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
January 11, 2013
Concrete Dock Paves Way for Change in Menemsha
Twenty-four thousand pounds of concrete hovered over the Dutcher Dock in Menemsha harbor on Wednesday morning, a bright January sun shining through the crane’s sling. A small group of onlookers, town officials and contractors watched as the floating dock was expertly guided into place by the crane operator.
Flu Outbreak Spreads; Hospital Hosts Free Vaccine Clinic
With a worsening early flu outbreak across the country causing a run on vaccines on the Island, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Island boards of health announced that they will hold a free clinic Sunday for Islanders seeking flu vaccinations. The clinic will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the hospital, Edgartown…
Marijuana Law Worries Youth Leaders
As the Massachusetts Department of Public Health scrambles to write regulations for the medical marijuana law that went into effect Jan. 1, towns are preparing for their own kind of scramble amid the prospect of medical marijuana dispensaries in counties across the state. They don’t have long, Martha’s Vineyard Youth Task Force coordinator Theresa Manning…
From Bow to Stern, Whaling Church Mural Gets New Life
Since 1843, the Old Whaling Church, with its familiar white exterior, six grand columns and regal clock tower, has stood watch over Edgartown’s Main street. But inside the Greek revival church, built during the town’s whaling heyday, was another feature that architect Frederick Baylies viewed as an integral part of the completed project: trompe l’oeil…
Nursing Program Offers Hope of Reprieve for Weary Students
For Ilikea Scott, a nursing program on Martha’s Vineyard could mean a way to live and work on an Island she loves without the 4:30 a.m. wake-up calls. In order to pursue a nursing degree at Cape Cod Community College, Ms. Scott recalled Tuesday, she would be on the 6 a.m. ferry to get to…
Lighthouse Legacy is Safe as Edgartown Protects Its Past
The Edgartown lighthouse, having outlived its mission as a beacon for ships, is on the verge of its next chapter as a town-owned landmark. Edgartown selectmen signed off Monday on the town’s application to take stewardship of the 1875 lighthouse perched a quarter-mile out in Edgartown harbor. In May, the town learned that the U.S.…
County Seeks to Raise Registry of Deeds Fees
In an attempt to raise more revenue, Dukes County commissioners voted this week to support a state bill spearheaded by Norfolk county that would raise registry of deeds filing fees by $10. The proposed $10 fee hike would go to county governments that manage their own registries; for registries under state control, the extra money…
Town, Tribe Question Shared Service
Shared use of a fingerprinting machine sparked discussion among the Aquinnah selectmen this week about the terms of a contract between the town and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) for emergency services. Aquinnah police chief Randhi Belain told the selectmen Tuesday that he had questions about the use of a new fingerprinting machine, soon…
Indecent Assault Charge Yields Pretrial Probation
A Vineyard Haven man charged with indecent assault and battery on a child has been placed on pretrial probation for the charges. Daniel Parker, 59, was placed on pretrial probation for 18 months on Dec. 14, and ordered not to contact the alleged victim and his family. After the 18-month probation period, the case will…
Copper Artist Featured
Copper repoussè artist Anthony Holand of the Tuck & Holand Metal Sculptors has been featured in Boston Home magazine’s Best of Boston Home, Winter 2013 issue, which is available on newsstands now. The studio, based in Vineyard Haven, is renowned for custom weathervanes, as well as a line of limited edition compass roses, wall maps,…
Land Bank Revenues: Jan. 4
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $418,700 for the business week ending on Friday, Jan. 4, 2012. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions.
Last Whale Ship Gets a New Look
At the Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway in Vineyard Haven, shipwrights have stepped back in regional maritime history. They are building a new 28-foot 19th-century whaleboat. The boat is one of nine being built across the country for the last remaining whale ship, the Charles W. Morgan, now undergoing restoration at Mystic Seaport. The work…
Out Sick
It seems like the whole Island came down with the flu overnight. That’s not true, of course, but this week it became clear that the Vineyard had not escaped a nationwide early outbreak of influenza that has prompted a state of emergency in Boston.
Everyone Talks About It
The first snowdrop to appear on the Vineyard this year was reported last Monday by Tom Hodgson of West Tisbury, who has become the Island’s unofficial chronicler of what is thought to be a harbinger of spring.
Team Effort Leads Girls’ Hockey to Two Sweet Victories
The Vineyard girls’ hockey team continued a solid showing in league play this week, picking up two wins to move to a 5-3 record. They are 4-2 in the Southeastern Massachusetts Girls Hockey League after defeating opponents Scituate and Hanover.
Disaster Preparedness
I was reading Eric Klinenberg’s article Adaptation in this week’s New Yorker and it occurred to me to wonder how this Island would have fared if Hurricane Sandy had scored a direct hit here. It’s worth considering that Hurricane Bob, the last major storm most of us remember, was merely a category two hurricane.
School Security Measures
In reading some recent letters to the editor, I had to reflect on the existing gun laws of the state of Massachusetts, which already require that purchasers or possessors of firearms be licensed, that guns are registered at the point of sale, are required to be in locked cabinets or have trigger locks, and unfit…
Near Miss
On Thursday, Dec. 27 at 8:30 a.m., I was driving on Lambert’s Cove Road and ran over some brush. There was no traffic. I pulled off the road just past Cottle’s. A Cottle’s truck leaving the yard stopped on the road beside me. The driver jumped out, pulled the brush out and headed back to…
When Being Six Meant Nothing to Fear
Glued to the television during the last quarter of 2012 as events unfolded, the senatorial and presidential debates and triumphs, Hurricane Sandy, the northeaster, and then the tragedy and long mourning in Newtown, Conn., I had a mid-course emotional reaction, a sadness which now seems rather trivial. At the height of Sandy, while watching the…
Uma Datta Spices Up Culinary Scene
Uma Datta jingles around her kitchen in her bedazzled blouse as she pours a cup of Chai tea and gives her tamarind sauce one last stir before setting it down on the granite countertop next to some fried samosas. “You get French fries here? You get samosas in India,” said Mrs. Datta. On the counter…
Don’t Judge a Culture by Its Headlines
As I started writing this, I found myself wondering how to make people understand something that they have already made up their minds about. It’s so easy to stereotype a person or a place. America isn’t all fast food and violence and Brazil isn’t just made up of favelas. For those who don’t know, a…
Because Island Eyes Are Everywhere
The other day Cam Bergeron was standing in line at the grocery store on the Vineyard talking to a friend about Gosnold town business when he was interrupted by a man standing behind him. The soft-spoken gentleman asked if Cam was from Gosnold and Cam told him that he was. The tall, stately black man…
Please Adopt Us
More good news from the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard this week. The last two kittens, brother and sister Cedric and Cherry were adopted together. The shelter is down to four adult cats who are looking for their forever homes. Rex, the elderly tuxedo lady, and Brody, the sweet old gentleman who needs to be…
Savannah Arrives
Meghan Kill and Doug Werther of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Savannah Day Werther, born on Jan. 7 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Savannah weighed 7 pounds, 12 ounces at birth.
Hello, Lennox
Kandace Mavro and Timothy Mavro of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Lennox Brooke Mavro, born on Jan. 7 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Lennox weighed 8 pounds, 9 ounces at birth.
Announcing Levi
Heather and Josh Kochin of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Levi Jack Kochin, born on Jan. 9 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Levi weighed 6 pounds at birth. He joins big brother, Beckett, and grandparents Chip and Michele Leonardi of Chilmark and Jack and Christie Shea Shelburne Falls.
School Bells
From the Vineyard Gazette editions of January, 1955: The first of the three town meetings on the regional school issue — those in Tisbury and Oak Bluffs — are to be held tonight. It is to be hoped that voters on both sides will turn out so that there will be a really representative vote.…
Bylaw That Would Regulate Home Size Is Finalized, Awaits Approval
The ink is drying on the final version of a Chilmark bylaw to regulate house size that is now set for a vote at the annual town meeting in April. The planning board ratified a final version of the bylaw on Monday. Town counsel Ronald H. Rappaport will review the language in the coming weeks.
Welcome Carolina
Renata Barros and Ricardo Virgino of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Carolina Ayla Virginio, born on Jan. 3 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Carolina weighed 5 pounds, 2 ounces at birth. Carolina joins big sister Tyla.
Chappy Town Column: Jan. 11
Chappaquiddick in January is quiet. We expect it to be quiet, and we relish it, or suffer through it — or some of both. It’s an interior time for many of us: inside the house, inside the head; although this winter has made being outside more appealing than usual. So far in this year of…
Edgartown Town Column: Jan. 11
The January thaw has set in. It seems nice to have some warm weather. I don’t know about anyone else, but I love to open the windows for about 15 minutes to clear the air in the house for the rest of the winter.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Jan. 11
Our venerable Windermere nursing and rehabilitation center behind the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is what remains of another failed Cottage City subdivision. “Windermere, a paradise indeed — a very Eden” as it was heralded by its promoters in the late 1800’s, was located at the Northeast shore of the Lagoon between the old lobster hatchery and…
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Jan. 11
A new star shines over Martha’s Vineyard! Jeremy and Mel Dunham welcomed new baby boy, Alexander Robert West Dunham, last Thursday, Jan. 3 at Brigham and Womens Hospital. Older brother Connor was treated to a week at Grandma Martha Dunham’s on Skiff avenue while his parents traveled off-Island for the birth. Everyone is home now…
West Tisbury Town Column: Jan. 11
It’s been quiet in town since the holidays. Not much traffic in the evening; we have had a few cold nights, but very little skating. Folks are going away on vacation or taking a breather after the holiday guests and that is about the size of it. A fence has been put up in the…
Chilmark Town Column: Jan. 11
Chilmark has been enjoying the January thaw or whatever is causing the warm-up. Grass is still green in yards and fields and the willows are already looking yellow at the tops. We have been told officially that this past year was the warmest ever so now what happens? We have to wait and see…and there…
Aquinnah Town Column: Jan. 11
Great appreciation to Isaac Taylor in assisting and saving the lives of his fellow Aquinnah community members on Friday morning. The scallopers were not out in abundance on Friday and there were only two boats on Menemsha Pond. Frank Perez, his wife Melanie and their brother in law Dan Marshall were faced with their scalloping…
Katama Neighbors Protest Plan to Convert Silo to Cell Tower
Concerns about cellular radiation — either real or perceived — have prompted several Katama residents to protest a plan by AT&T to place a cell antenna in an abandoned silo on town-owned property at the Farm Institute.
Dean’s List
Corey P. Perrotta of Vineyard Haven has been named to the dean’s list at Coastal Carolina University in South Carolina for the fall 2012 semester. Corey is studying resort tourism management.
Conservation Groups to Screen Documentary On Aldo Leopold
Take a look at a Vineyard book shelf and you’re likely to find The History of Martha’s Vineyard by Charles Banks or Moraine to Marsh by Anne Hale. For conservationists, Aldo Leopold’s book A Sand County Almanac published in 1949 is equally iconic. “I think anybody can be inspired by what he wrote,” Sheriff’s Meadow…
Dolphin Saving
In The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, writer Douglas Adams makes this observation, “Man has always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much . . . the wheel, New York, wars and so on . . . while all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in…
Promoting Peace in Wake of Sandy Hook Shooting
Joining congregations across the country, members of the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury and the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center gathered Friday to participate in an interfaith service addressing gun violence and peacemaking in light of the Sandy Hook tragedy.
Snipe Time
The shad spirit or Alewife bird is considered by a number of people a harbinger of spring. Ornithologists call this member of the sandpiper family Gallinago delicata. Bird watchers have called this agile flyer common or Wilson’s snipe. As much as I would like to think that spring is right around the corner, Wilson’s snipe…
Masked Marauders
Here it is a week into the New Year and I’ve managed to break all my resolutions. Next year I shall resolve to make none! The light has noticeably changed in the evening. The mornings, however, are still annoyingly dark until almost seven. Every night it is just a bit later when I close up…
Warming Waters Affecting Snapper
The ocean is getting warmer and it is having an impact on where fish are calling home. National Marine Fisheries Service scientists recently published a report citing that gray snapper, a fish more common in the waters off Florida, are moving north up the coast due to warming coastal waters and estuaries along the Eastern…
Senior Captain Leads Boys to Victory Over Bishop Feehan
Vineyard basketball teams split their games Tuesday afternoon, with the boys defeating league opponent Bishop Feehan 68-59 at home thanks in large part to the hard work of senior captain Izak Browne, and the girls taking their first loss of the season against Feehan 73-63. The boys now move to a 7-2 record, while the…
Marjorie Manter Rogers Loved Horses
This week the flag at Meadowbrook Farm in West Tisbury flew at half mast, and Christmas lights still glittered on the boxwood beside the barn: tributes to Marjorie Manter Rogers, who died on Jan. 3 in the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital at the age of 84. Her family, the Manters, go back 14 generations on the…
Pit Stop Will Be Sold, Future Uncertain
The Pit Stop, the music and performing arts space in Oak Bluffs with a gritty, coffee-house atmosphere that has attracted a large following in the past year, will go up for sale, the owner announced this week. “We had a lot of fun. A lot of people were brought together. Many personal, musical, artistic and…
Flu Season Arrives Early on Island
As the holidays drew to a close, a different type of season swept in: flu season. Outbreaks of the virus are being reported earlier than before, according to the Center for Disease Control. Martha’s Vineyard is no exception. Flu season typically peaks in February and early March.
Crescent Moon
A thin crescent moon hugs close to the western sky beginning in the new week. Today the moon is in the New Moon phase, and out of sight tonight. You may be able to see the thin crescent moon low in the southwestern sky tomorrow night. More Vineyarders will see the moon Sunday night when…
