Chilmark: Take it slow, folks

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Water landscape along North Road. —Valerie Sonnenthal

March came storming in, or as some folks said, “Holy nor’easter.” I was off-Island, and when I spoke with my husband Friday evening, it was just as the power went off. I looked at scary images of flooding, transformer fires, trees down, and ferocious shoreline waves. Returning home Monday morning was a shock, pulling into Vineyard Haven Harbor and seeing a wooden ketch leaning into the parking area, then driving home past all the cutaway fallen trees and limbs, noticing road-shoulder fragment piles, and ducks enjoying new private ponds. Later waves washed over my car windshield, wipers blinking away the salt water en route to the hospital. Stan Larsen posted film of the Squibby parking lot looking more like a rocky shore. So much damage still being assessed.

Be warned there are potholes and debris lurking below flooded areas of our roads. Take it slow, folks, mind the puddles, it looks like we’re in for a lashing a week. I’d take snow over rain any day, but I guess I should be careful for what I wish for. One bright spot is that Chilmark Chocolates reopens Thursday, March 8, through March 31.

If you want the skinny on what’s up with the airport commissioners and the Dukes County Commission, Chilmarker Rob Rosenbaum says just watch mvtv.org/video-on-demand-castus. Congratulations to Chief Norton, who finally gets what he deserved. Welcome home to Arlan Wise and Jay Ayer, who’ve returned from a month in India. Arlan was a speaker at a weeklong astrology conference sponsored by the Krishnamurti Institute of Astrology in Kolkata, India, for Indian and Western astrologers. Arlan and Jay visited the holy cities of Varanasi and Bodh Gaya, went to a tea plantation in Kerala, and ended their trip in the ruins of Hampi. They flew home from Bangalore, a modern Indian city.

Speaking of trips, last week Thomas Bena visited Honolulu and testified at the Honolulu City Council meeting, where they unanimously passed a two-year moratorium on “monster houses.” Next was a screening of his film at Manoa Public Library, attended by some Honolulu City Council members. Keep up with Bena’s film “One Big Home” at onebighome.com. “One Big Home” is playing at the West Tisbury library on Tuesday, March 13, from 9:30 to 11:30 am, followed by a discussion with director Thomas Bena and film subject Jessica Roddy.

The Chilmark School Spring Fling to benefit the Chilmark School Outing Program and the PTO is Saturday, March 10, from 7 to 11 pm at the CCC, with Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, live and silent auctions, desserts, beverages, photo booth, and live comedy. $25 at the door or through any Chilmark School family. Adults only.

If you are a senior citizen living at home, come have questions answered by Polly Brown from Vineyard Village at Home, on Sunday, March 11, at 11:30 am, following the morning service at the Federated Church Meetinghouse 45 South Summer Street, Edgartown. Free and open to all.

The Chilmark Community Church Tuesday Pizza Nights start up on March 13 after a needed one-week break; enjoy free food, conversation, and community. All are welcome, free. 9 Menemsha Crossroads, Chilmark.

The MV Partnership for Health needs 12 registrants to run any of the following programs: “My Life, My Health”: Self-management for those with long-term conditions or caring for someone else. Learn healthful behaviors including exercise, portion control, symptom management, coping strategies, and communications with providers. Develop a personal action plan for wellness in each area. Wednesdays, March 14-April 25, 10 am to 12:30 pm at the Tisbury Council on Aging. “A Matter of Balance”: Learn to manage falls and increase activity. Begin to view falls as controllable, set goals to increase activity, make in-home changes to reduce fall risks, start some easy beginner exercises to increase strength and balance slowly. Thursdays, March 8, to April 26, 3 to 5 pm. Call Kathleen at 508-627-5797, ext. 114, or email ksamways@ihimv.org to register.

Come to Pathways Arts when Natasha Taylor hosts Women Live: Honoring International Women’s Day on Thursday, March 8, featuring music, spoken word, performance art, and more. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and programs begin at 7 pm. Mondays join Rebecca Gilbert for knitting from 1 to 3 pm. You can stop by every day but Wednesdays and Sundays and find a warm environment to work in; Wi-Fi and computer available. Learn more at pathwaysmv.org.

West Tisbury writer Amelia Smith leads a four-week self-publishing workshop at the Chilmark library, Wednesdays at 5 pm. The program starts March 7 with an overview of the process of publication, followed by discussion of possible publishing goals, from promoting a business to literary acclaim, that will inform each writer’s publication process. Space is limited to 20, RSVP at 508-645-3360 or email chil_mail@clamsnet.org.

Please join the students of the Chilmark School at their annual Chilmark library art exhibit, opening on Thursday, March 8, at 3 pm; all are welcome. Stories and Song continues on Tuesday and Saturdays at 10:30 am.

Join Danielle Doell, Abby Bender, and Leah Crosby for a special Pathways event at the Chilmark Community Center on Friday, March 9. “Swimming in the Pool of Truth,” an antic for two that explores (among other things) past, patterns, future, and fish, plus Danielle’s piece “Make My Own Machine Work,” a solo confession on roller skates that searches for love, redemption, and potentially God. Doors open at 6:30 pm, performance at 7 pm. (No late seating for the performance part of the evening.) DJed dance party to follow, open to all, starting at 8 pm.

The Yard presents the Wondertwins’ “To Hip Hop, With Love” choreographed and performed by identical twins Bobby and Bill McClain on Saturday, March 10, at the MVPAC, 7 pm. Get tickets and learn more at dancetheyard.org/wondertwins18.

Thanks to M.V. Fisherman’s Preservation Trust you can sign up for the Fishing Partnership’s CPR/First Aid Certification Course, to be held on Tuesday, March 13, from 10:30 am to 3:30 pm at the Tisbury EMS/Fire Building in the downstairs meeting room. This course has been modified for offshore situations and is geared toward fishermen and their families. The class includes CPR, first aid, Narcan training, and ergonomics. This course will count toward your Captain License CPR/first aid requirements. The cost for CPR is $25, and Ergonomics is free, but the Fishing Partnership will waive the fee for hardship. Learn more and register at bit.ly/fishpartntraining.

It’s almost time for TMVFF! Get tickets, volunteer, stop by for some good eats and good times, Thursday, March 15 to Sunday, March 18. Schedule, tickets, and info here; bit.ly/mvfffest.

The M.V. Cancer Support Group’s Daffodil Time is coming. Daffodil bunches are $10, available at the MV Hospital from 8 am to 3:30 pm on Friday, March 16, and from 9 am to 4:30 pm on Saturday, March 17, at the Edgartown Stop & Shop, Reliable Market in Oak Bluffs, and Cronig’s in Vineyard Haven. Cancer is the leading cause of death on the Island, and all monies collected help patients and their families with medical expenses, transportation costs, lodging, and food when they have to travel off-Island for treatment.

Have a great week.