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
February 12, 2016
Public Records Reform Bill Clears State Senate
A long-pending bill to reform the Massachusetts Public Records Law is back on track to become reality after clearing the state senate last week. The bill now goes to conference committee.
Walter Robinson Shines Spotlight on Movie and Journalism Career
Walter Robinson, the editor who led the Boston Globe’s Pulitzer Prize-winning coverage of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests, spoke before a sold-out crowd at the Vineyard Gazette this week.
Delay of Menemsha Dredge Project Is Not Isolated Incident
The dredging of the Menemsha channel isn’t the first Army Corps project to suffer from delays since the federal government approved more than $50 billion in recovery aid after Hurricane Sandy.
Gazette Promotion Helps Island Ponds
The Vineyard Gazette will donate $9,000 to the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group, the result of a successful subscription promotion drive that called attention to the plight of the Island’s coastal ponds.
Pins for Ponies
Rising Tide Therapeutic Equestrian Center is moving from the stables to the bowling lanes for a fundraiser.
The Jette Stream Is Still Flying High
Randall Jette has progressed from a Martha’s Vineyard high school quarterback to a well respected Division 1 defensive player. And now he is a prospect for the National Football League draft.
Acting Airport Manager Will Step Down
Deborah Potter will resign effective next month, airport leaders announced Thursday. Mrs. Potter has been heading operations at the airport since August, when former manager Sean Flynn left his post.
Psychotherapy Office Reopens
Amanda H. (Cohen) Saltzberg has reopened her counseling and psychotherapy office at 4 Church street in Vineyard Haven.
League of Women Voters Hosts Speaker
The Martha’s Vineyard League of Women Voters is hosting Patricia J. Williams on Saturday, Feb. 13.
Martha’s Vineyard 20-Miler and Amity Island Relay Race
On Saturday, Feb. 13, the 20-Miler and Amity Island Relay will take place beginning at 11 a.m.
Poetry Cafe
Arnie Reisman holds a poetry cafe on Tuesday, Feb. 16 at 7:30 p.m. at the Vineyard Playhouse.
Illuminating A Need
In the Oscar-nominated movie Spotlight, Boston Globe reporters take to the streets to get to bottom of the Catholic Church’s systemic cover-up of child sexual abuse by scores of priests.
Old Wheat, New Thinking
A quiet revolution has been slowly taking place on the Vineyard, something that is perhaps of great importance and could do exciting things for the Island.
February Bliss
Winter is not new to the Vineyard. When the blizzards come and seas roar on the beaches, we remain snugged down on our Island.
Boat Line Is a Lifeline
As we all remember, Saturday, Jan. 23 brought a pretty fierce storm to the Island that steadily intensified as the day went on. That Saturday morning we also woke up to a very sick dog. The on-call vet, Kirsten Sauter, correctly diagnosed a life threatening blockage in his intestine that required immediate surgery in the…
Another Viewpoint
I beg to differ with Woody Williams, who wrote disparagingly of your gardening columnist, Lynne Irons.
Pleasure to Read
Mr. Williams says that after having read columns by Lynne Irons “a couple of times,” he “did not find them very interesting.”
Narrow Misses
The Jan. 22 Gazette Chronicle had a note regarding the wreck of the steamer City of Columbus off Gay Head.
Doug Kent Art Show
The well attended show at Chilmark Community Center Jan. 29 and 30 was a wonderful mix of nostalgia and love for Doug Kent’s work.
Vineyard American Idol Contestant Advances
Sonika Vaid, an American Idol contestant with Vineyard ties, is one of the top 14 finalists in the final season of the reality show.
Boys Basketball Fights for Spot in State Tournament
The Vineyard boys basketball team remains one win away from qualifying for the state championship tournament after a hard-fought loss in double overtime to Somerset Berkley on Wednesday.
Valentine Moon
The first quarter moon appears on Sunday night, the night of Valentine’s Day, in the zodiacal constellation Taurus.
Fishermen Give Cold Shoulder to Offshore Wind Developer
A representative from Denmark’s largest energy company had a chilly reception in Chilmark this week as commercial fishermen and others discussed a proposed wind farm south of the Vineyard.
Edgartown School Honor Roll
The Edgartown School has announced its honor roll for the second quarter of the 2015-2016 school year.
Dean’s List at Quinnipiac University
Zoe Listro and Ashlyn Tattersall of Vineyard Haven were named to the fall 2015 dean’s list at Quinnipiac University.
Please Adopt Us
Is anyone around Norton avenue in Vineyard Haven missing a cat? A dark tabby and white male with a white muzzle arrived at the shelter as a stray.
A Snowdrop Blooms on Groundhog Day
It is a bit challenging to come up with gardening comments after a couple of major blizzards. Bear with me.
Time for Backyard Bird Count
This weekend is the annual Great Backyard Bird Count, when you can watch birds and help scientists understand bird populations.
For the Love of Crabs (and Crab Cakes)
In our house, food is love, but spending an afternoon cracking claws and picking the meat from a mess of crabs shows both affection and dedication.
West Tisbury Town Column: Feb. 12
Well it sure has been quiet in town since the holidays. Folks are going away on vacation or will next week and that is about the size of it. We did have four inches or so of heavy wet snow on Friday, brief power outages, ferry cancellations and poor driving. Again on Monday we had…
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Feb. 12
It is so hard to imagine every summer what the Island is going to look like come winter. So much was canceled last weekend, so many plans changed. In the next few weeks I suggest you call ahead for your events in case weather is getting the upper hand.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Feb. 12
Councilman Herbert Loring Jackson’s friend and neighbor, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., was born just after him on Nov. 29, 1908 and lived until April 4, 1972. Mr. Powell was one of the more famous and colorful of Oak Bluffs’ history-making black elected officials.
Edgartown Town Column: Feb. 12
What is there to say about the weather? Snow. That about covers it. Happy birthday to all those who celebrated their day these past two weeks.
Chilmark Town Column: Feb. 12
On this Valentine’s weekend, I can’t help but share a quote from the famous Charles Schultz: “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.” Could we be any luckier than to have a place like Chilmark Chocolates in our midst to fulfill all of our needs?
On Chappy: Feb. 12
The next Chappy potluck dinner will be hosted by Margaret and Jim Mullen on Wednesday, Feb. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. The Chappy Stitchers will meet for the first time this Friday at the Chappy Community Center from 10 to noon. All are invited. Bring your needlecraft of choice.
Tisbury School Leaders Fast Track Building Project
Tisbury school leaders are ready to jump start a new building project, following the news that the town has qualified for a state grant.
Murder, Mayhem and All that Jazz, High School Play Heats Up February
This weekend, for a night of murder and media scandals, Islanders can turn off the television and head to the Performing Arts Center, where the high school production of Chicago premieres Friday.
While Winter Roars, Summer Soars Inside the Farm Hub Greenhouse
This time of year a fresh strawberry usually travels thousands of miles to Island grocery stores. But at Island Grown Initiative’s Farm Hub, fresh fruit and greens thrive all year long.
Aquinnah Town Column: Feb. 12
So much for the so-called global warming. This past Friday the snow came down rather rapidly and in less than an hour there was a significant amount of snowfall on the ground, making travel difficult. School was dismissed at noon to the delight of youngsters and teachers as well.
James Pond Cut Is Subject for Study by Town, State
Longstanding efforts to widen a historic herring run and improve circulation in James Pond are gaining momentum. The 50-acre pond is tucked along the north shore of West Tisbury.
Grant Money for Artists
Grants are available for Island artists through the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Visual Arts.
Chilmark Fire Station Plans on Hold
The Chilmark selectmen have dropped immediate plans to purchase land behind town hall that could accommodate a new fire station.
Untold Story of the Edgartown Carnegie Building
The new Edgartown Library is finished and the shelves have arrived. But what of the historic Carnegie building that will be left behind?
Land Bank Revenues: Feb. 5
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $148,568.50 for the business week ending on Friday, Feb. 5, 2016.
Real Estate Transactions: Feb. 1 to Feb. 7
Humberto McGroarty Sampaio and Jane Eileen McGroarty Sampaio purchased 4 Little Pond Road in Oak Bluffs from Travis L. Larsen for $537,175 on Feb. 5.
Teddy Bear Suite Raises $15,000 for Boys & Girls Club
The fifth annual Teddy Bear Suite, a holiday fundraiser created and sponsored by Point B Realty and hosted by the Harbor View Hotel, raised $15,000 for the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club.
Housing Trust Wins Grant Award
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston has awarded the Island Housing Trust a $390,000 grant through the Edgartown National Bank.
Wampanoag Tribe Begins Appeal in Federal Court Case
As promised, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is appealing a ruling that it has no legal authority to run a gambling facility on the Island.
Lakeville Man Arrested Following Disturbance at High School Hockey Game
Oak Bluffs police arrested a Lakeville man at the arena Saturday on charges of trespassing and possession of a loaded firearm while intoxicated.
Island’s Smallest Town Dreams Big for the Future
A diverse group of Aquinnah residents gathered in the Old Town Hall last week to envision a future for the Island’s farthest outpost. It was the first of two visioning sessions planned for this winter.
Museum Presents Island Inventors Exhibit
Martha’s Vineyard Museum is launching an exhibit that celebrates the Island’s inventors throughout the years.
Augusta Dillon Named to Dean’s List
Augusta Dillon of Chilmark and Vineyard Haven has been named to the fall 2015 dean’s list at Simmons College.
Neighbors, MVC Question Refuse District Expansion
Debate continues over over expansion plans for the Edgartown refuse district transfer station. Neighbors are questioning the large size of the project.
Island Digs Out After Daylong Storm Brings Snow, Coastal Flooding
Ferries were cancelled and schools and town offices shuttered Monday as a winter storm moved through the Vineyard, bringing blizzard conditions for nearly five hours.
Figure Skates to Shellfish, High Schoolers Shine at Science Fair
Projects on display at the 17th annual science fair Saturday explored everything from the amount of baking soda in cupcakes to a recycled water filtration system.
Climate Change Poses Challenge for Atlantic Fisheries
Warming and acidifying ocean waters will negatively affect many fish and shellfish stocks in the Northeast in the coming years, a new study has found.
Alyssa Adler Named to Dean’s List
Alyssa Adler of West Tisbury has been named to the fall 2015 dean’s list at Elon University.
Dean’s List at Northeastern University
Katrina Heilbroner of Chilmark and Rae Filley of Edgartown were named to the fall 2015 dean’s list at Northeastern University.
High School Names New Football Coach
Stephen McCarthy, an alumnus and former assistant coach at the regional high school, will replace longtime coach Don Herman, who retired this year.
Matilda Alexander Named to Dean’s List
Matilda Alexander of Vineyard Haven has been named to the fall 2015 dean’s list at The College of Wooster.
Snowfall Leads to Early School Closures, Ferry Cancellations
Vineyard schools and town buildings were closing early Friday as a night of heavy rainfall turned to snow late in the morning.
