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
December 5, 2025
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending Dec. 5
The alarm breaks the pre-dawn silence, a sound that hunters have anticipated for months.
Chappy Town Columns: Week Ending Dec. 5
The annual Chappy Ferry captain and crew appreciation supper is on Wednesday, Dec. 10 at the Chappy Community Center from 6 to 8 p.m.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending Dec. 5
We are getting a lot of rain right now and I am so happy because we need it so much, plus we are waiting for the ponds to be full so winter can begin.
Geminid Meteor Shower
We are getting closer to the Geminid Meteor Shower, one of the two most productive meteor showers of the year. While many flock outside in August to watch the Perseid Meteor Shower, the other brother Geminids Meteor Shower is just as good, possibly better. The reason most folks don't know this is because of climate.…
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending Dec. 5
There are few places to pop in and order a casual meal in West Tisbury, especially in the winter, and this year we will lose the oldest of the eateries. At least for a while.
Daphny Arrives
Hianca Salazar and Samuel Amancio, of Vineyard Haven, announce the birth of a daughter, Daphny Salazar Meireles, born on Nov. 25 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Land Bank Revenues as of Nov. 28
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $130,030 for the business week ending on Friday, Nov 28, 2025.
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending Nov. 28
William Avery Goelz purchased 6 Tabor Hills in Chilmark from Martha’s Vineyard Bank Trust, Everett K. Speed Revocable Trust and Ann Boyer Revocable Trust for $2,100,000 on Nov. 25.
Different Zones
The Vineyard must have several plant zones. I have frozen at least five times, requiring the busting of ice on the chicken’s water in the morning.
Bottoms Up!
Your point of view matters when you see a violet-toothed polypore.
Beach Relief
From the December 3, 1937 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Loneliness Prevalent Among Seniors
In this week’s 10-minute wrap-up of the news from the Vineyard Gazette newsroom. loneliness among Island seniors is a growing concern for healthcare providers. And the future looks dim for Island Music, the Vineyard’s only music store.
High School Building Project Nears Crucial Deadline
The long-fought campaign to renovate and expand Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School is advancing to a decisive state-set milestone this month, with Dec. 18 the deadline to submit schematic designs and cost estimates to the Massachusetts School Building Authority.
Island Alpha-Gal Tests Continue Upward Trend
Alpha-gal syndrome cases on Martha’s Vineyard continued to rise in 2025, with the number of positive tests for the red meat allergy in the first 11 months of the year nearly totaling the last five years combined.
New Initiative Aims to Reduce Island Tick Population
Thursday marked the official launch of Tick Free MV, an organization of concerned year-round and seasonal residents looking to improve public health on the Vineyard by reducing its tick population through various initiatives.
Edgartown Calls Special Town Meeting to Deal with Fire Station Funding
Edgartown voters will consider $2.8 million in funding at a special town meeting next week, with a majority of that money sought to fill a funding gap for the new fire station project.
Evening of Enchament Brings the Holiday Magic
he Evening of Enchantment at Donaroma’s returns for its 21st year on Thursday, Dec. 11, which will also be its last. The family plans to retire the tradition after this year.
The Power of a Smile
Among the most universal / Of human expressions / Love the ultimate smile / Hate the ultimate frown / Arousing trillions of cells / Within the body.
Vineyard Bookshelf: Stepping Off the Boat
This book is a labor of love — of Lake Michigan, and, in particular, of North Manitou Island, today part of a national park but for generations before that, an island for farming, fishing and vacationing.
Stay Present With Vineyard’s Deaf Community
As a deaf student, I couldn’t wait to explore an Island that was once teeming with people just like me.
Winter Sports Season Looks to Bring the Heat
The high school winter sports season has arrived on the Vineyard, and the Island’s student-athletes are ramping up their practices in anticipation of the first games next week.
Police Issue Criminal Summons to Tisbury Select Board Member
A state police spokesman on Wednesday said Christina Colarusso, 35, of Tisbury, was issued a criminal summons on charges of breaking and entering a vessel and trespassing stemming from an incident last week.
Chilmark to Initiate Conversations to Help Aquinnah Police Department
The Chilmark select board gave the green light for police chief Sean Slavin to begin talks with the police union to aid the Aquinnah police department, which currently has only one officer in its department.
Hark! The Island Community Chorus Rings in the Season
The Island Community Chorus brings its latest holiday concerts to the Old Whaling Church in Edgartown this weekend, with performances Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m.
Winter Specials
There are a few species that may visit sometime this winter.
Hospital Rolls Out New Virtual Primary Care Program
As the Vineyard struggles with a lack of primary care physicians, Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is launching a new service it hopes can clear its extensive patient waiting list.
A Delicious Way to Give Back
The second annual Great Martha’s Vineyard Bake Off takes place this weekend on Dec. 6 and 7.
Aquinnah Needs More Money to Cover Lighthouse Repairs
The Aquinnah select board is eyeing a January special town meeting in order to pay for cost overruns associated with the Gay Head Lighthouse renovation from earlier this spring.
High School Begins Search for New Principal
Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School is in the market for a new principal, after school officials announced this week that interim principal Sean Mulvey will return to the school’s counseling department next year.
Stay Alert as Shotgun Season Begins
On Monday morning, the boom of shotguns echoed across the Island landscape, signaling the start of the two-week deer shotgun hunting season.
Museum Exhibition Spotlights Island’s Lost Music Colony
The Lost History of Innisfail exhibit is filled with artifacts and images telling the story of how an unsuccessful 1870s subdivision in Vineyard Haven became a summer enclave for touring opera stars, before it burned to the ground in 1906.
State Closes Alligator Case Without Conclusion
The Massachusetts Environmental Police have closed their investigation into an alligator carcass found in West Tisbury. Officials say it remains unclear how the gator ended up in the marsh of the Sepiessa Point Reservation.
Bell Ringing to Honor Legacy of Rosa Parks
Various Island churches and organizations will take part in a nationwide bell ringing event today, Dec. 1, to mark the 70th anniversary of Rosa Parks’ arrest.
Falmouth Academy to Offer Boarding Option
Falmouth Academy recently announced its purchase of the Captain’s Manor Inn, a historic bed and breakfast nestled on Falmouth’s Main street, which it will use to house boarding students starting in September 2026.
Ladyfest Donates $25,000 to Community Services
The organizers of Ladyfest Martha’s Vineyard recently announced a $25,000 contribution to CONNECT to End Violence, a program of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services.
Island’s Only Music Store Faces Closure
For 34 years, Island Music on Main street in Vineyard Haven has helped anchor the local music scene. But with the store’s lease set to expire at the end of December, the future of the Island’s only music store is in jeopardy.
Dredging Begins in Bid to Revive Chilmark Pond
After years of delays, the Chilmark Pond Foundation is finally dredging Chilmark Lower Pond this month in an attempt to improve the pond’s water quality.
Oak Bluffs Sets Residential Tax Exemption
Residential tax exemptions are allowed under state law as a way to shift some of the tax burden away from property owners in a town who call that town their primary residence.
Celebrating Local Creativity at Featherstone’s Holiday Gift Show
The Featherstone Center for the Arts holiday gift show has been an annual tradition for the past 23 years. This year it includes handmade gifts from over 100 local artists.
Soccer Teams Open Playoffs at Home on Monday
The girls team plays Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical High School at 3 p.m. on Monday, and the boys team will follow at 5 p.m. against Cardinal Spellman.
