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
October 16, 2015
Last Call for the 70th Derby
The 70th annual Martha’s Vineyard Bass and Bluefish Derby is in the books. A chilly but enthusiastic crowd gathered at derby headquarters Saturday night for the final weigh-in of the tournament. The awards ceremony is Sunday.
Truck Mishap Closes Part of North Road for Afternoon
A section of North Road was closed most of Thursday afternoon after a trailer truck struck an overhanging tree, West Tisbury police said. No one was injured in the accident.
Trudy Taylor Lived Life With a Spirit as Vast as the Ocean
The widely-admired matriarch of the musical Taylor family died Oct. 10 at her home overlooking Stonewall Beach in Chilmark. She was one month shy of her 93rd birthday.
With a Fish on the Line, War Is Far Away
On Tuesday morning I sat in my truck overlooking Menemsha Harbor as heavy rain poured down, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled in the distance. I looked toward the jetties and saw fishermen walking back on the rocks at a fairly fast pace.
Archival Film Digs into History of Norton Point Breach
This historic footage of a home movie shot in 1932 shows villagers attempting to dig a canal by hand to open Norton Point Beach to the sea, part of a town effort to invigorate the shellfish beds at Katama Bay.
Huddle Up, This Play Calls for Tears
Donald Herman began coaching football on the Vineyard in 1988. This year will be his last as head coach, and during halftime at Friday night’s homecoming game he will be honored by the football community, past and present.
Pilgrim Nuclear Plant to Shut Down
Island activists and local lawmakers say they will keep the pressure on Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station owners to decommission the aging boiling water reactor quickly and safely, following a decision to close the plant.
Ferry Woods Hole Will Serve Oak Bluffs Starting Next Spring
The new Steamship Authority ferry will ply the route between Woods Hole and Oak Bluffs beginning next spring, the town selectmen learned this week.
Beach Road Dustup
The wrangling is finally over and the much-debated Beach Road improvement plan is ready for the next step as town leaders presumably send the plan along to state highway officials for action.
Houses for Sale
The doll house was the last thing to go. A friend called; the long-held family home had been sold, a closing would be held in a matter of days.
Remembrance of Things Past and Chocolate Chiffon Pie
I was staring deeply into the chocolate chiffon pie and soon drifting back to childhood. For eight summers my parents dragged their only child off to their vacation in Las Vegas.
Dear Trudy, Your Table Still Awaits
We tie our aprons on and then there she is, right on time, just before the restaurant opens, standing with her jacket in her hands.
Following the Lead of the Lithograph
The protagonist of this story is a lithograph, acquired in 1966 in Greenwich Village, eventually landing in West Tisbury.
To Rewrite Wrongs of History Let the Tribe Have its Way
From the first moments that whites entered New England, they began their centuries-long expropriation and exploitation of native American lands.
Open Roads
Vehicular travel is directed toward Manter’s Hill and The Brickyard in old Cape Higgon these days.
Chamber of Commerce Honors Businesses, Young Professionals
The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce recognized 40 young professionals in the Island business community this year.
SUP to Nowhere
The recent commentary by Dan Greenbaum in the Gazette completely misses the entire point of the proposed hybrid-hybrid Tristan Israel plan.
Morning Planets Dance Together
The bright planet Venus appears alongside the planet Jupiter this weekend and through the coming week.
Race for the Light
The Gay Head 10K committee would like to thank everyone who helped to make the third annual Gay Head 10K, a Race For the Light, a success.
Affordable Housing Talk
It was indeed sad and unwelcome news to hear that Oak Bluffs library director Sondra Murphy will be leaving soon.
Derby Friends
A very special thank you to all the men, women, and kids who donated their fish each week during the derby.
Saving Kobe
My family and I would like to thank Dr. Jennifer Everett of Animal Health Care Associates for saving the life of our five-year-old bull terrier.
High School Fiftieth Reunion Is Cause for Celebration
Thirty-seven of the 65 living members of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School graduating class of 1965 attended their 50th reunion on the weekend of Sept. 26 and 27.
In Search of the Elusive Bat Hibernacula
The first phase in a study of Vineyard northern long-eared bats has shed light on roosting behavior, but left a key question unanswered.
World War II Veterans to Be Honored at Fort Devens
Island World War II veterans are invited to attend Heroes Remembered, a special ceremony next week honoring veterans from the second World War.
Rod and Gun Pistol Champs Crowned
Jamie Craig of Edgartown was the champion in the large caliber division in the annual Martha’s Vineyard Pistol Championship, which took place On Oct. 10.
Golf Fore Kids Tourney Is Big Success
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Martha’s Vineyard hosted their annual MV Big Golf Fore Kids tournament, sponsored by Martha’s Vineyard Savings Bank and Mink Meadows Golf Club, in blustery weather on Oct. 4.
Class Trip to Paris No Vacation for Concerned Students
Next month a group of Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter high school students will embark on a 10-day voyage to Paris, France, to attend one of the largest climate events of this decade, the United Nations 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21).
CROP Walk to Stop Hunger
The walk is six miles long, beginning at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven (56 Franklin street), heading to the Camp Ground in Oak Bluffs and then returning to Vineyard Haven.
Domestic Violence Awareness Walk
The eighth annual Domestic Violence Awareness Walk takes place on Saturday, Oct. 17, at 11 a.m. beginning at the Edgartown Park and Ride, off Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road.
Poetry Cafe Returns
As the sunlight wanes, the words begin to wax. So says the Vineyard Playhouse as it prepares to begin its Poetry Cafe series once again.
Golf Tournament Fundraiser for Tisbury School Trip
Mink Meadows is hosting a charity golf tournament on Oct. 25 to benefit the Tisbury School’s eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C.
Selectmen Won’t Allow Water Street Changes for Chappy Ferry Line
Edgartown selectmen this week balked at eliminating parking and altering the traffic configuration on North Water street to accommodate lines for the Chappaquiddick ferry this winter.
At WUMB, Albert O Is Still Picking the Tunes His Way
Albert Oram was among a core group who pushed the progressive rock format at legendary Boston radio station WBCN.
Please Adopt Us
The cat room still has only one resident. Miss Kitty is approximately one year old. She is a black and gray tabby who is very affectionate and loves to play.
Real Estate Transactions: Oct. 5 to Oct. 11
Paul F. Getty and Donna B. Getty purchased 10 Pequot avenue in Oak Bluffs from Thomas L. Hagan and Suzan H. Hagan for $609,250 on Oct. 9.
Land Bank Revenues: Oct. 9
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $661,673.82 for the business week ending on Friday, Oct. 9, 2015.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Oct. 16
Well, Pulitzer Prize-winner Geraldine Brooks has done it again. Her latest book The Secret Chord is sure to join her long list of New York Times bestsellers, and will be available for purchase and a book signing, complete with refreshments, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center on Sunday, Oct. 18 at 5 p.m.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Oct. 16
Writing about the history of Oak Bluffs often brings pangs of nostalgia, and every once in a while I ease that by grazing through Harlem Renaissance author Dorothy West’s original writing. On Friday, Oct. 13, 1978 she wrote about Brush Pond’s Cecile Helmsley Gordon, a longtime homeowner on County Road, a visitor for much of…
Edgartown Town Column: Oct. 16
Mother Nature is now playing with us. The cool weather arrived and then just when I got the long sleeves out of storage she decided it was time for more heat. Now they are saying cold. Welcome to fall. Because of the rain the leaves are falling very fast and the colors have not given…
Chilmark Town Column: Oct. 16
Chilmark mourns the death this week of well-loved and popular Trudy Taylor of Quitsa. Gertrude Taylor has been in our midst for many years and she had many friends and fans across the Island. We shall all miss her presence and remember her cheer and wisdom.
Aquinnah Town Column: Oct. 16
One really nice thing about June Manning taking a little breather from writing her column is the simple fact that I get to fill you in on her comings and goings. She would never write about herself and all of her adventures and escapades yet, she lives a truly full life that is fascinating. I’m…
Not Just for Squirrels: Go Nuts for Acorns
Heads up! The most necessary fall accessory this year is not the sweater. It is the hard hat. It seems to be raining acorns.
Subtle Fall Colors and Kindred Spirits
I’m wondering if it could be more perfect than the weather over the Columbus Day weekend. Then, happily, we got a ton of rain on Tuesday morning.
Fall Birding: Never a Dull Moment
The southward migration begins in July and continues all the way into January. But it is not the same birds migrating the whole time.
Sengekontacket Pond Closed to Scalloping on the Oak Bluffs Side
The Oak Bluffs side of Sengekontacket Pond will be closed to recreational and commercial bay scalloping for the 2015-2016 season.
Main Street Traffic Disrupted in Edgartown for Emergency Electrical Repairs
A parking ban goes begins at 6 p.m. Wednesday evening on lower Main street and part of South Summer street in Edgartown, while work crews repair electrical lines that failed.
Cranberry Day Endures as Wampanoag Harvest Celebration
Members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) headed down to the bogs to celebrate Cranberry Day, a longstanding harvest tradition for the Vineyard’s Native American tribe. The day ended with a potluck dinner.
University of Massachusetts Amherst Graduates
Several Vineyard students received undergraduate degrees last spring from the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
On Chappy: Oct. 16
The next potluck at the Chappy Community Center is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 21. Judy Buss and Paul Cardello will be the hosts with appetizers beginning at 6 p.m. and dinner at 6:30. All are welcome. Bring a dish for six.
West Tisbury Town Column: Oct. 16
Well the sunset, regrettably, is now occurring before 6 p.m. and getting earlier each day. When daylight saving time ends in 15 days the season of early darkness will have us in her grasp. Pumpkins now grace many front lawns and it is perhaps the last weekend to mow your yard and then put your…
Steeped in Fishing Tradition, Derby Is All-Ages Event
The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, which is heading into its final stretch, is a multi-generational affair, with parents and kids casting lines together and some of the youngest anglers catching big fish.
Vineyard Boys Soccer Ties Rival Nantucket
The Vineyard boys varsity soccer team held their own against a large home crowd Saturday against rival Nantucket with a game that resulted in a 1-1 tie. The Vineyarders are now 6-3-1 on the season; they take on Barnstable Saturday at home.
Local Wild Food Challenge Lures the Creative and the Adventurous
Restaurateurs, home cooks and brave foodies gathered together Sunday for the sixth annual Local Wild Food Challenge.
Video: Derby Heads into the Home Stretch
The Island fishing scene is still buzzing as the 2015 Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby heads into the final week. As veteran anglers know, the grand leader board can change up until the final bell.
A Warm Welcome for Willy Mason from the Hometown Crowd
Musical hero Willy Mason played to his roots on Martha’s Vineyard Saturday evening, headlining a free concert.
Trudy Taylor, Family Matriarch, Dies at 92
The widely-admired matriarch of the musical Taylor family died Saturday at her home overlooking Stonewall Beach in Chilmark, surrounded by family and friends. She was one month shy of her 93rd birthday. The cause was complications of old age.
Charlie Nadler Proves Funny Bone Can Have a Big Heart Too
In Alive from Martha’s Vineyard, Charlie Nadler’s new comedy album, material comes from the ironies of today’s middle class world.
Plan to Bury Power Lines at Aquinnah Circle Within Reach
Efforts to bury the power lines at Aquinnah Circle have reached a milestone, with Eversource agreeing to do nearly all the work for a fraction of what the town had expected to pay.
