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
August 8, 2014
Land Bank Revenue: August 1
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $107,571.50 for the business week ending on Friday, August 1, 2014.
Shared Love of Vineyard Energizes New Island Philanthropy Group
A newly formed Vineyard philanthropy group with a core mission to support Island youth and an innovative funding model will commit $4 million over the next four years to an array of youth causes. Founders include a number of first-generation summer homeowners.
President Obama Arrives Saturday for Fifth Summer Vacation on the Vineyard
Military helicopters flew over the Island this week as the Vineyard prepared for what is becoming a familiar August event: the arrival Saturday of President Barack Obama for a summer vacation on the Island.
Breathless in Chilmark, Road Race and B’Ball Marathon Delight
On Saturday morning, a total of 1,600 people will run the Chilmark Road Race. On Friday and Sunday, kids and adults will take part in the Alex Cohen Memorial Basketball Marathon at the community center.
Trailblazing Opens Scenic Vistas at Menemsha Hills
The Trustees of Reservations have added added a second beach trail at the popular 229-acre Chilmark reservation, tucked away off North Road with its woodlands and rocky beach. The new trail is 1,000 feet long and was 10 years in the making.
Putting Out Welcome Mat for Presidents Through the Years
When President Obama and his family arrives for a two-week stay this weekend, it will mark the 10th time in the past 20 years that the Vineyard has hosted a summer White House.
Civil Rights Meets the Graphic Novel
After seeing the northern states for the first time in 1951 during a summer with his aunt and uncle in Buffalo, N.Y., Cong. John Lewis began questioning the quality of life that many around him took for granted.
Sharks’ Summer Season Ending, Postseason Remains
With two games remaining in the Futures Collegiate Baseball League summer season, the Martha’s Vineyard Sharks have secured a top spot in their division and are second overall in the league.
Tisbury Takes Its Time With Technology
Tisbury town leaders took their lumps this week for failing to keep up with the digital era and vowed to take steps to address the problem.
Smithsonian Recognizes African American Legacy in Oak Bluffs
In the years when much of America was racially segregated, Oak Bluffs was a place of refuge for African Americans. The town will be included an in upcoming permanent Smithsonian exhibit in Washington, D.C. An event will be held Thursday at the Union Chapel.
Summer White House 2014
On Saturday sometime just after noon Marine One will touch down on the tarmac at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport carrying its precious cargo: the president of the United States and his family.
Island Philanthropy 2.0
Summer on the Vineyard is many things, but lately it seems to have become the season of fundraisers. Hardly a day goes by without an invitation to a party or event to benefit one of a multitude of causes.
Camp Ground Gingerbread Cottage Tour Tastes Good
How do Hansel and Gretel decorate their home, and are there any fairy godmothers or elves, even, who reside in the Oak Bluffs Camp Ground?
Full Moon Fever
Sunday night’s full moon is the largest of the year, only because it is the closest. The full moon is also near perigee, that part of its orbit when it is closest. Tides this weekend will run both higher and lower than normal. That will be the most noticeable aspect of this weekend’s close full…
Grain of Truth to Growing Rice Here
Akaogi farm in Vermont grows a variety of fruits and vegetables, but the thing that brought me there this past week was their most unusual New England crop: rice.
Road Trip Brings Spirituals to Life
On a recent summer Sunday, as hundreds of motorists hurtled down Route 93 toward Route 28 and the ferry dock in Woods Hole, two dozen Vineyarders hurtled in the opposite direction.
Cracking the Stasi File Code: Friendship
As President Obama begins his fifth Vineyard vacation and the Secret Service descends on the Island, I am reminded of when decades ago I was Stasi File No. 014204797Z to the East German secret police.
Thoughtful Island Community Is Good Fit for Heath Hen
The Island and the heath hens are lucky to have the attention of Mr. Brand and Ms. Phelan, pioneers at the frontier of cultural re-imagination, who have access to the scientific resources to work with you on this cutting edge proposition.
Goodbye, Carl Widdiss
It was fitting. Under a solid heavy sky that touched the trees, Rain poured down. Cleansing, as a bath after a long week’s labor.
Make the Right Choice
The state and Massachusetts Department of Transportation have recently offered to invest over $1 million in improving the infrastructure of this thoroughfare, which happens to be classified as a state highway.
Water Bill Surprise
I recently received my semi-annual bill from the Oak Bluffs water department. Enclosed with the bill was a notice that I would be billed an additional $200 if it was discovered that my water meter had been installed backward.
Mug Shot Not Necessary
I acknowledge that book reviews are a valuable service of a newspaper as professional as the Vineyard Gazette. However, I object to the printing of a photograph of Mr. Smiley with the review on August 1 of Mr. Blanding’s book, The Map Thief.
Another Back Story
I would like to take this opportunity to fill in a missing chapter to the author’s book [about] Forbes Smiley 3rd, The Map Thief. With the funds that Mr. Forbes stole, he built an elaborate home here on the Island.
Pleasant Dog Walks
Daily, as my small, white dog walks me on Lambert’s Cove Road, many motorists pass. Some of you I know. Others I don’t.
Off-Road Bliss
This newspaper has always reported the variety of Vineyard life and its natural beauty, and I’d expect people to flock here because of it.
Accident Report
A heartfelt thanks to the individual who left the gift on our car at State Beach this past week. Imagine our surprise when, after the perfect beach day, we got to our vehicle to find that you had backed into us.
Dear Mr. Gates
After nearly six years of the Obama presidency, we have a definitive track record from which to study and critique. The evidence clearly suggests he is failing. His poll numbers continue to drop to record lows.
Obama and Associates
Mr. Obama and his associates perpetually, and on a daily basis, exceed themselves in reaching new and dizzying heights of narcissism, arrogance, prevarication and abject lawlessness.
Awards Event Honors Cronkite Legacy
Guests gathered for the fifth annual Walter Cronkite awards ceremony and reception on Tuesday, beneath an ivory tent on the front lawn of Karen and David Brush’s Edgartown home.
Gonna Rock Around the Dock Tonight
As it has every Tuesday for the last three summers, the Dock Dance Band had brought the wharf alive with Islanders and tourists, dancing and celebrating under the glow of the moon and a few fluorescent lights.
Moth Storytellers Drawn to Light of Center Stage Once Again
Shortly after Arthur Bradford started volunteering at Camp Jabberwocky in 1994, he met a man who would forever change his life. His name was Ronnie Simonsen.
Transforming Power of Finding the Story
In 2010, Island-raised filmmaker Victoria Campbell travelled to Haiti after the 7.0 magnitude earthquake devastated parts of the country.
Island’s Lost Arts
From the Vineyard Gazette edition of August 2, 1985: It is difficult today to imagine a Vineyard which not only fed itself, but produced a substantial surplus which it exported to the mainland.
Vineyard Coincidence: Back Cracker Was Once Bat Cracker
The best sports stories are the ones that toe the line of improbability — the ones that unfold in real life without direction yet seem scripted in their narrative, as though they were written for a Hollywood studio.
Words to the Wise: You Are Not Special
David McCullough Jr. had been for a long time quietly going about his business as a teacher of English at Wellesley High School in Massachusetts.
Edgartown House Tour
A summer tour of five Edgartown homes hosted by the Federated Church is planned for 1 p.m. on Tuesday, August 12.
Chamber Music Quintet
Award-winning Boston composer Thomas Oboe Lee will premiere his new Piano Quintet #2 as a featured work at the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music concert on Monday, August 11.
R is for Read This Book: a Vineyard ABC
“I’ve built a grand castle with turrets and towers. And parapets, arrow slits, keeps, and a moat. I’ve battled the seagulls and land crabs for hours; The coastline is littered with seaweed I smote.”
Vineyard Haven Harbor Goes Full Sail
Call it an Instant Regatta. A record 25 boats competed in last Thursday’s evening race, eclipsing the record of 22 set last year.
At the Bridge Table
Audrey Egger has had five first-place finishes in Vineyard duplicate play this summer: twice when partnered with Miles Jaffe and once apiece with Barbara Besse, Barbara McLagan and me.
Volunteer Firefighters Throw Party of the Year in Chilmark
Hundreds of adults and kids flocked to the Chilmark Community Center Wednesday for the town’s annual volunteer firefighter association’s Backyard Bash.
A Midsummer Night’s Dance: Built on Stilts Opens Thursday
Young dancers of Stiltshop will be performing at Union Chapel Thursday, the opening night of Built on Stilts dance festival.
Town, Community Group Join Lawsuit Over Tribe’s Casino Plans
A federal judge ruled Wednesday that the town of Aquinnah and a group of town residents have a stake in a lawsuit over whether the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has the right to open a casino on the Vineyard.
Please Adopt Us
August seems to be the season for giving among the children here on the Island.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: August 8
Another story of Oak Bluffs, the town where dreams come true, is one about Dr. John Wilson Jr., new president of Morehouse College, when he brought college buddy Spike Lee to the Island to visit his grandmother’s house.
Aquinnah Town Column: August 8
Welcome to the first family as they arrive this week for another Vineyard vacation. May they enjoy the peace of their surroundings and the ambience of it all.
High Surf, Rip Current Warning in Effect Wednesday
The National Weather Service has issued an advisory Wednesday for high surf and a high risk of dangerous rip currents along ocean beaches on the south coast of the Vineyard.
Edgartown Town Column: August 8
I don’t know what to say about the weather this week. It rains and it’s cold; the sun shines and it is warm. The nights are cool; the fog is here in the early morning.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: August 8
I want to thank my friends and family who held an impromptu barbecue for my birthday last Sunday. Tamma Willoughby outdid herself with making green salad, potato salad, hamburgers and hotdogs.
On Chappy: August 8
Be on the lookout for our most recently arrived public enemy, the Lone Star tick. This critter is roughly the same size as the adult deer tick, but with a distinct single white spot on the center of its back.
East Chop Town Column: August 8
Della Hardman was an art professor, Gazette columnist and keeper of the East Chop Lighthouse, among other things. She first came to the Vineyard as a three-year-old child in 1925.
West Tisbury Town Column: August 8
The tax-free (sales tax) weekend begins on August 15, and the president and first family arrive tomorrow for a well-deserved vacation.
Chilmark Town Column: August 8
No wonder everyone is moving so fast, too much to do and too little time to do them all. The good weather days offer the beaches and fishing and the rainy days offer the shopping tours.
Picture This
We usually don’t start seeing black-legged kittiwakes from the Island beaches until October, unless we have a storm prior to that month.
A Novice Naturalist
I met Grey after he came to Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary with a photo of a mystery marine creature.
Garden View
The Queen Anne’s lace is spectacular this year. The huge field across from the Allen sheep farm is covered with it.
Cod Stocks in Steep Decline, NOAA Report Says
A report from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has found that cod stocks in the Gulf of Maine are at an all-time low.
Three Islanders to Be Honored With Martha’s Vineyard Medal
Renee Balter, Dorothy Bangs and Richard Paradise will be honored next week with the Martha’s Vineyard Museum’s annual Martha’s Vineyard Medal.
High School Science Teacher Named New Assistant Principal
In one of several leadership changes this summer, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School has promoted Elliott Bennett, a science teacher at the school since 2000, to an assistant principal role.
New Restaurant Planned for Former Eleven North Space
The Coogan family, owners of the nearby Wharf Pub and Restaurant, plan to open a restaurant named Rockfish at 11 North Water street in downtown Edgartown.
Celebrating Civil Rights
On August 13 through 15, the Mixed Magic Theatre presents Fate Comes Knocking, a production featuring excerpts of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s writing and a presentation of other leaders and historic figures.
Union Chapel Guest Preacher
Rev. Otis Moss III, senior pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, will be Union Chapel’s guest preacher on Sunday, August 10, at 10 a.m., with an organ prelude at 9:40 a.m.
Wild and Abstract at Gay Head Gallery
The Gay Head Gallery will present a reception and benefit for Defenders of Wildlife on Sunday, August 10, from 5 to 7 p.m.
Field Gallery Hosts Reception
On Sunday, August 10, from 5 to 7 p.m. the Field Gallery in West Tisbury will host a reception for artists Traeger di Pietro and Craig Mooney.
Peter Pan Benefit Performance
The Island Theater Workshop presents a benefit performance of Peter Pan on Friday, August 15, at 7:30 p.m. at the Performing Arts Center.
Champagne Brunch Benefits Minnesingers
Locally raised and harvested foods are the focus in a champagne brunch and silent art auction on Sunday, August 17, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Reception at Ashley Medowski Gallery
Ashley Medowski features her 13th Annual Art Show, Menemsha, Boats + Sea Life, on Sunday, August 10, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Ending Africa’s Apartheid
Filmmaker Abby Ginzberg will be on hand Sunday when her story of South Africa’s Albie Sachs is screened by the Summer Institute Film Series.
Chicken Alley Art and Collectable Sale
Art and collectables will go on sale at the Chicken Alley Art and Collectables Sale Weekend, August 15 to 17.
Harbor View Parent Company Adds New Properties
Scout Hotels, the company that manages the Harbor View Hotel and Kelley House in Edgartown, is expanding with two new properties on the Cape and Nantucket.
Oak Bluffs Arts District Stroll
The second Arts District Stroll held in the Oak Bluffs Arts District is on Saturday, August 9, from 4 to 7 p.m.
Aquinnah Community Reception
The spotlight shines on the Gay Head Light during the annual Aquinnah/Gay Head Community Association reception on Tuesday, August 12, from 5 to 8 p.m.
ACE MV Fall Registration
Registration is open for ACE MV fall classes online at acemv.org, where you can view and download the course catalog. Class sizes are limited and early registration is encouraged.
Real Estate Transactions: July 28 to August 3
Susanne Shand purchased 108 Dunham avenue in Vineyard Haven from Ronald J. Slahetka and Susan D. Slahetka for $445,000 on July 30.
Abigail Brown and Jared Stobie Wed
Mr. James Brown and Mrs. Deborah Brown of Oak Bluffs, are pleased to announce the marriage of their daughter, Abigail, to Jared Stobie, son of Ms. Tania Tilton of Edgartown, and Mr. Timothy Stobie of Tisbury.
Murals and Mischief
Margot Datz’s annual show is Saturday, August 9 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Grange Hall.
Welcome, Joao
Betania Pereira and Gerson Pereira da Silva of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Joao Pedro Pereira da Silva, born on August 2 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Heaven Arrives
Tiara Lee and Anthony Hall of Aquinnah announce the birth of a daughter, Heaven Lee Hall, born on August 1 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Where Community and Art Are Both Winners
This week, some 87 local artists showcased their work along the walls surrounding the Tabernacle. The annual show features work in a variety of media created by artists ages 16 to 99.
Vineyard Golf Club Foundation Supports Nonprofits
Since its inception in 2001, the Vineyard Golf Club Foundation has disbursed over $1,800,000, and recently announced gifts to local recipients.
Get Your Paddle On
Ping pong reigns on Chappaquiddick at the island’s annual table tennis tournament scheduled for August 10 at the Chappy Community Center.
Tragic Story Continues to Touch and Change Lives
By the time the lights came up after the screening last Wednesday of Matt Shepard Is a Friend of Mine, most of the audience was in tears. The film tells the story of Matt Shepard, an openly gay student at the University of Wyoming who was brutally murdered in 1998.
Cape Pogue Closed to OSVs to Protect Plover Chicks
Cape Pogue Wildlife Refuge is closed to oversand vehicles to protect nesting piping plover chicks, The Trustees of Reservations announced Monday.
University of Massachusetts Boston Graduates
Stephen McAllister of Edgartown, Nancy Phillips of Oak Bluffs and Holly Robinson of Vineyard Haven graduated from the University of Massachusetts Boston.
At Five Year Mark, Vineyard Power Gains Foothold in Alternative Energy Race
The Island energy cooperative is entering the next phase of its plan to build a 40-megawatt wind farm south of the Vineyard, and has reached a clear turning point in its young history, president Richard Andre said at the fifth annual meeting Saturday.
Cronkite Awards Highlight Role of Oceans in Sustaining Life
The struggle to understand the role of oceans in sustaining life is the theme Tuesday during the Walter Cronkite awards ceremony.
Coastal Restoration Projects Lag Due to FEMA Funding Delays
Oak Bluffs continues to press for federal disaster aid to dredge the channel below the Little Bridge and for four other projects.
