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
April 3, 2015
Early Reports on Tashmoo Oil Spill Say Environmental Damage Will Be Minimal
A diesel fuel spill from a sunken boat in Lake Tashmoo was contained early this week with what is believed to be minimal environmental damage. Shellfish beds remain closed.
Towns Look to Protect Estuary By Creating Watershed District
A proposed watershed planning district in Oak Bluffs and Tisbury would lay the groundwork for added wastewater regulations around the Lagoon Pond, and for greater public participation as the two towns work to restore the estuary.
After Lifetime of Hardship, Faith Leads Way to Healing
Robert Fokos had, by the age of 20, lived through a Hungarian fascist dictatorship, German military occupation, a Communist regime and a national armed uprising.
Mike McCarthy Rocks Swiss League
egional high school alumnus Mike McCarthy scored four touchdowns in his overseas football debut last Sunday, leading the Geneva Seahawks of the Non-Professional Swiss Romande American Football League (NSFL) to a 43-16 victory.
Controlled Burns to Begin
Island conservation organizations will be conducting prescribed burns this spring on three different pieces of conservation land. The burns will take place between March 31 and May 31.
Spring Superior Court Session Opens
The spring superior court session begins Monday at the Edgartown courthouse, with a mix of criminal and civil business on the agenda.
West Tisbury Names New Poet Laureate
Emma Young has been spreading the gospel of poetry throughout West Tisbury for years, but now she has an official pulpit.
Native Son
This was Robert J. Carroll’s bench and Edgartown was his town, a place he surveyed constantly with pride and a critical eye.
Wisdom from the Heart Is Pure Poetry
The following are excerpts from a forthcoming book by Margaret (Peggy) Freydberg called Poems from the Pond, 107 Years of Words and Wisdom.
Say No to a Budget that Keeps Rising
The finance committee of West Tisbury voted to not recommend the warrant article enabling the town to spend money on its budget.
Slack Tide
I went over to the island of Chappaquiddick for the purposes of inciting a revolution.
Healthy Aging Task Force Hosts Training
The Martha’s Vineyard Healthy Aging Task Force is hosting a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist three-day training workshop from April 30 to May 2 at the Harbor View Hotel.
Keep Fluoridating
The voters of Oak Bluffs will face a ballot question asking whether the fluoridation of the town water supply should continue or be discontinued.
Not So Fast
The Tisbury harbor management committee wants to eliminate anchoring in Lake Tashmoo to promote the growth of eelgrass, but allow transient moorings.
Candid Candidate
I hereby declare myself as a write-in candidate for the office of West Tisbury selectman, for a term of three years.
Sewer Fees
I would like to respond to last week’s editorial titled “Gutter Ball.”
Tourism Matters
The tourism industry is fueling economic recovery in Massachusetts by generating $18.5 billion in direct spending.
Vaccinate Your Children
I am the mother of a young man with an autism spectrum disorder. I am writing to urge you to get your children vaccinated.
Satisfied Reader
I have been reminded today why I so love receiving the Vineyard Gazette at our home in East Haven, Conn.
Literary Muse
The death of Peggy Freydberg particularly saddened Lucille and me. We first knew her as Peggy Sloan when we were neighbors in Yorktown Heights, N.Y.
Daffodil Moon
Saturday night's full moon, the Daffodil Moon, appears in the zodiacal constellation Virgo. It rises early in the evening, just as the sun sets. There is a lunar eclipse Saturday morning, but no one on the Vineyard, or along the East Coast will see it. The sun pops up in the eastern sky at dawn,…
Please Adopt Us
Why, for the past few weeks, have all the cats surrendered to us been tuxedos?
Land Meets Land; Norton Point Breach Closes
As of early in the morning on April 2, Chappaquiddick was no longer an island completely separated from Martha’s Vineyard. Nearly eight years after a northeaster cut a breach in the three-mile barrier beach that connects Edgartown with the smaller island, the Norton Point breach had closed.
Land Bank Revenues: March 27
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $239,711.50 for the business week ending on Friday, March 27, 2015.
New Church Rises in Edgartown
Easter in the Christian tradition symbolizes new birth, and this Easter a new church has come to life in Edgartown.
County Issues Blunt Response on Airport Appointments
Reacting this week to a letter from a leading state aviation official questioning their recent choice of appointments to the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission, Dukes County commissioners said they stand behind the appointments.
Easter Services Around the Island
A look at Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday services around the Island.
Easter Egg Hunts are Bountiful
The Easter bunny will be making the rounds on the Vineyard this weekend, with enough Easter egg hunts to fill several baskets.
A Mix of Clawhammer and Love Makes the Sweetest of Sounds
On Wednesday, April 15, Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn will be coming to the Vineyard to play at the Performing Arts Center.
Despite Delay, Work Continues on Menemsha Jetties
A major project to rebuild the jetties at Menemsha Creek has been delayed about three weeks and will likely extend into the nesting season of the federally protected piping plover. The Army Corps of Engineers had expected to complete repairs to the west jetty in Aquinnah by Tuesday of this week.
Traffic Changes at Aquinnah Circle to Accommodate Gay Head Light Move
With excavation work around the Gay Head Light expected to begin next week, several traffic changes are planned for Aquinnah Circle. The last day to visit the lighthouse before its relocation will be April 11.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: April 3
For those of you who know I am recovering off-Island, be assured that my telephone number above is connected to where I am now, so do not hesitate to call me with your guests, your news, your outings.
Aquinnah Town Column: April 3
Spring has arrived. Only a little bit of fog and drizzle this week but the sun has actually been rather evident most days. The temperature reached 50 on Tuesday. Those mounds of snow are melting.
On Chappy: April 3
When people think outside the box, solutions to problems that at first appear to be unsolvable may come from the most unlikely source.
Selectmen Praise Town Response at Tashmoo
Tisbury selectmen took stock in the aftermath of a Monday oil spill at Lake Tashmoo, praising the response.
Rep. Bill Keating to Host Substance Abuse Discussion
U.S. Rep. Bill Keating will be on the Island next Thursday to host a roundtable discussion with Island clergy and others about substance abuse.
Community Chorus Will Sing in the Spring
The Island Community Chorus presents its spring concerts on Saturday and Sunday, April 11 and 12, with a program of choral music.
Averie Arrives
Jamie Murphy and Paul Conroy of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Averie Elizabeth Murphy-Conroy, born on March 30 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Chilmark Town Column: April 3
There is still cold weather, threats of more snow and the sound of brave birds calling to each other, hoping for responses. By the sound of it, I think they share our human dismay at the delay in real spring weather.
Edgartown Town Column: April 3
Well, spring is finally trying to come through. The sun has been shining and it is not spring warm, since it is about 20 degrees.
Garden Time Marches On, Despite Chilly Spring
One would think by Easter weekend there would be tons of garden activity. What is a garden columnist to do? I’ll try to soldier on.
Grab Your Dancing Shoes, Lampost Opens This Weekend
Spring is definitely here. The Lampost opens for the season on Friday, April 3, with Crooked Coast playing from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m.
Common Core Standards Explained
Kay Scheidler, who served as Massachusetts assistant superintendent and district curriculum director, talks about her book, Standards Matter: The Why and What of Common Core Standards in Reading and Writing, on Saturday, April 4.
Geraldine Brooks Speaks Easy at Library Fundraiser
Best-selling author Geraldine Brooks takes part in the Speakeasy Series on Wednesday, April 8, at State Road Restaurant to benefit the West Tisbury Library Foundation.
Islanders Talk Kale
The Islanders Talk Benevolent Fund will host a Kale Soup Throwdown on Sunday, April 19, at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs. The fund was created for Islanders to help Islanders.
Seder Meal
Rabbi Caryn Broitman leads the Seder at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on Saturday, April 4, at 5:15 p.m. The meal signifies the beginning of Passover.
Tisbury’s Candidate Forum
The Tisbury senior center hosts the Vineyard Haven candidate forum at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, April 7.
Sail MV Dinner Lecture
Rachel Miller, a co-founder of the Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean, is the guest presenter at the Sail Martha’s Vineyard dinner lecture on Wednesday, April 8, at 6 p.m. at the Black Dog Tavern.
Neighborhood Convention Hosts Tales from the Animal Shelter
Hear tales — or is it tails? — from the animal shelter next week as the Unitarian Universalist Society hosts the Neighborhood Convention on April 7.
Fly Fishing for Women
Capt. Karen Kukolich leads an introduction to fly fishing for women, including a brief history of women in the sport, an explanation of the equipment needed and casting techniques.
Welcome, Snowdrop, Winter’s Maiden
It’s the beginning of April, but I still couldn’t be happier to welcome the Fair Maiden of February, also known as snowdrops.
HGTV Announces Winner of Edgartown Dream Home
An Alabama woman was named the new owner of an Edgartown home Tuesday — and millions of other would-be residents were disappointed — as Home and Garden Television announced the winner of the network’s annual dream home giveaway.
West Tisbury Town Column: April 3
Well, it is spring, although it has not felt much like it. Neighbors are beginning the task of cleaning up the yard after the long winter.
Osprey Return, Snowy Owls Remain
Did this winter of ice and snow cause a high number of waterbirds to die? Based on reports of carcasses on beaches, the answer seems to be yes.
Dancers Show Off Their Talents at Rise Spring Show
The Rise dance company presented its spring showcase Sunday afternoon, with dancers leaping and tapping across the stage of the Oak Bluffs School.
From Pauper to Penthouse, Bob Carroll Charged Through Life
Robert J. Carroll, the prominent Edgartown businessman, conservationist, raconteur and longtime Vineyard power player who was sometimes a lightning rod for controversy, died on March 31 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was 90. A celebration of his life will be held at the Harbor View Hotel on Saturday, April 4, beginning at 4 p.m.
Sunken Boat Removed from Tashmoo; Officials Say Damage Minimal from Diesel Spill
A 30-foot sport fishing boat that sank overnight Monday in Lake Tashmoo was removed from the pond Tuesday as officials assessed the damage from the boat’s diesel fuel spilling into the water.
Traffic, Parking Rules Yield to Construction Work in Edgartown
Edgartown selectmen agreed Monday to traffic and parking restrictions to accommodate ongoing construction on the new town library.
High Schoolers Use Their Noodles in Annual Linguini Bridge Contest
Students gathered Monday morning in the high school performing arts center for the 18th Linguini Bridge Contest. Freshman Graham Lewis was the winner with a bridge named Bridget that supported 1,170 pounds.
Real Estate Transactions: March 23 to March 29
Caroline R. Flanders purchased 13 Rock Pond Road in West Tisbury from Paul Lazes for $505,000 on March 26.
In Drill, First Responders Train for Crash Disaster
Martha’s Vineyard Airport safety teams staged a disaster drill at the airport Sunday simulating the crash of a 50-passenger aircraft.
Vineyard Skaters Take the Ice for Annual Figure Skating Show
Divas on Ice, the 27th annual Martha’s Vineyard Figure Skating Club spring show, featured performances by skaters of all levels.
MVC Decides Not to Review Mullen Way Subdivision
A project to develop seven acres of land into a subdivision on Mullen Way in Edgartown will bypass a regional planning review, following a 7-4 vote.
Margaret Howe Freydberg, Chilmark Poet, Dies at 107
The poet and novelist whose grace, elegance and remarkable longevity spanned more than a century, died at her home overlooking Stonewall Pond.
Candidates for Selectmen Appeal to Oak Bluffs Voters
As a five-way race heats up for two seats on the Oak Bluffs board of selectmen, candidates made their pitch to voters at a forum Wednesday.
MVC Names Four Finalists in Search for New Director
A search committee has recommended four finalists for the post of executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission.
