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
May 1, 2026
Land Bank Revenues For Week Ending April 24
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $4,295.04 for the business week ending on Friday, April 24, 2026.
Flowering Trees
Between the feet of snow this winter and some nice soaking rains at the beginning of spring, one would think we wouldn’t be so dry, but here we are.
Once in a Blue Moon
We’ve got a fairly rare event happening this month. We’ve got a Blue Moon.
Chappy Town Column: Week Ending May 1
The Chappy Community Center spring clean-up is this coming Saturday, May 2 (with a rain date on May 3) starting at 9 a.m.
Cavity Nesters
What’s the hole story? Ask the woodpeckers.
Colorful Influx
Northbound migration is now rapidly increasing with the arrival of much anticipated colorful songbirds and a few shorebirds. The northward migration peaks in mid-May.
Ramble On
From the May 4, 1951 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: “I wish you could have talked with my mother,” Miss Eva Ryan told an interviewer recently, “I have no gift of the gab at all.”
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending May 1
When the British passed the Massachusetts Government Act in 1774 banning town meetings, it was seen as a direct assault on liberty.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending May 1
“And along comes pretty little May”. This was one of the lines in a song we sang in elementary school about the months of the year. It is true because everything is coming alive and coloring our Island.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending May 1
May Day has meant many things to different people around the world.
Traveling on the Path of the Old Days
It was 62 years ago this month that I first moved to West Tisbury. The shad was in bloom. I remember showers of white in the fields and on roadsides, and red-winged blackbirds seemed to be singing everywhere.
Turning the Page to the Next Chapter
When I was small, I looked forward to our summers in Falmouth Heights, which is just eight or 10 square blocks and where we could wander and explore in complete safety.
Tick Vectors
“Deer are a key host in the tick life cycle,” reads a statement shared by Tick Free MV executive director, in an article in the Vineyard Gazette from Feb. 13 2026.
Lightening the Load
Last Sunday evening, my family and I arrived just in time to catch the 6:30 ferry — we were three people with seven heavy packages.
Court Report: Week Ending April 24
Roger A. Herrera, 24, of Vineyard Haven, was arraigned on April 21 charges in Oak Bluffs of operating under the influence.
Schmantze Tickles the Funny Bone
The Abby Bender Schmantze Theatre joins Circuit Arts to host No Bones: A Comedy Festival of Humerus Proportions.
Tribe’s Education Leader Teaches from the Heart and Mind
Brad Lopes has built a career focused on helping tribal students navigate adversities that he dealt with as a student and advocating for more equitable school environments.
Edgartown Tree Chopping Fight Sent to DEP
A dispute over chopped down trees at the Edgartown home of a Goldman Sachs executive has been logged with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
Tisbury Voters Back Larger Select Board and Approve Override
On the second night of Tisbury’s annual town meeting Wednesday, voters approved a $1 million override and agreed to begin a year-long process of expanding the select board from three members to five.
Haag Prevails in Chilmark Select Board Race
Chilmark voters elected a new select board member, passed an override and voiced support for better cellular infrastructure at the annual town election Wednesday.
New Restaurant and Event Venue Planned for Downtown Oak Bluffs
Inkwell Beach House, a new multi-purpose event space and restaurant, is set to take the place of the former Martha’s Vineyard Chowder Company building.
First Light, First Fish at the Kids Trout Tournament
The 52nd Annual Kids Trout tournament begins at first light on Saturday, May 2 at Duarte’s Pond.
Polly Hill Picks New Director
Ian Tucker Peach will take over the executive director role at the 72-acre public garden in West Tisbury in July, when longtime head Tim Boland retires.
Tisbury Keeps Short-Term Rental Cap; Town Meeting Goes to Second Night
Tisbury voters will be back at Tisbury School Wednesday night to complete their annual town meeting, which adjourned Tuesday after more than three and a half hours of discussion and decisions.
Boys Tennis Team Benefits from Deep Coaching Bench
Halfway through the boys’ tennis season, a half a dozen wins already under the team’s belt, you might almost forget that the program had no head coach until a day before tryouts.
Union Chapel Undergoes Extensive Renovations
Union Chapel, the octagonal house of worship in Oak Bluffs, is rounding the bend on the repairs to make the building more accessible.
Edgartown Signs Off on Rare Summer Road Closure
The Edgartown select board this week approved a plan to block a part of Peases Point Way in the height of the summer season to allow for the setup of a modular home.
Override Passes at Chilmark Town Meeting
At annual town meeting Monday night, Chilmark residents gave the initial approval for a $368,000 override and passed a bylaw extending oversight of wetland buffer zones.
New Book Highlights the Vineyard’s Historic Storms
Thomas Dresser’s Historic Storms of Martha’s Vineyard delves into the storms of the Vineyard’s past in hopes that it can prepare people for the tempests of the future.
Midnight Taco Owner Plans New Restaurant in Oak Bluffs
Jordan Wallace and Mike Tierney are planning to open Jetty Beach House on Memorial Day. The new restaurant will offer a raw bar and cocktail lounge in the former Lobsterville Bar & Grille location.
Bourne Bridge Lane Closures
The Bourne Bridge will be experiencing lane restrictions for maintenance work, beginning April 27 and running through May 20.
John Forté’s Death Caused by Illness
The state medical examiner’s office has determined that John Forté, the Grammy-nominated musician who settled on the Island, died of complications from the flu.
Harsh Winter Proves to Be a Boon for Island Oyster Harvesters
While ice demolished farms on the mainland, the Vineyard’s aquaculture emerged relatively unscathed. With the summer demand for oysters just around the corner, Vineyard harvesters may find new markets for their shellfish.
Salt Marshes Face Increasing Pressure Under Climate Change
A panel of scientists at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum earlier this month took a look back at Life and Death of the Salt Marsh, a landmark book about the fragile ecosystems that are in danger from sea level rise.
Island Expert Breaks Down the Bard
The first line of Shakespeare’s Hamlet is, “Who’s there?” Swarthmore professor emeritus, author and Aquinnah resident Phil Weinstein will ask Islanders this very question next month in his “Shakespearean Explorations” course.
