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
June 12, 2020
Leda Arrives
Keelan and Mike Parker, of Aquinnah, announce the birth of a daughter, Leda Daisy Parker, born on June 9 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Recent Real Estate Transactions: Week Ending June 5
Hugh P. McCormick and Joyce Norton-McCormick purchased 3 Seventh street North in Edgartown from Millers Unlimited Properties LLC for $575,000 on June 1.
Morning Sky
Next week the morning sky gets the attention.
Tisbury Voters To Decide Expanded Alcohol Question Saturday
Tisbury will convene its annual town meeting under a tent at the town elementary school, beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday. Face coverings are required.
Edgartown Pares Down Warrant for Town Meeting Saturday
Edgartown voters are set to take up a significantly pared-down agenda, with a complex land purchase involving the Boys and Girls Club topping the 53-article warrant.
Oak Bluffs Voters Take Up $13.3 Million Town Hall Question Tuesday
Voters will decide next week whether to take a fresh tack on the long-stalled town hall renovation project.
Voters in Oak Bluffs, Edgartown Go to the Polls Thursday
Two months behind the usual schedule, voters go to the polls on Thursday in Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, where contested races for selectmen and measures on significant town projects are on the ballot.
Running to Meet the Pandemic Head On
Martha’s Vineyard Hospital chief nursing and operations officer Claire Seguin started her job on March 1, 10 days before the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic.
Edgartown Town Column: June 12
The weather is finally warming up. Unfortunately, the pollen is very high and there are a lot of itchy eyes and sneezing.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: June 12
The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has had the assistance of executive director Phil Wallis for several years.
Chilmark Town Column: June 12
After a tremendous amount of planning and preparation, Chilmark was the first Island town to host town meeting and town elections.
Chappy Town Column: June 12
It is a time of national movement, as people across the country protest the deaths of black Americans at the hands of white police officers.
Aquinnah Town Column: June 12
The temperature reached the 70s in Aquinnah this week. At last!
So Much More Than a Meal
There are only so many topics you can cover at dinnertime when you’re spending all day with the same person.
Free at Sea But Not on Land
In his new book, Skip Finley examines the reality of black men who earned their place as equals in the brutal world of the American whaling industry.
Are You There Google? It’s Me Shirley
A few years ago when I was still discovering the incredible information I could get from my computer, I Googled myself.
Time to Think About the Human Family
One meditation teacher I listen to said we have 85 thousand thoughts a day.
ACE MV Aims to Build on Its Past and Look to the Future
Recently, I participated in a Zoom meeting with about 25 other ACE organizations from around Massachusetts.
Summer Time
From the June 15, 1956 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Mystery Solved
Maybe it’s time to tell our 90-year-old family secret because I am nearly 76 and perhaps the last in line who has heard the story from the storyteller himself.
Good Neighbors
The Good Shepherd Food program/Food Baskets MV members want to express our gratitude to the Oak Bluffs police department.
Dining Out
The idea of limiting vehicular access to Edgartown Center is the best idea since the invention of gin!
Charter School Seniors Look to Make Their Mark
Matt Gonsalves, Kathryn Cuthbert, Ethan Aubrey Taylor and Finn Cole were surprised last weekend with a presentation of their diplomas at their homes.
Judging Success by Molding Hearts, Minds and Character
This spring Deborah (DC) Cutrer retired from teaching math at the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School. She leaves a lasting legacy.
What to Do About All Those Deer in the Garden
The peacock and the rooster were having a standoff when I got out of the car at Down Island Farm on Sunday.
Full Bloom
The Island is just beautiful this week. The trees have all leafed out and some of my favorites are in full bloom.
Beach Sharing
Warm weather has finally come our way, and many of our thoughts turn to beaches.
Peas Please
Is there ever too much of a good thing? I don’t want to believe it to be true when it comes to peas, a spring favorite.
Land Bank Revenues: Week Ending June 5
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $552,244 for the business week ending on Friday, June 5, 2020.
Long Point to Open Summer Gatehouse
The Trustees will reopen the summer gatehouse to Long Point Wildlife Refuge June 18, with reduced parking, timed ticketing and online-only sales.
Chilmark Voters Back School Spending
Chilmark voters approved two school spending questions and re-elected a selectman at the annual town election Wednesday.
Study Finds Electric Bus Charging Station Would Not Add to Congestion
A traffic study on the Vineyard Transit Authority’s plan to use the Church Street transit hub in Edgartown as a charging station for electric buses found that the new station would not increase congestion at the site.
Tisbury School Has Good Bones, Architects Say
The 90-year-old Tisbury School building has a skeleton of steel, town officials learned this week.
West Tisbury Farmers’ Market Reopens Saturday
The twice-a-week West Tisbury Farmers’ Market opens Saturday, relocated this year to the Agricultural Society fairgrounds. It will be a different event this year, with a hands-off policy for customers.
Fire Destroys Garage on West Spring Street Vineyard Haven
Tisbury firefighters quickly contained a fully involved garage fire in the West Spring street neighborhood Tuesday night. No one was injured and two dogs were safe.
Pandemic Hits Vineyard Business Community Hard, Survey Finds
A survey of nearly 200 year-round and seasonal business owners on the Island found the Covid-19 outbreak has hit the Vineyard business community hard.
Free Real Estate Yearbook Hits Newsstands
The ninth annual Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate Yearbook, which provides a comprehensive look at the past year in Island real estate sales, is now available.
Best of the Vineyard Winners Roll Out Starting Next Week
In lieu of its Best of the Vineyard Awards party, which was cancelled due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis, Martha’s Vineyard Magazine will announce the winners in a series of online events.
Chilmark Annual Town Election Is Wednesday
Chilmark voters go the polls today to take action on two school spending questions and re-elect a selectman. Polls opened at noon and will close at 6 p.m. at the Chilmark Community Center.
Hospital Aims to Recoup Steep Financial Losses
As key coronavirus public health metrics continue to decline, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has entered the second phase of its reopening plan.
New Coronavirus Testing Center Broadens Its Reach
No new cases of coronavirus were reported Tuesday, marking the ninth day in a row without a confirmed positive on the Island even as testing capacity continues to expand.
Diversity Coalition Sees Opportunity for Action
Galvanized by a worldwide focus on racial inequity, the Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition reached out to community leaders via Zoom Monday afternoon.
Ag Fair Plans Virtual Events in August
The 159th Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Livestock Show and Fair will be held virtually, on a date to be announced, society leaders announced Monday.
Amended School Budgets Are Certified
The regional high school and all-Island school committees voted last week to certify amended budgets for the coming fiscal year.
Vineyard Summer Camps See Widespread Cancellations
The Boys & Girls Club and YMCA both plan to open summer camps next month, with strict safety protocols. But most other Island camps will cancel this year.
Edgartown Adopts Policy for Outdoor Dining Downtown
Edgartown restaurants can now officially apply to expand their outdoor dining capacity, after selectmen approved a policy Monday to allow seating areas on downtown sidewalks.
Chilmark Voters Make Short Work of Annual Town Meeting
Chilmark voters flew through their annual town meeting in just over 30 minutes late Monday afternoon, in an unusual year.
Polly Hill Plant Sale Goes Online
Polly Hill Arboretum has opened an online plant sale, with pickup at the arboretum in West Tisbury.
Restaurants, Retail Open for Business, Cautiously
Closed to the public for months, the Vineyard restaurants, retailers and hotels excitedly — but cautiously — re-opened their doors to customers on Monday.
Giving Birth to a New Story
The plan was to deliver my baby in New York city at New York Presbyterian Hospital in Manhattan.
Historic Jobless Rates Hit Islanders Hardest
Numbers from the U.S. Department of Labor Statistics show double-digit unemployment across the state in April, and Dukes County is one of the hardest hit.
Summer Passenger Ferries Feel the Pinch from Pandemic
Passenger ferries to Martha’s Vineyard have either delayed or curtailed summer service, with traffic low due to the pandemic.
Islanders Celebrate Graduates With Beach Road Parade
Students and their families lined Beach Road, with every parking spot filled, from the little bridge to Bend in the Road Beach.
High School Forum Continues Narrative on Racial Justice
Nearly 100 people attended the racial justice forum Friday, a collaboration between the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School.
Museum Executive Director Will Leave
Phil Wallis, who moved to the Vineyard in 2016 to take over the top post at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum will step down, museum leaders said in a press release.
West Arm Shellfishing Resumes
Based on acceptable water quality testing results, the state is allowing shellfishing to resume in the West Arm of Lagoon Pond.
Governor Baker Announces Phase Two Reopening
Thousands of businesses and recreational facilities will be allowed to resume services beginning Monday.
Dead Coyote Found
A dead Eastern coyote was found washed up on the north shore of the Vineyard this past week, Island wildlife experts confirmed.
County Commission Appoints New Member
The Dukes County commission voted this week to appoint Donald Leopold of Chilmark to fill a vacant seat on the board.
Meeting House Place Hearing Continue
A long-running land-use review of a controversial subdivision planned for off Meetinghouse Way in Edgartown continues.
Social Justice Storytimes Start Monday
The West Tisbury Library introduces a new, online children’s storytime, focused on social justice, on June 8.
Edgartown Hones Its Vision for a New Downtown This Summer
More than 50 Edgartown business owners and townspeople attended a hearing on the town’s budding outdoor summer dining plan.
Hospital, Windemere Staff Join Peaceful Protests
In an expression of solidarity with peaceful protesters around the country, staff at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and the Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center held a kneel-in Friday afternoon at the hospital campus in Oak Bluffs.
