Jane Kenyon
I am the stone step, the latch, and the working hinge. I am the heart contracted by joy, the longest hair, white before the rest.-Jane Kenyon
September 1, 2017
Grass Fields Project Stalls Amid Disagreement Over Contract
Negotiations between the regional high school district committee and a group that wants to upgrade and maintain the school playing fields have been fraught with disagreement since June, with key terms of a contract still hanging as of this week.
Not Just Your Imagination, Summer Traffic Is on the Rise
Numbers from the SSA, Martha’s Vineyard Commission and Vineyard Transit Authority confirm that cars and traffic are on the increase.
Claws for a Cause; For Summer Fundraising, Lobster Is King
The lobster roll economy on Martha’s Vineyard is booming — fundraising operations that generate, by conservative estimate, more than $430,000 annually for nonprofit organizations.
Bye Bye Beaches, Hello Books, It’s Back to School Time
Around the Island, an expected 2,155 students are dusting off backpacks, sharpening pencils and choosing first-day outfits. The first day of school is Tuesday.
Inaugural Summer Food Program for Kids Saw High Demand
For five weeks this summer, hundreds of Martha’s Vineyard children had a place to eat lunch for free.
Please Adopt Us
This week we thought we’d do a recap of how successful our summer has been.
Land Bank Revenues: August 25
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $171,679.37 for the business week ending on Friday, August 25, 2017.
Real Estate Transactions: August 21 to August 27
Patrick E. Donovan, trustee, purchased 20 Sunnyside avenue in Vineyard Haven from Shaun and Lisa Dolan and Robert Rivers Jr. for $2,150,000 on August 23.
Island Autism Program Launches After School Program
The Island Autism Group and Martha’s Vineyard public school district will begin a pilot after school program this fall.
Labor Day 2017
How to measure summer? Number of beach days. Number of fish caught. Number of stars in the sky. Number of hours worked.
On Chappy: Sept. 1.
On Sept. 6, the Wednesday after Labor Day, the United States Coast Guard will perform safety inspections on both Chappaquiddick ferryboats.
Chilmark Town Column: Sept. 1
At this point, my mind bears a striking likeness to a late summer hazy day. It’s a touch cloudy, a tad frazzled and in a slight state of disarray.
Aquinnah Town Column: Sept. 1
Ah, September! The heat and humidity have dissipated. Roads are a little more clear, fewer joggers pounding their knees and hips to bits on the tar.
Joy of Laboring in the Kitchen on Labor Day
How many for Labor Day? Mom would ask at supper the week before. We had to account for ourselves and guests so she could order food.
Cairn Today, Gone Tomorrow
Cairns, those manmade piles of stones and rocks, have been around for 40,000 years and are our oldest form of communication.
Living With Dissonance of the Island’s Civil War Statue
I’m more than half Southern, but I grew up in Massachusetts. Until recently I thought of Confederate statues as a matter of heritage and history.
Oak Bluffs Civil War Statue Sends Damaging Message
I hope elected officials on Martha’s Vineyard were watching as more than half a dozen states took steps to remove monuments to the Confederacy.
Giving Thanks to Islanders Who Stood Up Against Racism
Susanna Styron emailed me that she would be showing her documentary Suspended Sentence in Chilmark.
Long Haul
This letter is in response to past articles about the Steamship Authority considering changing freight runs.
At the Water’s Edge
One of the memorable places of summer is the water’s edge.
Questionable Logic
Squibnocket Beach and Pond is threatened by a minority of Chilmark officials and voters.
Seminal Piece
I’m writing from Kilkenny, (a medieval city, south of Ireland).
Danny Glover Will Be Honored at International Film Festival
The Martha’s Vineyard International Film Festival will bring cinematic highlights from across the globe to Island theatres from Sept. 5 to 10.
Baseball Myths to Small Town Heroes, Veteran Sportswriter Looks Back
Baseball inspires storytellers, as Jim Kaplan demonstrates in his engaging new book of essays Clearing the Bases: A Veteran Sportswriter on the National Pastime.
Thriller by Island Author Draws on Ancient Inspiration
Michael G. West said an 11th century Japanese Buddhist text provided him with a creative spark for his new novel.
To the New Owners Looks at Leave-Taking as Act of Gratitude
In To the New Owners: A Martha’s Vineyard Memoir, author Madeline Blais reckons with the 2014 sale of her in-laws’ summer retreat.
Elizabeth Cecil Photography Exhibit
Opening receptions take place Saturday and Sunday at Salte for Oceans, an exhibition featuring photography by Elizabeth Cecil.
Old Sculpin Gallery Embraces Outdoor Art
Starting with an exhibition on Sunday, Sept. 3, the Old Sculpin Gallery in Edgartown is celebrating the en plein air style.
Tisbury Fire Department Car Show
The 11th annual Tisbury Fire Department classic car show rolls into town this Labor Day weekend. With rain in the forecast, the event has been moved to a rain date of Monday, Sept. 4 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the regional high school. Classic cars will be on display along with other attractions…
Mediation Panel Addresses Vacation Property Conflicts
The Martha’s Vineyard Mediation Program and Edgartown library sponsor a program next week looking at potential family conflict over vacation properties.
In Vineyard Skies: Full Moon
On Wednesday night, the full moon appears in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius.
At the Bridge Table: Sept. 1
A veteran of more than 50 years competition, Dan Cabot has written a useful pamphlet called Duplicate Bridge for Beginners.
Dilly Beans for Rainy Days
I’ve never minded being out in the rain. I do not dash from the car, use an umbrella, or complain about it.
Selectmen Scold Assessor Following Town Hall Break-In
The Aquinnah selectmen voted this week to close the town hall on weekends following an incident last Saturday when town assessor Angela Cywinski was seen climbing in through an office window.
Their Name Is Mud, But These Snails Don’t Mind
Mud snails are happy to be associated with, covered by, and named for mud.
American White Pelican Visits the Vineyard
A white pelican is totally unexpected. This is the fourth time that this species has been seen on Martha’s Vineyard.
Musical Fundraiser at The Ritz for Houston Relief
Jacqueline and Larkin Stallings, Ritz Cafe owners and Houston natives, are planning a music-filled weekend to support Hurricane Harvey relief.
Cuttyhunk Says No Thanks to Vineyard Offer of Resort Hotel
A Vineyard hotelier with plans to convert a historic Cuttyhunk house into a resort has halted the process amid vocal objections from residents on the tiny island.
Initiative to Reduce Deer Herd Dominates Tick Discussion
Efforts to reduce the Island deer herd, and an apparent spread of lone star ticks, topped a presentation this week.
Edgartown Town Column: Sept. 1
Can I just say I love this weather? It is warm enough for flip flops and a tank top, but cool enough to be outside.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Sept. 1
The waning summer days have given way to cooler nights and glorious sunshine without the humidity.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Sept. 1
Report from San Marcos, Tex.: Ashley Byrd, who returned to San Marcos with her three-year-old Jude last week, wants to assure her family and friends on-Island that they are safe.
West Tisbury Town Column: Sept. 1
We will reach Labor Day on Monday and the unofficial end of the summer season. All municipal buildings and the post office will be closed.
Announcing Isla
Jacqueline Foster and Carter Hakala of West Tisbury announce the birth of a son, Isla Foster Hakala, born August 29 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Hello, Natasha
Magnadalla and Jonas Fernandes of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Natasha Ferreira Fernandes, born August 29 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Freight Schedule Changes Pose Quandary for SSA
Truckers and Falmouth residents sounded off again this week on a plan by the Steamship Authority to make changes to the early morning freight schedule.
Owen Arrives
Toni and Shawn Emin of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Owen Antonio Emin, born August 24 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Scotts Grove Housing Project Receives Large State Grant
The West Tisbury affordable housing project got a large boost last week with the announcement of a $900,000 state grant.
Ringing With History; Selectmen Look to Give Bell a Proper Perch
A bell steeped in town history has been sitting in limbo for years as West Tisbury looks to find a permanent display solution.
For New Sail MV Director of Programs, Sailing Is a Life Sport
Andrew Nutton will become the new director of programs at Sail Martha’s Vineyard in September. He has been running the sailing department at the Royal Hospital School in England for 10 years.
Temporary Quarters Located as Oak Bluffs Prepares for New Town Hall
For about a year and a half starting in October, the town of Oak Bluffs will be run out of three trailers on School street to make way for a new town hall.
Meditation Retreat Hopes to Bring New Vision to Habitual Patterns
For years Elliot Dacher has hosted meditation classes at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. This fall he will offer his first one-week intensive retreat, with classes each morning and evening from Oct. 22-28.
Memory, Color and Movement Highlight Tashmoo Art Show
For one evening only, artists Steve Lohman, Sarah Nelson and Darcie Lee Hanaway created a group show inspired by movement and memory on the brick walls of the Tashmoo Spring Building.
Oak Bluffs Selectmen Look at Public Park Use
Oak Bluffs officials have begun weighing their options for how to further regulate parties, fundraisers and other events on public parks and beaches.
Finding Harmony, the Slack Key Way
It was 25 years ago that I met John Cruz. I was outside his house playing guitar in the Irish style of dropped tuning where you slack the strings.
Formal Investigation Begins Into Deaths Among Right Whales
The deaths of 13 North Atlantic right whales in the United States and Canada this year is being considered an unusual mortality event, triggering an investigation into the cause.
Listen to Your Mother, It Could Be the Key to Longevity
Marguerite McDonough is a mother, a grandmother and a great-grandmother. On Thursday, all four generations of her family gathered to wish their matriarch a happy 100th birthday.
