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
February 24, 2023
Venus and Jupiter
The two brightest planets, Jupiter and Venus, appear close together on the evening of Wednesday, March 1. You'll see the two low in the southwestern sky right after sunset. In this conjunction the two are only a half a degree apart. To most observers the two will look as one bright object, as bright as…
Clearing the Way for Frost Bottom Preservation
Along the Edgartown-West Tisbury Road just past Bluebird Way near the airport there is an extra chill in the air, the cause of which dates back to the ice age.
Leading on the Court and in the Classroom
Coach Mike Joyce has led the varsity basketball program for 20 years. His team is 17-2 this year, and ranked number one in the league.
WHOI Offshore Ocean Observatory Leaves Vineyard Waters
The relocation of the WHOI Pioneer Array from Vineyard waters to North Carolina signals the end of an era for the high-tech system, one of five active stations in the National Science Foundation’s Ocean Observatories Initiative.
Coffee Shop With Lebanese Sandwiches Approved for Tisbury Marketplace
The Tisbury select board voted unanimously Wednesday afternoon to award a common victuallers’ license to Catboat Coffee Co., which will receive it once the shop’s fire inspection passes muster with Chief Greg Leland.
All the Movies All Over the Island
It’s school break week and that means the Island empties out and activities slow to a trickle.
Our History, Ourselves
We are proud to see ongoing and new conversations around race and multiculturalism on Martha’s Vineyard.
February Slips Away
Winter is on the wane and so is the woodpile.
Clamming While Hungry
Who am I to sit in idle gluttony, to eat of a bounty towards which I put no toil?
Martha Meets Wile E. Coyote
Coyote have been on and off the Island for the past few decades, generally leaving only footprints and taking only craps.
Spell Check
From the Feb. 22, 1935 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Jessie Benton Carried on Her Parents’ Legacy
Jessie Benton, daughter of renowned artist Thomas Hart Benton, died surrounded by family in Los Angeles on Feb. 16, at the age of 83. She had been a seasonal resident of Chilmark all her life.
Salutations to Syrus
Hilary Wallcox and Brian Wallcox, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a son, Syrus Howard Wallcox, born Feb. 21 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Land Bank Revenues
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $127,372 for the business week ending on Friday, Feb. 17, 2023.
Welcome Josue
Rafaela Oliveira and Luelbert Oliveira, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a son, Josue Oliveira, born on Feb. 17 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Hello Cora
Emily O’Donoghue and Michael O’Donoghue, of Oak Bluffs, announce the birth of a daughter, Cora Michael O’Donoghue, born on Feb. 18 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Recent Real Estate Transactions: Week Ending Feb. 17
Vineyard Wind 1 LLC purchased 69 Beach Road in Vineyard Haven from Harborwood LLC for $1,750,000 on Feb. 13.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Feb. 24
The Green Book was published from 1936 to 1967 as a guide during segregation to assist African Americans in identifying businesses that would accept them as customers when they traveled around the country.
Chilmark Town Column: Feb. 24
Friends make our lives interesting, beautiful, memorable and occasionally complicated.
Chappaquiddick Town Column: Feb. 24
The Chappy Community Center is looking for a summer program coordinator for the coming summer.
Singing in Warmth
The northward migration has started with the arrival of a few red-winged blackbirds and grackles.
Weirdly Warm
My poor hellebores are struggling to recover from the big freeze a few weeks ago.
Peculiar Pests
Even the Dalai Lama doesn’t like mosquitoes.
Racial Justice Activists Featured at Museum
On Saturday, Feb. 25, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum will present Black Lives Still Matter, a panel discussion about racism and racial justice work.
Edgartown Looks at Plans for New, Bigger Fire Station
In a select board meeting this week, fire chief Alex Schaeffer shared several renderings for a proposed new fire station building, which would include a new community training space and expanded parking.
New Coronary Scan Available at Hospital
The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is now offering a new, less-invasive screening process to detect the presence of coronary heart disease.
Tisbury Mulls Ban on Timeshares
A draft bylaw, unveiled earlier this month, aims to shield Tisbury’s housing stock from corporations like Pacaso and Ember, which market one-eighth ownership shares of vacation homes in popular destinations from Napa to Nantucket.
Pfizer Halts Lyme Vaccine Clinical Trial on Martha’s Vineyard
A first of its kind Lyme disease vaccine trial ran into a road block last weekend as the developers announced they had discontinued the study for about half of the thousands of participants in the U.S. — including those on Martha’s Vineyard.
Not Giving Up on Those Old Clothes
At the first meeting of the new mending club at the Edgartown Library, exhibit A was a pair of ripped denim pants, torn and paint stained.
New Pastor for Federated Church Begins the Conversation
Rev. Mark Winters preached his first sermon Sunday as the newly settled pastor of the Federated Church of Martha’s Vineyard. The sermon, titled Seeing Jesus Differently, reflected on the story of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount.
Three Candidates Vie for Vineyard SSA Representative Spot
Two newcomers are challenging the sitting Martha’s Vineyard representative on the Steamship Authority’s board of governors.
Vineyard 4-H Program Aims to Be a Positive Force in Winter
Revitalizing 4-H on the Island began five years ago, led by Brian Athearn and Julie Scott, president and vice president of the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society. Much of the focus this year is on increasing off-season offerings.
PFAS Class Action Suit
West Tisbury may receive a legal lifeline in their effort to respond to a contamination of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the town water supply.
Weaving Together the Island’s Rich Textile History
Woven, a new exhibit at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, invites people to share in the historic craft and hear the stories of early Island basket weavers, seamstresses and eel trappers.
Chicago Sizzles at Performing Arts Center
Friday night’s audience, which packed the nearly 800-seat theatre, exploded in applause for a cast that included seniors Jack Crawford as Billy, Annabelle Brothers as Roxie, and Faith Fecitt as Velma.
Edgartown Questions Trustees’ Plan for Oversand Permits
Edgartown Conservation Commission members have raised concerns regarding the number of vehicles the Trustees’ allow on their trails and whether the organization would be able to secure sufficient staffing for the summer volume.
Grange Hall Dispute Inches Towards Resolution
West Tisbury officials previously raised concerns over the frequency of events held at the hall, resulting in a lawsuit between the town and the Vineyard Preservation Trust.
