Town Column : Edgartown
By Gail Craig
Published: April 10, 2008
I am really looking forward to warmer weather, with outside activities, the open windows and doors, and more importantly - the lack of illnesses! It seems like some member of our family has been sick throughout the entire winter. Most recently, Amelia was laid up with strep throat and I've been battling the same respiratory virus that everyone else in the world seems to have had over the last month. Some years just seem worse than others for sickness, and this seemed to be one of those bad years. Maybe it was because the flu shot missed its mark this year. Maybe it's because the winter didn't get cold enough. Everyone has an idea about it, but one thing is certain - we all want it to be over at this point.
If you see Shirley Searle today, make sure you wish her a happy birthday.
The Rainbow Place is holding a yard sale this Saturday, April 12, from 9 am until 2 pm at the high school. As this is a community effort with all the Rainbow Place families involved, it promises something for everyone.
The Martha's Vineyard Chamber Music Society will present its spring concert for Islanders at the Old Whaling Church on Saturday night, April 15. The concert, entitled "The Phantom Violin," features works by Schubert, Beethoven, and others. To see the complete program go to this website: mvcms.org and click on "Spring Concert." Artistic director Dee Stevens has returned from Los Angeles to put together another wonderful program. Let's support her with an appreciative audience. The fee is $15 at the door. A reception will follow.
Jeff Enos reported to me this week that the pinkletinks are peeping at Sweetened Water Farm Pond across the street from his house. The sound of pinkletinks is always one of the best and surest signs of spring for me, right up there with finding Mayflowers.
Doug VB Goudie, the commentator on Boston's Fox 25 Morning News, has apparently posted a commentary about the Edgartown library on the station's website, where he expresses his displeasure that the governor of Massachusetts proposes (over the next five years) to allocate $100 million to funding for public libraries across the state, with $4.6 million of that for the Edgartown project. In his commentary, Mr. Goudie states, "It's unbelievable! When was the last time you even used a library? And how many people are there in Edgartown year-round that are gonna use this thing? But - we've got to tighten the belt, after all - there's a (deep sigh) recession coming and we've got a deficit. We can only give you $4.6 million. Sorry, Edgartown. Outrageous!"
In response to Mr. Goudie's diatribe, the Edgartown library is announcing the Mr. Goudie, You Are Absolutely Wrong Essay Contest. All through April, the library is inviting public comments, from formal essays to good one-liners, some of which will be shared at a party, the date of which is not yet set, to celebrate reopening the library building. There will be lots of creative prizes, none of them valuable but most of them fun. For more details and a link to submit your comments and essays, visit the library website at edgartownlibrary.org.
Don't forget that today is your day to be heard. Democracy is not a spectator sport! Be sure to get out and vote for your local officials and town budget items. If you don't vote, you are forfeiting your right to complain later!
I guess that's all for now. Not much news coming in and I haven't been out and about much to find much news on my own. Things are picking up around here, businesses in town are starting to bustle but the column news is still in winter hibernation mode, I guess. It's always feast or famine with this stuff.
Have a great week.
