Jane Kenyon
I am the stone step, the latch, and the working hinge. I am the heart contracted by joy, the longest hair, white before the rest.-Jane Kenyon
August 22, 2014
Stop & Shop Review Had Two Tracks: One Public, One Private
Four months after the Vineyard Gazette asked the town of Tisbury for public records surrounding the Stop & Shop expansion proposal, the town has complied. Executive session minutes and emails document private talks that went on for months among the selectmen, town administrator and Island attorney for the grocery chain.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: August 22
Last Thursday, a rainbow of Oak Bluffs taxpayers, business people and civic leaders united at Union Chapel to hear plans for the newest Washington museum — the National Museum of African American History and Culture.
Healthy Marriage Built on Chain Saws and Chopping Blocks
Heather and Vincent Maciel were high school sweethearts, raised two kids and currently run a tree service and landscaping company in West Tisbury. They’re also lumberjacks who compete in the fair circuit around New England. Look for them this weekend at the fair.
Presidential Vacation Winds Down
World affairs intruded more than ever this year on President Obama’s Vineyard vacation. But still he managed some down time. The Obamas are scheduled to leave Sunday.
As Squibnocket Plan Gathers Views, Selectmen Add Theirs
The Chilmark selectmen this week added their voices to the growing body of opinion and research related to the town’s efforts to restore a portion of Squibnocket Beach.
MVC Maps Chart Projected Sea Level Rise on Island
At high tide on a sunny day in the year 2100, a visit to Five Corners in Vineyard Haven could mean a swim with the fishes. New maps created by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission project a changing seascape.
Appeals Court Backs Town’s Right to Protect Ancient Ways
The town of Edgartown and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission won a major land use victory this week when the Massachusetts Court of Appeals ruled that they have wide latitude to restrict development on ancient ways. The ruling overturns an earlier superior court decision in the Hall family case against the town.
Similar Yet Different, Old Footage is Portal to Past
The film was shot at the Edgartown bathing beach on Chappaquiddick back in the summer of 1927. And it turns out that people swam, splashed, sunbathed, smiled at one another and flirted with the camera exactly the same way they do now, nearly 90 years later.
Public Matters
In this week’s Gazette, we provide detail showing that while a town-appointed parking lot committee was having very public meetings to consider reconfiguration of the lot adjacent to the grocery store, selectmen were addressing a range of related issues in private emails with Stop & Shop and behind closed doors.
Vineyard Notebook
Three daughters left, and the storm came. As if on cue, as if to say, slow down and reflect on all that is good. So you sat on the porch, rain drifting over the sound, and like a photograph dropped into developing solution, the past few days came into focus.
And a Polar Bear Shall Lead Them; Frostpaw Sweats for Our Future
In August, residents and visitors of Martha’s Vineyard saw an unusual creature among the Island’s native species: a seven-foot tall polar bear.
On Stage and Off, Jabberwocky Is All Heart
The Camp Jabberwocky stage was a small Amish town in Pennsylvania where Dr. Frankenstein set up a laboratory. Using high voltage electricity, he zapped his green creature, Derrick, to life.
Leaving the Lantern On, Lit by Memories
Bases loaded, bottom of the ninth, two outs, one ball, two strikes. At this point, it could be anyone’s game. Little League bragging rights are on the line.
Island Song
Feel the peace of solitude in our forests and our glens Pick the fruit of summer on our beaches with your friends
Hail to the Chief
I recently read letters to the editor by a Peter Robb and Michael Fontes, both which complained about President Obama’s supposed poor leadership, incompetence and failures during the first six years of his presidency.
Together on the Beach; Summer Friendships Mark New Partnership
Under the late afternoon sun, a group of smiling beachgoers, some from Camp Jabberwocky, others from Beacon Academy, ran into the ocean together.
Telling a Moth Story Attracts Butterflies
Thirty years ago I flirted with the idea of quitting my day job and writing the Great American Novel.
Presidential Down Time
Before you retire at night, shut off the lights of your beautiful retreat and take a chair outdoors in the open. Let the darkness envelop you. Sit back and look up into the stars and feel yourself empty out and fill up in the same moment — peace.
Porch Conversations Still Captivate
Years ago while staying at the home of Ms. Ora McFarlane I read a story in the Vineyard Gazette written by Della Brown Hardman.
Exploitation, Not Conservation
It’s extremely disappointing to learn that the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair will be featuring Barry DeVoll’s exploitative animal attraction entitled Racing Lemurs and the Winner’s Circle Lemur Encounter this week. The act calls itself educational, yet when I visited this same attraction at the Barnstable County Fair last month, the public was being fed inaccurate…
Up-Island School District Considers Busing Shift
The school committee is considering the possibility of ending the district’s tradition of running its own school bus system.
Chicken Alley Art, Fashion
I want to express my deepest gratitude to all who helped make the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services Thrift Shop Chicken Alley Art Sale and the Needle Book Community Couture fashion show the best ever!
Overview
If there’s trouble at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant and it blows that way it will just destroy the regenerated heath hen and the new oyster farm near Eastville Beach.
Navy to Clear Ordnances on Noman’s Land
The U.S. Navy announced this week that in September it will be clearing unexploded explosives on Noman’s Land, a small island off Chilmark.
Edgartown Man Charged With Assault
Oak Bluffs police arrested an Edgartown man Friday on several charges, including strangulation and assault with a dangerous weapon, after he allegedly attacked a woman he knows.
Car Strikes Utility Pole, Drunken Driving Charge Follows
A Los Angeles man was arrested on drunken driving charges early Sunday morning after the vehicle he was driving crashed into a utility pole, police said.
Kevin McCabe Earns Engineering Degree
Kevin James McCabe of Kingston, N.Y., and Edgartown recently graduated from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.
Land Bank Revenue: August 15
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $258,980 for the business week ending on Friday, August 15, 2014.
Welcome, Maria
Riemary Magalhaes and Douglas Pizzico of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Maria Clara Pizzico, born on August 18 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Bottoms Down
From the Vineyard Gazette edition of August 27, 1926: Ten liquor raids, made almost simultaneously by the combined police forces of the three down-Island towns, created much excitement in Oak Bluffs on Saturday night.
Beadniks For Sale, But the Bead Goes On from Virginia Beach
Beadniks, a staple of Church street in Vineyard Haven for 24 years, is now for sale.
Lama Helps Others Learn to Focus and Let Go
Lama Yeshe spends three months a year living and teaching at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury.
Third Time is Real Charm for Penelope
Mo Flam and his Alerion 28 Penelope continued on track for their golden summer with their third first-place finish of the season in the Holmes Holes Sunday series race.
Firecracker Astronomers
High above the crowds in Oak Bluffs Friday night, there will be rockets with red, blue and yellow glare. It will be a royal display.
Union Chapel Guest Preacher
On August 24, Union Chapel will host guest preacher Dr. Charles G. Adams. This will be Dr. Adams’ farewell sermon at the chapel after eight summers.
Tough Guy of Turtle Family; Snappers Rule the Ponds
Unlike their smaller relatives, snapping turtles don’t bask in the sun or float in rows on logs. They are both predators and scavengers.
Catch of the Day May Be Nothing But Net
It was on the Vineyard that Paul Greenberg first encountered the beauty of a functioning ecosystem, where fishing was not merely a symbolic act.
Putting Gothic in Gotham, Even Lady Liberty Is Not Safe
Marshall Goldberg’s masterful The New Colossus rivets the reader into 1888 New York and follows the beautiful and spunky reporter Nellie Bly.
Sullivan, Jabberwocky 5Ks This Weekend
Two favorite 5Ks happen on Saturday, August 23: the Sullivan 5K Walk and Run in Oak Bluffs, and the Run for Jabberwocky 5K in Edgartown.
At the Bridge Table
Q. 1—Sitting South and dealing, with no one vulnerable, you hold: ♠ A 10 ♥ K Q 2 ♦ Q 5 4 2 ♣ Q 9 8 7 The bidding has proceeded as follows: South West North East 1♦ Pass 1 ♠ 2 ♣ ? What would you bid? A. — Whatever…
Potter’s Bowl Fills Belly
Featherstone presents its annual Potter’s Bowl on Sunday, August 24, from 4 to 6 p.m. The event also kicks off the Art of Ceramics exhibit.
Race at the Plate Is Story of Cultural Shift
Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing begins on the baseball diamond.
Historian to Lecture at Williams College Retreat
Historian Craig Steven Wilder will give a lecture at this year’s annual retreat for Williams College alumni.
What Color Is the Passage of Time?
Within the ephemeral confines of time, a place that provides refuge from a tirelessly moving reality is always a welcome respite.
Double Boom Boom at Oak Bluffs Fireworks
One of the signature traditions of the fireworks display is the double finale, and this doesn’t come off without a lot of hard work.
Everybody Bharatanatyam Now!
Acclaimed dancer/choreographer Aparna Ramaswamy brings her performance Sannidhi, or Sacred Space, to the Yard.
Let the Funnel Cake Runneth Over, Ag Fair Is Underway
On Thursday hundreds of visitors answered the call of the 153rd Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair, flooding through the white picket fences off Panhandle Road, eager to hit the midway, visit the livestock barn and, of course, grab some fried dough.
Tradition Lights the Way at Grand Illumination Night
Brightly colored paper lanterns hanging from gingerbread houses were turned on in unision, and by 8:51 p.m. Wednesday the Camp Ground was aglow.
SSA Approves $5.2 Million Contract for Central Parking Lot in Falmouth
Lawrence-Lynch Corp. was low bidder on the project, which aims to create a 1,900-car central parking facility in East Falmouth for summer overflow from the Palmer avenue lot.
Please Adopt Us
Once again we are without canines. Our cat population holds steady, however with two kittens and two feline senior citizens.
Aquinnah Town Column: August 22
Just a reminder — Primary Day is on Sept. 9 and the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. You may cast your absentee ballot with our town clerk Carolyn Feltz up to the day before the election.
West Tisbury Town Column: August 22
Labor Day is early this year and, yes, school begins Sept. 4. Starting next weekend the Farmers’ Market and Artisans’ Festival will be held once a week.
On Chappy: August 22
Chappy’s star of the stage, Jared Livingston, is playing the part of John Darling in the Island Theater Workshops’ production of Peter Pan. He bravely sings and dances in front of a huge crowd of theatre patrons.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: August 22
I started on Friday night with the Chicken Alley fashion show. Nonna has forbidden me to bring anything else home. Don’t tell her there is an orange leather winter coat hidden in the boot of my truck.
Lanterns at the Ready, It’s Time for Illumination Night
Come dusk tonight, the Victorian gingerbread houses at the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs will be a magical fantasy land, aglow with light from lanterns.
Edgartown Town Column: August 22
The sun is shining, the sky is blue, the breeze is just enough and it is cool enough to stand outside for more than five minutes. It has been just lovely!
Chilmark Town Column: August 22
Chilmark is surviving the usual August crush as always. It is about time someone tried to explain the sunset madness that seems to affect a large number of people on nice evenings at the shore.
Blissfully Bugless
I have not received one mosquito bite. While that fact is great, it is a little odd for a person who spends more than 12 hours out of doors each day.
Osprey Numbers Are In
The 2014 inventory found there were 119 active osprey nests on the Island. If I did my math correctly, we had 63 successful nests.
Buoying the Monarchs
Being dramatic is warranted in the case of monarch butterflies whose numbers have plummeted over the last few years.
Savings Bank Expands Its Investment Division
Longtime Island investment advisors Ray LaPorte and Ted Desrosiers will join the Martha’s Vineyard Financial Group at the end of September, bringing their clients with them, Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank president and chief executive officer Paul Falvey announced.
Sandwiches To Go: Edgartown Humphreys Moves to a New Location
Come October, those hankering for a turkey gobbler or a tree hugger will be directed to the Edgartown Triangle where Humphreys will join sister shop Dippin’ Donuts. High rent forced the move, said owner Mike Diaz.
Quilts and Crafts
Original art quilts and handmade crafts from Haiti will fill the Grange Hall in West Tisbury on Monday, August 25.
Wings Take Flight
Artist Cindy Kane exhibits a series of paintings titled Wing to Wing at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse Art Space beginning Saturday, August 23, with an opening reception at 4:30 p.m.
Poets Celebrate Gay Head Light
Legacy of Light: Poems for the Gay Head Lighthouse holds a collection of poems submitted by Island and off-Island writers celebrating the lighthouse.
East Chop Town Column: August 22
I recently met with Ann Smith, the executive director of Featherstone. She spent most of the interview bragging about East Choppers’ involvement with and support of Featherstone.
Sharks’ Season Ends Short of Championship
The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks fell short in their final campaign of the season, dropping the Futures Collegiate Baseball League championship series to the Worcester Bravehearts.
Radio Comes to Life as Says You! Arrives on the Vineyard
The Says You! radio program pulls into the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown for a live taping on Thursday night. Panelists include Fletcher “Flash” Wiley, Tony Kahn, Francine Achbar, Carolyn Faye Fox, and the Vineyard’s own Arnie Reisman and Paula Lyons.
Vineyard House Hosts Open House
Vineyard House has scheduled an open house on Thursday, August 28, at 9 a.m. Supporters of the new sober living facility being built on Short Hill Road in Vineyard Haven are invited to stop by and assess the progress being made on the new facilities.
Trap Championship Results
Raymond Sylvia from Vineyard Haven won the 2014 trap championship at the Martha’s Vineyard Rod & Club’s trap facilities on August 17, edging out Brian Welch of Oak Bluffs in a shoot-out.
Grants Available
The Peter and Elizabeth C. Tower Foundation is accepting inquiries for its 2015 substance abuse grant cycle through the Foundation’s website.
Real Estate Transactions: August 11 to August 17
Arthur Walton Jr. and Linda V. Dare-Walton purchased 26 Bayes Hill Road in Oak Bluffs from HSBC Bank USA NA TRS for $364,000 on August 13.
Announcing Annie
Brandie Lewis and Tucker Smith of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Annie Margaret Smith, born on August 15 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Hutchins Forum Draws Large Crowd and Divided Opinions
A sense of excitement filled the Old Whaling Church on Friday evening as visitors from around the country filtered in for the 14th annual Hutchins Forum, sponsored by the Hutchins Center for African and African American Research at Harvard University.
Celebrating History, Sense of Community in Oak Bluffs
Olive Tomlinson remembered the cottages and the shared car rides, the simplicity of summer life. With just a few phrases, Jessica Harris evoked memories of front porches and morning swims.
From Girl Scouts to Ms. Foundation, Reframing Feminist Movement
When Teresa Younger was a girl growing up in North Dakota, she fostered a deep connection to an organization that would become one of the most formative of her life: the Girl Scouts of the United States of America.
Art Lovers Unite at Chicken Alley Sale
Most daytrippers come to the Island for sun and fun, but on Sunday Karen Long came for the art. Ms. Long traveled from Concord to attend the annual Chicken Alley Art and Collectable Sale.
Peter Pan Proves Again, Never Doubt You Can Fly
In the classic stage version of Peter Pan, Sandy Duncan flew across the stage with apparent ease. But she was a whippet of a woman who could fly if a strong wind blew through the theatre.
Rep. James Clyburn Finds Good Company on the Vineyard
A number of high-profile politicians converged on Oak Bluffs on Friday for a low-key but spirited book signing and talk by the South Carolina congressman, who is a longtime Vineyard visitor. The book signing was among many events this summer with connections to African American history and culture.
Kendra Mills Named to Dean’s List
Kendra Mills of Vineyard Haven was named to the spring 2014 semester dean’s list at Bard College at Simon’s Rock.
Gazette Wins Newspaper in Education Award
The Vineyard Gazette and a middle school class from the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School have won a first-place award in the national Newspaper and Education Contest. In the project the Gazette helped the class, which was studying the history of slavery in the U.S., create a newspaper about the modern day slave trade.
Emergency Response Team Regroups, With All Towns on Board
Emergency management leaders have been busy planning within their respective town boundaries, but coordinating an Islandwide response has been slower to get off the ground. Late last week about 50 people gathered to restart the effort among the six towns.
Judge Upholds Airport in Case Against County
The Hon. Richard Chin said in a written opinion that the county manager may not serve as an ex officio nonvoting member of the airport commission, and that the county treasurer may not refuse to pay airport legal bills. The ruling clears the way for the case to go to trial.
The Eagle Has Landed, This Time in Edgartown
Noah Galley was carrying grain to the family barn when when he saw a large bird flying in short bursts across the property. He identified the bird as a juvenile bald eagle. The young bird has been rescued for possible rehabilitation by noted naturalist Gus Ben David.
