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 10, 2011
Sky Show Tonight
Vineyard stargazers, prepare to stay up late. The annual Leonid meteor shower is scheduled to reach its peak tonight, Thursday, Nov. 17, according to astronomers.
Like the better-known August Perseid meteor shower, the Leonid meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through a trail of debris from the comet Tempel-Tuttle. Many of the particle…
News Update: Wednesday, Nov. 16 – West Tisbury Joins Legal Fight to Block Roundabout
West Tisbury will join Edgartown in a legal challenge of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s decision to approve the roundabout.
At the West Tisbury selectmen’s meeting Wednesday, selectman Richard Knabel said the project had generated a “staggering amount of opposition on the Island.”
News Update: Wednesday, Nov. 16 – Dukes County Avenue To Become One-Way Road
Oak Bluffs selectmen voted Tuesday night to turn part of narrow Dukes County avenue into a one-way road. Selectmen said the decision was motivated by concerns over safety and lack of parking.
The change will likely take effect before the start of December and is intended only as a temporary measure pending further…
Construction To Begin on Bourne Bridge
Beginning Thursday, Nov. 17, the Bourne Bridge will be reduced to one-lane traffic for ongoing steel repairs.
Traffic delays will be likely during the morning and afternoon peak travel periods each day, according to the Corps of Engineers. Traffic control will be in place for the duration of the repairs.
The…
News Update: Tuesday, Nov. 15 – Voters Reluctantly Agree: No Dogs at Lambert’s Cove in Summer
West Tisbury will join Edgartown in a legal challenge of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s decision to approve the roundabout.
At the West Tisbury selectmen’s meeting Wednesday, selectman Richard Knabel said the project had generated a “staggering amount of opposition on the Island.”
News Update, Tuesday, Nov. 15 – Leatherback Turtle Washes Up on South Beach
The body of a leatherback turtle, a federally protected endangered species, washed ashore at South Beach on Monday. Volunteer members of the turtle stranding committee said the cause of death was not immediately apparent.
“There was no sign of an injury,” said Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary director Suzan Bellincampi. Ms. Bellincampi said the…
Drawbridge Temporarily Closed
The Lagoon Pond drawbridge will be closed to traffic Tuesday evening while the Massachusetts Department of Transportation conducts a series of tests. Drivers are being asked to seek alternative routes between the hours of 9 p.m Tuesday, Nov. 15 and 5 a.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16.
Signs indicated detour routes will be posted near…
News Update: Monday, Nov. 14 – Edgartown Will Try to Block Roundabout in Court
Edgartown selectmen voted on Monday to appeal the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s approval of the roundabout for the blinker intersection in Oak Bluffs.
“It is not a complete plan,” said selectman Arthur Smadbeck at the weekly meeting Monday afternoon. Selectman Michael Donaroma agreed. “They’ve made a decision on a plan that doesn’t really exist,…
Flu Clinic at the YMCA
Did you miss the Veterans Day all-Island flu clinic? Here’s your second chance.
The YMCA is hosting a flu clinic on Monday, Nov. 14 from noon to 2 p.m. The cost is $24.99. Cash, checks and credit cards are accepted. More details are available by calling 508-696-7171.
Wings for a Wonderful Cause
Buffalo, teriyaki or sweet and sour—bring your appetite and take your pick.
Though chicken wings are usually reserved for Sunday afternoon football, all bets are off on Saturday as town departments and organizations from across the Island compete for the best wing recipe at the third annual Wingfest at Sharky’s Cantina in Edgartown.…
High School Readies for Homecoming
Football plays its homecoming game (and final home game of the season) Friday against Medford at 6:30 p.m. Senior recognition begins at 5:30 p.m.
A Homecoming dance will take place Saturday, 7:30 to 11 p.m. at the Ocean Club. Only current MVRHS students may attend.
The Island Cup will be played…
Many Ways To Celebrate Veterans Day
Islanders will have a number of opportunities to pay their respects to servicemen and women on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11.
Oak Bluffs will mark the day with an annual parade, which the U.S. Department of Veterans Affiairs recently recognized as a special designation of regional importance. The parade will begin at 10:45…
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
Nov. 4 62 40 Trace
Nov. 5 51 42 .00
Nov. 6 52 28 .00
Nov. 7 57 44 .00
Nov. 8 60 48 .00
Nov. 9 68 48 Trace
Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 57º…
Goodbye to Friends
The following letter went out to friends and customers of Bramhall & Dunn this week. It is with a mixture of anticipation, excitement and gratitude that I am writing to inform you of the conclusion of Bramhall & Dunn at the end of 2011. I have been happily leading this enterprise for the past 28…
One Way, Wrong Way
Changing Dukes County avenue to one-way traffic is the result of when town boards selectively ignore zoning regulations and the residents of the neighborhoods suffer the consequences. What follows is the history of how this problem was created (all public record information). Dave Richardson bought the lot where Smoke ’n Bones is today on Dec.…
Boundary Dispute
The following was sent to Adam Moore, executive director of the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation: As you and I both know, despite your claim that Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation told a land court judge that the Ramsey couple’s online comments were what “scuttled settlement talk,” you have been on the record for a long time as refusing…
Top Hat for Comsog
Last Saturday, No. 5, the Island community turned out in full force to help the Community Solar Greenhouse of Martha’s Vineyard raise our new and much-needed greenhouse roof. Led by Jeremiah Brown, lead foreman at Vineyard Gardens, the roof-raisers slipped the old roof off, then wrestled and secured two layers of new plastic to complete…
High-Priced Island
There is a general consensus that locals should attempt to do business with local merchants. I have to secure a new passport, and therefore needed to have two small photos of myself. I called a local store that performs this service, and they quoted me a price of $13.50 that seemed a little high for…
Wild Things
I would like to send a message of sincere thanks to all who participated in, sponsored our prizes and attended the Local Wild Food Challenge at the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club. The kind support and great effort shown by the Vineyard community was completely uplifting. I am really looking forward to next year’s…
Bike Lanes and Beautiful Views, Brainstorming a Better Way
My friends Jamie and Barbara live in Farmington, Conn. Their power was out for a week after the recent storm. The temperature in their house dropped to 45 degrees. Jamie says they wanted their power back for heat, lights and all the other things that electricity brings. But mostly, he said, they wanted to be…
Language Worth Much More Than Words
Language has power. In every culture the language the people developed described their world in ways that were recognizable to them, but do not always necessarily translate. Different things matter to different people, and how we choose to describe the world is how we tell all those who come after us what mattered — and…
Vanity
I saw you anchored In summer Just on the edge Outside the shoal Still shallow Off Shear Pen Pond
Gods of Transportation Have Human Touch
I’m back in Seattle’s fall but still dreaming of summer boat crossings. Every dream involves the drama of whether or not I will be able “to make the boat.” In an ideal summer I would only make two crossings: one to arrive on the Vineyard, and one to leave. This wasn’t that summer.
November Blooms
November Blooms
No doubt encouraged by the mild late fall weather, flowers are still blooming around the Island. Stray purple asters pop up in farm fields here and there, staying low to the ground as if to guard against Jack Frost’s incoming assault. Dahlias are down for the winter in Island gardens but…
Calling Comcast: Service for All, Please
Calling Comcast: Service for All, Please
Comcast reported another good quarter this month, announcing a 4.7 per cent increase in profits on revenues of $14.3 billion. Even though it lost 165,000 cable television customers nationwide, it gained 261,000 broadband Internet subscribers. In addition to being the nation’s largest cable TV provider, Comcast also…
Vineyard Haven
NANCY GARDELLA
508-693-3308
(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)
Remember to stop by our Avenue of Flags at the Oak Grove cemetery on Friday to see the beautiful display to honor all our veterans. Join us to remove the flags at 3 p.m.
In other Island news: the roundabout? Fuggedaboutit.
Free Skating Clinic
Free Skating Clinic
The Martha’s Vineyard Arena, in collaboration with a grant from the Rocksprings Foundation, is offering a free skating clinic to beginning skaters who would like to learn to skate or play hockey. The program will be offered on Nov. 18 from 3:45 to 4:45 p.m. for ages ten to thirteen…
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
slaterjn@comcast.net
Chilmark is experiencing some beautiful summer-like weather this week. A nice treat, but kind of eerie. In some sheltered corners of town fresh flowers are making a second appearance of the season.
Welcome home to Kristin Maloney, who traveled to Abiquiu, N.M.,…
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
(alleys@vineyard.net)
Friday is Veterans Day and the start of a holiday weekend. The post office, school and other town and county buildings are closed. The holiday was created to acknowledge the armistice that ended World War I. More than 50 years ago, the day was…
Gazette Chronicle: Paw Prints
From Gazette editions of November, 1961:
The Foote Memorial Shelter of the Mass. MSPCA at Edgartown needed extra pages for its guest book over Thanksgiving: The sojourning visitors numbered seventy-four, a new high record for an establishment that has seen some heavy demands upon its accommodations. Incidentally, the demand filled on this occasion…
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
Here we are in the beginning of November and the temperatures have been in the mid-60s. We actually had to water the plants in the nursery because they were so dry. Usually by this time the water is turned off and the hoses put away.…
Oak Bluffs
HOLLY NADLER
508-274-2329
(hollynadler@gmail.com)
You learn a lot in the couple of hours spent circulating a petition to stop the rotary at the blinker. (Yes, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission voted not to rescind the order to build, but the will of the people — or many of the people…
Directing, Reading, Find Mr. Stark at Howes House
Leslie Stark is a busy man this weekend. At the helm directing a group of short plays by David Ives on Sunday, he is also the man at the wheel on Saturday, Nov. 12, for reading Arnold Rabin’s new play, Quartet for a Queen. The reading takes place at 6:30 p.m. at Howes House in…
Friends Start Bank Fund For Bethany Haveard Family
A fund has been set up at the Edgartown National Bank for the family of Bethany Sylvia Haveard, who died unexpectedly on Nov. 6 in Pensacola, Fla, where she was living with her husband Ashley and their five children. Bethany had given birth to twin girls nine days before her death. She was a 1996…
Announcing Hiago
Announcing Hiago
Gilcilene Pereira and Tiago Braga of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Hiago P. Braga, born on Nov. 3, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hiago weighed 7 pounds, 7.5 ounces at birth.
Cookies Against Cancer
Cookies Against Cancer
LeRoux at Home is baking cookies to battle cancer. The Vineyard Haven home store will host a bake sale on Saturday, Nov. 19 from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event will be donated to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a nonprofit organization that raises funds for pediatric research.
Poets, Farmers Break Bread Over Stanzas
It was a long and busy summer at Beetlebung Farm in Chilmark, and on Sunday night farm workers traded vegetable beds for guitars and poems at what was billed as the Beetlebung Festival of the Arts and Edibles at the Chilmark Community Center.
Farm owner and chef Chris Fischer made farm-raised pork meatballs,…
Homecoming Tomorrow, Island Cup Tickets on Sale
Football plays its homecoming game (and final home game of the season) tomorrow against Medford at 6:30 p.m. Senior recognition begins at 5:30 p.m.
After Capturing EAC Title, Streak Of Wins Ends for Boys’ Soccer
The problem with streaks is that they must all come to an end. Even Joe DiMaggio had to strike out at some point.
Occupy Protest Group Grows; Next Stop, Blinker Intersection
They’ve occupied Owen Park, Menemsha, Five Corners and the West Tisbury town hall. And tomorrow Occupy Wall Street organizers on the Vineyard are planning an early-morning demonstration at the blinker intersection in Oak Bluffs. The gathering is planned from 7 to 9 a.m. on Veterans Day.
“Bring a sign. Bring your energy. Bring…
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard will be open on Veterans Day, Friday, Nov. 11. It would be a special time to come visit all of our great cats and perhaps take one home. Last week three wonderful cats were adopted, but we have many more who need the love…
Heath Hen Stages Quilt Shop Revival
Knitters, quilters and needlepointers alike have a few more days to stock up for the winter craft season at the Heath Hen in Tisbury Marketplace. After being less than a week away from closing its doors permanently, the 28-year-old store was sold by owner Lynne Benson to Jan Paul, a Vineyard artist. Ms. Paul will…
Fire at Maciel Marine Quelled In Massive Emergency Response
Tisbury volunteer firefighters led the way in mobilizing a massive effort to quickly contain a huge fire inside a metal boat shed Saturday afternoon at Maciel Marine in Vineyard Haven.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the state fire marshal and state police, but is believed to be accidental, Tisbury…
Last of Writer’s Row, Wallace Home Sold
The Vineyard Haven home of retired 60 Minutes anchor Mike Wallace was sold early last month for $7 million.
The buyer is former Virginia governor and current commonwealth Sen. Mark Warner. Mr. Warner’s name does not appear on the real estate transaction but the trustee who handled the sale for the buyer is…
Healthy Living Funds
Healthy Living Funds
Martha’s Vineyard will receive a federal grant of $75,000 to expand healthy living efforts, state representative Tim Madden has announced. The funds will be used to promote active lifestyle efforts, tobacco-free living and clinical preventive services through the Mass in Motion program.
Dogs May End Run At Lambert’s Cove
The dog days of summer may be over at Lambert’s Cove Beach and Uncle Seth’s Pond after West Tisbury voters have their say at next week’s special town meeting.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the West Tisbury School gymnasium, when voters will take up a 10-article warrant that features a number of…
Welcome, Emma
Welcome, Emma
Melissa and Scott Braillard of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Emma Jean Braillard, born on Nov. 5, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Emma weighed 7 pounds, 3.5 ounces at birth.
Center for Living Grant
Center for Living Grant
The Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living has been awarded a $2,000 grant from statewide antihunger organization Project Bread. The Vineyard organization is one of 25 Cape-area food programs that collectively received $71,000 in grant money. Funds were raised through Project Bread’s annual Walk for Hunger.
The Center…
Venus Rising
The brightest planet in the night sky hovers low in the west just after sunset. Venus is not an easy planet to see unless you have a clear view of the western sky. Standing along the north shore, from West Chop to the Gay Head Cliffs offers the clearest view. There it hovers for a…
Fire Chief Delaney Honored
Fire Chief Delaney Honored
Former Aquinnah fire chief Walter Delaney will be honored at a retirement party on Sunday, Nov. 13. The potluck gathering will take place at 4 p.m. at the Aquinnah town hall. Mr. Delaney retired on Oct. 31 after 17 years of service.
Mum on Details, Selectmen Dismiss Police Sergeant
A Tisbury police sergeant has been dismissed following a disciplinary proceeding with the town selectmen over performance in the line of duty during a domestic assault incident this summer.
Sgt. Robert Fiske had been on paid administrative leave since August pending the result of an internal investigation. Sergeant Fiske was the officer in…
School Census Reveals Small Shifts Islandwide
Student enrollment in Vineyard public schools remains relatively flat with last year, the annual school census shows.
The school census is done in the five elementary schools and regional high school each year on Oct. 1.
Total enrollment is 2,027, eight more than last year, although numbers are up and down…
Oak Bluffs Hopes for Solvent Future, Budget Cuts Approved
Hoping to put their financial problems behind them once and for all, Oak Bluffs voters agreed at a special town meeting Tuesday night to cut $303,561 from the fiscal year 2012 budget.
“We are at a crossroads and this is the night that decisions are made,” said interim town administrator Robert Whritenhour, who…
Jailed for Drunk Driving
Jailed for Drunk Driving
A Chilmark man was convicted of his fourth drunken driving offense and sentenced to 18 months in jail earlier this month.
William C. Elliston, 25, was arrested July 25 in the Lambert’s Cove area of West Tisbury on charges of drunken driving, fourth offense, using a motor…
Salaries Nudge School Budget Higher
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School principal Steven Nixon presented a final draft of his $16.9 million budget for next year to a school subcommittee this week. The budget is a two per cent increase over last year.
The subcommittee voted to preliminarily recommend the budget to the full high school committee Monday night.
Happy Veterans Day
Gazette offices will be closed on Friday, Nov. 11 in observance of the national holiday. For parade information, see Page Two-A.
Rep. Keating Relocates to Cape Amid Redistricting Shuffle
Legislative leaders released a sweeping redistricting plan this week that will move Martha’s Vineyard to a new congressional district and prompt the Island’s current congressional delegate, Rep. William Keating, to relocate. Changes in the nation’s population according to 2010 census data are forcing Massachusetts to cut the number of districts from 10 to nine.
Lobster Decline Leads Fisheries Discussion; Commission Votes to Curb Menhaden Harvest
By MARK ALAN LOVEWELL
In four days of marathon meetings in Boston this week, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) covered the status of many fish in these waters, including menhaden, horseshoe crabs, fluke and black sea bass. Lobster and the striped bass were at the top of the list, though.
A Main Street Staple for 28 Years, Bramhall & Dunn to Close
It’s the quiet season now but it was hardly quiet at Bramhall & Dunn on Main street Vineyard Haven yesterday, where the phone was ringing off the hook. And there was Emily Bramhall herself answering, slightly breathless from so many calls, this time from a reporter.
Edgartown Attorney Sentenced to Community Service
By JOHN H. KENNEDY
Edward W. (Peter) Vincent Jr., a well-known Edgartown attorney and longtime community leader who has served on an array of town and Island boards, was ordered by a district court judge last week to serve 100 hours of community service and two years probation after he admitted to sufficient…
On Point for Living and Dead, Veterans Agent Jo Ann Murphy Meets Multiple Needs
On Wednesday morning Dukes County veterans agent Jo Ann Murphy took a phone call from a World War II veteran to thank her for an unusual errand. Ms. Murphy had delivered him bread-and-butter pickles, his favorite, more than six months ago.
Deprived of Clinic Here, Vets Speak Out on Frustrations of Off-Island Treatment
After more than two years without primary care on the Island, a group of Vineyard veterans blasted the Veterans Administration and Partners Healthcare yesterday for failing to restore medical services that had been available on the Island for years. The veterans met with a team of national representatives from the American Legion in the hope…
Rural Service, MVTV Funding Top Negotiations With Comcast
Cable television customers on the Vineyard are all but assured of having Comcast service for the next 10 years, as a contract between the giant cable company and the six Island towns nears completion. But the question of whether the contract will guarantee service for outlying rural areas of the Island, including Chappaquiddick, remains unsettled.
Full Heart and Hearty Appetite Exemplified Coasties’ Best Friend
With Menemsha falling away behind and the open sea ahead, the U.S. Coast Guard boat headed due west three miles off the coast of Aquinnah Wednesday afternoon. Then the engine was cut. The sun sank in the blue November sky as officers lowered the flags to half-mast and gathered on deck to say goodbye to…
Belted Kingfisher
Belted kingfishers are found throughout North America; as a matter of fact they are considered one of the most widespread land birds in same. They are not considered year-round residents on the Island, but if the winter is mild and there is open water, belted kingfishers can be seen on the Vineyard all year long.…
Shabbat Service
Shabbat Service
The Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center will honor veterans, merchant mariners and others involved in past and present military service at a Shabbat Service on Friday, Nov. 11. Jo Ann Murphy, veterans agent for Dukes County, and members of American Legion Post 257 will attend.
Fall, Frost, Freezers
You really don’t miss the water until the well runs dry. Thankfully, I am only speaking metaphorically. Now that we have experienced a few frosts I miss all the vibrant colors of the fall gardens.
By LYNNE IRONS
You really don’t miss the water until the well runs dry. Thankfully, I…
CPR Classes
CPR Classes
American Heart Association CPR and first aid training courses will take place Nov. 15 to 16 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Mansion House in Vineyard Haven.
These CPR and first-aid courses follow the new American Heart Association standards in CPR, and are appropriate for the general public.
Gothic Tale Suits Young Thespians
By HOLLY NADLER
In a word, atmospherics. Theater director Donna Swift knew she had to hold her junior high school players’ attention, and keep it held. But how?
Scour the old books and find the most Gothic fairy tale possible and bring it to life.
Free Movie for Charity
Free Movie for Charity
The Capawock Theatre will present a free screening of The Lion King on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1:30 p.m. to benefit the Island Food Pantry. Attendees are asked to bring a canned food or cash donation. Checks should be made out to Island Food Pantry.
Short Works from Towering Talent
Currently, Venus in Fur, the new play by David Ives, is appearing on Broadway. The show gained stellar reviews last year when it opened off Broadway and the performance of ingenue actress Nina Arianda has mesmerized critics. This week’s New Yorker has a feature on her.
Close Call
If you are reading this column, then Don Yeomans was correct.
Yeomans, a senior research scientist at NASA, last week assured the public that a sizeable asteroid heading our way would not collide with our home planet Earth or our moon.
Thank goodness, he was right.
Junior High Cinderella
Junior High Cinderella
Next Friday and Saturday evening, Nov. 18 and 19, the Tisbury school gym will transform itself into the magical world of Cinderella for the junior high school play. Twenty-three student actors have been rehearsing since the first week of school to prepare the show that’s a lot of glass slippers…
Community Poetry
Community Poetry
On Sunday, Nov. 13, at 4 p.m. the West Tisbury Library will hosts its annual community poetry reading featuring community members reading their own poems and/or the poems of others. Everyone is invited to share their work, so no more hiding your light under a bushel.
As per tradition…
Holiday Craft Sale
Holiday Craft Sale
Thanksgiving is still weeks away so those who feel Christmas is a bit greedy when Santa and friends start appearing before the turkey and stuffing has been purchased, let alone eaten and digested, read no further.
But for those who like to get their holiday shopping out of…
World War II Veterans Exhibit Breaks Free to the Internet
In celebration of the upcoming Veterans Day holiday, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum has launched a new online exhibit sharing the stories of Vineyard World War II veterans.
Those Who Serve: Martha’s Vineyard and World War II, began as an exhibition in the Museum during 2009 and 2010. The exhibit’s popularity resulted in an…
Women’s Network Offers Entrepreneurs Helpful Advice
The first steps to staring your own business are coming up with an idea and then deciding to take that leap of faith. But what happens next? In particular, how does one keep a business thriving and what sort of changes does a small business owner need to make after switching hats from entrepreneur to…
Winter Walk
Winter Walk
The Vineyard Conservation Society (VCS) begins its program of guided winter walks this Sunday, Nov. 13, starting at 1:30 p.m. with an interpretative hike around the moors, beaches and heathlands of Aquinnah’s Moshup Trail.
The habitat at Moshup Trail is considered globally rare, with more than 90 per cent…
Arboretum Amble
Arboretum Amble
The weather is expected to turn a bit colder next week but that’s no reason to head indoors and cower by a roaring fire. Rather, it is the perfect season for taking a hike and exploring the beauty of the Vineyard in the off-season.
Polly Hill Arboretum, located on…
Let Us Now Praise Our Veterans
Let Us Now Praise Our Veterans
On Nov. 11, Veterans Day, we are given the opportunity to take a deep, collective breath and say thank you to the men and women who have bravely served our country.
Here on the Vineyard we bear witness in many ways, beginning with a parade…
Look Ma, No Batteries, Sassafras Is Natural Choice
Head up to Aquinnah on any Saturday, rain or shine, warm or frigid. Turn left onto Church street and be on the lookout for a green field. Get out of the car and begin walking along a small path through the trees. At first the woods are still and silent. Then the sounds of children…
