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
July 20, 2012
Tuesdays at Twilight Concert
The West Tisbury Library’s Tuesdays at Twilight concert series continues on June 24 with a 7:30 p.m. concert by the Flying Elbows string band, folk artist Jemima James, poet/songwriter Dan Waters and jazz guitarist Al Schackman at the Grange Hall. The series benefits the library’s much-needed expansion and renovation efforts. Doors open at 7. Admission…
Alan Dershowitz on the Supreme Court
Controversy breeds questions, and an Island visitor has some answers. Harvard Professor of Law and Chilmark summer resident Alan Dershowitz presents Rights and Wrongs: How the Supreme Court and The United Nations Have Hijacked Our Rights, at the Chilmark Library on Thursday, July 26 at 5 p.m. He will address the issues facing individual rights…
Holly Near Performance
Singer, songwriter and activist Holly Near performs with pianist John Buccino and guitarist Coleen Kittau at The Old Whaling Church on Sunday, July 22, at 7:30 p.m. Ms. Near has a long history of using music for social activism. She was a 2005 nominee for a Nobel Peace Prize as one of the 1000 Women…
One Day Success
On behalf of Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard, we would like to extend great thanks to the sponsors, supporters, organizations and community leaders for helping us with this year’s One Day University: Arts, Culture, Sustainability event.
Kicks for Maddie
On June 16, the Blitz Fitness karate students and their instructors held their annual kick-a-thon at the Martha’s Vineyard Boys’ and Girls’ Club. Every year the students attempt to outdo their previous record of kicks, typically numbering in the thousands.
Boating Safety Tips
A tragedy over the Independence Day holiday involving a 34-foot cabin cruiser in Oyster Bay, N.Y., brings to light a hazard that may not be at the top of every boater’s list of concerns: passenger and load limits.
Best Island Tour
As frequent visitors to this magnificent Island for the past 40 years, my husband and I thought we knew just about all there was to know about Martha’s Vineyard history and culture. We were wrong! Last weekend, we decided to take an African-American history tour with Robert Hayden, an Oak Bluffs resident for over 40…
Job Well Done
The following letter was sent to Bret Stearns, natural resources director for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah):
The town of Aquinnah would like to thank you and members of the tribe’s natural resources department for all the hard work you did protecting Aquinnah’s natural resources during the grounding of the lobster boat Sherry…
Tick Tales
This is so familiar, the stories, the struggles that all of you are dealing with. I know firsthand what Lyme disease can do to one’s livelihood. I’ve lived with it for 17 years now, not only Lyme, but Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Brucellosis.
What Lies Beneath
Peter Robb, in his July 13 letter, has recently furnished Gazette readers with several fine examples of unabashed Republican thinking, as put forth by their hard-working public relations staff and faithfully hammered into our eyes and ears by “Fair and Balanced” Fox News. All the Democrats need do is give this hogwash the widest possible…
Keeping Faith
In response to Peter Robb’s letter, Losing Faith:
I was enjoying your letter of July 13 until I realized they must have left out the paragraph where you offered any proof for your negative assertions regarding the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Vineyard Youth Tennis Turns 10
The Vineyard Youth Tennis program, which provides free tennis lessons and court time at its Oak Bluffs facility, is celebrating its 10th anniversary on Saturday, July 21 with a professional tennis exhibition, tennis games and prizes, a kids’ carnival with clowns, as well as magicians and face painting. Festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. For more…
Land Bank Revenues: July 13
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $46,660 for the business week ending on Friday, July 13, 2012. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions. Much of the land bank revenue last week came from the town of West Tisbury, where two…
News Update: Friday, July 20 – EPA Designates Area Around Vineyard a No Discharge Zone
State and federal environmental officials Friday formally designated the waters surrounding Martha’s Vineyard and south of Cape Cod off limits for the discharging of boat effluent. The designation means that nearly 95 per cent of state waters around Massachusetts are closed to effluent discharge. State Energy and Environmental Affairs and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officials…
Underage Drinking Meets Zero Tolerance
Widespread partying puts pressure on teens. For police, restaurants and liquor stores — not to mention teenagers trying to get their hands on beer or a cocktail — some high-tech little machines are making a big difference on the Vineyard this summer. With underage drinking historically at a high rate in this resort community, Island…
News Update: Friday, July 20 – Tashmoo Reopened to Shellfishing
Lake Tashmoo, which was closed to shellfishing last week because of a rare toxic algae bloom, reopened Friday morning.
A press release from the town of Tisbury said that the state notified shellfish constable Danielle Ewart on Friday morning to say that additional testing indicated the pond had been cleared and that it…
Agriculture Commissioner Declares Island Farms a Model
On any given summer afternoon, the stand at Morning Glory Farm in Edgartown is bustling. Shoppers leave with large totes of fresh vegetables, still warm from being picked just across the street. For new Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources commissioner Greg Watson, the stand reflects the changing face of the country’s farming movement, one where…
Second Executive Resigns at Savings Bank
A second senior executive has resigned at the Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank. Robert G. Ripley Jr., an executive vice president who headed the Martha’s Vineyard Financial Group, the bank’s wealth management division, has left the bank effective today.
Mr. Ripley confirmed yesterday that he was no longer working at the bank, but had…
It’s Hot, But We’re Better Off Than Most
With much of the nation suffering from drought or drought-like conditions — it’s the hottest year on record so far, according to the National Weather Service — the Vineyard is going through its own oppressively hot and dry season. But this still may be one of the most comfortable places to be on the East…
Meditation Medicine
Meditation Medicine
Tricia Bergeron Plans a Feast Fit for Queen
On Wednesday morning, the Portuguese-American (P.A.) Club in Oak Bluffs is nearly unrecognizable: It’s quiet both inside and out, a far cry from the exuberant bustle that will surround the modest building on Vineyard avenue this weekend during the annual Holy Ghost Feast. The only sign that the Feast will take place soon are two…
For Author, Bringing Healthful Food to the Masses Only Fair
When Oran Hesterman visits a new city, he heads straight for the farmers’ market.
Fourth of July Crash Claims Another Life
A New Hampshire man died at a Boston hospital Tuesday nearly two weeks after being injured in a Fourth of July car accident on the Vineyard that also killed his girlfriend.
According to a family friend, Seth Vieara Jones, 26, of Dummer, N.H., died early Tuesday evening. His death was confirmed by a…
Stemming the Tide of Underage Drinking
The Island is a unique place to raise children, who are exposed to incredible opportunities for learning skills, earning income at an early age and gaining independence through these experiences. This acquired independence presents challenging and unique opportunities for our children. While we may not have malls or mountains for skiing or bowling allies, our…
Taking Stock in a Village, Razing a Home
Fifty-two years ago my parents bought a house overlooking Quitsa Pond in Chilmark. The land had been owned by the Huntingtons and before that by the Pooles, who arrived at this spot some 200 years before. In short course Dad and Mom more than doubled the size of the small cottage, and I guess it…
Rare Artifacts Uncovered at 17th Century Quansoo Home
Rare nautical charts from the late 1700s signed by a Vineyard sea captain and depicting the coast of Portugal and the Orkney Islands are among the treasures that have been recovered from what is believed to be the second oldest house on the Island, Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation executive director Adam Moore said this week.
Mike Wallace Celebrated At Intimate Ceremony
Mike Wallace was laid to rest Tuesday in a simple ceremony at the West Chop Cemetery attended by close friends and family. The popular CBS newsman, a longtime Island summer resident, died on April 7 at the age of 93.
Islander Advances to World Series of Poker
Islander Jesse Sylvia has secured a seat at the final table in the 2012 World Series of Poker Main Event, making him one of nine players competing for the $8.5 million jackpot in late October.
His stack holds 14.5 million more chips than his nearest rival.
“Going in, I’m going to…
Steamship Governors Talk Shipping Trash to New Bedford
The possibility of sending solid waste off-Island via barge was discussed Tuesday at the monthly Steamship Authority governors’ meeting, held in the library conference room at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
Summer Intermezzo
The oppressive heat wave that has blanketed the Northeast in recent weeks finally broke on Wednesday night. A rush of cool air followed the razor edge of thunderstorms that lashed the rest of the state with hail, high winds and flooding in what has been reported as the most severe weather of the summer. Here…
Make Way for Cygnets
It was too good to be true. Until last week, all seven cygnets — the offspring of the West Tisbury Mill Pond swans named Bob and Bobette — were happily swimming about with their parents. None had been struck by a car when they left the pond and dutifully followed their parents across the Edgartown-West…
Weather Woes
From Gazette editions of July, 1935:
A familiar word has already entered into the conversation of the cities — humidity; indeed, it is not altogether unknown in the polite verbal exchanges of the Vineyard.
Washashore Chronicle: Even Karma Gets Crusty in Heat of Summer
Human nature cannot be studied in cities except at a disadvantage — a village is the place. There you can know your man inside and out — in a city you but know his crust; and his crust is usually a lie.” So wrote Mark Twain more than a century ago.
After living…
Vineyard Haven Town Column: July 20
The gossip columnist is the last to know. What’s going on with my favorite clock, It’s Time to Read, now stuck in the 2:15 position in front of the old Bunch of Grapes building? Will it be moved across the street? Will it be reset in it’s current position? Inquiring minds want to know.
West Tisbury Town Column: July 20
The weekend weather was delightful and summer-like. A lot of backyard barbecuing was held all around town and it was wonderful. Business people report that there have been a lot of people around and the traffic is nearly impossible at times; it has definitely been busier than last year. The beaches have been packed each…
Chilmark Town Column: July 20
Chilmark is steamy tonight as I sit down to write on Wednesday night. The threatened thunderstorm of an hour or so ago has gone up the Sound without leaving us a single drop of much-needed rain. We are hoping there may be some more storms in the neighborhood. The week of really hot weather has…
Aquinnah Town Column: July 20
Bruce Eckman and yours truly are presently serving on the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services board of directors — the first from Aquinnah to serve since Rick Lee represented our community. And definitely the first time two Aquinnah members have served at the same time. You are cordially invited to a pre-Posssible Dreams Auction party on…
Here Come the Bonito
Atlantic bonito are here. After rumblings over the last two weeks, reports are coming in that the summer’s fastest swimmers have entered Island waters. We’ve heard that Atlantic bonito, which usually reside in warmer waters, have been taken at The Hooter, a buoy that marks Muskeget Channel. Capt. Porky Francis of Edgartown said he also…
Announcing Josie
Sarah and Jason Look of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Josie Sarah Look, born on July 9 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Josie weighed 8 pounds. She joins big sisters Alexandra, Emma and Lauren.
Hello, Hazel
Samantha Gibson and Erik VanLandingham of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Hazel Jane VanLandingham, born on July 13 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hazel weighed 7 pounds, 5 ounces at birth.
Hello, Hugo
Rebecca and Brice Delhougne of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Hugo Austin Delhougne, born on July 6 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hugo weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces at birth.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: July 20
“How about a coin?,” we used to entreat passengers aboard the ferries while visitors from America embarked and disembarked at the dock in Oak Bluffs on the way to Nantucket. The bigger kids — and faster swimmers — were able to get closest and catch the best booty of half dollars and quarters while the…
East Chop Town Column: July 20
I know some of you don’t believe in it, but East Chop has a telltale sign of global warming. Crystal Lake has not been covered in thick ice in several years. Emma Carmichael remembers as a little girl the ice for her refrigerator came from Crystal Lake. All you had to do was put a…
When Irish Eyes Are Sailing
Ronan Murphy stood by the boathouse and posed the question: “Where do a bunch of college students from a small island west of Europe go for the summer?”
The answer — “An even smaller Island!”
The assembly of sailing instructors let out a chorus of booming laughs, a nearly constant sound track for…
Please Adopt Us
Please Adopt Us
The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard is featuring a special cat named Deacon. He is a beautiful loving ginger tiger cat who needs a home desperately.
Contractors Visit the Site of New Coast Guard Boathouse
Armed with cameras, plans and ideas, prospective contractors for a new U.S. Coast Guard boathouse in Menemsha toured the historic fishing village last week to visit the site of what will be, once built, the largest structure in the harbor.
The project went out to bid this spring. Four prequalified contractors responded to…
Animal Shelter Event Raises $25,000
The Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard’s fourth annual fundraiser added more than $10,000 to shelter coffers on Sunday, with an additional $15,000 received from shelter supporters unable to attend the event.
Union Chapel Welcomes Dr. Roberto S. Miranda
The Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs welcomes Dr. Roberto S. Miranda from CongregaciónLeón deJudá in Boston, at 10 a.m. this Sunday, July 22.
Temperatures
Temperature: Precip.
Day Max. Min. Inches.
Fº Fº
July 13 83 64 .00
July 14 84 66 Trace
July 15 88 69 .00
July 16 88 71 .28
July 17 88 70 .00
July 18 91 73 Trace
…
Moon and Planets
A thin crescent moon will appear low in the southwestern sky tomorrow night. More Vineyarders will see the moon on Sunday night, when it is higher in the west.
July 13: Bright Sunny
Friday, July 13: Bright sunny. Hot. The brown grass on a lawn in downtown Oak Bluffs crunches underfoot. Surrounded by big and little boats, the ferry Island Queen arrives in the late afternoon and slips in and out of a bustling harbor, Sunset silhouettes masts, flag poles and the steeple atop the Tabernacle.
Chappy Town Column: July 20
How much longer do you want to hang on to those containers of yucky stuff that have been taking up space in the cellar? Don’t forget the hazardous waste pickup at the Chappy Community Center tomorrow, Saturday, July 21. Volunteers will be there bright and early at 7 a.m. until 8:30 a.m. sharp to collect…
Edgartown Town Column: July 20
Kathie Case
508-627-5349
(kathleencase@comcast.net)
I am sitting at my computer and waiting for the rain to begin. I have looked at the Doppler radar a hundred times tonight looking to see where the storms are. We really need the rain, but it seems to miss us every time. So…
Recent Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate Transactions
Tisbury
Ruby G. Gude and Kristie L. Wilson purchased 18 Martin Road in Tisbury from Kenneth Ward and Wendy Gray Ward for $373,000 on July 9.
Meredith B. Gallo purchased 40 Oak Tree Lane in Tisbury from Beth B. O’Connor, trustee of the HA Booker Trust; Heather B. Boyd; Scott B.…
Real Estate on the Radio
Architect Patrick Ahearn will be the special guest Tuesday, July 24, on the On the House real estate show on WVVY-FM 93.7. The show airs every Tuesday at 10 a.m., hosted by David Lott.
A Musical Farewell
A Musical Farewell
It’s goodbye, but just for now.
Before departing for college, regional high school graduate Noah Stuber delivers a final summer concert on Saturday, July 21 in The Base at the Alexandra Gagnon Teen Center at the YMCA. Noah performs original music and lyrics and captivates audiences with his…
The Moth Is Drawn to the Vineyard
A member of the Moth’s general council recently checked in with the Gazette. She had a story to tell. But it wasn’t just any story. It was THE story. The Moth is coming to the Vineyard.
For those still basking in their chrysalis and unaware of the Moth, it is a storytelling series…
Meals Seasoned With History Map Out a Culinary Journey
About four years ago I was working on a landscaping project on a horse farm in West Tisbury. Word quickly spread around the farm that a horse had lain down and died in its stall that morning. There was somberness in the air on that hot summer day, with the humidity promising a thunderstorm in…
Klays For Kids
Dick Carlson of Oak Bluffs won the 15th annual Klays for Kids charity skeet shoot Sunday at the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club. The event benefits the club’s three projects for Island kids.
Dick took first place with a score of 48 of 50 targets, while last year’s winner, Bill Damora, picked…
Numerous Nymphs
It was never a good idea to bug Johan Christian Fabricius. Fabricius was a Danish zoologist who specialized in insects and was way too busy for any mundane interruptions. In fact, he was considered one of the most important entomologists of the 18th century. At one time a student of Carl Linnaeus, Fabricus eventually outshined…
Skimming with Excitement
The four pairs of black skimmers on Norton Point are causing great excitement. Two families have four chicks, one family has three chicks and a fourth is on eggs. That brings the total to 11 black skimmer chicks. This is dynamite as the Vineyard has never produced a single black skimmer in the past! Questions…
Send Some Rain
I pretty much hate summer — fleas, poison ivy, sunburns, mosquitoes, traffic and countless insect pests in the gardens. The worst of all is the lack of significant rain. Even lawns with irrigation systems are beginning to crisp. The encouraging news is that the lawns will come back. The dried-up annual beds and window boxes…
Slave Songs
Slave Songs
Almost 150 years after the emancipation of slaves in this country, slave songs still bring alive the pain of a past reality and the longing for a better future.
The Most Deceptive of Pitchers Is the Straightest of Shooters
Tim Wakefield digs into a baseball just behind the horseshoe of the seams, a grip he credits to longtime Dodgers and Rangers knuckleballer Charlie Hough, one of only a handful of men in the major leagues who have been able to harness the sorcery of the pitch. In February, Mr. Wakefield retired after two decades…
When the Elephant in the Room Is Art
After 10 and 17 years of living on the Island, respectively, Tanya Augoustinos and Maria Westby were thinking of moving off-Island. They needed a change. The arts scene in the wintertime was unsatisfying, and their day jobs were getting a little dull.
“We were ready to get out of here,” Ms. Westby said.…
Alan Dershowitz to Speak
Controversy breeds questions, and an Island visitor has some answers.
Harvard Professor of Law and Chilmark summer resident Alan Dershowitz presents Rights and Wrongs: How the Supreme Court and The United Nations Have Hijacked Our Rights, at the Chilmark Library on Thursday, July 26 at 5 p.m. He will address the issues facing…
A Place to Learn How to Live Again
Gary Murphy came to Vineyard House in July of 2006 with a broken marriage, taxes piled up, child support debt and a much bigger problem.
“I was a functional alcohol addict,” he said. “But I just got sick of being out there, and I wanted to give it one more try. I’ve been…
John Cruz
John Cruz
Grammy winner singer-songwriter John Cruz has returned to the Vineyard to open his East Coast tour with three evening performances aboard the Black Dog’s Tall Ship Alabama. The first performance took place last night, July 19. He also plays tonight and tomorrow night. The concerts begin at 5 p.m. and cruise…
Hooked on a Feelin’
Hooked on a Feelin’
E pluribus unum. From many musical sensations comes one Super Group to perform at Hooked seafood restaurant in Oak Bluffs on July 28 at 9 p.m. The musicians are Rick Marotta, drummer for Steely Dan and Paul Simon; Joe Caro, guitarist for Carly Simon and Lenny Kravitz; Neil Stubenhaus, bass…
Party Time in a Square That’s Hip
Party Time in a Square That’s Hip
It’s summer on Winter street in Edgartown and there’s a block party going on tomorrow.
Piano Man Plays in the Key of Charity
The benefit concert at the Tabernacle on Tuesday will be quite the sight to see. More importantly, it will be the one to hear.
David Crohan, celebrated pianist and former owner of David’s Island House in Oak Bluffs, is performing with several other musicians to benefit Freedom Guide Dogs breeding and training facility…
Docks and Dunes Alive With Sound of A Cappella
In the summer of 1992, a few friends from Connecticut College, Wesleyan University and Skidmore College who knew each other from high school had the idea to spend the summer on the Vineyard doing what they liked best: singing.
Jody Alford and friends each gathered a couple of members from their respective collegiate…
