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 14, 2014
Boys Head to Finals Saturday After Thrilling Overtime Win
The Vineyard boys' soccer team and their fans head to Taunton High School today to take on the Norwell Clippers in the division three south section championship game. Start time is 2:30 p.m., and the winner will advance to state semi-finals.
Key Breakthrough in Alzheimer’s Research Fostered by Islanders
For three decades, Alzheimer’s research has been stymied by a debate about how the disease behaves in the brain. New research coordinated by Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi and presented on the Vineyard this summer settles the debate.
Scientist Digs Menemsha Pond Sea Slug
Menemsha Pond means different things to different people. For Dr. Sidney (Skip) Pierce, a professor emeritus at the University of South Florida, the pond is a place where discovery begins. It is the home of a sea slug.
Takes a Grandma to Spread the Word and Keep the Peace Online
In 2012, Islander Lori Robinson Fisher started a Facebook group named Islanders Talk. The group has grown to include 2,600 members, a place for sharing all types of information and thoughts relating to the Vineyard.
Tree Sense
A 177-year-old tree, as horticulturist Tim Boland so gently put it, is in its senescence, which is a scientific way of saying the twilight of its life.
Boys of Soccer
On any Saturday morning in the spring and fall, the West Tisbury school fields are filled with kids playing soccer.
Storm Unearths Pieces of Shipwreck on Chappaquiddick
The storm that slammed the Island in early November cancelled ferry trips and eroded beaches on Chappaquiddick. It also unearthed a mystery.Pieces of what appears to be a 19th-century shipwreck were exposed on East Beach at Cape Pogue.
Land Bank Revenues: Nov. 7
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $371,910 for the business week ending on Friday, Nov. 7, 2014.
Fall Sports Come to an End; Soccer Shines, Football on a Roll
With many of the fall sports concluding last week, there was much space left for the remaining two teams to shine.
End of Apple Era Presses on the Heart
Naches Heights in the Yakima Valley is just east of the Cascade Mountains, the part of Washington state where the lush green of the mountains gives way to a more barren, arid landscape.
Cranberry Harvest is Local Success Story
On Halloween morning, Carol Magee, the executive director of the Vineyard Open Land Foundation, gave me my first lesson in cranberry sorting.
Pagoda Passages
Everyone who walks through South Water street in Edgartown is in some sense a beneficiary of Capt. Thomas Milton, for it was he who, considerably more than a hundred years ago, brought home and planted the pagoda tree.
Support for Vets
It was very nice to read Tom Rancich’s story in the Vineyard Gazette of Nov. 7 about how he came to the Island and his military career.
Finest Kind of Volunteerism
On Friday, Nov. 7, the Edgartown Council on Aging, also known as the Anchors, held a volunteer recognition luncheon to thank and acknowledge all who have volunteered their valuable time, efforts and skills to Anchors programs, events and projects over the last year. The luncheon was attended by 60 of the 64 volunteers who donated…
Family to Family
On Friday, Nov. 21, volunteers of the Family-to-Family Holiday Meals program will gather at the First Baptist Parish House on William street in Vineyard Haven sometime around 9 a.m.
Tea Party, Tea Leaves
Congratulations to Massachusetts voters who chose Charlie Baker for governor.
Real Estate Transactions: Nov. 3 to Nov. 9
Alan N. Sutin and Susan E. Sutin purchased 172 Waldron Bottom Road in West Tisbury from Charles R. Klinck for $1,051,000 on Nov. 3.
Fighter Jets Fly Over Massachusetts Thursday, Miss the Vineyard
Five F-15 fighter jets from Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield did not fly over the Vineyard Thursday morning as scheduled, the Massachusetts Air National Guard said Thursday afternoon.
Lion of Winter
The last quarter moon appears close to the bright planet Jupiter tonight, and it’s a late night attraction. The two rise side by side in the eastern sky after midnight. There is no mistaking Jupiter, as it is the brightest object in the sky, except for the moon. Both are in the zodiacal constellation Leo,…
Oak Bluffs Police Search for Driver in Hit-and-Run Accident
Oak Bluffs police are searching for the driver of a vehicle involved in a hit and run accident Wednesday night on County Road near Trade Winds Airfield.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Nov. 14
In a story related to the Island Theatre last weekend (with a happy ending), there was an article in the Boston Globe about Brookline’s Coolidge Corner Theatre.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Nov. 14
Here is my salute back to Woody Williams and all our veterans. Woody emailed a beautiful salute to our Island veterans and all who served. The picture of Woody was great. We all received it on Veterans Day. It made me think of several other Island vets, especially Ed Colligan who was so proud of…
On Chappy: Nov. 14
As the leaves fall and the woods open up, my neighbor’s lights are once again twinkling through the trees. I have a feel for what’s occupying the inhabitants, such as which ones are more likely to be reading than watching TV. I see who turns in early and who stays up as late as I…
Up-Island Debates School Resource Officer Hire
The debate over whether schools in West Tisbury and Chilmark should hire a school resource officer continued this week among members of the up-Island school committee.
State Grant Sets in Motion a Healthier Vineyard
A three-year grant that ended in September has transformed Island school lunch programs and helped set a course for healthier living for residents of all ages, the Dukes County commission heard in a report this week. The Mass in Motion grant was part of a federally-funded initiative.
Aquinnah Town Column: Nov. 14
The Aquinnah Public Library will build a thankful tree on Nov. 15 from 1 to 3 pm. Stop by to add your own message to a leaf. On Nov. 22, make a handprint turkey from 1 to 3 p.m., and on Nov. 29 it will be Legos, cartoons, and hot cocoa.
Chilmark Town Column: Nov. 14
Chilmark grieves this week for the passing of one of our most popular senior citizens. Elmore Bud Mayhew died at Massachusetts General Hospital on November 7.
Playhouse Heats Up the Winter Arts
What to do in the off-season? The Vineyard Playhouse, which opened its doors again this summer to a refurbished building and stage, seems to have answered the question — poetry, film and song.
World Stops Spinning When Seated in Front of the Potter’s Wheel
Three times a week throughout the year a small group of Islanders heads to Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs for a few hours away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
Please Adopt Us
It never fails. By the time this column is published, the animals mentioned as adoptable are no longer here. At the moment, the shelter is devoid of dogs and is only housing one cat. Her name is Nala.
Rock On
Looking for luck? Head to the nearest rocky beach.
Growing Roots
It has finally happened. We’ve had a proper freeze. It’s sad, as always, to see another season come to an end. It is, however, oddly comforting to see the completion of a garden year.
MVC Allows Mixed Use Condominium Project in Edgartown
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission gave a green light to an Edgartown condominium development late last week, but the developers said conditions imposed on the project are unreasonable. James Brennan and Paul Pertile plan to build a 24,000-square-foot building near the Triangle.
Chilmark Mulls Accessory Housing Bylaw
A proposed zoning bylaw that would allow for accessory apartments in Chilmark has been quietly gathering feedback from town boards and will be the subject of a public hearing next month. The town housing committee spearheaded the effort.
From Duluth to Vineyard Haven, Island Family Sees America by Sail
When Tim and Trisha Colon bought a sailboat in Duluth, Minn., bringing the 45-foot boat home became a family adventure. With their two children, the Colons sailed the boat through the Great Lakes, down the Hudson River and across Long Island Sound to Vineyard Haven harbor.
West Tisbury Town Column: Nov. 14
Well, the weather last weekend was seasonable and with the rapidly falling leaves, time change, cooler temperatures and lowering the storm windows, we are slowly falling into the grasp of winter.
Just Like a White-winged Dove
There is no reason to get the blues when the weather turns cold and outdoor bird watching is not fun anymore.
Veterans Honored in Oak Bluffs Parade
Veterans of every American war since World War II, along with members of the Coast Guard, local police departments and other groups, marched in the annual Veterans Day Parade in Oak Bluffs on Tuesday.
Saving Island Ponds
A public meeting on smart wastewater management to save Island ponds is planned for Thursday, Nov. 20, at 5:30 p.m. at the Katharine Cornell Theatre in Vineyard Haven.
Flu Clinic for Children
Chilmark town hall hosts a flu clinic for children ages six months to 16 years old on Wednesday, Nov. 19.
Turkey and Tennis
What do turkey and tennis have in common? Chew on that for awhile and then get yourself to the Turkey Open on Saturday, Nov. 15, beginning at noon at the Workout and Vineyard Tennis Center.
Seed Processing Workshop
There are more than books at the West Tisbury library. Now there’s a seed library, too. This fall a collaboration between the library, Island Grown Schools and the Farm Institute has led to an upcoming seed processing workshop.
With Abundance of Scallops, Edgartown Shares Tasty Treasure with Seniors
Thirty bushels of bay scallops were given to local shuckers with a stipulation: they could keep half the load if they shuck the other half for seniors. Packages of bay scallops have been delivered for distribution to the Edgartown Council on Aging.
Where the Words Are
Poets come together next Thursday, Nov. 20, at the West Tisbury library for a free evening of reading.
Let Them Cake Walk
This time life really is a cake walk. Join your friends and family in support of the fifth graders at West Tisbury School as they sponsor a cake walk at the Chilmark Community Center.
Wicked Good Cabaret
Chilly weather gets a whole lot better when you add a little music to it. The Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse hosts a cabaret benefit that supports, who else? The playhouse of course.
Island Parents Advisory Council Will Meet
The Island Parents Advisory Council on Special Education meets at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19, at the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard.
In Pagoda Controversy, Conservation Commission Will Reconsider
In the wake of public outcry over a plan by a homeowner to build a garage next to a historic Edgartown pagoda tree, the conservation commission has voted to reconsider.
Lessons on Water Quality from Our Cape Cod Neighbors
Sooner or later, the nitrogen pollution threatening the health of Martha’s Vineyard coastal ponds will affect us all. Our jobs are dependent on our visitor-based economy.
County Restrained by Judge from Expanding Airport Board
The Dukes County Commission cannot expand the size of the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission, a superior court judge has ruled. The Hon. Richard Chin issued the decision last week.
Announcing Taeko
Rebekah Thomson and Joshua Thomson of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Taeko Rose Thomson, born on Nov. 6 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Welcome, Melissa
Alana Oliveira and Cristiano Silva of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Melissa Trindode Silva, born on Nov. 6 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Luke Arrives
Laurie Jennings Pereira and Wagner Pereira of West Tisbury announce the birth of a son, Luke Arturo Pereira, born on Nov. 9 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Hello, Emanuella
Hingryd Aguilar and Weslley C. Aguilar of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Emanuella Marciano Aguilar, born on Nov. 5 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Announcing Ana
Suellen Belo and Wagner Belo of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Ana Luisa Goncalves Belo, born on Nov. 6 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Report Finds Chilmark Pond at Nitrogen Limit
The saltwater pond is generally healthy with no serious habitat damage, but nitrogen levels are at their limit, the report from the Massachusetts Estuaries Project report said.
Reading With Friends and Amigos Is Twice as Fun
At the Amigos story hour at the Edgartown Library, children wearing pajamas and slippers crowded around a group of high school students who read to them in Portuguese and English. Parents joined in.
New Building Inspector in West Tisbury
The West Tisbury selectmen have appointed a new building inspector. Joseph Tierney Jr., who is currently a local inspector for the town, is expected to succeed Ernie Mendenhall.
Chappy Beaches Closed to Vehicles After Storm
An early November storm last weekend left behind severe erosion on Chappaquiddick beaches. The Trustees of Reservations have temporarily closed all beaches on the Island to over-sand vehicle traffic.
