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
June 1, 2012
Shark Season Upon Us
Forget Shark Week — Shark Summer on the Vineyard is about to begin, not in the water but on the baseball field. The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks, the Island’s own collegiate wooden bat summer baseball team, stage their second season home-opener by taking on the Nashua Silver Knights at 5 p.m. on Saturday, June 9. In…
New Font on the Block
Regional high school junior Dana Jacobs has created the “Sixty-Four Dollar Question,” a fun typeface that has been downloaded almost 7,900 times in the last two weeks. Dana is in negotiations with a U.K. company to sell the commercial rights for the font. To see the font or download it for yourself, go to http://www.dafont.com/sixty-four-dollar-question.font.
News Update: Tuesday, June 5 – West Tisbury Approves Additional Library Spending, Splits on Dog Enforcement
Emotions ran high at a West Tisbury special town meeting Tuesday night where voters continued the ongoing debate over town rules relating to dog ownership. First voters rejected a proposal to strengthen the town leash law, and then split on the question of whether to pay for enforcement of a new rule that will restrict…
News Update: Tuesday, June 5 – Two Vineyard Teams Fall in Postseason, Two Remain
After a second week of postseason action, two more Vineyard teams advanced to the next round, while two others had first-round exits. Both tennis teams advanced to the second round of the playoffs. The girls swept Seekonk in their shortest match of the season Friday and the boys similarly took down Hanover on Monday. The…
News Update: Monday, June 4 – Edgartown Names New Library Director
The Edgartown Public Library has a new director. Jill Hughes, the former executive director of the Connecticut Library Consortium, will start the job June 25. She is replacing former director Felicia Cheney, who announced that she was resigning last December. Ms. Hughes was introduced to the board of selectmen Monday. After the meeting she said…
Venus in Transit
Venus, the bright planet that has been a presence in our western sky since winter, is disappearing from view and entering the morning sky. But before it does, it will pass between the sun and the earth and, in an exceedingly rare astronomical event, align with the sun on Tuesday afternoon. The transit will be…
Charter School Graduates Step Forth into Future
The sun finally broke through the clouds Sunday afternoon to greet the new graduates of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School as they processed, smiling and holding hands, into a tie-dye-swathed tent. Nine strong, the class of 2012 — Erica Bartlett, Emma Bleiler, Cherilla “Coco” Brown, Aedan Greene, Elias Brown, Gavin Harrer, Anna “Zen” Hughes,…
Ritz Hosts Benefit
A benefit will be held at the Ritz Cafe in Oak Bluffs on Sunday at 3 p.m. for Sophia Periera, an Islander who is battling cancer and must travel for treatments. Tickets are $20 at the door; there will be live music, food and raffles. “Help us help her with her fight against cancer —…
Charter School Graduation
Nine students will bid farewell to their Charter School education on Sunday in an intimate outdoor graduation ceremony. Th graduation will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the school at 424 State Road. All are welcome to attend.
News Update: Saturday, June 2 – Lakeville Voters Reject Casino Idea
No casino in Lakeville — that was the overwhelming opinion from voters in a special election held in this southeastern Massachusetts town on Saturday. Turning out in strong numbers for the single-question, nonbinding referendum, Lakeville voters joined their neighbors in Freetown by coming out against the casino planned by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head…
Travel Advisory
Travel advisory: Steamship Authority ferry service in and out of Oak Bluffs has been diverted to the port of Vineyard Haven today due to rainy, windy conditions. Detailed information is posted on the boat line’s Web site at steamshipauthority.com. Ferry service between Hyannis and Nantucket was cancelled Saturday morning due to the weather. Vineyard service…
Great Art, Good Works
I arrived on the Island as a twenty-something in the early 1980s and found a fledging art scene and stunning, unlimited beauty. There were a handful of galleries, one of which accepted me, but the bulk of my work was sold in New York. Little by little, independent art shows sprang into existence along with…
Graceful Entrance
What an amazing job everyone did to beautify the Triangle in Edgartown! I am very fortunate to live in the beautiful little town of Edgartown and I adore it. What an amazingly beautiful welcome for all our visitors.
Joe’s sign is absolutely gorgeous and all the plantings are breathtaking.
Algae in Bloom
It’s not July, but it seems like July. It used to be that some things that happen only began to happen in mid-summer, but not this year, no sir. Things are happening now. We can remember when the masses were blooming in the seventh month of the year, while this year, in the fifth month,…
Paws for Thought
How did a good faith effort on the part of a committed group of dog owners to work with the town of West Tisbury to keep Lambert’s Cove Beach clean and safe morph into a proposal for a year-round, townwide leash law? I am a member of that group — the Friends of Lambert’s Cove…
Petitions United
Remember the Citizens United resolution at spring town meetings? In all six towns, we voted to support Massachusetts Senate Bill 772, restoring free speech. It calls for the U.S. Congress to move to amend the U.S. Constitution to affirm that money is not speech, and that human beings, not corporations, are persons entitled to constitutional…
Charity, Public Relations Firm Tangle in Court
The relationship between Network of Neighbors and Edgartown public relations specialist Danielle Pendergraft continued to unravel this week when Mrs. Pendergraft and her husband resigned from the nonprofit board hours before the remaining members voted to oust them.
Charter School Graduates Are Nine Strong
The group may be small, but their impact is not.
Nine students from the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School will graduate Sunday, some headed to college, others embarking on adventures abroad. They’ll leave behind a legacy of community service, and carry with them memories of their tight-knit school community.
“This group…
Library Parking Cost Overruns, Dog Bylaw Top Town Warrant
Extra money to cover the cost of building a parking lot at the new town library and more fine tuning in the controversial rules for dogs on Lambert’s Cove Beach are the issues that top a special town meeting warrant in West Tisbury on Tuesday.
A new parking lot connecting the library and…
Decisive Vote in Freetown Stacks Odds Against Tribe Casino Plan
The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) hit another roadblock in its effort to build a casino this week after Freetown voters overwhelmingly opposed a tribal gambling facility in their town.
The nonbinding special election vote was 954 to 308 on the question of whether to allow a Class III casino. A total…
Bank President Resigns Unexpectedly
The Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank announced this week that president and chief executive officer Christopher Wells had resigned abruptly.
Bank trustees announced the resignation on Wednesday in a brief press release, saying only that Mr. Wells had abruptly resigned effective immediately for personal reasons.
“We thank Chris for his service to…
Edgartown Lighthouse Will Be Auctioned; Town Looks to Secure Beacon
The Edgartown Lighthouse, the prominent beacon overlooking the outer Edgartown harbor that has long been a symbol of the town, is going to be put up to bid by the federal government, with the town and the Martha’s Vineyard Museum expressing interest in taking stewardship of the landmark.
Ghost Crab Arrivals May Signal Climate Shift, Threaten Plovers
They only come out at night, but their signature burrows can be seen along south-facing dunes on ocean beaches from Aquinnah to Edgartown. Given these habits, they have the perfect name: ghost crab.
Luanne Johnson, an Island biologist who wanders the beaches tracking coastal birds and other wildlife, has noticed a surge in…
Undefeated: Ned Fennessey’s Tennis Team is a Perfect Serve
The kid had forgotten his shoes. He was a co-captain of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School tennis team and the team was playing one of its final contests of the season, an away match against Duxbury. He had no choice. He asked head coach Ned Fennessy the only question possible: What size shoe do…
West Tisbury Town Meeting
West Tisbury Town Meeting
New Beauty in Edgartown
Mark Lovewell
New Beauty: The small island of land by the Triangle in Edgartown received a major upgrade just in time for the Memorial Day weekend. The beautification committee of Edgartown is responsible for the improvements, including a Welcome to Edgartown sign, grassy areas and perennial beds. Joe Uranker (pictured) did the woodcarving…
Farm Institute Assents to Cell Tower
A conflict about a wireless cell phone equipment in abandoned silos in Katama came to a swift resolution this week, with members of the Farm Institute, which leases the land, saying they are now in favor of hosting the cell tower. The Edgartown selectmen Tuesday voted in favor of AT& T’s proposal to install the…
Environmental Concerns Prompt Cuts to Wind Farm Area
The federal Bureau of Ocean Energy Management has cut approximately 140 square miles from a wide swath of ocean south of the Vineyard potentially open to wind farm developers.
Five Candidates Vying for County Manager Position
The Dukes County commission will consider five candidates for the position of county manager, four candidates from the Vineyard and one from the mainland.
New Head of Student Services Announced
After a long search, the All-Island school committee Wednesday named Lynn Silva as the new director of student support services.
Ms. Silva comes to the Vineyard from Brewer, Me., where she served as director of pupil services.
Sprinkler May Dampen Ire in Neighbors’ Horse Farm Dispute
A West Tisbury resident has filed a complaint with the town board of health over fine silica powder he says is blowing onto his property from neighbor Steven Rattner’s horse farm at the former Crow Hollow property.
Philip Spaulding, who lives next door to Mr. Rattner, told the selectmen on Wednesday the material…
Boston Man Charged With Rape in Chilmark Assault
A Boston man was arraigned in Edgartown district court Tuesday morning on several rape charges after allegedly assaulting an Oak Bluffs woman in Chilmark.
Bryant K. Brown, 33, of Boston was charged with eight counts, including assault to murder, assault to rape, three counts of aggravated rape, kidnapping and indecent assault and battery…
One Year Late, Tisbury Station Will Soon Welcome Firefighters
The new Tisbury fire station, also known as the emergency services facility (ESF), will open in July according to building committee chairman Joe Tierney. The building was originally slated to open last July, and its opening date has been pushed back a number of times due to construction flaws and ongoing negotiations with the project’s…
New Hampshire Graduates
New Hampshire Graduates
The following students graduated from the University of New Hampshire on Saturday, May 19: Timothy McHugh of Edgartown, with a Master’s in Economics, and Sarah Nelson of Vineyard Haven, with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in fine arts. Ms. Nelson graduated with cum laude honors.
National League Clinches All-Star Game
Last Sunday’s annual Little League All-Star games kicked off by paying tribute to distinguished players of a non-baseball sort: in honor of Memorial Day, six veterans (Ted Morgan, Gene DeFelice, Woody Williams, David Khan, Ed Rodgers and Zeke Vought) threw out the first pitches, with Mr. Vought pitching to son Cris. Mr. Rodgers closed out…
In Historic Season, Six Teams Advance to State Tournament Play
For the second season in a row, every eligible Vineyard team qualified for the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association tournament. This also marks the first time ever that all spring teams have made the tournament, football and softball coach and former athletic director Donald Herman said. Just three Vineyard teams have missed the MIAA postseason this…
Land of Milk and . . .
From past editions of the Vineyard Gazette:
Interest in the newly-formed dairymen’s association of the Island continues to increase, as was evidenced by the large gathering which attended the meeting at Association Hall, Vineyard Haven, last weekend.
An Elegy for Wasque, Eroded and Closed
Wasque is gone.
A great human conceit is to measure time in lifetimes. Regardless of what has existed long before us, and what will exist long after — our time is our time. So Wasque, as we know her, is gone. She may come back, may reform or even expand, but not in…
Memorial Day Marked by Solemnity, Celebration
On Memorial Day Islanders of all ages came together at the Oak Grove Cemetery in Vineyard Haven to honor and pay tribute to U.S. servicemen and servicewomen who have died at war. The day began with a parade that started at the American Legion Hall. Led by a color guard made up of members of…
After 75 Summers, Friends for All Seasons
This is a significant year for me. It marks my 75th summer of coming to the Vineyard. When my widowed mother and my stepfather got married, I came to his Vineyard Haven summer home as a very young teenager in 1937. Having lucked into a good thing, I kept coming back. I did miss a…
Hello, Leilani
Hello, Leilani
Tamara and John King of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Leilani Isabel King, born on May 26, 2012 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Leilani weighed 7 pounds, 6.5 ounces at birth. She joins brothers Christian, Matthew and Jonathan.
Memorial Day Weekend Begets Crowds, Bright Summer Forecast
Memorial Day on the Vineyard is always a crowded scene, but this year’s crowd brought with it something extra — an overwhelmingly good mood. Merchants across down-Island towns stressed the friendliness of first-time vacationers, summer residents and year-round residents.
The first summer weekend began with hordes of passengers crossing the Sound.
Circus Acts, Food-Gathering Top Majors at One-Day University Un
Twisting, jumping, swinging, and fish juggling. That’s how Dic Wheeler addresses environmental issues.
Dazzling an audience with circus magic while advocating for environmental awareness, Mr. Wheeler has people laughing and learning at the same time.
Richard Russo’s Latest Work Binds Family Ties
With Interventions, Richard Russo’s new collection of short stories, readers get more than just words on the page (or the screen — more on that later).
Beacon of History
The 1976 book To the Harbor Light by longtime Gazette editor Henry Beetle Hough drew its title from his daily early morning walks to the Edgartown Lighthouse with his collie Graham. It was a place Mr. Hough knew well, and in fact had campaigned more than once to save for public walking and enjoyment of…
University for a Day
No more teachers, no more books. It’s the anthem of June for elementary and high school students who are counting the days until school lets out for the summer.
Then there are the rest of us who, free of the shackles of mandatory education, now look forward to the high season for the…
This Old House — Creaking, Caving, Beautiful
In my home, on a white shelf in the living room is a framed page of the Vineyard Gazette from 1989 announcing this old house’s 300th birthday. The notice describes the Island history of the building, pulled from scholars’ notes and public records, and has served as a source of pride and honor for my…
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
There is good news at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard this week — all the dogs have been adopted.
But there are still some cats who need to find homes. They are: Butter and Chloe, two tortoiseshell cats; Ceilia, the black shelter mascot who loves to greet…
Caleb Slater Honored
Caleb Slater Honored
The Westfield River Watershed Association has chosen Dr. Caleb Slater, head of the Anadromous Fish Project for the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, as the 2012 winner of the Richard A. Waite Award for his outstanding environmental service. The award is given annually to a person who helps preserve…
Charles Hodge Awarded
Charles Hodge Awarded
Edgartown resident Charles Hodge, MD was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by The Society of Neurological Surgeons on May 22 in Atlanta, Ga.
The Society of Neurological Surgeons is constituted of neurosurgeons with leadership roles in North American neurosurgical education. The award is given to a member “…
Cancer Fight Is a Marathon, Not A Sprint, at Annual Relay for Life
Vineyard residents pride themselves on being tough. They brave cold, barren winters, prohibitively high gas prices and interminable summer crowds.
But those Islanders battling cancer are among the hardiest. They face high medical costs, uncomfortable ferry rides and long, painful drives to oncologists and radiation centers. Cancer engages them in emotional, physical and…
Sense of Wonder Art Show
Sense of Wonder Art Show
What sort of wonderful things have the kids at Sense of Wonder been dreaming up? Papier mâché creatures, see-through Saran Wrap sculptures, dioramas, plaster relief paintings, and acrylic paintings. . . . for starters.
West Tisbury
JOHN S. ALLEY
508-693-2950
alleys@vineyard.net
The holiday weekend weather was absolutely delightful. Many outdoor activities and cookouts took place. The rhododendrons at the old Foote tennis court (the only clay court remaining in town) were absolutely beautiful this past weekend. Bunny Fales would have been so proud of them.
Laughter Is Best Medicine for Rotary Cause
Alzheimer’s disease is a rapidly growing concern for the U.S. health care system. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, the world’s leading voluntary support base for Alzheimer’s research and coping, the estimated cost of the disease in America will be $200 billion this year. Out of that figure, $140 billion will come from Medicare and Medicaid.…
Ritz Hosts Benefit
Ritz Hosts Benefit
A benefit will be held at the Ritz Cafe in Oak Bluffs on Sunday at 3 p.m. for Sophia Periera, an Islander who is battling cancer and must travel for treatments. Tickets are $20 at the door; there will be live music, food and raffles. “Help us help her with…
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
May 25 68 55 Trace
May 26 66 60 .05
May 27 80 61 Trace
May 28 72 59 .00
May 29 75 58 Trace
May 30 80 63 .00
…
Oak Bluffs
HOLLY NADLER
508-274-2329
(hollynadler@gmail.com)
Bird watchers keep “their eyes to the skies,” as our own ornithologist (and now Nantucket’s) Vern Laux likes to say, but for those of us who cover the waterfront, our keen observational faculties are trained on cafés, retail shops and hotels along the harbor.
…
Edgartown
KATHIE CASE
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
Who could have asked for a better Memorial Day weekend? The weather was great and I even heard that some people went in the water. To that I say brrrrr, but they enjoyed it and it made some personal records of the first swim of…
Disappearing Act
Venus, the wonderful bright planet that has been a presence in our western sky since winter, is gone. Venus appears so close to the sun now that it cannot be seen.
Creative Living Nominations
Creative Living Nominations
The Permanent Endowment Fund for Martha’s Vineyard is accepting nominations for the 2012 Creative Living Award. The award recognizes individuals who have contributed significantly to the Island’s quality of life and embody the spirit of former resident Ruth J. Bogan.
Welcome Hazel Irene
Welcome Hazel Irene
Mr. and Mrs. Rob and Elizabeth Morgan of Shelburne Falls are delighted to announce the birth of their first child. Daughter Hazel Irene Morgan was born Friday, May 11, 2012.
Hazel Irene is the first grandchild of Mrs. Shelia Wessel of Lenoxdale and Mr. Gene Barry of Williamstown.…
Honors Night Lauds Senior Achievement
What follows is the list of awards given to Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School students at the annual Honors Night ceremony, held last night at the high school Performing Arts Center.
Departmental Awards: Faculty
Art: excellence in drawing & painting: Maya Harcourt; excellence in photography & graphics: Truda Silberstein; excellence in…
Cracking the Conker
The hardest conker usually wins.
Methods for hardening your conker include soaking or boiling it in vinegar, baking it or painting it with varnish. Though there are many methods to firm up your conker, none is advised in this column, since doing so is considered cheating. So to be true, one must keep…
Kettle Spotting
Bert Fischer had a spectacular avian experience on May 29. He was returning on his tractor from doing work in the field when he spotted a kettle of hawks flying overhead. A kettle of hawks is a basically a flock of hawks enjoying a thermal and circling in the sky. Bert didn’t recognize the hawks,…
Dylan Graduates
Dylan Graduates
Dylan Thomas Ryan Walsh, son of Barbara Walsh of Chilmark, graduated from Saint Michael’s College in Vermont with a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration on May 14.
Racing Under the Sun
Racing Under the Sun
Poppy Appreciation
There are four words a person over a certain age does not want to hear, especially from a medical professional: “as a person ages.” I heard a friend relate an experience at the doctor. She was concerned about her hearing and was having it checked. After the dreaded four words, she was told that not…
Recent Island Real Estate Transactions
Aquinnah
Richard J. Hart purchased 18 State Road in Aquinnah from Timothy J. Broderick for $422,000 on May 25.
Chilmark
Robert Lionette and Heather Quinn purchased Lot 2 on Ridge Hill Road in Chilmark from Charles F. and Kim M. Pachico for $320,000 on May 21.
Geoghan…
Poetry Reading
Little Murders Everywhere? No, it’s not a warning about the demise of the Island, nor a message meant to scare. It’s the title of a new poetry collection by Rebecca Morgan Frank, who will read some of her work at the West Tisbury Library on Tuesday, June 5.
Ms. Frank will be joined…
Walk it Off
Traveling from West Chop to Katama without a car? You could hitchhike. But why not just hike it instead?
On Saturday, June 2, the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank will celebrate National Trails Day with its annual cross-Island hike, a chance to explore the Island’s many trails and earn some bragging rights in the…
Chamber Society Fine-Tunes New Season
No accounting for taste. More accurately, those who love classical music enjoy such a variety of musical tastes, that only in the hands of an elite concert group will all be satisfied.
So it was last Saturday at the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown, when the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society kicked off…
Curated Costumes
Curated Costumes
Featherstone Center for the Arts is paying homage to the Island’s rich theatre history with its current exhibit, The Art of Costume Design: Celebrating 30 Years at the Vineyard Playhouse. The exhibit is being guest-curated by Vineyard Playhouse artistic director MJ Bruder Munafo.
Tom Dresser Talk
Tom Dresser Talk
Author Tom Dresser continues to circumnavigate the Vineyard with readings and discussion of his latest book, Disaster Off Martha’s Vineyard: The Sinking of the City of Columbus. Mr. Dresser’s upcoming stop will take him to the Edgartown Library on Tuesday, June 5 at 7 p.m. The talk is free and…
On Thomas Hart Benton’s Vineyard, A Sea Change Realized
To unenlightened art history students Thomas Hart Benton is the champion of the heartland, a standard bearer for the Midwestern agrarian ideal. But a closer look at his paintings reveals the influence of an Island a world away.
