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
November 1, 2013
West Tisbury Considers Marijuana Bylaws at Special Town Meeting
As West Tisbury prepares for a possible medical marijuana dispensary in town, a zoning bylaw to regulate dispensaries will come before voters at a special town meeting tonight at 7 p.m.
Lighthouse Move Tops Aquinnah Special Town Meeting Agenda
Land for the relocation of the Gay Head Light, costs associated with a study of Menemsha harbor and a list of housekeeping items will come before Aquinnah voters at a special town meeting Tuesday.
Undefeated Boys Meet Scituate at Home Tonight in Playoff
Game time is 4:30 p.m. under the lights at the regional high school field. The boys ended their regular season with a 15-0-2 record and a perfect 8-0 Eastern Athletic Conference record. They are seeded number one in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletics Association division three south section tournament.
Kick Up Heels for Barn Raisers’ Ball
Tonight marks the 20th annual barnraisers ball, and just like the first one in 1994 the event is free. Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish will play. Bring your dancing shoes. It begins at 7:30 p.m. at the West Tisbury Agricultural Hall — the barn raised 20 years ago by hundreds of community hands.
Partial Solar Eclipse
There is a slight possibility Vineyarders can see a partial eclipse of the sun on Sunday morning at sunrise. Anything less than a clear sky will be a spoiler, though. Sunrise is at 6:15 a.m., take note the clocks turn back that morning. A solar eclipse is a rare event. For those in the middle…
Is the Island Prepared for the Next Big Storm?
One year after Hurricane Sandy dealt a knock-out punch to the mid-Atlantic and cast a glancing blow to the Vineyard, the question as to how New England will fare in the next great storm has been the subject of much discussion up and down the coast. The Vineyard has been lucky, said Dr. Jeffrey Donnelly,…
Massive Effort to Move Schifter House Draws to Close
After about seven months of work and one highly visible house move that attracted national attention, construction work on the Schifter property on Chappaquiddick is coming to a close. A barge is expected to come into the Edgartown harbor this week to remove equipment and Richard Schifter said his family expects to spend Thanksgiving back…
Land Bank Revenues: Oct. 25
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $417,189 for the business week ending on Friday, Oct. 25, 2013.
Rural Scholars Raise Issue of Aging Vineyard Population
By the year 2020 one-quarter of the Vineyard will be over the age of 65.
By the year 2025 that number is expected to jump to 30 per cent, according to findings by the University of Massachusetts Donahue Institute.
Embracing Flip Side of Teaching Math
A typical math lesson taught by Sue Miller, a fifth grade teacher at the West Tisbury School, begins with a joke.
“What do you call a crushed angle?”
But the jokes aren’t delivered in school. Instead, they precede a video lesson that students watch online for homework.
Selectmen Okay New Oyster Farm Location
Edgartown’s aquaculture community could soon expand as town boards take a look at a proposal for an oyster farm north of Eel Pond.
Although Short-Lived, Postwar Vessel Bridged Gap Between Eras
They doubted her before she arrived, scorned her while she served and forgot about her after she left. But the ancient Hudson River ferry Hackensack — which adopted the name Islander and sailed bravely if not always reliably between Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven for three years right after World War II — turns out…
Town Clerks Seek Appointment Change
Like other towns in the state, Edgartown may look at changing the town clerk from an elected to an appointed position.
Edgartown town clerk Wanda Williams told the selectmen Monday that she would like the town to look into making the change.
Dog Rescue Group Eyes Vacant Pound
The owner of an animal rescue program wants to rent the vacant Oak Bluffs dog pound and use it to keep rescued dogs who are waiting for new homes.
Future of Girls’ Tennis Makes Waves Now
During the annual Martha’s Vineyard Community Tennis Fall Classic tournament in September, an all-ages competition, a curious thing happened on the way to the championships. Five young girls — all 12 or 13 years old — emerged as victors.
Please Adopt Us
The dearth of dogs at the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard has been corrected by the arrival of Jackie and his mother, Lady. Lady is a black cocker spaniel and Jackie is part cocker, of course, but of questionable paternity. They have an astounding history as both dogs were kept in an outdoor enclosure with…
Fall Back
Hello, darkness my old friend. I’ve come to talk with you again.
So goes the beginning of Simon and Garfunkel’s song the Sound of Silence. And so it goes each fall as Daylight Saving Time comes to an end once again. On Sunday evening the sun will set at 4:34 p.m.
The Power of Anonymity
Oppressed minorities and those fearing reprisal for speaking out have good reason to remain anonymous. It’s harder to understand why others feel compelled to make comments using false names, but the practice has become widespread in the internet era.
East Chop Drive Under Pressure
The scenic rural roadway hugs the long stretch of bluff jutting into Nantucket Sound beyond the Oak Bluffs harbor before falling sharply to sea level as it curves around Crystal Lake, eventually reconnecting with Eastville avenue.
Caretakers of a Life Are Family, Too
My sister Nancy who died on Oct. 10 at St. Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford had been cared for by the state of Massachusetts most of her 77 years.
Remembering Lou Reed in Calm of a Vineyard Moment
When Lou Reed arrived at WMVY in the early morning of Oct. 12, 1997 for an interview, there was a rooster in the tree next to the front door.
Conservation Is Essential to Save the Striper
The same week the 68th annual Vineyard derby came to a close, the Maryland Department of Natural Resources announced results of its 58th annual young of the year survey of striped bass in the Chesapeake Bay.
Fuel Assistance Registration
The fuel assistance program is accepting applications. Applicants under 60 years of age can schedule an appointment at the Oak Bluffs Council on Aging by calling 508-693-4509. Seniors may apply at the local councils on aging: Edgartown, 508-627-4368; Oak Bluffs, 508-693-4509; Tisbury, 508-696-4205; Up-Island, 508-693-2896, and Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head, 508-645-9265. Applications will be…
Washashore Chronicles: Keeping Inner Hoarder at Bay Not Child’s Play
After I wrote about the nasty accumulation of boxes in my basement, several readers stopped me on the street, not to chastise me for having so many but to inquire why I had so few. “You only have two dozen boxes? Is your house big enough to absorb everything you moved there?” one said.
Boo!
From the Nov. 2, 1945 Gazette:
About 50 children and nearly as many adults attended the Hallowe’en party held Wednesday evening in Agricultural Hall by the West Tisbury Grange, and if noise was any indication of a good time the party was certainly a howling success.
Delightful Noises
Is the Island school’s strings program inessential to educating our children, as Tisbury All-Island School Committee representative Colleen McAndrews claims? (Public School Budget Soars, Oct. 25.) Only if critical skills such as persistence, collaboration, creativity, discipline, confidence, communication, a sense of beauty and the ability to listen are inessential. The strings program is a jewel…
Protecting East Chop Drive
There is a sign at First Bridge on the Beach Road that says no jumping or diving. The sign, of course, is a joke. You can’t drive past the bridge in the summer without seeing 20 or 30 kids standing on the bridge railing preparing to jump. A similar joke was recently created by the…
Connector Boondoggle
Here we go again. Will the Vineyard Haven DPW not rest until this connector road system is passed? Please, I appreciate Fred LaPiana’s work, but it is time to put this piece of his retirement plan to rest. Since when does a town commence such a large project on the verge of the director’s departure…
Marijuana Law Needs Reform
As someone who voted in favor of the marijuana dispensary ballot initiative, I have been surprised to learn how flawed the regulations are, what few safeguards are in place to assure a commonsense approach to allow the drug to be available.
Cyper-Bullying
The Gazette’s front page piece on cyber-bullying last week dramatically illustrated the terrible impact cyber-bullying can have on our teens if allowed to proceed uncensored in a toxic environment under the cloak of anonymity.
Kindness of Strangers
We have been coming to the Vineyard in October for the last 28 years, due to the generosity of my husband’s cousin and the use of her small home. For the past two years, we have rented a house. This was our first vacation since my husband retired and we were staying for the glorious…
True Compassion
Our dog Cloverdale was run over by a delivery truck on Oct. 17. My husband was present at the time and immediately called for emergency help to the Comcenter.
Working Together
During World War II, I was not too young to appreciate the wonderful cooperation between the two political parties in Congress. It seems as if we should have been thanking Hitler, Hirohito and Mussolini for that gift of our togetherness. Better than that, though, perhaps we the people should declare war on our representatives in…
Friendly Soccer Match Fosters International Friendships
The West Tisbury School U.K. eighth grade fall exchange concluded with the annual soccer match. This year, the British beat the U.S. team, but there’s always next year.
ACT Testing
The SAT tests are this Saturday, Nov. 2, and the next one is Dec. 7. Now, thanks to the Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership Initiative, the ACT test also will be available.
West Tisbury Town Column: Nov. 1
The weather last weekend was seasonal and a fair amount of tourists and homeowners came for perhaps their last weekend of the fall. Pumpkins and scarecrows are all over town.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Nov. 1
Wayne Coutinho was the first person I ever saw dive headfirst off of the old pier at the Pay Beach. That doesn’t sound like too big of a deal until you realize that the pier was about eight or nine feet above about six or seven feet of water, depending on the tide. And he…
Edgartown Town Column: Nov. 1
The weather is getting colder and the question of the month is “When do you turn your heat on?” Well, most of the answers I hear are Nov. 1. A lot of people say they already have it on and don’t care.
Chilmark Town Column: Nov. 1
Chilmark is enjoying being haunted this week as we prepare for the annual Halloween celebrations around the Island. The Chilmark Volunteer Firefighters hosted their annual Halloween party for the young and not so young ghosts and goblins at the Chilmark Community Center on Thursday evening.
Chappy Town Column: Nov. 1
With Thanksgiving sneaking up on us on pointy turkey talons, we begin to reflect upon all that for which we are grateful … which leaves us precious little time to brood upon those things that annoy us.
Aquinnah Town Column: Nov. 1
The autumn air has remained in the 50s throughout the week, but the frost is on the pumpkins most nights. Tuesday was an absolutely warm, calm day for getting out to enjoy the sounds of nature.
A Tale of Two Dershes, Both Engrossing
At a Harvard Law School event a few weeks ago that honored Alan Dershowitz’s career, Larry David sent a video. “Look, the world is divided into two groups of people,” Mr. Dershowitz said, quoting Mr. David, an actor and fellow seasonal Vineyarder. “There are people who don’t know Alan and hate him. People who know…
First Frost
Abigail Higgins is a wealth of information. She always has an answer for my garden questions. Recently I rang her concerning dahlias. Mine had experienced a light freeze.
Hairy Handed Gents
Daniel Pinkwater, a writer of children’s and young adult fiction, contends that “Werewolves are much more common animals than you might think.”
Western Kingbirds Arrive
The thought of alerting bird watchers to make sure their bird baths are full on Oct. 31 never crossed my mind. However, I find that with this drought, the birds in my yard and the woods and fields that surround my home are looking hard for sources of water.
Up in Trees, Down in Streets, Scarecrows Are Everywhere This Week
The arborists at Beetlebung Tree Care hope their treetop handiwork doesn’t cause an accident this week. But it’s not their lofty tree-pruning that they’re worried about. It’s a papier-mache and hay arborist hanging at the entrance to the West Tisbury business. His name is the Singing Arborist and the Scared Crow, and he is a…
Nicholas H. Gross Now Specialist at Boston Firm
Nicholas H. Gross, formerly of West Tisbury, has been hired as a public involvement specialist/planner at the Boston engineering consulting firm Howard/Stein-Hudson Associates.
Kimberlie Lynch and Steven Schwartz Wed
Kimberlie Lynch and Steven Schwartz of Durango, Colo., are pleased to announce their marriage on Monday, July 22 during a full moon evening in Vineyard Haven.
Rose Ryley and Robert Courcier Wed
Rose Ryley and Robert Courcier of Oak Bluffs were married at the Sailing Camp on Oct. 12. The parents of the bride, Robert Ryley and Maure Fennessy Ryley of Brewster, and the parents of the groom, Bruce Courcier and Carol Lynn Courcier of North Falmouth, were in attendance, providing their continued support and love for…
Katherine Kitson Lolley and William Bradley Hawkins Wed
Katherine Kitson Lolley and William Bradley Hawkins were married on Sept. 7 in a garden ceremony at Atria Restaurant in Edgartown.
Julia Mitchell Ravenscroft and Jesse Davis Wed
Miss Julia Mitchell Ravenscroft, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Kent Ravenscroft of Edgartown and Paris, France, and Jesse David Davis, son of Kathy Miller of Sonoma, Calif., and Jack Davis of Darien, Conn., were married on Saturday, Sept. 28 on Lighthouse Beach in Edgartown.
Andrew Johnston and Brianna Valenti Plan Summer Wedding
Robert A. Johnston and Laura B. Johnston of Oak Bluffs are proud to announce the engagement of their son Andrew B. Johnston to Brianna Valenti, who is the daughter of Peter J. and Patricia J. Valenti of Edgartown.
Hello John
Sara and Jay Schulze welcomed a baby boy, John Richard Schulze III, at George Washington Hospital in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 21.
Welcome, Pedro
Patricia Oliveira and Rene Abreu of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Pedro Henrique O. Abreu, born on Oct. 23 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Fiona Arrives
Skye Sonneborn and Jonathan Hartzband of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Fiona Alice Hartzband, born on Oct. 24 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Announcing Alexander
Jirawadee Jomputta and Noah Hazelton of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Alexander Leroy Hazelton, born on Oct. 25 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Wooden Boat Movie
On Thursday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m. the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society is screening Wood Sail Dreams, a movie about the journey of wooden sailboats from the 1970’s to today.
Winter Walks
Polly Hill Arboretum offers a way to get outdoors and explore the off season on the grounds.
Winter Concert Offers Songs of Peace
Rehearsals are beginning for the annual Songs of Peace, Hope and Light winter concert.
Honoring Our Veterans
Veterans, merchant mariners and others who have served in the U.S. forces are invited to the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center’s Shabbat service on Friday, Nov. 8 at 5:30 p.m.
Community Poetry Reading
West Tisbury Library hosts its semi-annual Community Poetry Reading with emcee West Tisbury poet laureate Justen Ahren on Sunday, Nov. 17 from 4 to 5 p.m. at Bunch of Grapes bookstore in Vineyard Haven.
Howes House Talk
On Tuesday, Nov. 5, the Howes House Tuesday discussion group ponders problems shared between the U.S. and India.
MVC Addresses Church Lighting Concerns, Rymes Propane Request
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission plowed through a packed agenda for over three hours last Thursday night, approving proposals to store landscaping containers in West Tisbury and to dredge part of Tisbury harbor to make way for the return of a whaling ship. A long public hearing focused on outdoor lighting at the Vineyard Assembly of…
