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
December 6, 2013
Harbor Improvements Top Chilmark Special Town Meeting Tonight
New pilings for Menemsha harbor, a new office for the harbor master and a new wood floor for the Chilmark Community Center are all decisions for voters. The meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Center.
Moon and Venus
Tonight the crescent moon appears above the bright planet Venus. The two are in the western sky. This weekend the moon will appear to move slowly away from Venus.
Lights, Trees, Garland, Action! Decorating Committee Gets Busy
An Islandwide attraction, the yearly Christmas display in Edgartown seems to appear overnight, but there’s a method to the magic.
Instead of elves, the town has the Christmas Decorations Committee.
Walking the Line, Aquinnah and Chilmark May Swap 200 Feet
The smallest town on the Vineyard may soon get a bit smaller. Chilmark and Aquinnah are considering changing a shared boundary line for the first time in more than 150 years.
Tisbury Takes Up Connector Road Again
The longstanding issue of whether to build a connector road will come before Tisbury voters again at a special town meeting next week, this time in three parts, but with the total price tag unknown. The meeting begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Pilot Algebra Class in Edgartown Forges New Path in Learning
They are called guinea pigs, seven promising middle school students in Edgartown who are testing the proposition that learning algebra early will let them reach greater math heights in high school. Now educators in other Island schools are mulling ways to bring their own students up to speed.
Vineyarders Victorious in Island Cup
The Island Cup rivalry between Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket includes blowout wins and hard-fought losses. On Saturday the Vineyarders made history by defeating Nantucket 14-0 on Whaler home turf at the Island Cup.
Squibnocket Plan Receives Mixed Reviews
The long-term viability and environmental sustainability of a public-private improvement project proposed for Squibnocket Beach were subjects for debate at a public forum this week.
Gazette Holiday Open House
The Vineyard Gazette will hold an informal open house on Friday, Dec. 13 from noon to 3 p.m. at its office at 34 South Summer street in Edgartown.
The New Bedford Question
Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend and the ferry Martha’s Vineyard was temporarily out of service. Crews were working to repair the problem. Meanwhile, with some trips cancelled, standby lines for cars began to grow in both Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven. The Steamship Authority handled the overflow with practiced efficiency. Lift decks on the ferry Island…
Bridget
Like the Wizard of Oz She’s the Ferry Godmother Magically making Boats to appear Reserving and serving All of the Island Healing and dealing With standby line fears Like the Queen of the Celts She’s a powerful presence Not that she towers She’s rather quite short But like her namesake She swings a long broadsword…
Revving It Up In the Slow Lane
What do you do? This is the question we have been asked by family, friends and strangers alike for the past year ever since we became full-time Islanders or, rather, washashores.
Consider the Risks of Medical Marijuana
I got a call last week from a friend who has been successfully battling cancer. She told me: “Marijuana tea and candy are the only things that helped my appetite. My weight had gone down to 98 pounds. I am now 112 pounds. And it let me sleep. I don’t think that I would be…
Good Fences
From the Dec. 4, 1964 edition of the Vineyard Gazette, by Joseph Chase Allen: Taking them full and by, as the old sailormen would have said, Martha’s Vineyard people have always been a neighborly sort, living at peace with each other for the most part through the generations.
Not Buying NStar’s Promise That Chemical Spraying Is Safe
I have lived on Lake Street in Vineyard Haven for 25 years. A few years ago, I went to pick up my mail at the cluster box under the power lines and saw a crew of workers with chainsaws taking down a lovely grove of small trees that shaded the boxes. I called NStar and…
Stop & Shop Plan
The following letter was sent to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission: On behalf of the Island Housing Trust, I would like to offer the following recommendations regarding Stop & Shop’s proposal in downtown Vineyard Haven. As a neighbor, the Island Housing Trust has the following concerns. The Island Housing Trust owns the property directly abutting the…
Fellow Islanders Lend a Hand
A week before Thanksgiving, I was walking my dog at the beautiful Trade Winds in Oak Bluffs. I’ve had so many positive experiences there with other dog owners and their dogs, but I never expected this one; an accident that happened so fast and the subsequent kindness of strangers. I was distracted by a Cairn…
Edgartown Selectmen Approve Tax Increase, Shellfish Licenses
Edgartown’s tax rate will increase slightly in 2014, with the town selectmen this week approving a tax rate of $3.70 for every $1,000 worth of property.
Language of Community Is Spoken Here
Welcome to the parlor of Cleaveland House in West Tisbury. For at least half a century, this cozy room has served as a salon of sorts for Island poets who gather to share and critique each others’ work.
Temporary Breakdown on Ferry Martha’s Vineyard Disrupts Service
On a busy Thanksgiving weekend of travel, Steamship Authority ferry service was disrupted Friday and Saturday due to mechanical problems on the ferry Martha’s Vineyard.
Chilmark Manhunt Ends With Arrest of Oak Bluffs Man
After an extended search that involved a large contingent of law enforcement from up-Island and beyond, Chilmark police arrested Steven Carlson of Oak Bluffs on Tuesday for assault with a deadly weapon.
Building Boats On a Boat Is One Way to Keep Business Afloat
A flock of mallards quacked outside and a small wood stove crackled from within Rick Brown’s boat workshop on Lagoon Pond in Vineyard Haven, where he was sanding an oar and preparing to replace the ribs of a 14-foot wooden wherry.
Films Aim to Provide Tailwind for Sail MV
In a series of short films, Sail Martha’s Vineyard describes how its free programs help Islanders experience a sport often reserved for the wealthy — and why it needs more support.
West Tisbury Selectmen Set Tax Increase, Discuss Solar Project
West Tisbury selectmen this week set the annual tax rate and discussed the status of the town solar project. At a public hearing on Wednesday, the board voted to approve a single tax rate of $5.41 per $1,000 valuation.
Oak Bluffs Puts Ho-Ho in Holiday
Thanksgiving is but a poor tired drumstick now as we look ahead to the holiday season. Whether you lean toward the pew or the jolly old elf, a time to reflect or a time to give gifts, the Christmas tree or the menorah, the month of December is a flat out celebration.
Four Artists, One Creative Space
The idea for The Workshop was born over dinner in September. Artists Dan VanLandingham, Lauren Coggins-Tuttle, Terry Crimmen and Tara Kenny were planning to rent a space together next spring but when a building became available on the Vineyard Haven waterfront, they leaped at it, paintbrushes at the ready.
Aquinnah Town Column: Dec. 6
Deer season is upon us and here’s a simple reminder to dress appropriately, especially those bicycling, walking their dogs or jogging. The winds have chilled the air for most of the week but have subsided in time for the opening of scalloping day in Aquinnah. Nice to see so many fishing on Menemsha Pond.
West Tisbury Town Column: Dec. 6
Well, last weekend we enjoyed seasonable weather and some rain. The holiday spirit and parties are popping up all around us. Fire Chief Manuel Estrella of Indian Hill Road reports that the holiday lights were put on the tree at the Old County and State Road intersection recently. It will be lit each night until…
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Dec. 6
The busier the season, the flakier I get. I forgot I had an early deadline last week because of the Thanksgiving day holiday. My column made it on the internet but not in print. For those of you who missed it, it was my annual holiday wish list. I repeat it here with a few…
Chilmark Town Column: Dec. 6
Chilmark survived a bit of unfortunate excitement on Tuesday last with minimum impact on its citizens. You will read all the details elsewhere in this paper, but I just want to reassure those of you who are not here that all is well and we are well taken care of by our police force and…
Amid Stories of Miracles, Hebrew Center Glows on Last Day of Hanukkah
Dozens of varied hanukkiahs crowded a glass-topped table. All burned bright with eight candles each, flames dancing along with the congregation as they sang and clapped to the songs of Hanukkah.
Hello, Maria
Tatiana Silva and Fabio Wagner Soares of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Maria Edwarda Santos Soares, born on Dec. 3 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Eleanor Arrives
Lisa Brown and Brent Brown of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Eleanor Jane, born on Dec. 3 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Chappy Town Column: Dec. 6
The population of Chappaquiddick island seemed to double during the Thanksgiving holiday. Though the long weekend began with a storm that disrupted ferry service to the Vineyard, the remaining days were mostly sunny even if they were a bit chilly.
Edgartown Town Column: Dec. 6
Warm and cold, we’ve had an array of temperatures. We are supposed to have 60 degree weather and then get back to freezing. It is no wonder that people have colds and sore throats, but I will take the sunshine. Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out…
Oldest Menemsha Fish Shack Caught in Crossfire of Property Rights Dispute
The oldest fishing shack in Menemsha is now under the stewardship of the town of Aquinnah, at least for the short term. The Aquinnah selectmen voted 2-1 Tuesday night to take possession of what is known as the Alfred Vanderhoop shack.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Dec. 6
I remember my parents chastising me about knowing the price of everything but the value of nothing — something we’re all guilty of at times. I still like to know how much stuff costs and it can be interesting if one keeps it in perspective.
Community Chorus Performs Holiday Concerts
They are teachers, plumbers, bankers, artists, fishermen, scallopers, shopkeepers, retirees and twenty-somethings. And while all of these roles are important, this weekend the key characteristic that binds this seemingly disparate group is that they sing.
Habitat Landscapers Needed
Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard is calling on landscape enthusiasts to help with final site cleanup and landscaping at the organization’s 10th completed project at 45 Bailey Park.
Fashioning the Greens
The church ladies of the West Tisbury Congregational Church have once again left the pews and taken to the woods. Fear not, they have not gone feral.
Please Adopt Us
Good news on the dog front this week. Lady, the black cocker spaniel who lived outdoors her entire life, has been provided a roof over her head and a warm bed forever by an empathetic new owner.
Beach Plum Goes Metro
Up-Island heads downtown next week as chef and farmer Chris Fischer opens a popup restaurant in New York city. Mr. Fischer, the chef at the Beach Plum Restaurant in Chilmark, is converting the old Bowery street subway station into Fish and Rose.
Real Estate Transactions: Nov. 25-Dec.1
Amanda G. Cimeno and Jovany Navarrete purchased 36 Chase Road in Edgartown for $425,000 on Nov. 25.
Century-Old Chappy Development Plan Swims With the Fishes
Promoted by the State Street Trust Co. of Boston in 1913, the 775-lot Chappaquiddick-By-The-Sea was never built. But if it had been, many of the cottages might not be there today.
Raising Green with Greens
It’s all green this weekend as the West Tisbury School hosts a fundraiser at the Middletown Nursery on State Road in West Tisbury.
Furcula Matata
Our holiday bird is making its last stand. Long after the leftovers are gone, one turkey part still remains in my kitchen; a drying wishbone awaits its destiny.
Snowy Owl Invasion
There have been three very interesting sightings this past week. One is of snowy owls that were seen and photographed in two locations.
Lamenting Leftovers
I read the best Calvin Trillin quote this week. “My mother served leftovers for 27 years. A team of anthropologists has been sent in search of the original meal.”
Portraits with Pets
From Schnauzers to Shelties and Siamese to Chartreux, Lynn Christoffers, photographer and author of Cats of Martha’s Vineyard, will be taking free pet pictures on Saturday, Dec. 7 from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
Oak Bluffs School First Quarter Honor Roll
The Oak Bluffs School has announced its honor roll for the first quarter of the 2013-2014 academic year.
Edgartown School First Quarter Honor Roll
The Edgartown School has announced its honor roll for the first quarter of the 2013-2014 academic year.
High School Budget Wins Easy Approval
With virtually no discussion, the regional high school district committee voted Monday to certify an $18.6 million operating budget for the coming year. Salary increases, funding for a school resource officer and a recently completed roof replacement project are all including in the spending package.
Lattanzi’s Restaurant Is Sold
After 20 years of serving pizzas and Italian fare in the heart of Edgartown, Lattanzi’s Restaurant is closed for business.
Rod and Gun Club Results
On Sunday, Dec.1, shot gunners came and enjoyed the crisp fall weather to compete in this year’s Rod and Gun Club’s Fall Shoot. Matt Cromwell of Edgartown bested 11 challengers to take the club’s 2013 first place and Top Gun fall honors.
Governor Patrick Goes to Court to Block Wampanoag Casino on the Vineyard
The 16-page complaint filed in the state Supreme Judicial Court claims the tribe breached a 1983 land claims settlement agreement by taking steps to allow gaming in Aquinnah.
Anabel Arrives
Amy Koenig Da Silva and Rene Da Silva of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Anabel Louise Da Silva, born on Dec. 1 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Announcing Maggie
Heather McCarthy and Joseph McCarthy of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Maggie Ames McCarthy, born on Nov. 29 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Welcome Ivy
Mary Korba and Nic Korba of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Ivy Lynne Korba, born on Dec. 2 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Southern Woodlands Guided History Walk
The Land Bank staff invites everyone to join them on a guided natural history walk at 1 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 8. The walk happens rain or shine so be sure to dress for the weather.
Saving Energy Dollars
The Oak Bluffs library will host Cape Light Compact as they present How You Can Save Energy at Home through a variety of programs.
Poets’ Reception
The Martha’s Vineyard Poets’ Collective gets the honors at an authors’ reception on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 4 to 7 p.m. at Bananas on Main street in Vineyard Haven.
Go Slow Potluck
Slow Food Martha’s Vineyard hosts a potluck beginning at 5 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center on Sunday, Dec. 8.
Holiday Craft Workshop
Sense of Wonder Creations holds its annual holiday benefit craft workshop on two consecutive Mondays, Dec. 9 and 16, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. They provide all the tools needed to create one-of-a-kind holiday gifts — wooden boxes, felt creations, painted and decorated glass, pottery, wreaths, stuffed animals, wood for sculptures and more.
Benefit Harvest Feast
Island Grown Schools and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s culinary arts program are coming together again to offer an evening of dining on Tuesday, Dec. 10.
Sheriff’s Meadow Conserves Smalley Property on Moshup Trail
The foundation bought the 1.7-acre property on Nov. 19 for $35,416, a press statement said. The seller was the family of Josephine Smalley Vanderhoop. The purchase will help conserve rare habitat, Sheriff’s Meadow said.
Blast in the Woods, Shotgun Hunting Season Opens
West Tisbury resident Richard Huffam grabbed two hooves in one hand, two hooves in the other hand and his friend held the antlers. Together the two men heaved the deer from the pickup truck onto the scale, similar to one you’d see at the doctor’s office.
Fourth Grade Teacher Inspired Career in Education
Matthew D’Andrea hated third grade. But in fourth grade he was assigned an inspiring teacher, Mr. Mansfield, who made learning fun and positive. “For the first time, I looked forward to coming to school,” Mr. D’Andrea said in a recent interview.
Vineyard Brings Home Island Cup in 14-0 Shutout
The coveted silver trophy is back on Martha’s Vineyard, with the Vineyard football team defeating Nantucket 14-0 in the annual Island Cup Saturday. Sophomore Jacob Cardoza carried the day with two touchdowns.
