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
September 11, 2026
Recent Real Estate Transactions for Week Ending Sept. 4
24 Frames Real Estate LLC. purchased 21 Eliot avenue and Stonewall Beach Lot from Robert A. Mandel Trust and 190 Riverside Penthouse Trust for $5,250,000 on Sept. 3. Edgartown
Land Bank Revenues For Week Ending Sept. 4
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank reported revenues of $176,153.34 for the business week ending on Friday, Sept. 4, 2026.
Jeanine Arrives
Mutita Erez and Eugene V. Erez, of West Tisbury, announce the birth of a daughter, Jeanine Erez, born on Sept. 7 at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.
Say Goodbye to Venus
The bright planet Venus hugs close to the western horizon now.
Chappy Town Column: Week Ending September 11
By all accounts, the breach at Norton Point remains healthy. Its effect upon the tides and currents at the Chappy ferry crossing is remarkable.
Edgartown Town Column: Week Ending September 11
We are in September weather — warm during the day and cool at night for sleeping. Even sitting outside is pleasant, but the sun is still very warm and I am not complaining.
Chilmark Town Column: Week Ending September 11
For me, the morning of September 11, 2001, is forever captured in the quiet interior of my car, caught at a crossroads right after I dropped my five-year-old daughter off at Vineyard Montessori School.
Water Spout
From the September 12, 1958 edition of the Vineyard Gazette: Martha’s Vineyard just missed seeing a waterspout late Monday afternoon.
Partner Plants
You scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours. While neither may have an itch (or even fingernails for that matter), two organisms find themselves needing each other.
West Tisbury Town Column: Week Ending September 11
One day several years ago, many of us on the Vineyard recognized a familiar Island landmark in a photograph on the top of page one of the New York Times.
Police Investigate Alleged Sexual Assault at State Police Barracks
A person alleged that they were assaulted at the barracks by someone visiting a trooper stationed on the Island for the summer season, according to state police.
Mahjong Fever Calls All Ages to the Tiles
It’s a Tuesday afternoon at the Chilmark Library, and two dozen women are gathered in the meeting room. It’s completely quiet, except for the clicking of tiles moving between stacks, table, players and racks.
From Ground Zero to the Vineyard: Memories of 9/11 Stay Strong
Island resident John Hess was working in New York’s financial district on the day of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. He recalls city streets obscured by smoke, the view of burning wreckage from the Tappan Zee Bridge and the unmistakeable feeling that the world — and his life — had changed for good.
Rods at the Ready as Derby Days Are Here Again
On Wednesday, four days before the opening of the 81st annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, volunteers were hard at work inside derby headquarters on Edgartown harbor, preparing the weigh station for thousands of competitors’ catches.
Family Campground
We have learned with great sadness that the Martha’s Vineyard Family Campground has been sold to a corporate developer.
Keeping the Memories Alive Through the Details
For years I’ve made a living introducing people to solutions, places and to history. This year, on the 25 anniversary of September 11, I’d like to introduce you to someone.
Early Morning Beach Ritual Is Tribute to Father’s Example
One of my favorite times to be at the water’s edge on the Vineyard is early in the morning.
Book of Essays Lifts Up the Beauty of Small Talk
Joe Keenan’s new book, Small Talk, gathers together his many essays and stories published over the years in the Vineyard Gazette, the Martha’s Vineyard Magazine and other publications.
George Tankard Memorial 5K
The 24th Annual NAACP George V. Tankard Jr. Memorial 5K road race/walk will place on Saturday, Sept. 19 — with a rain date of Sunday, Sept. 20.
Burgers and Bubbles
Once again, the title for best burger will be on the line at the third annual Burgers and Bubbles event.
Traffic Statistics Reveal Familiar Standstills and New Hotspots
Two of the busiest roads on Martha’s Vineyard have seen an increasing number of vehicles in the last five years, leaving Island leaders wondering what can be done to ease congestion.
Making Music Her Way Keeps the Joy in Creativity
After a long hiatus, musician Meredith Sheldon is set to play a sold-out show at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse this Friday.
Songwriters Festival Returns
The Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival begins next week, bringing the sounds of Nashville to the Island.
Nevin Sayre Circumnavigates Island in Record Time
Hall of fame wind surfer Nevin Sayre set a new personal best during his ‘Round the Island wing foil sail on Saturday.
Edgartown in Talks to Buy Some Dairy Queen Apartments
The developer proposing 15 rental apartments behind the Dairy Queen in Edgartown may sell more than a fourth of the complex directly to the town, depending on the outcome of talks with Edgartown’s affordable housing committee.
Suicide Awareness Walk to End as Founders Step Away
The ninth annual Darkness Into Vineyard Light walk, on Sept. 19, is also likely to be the last for the suicide prevention and awareness event, whose founders and sole organizers are stepping down for individual reasons.
Norton Point Shark Bite Confirmed
The state’s leading shark expert confirmed that the woman who was injured in the water off Norton Point last week was bitten by a shark.
Gearing Up for the Derby at Surfcasters’ Tackle Sale
On Saturday, the Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association hosted its annual used fishing tackle sale at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School.
Chilmark Settles Verizon Lawsuit
A lawsuit between the town of Chilmark and Verizon Wireless has been put to bed after the town acknowledged that it improperly denied the cellphone carrier’s application to put wireless antennas on poles in the up-Island community.
It’s Back to the Books as First Day of School Arrives
School bells rang again on Tuesday morning as students, teachers and administrators returned to the classrooms for the first day of school.
Aquinnah Shop Plan Gets Public Introduction
The board of the Aquinnah Land Initiative talked to a standing room only crowd at Stillpoint on Sept. 2, and said they are hoping to raise $8 million to purchase, restore and care for the prominent property along the Gay Head Cliffs.
Remembering Trip Barnes and His World of Wonder
“Clarence A. Barnes III, Movers,” the faded sign said, its three-layered serif font retaining just enough pop to be visible from the street.
Bridge Column: Week of Sept. 11
Bidding decisions just keep on coming:
Tomato Tasting at Ghost Island Farm Is a Joyous Journey
Some people know Ghost Island Farm, and its owner Rusty Gordon, for the extravagant Halloween displays and oddities tucked into the greenhouses. Others know the farm for its accessible CSA, and others, for its tomatoes.
Bus Drivers Reach Tentative Contract Agreement
The weeks-long threat of a Vineyard Transit Authority bus driver strike appears to have been averted after the drivers’ union and management came to a tentative contract agreement this week.
Shark Sighting Closes Chilmark Beach to Swimming
Beach superintendent Martina Mastromonaco said beach staff first spotted the shark at around 8:30 a.m. and it has been hanging out in the area.
Edgartown Properties Sell for $43 Million
Two abutting Katama properties sold for a combined $43 million this week, marking one of the highest residential real estate sales in Vineyard history.
