit.
…
Market Allowed, Edgartown Business District Looks Bullish
The Upper Main street business district in Edgartown will see some new enterprise this year following approval by the town planning board of two business projects on Tuesday night.
The board approved a change of use permit that will allow the Edgartown Meat and Fish Market to open in Post Office Square, and…
Mental Health Grants
Mental Health Grants
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is accepting inquiries for its 2011 mental health grant cycle. Organizations located on Martha’s Vineyard that focus on preventing or alleviating psychological disorders in children, adolescents, and young adults to age 26 that address one or more of the foundation’s funding priorities may…
Coming Together Around Arts and Culture
On Wednesday, Feb. 23 from noon to 1:30 p.m. there will be a brown bag lunch at the Old Whaling Church entitled An Arts and Cultural Collaborative for Martha’s Vineyard: Lessons from Cape Cod.
The title of the talk sounds intriguing in a friendly neighbor sort of way. Hey, let’s see what’s up…
Adoption Conference Picks Dee Dice to Head Workshop
Dee Dice has been selected to present a workshop at the 38th Annual New England Adoption Conference: Tales of the Journey: Past, Present and Future. Ms. Dice’s workshop will focus on the realities of single parenting.
Let’s Move
Let’s Move
Let’s Move Martha’s Vineyard, a community health initiative funded through the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and the Farm Neck Association, will be starting a free, small pilot program that will run for three months from March 13 to June 12. The committee invites people who may be concerned about their weight and…
Not Gone but Often Forgotten
T he sterile smell hits me once I walk through the doors. The carpeted floor and hand sanitizer canister aren’t the only things that greet my family and me upon our entrance to the center. An old lady who sits everyday by the door welcomes us, repeating “Hi” to all the visitors, even though none…
February Days
February Days
A spell of warm days has melted the snow. The grass, although looking like someone just recovering from the flu, dull yellow and bent over, is a welcome sight. So too is the sun, spending a bit more time with us now. The hens are beginning to lay more eggs thanks…
New Beginnings in Menemsha
New Beginnings in Menemsha
It has been seven long months since the investigation into the Menemsha fire began by top federal and state experts, including the state fire marshal, the United States Coast Guard and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. And now the investigation has ended, not with a bang but…
Turning to Garden Rather Than Pharmacy for Healing
Herbal healing, the art of healing naturally and without expensive drugs, is the subject of a new series of classes by Vineyard herbalist Holly Bellebuono.
Ms. Bellebuono is the proprietor of Vineyard Herbs and the soon-to-be author of upcoming book Everyday Herbal from Shambhala Publishers in Boston, due out in spring of 2012.…
The Long Dock to Solvency Looks Good
The state of Massachusetts again leads the nation in methods to bring itself and eventually the nation out of the current recession. While the feds have been threatening to terminate unemployment benefits and meddle with the social security fund (please Washington, if you are going to borrow, then you need to return loans, with interest,…
Giant Catapult Propels Itself to Victory
More than 200 Martha’s Vineyard high school students were winners this past weekend at the 12th annual high school science fair. Though prizes were awarded only for the top exhibitors, every student walked away knowing science can be both fun and rewarding.
Winter Break Kid Camp
Winter Break Kid Camp
The February school vacation is coming up and for those wondering what to do with all those rambunctious kids at home all day, there is hope.
The YMCA is offering a weeklong vacation camp, Feb. 28 through March 4, for children in kindergarten through sixth grade. The…
The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle Has Landed
The Eagle is the largest tall ship flying the Stars and Stripes and the only square-rigger in U.S. Government service. Currently, it is celebrating its 75th anniversary of offering generations of Coast Guard Academy cadets, and more recently officer candidates, a unique leadership experience at sea.
On…
Mangia, Mangia
Mangia, Mangia
A slice of Italy, in particular its food, will be touching down on the Island next week on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 5 p.m.
The folks at the Vineyard Grocer will be holding their second cooking class and dinner focusing on various regions of Italy.
Waxing Poetic
Waxing Poetic
Chilmark resident Donald Nitchie and Oak Bluffs resident Barbara Peckham will read their poems in honor of Ms. Peckham’s new book A Jar of Summer and Other Poems. The reading will take place on Saturday, Feb. 26 at 4 p.m. at the West Tisbury Free Public Library.
Before settling…
Summer Camp in Sight Young Farmers Take Delight
It rained recently and the snow and ice, for the moment, are nowhere to be seen. The grass is a bit forlorn, brownish and sagging under the weight of winter’s residue. But soon the Island will turn green again. And while that can foretell many things, it definitely means spring and summer camp are not…
Look Good Inside and Out With Restorative Cleanse
New Year’s resolutions seem to come at the wrong time. It’s the middle of a dark and dreary Island winter. Who wants to turn over a new leaf when just smiling seems to require an extra burst of energy?
But how about a spring resolution? The sun is getting friendlier, feeling a bit…
For Smokers Quitting Means Winning
The shocker of the TV series Mad Men, about a Manhattan advertising agency in the early 1960s, is the freedom, the elan, the absolute je ne sais quoi with which people smoked. And not just some people — everyone.
Key to Quitting Is a Healthy Substitute
Dr. Gerry Yukevich, a partner in Dr. Michael Jacob’s Walk-In Clinic on State Road in Vineyard Haven, is often called upon to help patients quit smoking.
He said in a recent interview, “Our job is easier these days because smoking is so frowned upon publicly, peer pressure eliminates it for most people.”
…
YMCA Plays Host to Community Love Affair
Tony Lombardi, director of the YMCA’s teen center, stood in the doorway of an office at the Y on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road last Thursday afternoon as members and staff filed through the wide, clean and bright hallway behind him. Every other person seemed to tap his back and say, “Hey, Tony.” Mr. Lombardi waved…
Presidents Day
The Vineyard Gazette office will be closed on Monday, Feb. 21, in observance of the national holiday. The office will reopen on Tuesday at the usual time.
From Quahaugs to Cockles, a Global Journey
If there is great satisfaction in having success at home, there is an even greater reward sharing the gift with others — especially halfway around the world.
Town Says Solar Plan Stays on the Farm
Calling it an inappropriate use of prime agricultural land, the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society appealed to the Edgartown selectmen this week to reconsider a plan to use five acres at Katama Farm for a solar panel project that is not yet built. Town leaders responded that they intend to stay the course with the project.…
As Hospital Parking Lots Grow, Neighbors Fret
A Martha’s Vineyard Hospital plan to create two new large parking lots has residents of the surrounding Oak Bluffs neighborhood on edge over the institution’s continued expansion.
Not in Lights? His Name Now in Latin
The ever-expanding pantheon of documented life on earth has welcomed a new creature to its ranks: the Dinochelus Ausubeli, or Ausubel’s mighty claw. The bizarre lobster is rather unexceptional save for one feature: a comically oversized right claw. Although you have to squint to see the resemblance, Ausubel himself — Jesse Ausubel of Vineyard Haven,…
Oak Bluffs Voters Must Make Hard Budget Choices Tuesday
At a special town meeting next Tuesday Oak Bluffs selectmen will ask town voters to erase a $238,000 deficit in a single stroke.
Menemsha Fire Investigation Ends Unsettled
The cause of the Menemsha fire that destroyed the Coast Guard boathouse last July is undetermined, a report released by the U.S. Coast Guard this week concluded.
Investigators outlined three possible sources of the fire — a lit cigarette, faulty wiring under the Coast Guard boathouse or faulty wiring under the Chilmark…
Turbine Talks: Rules Unclear
Martha’s Vineyard fishermen looking for concrete answers about potential fishing access to wind farms were frustrated yesterday during a meeting with state and federal officials.
Letters to the Editor
LIBRARY NEEDS
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
At the Feb. 22 special town meeting, called by the Oak Bluffs selectmen to get approval for a quarter-million dollar list of cuts to the current year (FY 2011) budget, the library trustees will move to amend that list by reducing the amount removed from the…
Island Chef Cooks Up a Winner in Providence
It’s a good news, oh darn kind of announcement. Island guy Nemo Bolin was recently nominated by Food and Wine Magazine for best new chef in New England. That’s fantastic news for Mr. Bolin. He can add this to his budding trophy case of tributes. Last March his restaurant, Cook and Brown, was chosen by…
All-Star Randall Jette
All-Star Randall Jette
Martha’s Vineyard standout quarterback Randall Jette has been selected to play in this year’s Shriners All-Star football game. Mr. Jette, who racked up nearly 2,000 all-purpose yards for the Vineyarders this year and ran for 19 touchdowns, has committed to play at the University of Massachsuetts at Amherst next year…
Pesticides, Parasites and Viruses; Bees Get Short End of the Pistil
A honeybee visits between 50 and 100 flowers during one collection flight from the hive. On its flight from blossom to blossom, honeybees transfer pollen from plant to plant, fertilizing the plants and enabling them to bear fruit.
But what if the fruits and vegetables we don’t even think twice about buying were…
Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank Pays Out to Charity
The Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank Charitable Fund, a donor-advised fund with the Permanent Endowment for Martha’s Vineyard, has awarded seven grants totaling $13,800 in support of local nonprofits.
Grants went to the Island Food Pantry and fuel assistance for Islanders through the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging as well initiatives of the Adult…
VNA on the Move, Expands to Nantucket
The Vineyard Nursing Association, the Island’s only home nursing provider, announced this week that it will expand its services onto Nantucket, where currently there are none.
VNA chief executive officer Robert Tonti said he expects to open a Nantucket office by early May at the latest. The Nantucket Cottage Hospital will provide $350,000…
Bread, Croissants, Macaroons and Biscotti Too
With a shiny brass espresso maker and French countryside decor, Rickard’s Bakery on North Summer street in Edgartown opened this week. Owners Kate and Gates Rickard are starting with what they call a soft opening at the shop which will sell bread and other baked goods, sandwiches, soups and espresso. “Everyone’s been ducking in to…
Schlossberg Donation Clears Way for Estuaries Project
The Aquinnah selectmen voted this week to accept a private donation to help underwrite the town’s participation in the Massachusetts Estuaries Project study of Menemsha and Squibnocket Ponds. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg will contribute up to $15,000 to help pay for the town’s share of the project.
Lower CPA Match Lessens Enthusiasm
After five years of participation in the state Community Preservation Act (CPA), West Tisbury voters will have a chance this spring to decide whether it is time to part ways.
Dean’s List
Dean’s List
Sophia Grimm of Oak Bluffs has been named to the dean’s list for the fall semester at the University of Massachusetts Boston.
Smooth at Short
Smooth at Short
The Vineyard summer league baseball team continues to grow its roster. Robbie Zinsmeister, from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, has been signed as shortstop for the Sharks, the team announced this week.
Mr. Zinsmeister started at shortstop for IUP last season and played for the first-place Quakertown Blazers in…
Northeastern Honors
Northeastern Honors
The following students have been named to the dean’s list at Northeastern University in Boston for the fall semester 2010: Melora Armstead of Edgartown, who is majoring in communication studies; Becker Awqatty of Edgartown, who is majoring in electrical engineering; Michael Coulter of Edgartown, who is majoring in philosophy; Conor Lodge…
Energy Help for Farmers
Energy Help for Farmers
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has expanded a program that helps local farmers improve their overall energy efficiency, saving money while also benefitting the environment and reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
Chilmark is enjoying the longer days, especially when they are sunny and even better when they are warm!
There was a lot of activity in Menemsha this week as work began on the rebuilding of the fill dock. There was another crane…
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has a few nice animals who need good homes.
Last week the shelter featured a beautiful dog named Sasha who was quickly adopted. Now a loving dog named Bella has come to take her place. She is a boxer cross and as…
Damon Arrives
Damon Arrives
Shelley Jones and Philip Reed of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Damon Robert Reed, born on Feb. 10 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Damon weighed 8 pounds, 3.8 ounces at birth.
Finance Committee Adhering to Duty
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
Over the past two weeks there has been both a news article and an editorial in the Gazette regarding the actions and, as we believe, non-actions of the West Tisbury finance committee. We would like to set the record straight. For those who would like to see the entire Jan.…
Spread Sunshine on Farms Not Panels
The following letter was sent to the Edgartown selectmen:
The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, founded in 1859, has had as its mission these many years to improve breeds, promote agriculture and educate in the “mechanic and domestic arts.” We currently have over 1,200 dues-paying members, many of whom are Edgartown citizens, and our…
Snow Moon
Tonight’s full moon dominates the sky with its brilliance. Called the snow moon this month, it rises in the east as the sun sets in the west. Tonight’s moon is in the zodiacal constellation Leo right next to the bright star Regulus.
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Feb. 11 30 11 .00
Feb. 12 39 21 .00
Feb. 13 44 23 .00
Feb. 14 42 33 .00
Feb. 15 51 26 .00
Feb. 16 39 17 .00
Feb. 17 46 23 .00
…
Chappy
Margaret Knight
508-627-8894
(margaret02539@yahoo.com)
Chappaquiddick continues to be free of snow, although the temperatures and wind often keep us bundled. The sun is warmer though, and the days longer, and signs of spring can be found. Hatsy Potter’s first snowdrops in her kitchen dooryard garden are nearly open, and…
Eat Dinner, Watch Dessert
Eat Dinner, Watch Dessert
Before you head to the sweet shop, how about a trip to France.
This Friday, Feb. 18, before the evening performance of Willy Wonka, Les Troubadours are putting together a French meal to be held at the high school cafeteria.
The meal will be served…
Save a Life; Learn CPR
Save a Life; Learn CPR
Birding Festival
The Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival has been going on for 14 years. It is based in Titusville, Fla., which is next door to Cape Kennedy/Canaveral, but more to the point is near several great birding areas including the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. Flip Harrington and I have attended almost every one of…
The Spring Planting Bug
Every now and then I get on some rampage and call my friend Sharlee to inquire if I am crazy.
Hedge Games
Don’t hedge your bets on either of these two. í
Apart from the landscape designers who are talented enough to make terrific topiaries, I can’t imagine why boxwood shrubs and yew trees have become so popular. í
