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
December 31, 2021
Last Chance Four Planets
This weekend is probably your last chance to see all four visible planets lined up in the southwestern sky right after sunset.
A Look Back at 2021, a Roller Coaster Ride That Wouldn’t Quit
With apologies to Red Sox fans, it would be easy to paraphrase the late, great Yankees catcher/philosopher Yogi Berra to describe the year 2021: déjà vu all over again.
Vineyard Due to Receive Free Home Test Kits
Island Health Care, the Island boards of health boards and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital are slated to receive 4,050 home test kits courtesy of the federal government.
Land Bank Revenues: Week Ending Dec. 24
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $353,488 for the business week ending on Friday, Dec. 24, 2021.
Island Bursting at the Seams: Top Ten Stories of 2021
An Island bursting at the seams. A red hot real estate market. Growing problems around housing. Illegal trail cutting in the state forest. Storms and hurricanes. Ten of the stories that most engaged Gazette readers in print and online in 2021.
West Tisbury Town Hall Closes
The West Tisbury town hall is closed Thursday due to a staff member testing positive for Covid, the town said in a statement.
The Tragic Consequences of Climate Change
In terms of climate change, 2021 was a chaotic and destructive year with almost constant record-breaking extreme weather events.
Remembering the Homeless
Last night I drove home from a trip off-Island through heavy holiday rush hour traffic.
PFAS and Turf
The British newspaper the Guardian had a recent article about research of PFAS.
Cattle Call
From the December 27, 1946 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Covid Vaccine Bus Returns
The Covid vaccine bus will return on Sunday, Jan. 9 with two time slots available to serve ages 5 and above.
Norman Foster Project Meets West Tisbury Laws, Building Inspector Says
British architect Norman Foster’s controversial building project on the Tisbury Great Pond, decried by neighbors as environmentally destructive, is not in violation of West Tisbury zoning bylaws, the town building inspector said.
Vineyard Tribe Applauds U.S. Interior Decision for Mashpee
The recent decision to reaffirm some 170 acres of land owned by the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe as a federal trust is welcome news to the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head.
Chilmark Will Redesign Peaked Hill Plan
The Chilmark select board voted to recommend the long-planned Peaked Hill Pastures affordable housing project Tuesday, but directed the planning board to make changes, reducing density and adding homesite lots.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Dec. 31
The Christmas spirit was shattered on Dec. 26 when we learned that Roxbury and Vineyard entrepreneur Calvin (Kern) Grimes lost his battle with cancer.
Lambert’s Cove Inn License Hearing Postponed
The public hearing scheduled for Dec. 29 will instead take place Jan. 12.
Alaina Arrives
Tonya Sequiera, of Edgartown, announces the birth of a daughter, Alaina Mae Sequira, born on Dec. 22.
Hello Addison
Kailey and Nicholas Manzone, of Oak Bluffs, announce the birth of a daughter, Addison Lee Manzone, born on Dec. 20.
Please Adopt Us: Dec. 31
Due to the holidays, we have no adoptions to report this week.
Oak Bluffs Peppers Housing Coalition With Questions
As the coalition to create a Martha’s Vineyard housing bank whittles away at a draft town meeting warrant article, questions and criticism from public officials keep flowing.
West Tisbury Town Column: Dec. 31
Here we find ourselves at the end of another year. Each day is a little longer now, and every extra minute of light in the sky feels like a gift.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Dec. 31
Our library is offering take-and-make craft kits for adults.
MVC Appointment Opens Up in Oak Bluffs
After a year serving on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, Oak Bluffs select board member Brian Packish said Tuesday he would not seek reappointment.
Chilmark Names New Town Treasurer
The Chilmark select board voted unanimously Tuesday to select Dawn Barnes as the next town treasurer. Ms. Barnes, who is currently working as the West Tisbury principal assessor, was one of three finalists.
Chilmark Town Column: Dec. 31
We are not the only family making our way through what they call a year of firsts.
Chappaquiddick Town Column: Dec. 31
Thanks from the ferry captains and crew for all of the goodies and gifts bestowed upon them by Chappy Ferry travelers.
Thinking Ahead
I stepped into the memory bank but could not find a year in the recent past when we had a white Christmas.
Fleeting Fancy
Fame is fleeting. And so are some comets.
Recent Real Estate Transactions: Week Ending Dec. 24
46 Mill St Edgartown LLC purchased 46 Mill street in Edgartown from Roy G. Meekins and Nancy E. Meekins for $2,200,000 on Dec. 10.
Geese-a-Grazing
While the famous holiday song has geese-a-laying, I think that geese-a-grazing is more apt, as that is what they do.
More Details Debated on Draft Housing Bank Article
A revised version of a draft article to create an Island housing bank came before the Edgartown select board Monday, but the board delayed a vote again.
June Manning Honored with Community Services Garden
The late June Manning — Wampanoag tribal elder, career nurse and longtime Gazette columnist — will be remembered with a garden in her name at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
Covid Cases Inch Down Slightly on the Island
Vineyard boards of health reported 82 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the week ending Christmas Day, a decline from weeks prior. The count still ranks among the highest on Island in 2021.
Remembering Desmond Tutu, Archbishop of the People
On Dec. 26, Archbishop Desmond Tutu died at age 90 in Cape Town, South Africa. He was a giant of human rights, and an inspiration to me.
A Vineyard Christmas From Long Ago
It was a dark morning, unusually dark, even for December, because it was cloudy, and a keen and searching wind blew shivery snowflakes out of the northeast in ever-increasing numbers.
