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
September 19, 2025
Please Adopt Us
We’re sad to report that Turnip’s adoption was not the right fit, so she is our pet of the week. Turnip is a five-month-old, female tuxedo kitten.
Northern Lights
There were a number of sightings of Northern Lights in this area of Southern New England.
Chappy Town Columns: Week Ending Sept. 19
happy Beach clean-up is this Saturday, Sept. 20 sponsored by Beach Befrienders. Rain date is the next day. Meet at the Chappy Ferry at 9 a.m.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Week Ending Sept. 19
The Vineyard Branch of the NAACP will host its 23rd George Tankard, Jr.. Memorial 5K Road Race on Saturday, Sept. 20 in Oak Bluffs.
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending Sept. 19
People fish the Derby year after year, even if they don’t catch a winning fish. There is a sense of camaraderie. There is a sense of being one with nature. There is a sense of being part of a bigger story.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending Sept. 19
Artists have said that the light on Martha’s Vineyard make the island an ideal place to paint. At no time is the light more clear and crisp than these golden days of September.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending Sept. 19
The fishing Derby began on Sunday. Good luck to all in this friendly competition.
Late Season Gardens
While I selfishly long for a bit of rain, the late summer season here on the Vineyard has produced some fabulous weather. Folks are really happy everywhere.
Spokesbird
Woodlands birds are starting to form multi-species foraging flocks that rove around woodlands in search of food.
Aphid Glory
Oleander aphids take matriarchy to the next level.
Cottage Time
From the September 15, 1972 edition of the Vineyard Gazette by Dorothy West: Mrs. Mildred Johnson Edwards and her teenage daughter, Melanie, live in a large, pleasant house on Tuckernuck avenue in Oak Bluffs, where the cottages share a fine stretch of park.
Summer Season Tilts; August Surged While July Simmered
The tourism season on Martha’s Vineyard opened with a slow start, but massive August numbers resulted in a summer on par with years past.
Aquinnah Faces Fading Police Force
A staffing shortage has the Aquinnah police department facing the possibility of closure, putting the future of law enforcement in the Island’s smallest town in limbo.
Budget Gap Fuels Steamship to Consider Rate Hikes
Higher costs for ferry and terminal maintenance and other operating expenses, combined with an overall decline in revenue, are spurring the Steamship Authority to consider raising rates in 2026.
Author Honors His Grandmother’s Hard Decision
This Leaves Me Okay by Walter Pryor was published in May and tells the story of grandmother, Mama Ceal, and the impact she made on the author’s life.
From Historic Preservation to Bird Art
After retiring as longtime executive director of the Vineyard Preservation Trust in 2016, Chris Scott turned to bird photography.
Group Art Show Tackles Housing Issues With Creativity
Show Me the Way to Go Home is a thought-provoking and poignant group exhibition at the Workshop Gallery in Vineyard Haven by 15 artists from on and off the Island.
A Big Thank You
In a first of hopefully many for the new ownership of the Square Rigger restaurant in Edgartown, they created a wedding dinner reception on Monday, Sept. 8 that out-performed anything we could have asked for.
Tivoli Day Origins Rolled on Two Wheels
In 1978, best friends, Ed Coogan and Michael Wild “decided to invent an event and maybe have another drink.”
Harbor Homes Gets Approval for Temporary Winter Shelter
Harbor Homes will operate its winter emergency homeless shelter in a new location this season after the Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals approved a temporary conversion of its women’s group home for a new use.
Actors Shine in Taut Tale Set in 1933 Germany
In Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library, which runs through Sept. 27 at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, playwright Jenny Lyn Bader has created a subtle intellectual thriller.
Youth and Experience Fuel Early Derby Days
The 80th annual derby is off to a busy start with more than 570 fish weighed-in during the first five days.
Turpentine Gallery Hosts Artist Retrospective
Local conceptual artist Paul Lazes’s journey began at the age of seven, with a hand-drawn portrait of his father. His new retrospective exhibit will open on Sept. 20 at the Turpentine Gallery in West Tisbury.
The Yard Steps Back to Rethink its Business Model
The Yard is dimming its lights for a year-long pause to rethink their programming and financial model to ensure sustainability.
Edgartown Gardens Raises Traffic, Short-Term Rental Concerns
After more than three hours of public testimony Sept. 11, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission closed its long-delayed public hearing on Edgartown Gardens, a proposed 60-unit, 96-bedroom condominium complex between Upper Main street and Chase Road in Edgartown.
Vineyard Chef to Face the Heat in Hell’s Kitchen Competition
When the new season of Hell’s Kitchen: Battle Of The States premieres next week, a Vineyard chef will be among the competitors looking to make his mark.
West Tisbury Approves Funding, New House Sign Requirement
A total of 166 voters approved all four articles on the warrant in just under half an hour, the most pressing one dealing with logistical fund transfers to pay various town personnel.
Brazil Fest Postponed Again Amid Safety Concerns
After being postponed back in May, the organizers of Brazil Fest decided this week that the new tentative date of Oct. 12 wasn’t feasible due to concerns about Immigration officials returning to the Vineyard.
Vineyard Infant Recovering at Home After Contracting Powassan
Tiffany Sisco said her daughter Lily, who went to the hospital in July just about a month after she was born, has been hitting the targets set for her by doctors after being diagnosed with the Powassan virus.
Man Charged After Allegedly Threatening to Bring Shotgun to the Hospital
Stephen Green, 67, was arraigned on Monday in Edgartown District Court and pleaded not guilty to a terroristic threats charge.
Soccer Teams Open Big as Fall Sports Season Finds its Groove
The Vineyard boys and girls soccer teams are off to a strong start. In each of their four wins, the girls have outscored opponents 21-2, and the boys have a 15-2 margin of victory as well.
Plymouth Coach Fired for Comments During Vineyard Soccer Game
The head coach of a Plymouth soccer team was fired last week after what his bosses deemed was “unacceptable behavior” during a game against the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys team.
A Night Out at the Theatre
Live theatre is a gamble, but I was ready to take a chance when I purchased tickets to Mrs. Stern Wanders the Prussian State Library at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse.
Oak Bluffs Gets Feedback on Moped Proposal
Oak Bluffs is considering changes to the town’s bylaws that could limit rental mopeds to only one rider.
Texas Officials Decline to Pursue Criminal Charges in Vineyard Migrant Flights
Bexar County District Attorney Joe Gonzalez last week said there wasn’t enough evidence to support a criminal case connected to 2022 migrant flights that landed at Martha’s Vineyard Airport.
Families Embrace Community at Annual Children’s Memorial
Families of children who have died embraced underneath the base of the Edgartown Lighthouse on Saturday afternoon for the annual Ceremony of Remembrance.
First Fish Weighed in at 80th Derby
JR Thomas pumped his fists in the air Sunday morning after he weighed in his 3.87-pound bonito as the first fish in the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby.
Tisbury to Vote on Dog and Kennel License Fees
At the Tisbury special town meeting Sept. 30, voters will decide on new licensing fees for dogs and dog kennels, including a proposed new bylaw detailing how a kennel is defined.
Hello Ginny
Abbie and Lyle Zell, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a daughter, Virginia (Ginny) Jane Collins Zell, born on Sept. 8 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Ginny weighed 5 pounds, 7.5 ounces at birth.
