Jane Kenyon
I am the stone step, the latch, and the working hinge. I am the heart contracted by joy, the longest hair, white before the rest.-Jane Kenyon
July 17, 2026
My Island Ghost
How did we come up with the game we called “Ghost,” with older cousin Billy—Old Willy the Ghost—popping out from under the cellar stairs or behind the furnace and all of us younger cousins running around and screaming when we saw his eyes wide…
Weather or Not
I’m always interested in the world’s weather. Europe is experiencing an historic heat wave. I heard on NPR that over 10,000 people have died.
Sofia Arrives
Cecelia and Andrew McElhinney, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a daughter, Sofia Rose McElhinney, born on July 8 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Land Bank Revenues For Week Ending July 10
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $174,250 for the business week ending on Friday, July 10, 2026. The land bank receives its funds from a two per cent fee charged on many Vineyard real estate transactions.
Round and Round
From the July 16, 1948 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: The wooden sides of the old “carousel” were opened wide. People of all ages, from the venerable to the tiny infant, sat in the seats along one side.
Hazy Skies
The skies at night are almost as challenging for stargazing as living amid light pollution. The lights of the distant cities has lit our horizon. Only the brightest of stars stand out overhead. Being an amateur astronomer when smoke from extremely distant forest fires invade our sacred skies can be discouraging. There is good news,…
Felix Neck
This column usually deals with unusual sightings by mentioning a species and saying where and when they were seen. Some sites are so productive that they deserve special mention. Felix Neck is one of those special places.
Swamp Azaleas
Pick your poison — or, better yet, leave it alone.
Chappy Town Column: Week Ending July 17
About a decade ago, my family and I used to venture off-Island to a half dozen concerts every year.
Oak Bluffs Town Column: Week Ending July 17
The 250 Commission, officially known as the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission was established by Congress in 2016 to organize nationwide celebrations marking 250 years since the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending July 17
It is always a masterclass in unintentional comedy when a corporate representative is less culturally aware than the demographic they are trying to target.
Vineyard Haven Town Column: Week Ending July 17
How about our Red Sox! This is the way to go.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending July 17
When Jim Osmundsen goes to work on certain summer mornings, he is off to the most peaceful job on the Vineyard: under the water.
Farm and Field: Down on the Farm With Island Autism Group
Often you can lose sight of the multifaceted merits of farming, beyond growing food and caring for the soil. Not at Island Autism.
On the Trail of History and Family Legacy
Long before Daniela Gerson and Talia Inlender met and fell in love, their family names appeared on a gravestone together.
Solving the Housing Crisis by Using What We Have
The housing crisis that plagues us can only be solved with long-term thinking and inventive design.
Are We Spraying Away the Balance?
For nearly 20 years, I have worked as a gardener on Martha’s Vineyard.
Appeal Questions if Trustees Has Permit for OSV Trails
An appeal from a Chappaquiddick property owner could put to rest a years-long debate over whether the Trustees of Reservations has the permits it needs to operate its oversand vehicle trails.
Feast of the Holy Ghost Tradition Stands Strong
The annual tradition begins at 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 18 at the PA Club with traditional Portuguese food, music from the Jelly Roll Horns and games for kids. On Sunday, July 18 the parade sets off from the Steamship Terminal at 11:30 a.m.
Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series Sets the Stage
The Martha’s Vineyard Concert Series is bringing four live music performances to the Vineyard this summer: Ziggy Marley, Bruce Hornsby and The Noisemakers, Elvis Costello and the Indigo Girls.
Seth Meyers to Host Three Vineyard Fundraisers
Seth Meyers will lend his talents to the Possible Dreams auction, the Chilmark Preschool and Harbor Homes.
Tennis Anyone? MV Open Welcomes All
The 21st annual Martha’s Vineyard Open will return to the tennis courts of Farm Neck and Vineyard Family Tennis beginning next weekend.
Scientists Look to Chappy in Fight Against Ticks
Chappaquiddick has been ground zero on Martha’s Vineyard for ticks and tick-borne illnesses. Now, as the problem continues to grow across the entire Island, some of the region’s top tick scientists hope to turn the sandy spit into a living laboratory that can be part of the solution.
Vineyard Tick Experts Attend Nation’s First Alpha-Gal Conference
Island epidemiologist Lea Hamner and clinician Aubrey Stimola Ryan convened with the nation’s top physicians, epidemiologists and entomologists to pool knowledge on alpha-gal, the allergy to mammalian products transmitted by lone star ticks.
West Tisbury Town Administrator to Retire Next Year
After 22 years as the town administrator of West Tisbury, Jen Rand told the select board Wednesday that she plans to retire next year.
For Author of Kin, Fiction Can Have a Healing Effect
Tayari Jones, whose latest novel Kin takes place in the 1950s segregated South, was the featured author at Sunday’s Martha’s Vineyard Author Series event.
Oak Bluffs Looks to the Future of Island Theatre
The Oak Bluffs select board announced Tuesday that it is seeking members for a new committee to think up possible uses for the property, which residents voted to purchase or take by eminent domain earlier this year.
Woman in SSA Crash Dies
The driver who crashed a minivan into a Steamship Authority ferry in Vineyard Haven last week has died, officials confirmed Monday.
Competition, Camaraderie and Charity at the Vineyard Cup
Over the course of two days, sailors competing in this year’s Vineyard Cup struggled against shifting currents and winds. The annual event is a fundraiser for Sail Martha’s Vineyard.
Empty Nest Tragedy Saved by Osprey Chick Rescue
When Suzan Bellincampi, director at Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, received a call Friday about three fallen osprey chicks near Lake Tashmoo, she knew just the man for the job: her husband.
Celebrating a Legacy of Giving Back at Fluke for Luke
Fluke for Luke was started in honor of Luke Gurney, a fisherman who died in a boating accident in June of 2016. This year was the 10-year anniversary of Mr. Gurney’s death and the ninth annual fishing tournament.
Summer Institute Starts With Open Society Discussion
On Thursday, the Summer Institute Speaker Series featured Laleh Ispahani, a globally-renowned human rights activist and lawyer, and co-director of Open Society U.S, the national branch of the Open Society Foundations.
Vineyard Forum Tackles Energy, Media and Political Power
At the second annual Vineyard Forum, experts, leaders and community members came together to discuss one of the most pressing issues of today: power.
MVC Deliberates on Katama Meadows Subdivision
Members of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission discussed the controversial Edgartown subdivision last week for two hours before tabling final deliberations and a decision until the end of the July.
Kinship Heals Looks to Build State’s First Native-Run Shelter
Kinship Heals unveiled plans last week to build a domestic violence shelter and food pantry in Aquinnah for the Island’s tribal community.
Bridge Column: Week of July 17
Take some time before acting on these questions.
Father and Son in Critical Condition After Oak Bluffs Crash
Michael Ellis and his six-year-old son Nolan remain in critical condition and are in induced comas after they were injured in a crash along the bike path in Oak Bluffs last week.
Trump Calls for Reopening of Georges Bank Fishing Grounds
The Trump administration is considering options to open up lucrative fishing grounds off the Vineyard coast that have been closed to scallopers for more than 30 years.
Steamship Mulls Veterans’ Honor Guard Request
The director of veterans services for Dukes County, George Pimentel, is seeking free ferry passage for military honor guards traveling to Martha’s Vineyard on funeral duty.
Father and Son Seriously Injured in Oak Bluffs Crash
A father and his young son were flown to a Boston trauma center with life-threatening injuries Thursday after they collided with a pick-up truck while on an electric bike, according to police.
