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
October 17, 2025
Fern Fanatic
Charles Kingsley was a condescending chap.
Please Adopt Us: Week Ending Oct. 17
We are happy to report that the young black cat, Mira, has found her forever home. Congratulations sweet girl.
Great Gusts
From the October 16, 1931 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: The haze of summer is gray, but the haze of October is white. It is in the air in the morning.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Week Ending Oct. 17
“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds” is a motto that is often attributed to the postal service in America.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending Oct. 17
Well, we finally got the much-needed rain. Unfortunately, the wind came along with it and kept us on our toes for two and a half days.
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending Oct. 17
They call it a silver jubilee. I think it has something to do with silver being a metaphor for the enduring and precious nature of the relationship.
Chappy Town Columns: Week Ending Oct. 17
A reminder that the Chappy Ferry will rely on just one ferry boat beginning Sunday, Oct. 19. Since it is the shorter of the two ferryboats, figure on spending extra time in the line.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending Oct. 17
Pumpkins are lined up or piled up in front of all the garden shops and farm stands.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending Oct. 17
My dear friend, Chrissy McCarthy, identified a new word for me: Taro. I found this root vegetable in the bottom of a pot I was saving to replant things in.
On the Move
American robins are on the move, migrating even though they are present throughout the year.
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending Oct. 10
Cedric C. Barringer and Andrea Stiassni purchased 15 Jernegan Pond Road in Edgartown from Robert M. McCarron Trust and Jean G. Cohen Family Trust for $1,525,000 on Oct. 7.
Light Frost
Because I tend to believe the worst case scenario when I listen to the weather forecasters, I got in a tizzy on Saturday and Sunday. I scurried around and brought all the house plants into the greenhouse.
Walker Arrives
Keira and Jarek Peters, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a son, Walker David Peters, born on Oct. 10 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Walker weighed 9 pounds, 13 ounces at birth.
Hello Laura
Elizabeth Phelps of West Tisbury announces the birth of a daughter, Laura Susan Patricia Phelps, born on August 13 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Comet Lemmon
There is a chance you might get a view of a faint comet, now under the Big Dipper, in the northeastern sky early in the morning, before dawn. Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6) has increased in brightness, making it visible enough to see with binoculars. You might see it without binoculars, but it is unlikely you'll see…
Fees on Luxury Real Estate Being Considered and Classic Cars
The state considers a fee on high-end real estate transactions to help with the housing crisis. And Vineyarders love their classic cars – and shared bragging rights at a recent car show.
Judge Hears Arguments in Lampost Housing Case
Windsor Circuit, Ltd. owner of the building that formerly housed multi-story Circuit avenue bar and nightclub The Lampost, is seeking to overturn a 2022 MVC decision that denied the company’s request to reduce the number of restricted workforce housing units in what used to be the bar’s upper three floors.
Derby Fever Heats Up as Final Day Nears
Only three days remain for the 80th Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby and the competition remains fierce as over 3,000 competitors vie for one of six spots on the grand leaderboard.
As Housing Crisis Escalates, New Transfer Fee Option Emerges
A bill before the state legislature that has drawn Islander support makes a new attempt to secure a fee on high-end real estate sales in order to turn the tide on the region’s housing crisis.
Digging Into the Past at Fossil Day
From stones to dinosaur bones, treasures from deep in the earth will fill Union Chapel Saturday and Sunday for the Vineyard’s 15th annual National Fossil Day celebration.
Town Voices Needed
Reports that the nine-person school committee plans to vote on Nov. 3 whether to circumvent spring 2026 town meetings in favor of an Islandwide simple majority vote to gain final approval of the planned high school renovation are deeply disturbing and revealing.
With Gratitude
On behalf of the Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition Education Committee, we are writing to thank you for the wonderful article
Forest Ecology
Professor Suzanne Simard, a member of the faculty of Forestry at the University of British Columbia, makes very good points regarding the complexity and connectedness of the below-ground community of organisms in a forest.
Super Drivers
I am finishing my fifth season working here on Martha’s Vineyard.
Walking to Alleviate Hunger
On Sunday, Oct. 10 the 35th annual Martha’s Vineyard Crop Walk takes place, part of a nationwide movement that began in 1969 in Bismarck, North Dakota.
Excursion Fare Limits, Off-Peak Rates Eyed at Steamship Budget Meeting
The Steamship Authority drew nearer to a final decision on its 2026 operating budget Tuesday morning, when the port council voted unanimously to recommend the proposed $162 million draft spending plan for approval by the board of governors next week.
West Tisbury Ponders Ways to Attract Year-Round Landlords
West Tisbury is considering a program that could ease the year-round housing crunch by incentivizing homeowners to switch their vacation rentals to year-round rentals.
Land Bank Revenues as of Oct. 10
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $334,332.02 for the business week ending on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Welcome Kenzo
Kay Sunakawa Thayer and Nate Thayer of West Tisbury announce the birth of their son, Kenzo John Thayer, born at home on Oct 3. Kenzo weighed 7 lbs. 14 oz.
Soccer Teams Kick It Up a Notch as Playoffs Near
The Vineyard girls soccer team is displaying its dominance heading into the home stretch of the season. They’ve won five in a row by a 14-1 margin, and their 11 wins top the Cape and Islands league.
Longtime Housing Advocate to Retire
The Dukes County Regional Housing Authority executive director David Vigneault will be retiring in March 2026, the organization announced Tuesday.
Hospice Names New Clinical Director
Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard announces the appointment of Meghan Cabral, RN, CHPN as clinical director, effective in January 2026.
Falmouth Academy Open House
Falmouth Academy invites families to attend its fall open house on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 1 to 3 p.m.
Car-B-Q Brings Out the Classic and Custom Styles
Saturday’s Car-B-Q Classic at the Winnetu in Katama drew an all-ages crowd to the resort hotel’s front lawn, where more than 40 vintage and custom vehicles lined up for public inspection under a blue sky crossed by wandering clouds.
Coast Guard Rescues Person in the Water Off Woods Hole
A person who was pulled from rough waters off Woods Hole by the U.S. Coast Guard Monday was brought to the hospital with injuries that were considered not life-threatening, according to public safety officials.
LadyFest Rocks the Music and the Message
Esperanza Spalding headlined Ladyfest on Saturday, and following her set Carly Simon joined her children, Ben and Sally Taylor, onstage for a surprise performance.
Looking to Untangle the Gridlock of Chappy Beach Access Rules
The future of vehicle access to the sandy trails of Chappaquiddick – a hotly contested issue that has resulted in several appeals and hours of debate – is approaching a critical juncture this month.
High Wind Warning Issued for Cape and Islands
A storm headed up the east coast is expected to bring strong winds and potential flooding to Martha’s Vineyard on Sunday and Monday.
Creative Living Award Honors Island Preacher and Editor
The 42nd Creative Living Award was given to Cathlin Baker and Bill Eville for their work uplifting the community from the pulpit and on the page.
Unpermitted Boatyard Approved by MVC
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission has unanimously approved the continued operation of a boat repair shop that straddles the Oak Bluffs-Vineyard Haven town line, in an area abutting both a settled neighborhood and a business district in Tisbury.
Islanders Weigh in on SSA Fare Hikes
About two dozen Islander raised concerns and urged the Steamship Authority to seek advice from the community at a forum on the ferry line’s draft 2026 budget Thursday. Steamship treasurer Mark Rozum and assistant treasurer Courtney Oliveira broke down the $162 million proposed budget before taking questions from the audience at Oak Bluffs town hall. …
Coast Guard Fixes Gay Head Lighthouse Pattern
Select board member and lighthouse keeper Chris Manning said the U.S. Coast Guard removed the newly installed LED beacon on Monday to correct its rotation and beam pattern at the agency’s shop in Woods Hole.
No Kings Rally
Martha’s Vineyard residents and visitors have the opportunity to join a nationwide day of nonviolent protest for the second No Kings Freedom Rally, to be held on Saturday, Oct. 18.
Oak Bluffs Sets Fall Special Town Meeting Warrant
Mopeds, wetland protections and updated town personnel bylaws will all be on the Oak Bluffs Nov. 4 special town meeting warrant.
Cape and Islands Prove Treacherous for Leatherback Turtles
Leatherback turtles swimming near the shores of the Vineyard are especially vulnerable to vessel strikes, according to new research categorizing the Cape and Islands as a lethal hotspot for the species.
