Dylan Thomas
The birds of the winged trees flying my name Above the farms and the white horses I rose in rainy autumn And walked abroad in a shower of all my days. – Dylan Thomas
January 30, 2015
Squibnocket Plan Comes to a Vote
Chilmark voters will gather at a special town meeting tonight for a series of decisions on the much-discussed restoration project at Squibnocket Beach. Five of eight articles on the warrant relate to the project.
Blizzard’s Track Began in Midwest
The storm that battered the Vineyard this week began in the middle of the country as a small snowstorm known as an Alberta Clipper.
January Storm One for Record Books
By many accounts, the blizzard that dropped 20-plus inches of snow and battered the coastline with hurricane-force winds was historic. Days after it first struck, the impact of the powerful two-day storm could still be felt throughout the Island.
Vineyard Lights Stayed On, While Sister Island Cut Off from World
Lights flickered out across the eastern part of the state at the height of the blizzard Tuesday, with power outages in every town on Cape Cod, and all of Nantucket going dark. By contrast, few outages were reported on the Vineyard during the first major snowstorm of the season.
Good Samaritans Out in Force During Storm
As the winds whipped snow across the Island Monday night and Tuesday, most people hunkered down and stayed inside, off the slippery roads and out of the chill. But some hardy Samaritans braved the weather and the roads to make the storm a little bit easier for their neighbors.
Vineyard Power and Partner Win Offshore Wind Lease
The Island-owned energy cooperative, along with a partner, was awarded a provisional lease to develop an offshore wind farm in federal waters off the Vineyard.
Planning Board Rescinds Vote on Mullen Way Development
Two weeks after they unanimously approved a subdivision on Mullen Way, the Edgartown planning board has rescinded their decision and referred the project to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
Goddess of Snow
Snow began falling on Monday afternoon; then came the howling winds. High tide brought icy floodwaters to the harborfront and fierce waves lashed beaches and docks.
A Warrior Who Worked for Children
Charmed by her warmth and her genial presence, one might forget that she is a warrior, commissioned with the simple and clear logic of her principles and armed with the ferocious innocence of all things possible.
No Travel Needed to Keep on the Sunny Side
If it were left up to me, I wouldn’t go away in winter. Truth be told, I probably wouldn’t travel anywhere at any time.
No Winter Blues Here, Library Jazz Delights
Need a quick cure for those pesky Vineyard midwinter blues? Island jazz pianist Jeremy Berlin and guitarist Eric Johnson offered exactly that with an upbeat version of musical blues and jazz.
SSA, Meet JTC
Decisions made by the SSA regarding fares and service have direct impacts on the pocketbooks of Vineyarders and also affect businesses and land values.
Plows on Holiday
Well, that was an Island disaster, wasn’t it? I’m not talking about the incredible amounts of snow and winds. I’m referring to the utter lack of preparedness on the part of the Tisbury Department of Public Works.
SSA, Second Take
Since writing my letter (printed in the Jan. 23 Gazette) for presentation at the SSA meeting in Woods Hole on Jan. 19, I have had a long, cordial and constructive conversation with Marc Hanover about various Authority projects and plans.
Art and Soul
From the Vineyard Gazette edition of Jan. 30, 1942: The blue and gold and green Vineyard summer came alive in the midst of a New York winter last week.
Land Bank Revenues: Jan. 23
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $134,642.84 for the business week ending on Friday, Jan. 23, 2015.
Venus and Mars, Planetary Companions
Two of the Earth’s nearest planetary neighbors, Venus and Mars, appear in the western sky. Brilliant Venus is the easiest planet to spot right after sunset. It is so brilliant, and looks like an approaching airplane with landing lights on. Venus appears amid the glow of twilight. Look carefully and you might see Mars, which…
Enzo Arrives
Flaviane De Oliveira and Anderson De Oliveira of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Enzo Noronha De Oliveira, born on Jan. 26 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Indie Rockers Earn Local Hero Status
Family of the Year, an indie rock band with Vineyard roots, has been picking up steam in recent years, especially with its contribution to the 2014 film Boyhood. The band’s 2012 single, Hero, was featured in the film’s soundtrack and trailer.
Gospel Opera is Story of Courage
Walter Robinson’s gospel opera Look What a Wonder comes to the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, sponsored by the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP.
Island Begins Digging Out from Blizzard
The Vineyard spent Wednesday digging out from the winter gale that battered the Island all day Tuesday. Schools remained closed on Thursday as highway workers and private contractors planned to spend another day clearing snow from roadways.
A Master’s Lesson for Birders
Leonardo da Vinci does not make it into the bird news too often! He is well known as an artist. He is not so well known as a scientist.
Storm Nesting
I’m mighty fond of a stay-indoors-all-day blizzard, especially when there is no loss of electricity. I prepared for the worst and was pleasantly surprised.
On Chappy: Jan. 30
Had some weather. A bit of wind. Touch of snow. Not unlike living inside a snow globe in the grips of an obstreperous toddler eating chocolate.
West Tisbury Town Column: Jan. 30
Before dark we knew we were in for a good storm even though there was a slight mix of rain. By Tuesday morning we had experienced a night with strong winds, gusts of 70 mph, blowing snow and colder temperatures.
Edgartown Town Column: Jan. 30
I think even though we all watched the weather closely, there were those who still thought the storm might just pass around us.
Aquinnah Town Column: Jan. 30
Thank you to Jerome and Nancy Kohlberg for another wonderful evening of fellowship among the Vineyard Gazette staff and their significant others on Friday evening at the Harbor View Hotel.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Jan. 30
There are so many memorial benches lining the Inkwell and Pay beaches all the way down to the Steamship Authority that one loses count over such a distance.
Pass the Popcorn, Movie Nights Fill the Calendar
Classic movie buffs have plenty to love about the Vineyard in winter. Nearly every night of the week either a library or the playhouse offers a free movie.
Photography and Fellowship
The first meeting of the new Martha’s Vineyard Photo Club will be held on Thursday, Feb. 5, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Vineyard Haven library.
Toad Rock Walk
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank will host a guided walk at Toad Rock Preserve at Moshup Trail Road in Aquinnah on Sunday, Feb. 1, beginning at 1 p.m.
Seed Swap
The Martha’s Vineyard Community Seed Library hosts a seed swap and germination testing workshop on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the West Tisbury library.
Faces and Places of Oak Bluffs
Students in Chris Baer’s photography class at the regional high school spent part of fall and early winter staking out the nooks and crannies of Oak Bluffs.
Brain Trauma Discussion
A signature injury from the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, traumatic brain injury is the topic of a presentation and panel discussion on Saturday, Jan. 31, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Please Adopt Us
Did you check on your neighbors during the blizzard of 2015? Not just the human kind, but those who share our environment and exist outdoors in the most brutal conditions?
Keeping Time With the Doomsday Clock
Are we doomed? Is the end of the world nigh? Should you be worried? Depends on whom you ask and whom you believe.
Chilmark Town Column: Jan. 30
Many thanks to our highway department Keith Emin’s trusty crew of snow plowers for clearing our town roadways.
Winter Storm Brings Summer-Like Rush as Island Hunkers Down
Batteries, bread, shovels and gas were in hot demand Monday as Islanders prepared for the winter storm expected to hit the Island Monday evening. “It’s like a summer day,” said Shirley’s Hardware employee Debbie Healy.
Look What Blew In
For the loneliness and unfocused anxiety, the smug indifference to the environment, the dreary boredom of life in the technological society, the sovereign cure is a well-organized New England storm.
Welcome, Tabitha
R. Kristin Brown and Timothy Brown of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Tabitha R. Brown, born on Jan. 21 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
MVC Approves Budget With No Dissent
The commission late last week quickly approved a $1.42 million budget for fiscal year 2016, marking a 2.4 per cent decrease from last year. Modest increases in salaries and employee benefits were offset by a $52,000 reduction in legal spending.
Documentary Chronicles Early Days of Movement
In honor of Black History Month on Saturday, Feb. 7, the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard will host guest speaker Clennon L. King.
Island Faces
Back by popular demand, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum is again celebrating the faces of the Vineyard with a second Island Faces portrait competition in collaboration with Featherstone Center for the Arts.
Norton Point Breach Nears End Point
The blizzard of 2015 spared Norton Point, the long barrier beach that is about to reconnect Chappaquiddick to the rest of the Vineyard, from further breaching. Chris Kennedy, superintendent for The Trustees of Reservations, reported Thursday that the breach remained as it was before the storm.
Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 19 to Jan. 25
Michael V. Friscia and Dawn Friscia purchased 15 Spring street in Vineyard Haven from Joanne Coffin Clark and Joanne C. Clark for $580,000 on Jan. 23.
Mashpee Superintendent Plugs Universal Preschool
In the first stop on a road show to promote tuition-free preschool, superintendent Brian Hyde paid a visit to the Vineyard late last week. The Cape educator piloted one of the state’s only universal preschool programs last fall.
With Tartan and Haggis, Vineyard Scots Celebrate Burns Night
The sound of bagpipes kicked off the Scottish Society of Martha’s Vineyard’s 28th annual Burns Nicht Supper. The Saturday night event celebrated the 256th anniversary of the birth of the Bard of Scotland, Robert Burns.
Big Chili Contest Is Big Benefactor for Red Stocking
Some 1,700 people turned out at the Portuguese American Club in Oak Bluffs on a rain and sleet-driven Saturday to sample some of the best chili recipes and raise more than $27,000 for the Red Stocking Fund at the 29th annual event sponsored by radio station WMVY.
Postcard from Retirement: Postmaster Ends Career
A small framed list on the wall of the West Tisbury post office lists the names of each of the town’s postmasters. Soon a new name will be added to the lineup — postmaster Paula Sullivan has retired, capping a postal service career of nearly 30 years.
