Mary Oliver
The wind wags its many tails. And in the evening the piled firewood shifts a little, longing to be on its way. —Mary Oliver
August 14, 2012
Cape Wind Wins Approval from FAA
Cape Wind, the controversial 130-turbine project slated for construction on Horseshoe Shoal, cleared its final regulatory hurdle this week when the Federal Aviation Administration determined that the project would not pose a hazard to aviation.
On the drawing board for 10 years, Cape Wind is planned to be the country’s largest offshore wind…
Seth’s Pond Re-Opened
It’s safe to go back in the water again. That was the word on Seth’s Pond from the West Tisbury health agent John Powers Thursday afternoon, one day after the freshwater pond was closed for swimming.
News Update: Wednesday, August 15 – Illumination Night Postponed Due to Weather
Grand Illumination Night, scheduled for Wednesday evening, has been postponed due to the threat of thunderstorms, the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association board of directors has announced. The annual lighting of the lanterns at the Campground will instead take place Thursday evening. The event will follow the same format, beginning with a performance by the…
News Update:Wednesday, August 15 – Governor Seeks Federal Relief for Fishermen
Following a call by Massachusetts legislators to formally declare the New England fishery a disaster, Gov. Deval Patrick this week urged the federal government to take quick action to provide direct economic relief to Massachusetts commercial fishermen.
“The need for a disaster declaration is more critical than ever,” Governor Patrick wrote in a…
Seth’s Pond Closed
Closed again. That was the word on Seth’s Pond from the West Tisbury health agent Wednesday morning, one day after the freshwater pond had been reopened for swimming.
Town health agent John Powers said in an e-mail Wednesday that the pond was closed again due to water test results from Monday.
…
Seth’s Pond Reopened
Seth’s Pond in West Tisbury has been reopened for swimming, town board of health agent John Powers confirmed Tuesday morning.
The popular freshwater swimming pond off Lambert’s Cove Road had been closed since July 3 due to high levels of enterococcus bacteria.
On August 9 Mr. Powers said he had five…
Running or Rolling, Road Race Rocks
It is unknown what the winner of this year’s Chilmark Road Race — Hugh Parker of New York city with a time of 16:07:29 — did to prepare for the race. He ran fast and shirtless in the morning downpour, crossing the tape nearly 30 seconds ahead of his closest competitor, David Melly of Newton,…
Crescendo Builds for Agricultural Fair
Standing before the Enter sign at the Agricultural Society fairgrounds the week before the annual fair, there is a strong sense of anticipation. There’s not much to see. Foot-tall pink flags mark the spots for the vendors that will sell food and goods on the lawn. A few rides sit folded in the corner of…
Bust Involves Cocaine Ring, Police Say
A New York woman is facing a cocaine trafficking charge in what Edgartown police are calling one of the biggest drug busts in recent memory late last week. Police said the arrest is connected to a larger operation bringing cocaine to the Vineyard.
Candidates Speak, But Not to Each Other
On the morning that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney announced that Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan will be his running mate, Martha’s Vineyard Democrats focused on a more local political decision as they heard from the two candidates they will choose between in the congressional primary on Sept. 6.
Vineyard Notebook
Looming thunderstorms and ominous skies did not detract from the excitement at the Boch family estate in Katama on a recent Thursday night. A core group of volunteers who had worked selflessly behind the scenes for weeks to produce what was one of the best Water Tastings by the Sea in 15 years, a benefit…
A Foot Soldier in the War on Women
Years ago I was standing in the Red Sox clubhouse speaking with Bruce Hurst, the nicest guy I ever met in baseball and a Mormon. We moved from topic to topic until a female reporter entered the room. Then Mr. Hurst’s jaw clenched and he let out an unintelligible howl of protest. On another occasion,…
In Polly’s Garden: A Grass for Every Purpose on Vineyard
Plants in the grass family (Poaceae) dominate the planet by the breadth of their global coverage. They play a critical role in preventing erosion, in addition to providing forage and habitat for many animal species. The majority of the most important agricultural crops in the world are grasses, including wheat, corn, rye, oats and sugarcane.
Sand Sculptures
More than 60 participants traded in their books and bowls for sculpting tools on August 1 for the Edgartown Board of Trade’s annual sand sculpture contest, held at South Beach. Sand creations included a giant dog bowl, a mermaid, Pac Man and a shark chowing down on a swimmer’s leg, as well as a number…
Vineyard, Nantucket Teach, Learn Conservation Lessons
After coming from Nantucket to the Vineyard on Wednesday, Cormac Collier first noticed the trees lining the roads that wind through Chilmark.
“We took a little tour on the western side of the Island, and the one thing I was most amazed about was . . . the forests that are here. We…
Very Vineyard
After a seven-month hiatus, Very Vineyard has re-opened with a brand-new, very transformed look. The first floor of the 30 South Summer street building, originally divided into four subunits, has now been opened up into one large, open space. The women’s clothing store is owned by Carol Lattmann; it has been in business for 27…
Magazine Highlights Summer on Vineyard
The August issue of Martha’s Vineyard Magazine runs the gamut of summer activities, from laid-back afternoons on the beach to the high-energy high jinks of Built on Stilts, the Island’s communal celebration of dance.
The Reviewers Reviewed
Names: Henry Finn and Angus (Gus) James Coogan.
Ages: Henry: 6 (as of Monday!). Gus; 3.
Schools: Henry: I was in kindergarten and now I am going into first grade (Oak Bluffs School); Gus: The big room at Garden Gate preschool.
Pets: Carl (dog) and Iron Man the fish.…
Some Short Takes on Some Short Films
Each week the folks at Cinema Circus show a series of short films on Wednesday evenings at the Chilmark Community Center. The films begin at 6 p.m. but at 5 p.m. the circus — complete with jugglers, face painters, stilt walkers, food and music — gets under way.
An advanced screening of the…
Digging Deep Into Gravestones Studies
Haven’t you ever wondered about the meaning of skulls, angels, urns and other symbols carved into gravestones? Or what it was like to live in the 17th century Chilmark Barn House, recently added to the national Register of Historic Places? This week is your chance to answer those questions and more, as Chilmark celebrates its…
Dean’s List
Andrew McHugh of Edgartown, Ana Carvalho of Oak Bluffs and Julie Pringle of Vineyard Haven have been named to the dean’s list at Tufts University for the spring 2012 semester.
Raising the Roof
Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard joined forces with partner Island Housing Trust to present the second annual Raising the Roof, a benefit concert for affordable housing, on Thursday evening, July 26.
Trust’s Christopher Scott Wins Prestigious Preservation Award
The buzz in the basement of the Old Whaling Church on Friday afternoon came from the members of the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, gathered for their annual meeting and luncheon. But the main topic of conversation was unbeknownst to a key member of the group. In honor of Christopher Scott’s 20th year as executive director,…
Island State of Mind
From an August 1988 column by Arthur Railton:
Okay, so you live on an Island. But that doesn’t make you an Islander. An island is geography — land completely surrounded by water. That makes the Vineyard an Island all right.
They’ll Be the Judge of That at the Fair
The names of judges at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair are largely kept anonymous for fear of bullying, bribery or heckling. There is one livestock judge from off-Island who goes by Steve, although no one can recall his last name. But a handful of judges agreed to talk to the Gazette before they assume judging…
A Habitat Day
Last week my wife Susan and I had the pleasure of working with the Martha’s Vineyard Habitat For Humanity team at Bailey Park Road. Along with about 15 other volunteers and two construction leaders, Lee and Bill, we accomplished three major goals.
High Praise
This letter is written in the highest praise for the organizers of the Summer Institute at the July 26 lecture by David Gergen. I appreciated their valiant efforts to get as many people as possible into the auditorium.
Smoking Hot in Time for the Fair
Last weekend, brightly-colored rides and parts of the ferris wheel began to appear on the Agricultural Society field in preparation for the annual fair starting this Thursday, August 16. Also on Saturday morning in Vineyard Haven, Tim Laursen put the finishing touches on another piece of fair-bound machinery: his hand-welded pig smoker.
This…
Where Art and Conservation Thrive
Art and nature are more closely tied than ever at the Gay Head Gallery on State Road in Aquinnah. A current show features art across a variety of mediums with special goals — to relay the beauty of the natural world and contribute to conservation efforts. A dozen artists have work on exhibit for sale,…
No Clay Feet When Shooting Skeet
With each shout of “Pull!” came a loud crack as the competitors tried to find their target at the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club’s annual skeet shooting championship Sunday. With guns loaded, ear plugs in and glasses on, Bill Damora, Brian Reed, Laurence Clancy, Bill Shanok and Brian Welch hoped they had luck on…
