A Serious Debate

In your August 10 issue, you ran a piece by David Handlin (Building a Better Big House Debate), the architect of the 12,000-plus-square-foot construction on Quitsa Pond in Chilmark which has created a storm and led to the formation of a Chilmark town committee to tighten review of big houses. Unfortunately, Mr. Handlin’s piece is…

Not So Virtuous

I will not comment upon architect David Handlin’s patronizing tone and cheap cliches as those have both been eloquently debunked in other letters.

Instead, I simply wish to point out that Mr. Handlin’s direct financial interest in allowing larger, more expensive building renders his ad hominen opinions about the merits of such houses entirely suspect.

Bizarre Logic

I had a good laugh reading David Handlin’s op-ed about his controversial trophy home on Quitsa Pond, my old home.

Evidently we are now to compare those who build trophy homes on the Island to the Pilgrims, to Ben Franklin and George Washington, those who escaped political and religious persecution to found this great…

Affront to the Masters

David Handlin, have you no shame? How presumptuous, maybe delusional, of you to put yourself in the same shoes as some of the great masters of modern architecture like Eliot Noyes and Edward L. Barnes in order to insinuate that your work embodies a “freedom of architectural expression.”

Throwing Up Smokescreens

I found architect David Handlin’s letter published on August 10 in defense of building enormous homes on the Vineyard specious on many fronts. Nowhere does he confront the issues which I have seen raised at town meetings and in letters over the year — consideration of our neighbors, maintaining the aesthetic of a community we…

Respect Rural Character

I’m outraged by David Handlin’s letter which was published in the Gazette on August 10.

Instead of thoughtfully engaging in the actual debate, his letter seems designed to stir the pot. The movement to update the zoning laws is not about style. It’s about size, stewardship and preserving the character of our community.

Gosnold Gazing

We are seasonal residents of Aquinnah. Our home sits on a rise overlooking Vineyard Sound and the Elizabeth Islands. We have always been curious about what goes on over there. Thank you for the wonderful piece by Will Monast which so beautifully described a slice of life of our neighbors across the Sound, so near…

Magic in the Meadow

The weather was perfect, the view was spectacular and the food was amazing as we welcomed a sell-out crowd to our seventh annual Meals in the Meadow last month at the Farm Institute.

I want to thank our incredibly dedicated and talented staff for all of their hard work and a job very well done,…

Rich Lives

A beautiful memorial celebration was held by Mimi Teixeira Robinson for her late husband Julian and her dear sister Carolyn Teixeira at Farm Neck on August 5.

We all know about the creative genius of witty Julian with his in-depth talent and knowledge of photography, birding and poetry.

Register to Vote

This Friday, August 17, is the last day to register to vote in the primary election on Thursday Sept. 6. If you know someone young, old or uninvolved, who is unregistered, now is the time to urge them to complete a voter registration form.

Register Today

The League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard wants to insure that citizens are current with their voter registration for the upcoming election season — including any change in name or address, or registering for the first time.

Peace Made New

On behalf of the Martha’s Vineyard Peace Council, I want to extend my gratitude to Alison Mead and the Vineyard Gazette for their coverage of our annual gathering in remembrance of the atomic bomb attacks at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The bombs were dropped 67 years ago and every August 6 since then has

Taxi!

We would like to take an opportunity to publicly thank the two Edgartown police officers who kindly procured a taxi for us last Saturday evening (the last night of our wonderful Vineyard vacation!) after an Adam Cab refused to take us home. The officers were helping to control the many cars and people congregating near…

We and They

With all due respect for the journalist who covered the selectmen and taxpayer meeting in Aquinnah, her intentions were right but her quote for my intervention was not correct.

Wallet Gouge

Although I’m not complaining about the food or service, I was quite amazed and appalled to be charged a 15 per cent gratuity on a take-out order at Jimmy Seas. I couldn’t figure out what “service” I was tipping for. Was it the careful arrangement in the stryrofoam container, the plastic wrapping job or maybe…

House of Recovery

I am a member of the board of directors of Vineyard House, which is the only residential support facility for Islanders in early recovery from substance abuse.

I am also an active volunteer on our resident support committee. As such, I meet every other week with eight other volunteers to help support the house managers…

Art Show Disaster

The line-up of characters: Dion Clarke, president of Harlem Fine Arts Show and chief dumbo who has no understanding of advanced events planning nor with taking precautions to safeguard valuable artwork; Kathy Burton, board selectman chairman of wherever, who didn’t think too clearly if things are legal or not (see July 13 Vineyard Gazette); various…

Health Check

I recently enjoyed the article in the August 10 Gazette, “Health Care Checkup: Access to Primary Care Improving.” I am glad to hear that the hospital staff, Vineyard Medical Services and Island Health Care are all taking or have a waiting list for new patients. Unfortunately, I was saddened and disappointed that

Class Act

If you were not there you missed one of the classiest acts ever — Cynthia Riggs doing stand-up storytelling sponsored by The Moth at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs.

The Moth promotes storytelling “live and without notes” all over the country, many of which are heard on NPR.

Medicare Assault

Now Mitt Romney has picked as his running mate the guy who has been gunning for Medicare! With Romney’s support, Ryan would end Medicare as we know it. This plan was part of a national budget that Ryan authored that is so radical that the New York Times called it “the most extreme budget plan…

Truth and Taxes

Peter Robb’s assertion, in his letter published August 3, that “the top 1 per cent already pay 70 per cent of federal taxes and the top 20 per cent pay 95 per cent of the taxes” is so far from the truth that it deserves four Pinnochios.