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
January 30, 2026
Tisbury Appoints New MVC Member
Elaine Miller is Tisbury’s new appointed representative to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, after the town select board named her on Tuesday to replace Greg Martino.
Pea Shoots
It’s been quite some time since we’ve had this much snow. It seems, according to the forecasters, that the chilly temperatures will keep it around for a while.
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending Jan. 23
Sunfish Select LLC. purchased 9 Sampson avenue in Edgartown from Elizabeth R. Whelan and William Benns IV for $1,000,000 on Jan. 21.
Fear Factor
Did the snow and wind-packing storm make you crazy? You aren’t alone.
Chappy Town Columns: Week Ending Jan. 30
There are many sources for weather predictions. Some are good at snowfall amounts while others specialize in wind speed and direction.
Land Bank Revenues as of Jan. 23
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $148,500 for the business week ending on Friday, Jan. 23, 2025.
Please Adopt Us: Week Ending Jan. 30
We have no adoptions to report this week, but we do have an exceptional pet of the week. His name is Professor Sugar and he’s a three-year-old tabby cat.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending Jan. 30
Snow is the word of the week. Mother Nature is toying with us.
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending Jan. 30
Snowflakes did more than dance through the air, they blew sideways quickly blanketing everything in sight with a soft, white layer. It was easy to brush off at first.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending Jan. 30
I arrived at the big Stop & Shop shortly after 8 a.m. Saturday. The parking lot was almost full, looking like an August afternoon.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending Jan. 30
How about those Patriots? Those Celtics? If we must be snowed in with cabin fever nothing could be better than watching sports.
Extreme Tides
There is plenty of reason enough for extreme high tides this weekend, with the approaching ocean storm, a Northeaster.
Henrique Arrives
Gabriela Cardoso Nascimento and Valberson Braz Zanotti, of Oak Bluffs, announce the birth of a son, Henrique Cardoso Zanotti, born on Jan. 21 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
At Ease
From the February 4, 1966 edition of the Vineyard Gazette:
Steamship Enabling Act in the Crosshairs Again
Sixty-five years ago, Massachusetts Gov. Foster Furcolo put his signature on a hard-fought piece of legislation that created the Steamship Authority as we now know it today.
Organization Aims to Aid Fourth Amendment Education
As the Trump administration ramps up Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) activity nationwide, a new Island nonprofit is looking to help businesses protect their employees’ constitutional rights.
Edgartown Honors the Past at Fire Station Ground Breaking
Edgartown firefighters took sledgehammers to the station garage on Wednesday, marking the start of construction for the department’s new home.
It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way
Last Friday morning, I traveled to Boston to join more than 200 clergy in a time of prayer and action.
Wind Freeze Ignores Affordability Crisis
As we enter the new year, Vineyard families — like many across the Northeast — are bracing for a familiar shock: the financial gut punch of opening their utility bills.
Not in Character
With respect to a recent article entitled Plans Emerge for Phillips Hardware Building, the plans for the Phillips Hardware space will take the town in a very wrong direction.
Showing Up
As last weekend’s winter storm swept across Martha’s Vineyard, our hospital — like so many essential services on the Island — depended on people showing up for one another so patients could continue to receive the care they needed.
Hunters Ask State to Allow Sunday Hunting
Hunters and hikers had their say Tuesday night during the first of several listening sessions hosted by the state as it explores loosening longstanding hunting statutes.
Oak Bluffs Approves New Lagoon Ridge Housing Plan
After more than a decade of stop-and-start progress, a mixed-income housing subdivision in Oak Bluffs is possibly on a path to completion.
Vineyard Students Shine in Scholastic Art Awards
Twenty-three students at the regional high school were recognized at the Massachusetts Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.
Chilmark Preschool Looks to Next Chapter
The new Chilmark preschool building won’t be the only change for the 2026/27 school year. Casey Esposito, interim program director at the preschool, has been chosen as the new director, taking over from outgoing director Anja May.
Edgartown Appoints New MVC Member After Housing Disagreement
The Edgartown select board replaced Kate Putnam as its representative on the Martha’s Vineyard Commission this month, citing a disagreement over a controversial housing development plan.
Vineyard Wind Wins Reprieve in Court
A Massachusetts federal court ruling on Tuesday will allow Vineyard Wind to restart work on its 62-turbine offshore wind farm located off the Vineyard’s coastline.
Chowder Company Heads to Kennebec Avenue
The seafood restaurant and bar on Oak Bluffs avenue will relocate to 14 Kennebec avenue, former home to Red Cat Kitchen and Zapotec Restaurant. It’s expected to open in April 2026.
With No Highways, Island Gets Commercial License Exception
While drivers on the mainland will have to be able to show testers that they can properly switch lanes on the highway and safely enter traffic, the Vineyard’s narrow two-lane roads mean there is no place to test it here.
New Memoir Digs Deeply Beneath the Surface Layers of a Life
In Marianne Lovink Goldsmith’s new memoir, the author and psychoanalyst examines her childhood, in particular her time in a Japanese prison camp, to arrive at a sense of belonging.
Girls Hockey Star Achieves 100 Point Milestone
On home ice Saturday, regional high school senior Elle Mone scored her 100th career point, a rare hockey achievement not seen in over a decade on the girls team.
Storm Brings Largest Snowfall in Years
Sunday’s storm dropped about a foot of snow on the Island and more is expected through the day on Monday.
Winter Storm Forces Closures and Cancellations
Officials are asking people to stay off the roads if they can as businesses and schools announce closures for Sunday and Monday.
MVC Cites Unanswered Questions in Green Villa Hearing
More than a year after developer William Cumming first proposed his mixed-income Green Villa condominium complex in Oak Bluffs, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission is calling for more information about the 116-unit project.
Katama Meadows Returns to MVC for Review
The new proposal for the Katama Meadows subdivision made several changes upon the previous iteration, but still drew concerns from members of the public Thursday.
Islanders Prepare For Weekend Snow Storm
With predictions of nearly a foot of snow over the weekend, Island public safety officials are urging Vineyarders to get what they need to hunker down.
Island Pastors Stand With Minnesota Faith Leaders
A pair of Island pastors are in Boston Friday to gather with more than 100 clergy and other faith leaders throughout the state for a prayer conference in light of immigration raids in Minnesota.
Vineyard Restaurant Named Semifinalist for James Beard Award
State Road restaurant is a semifinalist in the James Beard Foundation Awards, which many have coined the Oscars of the food world.
