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 20, 2012
Call for Improved Up-Island Verizon Service
Attention, Verizon customers: Would you like to get better cell reception in Chilmark and Aquinnah? If so, Chilmark executive secretary Tim Carroll is urging you to write to Verizon Wireless representatives, asking why the company won’t join the newly operational Distributed Antenna System (DAS), which will greatly improve wireless service for certain carriers in the…
News Update: Wednesday, April 25 – Chilmark Voters Say Yes to Pond Study, No to Roundabout
The Menemsha Pond system and Chilmark Pond are now eligible to participate in the Massachusetts Estuaries Project after voters approved a Proposition 2 and a half override for the project at the annual town election on Wednesday.
The vote was 192 to 56 for the Menemsha ponds, and 179 to 69 for Chilmark…
Chilmark Town Election
Chilmark voters go to the polls today for the annual town election. The ballot features four questions, including three spending items related to repairs at the West Tisbury School and funding for the Massachusetts Estuary Project pond study. Voters will also be asked to weigh in on a non-binding referendum on the proposed Oak Bluffs…
News Update: Tuesday, April 24 – Tisbury Elects Jon Snyder Selectman
Longtime town finance committee member Jon Snyder narrowly edged out town health agent and former selectman Tom Pachico in Tuesday’s town election for a spot on the board of selectmen. Mr. Snyder garnered 473 votes, while Mr. Pachico earned 426.
A total of 926 out of 2,930 residents, or just over 31 per…
Tisbury Town Election
Tisbury voters will go to the polls Tuesday for the annual town election. The ballot features a heated race between Tom Pachico and Jon Synder for an open seat on the board of selectmen. Polls are open from noon to 8 p.m. at the American Legion Hall.
News Update: Monday, April 23 – Chilmark Wraps Up Annual Town Meeting in One Hour Flat
With little disagreement, Chilmark voters sped through a 22-article warrant at their annual town meeting in one hour flat on Monday, pausing only for a bit of debate over whether to continue the town’s participation in the Massachusetts Estuaries Project.
From Island to E Street
Island resident and rock photographer Jim Shive takes the microphone today, April 23, as guest deejay on Sirius XM’s E Street Radio broadcast. The show airs at 4 p.m. and again tomorrow at 8 a.m.
Grant Writing Class
The Martha’s Vineyard Doors Collaborative will host a three-class grant writing and research workshop at the Oak Bluffs Library’s Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Resource Center on April 23 and 24. The workshop includes hands-on training on the Foundation Center’s online directory of over 100,000 funders, which is available free of charge at the Resource Center. The…
Community Poetry Reading
April is poetry month, and to celebrate the West Tisbury Library’s is holding its annual community poetry night on Sunday, April 22 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. West Tisbury’s newest poet laureate, Justin Ahren will be on hand to help out anyone and everyone who wants to read, listen or both. Refreshments will be served…
News Update: Saturday, April 21 – Chilmark Man Charged with Child Molestation
A prominent Island insurance executive and well-known Chilmark resident was arrested and charged this week with child molestation, stemming from incidents in West Tisbury and Chilmark in which he allegedly exposed himself to a child.
Titanic Memorial Cruise Arrives in Oak Bluffs
The cruise ship Balmoral, involved in a much publicized transatlantic commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic, has docked today in Oak Bluffs waters. The cruise ship left England on April 8 and followed the ill fated ship’s same route, arriving in New York. From there, passengers have been treated to…
Sheepapalooza Returns
It’s Sheepapalooza time again. On Saturday, April 21, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. the Farm Institute is reveling in all things sheepie.
Morning chores begin at 9 a.m., followed by sheep shearing, fiber arts, lunch (play with sheep, eat sheep), farm tours and dog herding demonstrations.
The event takes place…
New Edgartown Officers
The Edgartown police department will welcome two new members this summer.
On Tuesday police chief Antone Bettencourt told the selectmen that with officer Alex Elias leaving for another job, Oak Bluffs police officer Jeffrey Trudel will be joining the Edgartown force on May 14. Mr. Trudel is assigned to the K-9 unit for…
Edgartown School Unveils Honor Roll
Edgartown School principal John Stevens has announced the honor roll for the third quarter of the 2011-2012 academic year.
Eighth grade high honors go to Renato Gomes, Samantha Hargy, Jared Livingston and Sara Poggi.
Eighth grade honors go to James DiMattia, Alexandra Ellis, Elliot Ferland, Olivia Green-Lingren, Elizabeth Hayman, Jacquelyn Hegarty,…
Sara Crafts Transcribes Her Way Into Literary History
Twelve years ago, as transcriptionist Sara Crafts remembers it, a “nice couple” walked into her home office in Oak Bluffs and asked if she could type up a series of extended photo captions for a forthcoming book. She took the job, not knowing it would lead to a life-changing collaboration.
Station Owners Say Gas Buying Shift Hurts
A decision by West Tisbury to buy discounted gasoline from the Vineyard Transit Authority for town vehicles has upset the owners of Up-Island Automotive, who told the town selectmen this week the move has both hurt their business and wounded their pride as longtime business owners in the heart of the village.
Prolonged Drought Sparks High Fire Alert
If this year isn’t the driest on record for the Vineyard, it is certainly one of the driest, according to meteorologists. So far the Vineyard has received just over eight inches of precipitation through Tuesday, about half its yearly average over the same time period.
The unusual conditions have meant an elevated risk…
Opposites Attract Plenty of Attention In Tisbury Election
Tisbury voters will have a clear choice next Tuesday as Tom Pachico and Jon Snyder square off for an open seat on the town board of selectmen. In one corner is an outspoken and defiantly proud lifelong Islander with decades of service to the town; in the other, a professed budget hawk and town finance…
Speed-Seeking Brothers Capture Victory Abroad
The fastest sailor in world history wins again!
Rob Douglas of Vineyard Haven won the Mondial du Vent Orange Speed Crossing — the largest combined kitesurfing and windsurfing speed event — in Leucate, France last week. Rob set a new course record of 43.32 knots.
Rob’s brothers Jamie and Morgan, also…
Ponds Health, Budget Hike Top Chilmark Warrant
A sharp increase in the annual town operating budget and the question, both financial and philosophical, of whether to continue participation in the Massachusetts Estuaries Project are the key issues that will come before Chilmark voters at their annual town meeting Monday night.
The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Chilmark Community…
Island Wampanoags Float Possibility of Vineyard Casino
As the scramble to reach first in casino gambling continues in Massachusetts, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) caused a small stir when it announced last week that the tribe is considering some kind of casino operation on the Vineyard.
Police Seize Bomb-Making Materials
Bomb-making materials were discovered this week in a storage facility near the airport, according to Edgartown police.
The department is seeking an arrest warrant for Jobian Kerr, 31, on charges of possessing explosive substances or materials, Det. Sgt. Christopher Dolby said in a press release.
According to the police, officers seized…
Fast Developing Brains Make Teens at Risk for Drug Effects
When it comes to drug and alcohol abuse among teenagers, peer pressure and experimentation frequently are cited as contributors. But according to one expert, a look at adolescent brains shows why teens are particularly affected by drug and alcohol use.
To speak more about what’s going on in teenagers’ heads — and how…
Volleyball Winners
Volleyball Winners
The West Tisbury volleyball team defeated the Oak Bluffs Blazers in five sets last Wednesday during the middle school championship game, giving the Hawks their third interscholastic title of the 2011-2012 sports season.
The Hawks won the first two sets 25-21, 25-23, but Oak Bluffs came back in the…
Fuel Assistance Available
Applications for the South Shore Community Action Council’s fuel assistance program for the 2012 season must be received by April 30.
Turning His Grief Into a Support System
On Wednesday Sam Feldman pulled up a picture of a bathing beauty on his iPad. It was his wife, Gretchen, when she was only 20, the year he met her.
“So, that’s why I was sad and lonely,” he said lingering over the picture before putting it away. “Is that a good enough…
Chilmark Asks Coast Guard to Reconsider Insurance Decision
Chilmark selectmen will ask the U.S. Coast Guard to reconsider its denial of town insurance claims from the Menemsha boathouse fire. On advice of their town counsel, the selectmen decided not to pursue an appeal through the U.S. District Court, at least for now.
Southern Woodlands Foreclosure Postponed
A foreclosure auction scheduled for developer Corey Kupersmith’s property in the Southern Woodlands in Oak Bluffs has been postponed. Originally set for Thursday morning, the auction is now scheduled for July 26 at 11 a.m. according to the Web site for JJ Manning Auctioneers.
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The sweet little pug named Rascal is back with us at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard. He was adopted right away but came back because the other dog in the house decided that Rascal had visited long enough. We think Rascal would do better being the only dog —…
Good Enough to Eat
Good Enough to Eat
Edible Vineyard magazine received special recognition from Gov. Deval Patrick on April 3 at Ag Day, an annual event at the State House in Boston that promotes agriculture in Massachusetts. Edible Vineyard’s owner and publisher Sam Berlow attended the event. The five Edible publications in Massachusetts were recognized for…
EMT Fashion Show for Women’s Heart Health
The Tisbury Volunteer Ambulance Association is strapping on its finery and taking to the catwalk for the first-ever Respond in Style Charity Fashion Show on Saturday, April 28 at the Harborview Hotel in Edgartown. The show, produced in honor of the American Heart Association’s Go Red for Women Heart Attack and Stroke Awareness campaign, will…
Essay Contest Deadline
Today is the deadline for Island students, grades one through eight, to enter the Mom of the Year essay writing contest. The contest, in conjunction with the Edgartown Board of Trade and Pink and Green Weekend, will award three winning prizes—one each in grades one to three, four to six and seven to eight. The…
Books Back on Main Street: Tenant for Edgartown Store
It looks like the Vineyard will remain a two-bookstore Island.
David LeBreton, the owner of Edgartown Books, said this week that he has a potential buyer for his bookstore, with the interested party planning to keep the bookstore operation in place.
The new owner would take ownership of the Main street…
Grant Writing Class
The Martha’s Vineyard Donors Collaborative will host a three-class grant writing and research workshop at the Oak Bluffs Library’s Martha’s Vineyard Nonprofit Resource Center on April 23 and 24. The workshop includes hands-on training on the Foundation Center’s online directory of over 100,000 funders, which is available free of charge at the Resource Center.
Town Quickly Adopts Beer and Wine Rules
West Tisbury selectmen voted Wednesday to approve regulations for the sale of beer and wine.
The move comes less than one week after voters at the annual town election overwhelmingly approved permitting the sale of beer and wine at restaurants with more than 50 seats and issuing one-day beer and wine licenses for…
New Bedford Renews Push for Freight Service to the Vineyard
New Bedford civic leaders this week doubled down on their push to have the Steamship Authority begin summer freight service between their city and the Vineyard, despite a detailed analysis from SSA senior managers that shows the service would be inefficient and prohibitively expensive.
At the monthly boat line meeting held in New…
An Institution Moves Across the Street
The news that the Bunch of Grapes Bookstore would be moving hit me hard. Granted, it’s only to a space across the street. And I shouldn’t have been surprised. For years now, I’ve seen the great independent bookstores of New York and the Bay Area downsize or close up shop. Whether you blame mega-stores, the…
As Nature Teaches, She Walks the Walk
I grew up in a very small town in Connecticut. There was one babysitter, Mrs. Shepard, an older woman who lived on a farm, and many kids in town were in her care. We walked to and from our small school, and after school we fed the horses, ran in the fields and splashed in…
Despite Woes, This is No Great Depression
The Obama campaign’s recently released online documentary, The Road We’ve Traveled, opens by evoking the plight of the economy when Obama took office: “This will be as deep as anything we’ve experienced since the Great Depression,” and “not since the days of Franklin Roosevelt had so much fallen on the shoulders of one president.” It…
Wampanoag Nation
Nearly ten years ago a small shed went up on the Cook Lands in Aquinnah fronting Menemsha Pond, property owned by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). It seemed an innocuous enough little building, but there was one glitch: the tribe had not obtained a building permit for it.
Venus
The brightest planet in the sky tonight is Venus, high in the western sky. Venus is moving through the zodiacal constellation Taurus. It is a short distance away from the star cluster Pleiades, which through a pair of binoculars looks like a small dipper. The Pleiades, also nicknamed the Seven Sisters, is a short distance…
Wahsashores Chronicle: Sometimes Paradise Requires a Septic System
From time to time, whenever inspiration aligns with respiration, I will be contributing a column to this paper. It will cover some aspect of moving to and living on this Island, trekking toward retirement while reducing stress and making mole hills out of former mountains. Welcome to the Washashore Chronicles.
You need a…
Tall Lobster Tail
From Gazette editions of April, 1987: A monster lobster was landed this week by the 75-foot fishing boat Unicorn out of Menemsha. Capt. Gregory Mayhew and his mate Dominique Penicaud came ashore with a 17-pound male lobster
Letters to the Editor
FREE THE BEACHES
Editors, Vineyard Gazette: I find it embarrassing to reside in a town where the issue of dogs walking on a private town beach is discussed in length, yet at the same time we do not discuss and continue to exclude from our beaches all outside members of our community.
Silas Arrives
Sarah and Oberon York of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Silas Kano York, born on March 26 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Silas weighed 7 pounds, 8.5 ounces at birth and joins big sister Lilah.
Chilmark
JANE N. SLATER
508-645-3378
(slaterjn@comcast.net)
Chilmark is all about town meeting this week. We convene at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 23 for our annual spring town meeting. Voting by ballot will take place on Wednesday at the Community Center with polls open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.…
Temperature
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
April 13 58 38 .00
April 14 61 44 .00
April 15 68 49 .06
April 16 66 52 .00
April 17 68 51 .00
April 18 81 52 .00
…
Announcing Suzanne
Announcing Suzanne
Isabella and Shawn Reed of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Suzanne Cabral Reed, born on April 12 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Suzanne weighed 6 pounds, 11.8 ounces at birth.
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
I woke up on Tuesday morning and thought I slept until July. We always say dress in layers so you can take clothes off or put them on as the case may be. But I was not prepared for 75 degree weather. As much as…
Wins Almost All Around; Boys’ Lacrosse Struggles on Turnovers
By IVY ASHE
Nearly all of the Vineyard teams compete at home this week; of particular note are the sailing team’s races against Harwich on Tuesday at 3 p.m. Competition takes place on Lagoon Pond and can be viewed from Sailing Camp Park.
Baseball
The Vineyarders rose to the…
Earth Day Beach Cleanup
Mother Earth needs you, all over the world, but here on the Vineyard, it’s her beachy bits that need the most care. That’s why on Earth Day, Saturday, April 21, the Vineyard Conservation Society is hosting its 20th annual beach cleanup day.
Nature Calls
When we think of singing, we usually think of people or birds. In the spring we may think of pinkletinks, but we usually think of them as chorusing rather than singing. Very few people will think of grasshoppers, crickets and katydids as singers, but they are. And in this unusual spring, when oak trees are…
Cacophony of Crows
David Stanwood, musician extraordinaire, recently made two astute observations; a recording and research on fish crows. He noticed “a procession of hundreds, maybe thousands of crows flying over our house and over Hoft Farm front field towards Long View.” David thought he heard what he noted was something “fishy,” so he made a recording of…
Big Wind, Long Blooms
I wonder if the written word can do justice to the following? In light of the recent tornado outbreaks in the Midwest this past week, this event is relatively benign. Last Friday a mini-wind situation must have taken place in my big vegetable garden. I have a large heavy-plastic igloo-type shelter that I use in…
Brittany Devaney to Wed
Brian Devaney of New Bedford and Paula Devaney of Edgartown are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter, Brittany Devaney, to Matthew Lawson. Mr. Lawson is the son of Matt and Michelle Hylton, both of Richmond, Va. A Vineyard wedding is planned for Sept. 21, 2013.
Navy Graduate
Navy Graduate
Kayla Whalen, a graduate of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School class of 2004, graduated from the United States Navy basic training program and became a US Sailor on March 16. During basic training Ms. Whalen was twice promoted and earned an E-3 rating, the highest rating one can receive during…
Honor Society
Honor Society
James Todd, son of Christine Todd of Oak Bluffs, has been elected to the English Honor Society at Villanova University. He has also been elected to Kappa Delta Pi, the international educational honor society. James has achieved this honor having made dean’s list for five consecutive semesters.
Islander Corinna McCurdy Marries Joshua Liebowitz
Corinna McCurdy and Joshua Liebowitz were married Sept. 10, 2011, on a bright, sunny afternoon overlooking the lagoon in Vineyard Haven at the home of the bride’s maternal grandmother, Pamela Cassel. Corinna is the daughter of Tom and Jennifer McCurdy of Vineyard Haven. She is a graduate of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School, Boston…
Adult Learning Program Graduates
The Martha’s Vineyard Adult Learning Program (MVALP) celebrated completion of its 13th year of teaching English to adult immigrants at the High School Performing Arts Center on April 5. Attending the certificate and awards ceremony were Jim Weiss, superintendent of schools, Janet Sylvia, the superintendent’s financial administrative assistant, Jeanne Burke, the MVALP director, teachers and…
Precious Package: Green Garlic Brings Out Best of Spring Season
My family has learned how to express love through food. Maybe a little too heavily on the food side, and we are still learning to express ourselves emotionally, which can lead to a miscommunication or two. Just this morning my father greeted me with oysters while he shucked them with a pocketknife. Almost every time…
On Broadway, Now On-Island
The Sisters Rosensweig by Wendy Wasserstein first opened in 1992 at the Seattle Repertory Theatre. It premiered off-Broadway at the Lincoln Center Theatre and then moved to the Ethel Barrymore Theatre on Broadway. During its journey, the play gathered suitcases full of awards, including a Tony nominee for best play, a Tony award for Madeline…
Beetlebung Festival Serves Up Tasty Treat
Spring was in full bloom at the second annual Beetlebung Festival for the Arts and Edibles last Saturday, where a night of good eats, good music and great company echoed through the Chilmark Community Center.
The first arrival of seasonal friends and workers began to trickle in, catching up on winter activities over…
Exploring Surrounding Waters
When people ask Arnold Carr why he chose to become an underwater explorer/marine biologist instead of taking over his family’s iconic store, Darlings, on Circuit avenue he says, “Because I grew up on Martha’s Vineyard. I was surrounded by water.”
Play Ball!
Save the date, next Saturday, April 28 beginning at 10:30 a.m. the 2012 Little League baseball season officially opens with a parade down Circuit avenue in Oak Bluffs.
Bring some apple pie, mamas and papas. This is small town living at its best.
Teams gather at 9:30 a.m. at the Oak…
Reception to Celebrate Vineyard Architecture
On Sunday, April 22, Featherstone Center for the Arts is holding a reception for its newest exhibit: The Art of Vineyard Architecture — Celebrating Vineyard Architecture.
The exhibit features local noted architects including, Patrick Ahearn, Stephen Pogue, Architecture Indigo, LLC, Hutker Architects, MacNelly Cohen Architects, Mashek MacLean Architects, South Mountain Company, Sullivan O’Connor…
Busy Pathways
It’s a busy week at the Pathways gathering space at the Chilmark Tavern, located at Beetlebung corner. All performances take place from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., so plan your week’s dinner possibilities around that time.
First up on Saturday, April 21, is a John Cage centennial concert tribute with a presentation of Innovations…
Fleshing Out the Softer Side of Iago
No contest, Iago, the evil genius of William Shakespeare’s Othello, is the most brutal villain in any of the bard’s productions. The play was first presented in 1604 during what literary historians have deemed Shakespeare’s period of despair, when the struggle for good and evil in the human soul preoccupied him.
But what…
Earth Day Beach Cleanup
Earth Day Beach Cleanup
Mother Earth needs you, all over the world, but here on the Vineyard, it’s her beachy bits that need the most care. That’s why on Earth Day, Saturday, April 21, the Vineyard Conservation Society is hosting its 20th annual beach cleanup day.
Volunteer, Then Barbecue At Felix Neck Sanctuary
Mass Audubon’s volunteer day is next Saturday, April 28 from 9 a.m. to noon.
To help out, head over to the Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and after the work enjoy a thank you barbecue lunch.
Projects will span age ranges and abilities and go toward fulfilling any community service projects that…
Civil War Series Marches On With Stories, Songs
Sparky and Rhonda Rucker are coming to the Vineyard Haven Library and they are doing some plain talking about the Civil War. In fact, their presentation is entitled, The Blue and Gray in Black and White.
Actually, they will be doing more than just speaking. They will bring the world of the Civil…
Community Poetry Night
“April is the cruellest month, breeding lilacs out of the dead land, mixing memory and desire, stirring dull roots with spring rain.”
So said T.S. Elliot at the beginning of his epic poem The Waste Land.
Here on the Vineyard, though, April is poetry month, nothing cruel about that, and to…
Writing His Own, Captivating Civil War
Physically speaking, John Hough Jr. lives in a book-filled home in modern-day West Tisbury. But for the last few years, he’s ventured far from Vineyard shores, and back in time: to Civil War-era Martha’s Vineyard, to the battlefield at Gettysburg, to the vast plains of Montana in 1876.
