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
August 30, 2013
Erosion Damage to East Chop Drive Creates Hard Choices
With storm season on the way and East Chop Drive in a compromised state, the town of Oak Bluffs is considering whether to close the scenic roadway. At a meeting nearly two weeks ago, the East Chop Association voted to recommend that the road be closed between Brewster and Munroe avenues.
Corner Bench Is Ringside Seat For Town He Loves and Owns
While some herald September’s quieter streets and diminishing crowds, Eugene (Geno) Courtney said the end of the season makes him blue. “It’ll start winding down,” he said Wednesday, sitting on the South Summer street bench that doubles as his front office. “Come Labor Day, with the sudden drop, I get a little sad, a little…
Where the Music Stands at WMVY
Radio station WMVY officially went on the air 30 years ago. Though block programming and automation had existed on the signal for some time, 1983 was the year that “we basically signed on as WMVY in the format of mixing rock and blues and folk rock,” director of worldwide programming Barbara Dacey said this week.
Clean Bill of Health for Tisbury Great Pond
The Tisbury Great Pond has had its nitrogen health checkup and is in good shape, especially compared with other Island ponds. This was the conclusion of the final Massachusetts Estuaries Study report for the pond, presented this week to Chilmark and West Tisbury selectmen, town planners and residents.
Labor Day Artisan Festival at the Ag Hall
Each week the Vineyard Artisans gather at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury on Thursdays and Sundays during the summer and shoulder seasons. A stroll through the aisles can feel at times like a tour down Diagon Alley. Who knows what one will encounter around the next corner? There are homemade brooms, jewelry, alpaca fleece…
Pies and Vibes, Flatbread Music Is Fine-Tuned Extra Topping
Six years ago when Flatbread Company founder Jay Gould called Tina Miller to ask if he should open a restaurant at the former home of The Hot Tin Roof, she advised him against it. She didn’t think there was enough of a market for casual family dining at the airport location.
Chilmark Public Meeting Hears Opposition to Alcohol Sales
A public meeting held by the Chilmark selectmen this week saw vocal opposition to the idea of alcohol sales in restaurants. Chilmark is the last dry town on the Vineyard. The selectmen received a letter of interest two weeks ago from Bob and Sarah Nixon, owners of the Menemsha and Beach Plum Inns and the…
Ecuadorian Independence Day Celebrated
Earlier this month the Ecuadorian community of Martha’s Vineyard celebrated their independence day at the Old English Gazebo located at Morgan Woods in Edgartown. The event began with the commemoration of another year of the Ecuadorian Heroic Deed of 1809 that led to independence from the Spanish crown.
Labor Day 2013
Where have all the flowers gone? The line from the old Pete Seeger folk song is a fitting metaphor for the Vineyard as one season comes to an end and another one begins. Labor Day weekend has arrived. Summer residents and visitors are packing the cars, taking one last swim, sweeping sand from the cottage…
When Electrons Meet the Subjunctive It’s Love
Water is an essential ingredient for the existence of life as we know it. Water is the only substance naturally present on the earth that exists in three distinct states — solid, liquid and gas. In the water molecule, oxygen is the central atom. It has four pairs of valence electrons surrounding it.
Waves of the Past Ripple Into the Present
This past June I went back to Bimini in the Bahamas to see old friends and to locate a few places that I visit in my dreams. One afternoon I rode my bike from the south end of the island three miles north to the tiny settlement of Porgy Bay, where my wife Bonnie and I…
Thanks for the Foresight of Earlier Generation
On the west end of Edgartown a 350-acre plot of land called Pohogonot Farm is nestled deep in the scrub oak forest on the south shore of Martha’s Vineyard. In 1893 my great-great-grandfather George D. Flynn first visited Pohogonot Farm. He fell in love with this piece of property while recovering from a railroad accident,…
When Downtime Informs the Uptime
When I fell and broke my wrist in early August, my normal hectic routine — daily tennis, regular kayaking, and too many hours working at the computer — came to a screeching halt. With my left arm and hand encased in a high-tech black Exos cast, my choices at first seemed limited.
BET, Love on Top
B.E.T. recently held its annual party at Hook’s (formerly Lola’s) in Oak Bluffs on Martha’s Vineyard. The evening was illuminated by a starlit sky, and the spirits and energy of those in attendance were shining just as bright.
End Prohibition
The following letter was sent to the Chilmark selectmen: We read about your consideration of requests to lift the prohibition on liquor sale by our Chilmark restaurants. Unfortunately we will be unable to attend the public meeting on the subject but wanted to express ourselves.
Unfair Advantage
The following letter was sent to the Chilmark selectmen: The request for allowing eating establishments to obtain liquor licenses is troubling. The fact that Chilmark remains dry while others have not should never be a reason to change the character of the Menemsha village. How it could impact the town and its future should be…
Roundabout No Success Story
Recent newspaper articles and letters applauding the success of the roundabout are both premature and shortsighted.
Thought-Provoking Issue
Thank you very much for your thoughtful and thought-provoking lead section of the August 16 Gazette. Such a fine and in-depth look at the interactions between man and the coastal edges of Martha’s Vineyard today and in our past really sets the table for some good and necessary discussions this fall and winter about where…
Uneven Zoning Rules
A while ago, my daughter tried to put an outbuilding on her property in West Tisbury. She was told she did not meet zoning and was refused a permit. This got me to wondering about the rules so I started to investigate. There are many rules, some seem silly. But what I found was that…
Top-Notch Care
Oftentimes we find new reasons why our Island life is unique and special while we understand that many feel we also make some sacrifices. All too often, I hear gripes and concerns about our hospital and its services. I feel compelled to share my recent experience so that the good news can also be noted.
Make Way for Turtles
During President Obama’s vacation, I was driving down Middle Road in Chilmark because a portion of South Road was closed during his visit. As I was passing by the Keith Farm, the car in front of me suddenly stopped on the right side of the road.
Summer Melody
From the Vineyard Gazette editions of August, 1977: The first of Will Hardy’s Songs of Martha’s Vineyard — this being the title under which words and music have now been collected and reprinted — was composed in 1911 and the last in 1928. That was quite a spread of years, crossing from one historic social…
Chilmark Town Column: August 30
Chilmark is ready to close the book on August and move into the slower season. It is always bittersweet to say goodbye to seasonal friends off to their other homes, schools and interests. We have enjoyed sharing the varied moods of summer with them.
Aquinnah Town Column: August 30
A few of the Aquinnah winners at the 152nd Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair include Amos Sauer who won a third prize ribbon for his hand-sculpted wooden boat; Waylon Sauer won first place and blue ribbons for his sculpture of an eagle and a wooden fighter jet, as well as third place for his woven beach…
Vineyard Haven Town Column: August 30
Welcome back to Jim and Trude Hart who spent a wonderful vacation touring our northern states. They had dreamed of seeing our country. I wonder where they’ll go next? So long to Kim Beal and her kids; they left last Monday. Kim was able to pack in clamming, celebrating both sons’ birthdays, beaching, and accompanying…
West Tisbury Town Column: August 30
Rev. Cathlin Baker of the Congregational Church rang the church bell 50 times Wednesday, joining the rest of the country in marking the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
1946 Fishing Derby Comes Alive Again In Newly Discovered Film Archive
Put plainly, most of the movie footage is not terribly good. Some of it is out of focus or overexposed. Some of it lingers too long on fish lying dead on the rocks. Some of it wasn’t even shot on the Vineyard, and it takes a judicious eye to determine which scenes show the Island…
Chappy Town Column: August 30
As of this past Wednesday we knew of 254 homeowners who have said that they will send in their commitment letter to Comcast. Remember that the deadline to get 270 commitment letters sent in is Oct. 1. Also remember that Comcast has assured us that there is no financial liability associated with this commitment letter.…
Edgartown Town Column: August 30
I love this weather — not too hot, not too cold. You can wear a sweatshirt in the morning and shorts by afternoon. Now we are getting the much-needed rain and sun for the Labor Day weekend. Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: August 30
The busy summer of 1908 in Cottage City’s second year as the town of Oak Bluffs ended that Labor Day weekend with balloons over Lake Anthony, sponsored by the Wesley House Hotel, and fireworks that evening with the Banda Rosa playing during the display.
East Chop Town Column: August 30
Have you ever thought about what makes a community special? I researched the subject by rereading my columns for this summer. We lost several longtime community members this year. Graham Dripps, George Sanford, Larry Stewart, Biff Cooper, Kay McMahon Geary and Wally Ross will be sorely missed.
Yoga Teacher Training
The Yoga Barn in Chilmark and Adult and Community Education of Martha’s Vineyard (ACE MV) have teamed up to provide a nine-week yoga teacher training course. The classes will take place one weekend per month from September through May 2013. College credits from Florida State University are available.
Tisbury Car Show Sunday
The Tisbury Firefighters Association holds its annual car show from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 1, on Main street in Vineyard Haven. Everyone is welcome to come check out the autos, live music and food. Entrance fee for vehicles is $10 and photographs will be taken of each with the winners to be…
Martha’s Vineyard Film Center Proves its Premise: If You Build It, They Will Come Watch
In the projection room of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center in Vineyard Haven there is one Mac computer on a desk and two small flatscreen Toshiba monitors mounted on a tall unit that controls film projection. On the floor and on a nearby table are several small crates, some orange and some muddy silver, all…
Cooking Up a Hawaiian Sound With Dash of Vineyard Groove
For the past five summers John Cruz has been coming to the Vineyard to sing on the schooner Alabama for three nights in August. The day after one of the cruises this year, John talked about his work, his music, his life and deep connections to the Vineyard. “The two things I love most to…
Bid Whist Classic Results
Nearly 90 people attended the Buddy Harris Bid Whist Classic at the P.A. Club on August 21, in honor of longtime vacationer Buddy Harris.
Yard Workers Not Just Desk Jockeys
Alison Manning and Jesse Keller can always return to the dance floor. It’s a lesson they learned at the age of six when they began to dance, and one they’ve carried with them throughout their careers. Now they hope to teach that to the next generation.
Kids Get Rich Rewards from Life Lessons
As chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, Warren Buffett is widely considered the most successful investor of the last century. Less well known is the fact that he impersonates super heroes such as Batman and Spiderman in his spare time. He has Andy Heyward, a seasonal resident of Katama and the creator of Inspector Gadget,…
Songwriters Festival
The Nashville sound will be heard on the Vineyard as the 2013 Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival takes place from Sept. 13 to 15. Artists and songwriters from the Music City will offer a workshop for aspiring songwriters with instruction by Steve Seskin and Steve Bloch. Workshop attendees are also invited to a casual barbecue/guitar event…
Please Adopt Us
Never count your chickens before they are hatched or your cats before they walk out the door of the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard with a new owner. Our shy black tom cat, Michael, emerged from hiding into the arms of someone who promised him a home.
Morning Moon and Planets
For those who rise early tomorrow morning there is a pretty scene over the eastern sky, an hour or more before sunrise. A thin crescent moon appears right next to the bright planet Jupiter. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Gemini. On Sunday morning the moon is closer to the horizon and above the…
First Place for Island Artist
Island artist Leslie Baker received first place at the fall members show at the Copley Society of Art in Boston for her oil painting Fall Birch 1. With the award, Ms. Baker’s status in the Society has been elevated to that of Copley Master. The exhibition will run from Sept. 12 to Oct. 31.
Sen. Dan Wolf Postpones Decision to Resign in Wake of Ethics Ruling
Granted an extension to respond to a state ethics commission decision, gubernatorial candidate and Cape and Islands State Sen. Dan Wolf will now remain in office until at least Sept. 19. Mr. Wolf announced last Thursday that he would resign his seat on August 29 and suspend his campaign for governor because of an ethics…
Bass and Bivalves
The best treat available in the local fish market, and in the restaurants, is something you haven’t eaten in a while — black sea bass, another Vineyard waterfront success story. We haven’t had the option of buying black sea bass in local fish markets during the summer for at least a half dozen years, if…
Friday, August 23: Overcast in the morning
Friday, August 23: Overcast in the morning. Bicyclists speed along the bike path at the State Beach, while the first beachgoers arrive. Partly sunny. Breezy.
Theatre Gets Some Bead Beautification
Walk into the Simon Gallery on Main street in Vineyard Haven and co-owner Ronni Simon will most likely be knitting or crocheting. Her repertoire includes scarves, shawls, ponchos, sweaters, shirts, bracelets, cuffs, earrings and necklaces. The crotchet hook is like a third hand for her.
New Book Proposes Kennedy Was Not Target of Lee Harvey Oswald
Nearly 50 years after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, numerous conspiracy theories still compete for attention. A recent study by the History Channel found that 85 per cent of Americans believe the assassination was the result of a plot against the president. Longtime Islander, historian and writer James Reston Jr. has developed his…
MacDougal – Jones Wedding
Miss Kelly Leah MacDougal and Mr. Steven Blackwell Jones were united in marriage on Saturday, April 6, at Christ Church Cathedral in Houston, Tex. The double ring ceremony was co-officiated by the Rev. Luchy Littlejohn and the Rev. Glenice Robinson-Como. Following the ceremony, the bride’s parents hosted a seated dinner and dance at The Woodlands…
Bailey – Salmoiraghi Wedding
Lucinda Morgan Bailey and James Anthony Salmoiraghi were married on July 14, 2012, at the Federated Church in Edgartown. The bride is the daughter of Mary Bryant Bailey of Oak Bluffs and William Howard Bailey of Edgartown and the granddaughter of the late Jean Morgan Bryant of Edgartown and Nelson S. Bryant of West Tisbury.
Pennywise Path 5K
Run, don’t walk to sign up for the Pennywise Path Walk/Run to the new library in Edgartown set for Labor Day, Sept. 2, at 10 a.m. Participants will be transported by bus from the Edgartown School, the site of the new library, to the start of the 5K race at the Pennywise Path Preserve off…
Tern About
The tide is changing for the bird population. The summer residents are slowly departing and other species are arriving to fill that niche. The most obvious difference for beachgoers is the terns. Where there were a good number of terns in early August, there are just a few lingering souls. The smallest of our nesting…
A True Fish Story
It was a somewhat small fish in a big pond. Though measuring just under a foot, this creature would never have to fish for a compliment.
Snappin’ Beans
It has been very dry in the garden world this past week. Granted, the days have been absolutely gorgeous and the nights cool and wonderful for sleeping. I’ve been busy hauling hoses and fixing sprinklers. The cheap plastic sprinklers last longer and work better than the expensive metal variety.
Moffett Race Returns
The 36th annual George Moffett Race, the premiere end-of-summer sailboat event, returns Saturday, Sept. 7. The monohull race is a late morning, all afternoon handicapped contest involving sailboats of all sizes, from 16 to more than 40 feet. Registration is $40, and must be received in the mail no later than August 30. For more…
Land Bank Revenues: August 23
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $95,893 for the business week ending on Friday, August 23, 2013. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions.
Matthew D’Andrea Named Assistant Superintendent
An elementary school principal from Mattapoisett has been named assistant superintendent for the Vineyard public schools, superintendent Dr. James H. Weiss has announced. Matthew D’Andrea, currently principal of Old Hammondtown School in Mattapoisett, accepted a 22-month appointment Monday as assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction. Mr. D’Andrea toured Island schools last Friday.
Construction Set to Begin on New Menemsha Boathouse
Construction for the new U.S. Coast Guard boathouse in Menemsha will begin early next month, the Coast Guard announced on Tuesday. According to a press release, construction on the new 5,000 square foot single-bay boathouse will start the week after Labor Day.
Film Shines Light on Food Insecurity at Home and Abroad
One in every four children in America doesn’t know where their next meal is coming from.
It’s an issue that has often passed quietly under the radar and gets little attention on TV or in books. But a new film screened Wednesday night at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, A Place at the Table, aims…
Local Bat Study May Lend Insight to Regional Crisis
The bat detector sputtered and crackled from its post along Middle Cove Loop at Long Point Wildlife Refuge. It hadn’t yet made the telltale repeating noises that occur when an echolocating bat flies by, but by the time wildlife monitor Luke Elder returned to collect the device in the morning, numerous sonar squeaks had been…
Island Men Stand Tall Against Domestic Violence
They stood 21 strong, their backs to the harbor, shirts billowing in the sea breeze, cheered on by honking cars, applause and exclamations of gratitude. Their messages, plastered to their chests by a gusty wind off the Vineyard Haven harbor, were names of individuals and groups of women they wished to honor in the fight…
