Monday, March 18, 2024

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Harriet Patricia Morello Dorsey

A funeral Mass for Harriet Patricia Morello Dorsey (“Pat”) will be held on April 10 at 11 am at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven, followed by burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs. Pat passed away on Dec. 14, 2023.  For online guestbook and more information, please visit chapmanfuneral.com.

Local panel discusses microaggressions

It was standing room only Sunday at the M.V. Hebrew Center for a NAACP-organized discussion on the topic of microaggressions and how more conversation about the subtle and sometimes not-so-subtle hints of racism was needed on the Island. The panel discussion was titled “Subtle Acts of Microaggression.” Moderator Carole Copeland Thomas, president and CEO of […]

Islander joins state house race

The race to represent the Vineyard, Nantucket, and parts of Falmouth at the Massachusetts State House got a little more crowded. West Tisbury resident Arielle Faria, project and program development manager at the Island Housing Trust, announced on social media on Saturday that she will be running for the house seat as a Democrat. “It’s […]

Tisbury approves new taxi company

A new taxi company will be delivering passengers in Tisbury after a sometimes testy public review process with the town.  In a 2-1 vote on Wednesday, March 13, the Tisbury select board approved awarding a license to Island Shark Taxi, a permit previously held by AAA Taxi until its owner, Ira Yaffe, died in 2017.  […]

South Fork Wind finishes construction

South Fork Wind, an offshore wind project approximately 20 miles southwest of Martha’s Vineyard, completed construction on Friday, becoming America’s first fully built utility-scale offshore wind farm.  The developers say that the 12th and final turbine was installed in February, and they are in the final commissioning stage.  The farm is expected to generate 130 […]

A Plea for the Leash

To the Editor: Ah, Springtime! Sun, a light breeze, the dog bounding through the woods… Hang on a second. Do you actually have voice control over your dog? I ask, because true voice control is vanishingly rare. It’s not your dog returning to you every once in a while, when nothing particular is going on. […]

Services Saturday for Jared Nelson Grant

Jared Nelson Grant (“Jerry”), 83, of Edgartown, passed away on March 14, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. He was the husband of Sue Carroll.  A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper. A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held at the Whaling Church in Edgartown at 2 pm on […]

Elizabeth Flanders Campbell

Elizabeth Flanders Campbell, 64, peacefully died at her home in Chilmark on March 8, 2024, surrounded by her family. She was the loving wife of Jim Welch, and mother of Mariah and Jessica Campbell.  A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper, and a celebration of life will be announced at […]

‘Gridiron’ wins it for Island spelling bee

Josephine Gautier, a sixth grader from the Martha’s Vineyard Charter School, has won the 31st annual Martha’s Vineyard Schools Spelling Bee. Josephine, all smiles on the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Performing Arts Center stage on Friday, was the last standing after nailing the word “gridiron.” Josephine will be traveling to Washington D.C. to compete […]

Tisbury, Vineyard Wind plan for new park

Tisbury may be getting a waterfront recreational area on the Lagoon side of Beach Road with the help of Vineyard Wind.  According to planning documents submitted by Vineyard Wind, the concept is the creation of an area called Lagoon Harbor Park, between the existing Wind’s Up, a water sports equipment rental store, and the state-owned […]

School superintendent signs new contract

Island school officials have inked a new, three-year contract with Superintendent of Schools Richie Smith. All-Island School Committee chair Amy Houghton and Smith each signed the contract on Tuesday, March 14; the committee voted to approve the document the week before. “I feel very appreciated and likewise grateful to the committee and the [All-Island school […]

Edgartown School responds to parents’ concerns

To respond to parents’ concerns that the needs of students should be better met, Edgartown School officials presented a four-part plan for school improvement, announced nearly a dozen upcoming afterschool programs and called for more people to join the School Advisory Council. The administration shared updates on progress made since a February meeting in which […]

The High School View: Community chess night; Student Zak Potter

Read the MVRHS High School View: 3-14-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Oak Bluffs considers raising Pacific Avenue parking rate

The Oak Bluffs select board is considering raising rates for a commercial parking lot on Pacific Avenue to more align with off-Island commuter lots.  The parking pass for the lot has been $500 per year, which the board contemplated raising to $600 per year. The board did not make a final decision on Tuesday, March […]

Art Class 2024: MVRHS students get creative

Founded in 1923, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards acknowledge and honor creative talent based on originality, technical skill, and emergence of personal vision or voice. They have a noteworthy roster of past recipients, including Andy Warhol, Sylvia Plath, Truman Capote, Richard Avedon, Robert Redford, and Kay WalkingStick. Congratulations to the following 16 MVRHS students […]

Proposed speed restrictions could slow ferry operations

A proposed federal rule aimed at expanding the enforcement of marine vessel speeds to protect North Atlantic right whales, and that officials fear would impact ferry service for Martha’s Vineyard, has been moved to a final stage in the executive branch’s review process.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is looking to push forward […]

Keeping an eye on the offshore wind industry 

The offshore wind industry moving into waters close to our shores is no longer something in the distant future. It is here, and with it comes a need to keep a watchful eye: Are these massive companies delivering on their promises that were made to the Island and the region? Will they work with us, […]

A fin-tastic weekend: Fishing season is coming

Is anyone else tired of winter storms and canceled ferries?  Last Wednesday, I received an email from On the Water reminding me that spring is about to bloom, and fishing will once again be an almost daily part of my life. Admittedly, I also received an email from Eversource alerting me to possible power outages, […]

West Tisbury boys win MV middle school finals

In a close game between West Tisbury and Oak Bluffs last month, the West Tisbury middle school boys basketball team won 45-38 to take the all-Island middle school tournament.  The Hawks and Blazers faced off on Feb. 6 in the middle school boys basketball finals. Both teams finished their regular seasons 7-1, each with their […]

Assessing the 2017 Trump tax cuts

In 2017, President Trump signed into law the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. It was his signature achievement. Now that several years have passed since the law was enacted, what has been its impact? A little-noticed news story recently highlighted a new study of the law’s impact by four economists from Harvard, Princeton, the University […]

Vineyarders rally for ceasefire

To the Editor: On March 2, members of CeasefireMV traveled to Falmouth to participate in a demonstration on the Falmouth Green organized by the Falmouth Ceasefire group. CeasefireMV, Falmouth Ceasefire, and other Cape and Island peace groups called for an immediate, permanent ceasefire and provision of adequate food, water, medical, shelter, and other humanitarian aid […]

MVY to celebrate nonprofits

This Saturday, MVY Radio will host its fourth annual Night out for Nonprofits, a party held to celebrate the work and representatives of local nonprofit organizations. The event will take place at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs, beginning with a pre-event cocktail hour at 5:30 pm for nonprofit organization representatives. Doors will be open […]

False rumors in the wind

Editor’s note: The following is an article written and reported by the New Bedford Light. We are co-publishing this in-depth piece, which first ran on Feb. 12, with the New Bedford Light’s permission, as we believe it can enlighten our readers on the sprawling and complex story of offshore wind — a massive new industry […]

High school junior to compete at state science fair

A student at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School is moving on to a state competition for his science fair project. MVRHS juniors Elliot Stead and Jacksun Engler represented MVRHS at the Massachusetts Region V Science and Engineering Fair, held at Bridgewater State University on March 2.  Region V is the largest educational region in the […]

Around the Bookstore: Female authors

March has arrived. There are a few hints of spring, with stretches of gray and rain, and more than a small amount of pummeling by the weather, which always puts me in the mood to curl up with a book. March means many things to people: the arrival of spring and, for sports fans, March […]

‘The Forgotten Kingdom’ comes to the Island

Circuit Arts’ Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival is breaking new ground on March 21 at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center with what promises to be a memorable, live, full-length multimedia work. “The Forgotten Kingdom” will be performed by the Guy Mendilow Ensemble, which presents pieces that explore real-world tales of choices people make in times of […]

Wicked, but it’s oh, so good

If you want to laugh, cry, sigh, or grin, this year’s 10th-anniversary edition of the “Wicked Good Musical Revue” is for you. I spoke with founding director Molly Conole and musical director David Behnke, and the two are giddy with delight over the upcoming performance. I learned that Molly Conole, who has had a heart […]

Traveling the world in black-and-white

Teresa Kruszewski’s new exhibition at the West Tisbury library, “Moments in Time,” records the world as she has seen it over the course of her photography career. We travel through places and times, seeing traces of what has caught her eye, like a slice from an eclectic visual biography. About a year and a half […]

Museum Pieces: After hours at the museum

“Make play a high priority in your life, for if you die tomorrow, no one can play for you, but someone can and will do your work for you.” —Dr. Play (Ken Beebe) There is tremendous pressure to dedicate our time to work or serving the world in some way. Shame on us if we […]

‘Origin’ takes a look at the caste system and its effects

Journalist Isabel Wilkerson’s book “Caste” is the basis for “Origin,” the film opening at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, March 15. Wilkerson is the first woman of African-American heritage to win the Pulitzer Prize in journalism. Directed by Ava DuVerrnay, this film begins with Wilkerson’s story as an African American married to Brett Kelly, […]

Put on your dancing shoes

Start the week off right with line dancing led by Catie. Put on your boots (or sneakers), get out on the floor, and “Chomp at the Bit,” “Country Girl Shake,” and “Boot Scootin’ Boogie” with the best of them. All Island residents are welcome. Mondays, 10 to 11 am, at the Tisbury Council on Aging […]

‘Subtle Acts of Microaggression’

The Martha’s Vineyard branch of the NAACP will hold a panel discussion, “Subtle Acts of Microaggression,” on Sunday, March 17, at 2 pm, at the Hebrew Center in Vineyard Haven. The event will be moderated by Carole Copeland Thomas, a speaker and consultant with national and international experience on issues related to working people and […]

On pins and needles

Acupuncture is said to alleviate a number of ailments, including insomnia, back pain, stress, grief, and depression. On Saturday, March 16, from 1 to 3 pm at the Oak Bluffs library, acupuncturist Ty Romijn and his team will be on hand to offer an introduction to this treatment. Drop in for free 30-minute treatments and […]

Harvest of the Month: Eggs

Eggs are a symbol of spring and new life across many cultures of the world. However you celebrate spring, consider adding some local eggs into your traditions. Local farmstands are flush with eggs this time of year. Even as egg prices go up, an egg is still one of the most affordable sources of local […]

Garden Notes: ‘The Island is our garden’

Saluting the longtime motto of the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club (est. 1926), “The Island is our garden”: Whether as a declaration or as a goal, it suits this Island we cherish. It is the Ides of March. Daylight saving time. Grass, not yet kelly green, is greening. Hollies could be either female or male — […]

Have Faith: Saintly Suppers

The Lenten season is a good time to take a deeper dive into spirituality. It’s not all about giving up chocolate or your after-dinner glass of wine. You can also just up your game in the area of spiritual reading, sharing time with family and friends, or being mindful of your words and actions — […]

Contaminated soil delays Five Corners’ drainage project

A state study looking at stemming the flooding at Five Corners in Vineyard Haven has been stalled after contractors dug up what they believe is contaminated soil at a town-owned piece of land. Contractors working with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation were taking soil samples at 21 Beach St. last spring — a town parking […]

Writing from the Heart: Preferences

The great way is not difficult for those who have no preferences. The first time I read that statement, I was perusing snippets of the third patriarch of Zen, Hsin Hsin Ming. Before you scratch your head wondering, “What’s happened to Nancy; does she really spend time perusing Chinese Zen texts?” let me, in full […]

Visiting Vet: Bored cats can overeat

A few years ago at her annual appointment, I mentioned to Augusta’s owner that the cat was a little chubby. OK, maybe I said fat. Having battled my own weight all my life, I am naturally sympathetic to my fluffier patients. I also used to tell owners of such pets that if I had someone […]

‘C.F. Giordano: Clearly Misunderstood’

When is a motorcycle more than a motorcycle? Certainly, when Charlie Giordano builds one, as you will see in his show “C.F. Giordano: Clearly Misunderstood,” at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. You might ask why a motorcycle is starring in an exhibition in the first place. That’s perhaps a question Giordano would hope you might ponder. […]

Winter’s crossing

With early morning sunlight glinting off the chop in Vineyard Haven Harbor, Winter Muric descends the ramp from the ferry and rushes to catch the bus that will take her up-Island. Every weekday she makes the crossing from Falmouth, where she lives, to attend the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School in West Tisbury as a […]

Donaroma’s hosts a Spring Fling Flower Class

Spring is in the air, and what better way to celebrate than by participating in Donaroma’s “Spring Fling Flower Class” on Saturday, March 16, from 10 am to noon. According to the press release, the event promises to be an unforgettable floral experience, where participants will learn to craft stunning spring arrangements bursting with color […]

Appreciation for the Martha’s Vineyard Commission

To the Editor: I want to recommend to all Vineyarders to go by Featherston Art Center for its outstanding exhibit about the Martha’s Vineyard Commission now celebrating its 50th year. The exhibit will remain up through March 30 from noon to 4 pm. It was so meaningful to me to be reminded of how the […]

March’s Meat Ball

The eighth annual Meat Ball was held last Saturday, filling the Ag Hall with the sounds of Missis Biskis, and the delightful smells of local dishes prepared by Charlie Granquist of Slough Farm, with a little help from his friends. The fare included Island-raised meats and, of course, veggies too.  

Court Report: March 1 – 11, 2024

March 1 Antonio Ribeiro, Vineyard Haven; 22, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, no inspection/sticker, speeding in violation of special regulation: case closed. Antonio Ribeiro, Vineyard Haven; 22, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, failure to stop/yield: case closed. Clayton DeOlivera, Edgartown; 42, uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration: case closed. Marizete Costa, […]

West Tisbury: Museum exhibits, Polly Hill Arboretum, jazz documentary, and piano concert

It’s been an on-and-off rainy week. Sometimes the rain and wind lashes our windows with vigor; at other times it has the softness and warmth of spring. Everything is muddy, as is Abigail when she comes inside, so we have pawprints if I don’t get to her soon enough with a towel. By the weekend, […]

Tisbury: State of the Union, Art in the Stacks, ‘Moments in Time,’ book club, and concerts

Heard on Main Street: The journey of a thousand miles begins with a broken fan belt and leaky tire. Or you could say that the State of the Union event could feel like the journey of a thousand miles. My husband was always fascinated with politics. I’m sure he never missed a State of the […]

Oak Bluffs: St. Patrick’s Day, spring equinox, wellness day, farmer panel, and M.V. Film Festival

“May your home always be too small to hold all your friends.” —Irish blessing St. Patrick’s Day is March 17, the day to celebrate Irish culture. In my family of Irish immigrants, it was always celebrated in houses that were too small for the number of people who gathered. The dinner was corned beef, cabbage, […]

Edgartown: Spring Fling, Daffodil Time, Paint Party, writing workshop, and candidate forum

I love the extra daylight at the end of the day as a result of changing our clocks this weekend, but I’m discombobulated at the same time. I know my sleep schedule will catch up in a few days, but for right now, I’m definitely off my game. Spring is in the air, and what […]

Chilmark: Community kindness, Native Earth Teaching Farm, Pathways, and library classes

A few weeks ago, a “last call before it goes to the dump” Facebook post offered a desk and chair. It has eight drawers. I’d been using a borrowed-from-the-family drop-leaf table and cardboard Ikea boxes that were starting to melt. I knew enough to take measurements of the front door and the space I wanted […]

Aquinnah: Town clerk, Council on Aging, new apartments, ACE MV, and Chilmark School

You may recall that last week was the presidential primary election. I am a registrar here in Aquinnah, and had the joy of watching a steady parade of people coming in to do their civic duty, even knowing that there wasn’t much of a contest going on. We have a great group of registrars who […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘in March, before we leave’

in March, before we leave By Susan Puciul 1. winter night in the yard the moon’s room her rise welling up through black lace of oak and beech seize of crystal on forest ground mirrors the stern shine of starry eyes above same as knew us before we were the filament of our names 2. […]

Cribbage Club results

Twenty-one Vineyard Cribbage Club members met on Wednesday at the MVRHS Culinary Department dining hall in Oak Bluffs to play our favorite game. The results are: First, Kathy Kinsman with a 10/5 +18 card Second, Ed Montension with a 9/4 + 41 card Third, Mary Alice Russell with a 9/4 +11 card Fourth, Bill Russell […]

Academic honors

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School honor roll Grade 12, Honors: Tayla BenDavid, Kestutis Biskis, Jason Boudreau, Gabryal Brooks, Bryonie Brown, Emma Burt, Samantha Caldwell, Nicholas Carpenter, Andrue Carr, Isabel Carreno-Vogt, Quinn Cathey, Jack Chronister, Brendyn Cimeno, Bryce Cioffi, Aiden Conley, Henry Coogan, Sophia Cutrer, Jack deBettencourt, Caroline Dolby, Maia Donnelly, Alexandra DykeSydney Emerson, Thomas Fairchild-Coppoletti, […]

Births

Havana Rose de Diveira Cardoza Leide Daiane de Diveira and Anthony Cardoza of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a daughter, Havana Rose de Diveira Cardoza, on March 7, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Havana weighed 6 pounds, 10 ounces. Wiley Michael Hamilton Kaleigh Hamilton and Wyatt Hamilton of West Tisbury announce the birth of […]

Real Estate Transactions: March 4 – 8, 2024

Edgartown March 6, Michael Feinstein and Denise Waldron sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 453 Week 23 to David G. Tatarian and Mary K. Tatarian for $5,000. Oak Bluffs March 8, Felicia Webb, also known as Felicia S. Webb, sold 86 Washington Ave. to Syon Pandya Bhanot and Susanne Schwarz for $850,000. Tisbury March 8, […]

Bank robbery trial pushed to October

A federal judge has agreed to push back the trial for two remaining individuals charged in the 2022 robbery of the Rockland Trust on Martha’s Vineyard, as they look for a possible resolution before the court proceeds. Attorneys representing Miquel Jones and Romane Clayton — both arrested for involvement in the robbery — requested that […]

Delores Stevens

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Delores Stevens on March 7, 2024, at the age of 94.  Pianist Delores Stevens studied with the noted Bach authority Jan Chiapusso at the University of Kansas, and upon graduation took a position teaching piano at the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawaii. She met […]

Christopher Aring-Sharkovitz

A celebration of life for Christopher Aring-Sharkovitz will be held Saturday, March 16, at 2 pm at the Agricultural Hall in West Tisbury. For more information, or to donate to a scholarship in Chris’s name, please visit memorialsource.com/memorial/christopher-aring-sharkovitz. Aring-Sharkovitz, a lifelong West Tisbury resident, died on Jan. 18, 2024, due to complications from a heart-lung […]

Ocean Academy awarded for youth support

The Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy was recently granted an award by the sailing training organization Tall Ships America at its annual conference in Baltimore.  The Frank J. Bailey National Maritime Excellence Fund Sail Training Program of the Year award is given to recognize sail-training institutions for “great demonstrations of dedication, innovation, and impact.” Tall Ships […]

New restaurant taking over Vineyard Haven location

A new restaurant is coming to Main Street in Vineyard Haven. Local restaurateur Joseph Monteiro is aiming for a mid-May debut of his 9 Craft Kitchen and Bar in Vineyard Haven, at the 9 Main St. location currently occupied by Copper Anchor. Monteiro is still working on his menu for 9, but says that it […]

Bowlers medal at Special Olympics tournament

On Saturday, several bowlers from the Vineyard Special Olympics bowling team won medals at the Massachusetts Special Olympics State Tournament in Auburn. To reach the state tournament, bowlers placed at the highest level in the regional qualifier in February. With the highest pin total in their divisions, Gavin Robinson and Kyra Wildanger received gold medals. […]

‘Sprung on Spring!’

The spring equinox is upon us, and on March 19, the Oak Bluffs library is celebrating a day of growth, hope, and wellness with its free “Sprung on Spring!” extravaganza. The new programming coordinator, Amy K. Nelson, has planned quite the festivities. In addition to being a filmmaker and former journalist, she founded a mental […]

Island Lip Sync contest planned

Friends of Family Planning Martha’s Vineyard is inviting the public to perform onstage as part of a Lip Sync Contest planned for later this month at the Loft in Oak Bluffs. The contest will be held March 22, from 7 to 11 pm, and cash prizes of $500, $250, and $100 will be awarded to […]

Select board races heat up in Chilmark, Oak Bluffs

Updated March 12 Voters head to the polls for local town elections in the coming months, and so far Chilmark and Oak Bluffs are the only two with contested races for town select boards.  A vacancy on the Chilmark Select Board that will be left by a longtime sitting member brings a batch of residents […]

Robert Edward Lee Knight III

Robert Edward Lee Knight III, 97, of West Tisbury, died on March 5, 2024. He was the husband of the late Mary Carter Knight.  A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper, and a celebration of life will be announced at a later date. For online guestbook and more information, please […]

Aquinnah housing project opening for renters

Updated, March 13 The Dukes County Regional Housing Authority is accepting applications for four units in the Carl Widdis Way Apartments, a town project currently under construction near Aquinnah Town Hall. Applications will be accepted until 5 pm on Friday, April 12. The project is part of a larger town center plan for Aquinnah, along […]

Steering wheel prompts Sankaty cancellations

Updated March 13 The Steamship Authority (SSA) experienced another batch of canceled trips on Monday. According to SSA staff, the freight ferry Sankaty was taken offline because of a problem with its steering wheel.  SSA spokesperson Geoff Spillane told The Times Monday that the steering gear pumps on the vessel were “found to be out […]

Island shellfish and a parallel in the Chesapeake

The sold-out screening of A Passion for Oysters at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center — a locally produced film that highlights the restoration efforts of the Chesapeake Bay — illustrated Islanders’ own passion for, as well as the struggles in growing, the bivalves. Hosted by the Tisbury Waterways, Inc. (TWI), the gathering attracted fishermen, conservationists, […]

Stop & Shop proposing Vineyard Haven site changes 

Updated March 12 While no formal plans have been put forward, there is an indication that Stop & Shop is resurrecting plans to renovate its Vineyard Haven location, which has long been in the works. Representatives with Stop & Shop were before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Thursday, March 7, with plans to move a […]

Coalition applauds newspaper translation service

To the Editor: The Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition applauds the new Portuguese translation of the newspaper. “O Tempo” is an important measure that significantly increases recognition of the contributions and vitality of our Brazilian brothers and sisters, while giving them an added voice to expand the Island’s knowledge of Brazil’s rich history, arts, and culture. […]

Inn owner sentenced for marijuana growing operation

A West Tisbury resident was recently released from Dukes County jail after serving a sentence on charges that he was in possession of more than 100 pounds of marijuana; he’d also been arraigned multiple times over a series of other alleged crimes last year, including violating an abuse prevention order, stemming from domestic disputes, in […]

Commission installs first shared-use path counter

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission recently released its first round of data from a new tracker used to count pedestrian and cyclist activity along the Beach Road Shared Use Path in Oak Bluffs. The counter, installed in January, is located in front of the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. According to the MVC, the shared-use path — or […]

Aquinnah lighthouse undergoing beacon change

The rotating red-and-white pattern of the Gay Head Light in Aquinnah comes from a model of beacon so obsolete that it is used by only five other U.S. Coast Guard lighthouses. But the time has come for an upgrade. The Carlisle & Finch company’s “DCB-224 aerobeacon” lights were produced so that airports could signal to […]

Drought status improves for Vineyard

Following three months of near-normal rainfall, state officials have downgraded the Islands from a significant drought to a mild one. Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Rebecca Tepper made the declaration on Friday. Still, the state recommends monitoring of drought conditions, and officials say they will be providing technical outreach and assistance to affected towns.  […]

Commission greenlights Montessori school expansion

The Vineyard Montessori School’s expansion plans will be moving forward.  The Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) unanimously approved the school’s plans to expand, after a final review held on Thursday, March 7.  Montessori officials came before the commission early last month with a proposal to construct a third building on its main campus at 286 Main […]

Incredibly rare gray whale sighting

Marine life researchers have reported seeing a gray whale off the southern coast of Massachusetts last week, which they are calling an incredibly rare event. An aerial survey team with the New England Aquarium spotted the whale 30 miles south of Nantucket on March 1; the aquarium says the gray whale has been extinct in […]

A step across a cultural divide 

From the street, you could hear the muffled beat of Brazilian house music up in The Loft on Oak Bluffs Avenue.  It was my first time going to “Brazilian night,” a Sunday tradition for many Islanders in the off season. As you climb the stairs into the club, the upbeat music crashes down on you […]

Robert Bruguiere

Robert Smith Bruguiere — husband, father, and grandfather — passed away peacefully at home after a brief illness on Feb. 19, 2024 at the age of 89 years. He was also known as Bobby B and Robby the Robot. He was the son of Altha Bunnel (Smith) Bruguiere and Harold Oscar Bruguiere. His maternal grandparents […]

Isaac Daw Russell

Isaac Daw Russell of West Tisbury died Feb. 27, 2024 at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, just three months after the death of his beloved wife, Gertrude Richards Russell.  Born in New York City on Jan. 7, 1933, Isaac was the first-born child of Henry E. Russell and Faye Rattenbury Russell of Tenafly, N.J., and the adored […]

Ernest S. Lamoreaux III

Ernest S. Lamoreaux III, 89, died at his home in Edgartown on March 5, 2024 surrounded by his family. He was the husband of Susan Banner Lamoreaux. His memorial service will be held at a later date and a complete obituary will appear then. Visit chapmanfuneral.com for an online guest book and information.    

Fifty years shaping the Island

The Island’s regional regulatory board, born out of concern that development was running rampant on the Island in the early 1970s, is celebrating a major milestone. The Martha’s Vineyard Commission — which has been credited with helping preserve and shaping the Island into what it is today — is turning 50. The Commission is kicking […]

Remember?

Don’t ask me to remember where I left my coat. Or when I last ate. Or even what day it is.  But I remember clearly eight decades ago, bathing in the brook we called the Stepping Stones. How icy the water was against my ankles, how slippery the stones. My sisters and I would toss […]

Your Market liquor license transferred

Your Market in Edgartown and Our Market in Oak Bluffs are both entering into new management from an off-Island group. The Edgartown Select Board on Monday approved the transfer from owners Harborside Triangle Liquors Ltd., to Your Market Liquors MV LLC, which is managed by Tonian Belmosto-Borges, Nikul Patel, Tapan Patel, and Nilesh Patel.  The […]

Realtors participate in food drive

The Martha’s Vineyard Realtors recently wrapped up a food drive for the Island Food Pantry, which provides year-round assistance to Islanders in need of food security.  Items donated during the food drive included healthy foods, toiletries, household essentials, and pet products. This is the third annual drive from the local Realtors group. “Realtors are good […]

Know your hospice choices

To the Editor: Thanks to Phyllis Segal for her always timely letter about the value of hospice care. We on Martha’s Vineyard are fortunate to have Hospice and Palliative Services nearby. From both my personal and professional experiences, I know that we must continue to broaden the understanding of hospice as a choice and an […]

Frustrated with SSA cancellations 

To the Editor: As a college student who wants to come home, these SSA cancellations are making it very difficult. I believe this should not happen, as it is the only decent way to get on the Island. Something needs to be done to prevent this. Having one crew member out should not make such […]

No surprises: Biden sweeps Vineyard primary

Islanders cast their ballots on March 5 for the presidential primaries, and Democratic incumbent President Joe Biden received by far the most votes.  Super Tuesday saw voters in 15 states cast their ballots for their preferred presidential candidate for the upcoming election in November, including Massachusetts.  Biden received 74 votes in Aquinnah, 238 votes in […]

What is at stake for Chappy?

To the Editor: Since 1972, my family has owned a house on the Vineyard, and throughout my life, the beaches of Chappy became my home. For us, a home was never about the physical structure but about the place we love, doing what we love, and being with the people we love. In 2000, my […]

Celtics honor West Tisbury resident

The Boston Celtics honored Jennelle Gadowski of West Tisbury at a recent game for the Islander’s advocacy for LBGTQ youth and for helping to organize the Vineyard’s first annual Pride Parade. Gadowski was named a “Hero Among Us” as part of the Celtics’ Pride Night on Sunday, for which she was called to half-court at the […]

Nitrogen pollution remediation: lengthy and pricey

Updated March 12 There is momentum building on the Island with towns starting to move beyond the planning stages of large wastewater projects and to the action stages while addressing the long-term health of local water bodies, plans that will be both costly for taxpayers and lengthy to implement.  The infrastructure projects — which have […]

Books and music

MVY Radio, the nonprofit radio station located in West Tisbury, and broadcasting throughout the world via internet, is currently hosting something that’s a bit of a departure from their usual mix of music and interviews. Last fall, weekend DJ Polly Simpkins launched a new venture called MVY Radio Rock & Roll Book Club, a Zoom-based […]

Creative camp at Sense of Wonder

The mission of Sense of Wonder Creations (SOWC) is to educate young people, through creative arts, on how they can make a difference in the world. Using their unique talents and skills, students are encouraged to embrace diverse cultures, eradicate racism, stand up for human rights, care for the environment and animals, and do local […]

Life in Bhutan explored in ‘The Monk and the Gun’

“The Monk and the Gun” opens at the M.V. Film Center on Saturday, March 9, at 7:30 pm. This satire by Bhutanese director Pawo Choyning Dorji narrates the world of Bhutan in 2006 as it decides to become a democracy. It’s important to recognise that the Bhutanese director and actors are elements of the film’s […]

Color, form, and detail in Bruce Mathews’ photography

Photographer Bruce Mathews of Oak Bluffs views his latest subject, flowers, in a very different way than that of most other artists. While shooting various species in a dedicated studio space in his Oak Bluffs apartment, he discovers life and vibrancy in the blooms he collects at local florists. These qualities truly shine in Mathews’ […]

‘Tremendous’ season for boys basketball

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys basketball team lost in the Round of 16 in their bid for a state championship, coming up just short against a tough Medfield High School team 53-61. Medfield started out hot, going up by eight points within the first five minutes of the game; by halftime, the lead […]

What Are You Watching? ‘Earthstorm’

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars “Earthstorm” is a four-episode documentary series on Netflix. It follows the stories of the storm chasers’, survivors’, and first responders’ experiences with volcanoes, tornadoes, hurricanes, and earthquakes. Each of the episodes shows real footage, explanations, and descriptions, making it educational and interesting. The show focused more on the repercussions […]

8th annual Meat Ball scheduled

The MV Agricultural Society will hold its 8th annual Meat Ball on Saturday, March 9, from 5:30 to 9 pm at the Agricultural Hall. The annual event includes a buffet dinner of pasta, polenta, bread and salad — starring locally sourced meatballs made from Island-grown meat.  Tickets are available for purchase on their website at […]

Around the Writers’ Table

During the winter of 2014, Peter Oberfest, then publisher of The MV Times, called me into his office. He was interested in creating an MV Times–sponsored event for the community, and wanted to brainstorm ideas. We decided to put together a writers festival. It would be different from the M.V. Book Festival, which brings buzz-worthy […]

Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival: ‘Best of the best’

Minah Oh, director of the Martha’s Vineyard Film Festival, couldn’t be more excited: “This is the strongest lineup, because it is the best of the best. I can wholeheartedly say that every single film, whether a documentary or a narrative, is phenomenal. And one of the many strengths is that many of the films have […]

Passion projects

Lani Carney, known as Miss Lani by her students, is passionate about teaching. “I was a college professor for many years. My whole life has been devoted to teaching people,” Carney said. Currently, Carney teaches group and private art lessons to children at her Vineyard Haven studio. Her background is in child psychology, and in […]

Wild Side: The osprey cometh

It’s hard to think of a species more beloved among Vineyarders than the osprey. This long-winged, black-and-white bird was, like many other raptors, nearly exterminated in the 1950s and 1960s by indiscriminate insecticide use. Following the ban of the worst chemicals in the 1970s, this fish-eating hawk has bounced back with gratifying vigor. The species […]

History hunting

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum, our treasure up on the hill in Vineyard Haven, offers plenty to see and do during the spring season. You can join one of the 2 pm Friday or Sunday gallery walks, free with museum admission. In terms of what’s new, through July 14, there is the “Clifford: Our Big Red […]

On My Way: Walking with Becham on South Beach

Becham dug excitedly, and when he had a hole large enough, he stuffed his nose in, not minding the sand all over his face and in his nostrils. No voles were present. We were on South Beach, walking out to Norton Point to see where the cut had progressed from one year ago. I also […]

Dogcharmer: Potcake is great

Dear Dogcharmer, We adopted a Lab mix named Potcake six months ago. She’s now 9 months old, and fine in every way, except for her constant chewing on furniture — wood and cloth. Her favorites are chairs and couches, and we are at our wits’ end! She’s fine in the crate, but when out, she’s […]

Cookie or candy?

Every family has a few recipes that are famous, if only at their house. At our house it’s my husband’s recipe for Peanut Butter Chews. A middle-school lunch lady gave him the recipe when he was about 11 years old, and it’s become one of our holiday traditions to gobble down dozens of these as […]

Museum Pieces: Try something new

“It’s a natural law, you receive as much as you give.” —Paul Karasik What if we wake up each day and choose kindness? Actively look for opportunities to smile and pass on friendly words to people? It can feel like the world is hustling and bustling us into a decidedly dazed existence. It can be […]

Pathways’ Music Series celebrates local singer-songwriters

Pathways Arts resumes the Music Series post–school vacation with an evening of solo acts featuring local musicians and singer-songwriters, with guest musicians accompanying for a few songs on Friday, March 8, from 7 to 9 pm. Songwriter Maryse Smith winds her lyrics around themes of interpersonal relationships, with a sprinkle of literate twist. Wise and […]

Game on!

Though chair volleyball is a bit different from traditional volleyball, it is just as much fun. Chair volleyball is played inside, with players sitting on chairs, and using a beach ball instead of a volleyball. The net is lower, and each team seats six players on each side of the net. The game can be […]

Drawing essentials

In the Art Barn drawing studio at Featherstone, M. Colleen Harrigan will engage students in a beginning drawing course to develop and expand their observational abilities and rendering skills. Students will learn methods for describing objects in terms of line, shape, cross-contour, proportion, light logic, perspective, and compositional space. This four-week course progresses from basic […]

Hone your corned beef skills

St. Patrick’s Day isn’t all about green beer. Corned beef is important as well! Curious how to turn an ordinary brisket into corned beef? On Saturday, March 9, from 10 to 11:30 am at the FARM Institute, Chef Charles Granquist of Slough Farm will host a workshop that covers it all — from selecting the […]

West Tisbury: Great Pond, daffodil sale, M.V. Democrats, and Johnson & Ryan concert

Last Tuesday was the sort of day that makes one glad to be alive, especially in midwinter, when it is such an unexpected treasure. The temperature was in the 50s. The sky was a painterly azure blue. By Wednesday, the clouds came in, opened up, and wind shook the trees and stopped the ferries from […]

Art and film coming up at the Vineyard Haven library

On Sunday, March 10, the Vineyard Haven library offers an opportunity for adults to work on a collage craft at 1 pm during “Mod Podge and Collage.” Information from the library says, “We’ll use Mod Podge to decorate small boxes and oyster shells donated by the M.V. Shellfish Group.” The library will supply some materials, […]

Rise dance company takes the stage

The Rise Vineyard Performing Arts dance company will present its annual company showcase on Sunday, March 10, at 3 pm at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center. It’s a one-time-only performance that is fun for all ages, and is the perfect way for audiences to experience the uniqueness of Rise and the different genres of dance […]

Ballads and standards concert at the West Tisbury library

Mark your calendar for Sunday, March 24, at 2:30 pm, when the West Tisbury library hosts “Great Ballads and Classic Jazz Standards,” a concert featuring Debbie Major and Steve Riddick with the Jon Bates Band. Having performed seasonally on-Island for the past 30 years at parties, clubs, weddings, festivals, and special events, the Jon Bates […]

Jake Stanton clinches spelling bee at Edgartown School

On Thursday, Feb. 22, the Edgartown School hosted its annual school spelling bee. The students filled the gym to cheer on the 11 classroom winners. The competitors were Danny Sawers, Juliet Merrill, Carreik Roye, Jake Stanton, Demy Heil, Harlow Hannah, Zoe Tucker, Katie Carroll, Gavin Robinson, Sienna Crowell, and Mabel DeRoche. The competition lasted an […]

Tisbury: Film Center, adult crafts, day of wellness, Opera Club, jazz music, and book clubs

Heard on Main Street: I wonder if there is anyone under 65 interested in running for president. The Martha’s Vineyard Film Society offers operas and many new films. Choose from one about how memory works, or some restored film noir classics, or “Painting the Modern Garden: Monet to Matisse,” at 1 pm on Sunday, March […]

Oak Bluffs: Signs of spring, P.A. Club, Strong Martha, Parent to Parent, and free VTA

“For there is always light. If only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” —Amanda Gorman, “The Hill We Climb” Amanda Gorman, who will turn 26 years old on March 7, was named National Youth Poet Laureate when she was still a teenager in 2017. She has been […]

Edgartown: Writing workshop, theater for adults, Sonic Flow, Cape Poge, and Community Sing

Happy March. If it comes in like a lamb, will it go out like a lion? Or is spring just going to come in nice and early this year? I’m hoping for the latter. Even my daffodils are looking promising. If you traveled over February break, welcome back! Happy birthday wishes go out this week […]

Chilmark: Saintly Supper, family yoga, bag weaving, safe lawns, Pathways, and Kirtan

The winds change in March. The pace picks up inside and out. The birds’ songs are louder, and the chorus more diverse. Snowdrops are in bloom. I wish I’d cut back more of the blackberry stalks bending over the spikes of green pushed up by flower bulbs. My brain is still foggy, but my voice […]

Aquinnah: Garden Club, Meat Ball, Soup Social, beach grass, and Nancy Aronie

Last week was one of the quietest weeks of the year around the Island. School was out, skies were mostly gray, and, with winter doldrums hovering about; many folks fled the Island in search of warm weather, or skiing, or simply for something different to look at. Now things are beginning to speed up a […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Things to Come’

Things to Come By Cecily Bryant Day dawns under sullen shelf clouds A promise of a cold rain A day for making soups and calling friends I am grateful for the colors of carrots and savory greens I am warmed by a fire and a heartful message left on my door It speaks of a […]

Cribbage Club results

Fifteen members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met on Wednesday to play six rounds of our favorite game, cribbage. The results are as follows: First, Collin Evanson with a 10/5 +48 card Second, Mary Alice Russell with a 10/5 +27 card Third, Ron Ferreira with a 9/4 +62 card Fourth, Jule Vanderhoop with a 8/4 […]

Real Estate Transactions: Feb. 26 – March 1, 2024

Edgartown Feb. 29, Nancy M. Hunt and David E. Connolly Jr. sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 418 Week 35 to Jonathan T. Winslow, Celeste Eid Rustom Winslow, and Cierra-Mechelle Gonzales Winslow, trustees of Thach Winslow Family Trust,for $27,500. Oak Bluffs Feb. 26, Renee T. Nolan, Rachael Laskowski, the Estate of Barbara Ann Nolan, also […]

Births

Maxim Joseph Manzone Kailey Manzone and Nicholas Manzone of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Maxim Joseph Manzone, on March 2, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Maxim weighed 7 pounds, 14.6 ounces.  

Court Report: Feb. 16 – March 4, 2024

Feb. 16 Jennifer Peres, Vineyard Haven; 19, uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration, no inspection/sticker: case closed. Jennifer Peres, Vineyard Haven; 19, uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration, no inspection/sticker: case closed. Fabio Dos Santos, Oak Bluffs; 33, assault and battery on family/household member: continued to pretrial […]

Fisheries compensation program open to fishers

Avangrid, the company that partly owns Vineyard Wind, is now accepting applications for fishermen impacted by the operation of the offshore wind project. The Fisheries Compensatory Mitigation Program provides compensation to commercial fishermen for economic impacts attributable to Vineyard Wind’s construction, operations, and decommissioning activities.  Avangrid announced the program in a release this week. The […]

West Tisbury production ready to rock

Students at the West Tisbury School are putting on a production of Schoolhouse Rock Live Jr. this weekend. The show features students in grades between 5 and 8, who have been rehearsing since December. Shows will be held Friday and Saturday (March 8 and 9) at 7 pm and Sunday, Mar. 10 at 2 pm. […]

Vineyard clergy join call for housing action

They say it’s written in their religious scripts: the need to secure housing for everyone in the community. And on Sunday, some 1,700 people — including from many faith institutions and several from the Vineyard — gathered at the Islamic Society of Boston Cultural Center in Roxbury to support the religious leaders’ call for action […]

Trustees name new beach manager

The Trustees of Reservations announced they have hired a new beach manager for the nonprofit’s Chappaquiddick reservations. Joseph McLaughlin joins the Trustees after a long career as the director of properties at the Norman Bird Sanctuary in Middletown, R.I. . The Trustees issued a release reporting that McLaughlin will plan, organize, and manage stewardship of […]

Super Tuesday polls open until 8 pm

Polls for the presidential primary will be open across the Island today until 8 pm Tuesday, March 5. On the Democratic primary ballot, the presidential candidates are President Joe Biden, U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips, and Marianne Williamson, although Williamson has dropped out. On the Republican primary ballot, the presidential candidates are former South Carolina Gov. […]

Pamela Scott Harris Daugherty

Pamela Scott Harris Daugherty transitioned on Feb. 12, 2024. She had been admitted to Cape Cod Hospital, where she was being treated for complications following recent cancer therapy. She was supported by her husband Lenston and their daughter Soleil as she fought bravely to the very end. She loved, truly loved the beach! Sanibel, Lucy […]

Margaret E. Keating

Margaret E. Keating, 100 years old, of Oak Bluffs, and formerly of Arlington, died on Sunday, Feb. 3, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late James F. Keating; loving mother of Sandra P. Keating and Corinne M. Clark and her husband Scott M. Clark; the beloved grandmother of Charlie […]

Pinkletinks sing, signaling spring

The mating call of the male pinkletink has been heard this year, two weeks earlier than the Times reported it in 2023. The call of the small brown frogs, known off-Island as spring peepers, has long been associated with the start of the season.  “Just getting home from work and I’m hearing a really nice […]

Boys hockey fall in playoff run

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys hockey team made it to the Round of 16 in their playoff push, but fell short of their ultimate goal. After a lopsided 10 – 0 victory against Greenfield High School on Thursday, Feb. 29, in the first round of the playoffs, the boys lost a tough one […]

Boys basketball bound for sweet 16

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys basketball team is headed to the Round of 16 in the state championship tournament after a win over Lynnfield High School 63 – 47 on Saturday. The Vineyarders had big games from their senior captain, Nate Story, who poured in 20 points, and senior captain Josh Lake — […]

Island chamber director resigning

Carolina Cooney, executive director for the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce, is stepping down. Cooney has served in the top position at the Chamber since 2022. A news release from the Island organization says that she is leaving the post to move off-Island this summer. “Leading the Chamber has been an extraordinary journey filled with […]

Crew shortage causes SSA cancellations

Updated March 6 One day before Island schools came back from February vacation, the Steamship Authority (SSA) was hit by cancellations throughout the day because of a crew shortage, prompting complaints from frustrated travelers.  Approximately 150 vehicle reservations were impacted by Sunday’s cancellations, and the authority stopped accepting passengers in the standby line.  According to […]

South Beach to be partly repaired for summer

Updated, March 3 Edgartown officials have been working to partially restore South Beach in time for summer following a series of devastating storms over the winter, but some of the area won’t be completely restored. Town parks commissioner Andrew Kelly says that his department is working to shore up the beach as much as possible […]

Sea Breeze vet retiring

Updated, March 3 Dr. Constance Breese of Sea Breeze Veterinary Service in Vineyard Haven says that she will be retiring this spring, amounting to another blow to pet healthcare services on-Island. Breese has had a forty-year career, and she says that while she has tried to find a replacement at her Vineyard clinic, she has […]

Vineyard rental reaches $1 million a month

Sotheby’s International Realty has listed a monthly rental of a coastal Chilmark estate at $1 million a month, which some Islander realtors say is the first to hit the notable high mark. The 11-bedroom, 13-bathroom home — assessed by the town at nearly $40 million –- is located on nearly five acres on Point Inner […]

SSA suspension of 5:30 am ferry delayed again

The suspension of the Steamship Authority’s (SSA) 5:30 am departure from Martha’s Vineyard was pushed back again.  The SSA said in an announcement that they will begin replacing a concrete finger pier at the Vineyard Haven Terminal on Wednesday, March 6.  The SSA had initially pushed back the replacement project from Tuesday, Feb. 22, to […]

West Tisbury contemplates boost in Portuguese services

West Tisbury officials are considering ways the town can better serve Brazilian Islanders, including adding translations in Portuguese to some town records.  Among the proposals is hiring a language-interpreting phone service, and looking at how other municipalities adapt to a significant non-English-speaking population. The idea came from select board member Skipper Manter, who noticed signs […]

O.B. questioning public events in neighborhoods

The Oak Bluffs select board is expressing reservations allowing public events to be held in residential areas in town, citing concerns about traffic and the impact of noise on neighborhoods. The most recent event under review is the Martha’s Vineyard Black Book Festival to be held inaugurally on August 10 at the Island Inn, an […]

Taxpayers bemoaning higher infrastructure costs 

High price tags for HVAC work on Martha’s Vineyard have become a common impasse, both for individuals and businesses, along with municipalities looking to replace or upgrade old, outdated systems.  Town employees working in essential buildings like the Tisbury School, the Chilmark library, and the West Tisbury library are no strangers to system leaks and […]

Perspective on O.B. zoning proposal 

To the Editor: I would like to offer a different perspective on the zoning bylaw change that has been under discussion in Oak Bluffs, as well as a response to the letter submitted on Feb. 9, headlined “Concerns for Oak Bluffs Zoning Changes.” My name is Dana Mylott, and I am the owner of DTALS […]

Jimmy Carter upends hospice expectations

To the Editor: Last February, at age 98, former President Jimmy Carter entered home hospice care. He is the longest lived U.S. president in American history, and will turn 100 on Oct. 1. His family recently said how pleased they are that “his decision to enter hospice care has sparked so many family discussions across […]

Oak Bluffs zoning proposal considers solutions for real problems

The Oak Bluffs planning board is proposing a solution to a problem that’s been brewing on the Island for some time, and causing consternation among some Island tradespeople and residents who live near their worksites. It deals with zoning, a clunky and oftentimes confusing set of rules that has great authority over how we live.  […]

MV Times announces ‘O Tempo’

This week we are starting a translation service into Portuguese for our readers from the growing Brazilian community, making The Martha’s Vineyard Times the first news organization on the Island to serve the community in this way.  Our new Brazilian edition will be available online and we are calling it “O Tempo,” or “The Times” […]

Island vet clinic fighting for lease

Animal Health Care Associates (AHCA), a 40-year veterinary service facility on the Island, is in danger of losing its lease at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport, compounding fears among pet owners that animal health care would decline even further. Federal regulations require the airport to put AHCA’s lease — which is for one of nearly 50 […]

Special thanks from Red Stocking

To the Editor: Once again, our Island community, both near and far, wrapped its collective arms around Red Stocking 2023, our 85th year! The words “thank you” do not even begin to express the gratitude we feel for all of you who supported us this past year. For 2023, we were able to make the […]

Slow down for wildlife

To the Editor: While recently driving from Edgartown to Oak Bluffs on Beach Road, I came across two dead gulls on the parking lane shortly after the Big Bridge. I parked, got out of my car and walked to look at them. There is no question in my mind why they were there. Cars were […]

Congress’s disgrace: the failure to reform immigration

Congress once again failed to resolve the critical immigration problem plaguing the southern border of the United States. Thousands of undocumented migrants are crossing into the country. Just a year and a half ago, Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis sent 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. According to the MV Times, some called it “a political […]

Nominations open for impact grant awards

Martha’s Vineyard Bank is now accepting nominations for its 2024 Community Impact Grants season. The grant program, now in its fifth year, enables members of the community to vote for a nonprofit they believe had a particular impact in the previous year. This year, four nonprofits — two in Falmouth and two in Martha’s Vineyard […]

A push to preserve Cuttyhunk lifeline 

A coalition of stakeholders are pushing to preserve a crucial ferry to Cuttyunk, following concerns that some developers — including possibly the offshore wind industry — may try to outbid the operation. The Massachusetts Development Finance Agency (MassDevelopment) had issued a request for proposal (RFP) for the “use and development” of the eight-acre New Bedford […]

A vacation gone awry in ‘Golden Years’

“Golden Years” arrives at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, March 1. This comedy with the ironic title concerns a retired couple who go on a Mediterranean cruise, a gift from their children. Directed by Barbara Kulcsar, the film introduces trouble with the excursion when Peter (Stefan Kurt) invites his friend Heinz (Ueli Jaggi), who […]

Warming up winter at the Louisa Gould Gallery

If the world is seeming pretty gray to you at the moment, you might want to head over to Louisa Gould’s gallery for a colorful respite from the winter palette. Currently the downtown Vineyard Haven gallery is hosting two shows that might just brighten up your mood. “Winter Blooms” features work by five artists each […]

Food as medicine

Food is more than a tasty meal for Jacqueline Foster. Food as medicine is the tenant of her life and the center of her work as an Ayurvedic healer and chef. Originating in ancient India, Ayurveda is a holistic system of medicine that emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit. Foster explains, “The […]

Miner Family Gallery flourishes in the off-season

There’s a little gallery tucked away on Beach Road Extension across from the Black Dog Tavern. And unlike many galleries on the Island, the Miner Family Gallery is open year-round, hosting a revolving display of work by both established and lesser-known artists. Craig Miner opened the gallery last summer after sharing a space on Beach […]

Bad art has found a home

Art is subjective, they say, but sometimes bad art is simply…bad…and that makes it fantastic in its own right. Thomas Edison described genius as 1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration. Artists featured in the Museum of Bad Art (MOBA) in Boston may have struck a different balance. MOBA collects, exhibits, and celebrates art that […]

Museum Pieces: Life outside our experience

“We can’t change what happened in the past, but we can learn the truth of what did happen without fear or defensiveness.” —Linda Coombs Martha’s Vineyard Museum is a vital community organization continuously collecting information to share in order for us to move through the world with more clarity, cooperation, and kindness. We won’t all […]

Learn to knit

Learn how to knit in a New to Knitting four-week series at Featherstone Center for the Arts. Each week, Helen Hall will introduce a new technique, along with knitting terms, vocabulary, and pattern reading. The course is intended for those who have never knitted or those who wish to deepen their skill set. The fee […]

Calling all Swifties

Make a bracelet that is so awesome you won’t want to “Shake It Off.” Dance on over to the West Tisbury library on Friday, March 1, at 1:30 pm to make Taylor Swift-inspired bracelets while listening to her music. Free and open to the public. Email hburbidge@clamsnet.org for more information.  

Dance moves at the library

Get out your dancing shoes and head over to the West Tisbury library for an in-person Adult Community Dance Class. Instructor Jesse Keller Jason makes every(body) feel comfortable. Class begins with a guided warm-up to align the body while building strength, stability, and flexibility. After getting warm and energized, participants transition to upbeat movement sequences […]

Big dreams at the Cozy Corner Cafe

Igor (Iggy) Vukoje is a bit of a Renaissance man. Owner of both the Cozy Corner Cafe and Vineyard Wash in Edgartown, he also holds a PhD in environmental science and microbiology. In 2015, Iggy started Vineyard Wash, a mobile auto and boat detailing company on the Island. “I gained business skills by opening Vineyard […]

In the Kitchen with Tina Miller

Editor’s note: This article is the first in a series called “In the Kitchen with…” Each month we’ll meet up with an Island chef or foodie as they prepare a recipe we will share with you.  Of course, we’ll have to taste the end result, you know, just to make sure it’s good. As the […]

Garden Notes: Pruning and planting

The Feb. 13 snowfall was glorious. Leap year February kicked in with its familiar self, but tardily, mid-month. And March — in like a lamb? Wintry conditions may give ticks pause, beech trees a break, and may also enhance water tables with gentle “trickle in.” Snow also delivers atmospheric elements that once gave it the […]

Woodside Story: No more hating

Yeah, the two sides of our country’s political struggles find each other, truly, revolting. But this is just the nauseating view developed from watching the news, something some of us have tried to avoid. And avoiding the news feels like riding a raft down canyon waters, we know that. I have spent many an evening […]

Visiting Vet: Gemma’s dilemma

Thursday is my day providing “Urgent Veterinary Care” on the Vineyard. Despite the fact that I haven’t taken on new clients in years, for a 24-hour period each week, I try to assist anyone needing immediate help with a pet. This might include Islanders whose regular veterinarian is unavailable, seasonal residents whose animals get their […]

Have Faith: A real community

We have such good news at the MV Times. We’ve spent the last few days talking to members of our Island’s Brazilian community — definitely our Island brothers and sisters — and we just launched a translation feature on our website, mvtimes.com, that offers Portuguese translation (among other languages) of all our stories. We realize […]

Writing from the Heart: Grandparents’ love

The difference between parenting and grandparenting is as wide a gap as a farmer is from an ear of corn. My grandmother reached just above my waist. It’s true I am taller than most, but she was really small. She had a perpetual twinkle and when my sister and I would tease her (which for […]

Court Report Feb. 6 – 16, 2024

Feb. 6 Vernon Welch, Aquinnah; 38, larceny from building, two counts of malicious destruction of property, larceny of drugs: continued to pretrial hearing. Feb. 9 Alessandro Desouza, Vineyard Haven; 34, speeding in violation of special regulation, license suspended, no inspection/sticker, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, class E drug possession: continued to pretrial hearing. Alessandro De […]

Brazucada!

The word is brazucada. It comes from “brazuca” in Portuguese which is slang for “Brazilian.” When you have a large crowd of Brazilians all in one place — like we increasingly do here on Martha’s Vineyard — the expression becomes “brazucada.” And on March 3, from 3 to 9 pm, at the Loft in Oak […]

Aging Greatfully

“Aging Greatfully Coffee Chat With Dr. Michael Jacobs is an informal group of seniors sharing the challenges of aging here on the Vineyard. This warm and compassionate group is open to anyone who identifies as a senior. Wide-ranging conversations about the physical, medical, and emotional challenges of aging and sharing of information about resources on […]

Climate Change Connections: Valentine for Mother Earth

“There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature – the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after the winter.” —Rachel Carson It all started with my sandbox, my irrepressible love of nature. Without fail, my sandbox beckoned me in my everyday 3-year-old morning and afternoon routines. Above my sandbox was […]

Hospital doesn’t miss a beat when it comes to cardiac care

February is Heart Month. No, not because Valentine’s Day falls midway through the month, but to raise awareness about heart health. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women. An average of 659,000 people die in the U.S. each year from the disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and […]

Up-Island Council on Aging: March 2024

Up-Island Council on Aging, Howes House 1042 State Rd., West Tisbury Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4 pm, closed holidays 508-693-2896 friendsofupislandcouncilonaging.org There’s always something happening at the Howes House! We are open Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4 pm. Closed holidays. Mondays 9:15 am: Yoga with Martha Abbott (Zoom). Email spiritmovesyou@gmail.com. 9 […]

Edgartown Council on Aging: March 2024

Edgartown Council on Aging The Anchors at 10 Daggett St. Lyndsay Famariss 508-627-4368 lfamariss@edgartown-ma.us edgartowncoa.com Weekly Events Monday 11:30 am: Bowling at the Barn 12:30 pm: Bridge Tuesday 9 am: Yoga. No yoga on March 5. 10 am: Knitting 12 pm: Tuesday lunch 1:15 pm: Mah Jongg Wednesday 9:30 am: Tai Chi with Nan Doty […]

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging: March 2024

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging 21 Wamsutta Ave. Rose M. Cogliano, 508-693-4509, ext. 3 oakbluffsma.gov/152/Council-on-Aging Weekly Exercise: In Person and Zoom Monday 9 am: Exercise with Patience Campbell and Marilyn Miller. Zoom: https://us04web.zoom.us/j/732230936?pwd=nTIP11DKUuY Meeting ID: 732 230 Password: 027340 Thursday 9 am: Exercise with Bill White. Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89052266998?pwd=Mnp2eGdRbFFsUENXYSs3R0IuWW02QT09 Meeting ID: 890 5226 6998 Password: 474213 […]

Tisbury Council on Aging: March 2024

Tisbury Senior Center 34 Pine Tree Road, Vineyard Haven Director: Joyce Stiles-Tucker 508-696-4205 tisburyma.gov/council-aging We offer free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate all day every day! The center is open 8 am-4 pm Monday through Friday. Weekly Activities Mondays 9:30 – 10:30 am: Line Dancing with Catie 10 am- 12 pm: Knitting Round 11:30 am: […]

M.V. Center for Living: March 2024

M.V. Center for Living, the Island’s Dementia and Caregiver Support Network Leslie Clapp, executive director 508-939-9440 lesliec@mvcenter4living.org mvcenter4living.org Regular Programs Daily: 9 am – 2 pm, Supportive Day Program Fridays: 11 am – 12 pm, Open House Fridays: 10 – 11:15 am, Dementia Caregiver Support Group on Zoom NEW Respite Innovations Respite Innovations brings person-centered […]

SHINE: March 2024

SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) Barnstable County Regional SHINE office shine@capecod.gov 508-375-6762 It’s a New Year and a new volunteer opportunity is waiting for you! The Barnstable County SHINE program is seeking volunteers for 2024! We screen, train, and certify all volunteers as Medicare experts, so you don’t need a background in […]

Noteworthy for 55+: March 2024

Community Programs Easter Dinner Enjoy a meal delivered to your door on Easter Sunday, March 31. If you are alone or will be unable to go out, call your local Council on Aging no later than Wednesday, March 22, to order your holiday meal: Edgartown: 508-627-4368 Oak Bluffs: 508-693-4509 Tisbury: 508-696-4205 Up-Island: 508-693-2896 Sponsored by […]

Veterans’ Corner

The Dukes County Veterans Services department serves the veterans of all seven towns within Dukes County. The Veterans Service Officer helps veterans obtain all the benefits to which they are entitled, keeps records of living and deceased veterans, and conceives programs to honor vets and promote patriotism. Veterans Services provides for the provision of Federal […]

West Tisbury: Spring break, soup and bread lunches, and town voting system

It’s the last day of this Leap Year in February. Funny to have such a simple solution every four years to straighten out our calendar. It’s also school vacation week, so it may feel quieter in town. I know lots of families head off-Island to ski, lie on a sunny beach, visit family or friends, […]

Tisbury: Fulling Mill Brook, ‘Living on Wampanoag Territory,’ mystery movie, and Vineyard lawns

Heard on Main Street: “Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” —Dr. Seuss The Martha’s Vineyard Museum opens an exhibit called “Percy E. Cowen: My Own Dearest Jane” on Saturday, March 2. Percy Cowen (born 1883) was an illustrator for well […]

Oak Bluffs: Bob Marley, Leap Day, Percy Cowen, Ag Fair poster, and Built on Stilts

“The greatness of a man is not in how much wealth he acquires, but in his integrity and his ability to affect those around him positively.” —Bob Marley I quote Bob Marley this week because I just saw “One Love,” the movie about his life. The story centers around his efforts to put on a […]

Edgartown: M.V. Film Center, Senior Dinner, Neighborhood Convention, and ice skating

Our crocuses are blooming! Does this mean spring is arriving early? Hopefully they know what they are doing. It’s lovely to see them and the snow drops and hear the birds singing. I know March can bring rough weather, so I’m not putting my winter boots away yet. Happy birthday wishes go out this week […]

Chilmark: Animal Health Care Associates and Up-Island Council on Aging

This week is spring break. Many are off on adventures. Many are enjoying home. Some are starting seeds. I am sick with a head cold. I am grateful for broth and yummy Island-made heat-up meals for my mum. I am grateful for clean sheets and lavender pillows. My dog has recovered completely and I am […]

Aquinnah: Grateful for SSA, Tech Pro for seniors, ACE MV, and special anniversary

Charley and I had to go off-Island last week and I want to say thank you to the employees of the Steamship Authority. Getting our reservation was easy. The ferries going and coming were on-time, clean, and had well-stocked snack bars. The parking and loading and unloading of a whole lot of foot and vehicle […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Snowdrift’

Snowdrift By Fan S. Ogilvie Look at a snowdrift of spring Kousa dogwood blossoms backed by a writer’s shed on top of which turns a brass and gold weathervane—the horse/fish warrior hippocampus. It’s the writer’s story, one never told just gestured about—timeless. I want this picture to be seen and heard; billions of human lenses: […]

Cribbage Club results

Twenty-two Vineyard Cribbage Club members met on Wednesday at the MVRHS Culinary Dining Hall in Oak Bluffs to play our favorite game- The results are: 1st George Giosmas with a 13/6 (GRAND SLAM) +100 card 2nd Doug Werther with a 12/5 +103 card 3rd Bill Russell with a 10/4 +60 card 4th David Pothier with […]

Real Estate Transactions: Feb. 19 – 23, 2024

Edgartown Feb. 23, Jocelyn R. Rosenthal sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 307 Week 34 to Moji Ghavidel and Scarlett Ghavidel for $24,000. Oak Bluffs Feb. 23, Arthur J. Meuse, trustee of Marie T. Sheehy Trust, sold 1 Narragansett Ave. to Brian K. Hunt and Melissa C. Thomas Hunt for $3,475,000. Tisbury Feb. 20, Garrett […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Brooke Crocker of Vineyard Haven, at Tufts University. Eric Reubens of Vineyard Haven, at Tufts University. Junior Dos Santos of Vineyard Haven, at Rochester Institute of Technology. Elliott Berz of Aquinnah, at Holyoke Community College. Silas VanHorn of Vineyard Haven, at Flagler College. Graduation Jonathan Smotrich of Chilmark, from Coastal Carolina University.  

Births

Blake Frances Coye Linsay Coye and Thomas Coye of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Blake Frances Coye, on Feb. 15, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Blake weighed 7 pounds, 10 ounces. Pedro Ribeiro de Oliveira Alves Ana Paula and Dhianniny Alves of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Pedro Ribeiro de […]

Record season for Island deer program

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society’s Community Deer Cooler, maintained to reduce the Island’s deer population, stored a record 90 deer this year.  The program has been in place since 2019, and the 90 deer is up from 79 in 2022. Brian Athearn, a manager at MV Hunt Club, credits the good 2023 season in part […]

Boys basketball captain breaks school scoring record

Senior captain Josh Lake with the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School basketball team broke the all-time school record for points scored in a single game on Wednesday last week, a record that’s been in the books on the Vineyard for more than a decade. On Feb 21 against Bishop Stang, Lake scored 46 points after […]

Boys hockey hunting for state title

Updated, Feb. 27 Hockey players on the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School had some fun early this week ahead of their upcoming bid for the state championship. The team held a scavenger hunt on Monday, with most of their friends (and the rest of the Island for that matter) away during school vacation week. Players […]

More election nomination paper deadlines incoming

The annual town elections this year are steadily approaching, and there is still some time left in some towns for those looking to run for office.  Election nomination papers will be due at town clerk offices in Aquinnah, Chilmark, and Tisbury in the coming weeks and months. In Chilmark, nomination papers are due on Wednesday, […]

Storm brings cancellations, minor outages

Updated Feb. 28 The stormy weather on Wednesday morning forced the Steamship Authority to cancel several trips.  The cancellations for the Vineyard route began earlier than anticipated. Originally, the ferry service said that cancellations could begin midday on Wednesday on the Vineyard route, but several morning ferries were canceled in the morning; for Nantucket, cancellations […]

High school struggling to retain coaches

As spring sports registration opens, an ongoing coaching shortage is having an impact on student-athletes. School officials say the shortage is based on having a small pool to draw from for coaches, as well as the time constraints aided by traveling off-Island for competition. The shortage has had a particularly acute effect on the MVRHS […]

Dozens of right whales spotted in regional shipping lanes

  Marine conservation officials are asking boaters to reduce vessel speeds in the region after dozens of North Atlantic right whales were spotted swimming in shipping lanes off Nantucket and Cape Cod last week. The New England Aquarium survey team was in the area on Feb. 20 when scientists spotted a group of right whales […]

Feds complete environmental review for New England Wind

Another offshore wind project off the coast of the Vineyard is a step closer to coming to fruition. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced in a Monday press release it has completed an environmental review of the proposed New England Wind project, formerly known as Vineyard Wind South. The agency will issue a […]

Another milestone in Vineyard Wind project

Updated Feb. 27 Massachusetts is now receiving more renewable energy through Vineyard Wind. Avangrid, the company that owns half of Vineyard Wind, announced last week that the first five turbines of the offshore wind project have been installed and are delivering electricity.  The project is now providing around 68 megawatts to the New England grid, […]

O.B. library to host emergency prep talk

The Oak Bluffs Public Library will host a Community Climate Discussion about Emergency Preparedness on March 2 from 1:30 to 3 pm. West Tisbury emergency management director Russ Hartenstine will speak at the event, as will Nelson Wirtz, the Oak Bluffs fire–EMS chief and emergency management director. A question-and-answer period will follow the talk. Hartenstine […]

Tisbury considers town manager role

As Tisbury considers the work ahead for its master planning process, officials are looking to give the town administrator more authority over personnel and budget decisions. The role could also be retitled as a town manager, with broader powers. Town administrator Jay Grande says that increasing his position’s authority would allow better execution of the […]

Down-Island residents raise concerns over proposed zoning districts

Oak Bluffs residents, alongside some from Tisbury, pushed back against a set of zoning amendments presented by the Oak Bluffs planning board.  Among various zoning amendments that may be headed to Oak Bluffs’ annual town meeting on April 9 — including a bylaw to limit fractional ownership in the town and other potential changes related […]

West Tisbury seeks new town accountant 

The West Tisbury select board Wednesday began the process of finding a replacement for its longtime town accountant Bruce Stone, who will be officially stepping down from his role in the beginning of June. Stone announced his plans to retire after 20 years of service last fall. Upon the board’s accepting of his resignation during […]

Delegation of Edgartown Democrats to be elected

An Edgartown delegation will head to the state Democratic Convention in early June. Edgartown members of the Democratic Party will convene virtually on Zoom for the 2024 Edgartown Caucus on Saturday, March 2 at 10 am to elect a delegation to go to the convention. The delegation will consist of four delegates and four alternate […]

Chilmark weighs backup power options

With climate change in mind, including the potential for severe storms, Chilmark is considering energy resilience options for its town center. Chilmark could pursue three levels of resiliency, with the most resilient providing over a week of backup power in the event of an outage, and the least providing one to four hours. The most […]

Vineyard hit by nationwide cell disruption 

Updated Feb. 23 The Vineyard was not spared from the nationwide cell service disruption on Thursday, but the impact it received seems to have been on the lower end.  It is uncertain how many on-Island customers have been impacted by the disruption, but a number of people on the local social media page Islanders Talk […]

Candidates narrowed down for next Chilmark principal

The candidates for the next Chilmark School principal have been narrowed down to two educators, one of whom is an Islander. Among those who applied to take the reins of the up-Island school, it comes down to Edgartown School third grade teacher Alicia Knight and Kate Squire, a fourth grade teacher at Willard Elementary School […]

The High School View: Shortage of coaches; Cultural appreciation in the cafeteria

Read the MVRHS High School View: 2-22-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

SSA temporarily suspends 5:30 am ferry

The Steamship Authority will halt the 5:30 am ferry departing from the Island, starting next week.  According to an online announcement made on Monday, pier replacement work at the Vineyard Haven Terminal was supposed to start on Tuesday, canceling the 5:30 am departure from the Vineyard for that day. However, the replacement was delayed to […]

Ralph Kirkham Safford III

Ralph Kirkham Safford III (“Kirk”) of West Tisbury passed away in Boston on Jan. 10, 2024, with his wife, Kristine, by his side. Born in Boston on Oct. 26, 1942, to Nancy B. French Safford and Ralph Kirkham Safford II, he spent much of his youth between New Haven, Conn., and Martha’s Vineyard. It was […]

Edward Schulman’s ‘Winter Color’ imbues images with life

Edward Schulman’s new exhibition, “Winter Color,” at Mocha Mott’s in Vineyard Haven, is a lyrical ode to the beauty of color and movement. While abstract and expressionistic, his art touches base with the visible world. “My work encompasses a keen interest in modern expressionism, movement, dance, including fashion and historical costume design, all blended to […]

Around the Writers Table: Workshops and readings

I was looking into the writing-related events that will be taking place on the Island during pinkletink season, and was surprised that a few of the offerings are still happening over Zoom. I suppose that’s a good thing. Zooming, as we know, offers stay-at-home convenience, and opens up workshops, talks, and readings to people off […]

Words won’t save us from the next storm surge 

State and local officials have been treading water for too long on how to handle increasingly frequent and destructive flooding at Five Corners in Vineyard Haven.  And it’s hard not to feel like time is running out, as the water keeps rising, and tidal surges keep washing up at the doors of area businesses, including […]

Love is complicated in ‘Twelfth Night’

Love was in the air … actually, it was all over the stage, in the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s splendid contemporary musical rendition of Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” by British actor-playwright Kwame Kwei-Armah, with a buoyant score by American singer-composer Shaina Taub. The flawless, endlessly funny, touching, gender-bending production had us grinning from the opening […]

Boys basketball qualifies for the League division

Despite their loss to Nantucket at TD Garden last month, the Vineyard boys basketball team bounced back, being named Cape and Island league champions and qualifying for the League division earlier this month. On Feb. 6, the team secured their 13th win of the season, along with the title of Cape and Island league champions, […]

MVRHS swimming Sectionals and State Championships wrap up the season

Earlier this month, MVRHS swimmers traveled to Worcester and Boston for the South Sectional Championships and the D2 State Championships after qualifying for the events in late January and early February. 10 swimmers participated in the South Sectional Championships at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. On Saturday, girls Olympia Hall and Paula Geshke swam in the 100 […]

Museum Pieces: Far-reaching exhibits

“I was put on earth to make people laugh.” —Art Buchwald Why are we here? Who are we? Defining anything is incredibly hard. Think about how you would describe yourself or want to be described, and then about how a complete stranger would. We have layers, and we can’t express them all at once; perhaps […]

Are you built for stilts?

Built on Stilts, the Island’s community dance and performance festival, is accepting registrations for participating artists of all stripes, now through July 1. The annual festival will celebrate its 28th season from August 8 to 10 and 17 to 19 at Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs. Choreographers, musicians, storytellers, poets, puppeteers, comics, actors, circus performers, […]

‘Perfect Days’ celebrates beauty in everyday life

In a run-up to the Oscars, “Perfect Days” arrives at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Feb. 23. The film was directed by Wim Wenders, who won an Oscar nomination for it, as did actor Koji Yakusho as the central character, Hirayama, and the film itself as the Japanese Oscar nomination. “Perfect Days” tells the […]

Hula for seniors

Hula is a form of dance that increases strength, flexibility, and gracefulness. It is also used for community building, timing, coordination, memory, cultural appreciation, and more. The Federated Church in Edgartown hosts “Hula Flow for Seniors” with Shanta Gabriel on Mondays, 3 to 4 pm. It is also offered at Howes House on Wednesdays, 10:30 […]

Black History Month scavenger hunt

Celebrate 10 amazing Black individuals who changed the world while you have fun searching for their pictures around the Oak Bluffs library. Find all 10 pictures and get a small prize. This educational scavenger hunt is for kids of all ages. Drop in between 10 am and 4 pm. Through Saturday, Feb. 24.  

Fungus farming

Learn to grow mushrooms with Matthew Dix of North Tabor Farm. The class will focus on shiitake mushrooms, but will cover oyster and wine cap mushroom cultivation as well. Workshop participants will come away with their own shiitake log to harvest. Ages 10 and up are welcome. At the Ag Hall. Cost: $10 for Ag […]

Chilmark Preschool project may use tennis court for access

Constructing the recently approved Chilmark Preschool may mean temporarily losing the middle tennis court at the town community center for eight months, from this fall through May 2025. Chilmark Select Board members favored moving heavy machinery through that tennis court instead of through the nearby ballfield area, citing safety and disruption concerns for children. Select […]

Beloved Aquinnah restaurant may reopen

Islanders may be seeing the return of the former Aquinnah Shop Restaurant this summer.  The news was revealed by Aquinnah Land Initiative (ALI) president Wenonah Madison during an Aquinnah Select Board meeting on Tuesday, although she did not specify what type of plans are in the works for the property.  “There are plans to open […]

Harvest of the Month: Cabbage

Seeds from the Brassica family of vegetables are indistinguishable, though they grow into a wide variety of very different vegetables. Turnips, kohlrabi, kale, broccoli, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, and mustard all have small, dark, round seeds that you would not be able to tell apart. Our favorite thing about Brassicas is the diversity of edible plants […]

Wooly world

The history of fiber arts on the Vineyard runs deep. Sheep were brought to the Island by European settlers as early as the 1600s. “Sheep were used for both meat and wool,” M.V. Museum’s research librarian, Bowdoin Van Riper, said. “At one point, there were 15,000 sheep on the Island, but that changed during the […]

Public hearing likely for 41 North freight proposal

A New Bedford company’s proposal to bring freight service to Vineyard Haven is under public scrutiny.  A proposal by 41 North Offshore, which had been providing freight services between New Bedford and Nantucket, to expand its services to Martha’s Vineyard was met by some pushback. Town officials from Tisbury recently expressed concerns over the potential […]

Two keeping tempo

Pianists Molly Sturges and Lisa Weiss will perform — very closely — at their Feb. 24 concert, “One Piano, Four Hands” at the Edgartown library. As the term suggests, in four-hand piano compositions, the two musicians will play side by side. “It’s a very intimate art, comparatively speaking, as opposed to watching a violin-piano recital […]

Second Acts: NaDaizja Bolling

From as long as she can remember, NaDaizja Bolling spent her summers on Martha’s Vineyard. Raised near Boston, she went off to Syracuse University to study public health, but came back to the Vineyard in the summer. After college, she worked at the Harvard Business School, researching a book chronicling the careers of Black business […]

Zoning proposal pits contractors against homeowners

Updated, Feb. 26 Amid an increasing demand for construction, those who work in the trades are frustrated over the lack of space for them to store their equipment and to do their work.  Voters at town meeting in Oak Bluffs this spring will be asked to reconsider decades-old zoning laws to make accommodations for trade […]

Waiting for the future

Islander Jesse Cottle Child is in serious need. Although he is currently on dialysis, a kidney transplant is essential, and so far, he hasn’t been able to find a donor match. Child’s health journey began with a trip to the ER in October 2022 because of stomach bloating and cramps. His partner, Cecily Allen, recounts, […]

Montessori School revises plans

The Vineyard Montessori School presented about a dozen revisions to its expansion plan during a Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) meeting on Feb. 15. The revisions include lowering the height of the building’s roof ridge by more than two feet, adding a gable roof to the lobby entrance, extending all three upper-level decks for more comfortable […]

Wild Side: Brown thrashers have become rare here

A recent report in a Vineyard birdwatching Facebook group called to mind a species I hardly ever think of these days: the brown thrasher. It’s not that I don’t like them; indeed, thrashers rank among my favorite songbirds. It’s just that this bird, once widespread and numerous, has quietly, steadily slid downward in abundance to […]

Dogcharmer: ‘Go find!’

Dear Dogcharmer, If I wanted to get a puppy into search and rescue, how would I start? And how great are their noses, really? Your answer to my questions will really be appreciated! Martin Dear Martin, As to their noses, my search dog Michelle had in the vicinity of 250 million olfactory receptors; you and […]

Poet’s Corner: Poem by Michael Oliveira

By Michael Oliveira the book of your life would you skip to the last page to see how it ends? Michael Oliveira has lived and worked on Martha’s Vineyard for decades. He currently lives in East Falmouth. Poets with a connection to Martha’s Vineyard are encouraged to submit poems to curator Laura Roosevelt at ldroosevelt@gmail.com. […]

West Tisbury: Early voting, soup and bread lunches, Howe’s House, and Jennie Greene

Watching the snow falling Tuesday morning, I kept hearing in my head the lyrics to “Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’” from “Oklahoma” by Rodgers and Hammerstein. Of course, I was looking at my snowy woods instead of Gordon MacRae riding through a sunny cornfield, but I was watching a beautiful landscape before me, nonetheless. Wednesday […]

For our readers

The MV Times welcomes Letters to the Editor on topics that are of interest and relevant to Islanders. Recently we have received a large number of letters, which is great, but an increasing percentage of these letters are weighing in on topics far beyond our shores, such as the war in Ukraine, the conflict between […]

Tisbury: Snow plowing, Tech Pro, tea shortages, movies, and library activities

Heard on Main Street: The best is yet to come, I hope. Supposedly I live on a town road, but I guess I need to call the DPW to remind them, because we never got plowed. I guess they forgot. And each day the road became more of a mess, especially because the temperature dropped […]

Oak Bluffs: Full moon, beach cleanup, library’s future, Ambler Wormley, and senior center

“Try to realize it’s all within yourself, no one else can make you change /And to see you’re really only very small, and life flows on within you and without you.” —George Harrison Our February full moon will rise on the 24th, which will be 02-24-2024 for anyone looking for a lucky number! This moon […]

Edgartown: Winter beauty, Family Center, Bodhi Path, piano concert, and Hula Flow

Well, we finally got our winter storm. Much as I don’t like snow, it does look pretty out the back windows. And I went outside the other night, and the trees had all this frozen snow and ice on them, and when the wind blew, they made a beautiful noise. Everything else had that quiet […]

Chilmark: Cross-country skiing, Tending Joy, library classes, and Maya Angelou

I love snow, and was thrilled when enough fell to strap my boots into the old cable bindings on the wooden skis I’d picked up years ago from Jane Slater’s shop in Menemsha. I asked Mum not to worry, because it was likely I’d be gone for hours exploring, playing, in between rounds of shoveling. […]

Aquinnah: Winter walks, waddling ducks, war in Gaza, and community work

Today the sun is shining and everything looks sparkly; sparkly, that is, unless you look at the driveway, filled with snowmelt mud. It is a balmy 40° out there; sparkly, that is, except for that glorious, scouring, frozen wind. We have taken to walking around the Aquinnah Circle in the early afternoons, glorying in the […]

Clarifying the state’s retirement plan

To the Editor:  After reading a recent Letter to the Editor (“Corruption in retirement plan for public employees,” Feb. 8), it appears there is some confusion about the Massachusetts SMART Plan that I would like to clear up. The Massachusetts Employees Defined Contribution SMART Plan (SMART Plan) is a 457(b) plan available to all state […]

Real Estate Transactions: Feb. 12 – 16, 2024

Edgartown  Feb. 15, Marshall D. Cook and Isabelle D. Cook, trustees of Cook Family Trust, sold 3 Winter St. Unit D and 32 North Water St. Unit E to Untameable RE LLC for $3,949,000. Feb. 15, Temple Emanu-El, also known as Temple Emanu-El of Westfield, N.J., sold 6 Kent Harbor Road to Branch Martha’s Vineyard […]

Engagement: Kracht – Doriss

Allison and Stuart Doriss of Edgartown and Estero, Fla., are pleased to announce the engagement of their son, Jack Doriss, to Taylor Kracht of Quakertown, Pa., daughter of Dr. William Kracht and Teresa Kracht of Quakertown. A wedding is planned in Boone, N.C., on June 8, 2024.  

Births

Emmett Henry Martineau Taylor Achin and Philip Martineau of West Tisbury announce the birth of a son, Emmett Henry Martineau, on Feb. 12, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Emmett weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Blake Frances Coye Linsay Coye and Thomas Coye of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Blake Frances Coye, on Feb. […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Sebastian Alexander of Oak Bluffs, at American University in Paris. Catherine Stewart of Vineyard Haven, at the College of the Holy Cross. Aiden Marek of West Tisbury, at Providence College. Ruby Remington Suman of Aquinnah, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Silas Benjamin Abrams of Chilmark, at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Jocelyn […]

Vineyard preps for presidential primaries

Islanders will have their chance in an upcoming primary election on March 5 to vote for candidates they want to see on the ballot during the presidential election this fall.  The last day to register to vote is on Saturday, Feb. 24. This is also the last day for voters to change their political party […]

Island Grown embraces co-leadership model

Two top Island Grown Initiative administrators, Noli Taylor and Michelle Gittlen, will assume co-directorship roles in the organization as longtime executive director Rebecca Haag retires. According to a press release from Island Grown, the board that heads the food equity nonprofit appointed Taylor as executive director of programs and outreach, and Gittlen as executive director […]

William Daniel Bennett

William D. Bennett of Lambert’s Cove died peacefully at home with his family on Feb. 15, 2024. He was 86. Bill was born on Oct. 19, 1937, to Mary Frances Ahearn Bennett and William Taft Bennett of Yonkers, N.Y. He was the third of four children, with his brother Bob and sister Carole his older […]

George Brennan gets double NENPA honors

Former MV Times editor George Brennan will be inducted into the New England Newspaper and Press Association (NENPA) New England Newspaper Hall of Fame, and is one of this year’s NENPA Yankee Quill Award winners. Brennan is one of four journalists inducted into the Hall of Fame this year, but the only one to also […]

Phoebe Reese Lewis

Phoebe Reese Lewis, 94, of Milwaukee, Wis., died on Jan. 26, 2024, at St. John’s on the Lake in Milwaukee. Born on August 6, 1929, to Everett David Reese and Martha Grace (Gay) Reese in Newark, Ohio, Phoebe lived in Milwaukee, spent winters in Tucson, Ariz., and summers on Martha’s Vineyard, in family homes on […]

Dr. Elizabeth B. Miller (Rawlins)

Dr. Elizabeth B. Miller (Rawlins) was born on Nov. 25, 1927, and died at the age of 96 on Feb. 3, 2024. Elizabeth (“Betty”) passed away at her home in Oak Bluffs peacefully, with her children, Paul (Teresa) and Pattie by her side.  Betty was born to Archibald and Nellie Miller. She was the second […]

Frederick Jackson Jr.

Frederick Jackson Jr. (“Fred”), a man who could turn any gathering into a party, passed away peacefully on Feb. 13, 2024, surrounded by his loving family, holding the hand of his wife and life partner, Yvonne. He was 77 years old. Just days before, on Super Bowl Sunday, Fred’s hospital stay turned into his last […]

Richard T. Jennings

Updated Feb. 20 Richard T. Jennings, 83, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on Feb. 18, 2024. He was the husband of Carol Ann Jennings. A funeral Mass for Richard will be held on April 27 at 11 am, at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven, followed by burial at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs. […]

Gloria Wong

Gloria Wong, 95, of Vineyard Haven, died on Jan. 24, 2024, at her home. A memorial service for Gloria will be held on Sunday, July 14, from 2 to 4 pm, at the Tabernacle in the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association, Oak Bluffs.

Frances Marjean Lear

Frances Marjean McKinney Smith Lear, age 81, longtime resident of Oak Bluffs, died on Jan. 20, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Jean, as she was known, was born to Rudolph and Lucile Howell of Gulf Hammock, Fla., in 1942. Through her school years she attended over 10 schools, due to the nature of her […]

Navigator Homes loaned $8M

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved a loan of approximately $8.5 million for the Navigator Homes senior housing project in Edgartown.  The loan, made through USDA’s Community Facilities Direct Loans and Guaranteed Loans program, is part of $53 million in loans that the department approved for construction and operation costs. The loan will help […]

Driver charged after fleeing O.B. crash

An individual who abandoned his car after crashing it into a tree in Oak Bluffs is being charged with leaving the scene of property damage.  Personnel from Oak Bluffs Police and Oak Bluffs Fire-EMS responded to a Jeep Grand Cherokee that crashed into a tree on Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road across from Norton Farm on Saturday, […]

Summer reservations up on Vineyard route

The Steamship Authority (SSA) announced in a Friday morning press release that the ferry service experienced “robust demand” during the opening summer reservation dates for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket.  Just over 25,000 reservations were booked when the SSA opened its summer schedule on the Martha’s Vineyard route on Feb. 14, bringing in $6.7 million in […]

Estimate for W.T. library project doubles

Fixing the West Tisbury Public Library’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system will likely be more than double originally estimated. Town officials say the cost has jumped from an estimate of just over a million dollars to more than $2.5 million. At last year’s annual town meeting, voters approved $1.2 million to repair and […]

Election nomination papers due next week

There’s still some time left for those who need to submit nomination papers to run for election, although the deadlines are fast approaching.  On Thursday, Feb. 22, nomination papers for candidates will be due to the town clerks in three towns: Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and West Tisbury.  The Edgartown deadline is at 4 pm and […]

Pro-Biden vote is wasted vote

To the Editor: In her letter of Feb. 2 defending the Biden administration’s support for the Israeli government, Linda Vadasz makes a number of inaccurate, misleading, and unfounded statements that must not go uncontested. She begins with a perfunctory disapproval of the violence against innocent Gazan civilians, then immediately places the blame for that violence […]

Oct. 7 a ideological awakening

To the Editor: Can the weak mind of the world traverse the serial difference between Israel and Hamas? One side decapitates and sells severed heads, and the other does not, and many cannot see a difference. Billions sent to Gaza since 2005, but only one election, and rivals eliminated. The money goes to building tunnels […]

Awards announced for annual school science fair

  Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) recently hosted its 25th Annual Science and Engineering Fair. Fifty-five students entered projects for the Saturday Feb. 10 event, and 24 scientists, researchers and staff from a wide selection of Island organizations judged the fair. Top awards went to Molly Crawford for her project “Revolutionizing Menstrual Hygiene: A […]

The High School View: ‘Twelfth Night;’ Teen fashion; Science fair

Read the MVRHS High School View: 2-15-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

For the love of the cast

I was talking with a friend on Monday, technically a work call, but we spent more time talking about fishing than work. He shared his weekend fishing update, which had me glancing at my afternoon schedule. I saw an open space of about 50 minutes between my last Zoom meeting and opening the shelter.  “I’m […]

Remembering Gloria Wong

Although diminutive in size, Gloria Lee Wong, who passed away on Jan. 24, 2024, one month shy of her 96th birthday, had a mighty impact on many people. Faith was at the heart of Wong’s life. Ian Douglas, retired bishop of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut, and longtime colleague of Wong’s in the Episcopal Diocese […]

MVRHS graduate earns doctoral degree

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School graduate Kofi A. Cash successfully defended his dissertation and completed his doctoral degree on Feb. 7 at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Cash earned his doctorate (D.S.c) in healthcare leadership.  The title of Cash’s dissertation is: “Does CEO Education Matter? The Relationship Between Doctoral-Educated Hospital CEOs and Organization Performance.” […]

Our diversity is our strength, especially in schools

Last week we reported on a Feb. 1 Edgartown School committee meeting where more than 200 parents, attending in person and online, fumed about the school’s administration (“Frustrations rising at Edgartown School,” Feb. 8), citing a lack of communication, and raising concerns about the school’s handling of a growing English language learning program.  The day […]

News article attempting to create a divide

To the Editor: It appears the Edgartown School story missed the mark in a significant way. Of over 184 concerns reported to the school committee in that letter, I believe there were only five that referenced “ELL” or “bilingual.” Of those, one was referencing high para and ELL support professional turnover rate; three were referencing […]

Oh, what a tangled web

To the Editor: I lived on Martha’s Vineyard for 25 years — raised a family there. I sat on many governing boards and created a charitable foundation exclusively for Islanders in need, called the Second Chance Foundation. And in all that time, I don’t remember one incident of a right whale washing up on our […]

Salvation Army thankful for contributions

To the Editor: It is with the most heartfelt gratitude that the Salvation Army of Massachusetts thanks all those who contributed to the 2023 Red Kettle Campaign. Throughout the holidays, your donations, regardless of size, contributed to aiding so many families throughout Massachusetts. The Salvation Army of Massachusetts raised more than $2 million to help […]

$6 mil generated already in SSA summer reservations

The Steamship Authority kicked off the opening for summer reservations on the Martha’s Vineyard route on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and so far it’s been relatively smooth sailing — compared at least with earlier rollouts of Steamship reservations.  The opening began at 8 am on Wednesday, and while some customers complained about the long wait time […]

Valentine’s surprise: Florist delivers despite snow squall 

Call it a Valentine’s Day miracle, or the Cupid that could. Either way, on Tuesday, with the snow coming down and the wind howling, a delivery man for Morrice Florist in Vineyard Haven was making the rounds for the hopeful sweethearts on the Vineyard ahead of Wednesday’s holiday. “We never thought he would make it. […]

Right whale entangled by rope from Maine

The rope embedded in the juvenile female North Atlantic right whale that washed ashore dead in Edgartown late last month was determined to have been from Maine.  The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Wednesday, Feb. 14, that analysis of the gear, including the purple markings on the rope, showed it was consistent […]

Flooded V.H. businesses frustrated by lack of progress

Vineyard Haven business owners, frustrated by recent flooding around Five Corners during a series of winter storms, are hoping to present a unified front in pushing for improvements at the notorious five-way intersection. Around a dozen business owners attended a Visit Vineyard Haven meeting on Tuesday morning, and discussed opportunities to represent their interests as […]

Around the Bookstore: On vacation

A monger, according to the Oxford dictionary, is a word “denoting a dealer or trader in a specified commodity,” such as a fishmonger. When I became the manager of Edgartown Books, my godson Paul started playfully calling me “the book monger of Edgartown,” a phrase that’s now caught on with some friends and family. I, […]

More affordable housing coming to tribal land

Updated Feb. 15 The Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) is looking to add more affordable housing on its land in Aquinnah.  Tribal representatives were before the Aquinnah planning board plan review committee for a public hearing on Tuesday, looking to add a single duplex on Oonouhkoi, a road on tribal lands.  According to planning […]

‘LOVE’ abounds at the West Tisbury library

Walking into the West Tisbury library’s February exhibition, “LOVE,” we are greeted with an eclectic interpretation of the theme of love. The show stems from an informal group of artists who responded to the heartfelt prompt in various mediums and far-ranging subject matter. This is not the first time the group has addressed a single […]

Leaping for love at Featherstone’s exhibit

“We are very near to greatness: one step and we are safe; can we not take the leap?” —Ralph Waldo Emerson It’s February, and love is in the air. But this year, Featherstone Center for the Arts has expanded its love-related theme to “Love, Laugh, Leap, Live!” Executive director Ann Smith says, “We just felt […]

Services Saturday, Sunday for William August Engler

The journey of William August Engler, our hero, through life was a testament to his unwavering resolve and boundless optimism, even in the face of adversity. August was born on Sept. 13, 1998. It was an awe-inspiring day, when the sky above Philadelphia was painted a brilliant blue, and our hearts filled with joy. Cake-E-Toot’s […]

Don’t miss the thought-provoking ‘American Fiction’

“American Fiction,” one of this year’s 96th Academy Award nominees, is a comedy-drama that seamlessly veers from one genre to the other. The film opens this weekend at the M.V. Film Center, Friday, Feb. 16. Actually, it brilliantly combines the two genres so they support one another in unveiling a compelling and profoundly thought-provoking story […]

Allowing unbridled expansion without a traffic study

To the Editor: The cost of development on Martha’s Vineyard is steep both on- and off-Island. An ever-increasing number of boat runs are needed to transport the building materials, trash removal, food, medicine, construction debris, trucks, cars, summer residents, tourists, and other needs of the Vineyard. Residents on both sides of Vineyard Sound pay a […]

Better management needed for Chilmark tennis courts

To the Editor: We received the Chilmark Community Center (CCC) tennis email of Feb. 7, and are writing to correct several misstatements in that email regarding the proposed bylaw being brought to the town of Chilmark. We are living in a world where falsehoods that are not quickly challenged and corrected can easily become accepted […]

And I ask why yet again

To the Editor: My inquiring mind and environmentalism have combined once again. Why is the Oak Bluffs planning board attempting to steamroll through zoning changes in an important district of critical planning concern (DCPC)? The MVC website clearly delineates the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven from Oak Bluffs to Tisbury a DCPC. Why, oh why, would one want […]

Date night at Linda Jean’s

In case you didn’t hear, The Times’ office was completely flooded, not once but twice. The first time it fried my computer, the second time it took out our server and the backup computer I was working on. Currently, I’ve got myself set up on the last machine in the office with the capabilities to […]

Winter scavenger hunt for kids

During a scavenger hunt, things aren’t always what they seem. Incomplete information encourages participants to remain curious and open to numerous possibilities. Plus, they’re fun! In February, on Tuesday through Saturday, 10 am to 4 pm, and on Sunday, 12 – 4 pm, the West Tisbury library will host a winter walking scavenger hunt. Bundle […]

Contemporary fiction book club

There’s nothing like a good book. The only thing that makes a good book better is talking about it with others. Join a casual book group and focus on a different popular fiction selection each month. Lynn Van Auken, librarian and literacy specialist, will guide each month’s open discussion. This event is free and open […]

Dance with Tessa Permar

“I feel like dancing, dancing — dancing the night away.” Leo Sayer was on point. Dancing is not only fun, but great exercise as well. Join Tessa Permar as she leads a lively dance class for people of all body types and abilities. Class will include music and solo movement (no partner dancing), and will […]

Museum Pieces: Building community

“No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.” —P.T. Barnum We are different for a reason. Humans have such a complicated relationship with standing out, whether it be a physical characteristic, idea, or behavior. Should we admire them or shame them? It is probably fair to say that all of us have […]

Garden Notes: Gardeners can help wildlife with their data

Sunshine! After weeks of overcast and rain. Winter usually brought deep blue February skies, but now, when we say “winter,” what are we referring to? Snowdrops and witch hazel, hellebores and species crocus are some of the bright spots within cultivated garden spaces, especially when sunlight lifts them and invites early pollinators. In our eagerness […]

A kitchen match at Fire Catering

Fire Catering is owned by husband and wife Jeffrey and Viktoriya (“Vika”) Duarte. The name of their new business feels apropos, as the spark between them is palpable. They exude youthful energy mixed with well-seasoned patience. “I spent years experimenting with my chicken wing recipe,” Jeffrey said. “I think it’s better to be really good […]

Have Faith: Learning for Lent

Lent is here for those who recognize it, and I’ve pledged to do a better job of … everything … for this liturgical season. I think it all boils down to mindfulness. If I only took the time to simmer down and think before I act, on so many levels, I’m pretty sure it would […]

Creative space at Haven

Haven is a coworking space in Vineyard Haven that was co-founded by Alexandra Bullen Coutts, Makenzie Brookes, Marquetta Drakes, and Nevette Previd in 2018. Aside from being a cofounder of Haven, Bullen Coutts is also executive director of ACE MV, a community education and training organization for lifelong learning and peer and mentor-based support. According […]

Writing from the Heart: Budding artist?

I hope you all get to age 82. For those of you who have passed this ancient number, you might know what I am about to say. It’s that if you live long enough, it’s possible that your dreams will actually come true. They’re not dreams deferred; they’re just delayed a bit. And they don’t […]

Visiting Vet: The saga of heartworm meds

In 1977, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first canine heartworm preventive medication. I was just starting veterinary school. The drug was diethylcarbamazine, known simply as DEC, and it had to be given daily. By the time I graduated in 1981, it was standard practice to advise clients to give a DEC tablet […]

Working for Your Health: Heart health

Here are some fun facts about the human heart gathered from health.clevelandclinic.org/fun-facts-about-your-heart: The heart is an organ about the size of two clasped hands. It’s made mostly of muscle tissue that contracts rhythmically, to propel blood throughout the circulatory system. Because our hearts have their own electrical supply, they continue to beat even when separated […]

West Tisbury: Rez Williams, jazz concert, voting by mail, and Ghost Island Farm

I have been watching forsythia getting ready to bloom, branches I brought inside a week or so ago. Their buds are no longer tightly brown. I can see yellow now, and maybe they will have fully opened overnight. Every morning is a discovery. That’s the magic of forcing branches at the end of the winter, […]

Tisbury: High school musical, writing about love, Ukulele Jam, and classic films

Heard on Main Street: It simply doesn’t seem fair that Valentine’s Day kicked off the beginning of Lent. The M.V. High School musical sounds like a hit. This musical version of “Twelfth Night” opens tonight at 7 pm, also on Friday and Saturday evenings. The last show is Sunday at 2 pm. You are invited […]

Oak Bluffs: Friday Reset, ‘Twelfth Night,’ film screenings, and Oak Bluffs history

“In recognizing the humanity of our fellow beings, we pay ourselves the highest tribute.” —Thurgood Marshall, first African American U.S. Supreme Court justice This quote touched me. We watch the news and see war’s toll on our fellow humans in Ukraine and Gaza, and the suffering of migrants trying to find a safe place to […]

Edgartown: The Attic, Little House Café, Town MV, and Bunch of Grapes

Happy mid-February. As I write this, it’s Super Bowl Sunday. When I was in college, we always went back to school on Super Bowl Sunday. In January. Now it’s just about halfway through February. It’s funny the things you remember. Insignificant data that is useless, taking up much-needed space in my brain. I can remember […]

Chilmark: Stylish footwear, August Engler, winter greenery, and Pathways music

My dog is recovering beautifully from surgery. The biggest challenge is keeping him calm. He is eager to get back to long hikes and runs. Next week the restrictions will be lifted. My mum, Anne Ganz, has returned from three months with my sister, Jennie, in Bethesda, Md. Anne is a cartoonist, and a longtime […]

Aquinnah: Stop & Shop, school field trips, ‘Saving Moms,’ and Polished Dental

Charley and I did our weekly down-Island get-the-errands-done journey today. We went to the bank, the library, the grocery store, the pharmacy, and Morning Glory Farm. The grocery part of the journey included a stop at the metamorphosing Stop & Shop in Edgartown. What an experience! We found the salt tucked away in the bottom […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘The Drip’

The Drip By Georgia Morris For the third time in two months water breaks through the ceiling slats of the downstairs bathroom fan and you are, this time, happily making green tea and honey toast to the tap, tap, tapping that sends you to the crackers and nuts cabinet with dread of a small dining […]

Cribbage Club results

Eighteen members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met at the MVRHS culinary arts dining room to play six games of our favorite pastime. The results are as follows: First, David Pothier with a 11/5 +91 card Second, Richard Clark with a 11/5 +69 card Third, Jack Silvia with a 10/4 +70 card Fourth, Ron Ferreira […]

Real Estate Transactions: Feb. 5 – 9, 2024

Edgartown Feb. 5, Marie Guerini, trustee of Harborside Inn Condominium Trust, sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 452 Week 43 to Susan Heiden for $2,800. Feb. 5, Marie Guerini, trustee of Harborside Inn Condominium Trust, sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 515 Week 43 to Ana M. Lackey for $2,262. Feb. 5, Marie Guerini, trustee […]

Raymond J. DeBettencourt

Raymond J. DeBettencourt, 97, of Oak Bluffs, died on Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024, in Oak Bluffs.  Raymond was born on Jan. 23, 1927, in the Highlands of Oak Bluffs to Alfred Francis DeBettencourt and Mary King DeBettencourt. Raymond once said he could remember when New York Avenue in Oak Bluffs was a dirt road. Raymond […]

Neil Robert Strock

Neil Robert Strock died peacefully but unexpectedly at his home in Lafayette, Calif., on January 24, 2024. He was born on March 14, 1947, so he would have been 75 years old in a few weeks.  Neil came to the Vineyard as a child in the 1950s, and spent classic summers here until he left […]

Kenneth C. Pailler Jr.

Kenneth C. Pailler Jr., 77, died on Monday, Feb. 5, 2024. He was a devoted partner of more than 30 years to Arlene M. Connolly, originally of Canton. Born In Boston, he was the son of Kenneth C. and Carolyn J. (Jolda) Pailler. He was a 1964 graduate of Framingham North High School, and attended […]

Dorothy Francoeur

Dorothy Francoeur (“Dottie”) of Oak Bluffs passed away unexpectedly on Jan. 9, 2024. She was 79. Dottie and her wife, Pat Cooke, lived here part-time since 2001, and became full-time residents in 2021. Dottie and Pat met in New York, and were together for 42 years. They married in Oak Bluffs in 2008. Dottie had […]

Night Out for Nonprofits announced

On Saturday, March 16, community members are invited to MVY Radio’s fourth annual Night Out for Nonprofits, celebrating the work and representatives of local nonprofit organizations. The event will take place at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs, beginning with a pre-event cocktail hour at 5:30 pm for nonprofit organization representatives. Doors will be open […]

Critical Edgartown sewer main showing its age

A long and critical sewage main in Edgartown that is nearing the end of its life expectancy has broken twice in the past two years, prompting wastewater department officials to request nearly $5 million to replace the mile-long pipe. Wastewater officials say the most recent break occurred about two weeks ago at the intersection of […]

West Tisbury approves senior housing project

A housing project that will include nine new apartments for Island seniors took another step forward in West Tisbury.  During a public hearing Monday, the West Tisbury planning board unanimously approved the affordable housing project pitched for 401 State Road, which will serve residents 60 and older.  The project is being developed by Island Housing […]

Paul David Sampieri

Paul David Sampieri, 74, of Vineyard Haven, died on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, at his home. He was the spouse of Edward Belain Jr., and brother of John (“Jay”) Sampieri of North Dartmouth. His funeral service will be private. A complete obituary will follow in another edition of this paper. Please visit chapmanfuneral.com for online […]

Oak Bluffs lands $4.3 million for wastewater

Oak Bluffs has received a $4.3 million grant from the state for its wastewater treatment facility upgrade project, part of a 20-year plan to clean up nitrogen from local watersheds.  The funding is part of the $51 million awarded for 14 municipal water projects in 12 Massachusetts communities, a recent release from the Office of […]

New annual variety show planned for Aquinnah

Planners of a variety show at Aquinnah town hall are looking to complete a lineup of talented Vineyarders for a community-focused, all-ages variety show in April, which organizers hope will become a yearly tradition. Multiple open-call events for talent have been held since the end of January. In addition to singers and writers, the organizers […]

Storm causes hazardous driving, power outages

Updated Feb. 14 Vineyarders across the Island were digging out after a substantial storm dumped several inches of snow.  Residents were shoveling out driveways and sidewalks on a crisp and sunny Wednesday. But on Tuesday, a combination of strong winds and heavy snow led to a number of car accidents and hundreds of power outages […]

A dream at the Grammys

One Islander got to take in the glitz and the glam of one of the biggest nights in music.  Alise Haigazian, who was born and raised on the Island, and is the founder of Island Hip Hop — was able to snag a ticket to the 66th Grammy Awards in Los Angeles. The tickets were […]

Chilmark seeks Republican for registrar board

Chilmark is looking to fill an open Republican position on its board of registrars since Judy Mayhew stepped down, after serving on the board for 36 years. Town administrator Tim Carroll has asked a select board member to cosign a letter that he plans to mail to each of the town’s 39 registered Republicans, asking […]

Managers formalize striped bass catch limit

An interstate management board has approved new fishing size limits for Atlantic striped bass that formalize an emergency order put in place over the summer. The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission’s Atlantic Striped Bass Management Board set a slot limit for all striped bass along the East Coast — including Martha’s Vineyard — at between […]

Tisbury implements new aquaculture regs

The Tisbury Select Board unanimously approved changes to the town’s aquaculture regulations that will allow oyster farming closer to the water’s surface. The new regulations come as farmers have complained that poor water quality — more specifically, a lack of oxygen — on the bottom of the Lagoon has limited their ability to produce a […]

Concern for Oak Bluffs zoning changes

To the Editor: We are a group of Oak Bluffs voters, property owners, and neighbors who are extremely concerned about proposed zoning reform changes. These proposed changes are moving through town channels now. There will be an important public hearing about this in the next few weeks, and then it will progress to the Tuesday, […]

Impressions of M.V. from a granddaughter

To the Editor: I would like to share this school project my granddaughter, Hannah Nelson-Unczur, wrote. She is 9 years old, and lives in the western part of our state. She plays the piano, loves to hike, cook, and draw, loves corgis, and her favorite colors are pink and purple. This just touched my heart: […]

Grateful for gardening guidance

To the Editor: Thanks and praise are due to the MVT and to Abigail Higgins, whose long-running “Garden Notes” column is some of the most informed and informative horticultural writing to be found anywhere, either in print or online. Thank you!   Tom Hodgson West Tisbury

Schools pursue equity, equal representation

Updated, Feb. 15 If the Martha’s Vineyard school committees were graded on their makeup compared with the Island’s school population, they would receive a failing grade. Members of the Island’s four school committees say that they are lacking representation from  the Island’s significant and increasing population of Portuguese-speaking people. School officials and administrators say there’s […]

SSA summer reservations go live 

Updated Feb. 14 The Steamship Authority kicked off the opening for summer reservations on the Martha’s Vineyard route on Wednesday, Feb. 14, and so far it’s been relatively smooth sailing — compared at least with earlier rollouts of Steamship reservations.  The opening began at 8 am on Wednesday, and while some customers complained about the […]

Aquinnah eying Cliff erosion mitigation

Groundwater seeping through the Aquinnah Cliffs may be causing erosion, and the Aquinnah climate and energy committee is pursuing a state grant to evaluate ways to slow that erosion down.  Committee chair Bill Lake says officials are yet to apply, but that he has in mind $250,000 to research and test antierosion methods.  The grant […]

Banquets, surfcasting, and Taylor Swift

Super Bowl Weekend. Love or hate it, it’s a national event. To be truthful, I don’t watch football. Until I started writing this column, I didn’t know who the Chiefs were playing on Sunday. (Thank you, Google.). The only reason I know the Chiefs are in the Super Bowl is the abundance of Taylor Swift […]

Swim team qualifies for sectional and state tournaments

A number of swimmers from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School team will be competing in the sectional and state tournament after a successful Last Chance Meet held on Martha’s Vineyard this past Friday.  The meet was created to provide swimmers with a final chance to qualify for the upcoming South Sectional Championships, which will […]

Haley ethics appeal dismissed

A Suffolk county judge has shot down an appeal by an Aquinnah Select Board member who tried to fight back against charges that he violated state ethics laws when he approved payments to himself for doing work for the town. In October 2022, the Massachusetts Ethics Commission ordered Gary Haley to pay $10,000 for choosing […]

The High School View: Theater tech crew; Model U.N. club; All-Cape Music Festival

Read the MVRHS High School View: 2-8-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Corruption in retirement plan for public employees

To the Editor: It has recently come to my attention that a large group of people in the commonwealth of Massachusetts is being preyed upon.  SMART Plan for Public Employees is a specialized retirement plan for part-time employees of public institutions. Employees in this category tend to be low-income retirees and other individuals who do […]

Senior housing an Island crisis

To the Editor: Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard supports the West Tisbury older adult housing proposed for 401 State Road. The affordable housing crisis affects each of us in similar ways, and also in ways unique to our circumstances in life. For older adults on the Vineyard, the affordable housing crisis can lead to living in […]

Bring home the hostages

To the Editor: When any letter to any newspaper has a suggestion that the world is united behind Israel (Letter to the Editor, “No denying atrocities in Gaza,” Feb. 1) after the massacres and kidnappings of Oct. 7, it should be no surprise that further anti-Israel untruths are sure to follow, along with the usual […]

If we want to save the right whale, let’s follow the evidence 

Martha’s Vineyard was the most recent scene of a tragedy that has been playing out up and down the Eastern Seaboard, from Canada to Florida. A dead female North Atlantic right whale, just 3 years old, washed ashore last week at Cow Bay in Edgartown. A Feb. 1 postmortem examination, known as a necropsy, of […]

Community College holding info sessions 

As the academic year for high school students settles into its last semester, Cape Cod Community College (4Cs) will provide three free information sessions for parents and students, covering everything families need to know about applying and enrolling at 4Cs. A Zoom session from 7 to 8 pm on Tuesday, Feb. 13, will provide general […]

Charly Palmer creates stamp for Black Heritage series

Internationally acclaimed artist Charly Palmer, whose work is currently featured at the Oak Bluffs library, is known for his portraits of both notable African Americans and empowering images of Black men, women, and children.  It’s not surprising, then, that Palmer was selected to provide an image for the latest postage stamp in the Black Heritage […]

What Are You Watching? ‘Fly Away Home’

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars I’m a member of Women in Aviation International and its local chapter, Nor’easters of Cape Cod Bay, based out of Plymouth Airport. We’re men and women with a passion for introducing young people — boys and girls — to careers in aviation. Last year we had free aviation movie […]

Frustrations rising at Edgartown School

Citing a lack of leadership in the aftermath of COVID-19, and amid challenges posed by a rising student body whose primary language is not English, a growing number of parents at Edgartown School are expressing frustration, with some electing to transfer their children to other schools. Advocates say that these parents worry that students requiring […]

Audit finds SSA lacking in cybersecurity

Updated The state has found the Steamship Authority (SSA) is lacking in protective measures for cyber security.  The Office of the State Auditor announced in a Monday press release that Steamship staff are not properly trained in preventing cyber attacks, among other findings.  According to the release, the audit was prompted by the June 2021 […]

Rez Williams passes away at 81

Island artist and conservationist Rez Williams, whom some described as an Island treasure, passed away recently at 81 years of age.  Williams grew up on Long Island, N.Y. He graduated from Union College with a degree in philosophy, and later earned a MFA from New York University. He taught drawing and art history at Fairleigh […]

MVC should thoroughly review field project

To the Editor: The Field Fund prefers to focus on the benefits and feasibility of grass playing fields, and the work our nonprofit does to support natural playing surfaces on the Island. We wish we had good news to share now, but we don’t.  For more than eight years, a 5-4 majority on the MVRHS […]

Respect the plovers, all wildlife

To the Editor: It is unusual for me to be at a loss for words, especially when it comes to bird protections, but here I am, struggling to express my dismay at the lack of appreciation, dare I say disgust, for wild birds expressed by many of those who fish and who are pushing for […]

SSA leadership is tone-deaf

To the Editor: In response to the following quote from SSA board member James Malkin on the Steamship: “We’re not a technology company, we’re a ferry line,” and assuming his quote was not taken out of context, it can only be construed by those of us who rely on the SSA as tone-deaf. Does United […]

The court and the E.P.A., yet again

The Supreme Court has another chance to reduce the authority of the Environmental Protection Agency when it hears a challenge to its regulatory authority on Feb. 21. Last year, the court sidelined the E.P.A.’s authority to regulate water quality when, in Sackett v. E.P.A., five conservative justices ruled that the E.P.A. could not regulate wetlands […]

Off-season dancing and music gets us moving

As a child, I loved to dance. I took ballet lessons for a while, but quit because I was afraid of the dance instructor who taught the older students, one room over. He had long dark hair, Superman-size thighs, and carried a stick. Each week I’d hear a thwacking sound coming through the wall. I […]

Edgartown Water Department: Discolored water not health risk

Edgartown residents who noticed a slight discoloration in their water recently won’t need to worry about their health, says Water Superintendent Bill Chapman.  On Monday, the town’s water department announced that it experienced an issue with one of its pumping stations “late last week,” which caused a “slight discoloration in the water of some residents […]

Museum Pieces: Gathering place

“To know how much there is to know is the beginning of learning to live.”  –Dorothy West Take another second to read that quote again, and let the words sink in. This is a thrilling statement. There are so many stones to turn over, and the fact that we won’t all turn over the same […]

Artist Jennifer Rapuano juggles art and books

If you’ve ever been to one of Jennifer Rapuano’s monthly adult or children’s drop-in craft workshops at the Vineyard Haven library, you know she is a woman of many creative talents. She is the young adult librarian at the Vineyard Haven library, and a skilled artist and craftsperson as well. Just a small sampling of […]

All that jazz

What would we do without music? Music makes you happy and lowers stress. So get out and get your jazz on at the West Tisbury library. On Sunday, Feb. 11, from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, enjoy an in-person jazz concert featuring vocalist Darby Patterson with the Jeremy Berlin Trio (Jeremy Berlin on piano, Eric Johnson […]

Farm to focaccia

Teri Culletto of Vineyard Baker is teaching a special Valentine’s Day hands-on focaccia class. All pairs are welcome: couples, friends, or family. Culletto will lead participants through the steps necessary to make their very own focaccia, from start to finish. All pairs will take home two freshly made loaves with a design of their own […]

Fairies and Dragons Party

Looking for a fun outing for the kids on a cold winter day? Then fly over to the Fairies and Dragons Party at Oak Bluffs library. Kids will partake in activities and games about fairies, dragons, and other mythical creatures, like Shrinky Dink fairies and dragons, Feed the Dragon, Dragon Egg Spoon Race, Wandmaking, and […]

Roasted veggies with hummus dressing hits the spot

I found a real beauty online the other day: Roasted Vegetable Orzo Salad with Hummus Dressing. And I came upon it by accident. I had mistakenly bought a giant container of orzo, and then realized I have used it exactly once before, in a chicken soup. This recipe presented a way for me to eat […]

A great filmmaker joins a great artist

Coming to the M.V. Film Center this weekend is Wim Wenders’ 2023 documentary, “Anselm.” This is not a documentary in any ordinary sense, but Wenders’s use of his  considerable talent in exploration of the art and genius of German artist Anselm Kiefer. This film doesn’t use biographical information or conduct interviews, but it investigates the […]

Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club celebrates 100 years

Many people likely know the Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club for its signature event — Blooming Art, an exhibit in which members create floral arrangements inspired by the work of Island artists. But the club is so much more. Celebrating its centennial, the M.V. Garden Club carries on the vision of its founder, Mrs. Agnes Meikleham, […]

Relax, recover, recalibrate with healing sound

Humans have used sound throughout our history, whether for healing, like church bells and didgeridoos, or as weapons, like hovering helicopters or playing painful frequencies. Some say sound healing officially began in ancient Greece, where Pythagoras is credited for treating people with sound for stress, sleep, pain, and mental disorders, besides discovering overtones and the […]

Edgartown: A new Island mystery

Happy February. I saw a little sun today. It wasn’t for long, and it wasn’t overly bright, and a chill came with it, but I’ll take it. As I write, there is still some blue sky up there as the sun goes down. It’s nice to see. I hope we’ll see more this week.  Happy […]

West Tisbury: Leading up to presidential primary

The past week has been one gray day after another. A shaft of sunlight may come through by mid-afternoon, but I can’t remember waking up to a blue sky with sunshine pouring through the bedroom windows. It’s been seasonably cold, too, with frost coating the ground and roofs. We have a new registrar of voters […]

Woodside Story: Pass the readers

I’m here to tell you that some of us still enjoy reading. All the same, as a lifelong reader, writer, and bookstore owner (Sun Porch Books in Oak Bluffs, 2002 to 2008), I can’t believe the degree to which reading has fallen out of favor. I see it all around me, as buddies of mine […]

Tisbury: Movie night at the library

Heard on Main Street: Are you planning how to use your extra day in 2024? The Net Result has just reopened. I do miss them when they close up each year. I love our Vineyard Haven library, and I admire that they and other Island libraries offer us so much.  The Vineyard Haven library is […]

Wild Side: Reconsider ducks

The late, great Vern Laux, perhaps the best birder ever to trespass his way across the Vineyard, had little patience with ducks. Oh, he’d add them to the day’s checklist. But if a distant or otherwise problematic duck defied identification for more than a few seconds, Vern would say, “Ah, who cares? It’s just a […]

Real estate transactions: Jan. 29 – Feb. 2, 2024

Edgartown Jan. 31, Stephen E. Cirillo, trustee of Harborside Inn Condominium Trust, sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 407 Week 15 with a 1/30th interest to Jerome Paul MacDonald and Barbara Ellen MacDonald for $3,300.  Feb. 1, Stanley M. Fisher, trustee of Arbutus Park Realty Trust, sold 50 16th St. South to Fabio Zatte Dos […]

Poet’s Corner: Requiem for a Right Whale

Requiem for a Right Whale By Jeffrey Agnoli Beloved cetacean hogtied with fishing line before washing up on the shore not so many yards from our fossil-fueled road you must have rolled and thrashed and if we were looking we would have seen the planet’s grid of light flicker and dim as you passed towed […]

Oak Bluffs: Valentine’s pop-up at the P.A.

“What we need is not a history of selected races or nations, but the history of the world, devoid of national bias, race hatred, and religious prejudice.”  –Carter G. Woodson, author and historian Did you ever wonder how Black History Month got started? A little research found that it was Carter G. Woodson, who was […]

Applications for M.V. Bank Foundation scholarships are open

Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation announces its annual scholarships are now open for applications. Local high school seniors are invited to apply for one of the foundation’s six annual $12,000 community scholarships. According to a press release from the bank, the scholarships will be awarded to four residents of Martha’s Vineyard and two residents of […]

Cribbage Club Results

Fifteen members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met on Wednesday at the MVRHS culinary dining room to play our favorite pastime. The results are as follows:  First place, Doug Werther with a 10/5 +66 card Second place, Albion Alley with a 10/4 +64 card Third place, Ed Montesion with a 8/4 +58 card Fourth place, […]

Court Report: Jan. 29-Feb. 2, 2024

Jan. 29 Josue Deolivera, Vineyard Haven; 24, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, negligent operation of motor vehicle, speeding violation: Continued to pretrial hearing. Feb. 1 Lawrence Vance, Edgartown; 61, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with a suspended commercial driver’s license, suspended for driving under the influence of alcohol: Continued to pretrial […]

Chilmark: Music and light

My dog fell ill, and as I write, is recovering from surgery and in the ICU at VCA South Shore Animal Hospital (Weymouth). They are an emergency care center, open 24 hours. I am exhausted. I am grateful for my vet Janet Ross. I am grateful the Steamship Authority treats veterinary emergencies as a medical […]

Births

Alden Robert Perry Anna Perry and Robert Perry of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Alden Robert Perry, on Jan. 29, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Alden weighed 8 pounds, 2.7 ounces. James Arthur MacInnes Kelly Bowse and Ted MacInnes of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, James Arthur MacInnes, on […]

Aquinnah: Variety show is coming together

Right this minute I’m looking at a cloud-free, sun-filled landscape. The bare trees are proudly showing off their bent limbs, there are robins in the yard pulling out worms, and the bullies at the birdfeeder aren’t as cranky as usual. It’s been such a long gray series of days, but this sunshine is letting me […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Lilly Kurelja of Edgartown, at Providence College. Luke El-Deiry of Vineyard Haven, at Florida Gulf Coast University. Jackson Wojnowski of Vineyard Haven, at UMass Dartmouth. Bethany Cardoza of Edgartown, at the University of Hartford. Anabella Arias of Oak Bluffs, at Western New England University.  President’s list Annabelle Cutrer of Vineyard Haven, at Dean […]

Embracing the American dream

Every community has its stories tucked away and almost forgotten, but as long as someone remembers, the story is not lost. There are many people whose lives of everyday heroism and refusal to give up hope are lived quietly and without fanfare.  The African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard had heard for many years […]

William August Engler IV

Updated Feb. 6 The Engler family of Oak Bluffs mourns the loss of William August Engler IV, who passed away on Jan. 23, 2024, at the age of 25, after a valiant struggle with drug addiction and mental health issues. Despite their profound grief, the family remains committed to continuing the fight against these challenges.  […]

Lorraine B. Earle

Lorraine Bernice Bernadette Bergeron Sylvia Earle, a.k.a. Lorraine Earle, a.k.a. Rainy, a.k.a. Mama Cupcakes, a.k.a. LoLo, 68, of Hull, passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 29, 2024, after a long battle with COPD and lung cancer. She was surrounded by family, holding her hands while playing and singing her favorite songs, as she passed. […]

Ag Fair poster contest open

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society has announced the opening of its poster contest for the 162nd Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair. Participants should design a poster that captures the heart of the big, annual event. Submissions are due Friday, March 29th. This competition is open to all: students, nonprofessional artists, and professional artists. The winner of […]

Montessori School expansion faces neighbors’ pushback

The Vineyard Montessori School’s expansion plans in Tisbury faced resistance from neighbors during their first public airing.  On Thursday, Feb. 1, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) held a hearing regarding the school’s plans to construct a third building with a 2,915-square-feet footprint. This would allow the school to increase the number of people at its […]

Tisbury cool to New Bedford freight proposal

Tisbury town officials are pushing back against a New Bedford shipping company’s proposal to bring freight into the Steamship Authority terminal in Vineyard Haven, worrying that the added traffic would have a detrimental impact on the town’s already busy waterfront and congested downtown. Tisbury town administrator Jay Grande told Steamship officials this week that he’s […]

Local D.A. targets human traffickers

The local district attorney’s office says that it is expanding resources devoted to human trafficking in the region, an illegal trade they say is active on the Cape and Islands.  District Attorney Rob Galibois, in a press conference highlighting the grant award on Monday in Barnstable — along with local lawmakers, and in a room […]

School committee to withdraw field application

Updated Feb. 7 In another sign of de-escalation in the ongoing turf field debate, the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) School Committee is pulling back on its plans to build a synthetic turf field. In a 5-3 vote on Monday, the committee voted to withdraw its applications for a demolition permit for the field […]

Edgartown man sentenced to 8 years for bank heist

The Edgartown man who pleaded guilty to robbing a Rockland Trust bank in Falmouth has been sentenced to more than 8 years in prison. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley sentenced 40-year-old Petar Petyoshin to 100 months in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. The sentencing was announced by the U.S. […]

Susan Kresse Cole

Susan Kresse Cole (“Suzie,” or “Susie”), 69, of Harbor Homes on New York Ave. in Oak Bluffs, died on Jan. 18, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.  Susan was born on August 20, 1954, at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Nyack, N.Y., the daughter of Elizabeth (Bette) Cole and David Soutter Cole. Susan lived with […]

Edgartown losing students to school choice

Parents of students at the Edgartown School say that they are concerned with a decline in the student population, with some criticizing the school’s administration for a lack of leadership. Enrollment at the school has dropped by 20 students since last year, to a current total of 379. But the school choice numbers — in […]

Services Wednesday for Jean Gilluly

Jean Gilluly, 86, of Edgartown and Marlboro, died on Jan. 30, 2024.  Born to Walter Gilluly, and Hilda Norton Gilluly on Dec. 30, 1937, Jean grew up on the Edgartown farm of her grandparents, Orin Norton and Elsie Shurtleff Norton. Her life was devoted to animals, her own, and those she took care of, first […]

Trustees lay off 10 percent of staff

The Trustees of Reservations say that layoffs felt across their organization will not impact their beach operations on the Vineyard.  Trustees CEO and President Katie Theoharides recently issued a letter to governance members, stating that the nonprofit is restructuring, and laying off 10 percent of its workforce.  “This restructuring was necessary to address a multimillion-dollar […]

Childbirth disparities discussed during Black History Month

A collaboration of Island institutions and civil rights groups kicked off Black History Month at the Oak Bluffs library on Saturday with a film and potluck brunch. A sizable crowd gathered for the event, which was created through a partnership between the Vineyard chapter of the Association for the Study of African American Life and […]

Fly tying get-togethers return

Fly fishermen, would-be fly fishermen, and generally bored people who would like to listen to other bored fishermen tell stories, your opportunity to get out of the house is at hand. The Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club fly-tying evening get-togethers resume at 7 pm on Tuesday, February 6, and continue every Tuesday evening until […]

Boys basketball clinches top spot

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys basketball team clinched at least a share of the Cape and Islands league title with a win over Nantucket on Saturday. The boys team came out hot taking a 7 – 0 lead to start the game and never looked back, beating their rivals 60-47. if the Vineyarders […]

Peter Ames Eldredge

The family is sad to announce the passing of Peter Ames Eldredge, of Christiantown Road, West Tisbury, on Friday, Jan. 26, 2024. Peter passed in his sleep after a lengthy battle with complications due to cancer surgery.  A co-founder of the Martha’s Vineyard Art Workers Guild, Peter lived most of his 70 years on the […]

Daniel Donaldson

Daniel Donaldson (“Dan”), loving and devoted husband, father, stepfather, and grandfather, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Jan. 12, 2024.  He was loved by his community, and all who met him. He was an accomplished athlete, playing semiprofessional hockey in Boston, loved to ski, and was an avid tennis player. He was a talented […]

Daniel R. Creato

Daniel R. Creato, 88, of West Tisbury, passed away on Feb. 2, 2024, at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital.  A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper, and a memorial service will be held at a later date. For online condolences and more information, please visit chapmanfuneral.com.

State gun bill infringes on American rights

To the Editor: The Barnstable County League represents more than 10,000 sportsmen and sportswomen of Barnstable, Dukes, and Nantucket County. Our membership strongly opposes S.2572, a bill to sensibly address firearm violence through effective reform. In announcing the bill, Senate sponsors stated that the bill “makes the commonwealth’s residents even safer without infringing on the […]

Wrong to condemn Biden-Harris administration

To the Editor: I am writing in response to Linda Cohen’s letter of Jan. 24, with the headline “Biden-Harris should support U.N. genocide case.” I, too, am an American Jewish mother and grandmother, and I abhor the treatment of the innocent Palestinian civilians who have been used as human shields by Hamas in Gaza. I […]

Good governance equals meeting needs 

To the Editor: Three years ago, the voters of West Tisbury approved using the town-owned property at 401 State Road for affordable housing. The small property is around a corner from my home.  As I worked to round up those affirmative votes, many people asked me what would be built there. The affordable housing committee […]

Feds open comment period for Beacon Wind

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the public comment period is now open for the Beacon Wind project, an offshore wind farm that is expected to have up to 155 turbines. The draft environmental assessment analyzes possible impacts of the proposed site. The environmental assessment is scheduled to be posted on the Federal […]

MVY announces grant recipients

This week, MVY Radio announced the newest recipients of quarterly Business Diversity Initiative grants to four local businesses.  The recipients are the Boxed in Black store, a women- and BIPOC-owned online gift store; Boutique on the Buy Way, a woman-owned and environmentally friendly company; event planning company Legacy Week on the Vineyard, which is woman- […]

Gratitude for preschool support

To the Editor: The Friends of the Chilmark Preschool would like to express our profound gratitude to the 100-plus Chilmark voters who unanimously supported our new preschool building project on Monday, Jan. 22. We would also like to thank those who have been supporting our efforts but were not able to participate in the vote, […]

Turf field is disaster waiting to happen

To the Editor: The idea of putting an artificial turf field at the MVRHS is totally irresponsible. Having lived in a community which installed such a field, and then had to undertake the removal of the same after too many student injuries and maintenance problems, I can tell you firsthand, this is a very expensive […]

Jack Smith leaves wealth of evidence

To the Editor: For anyone with a reasonably open mind, who wants a good understanding of the case Jack Smith has brought against Donald Trump, I strongly recommend Liz Cheney’s book, “Oath and Honor.” It is well written, and clear. She describes in detail the facts unearthed from witnesses — almost all of them are […]

Field ballot going to West Tisbury voters 

West Tisbury residents will have a chance to vote their opinion regarding the high school athletic field this spring.  The West Tisbury Select Board unanimously approved two nonbinding ballot questions on the surface of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) field during a Wednesday, Jan. 31, meeting. One asks if voters prefer a grass […]

Ice Fishing, at Least We Hope So

Last Saturday, it was twenty-one degrees outside when I drove to Coop’s Bait and Tackle Shop to talk with Coop Gilkes about ice fishing. The frosty weather on that Saturday couldn’t have been more perfect to plan an ice fishing adventure on Island. The scary part is, if you hate cold weather as I do, […]

The High School View: Community enrichment days; Capstone projects

Read the MVRHS High School View: 2-1-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Special Olympic bowlers bring home the medals

Bowlers from the Island participated in a tournament on the Cape last weekend, with 10 participants each earning a Special Olympics medal. The team regularly practices at the Barn Bowl and Bistro every week. The bowlers who competed in South Yarmouth include Kyra Wildanger, Alyssa Sylvia, Sofia Fuller, Gavin Robinson, Dan Meaney, Justin Corl, and […]

No denying atrocities in Gaza 

To the Editor: I’ll keep this short. In the late 1930s, the people of Germany were convinced the Jewish population there and in neighboring countries were murdering children, sacrificing them to their pagan god, and drinking their blood — the blood libel myth, as it is called.  Many MAGA Republicans are convinced that modern-day liberals […]

Clear-cutting nursing home property premature

To the Editor: This letter of disgust and despair has been stewing since last May, when the site of the proposed nursing home in Edgartown on the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road was clear-cut seemingly overnight. Recently, an article praising trees (MV Times, “Climate Change Connections: Trees,” Jan. 25), and an article in the Gazette on Jan. […]

Israel defense is not genocide

To the Editor: Recent Letters to the Editor offer a stunning ignorance of the Israel Hamas battle. I stand with Jackie Mendes-Diez in her letter this week. With Iranian proxies, Houthi bombardment, Hezbollah on the Golan front, and West Bank Palestinian Liberation Organization terror, Israel is surrounded by enemy countries inside and out that for […]

Right whale was entangled in 2022

Updated Feb. 1 The female right whale that washed up dead in Edgartown this week has been individually identified from the aquarium’s North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog, and researchers say she was seen entangled in fishing line as far back as 2022. The New England Aquarium announced in a press release Friday that using photographic […]

Steamship announces summer reservation dates

Updated, Feb 2. The Steamship Authority has announced new dates for summer vehicle reservations, following technical issues the last two weeks. The steamship announced the new dates in a press release issued on Friday. The general public can start booking summer reservations on the Nantucket route at 8 am Thursday, February 8. Booking for summer […]

A sign of the times?

First came the high winds. They blew hard against the “MV Times” sign above the entry to our newsroom, leaving it hanging by one rusty nail, twisting in the wind.  “A sign of the times,” quipped a colleague, who, given the crisis in local newspapers across the country, was talking about more than just a […]

Housing committee makeup problematic

To the Editor: It was with great sorrow that I read of the discomfort that the West Tisbury Select Board had with the affordable housing committee. As one of those experienced members that left the committee, I can say that it was a difficult decision brought about by the unwelcoming atmosphere by some of the […]

JetBlue cuts Vineyard-Westchester flights

As part of an initiative to refocus its company’s network, JetBlue Airways says it will be discontinuing a number of its routes, including service between Martha’s Vineyard and White Plains, N.Y.    The announcement comes on the heels of the airline’s $3.8 million bid to acquire Spirit Airlines. Earlier this month, a federal judge blocked the […]

Mill Brook restoration dispute nearing resolution

Two Island nonprofits caught in a lengthy dispute over the restoration of the headwaters of a river snaking through West Tisbury and Chilmark say they are close to a resolution. Officials with both the Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation and Island Grown Initiative, who have been at odds over the replacement of a culvert at the head […]

New wind strategy advanced to protect right whales

The federal government announced a new strategy aimed at protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale while the development of offshore wind ramps up.  The 78-page strategy from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and NOAA Fisheries, released Thursday, Jan. 25, lays out ways to continue evaluating and mitigating the potential effects on […]

Aquinnah shoring up erosion

After a series of storms shook up beach and coastline areas Island-wide, Aquinnah is looking to shore up coastal infrastructure and clear out a blocked channel. Town administrator Jeffrey Madison says that dredging is needed at West Basin, and town officials are working to clear sand from the boat ramp there so boats can safely […]

60 years of summer fun

Nature abounds on the Vineyard. We’re surrounded by rolling hills, amazing rocks, red cliffs, marshland, two wildlife sanctuaries, and miles of coastline. According to Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank, about 40 percent of Island land is protected. And if your child happens to be a wildlife enthusiast, a botanist in the making, or an explorer of […]

Losing loved ones

A single shot changed 8-year-old Lily’s life forever in Elaine Kelliher’s “Do You Think I Cried Too Long?” The author writes, “A shotgun blast pierced Lily’s ears, causing her temples to pulse and her slight body to propel itself upward from the front porch steps. Her brother, Deenie, stood up, eyes wide with fright, and […]

‘The Zone of Interest’ and the banality of evil

“The Zone of Interest,” about an apparently ordinary Nazi family living next to Auschwitz concentration camp, comes to the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Feb. 2. It has earned five Oscar nominations as well as many other awards, including that of the Cannes Film Festival Grand Prize winner. Directed by Oscar nominee Jonathan Glazer from […]

Museum Pieces: You’re part of the story

“Change often takes time. It rarely happens all at once.” —U.S. Rep. John Lewis  The world is always changing, which requires us to change with it. That doesn’t mean we have to go along to get along, it just means we may want to give some thought to the impact we want to make. Martha’s […]

The curtain calls

Even if you never dreamed of appearing before the footlights, “Theater Fun for Adults” at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse is the place to be on Thursday nights from 5 to 6:30 pm. Thirteen of us gathered for the experiential weekly sessions, which are an introduction to improvisation and live acting for adults of all ages […]

Novel ideas

The LGBTQI+ Book Club at the West Tisbury library has been going strong since February 2023. Library director Alexandra Pratt explains that the club came about as a response to patrons saying that they would love to see more LGBTQI+ programming. “I had been hearing from people about how many more books there are these […]

Around the Writers’ Table: Winter writing

Writing tends to be a solitary endeavor, as does spending a winter on the Vineyard. Given these two situational happenstances, it’s not surprising that the Vineyard’s writers use this time between the tourists to immerse themselves in work. As Chilmark Writing Workshop founder and MV Times columnist Nancy Slonim Aronie recently said, “The off season […]

What Are You Watching? Instagram reels

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars As the sun sets and my day wraps up, I typically watch a show or movie on Netflix. Lately my attention span has been incredibly short — shorter than usual — and I haven’t had the patience to sit down and watch something on the TV, like I usually […]

Love Laugh Leap Live

Featherstone Center for the Arts continues its annual tradition by opening the exhibition year with a love-themed show in celebration of Valentine’s Day. 2024 is also a leap year, full of love, joy, and a leap into Island artists’ creative pursuits. Attend the Love Laugh Leap Live reception on Sunday, Feb. 4, from 4 to […]

Annual Big Night Out

Vineyard Montessori School hosts an unforgettable evening of dancing and fun at the 27th annual Big Night Out fundraiser. On Saturday, Feb. 3, from 6 to 9 pm, the Grange Hall in West Tisbury will come alive with music by the Dukes of Circuit Avenue, and a silent auction, featuring donations from Island businesses. Savor […]

Friday Reset and Rest

By Friday, we could all probably use a little reset. As luck would have it, M.V. Museum is providing a series of Friday Reset gatherings, where we can go and play board games, create crafts and puzzles, and partake in delicious light bites and beverages. The Friday Reset is designed to help us relax, relieve […]

Party cookies

Funfetti cake mix was hugely popular when I was a kid. My 10-year-old self thought it was very luxurious and decadent to have a white cake filled with multicolored sprinkles, topped with frosting and extra sprinkles for my birthday cake. As I grew up, I learned a Funfetti cake was delicious, but not quite as […]

Garden Notes: First light

Late January. Along the path, buds and new growth are revealed. Peeping out from wet oak leaves, the hellebore seedlings trail parent plants and hardy cyclamen. The first crow calls just a little after 5:30 am. The rest of its inky cohort answers, and morning comes. Bird life revives. It enlivens the early hours: the […]

This Was Then: The Jetties

Until a major storm reconstructed our coastline around 1725, Cape Poge and the whole northern tip of Chappaquiddick — the landmasses we sometimes refer to as Great Neck and Little Neck — were a distinctly separate island. It was referred to in 17th and early 18th century deeds as “the island of Natick, alias Capoag, near […]

On My Way: A walk in the clouds

We were above the treeline traversing the summit in the clouds for a moment. This is not entirely true. Trees were all around us, and at 236 feet or so, we were not in the clouds. But it was the feeling of the summit of the Middle Line Woods property — for a moment. The […]

Writing from the Heart: Aging is a full-time job

Aging is a full-time job. I thought of that as a title while trudging through the woods yesterday. I say trudging because hiking is a thing, a word, an activity of the past. I have to literally make myself move out of my seat, and make each individual leg move, and straighten out my bent-over […]

A doorway to healing

“Trauma is not the bad things that happened to you, but what happens inside you as a result of what happened to you.” —Dr. Gabor Maté When you look up the documentary “The Wisdom of Trauma,” the first thing you should be gladly taken aback by is the subtitle: “Can our deepest pain be a […]

Visiting Vet: A heart murmur can mean many things

Smurf is a classic example of what veterinarians call an LWD. That’s a Little White Dog. He happens to be a Maltese–toy poodle cross, but LWDs can be any pup fitting the description: bichon frisé, West Highland white terrier, coton de Tulear, to name a few. LWDs are particularly famous among veterinarians for a weird […]

A Beacon: Working through the cycles

It returned in much the same way as it always had, a little at a time, deceptively gradual. Three years ago, for six months, the medication I’d started on had worked beyond my expectations. I was able to start working at Daybreak, and did so for more than two years. I had a host of […]

Get ready to swing and promenade at the Grange Hall

Join the Vineyard Preservation Trust at the Grange Hall on Saturday, Feb. 10, from 6:30 to 8:30 pm for a night of contradancing and community, to benefit the rejuvenation of West Tisbury’s 165-year-old community centerpiece, the Grange Hall. A press release from the trust says, “Preserving the past, living for the present, and preparing for […]

Films, lawns, and live music at the West Tisbury library

On Saturday, Feb. 10, at 3 pm, the West Tisbury library hosts a presentation about Vineyard Lawns with Sam Look, executive director of the Vineyard Conservation Society. She will go over the basics of having a lawn that’s safe for children, pets, and ponds. This event is free and open to the public. And, in […]

Tisbury: M.V. Museum, Neighborhood Convention, tax returns, and Cultural District

Heard on Main Street: It’s always darkest before dawn. So if you’re going to steal your neighbor’s newspaper, that’s the time to do it. Why does it always feel colder on dark, dreary days? It’s just past noon, and I really need an extra sweater. And why is it so hard to pull on an […]

Oak Bluffs: Babe Ruth, Orchid Show, Gloria Wong, and contradance

“Every strike brings me closer to the next home run.” —George Herman (“Babe”) Ruth Babe Ruth was one of the greatest baseball players of all time, but here in Massachusetts we know him as “the Bambino,” whose trade to the Yankees caused the curse on the Red Sox that prevented them from winning a championship […]

Edgartown: Island Alpaca, library fundraiser, ballroom dancing, and ‘The Wisdom of Trauma’

It’s still January, as I write. It seems like such a long month. I’d love to see some sunshine. I love the warmer weather we’ve been having over the past week, but it came with mostly gray skies or rain, which is kind of dreary. Alas, it is winter. We could have been slammed by […]

Chilmark: Wellness, Nancy Aronie, Music & Light, Saintly Suppers, and Slow Stitching Circle

I’m looking for the light. I found it Saturday night at the Chilmark Potluck Jam. I found it in a reflection in a puddle. I found it in the warmth of the woodstove. I found it in a smooth pebble. I found it in the voice of a friend. Last week more than one of […]

Aquinnah: Black History Month, Polished Dental, Island Health Care, and ACE MV

February is Black History Month. It’s a time to educate yourself on history, and to inform yourself about what is happening right now. At 10 am on Saturday, Feb. 3, at the Oak Bluffs library, a coalition of the Martha’s Vineyard League of Women Voters, the Martha’s Vineyard NAACP, the Association for the Study of […]

Health Beat: It’s not too late to protect yourself

With COVID and RSV cases on the rise, as well as patients dealing with the flu this winter, there’s no time like the present to address vaccination confidence. Or in some cases, lack of confidence. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital continues to see patients dealing with all three of the respiratory illnesses. From Sept. 20 through Jan. […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘January Gems’

January Gems By Ellie Bates Night black velvet sky wears crescent pearl necklace Morning flakes of chalcedony veils dress the fields of fallen snow Ellie Bates lives year-round in Edgartown, and is a member of the MV Poets’ Collective and the Cleaveland House Poets. Her recent chapbook,“Seasonal Wonderings: Poems for Summer Fall Winter Spring,” was […]

Cribbage Club results

Nineteen Vineyard Cribbage Club members met on Wednesday at the MVRHS Culinary Dining Hall in Oak Bluffs to play our favorite game. The results were: 1st: Roger Thomas with an 11/5 +79 card 2nd: Bo Picard with an 11/4 +110 card 3rd: Bob Hakenson with a 10/5 card 4th: George Giosmas with an 8/4 +53 […]

Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 22 – 26, 2024

Chilmark Jan. 24, Tower Lane Collaborative LLC sold 31 Tower Lane, 34 Ebens Lane, and 0 Middle Line Road to SanctuaryMV LLC for $2,900,000. Edgartown Jan. 24, Steven R. Becker and Jo-Ann R. Becker sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 462 Week 39 to Soraya M. Rosso for $6,500. Jan. 24, David Gallagher sold 41 […]

Court Report: Jan. 5 – 29, 2024

Jan. 5 Roger V. Goncalves, Edgartown; 19, breaking and entering a vehicle/boat during daytime for felony, trespassing: continued to pretrial hearing. Jan. 8 Bruce J. Smith, Vineyard Haven; 40, assault and battery, assault and battery with dangerous weapon: continued to pretrial hearing. Jan. 12 Mateus Silva, Edgartown; 46, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Aiden Joseph Rogers of Edgartown, at Curry College. Cali Giglio of Oak Bluffs, at the College of Charleston. Andrea Morse of Oak Bluffs, at the College of Charleston. Nico Arroyo of Vineyard Haven, at the University of Rhode Island. Kaio Pereira of Edgartown, at the University of Rhode Island. Katherine Purda of Edgartown, […]

Gloria Lee Wong

Gloria Lee Wong passed away peacefully in her sleep at her home in Vineyard Haven on Jan. 24, 2024, one month shy of her 96th birthday. She lived year-round on the Island for the past 25 years, and was a seasonal resident in the Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association for nearly 60 years. Gloria Violet […]

Christopher Aring-Sharkovitz

Christopher Jaret Aring-Sharkovitz died on Jan. 18, 2024, due to complications from a combined heart-liver transplant. He was 26 years old.  A steadfastly kind, happy, and generous person, Chris dreamed big, lived life without hesitation, and never gave in to negativity. He had a wide, bright smile that lit up a room, and he impressed […]

Wojtkielo Officer of the Year in West Tisbury

West Tisbury Police Detective Nikolaj Wojtkielo was announced yesterday as West Tisbury’s 2023 Officer of the Year. Over his tenure spanning nearly a decade, Wojtkielo has been named department accreditation manager; he’s also a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Tactical Response Team and Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force.  According to a release from the department, […]

Chilmark addressing erosion after storms

Updated January 31. After the series of heavy coastal storms that caused erosion Island-wide, it isn’t just Edgartown undergoing remediation efforts. Chilmark officials are responding to effects at Squibnocket Road, and may use sand dredged from Menemsha Basin to do so. The storms caused significant erosion Island-wide, especially at beaches and coastline areas. In Chilmark, […]

Food & Wine fest announces summer dates

The Martha’s Vineyard Food & Wine Festival announced it will return in the summer for four days, June 6 to 9. The festival includes seafood and farm-fresh ingredients, and attracts epicureans from across the country. Details of tastings, seminars, chef demonstrations, and exclusive private dinners will be announced at a later date.  For 2024, the […]

‘Kumbaya’ moment with Island-wide turf vote

To the Editor: I read your recent editorial about the whole Island voting for the field at the high school (“Ballot measure a chance to end the turf wars,” Jan. 18), and had a few thoughts. Since it may be logistically hard to get all six towns to do this, and we may face other […]

South Beach repairs to cost nearly $2 million

The town of Edgartown received emergency authorization from the Department of Environmental Protection Monday to begin maintenance dredging within Katama Bay to repair damages to the town’s South Beach area. Total repair work to the area, which includes utilizing sand dredged from Katama Bay to help fortify South Beach dunes, is expected to cost $1.76 […]

Genocide claims are antisemitic

To the editor: During a week when decent people around the world paid attention to the fact that January 27th is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, the Martha’s Vineyard Times saw fit to publish, not one, but two antisemitic letters to the editor. Both were filled with the usual and recently invented ignorant lies dismissing Israel’s […]

John Richard Bauer

John Richard Bauer, 72, of Oak Bluffs, died on Jan. 4, 2024, at the Lily House in Wellfleet, after a brief illness. A memorial Mass was held at St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven on Jan. 18.  A complete obituary will follow in another edition of this paper. Visit chapmanfuneral.com for online guestbook and information.

Daniel L. Donaldson

Daniel L. Donaldson, 81, of West Tisbury, died unexpectedly at his home on Jan. 12, 2024. He was the husband of Kathryn Lang Donaldson.  His celebration of life will be held at a later date, and a complete obituary will follow in another edition of this paper. Visit chapmanfuneral.com for online guestbook and information.

Services Thursday for Cristofer N. Vought

Cristofer N. Vought, 24, of Oak Bluffs, died on Jan. 24, 2024, at his home in Quincy, while attending barber school. He was the son of Zeke and Beth Vought of Oak Bluffs.  His funeral service will be celebrated on Thursday, Feb. 1, at noon in the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury, and burial […]

Leigh J. Rogers

Leigh J. Rogers of Oak Bluffs died on Friday, Jan. 19, 2024, at the age of 63, at his home. He was the son of Sylvia (Coutinho) Rogers. A funeral service was held at Chapman Funerals in Oak Bluffs on Jan. 27. Burial followed at Sacred Heart Cemetery in Oak Bluffs. A complete obituary will appear […]

Handing over the keys

To the Editor: It is great to have an on-Island, full-service locksmith. I was so happy to have Bill Burke take over my business to provide a necessary service. Bill Burke, the new owner of Lighthouse Locksmiths, is now a member of ALOA, Association Locksmiths of America, a professional security organization. He has completed the […]

Vineyard boys swim team wins regional championship

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School swim team had a big win on Saturday, placing first in the 5th Annual Cape and Island League Championship meet. The boys team secured 326 points on Saturday, against second place Nauset who had 307. Also during the big weekend, a number of swimmers qualified for sectional championships and […]

Vineyard gets state funding against invasive beetles 

The Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation is receiving $75,000 in state funding to help prevent the spread of the invasive Southern pine beetle on the Island. The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game announced on Friday it would distribute $365,000 in grants to protect 234 acres of habitats across the state, which included funding for Sheriff’s Meadow.  […]

Montessori expansion heads to regional planners

Representatives of the Vineyard Montessori School in Vineyard Haven are scheduled to be before the Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Thursday, Feb. 1, pitching the construction of a new building as they look to consolidate and expand their childcare offerings. The new, one-story building would add four classrooms to increase the amount of space available for […]

Evidence of entanglement in right whale death

  Updated Jan. 31 Researchers say that entanglement may be the cause of the death of a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale that washed up on a Vineyard beach this week.  In what is the first confirmed right whale death of the year, the juvenile washed ashore at Cow Bay in Edgartown, adding another […]

Richard Dana Sherman Sr.

Richard Dana Sherman Sr. of Falmouth died on Jan. 24, 2024, at the age of 100.  Mr. Sherman was born on Oct. 7, 1923, in Providence, R.I. He was the son of Clarence Edgar and Inez Copeland Sherman, and the youngest of four siblings. He was raised in Providence and spent summers in East Chop, […]

Tisbury taxi license under scrutiny

There is concern among established taxi companies in Vineyard Haven as a new company looks to enter the market. The Tisbury Select Board decided to delay a decision on whether to award a new license this week, while they determine what happened to a sixth and final license that cabbies claim was retired after the […]

Bald eagles compete for an Island home

In late January, mating pairs of bald eagles are scoping for possible nesting sites, including on Martha’s Vineyard. Because it seems easier, they often make their home in a vacant osprey nest.  And, according to a local wildlife biologist, that is the reason why the Vineyard hasn’t hosted a baby bald eagle in local memory. […]

Island schools pursuing electric bus fleet

School officials are looking to purchase five new electric buses, and they’re looking for support from the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).  On Thursday, The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Committee unanimously approved applying for a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Clean School Bus Grant. The plan is to apply for the funding through […]

Resource theft in Gaza rarely discussed

To the Editor: The 2023 holiday season film line-up reverberated curiously with the Israeli war on Gaza. One of the top films on the viewing schedule was Martin Scorsese’s  “Killers of the Flower Moon.” Its subject is resource theft: the theft of oil belonging to members of the Osage Nation, and the violence unleashed against […]

Planning board files to drop turf appeal

Updated, Jan. 27 The Oak Bluffs planning board has officially indicated that it is dropping its turf appeal. The board’s attorney, Michael Goldsmith, filed a motion in Massachusetts Land Court on Friday, Jan. 26, telling a judge that the board “will not be pursuing its appeal.” The filing follows comments from planning board chair Ewell […]

West Tisbury considers reducing town meeting quorum size

Select board members in West Tisbury are considering reducing the size of the quorum needed for town meetings. West Tisbury town administrator Jennifer Rand proposed a warrant article to change the current quorum from five percent of registered voters to simply 75 registered voters during a meeting Wednesday, Jan. 24.  Rand said the annual town […]

Mother Nature and the Fate of Fishing

The other day, I ran into Pat Toomey in Stop & Shop, and he very nicely said, “I’m determined to go fishing at sunset, do you want to go?”Everything in me wanted to say “YES!” except the part that knew I had to open the shelter, which replied, “I can’t.” “Another day,” said Pat, avid […]

Don’t change Tisbury shellfish regs

To the Editor: As a resident of Lagoon Pond with an aquaculture plot right in front of my house, I have to say I am shocked that the Natural Resources Advisory Committee essentially let the foxes draft the document for henhouse security. Shellfish constable Danielle Ewart — a reliable voice for science and for our […]

Review of Trustees’ OSV application extended

The Edgartown conservation commission voted this week to continue its review and public hearing for the Trustees of Reservations’ application to sell over-sand vehicle (OSV) permits for its Chappaquiddick properties. Since the fall filing of two separate notices of intent (NOI) for OSV use on Leland Beach/Wasque Reservation and Cape Poge Wildlife Refuge, the Trustees […]

Stop signs coming to Pacific Avenue

The Oak Bluffs select board unanimously approved adding two stop signs at School Street and Pacific Avenue, making the intersection a three-way stop. The recommendation came from the Oak Bluffs roadways and byways committee.  Byways and select board member Jason Balboni said that an accident at the top of School Street a few years ago […]

Freight scheduling fraught

To the Editor: Today, two voting members of the Steamship Authority board, representing Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, control 70 percent of the Steamship Authority board vote. When the two islands vote together, the votes of Falmouth, Barnstable, and New Bedford, that is the other three voting members of the Authority (representing together 30 percent of […]

Support body cameras for Island police

George Floyd’s 2020 murder at the hands of Minneapolis police changed the way America thinks about policing. We only know what happened because an iPhone video captured the nearly 8 minutes a police officer kneeled on Floyd’s neck.  The movement to hold police more accountable was spurred into action and as part of that national […]

V.H. taquería to be open this summer

A planned outdoor taquería at the historic Old Stone Bank property in Vineyard Haven is slated to be open for summer, according to developer Sam Dunn. Dunn has also been working on a sit-down restaurant inside the main Old Stone Bank building, to be open for summer 2025 with seating for 85 patrons.  The taquería, […]

Biden-Harris should support U.N. genocide case

To the Editor: I have to say that as much as I despise Trump and would never vote for him, I no longer feel that I can vote for the Biden-Harris ticket and I am hoping with all my heart that the Democratic party finds a candidate who truly does care about human rights for […]

Red Arrow Road project breaks ground

Updated, Jan. 24 Developers broke ground this week on the Red Arrow Community Housing project, which will become five new structures on 3.17 acres in West Tisbury. On Tuesday, South Mountain Company, Island Housing Trust, and Habitat for Humanity representatives gathered for the ceremonial groundbreaking. The project is estimated to be completed by December of […]

Support Vineyard Montessori School

To the Editor: With the childcare issue on this Island becoming dire, the Montessori school is stepping up to help fill that gap. The amount of working parents on this Island that depend on this school is vital. This is not a for-profit business trying to expand to increase their profit. This is a school […]

Cocaine bust reported in Edgartown

Two individuals were arrested in Edgartown for alleged drug charges last week. Ryan Camacho, 22, of Edgartown, and Bailey Francis, 23, of Oak Bluffs were arrested on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at a 13th Street North property in Edgartown for trafficking cocaine.  Police say that nearly 26 grams of cocaine and more than $7,000 in cash, […]

Island Rug Hookers are back and looking for new members

The October West Tisbury library art exhibit featuring the work of sisters Lynn Hoeft and Kris McDermet was breathtaking. Hoeft, an Islander, is a painter, and McDermet is a fabric braiding artist residing in Vermont. Word of the exhibit’s magic spread among the Island Rug Hookers, and soon the work of McDermet generated the idea […]

Yorgos Lanthimos’s odd and imaginative new film

“Poor Things” arrives at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 pm. Directed by Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos, this film is a bizarre and ingenious remake of the Frankenstein myth, based on Alasdair Gray’s 1992 novel. Oscar nominee Emma Stone plays childlike Bella Baxter, peculiarly brought to life by apparently renowned scientist […]

Denys Wortman’s view from above at M.V. Playhouse

Denys Wortman gives us a rare perspective of this place we call home — specifically, from up high. His current exhibit, “View from Above,” at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, is an alluring array of photographs he has taken with drones since 2016. Seeing the world from on high was not new to him. Always interested […]

Jewelry Makers: A little sparkle

The Island is known for summoning creatives. We’re surrounded by musicians, writers, dancers, actors, photographers, comedians, and visual artists who work in a variety of mediums. Recently, I had the pleasure of meeting with three jewelry makers to talk about their love for sparkle, texture, and design. Carrie Peckar: Forever MV Carrie Peckar has a […]

WHOI: Deep dive

Recently the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) published its first children’s book — a deep sea dive into a world that most of us will never witness outside of photos. “Where the Weird Things Are: An Ocean Twilight Zone Adventure” features creatures that live deep at sea in an area referred to as the Ocean […]

Museum Pieces: Clifford the Big Red Dog exhibit opens

“It takes courage to grow up and become who you really are.” Decades after he wrote them, these words of poet e.e. cummings ring true. Seeds are planted in our childhood that set us on a path, and one day, if we’re lucky, we look around at what has been growing in our garden, weed […]

Vineyard Haven isn’t just for lunch anymore

Having grown up on Martha’s Vineyard, getting to see the slow and steady transition of our primary port town has been exhilarating. V.H. used to be the place you would go to grab coffee, sit down for a quick lunch, peruse some local retail outlets, or drive through on your way home from the boat. […]

No more Beach Road Weekend for Martha’s Vineyard

The popular three-day summer concert Beach Road Weekend, which brought thousands of visitors to the Island, will no longer call Martha’s Vineyard home. Vineyard Arts and Culture Foundation announced in a press release on Wednesday that financial struggles pushed the festival and the MV Concert Series off-Island; the foundation says that the music festival will […]

Chain reaction activity

Build a fun Rube Goldberg–esque contraption (intentionally designed to perform a simple task in an indirect, overly complicated way) at the West Tisbury library with Hugh Phear. All ages are welcome to try their hand at building an inspired device in a convoluted way. With limited time, materials, and space, participants will be challenged to […]

Island Alpaca walk and talk

Alpacas are gentle souls, and they like company, so take a stroll with one and get to know it better during Alpaca Walk and Talk. Learn about where alpacas come from, why they’re important, and how to handle them safely. Make a reservation at islandalpaca.com. Walk-ins are welcome. Cost is $30 per person to walk […]

Full moon owl prowl

Who? You. Get outside and join an owl prowl. Owls are quiet critters, silently flying through the Island woods and fields. They communicate, however, and you just might be able to hear one or two. Take a lovely moonlit stroll at Felix Neck, and look, listen, and learn about these amazing nocturnal birds. Dress warmly! […]

Wild Side: Shoreline bugs

I’ve been thinking a lot about shorelines lately, and the complex mix of challenges and opportunities that the meeting of land and water poses for wildlife. An oceanic shoreline, especially, with its high salinity, constantly changing water levels, and periodic disruption by storm-driven surges and waves, is a fascinating thing to explore. What creatures live […]

Woodside Story: The joy of pets

For those of us seniors who love animals — seemingly loving them beyond life itself (come on, admit it, it’s that meaningful) — figuring out a way to make our last chapter desirable can mean having a dog or a cat, or a gerbil, or a barn of horses. It is stunningly wonderful. And statistics […]

Acupuncture: Pins and needles

Needles. Did you just wince a little, reading that word? We often associate needles with vaccines, blood draws, and root canals. Yet in acupuncture, needles are believed to serve us in innumerable ways. According to kripalu.com and the Mayo Clinic, acupuncture is a traditional Chinese medicine that dates back thousands of years, and is based […]

Councils on Aging: Loving the work

Speaking with the Island directors of the Councils on Aging (COA) was more than inspiring. Each one bursts with enthusiasm for their job, and their dedication to the Island community. My first conversation was with Catie Blake at the Tisbury COA, who has recently stepped into the position. Her path was an interesting one. When […]

The KonMari Method: Let it go

Do you have a catchall room where you stash piles of belongings? Maybe your entire house has become a catchall. If so, the Netflix reality series “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” might appeal to you. The show follows Japanese organizing consultant and creator of the KonMari Method Marie Kondo, as she visits families and helps […]

Climate Change Connections: Trees

“Keep close to nature’s heart.” —John Muir As a young lad, John Muir was in a welding accident, and lost his eyesight. As he lay in his bed resting for weeks on end, which was a typical cure-all for a lot of ailments at that time, he said that if he ever got his eyesight […]

Dogcharmer: Learn to use your retractable leash

Dear Dogcharmer, What are your thoughts about retractable leashes? I keep getting rope burns! Scalded Hand Dear Scalded Hand, I’ve been asked your question many times. First things first — a retractable leash is a one-hand device. Period. And rope burns may be the least of it. How about eye injuries and severed fingers? Picture […]

Upcoming activities at the West Tisbury library

Jason Mazar-Kelly will lead an all-levels virtual Kripalu Flow Yoga Class via Zoom on Friday, Jan. 26, at 7:30 pm. Visit wholesomemv.com to sign up. Then at 10:30 am, join Music with Maryse, a weekly child-centered music time with Maryse Smith. Instruments are provided, but feel free to bring your own as well. No sign […]

Up-Island Council on Aging: February 2024

Up-Island Council on Aging, Howes House 1042 State Rd., West Tisbury Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4 pm, closed holidays 508-693-2896 friendsofupislandcouncilonaging.org There’s always something happening at the Howes House! We are open Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4 pm. Closed holidays. Mondays 9:15 am, Yoga with Martha Abbott on Zoom. Email spiritmovesyou@gmail.com […]

Edgartown Council on Aging: February 2024

Edgartown Council on Aging The Anchors at 10 Daggett St. Lyndsay Famariss 508-627-4368 lfamariss@edgartown-ma.us edgartowncoa.com Weekly Events Monday 11:30 am: Bowling at the Barn 12:30 pm: Bridge 1 pm: Research your Genealogical Tree with Meris Tuesday 9 am: Yoga 10 am: Knitting 12 pm: Tuesday lunch 1:15 pm: Mah Jongg Wednesday 9:30 am: Tai Chi […]

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging: February 2024

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging 21 Wamsutta Ave. Rose M. Cogliano, 508-693-4509, ext. 3 oakbluffsma.gov/152/Council-on-Aging Daily Coffee & Tea, 9 am – 3 pm. Bring along a friend! Tuesdays Blood Pressure Clinic with Nurse Faith Laskaris, Feb. 6, 12:30 – 1:30 pm Pet-icare with Darci, 10 am, Feb. 6 and Feb. 20. Nail clipping for […]

Tisbury Council on Aging: February 2024

Tisbury Senior Center 34 Pine Tree Road, Vineyard Haven Director: Catie Blake Phone: 508-696-4205 tisburyma.gov/council-aging We offer free coffee, tea, and hot chocolate all day every day! The center is open from 8 am until 4 pm on Monday through Friday. Love is like an ocean, deep and always in motion. Weekly Activities  Monday 9:30 […]

M.V. Center for Living: February 2024

M.V. Center for Living, the Island’s Dementia and Caregiver Support Network Leslie Clapp, executive director 508-939-9440 lesliec@mvcenter4living.org mvcenter4living.org M.V. Center for Living will be closed on Monday, Feb. 19, to observe Presidents’ Day. Regular Programs Daily: 9 am – 2 pm, Supportive Day Program Fridays: 11 am – 12 pm, Open House Fridays: 10 – […]

Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard: February 2024

Training to Become a Matter of Balance Coach is Available Soon Would you like to help older adults reduce their fear of falling and learn how to lessen the likelihood of a fall in the future? We are looking for individuals who have a passion for helping the Island’s older adult community. We plan to […]

Noteworthy for 55+: February 2024

Community Programs  MVRHS Luncheon Monthly senior luncheons at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s Culinary Arts dining room are back every second Thursday. The next one is on Feb. 8, with 11 am seating. Enjoy a 3-course, gourmet, dining experience for $15. Reservations are required. Call 508-939-9440. This month’s menu: French Onion Soup, Roast Chicken Gran […]

SHINE: February 2024

SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) Barnstable County Regional SHINE office shine@capecod.gov 508-375-6762 It’s a New Year and a new volunteer opportunity is waiting for you! The Barnstable County SHINE program is seeking volunteers for 2024! We screen, train, and certify all volunteers as Medicare experts, so you don’t need a background in […]

CORE senior services

CORE senior services Care Coordinator: Ann Baird 508-693-7900, ext. 244 mvcommunityservices.org Counseling, Outreach, and Referral for the Elderly (CORE) at M.V. Community Services works with at-risk and mostly home-bound seniors in the community, addressing significant physical, behavioral, social, and case management needs of seniors age 60+ at no cost to the client. The program strives […]

Veterans’ Corner

The Dukes County Veterans Service Department serves the veterans of all seven towns within Dukes County. The Veterans Service Officer helps veterans obtain all the benefits to which they are entitled, keeps records of living and deceased veterans, and conceives programs to honor vets and promote patriotism. Veterans Services provides for the provision of Federal […]

Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 15 – 19, 2024

Chilmark Jan. 16, Andrew Readinger and Joanne Murray sold 28 Huntington Way to Huntington Way LLC for $5,000,000. Jan. 19, John Owen Maloney sold an undivided 50 percent interest of 19 Allen Road to John Owen Maloney, trustee of John Owen Maloney 2009 Trust, for $1. Jan. 19, James P. Karabees sold parcels on 1 […]

Court Report: Jan. 5 – 18, 2024

Jan. 5 Geraldo A. Lopes, Edgartown; 41, unlicensed operation of  motor vehicle, unregistered motor vehicle: case closed. Vagner Fernandes Santos, Teaticket; 52, larceny over $1,200: continued to pre-trial hearing. Mariane R. Silva, Vineyard Haven; 29, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle, motor vehicle not meeting RMV safety standards: case closed. Breno E. Silva, Vineyard Haven; 38, […]

‘Wicked Burger’ slated for Edgartown

There’s a new, year-round, no-frills burger restaurant coming to Edgartown.  On Monday, the town’s select board signed off on a common victualler’s license for upcoming eatery Wicked Burger, which is expected to open sometime this spring. The new spot is owned by the proprietors of the iconic Alchemy restaurant on Edgartown’s Main Street, with the […]

Housing development raises water supply concerns

Updated Jan. 24 More details are needed before an affordable housing project for seniors gets the green light in West Tisbury. The West Tisbury planning board voted unanimously to continue the public hearing held on Monday regarding a project on 401 State Road, an affordable housing development aimed to serve those 60 years and older. […]

Wastewater commission violated open meeting law

State officials have determined that the Oak Bluffs wastewater commission violated Open Meeting Law. The Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Open Government found that three emails dated June 26, June 28, and July 7 in 2023 from Oak Bluffs wastewater commissioner Cassandra Bowler to fellow members were considered deliberation outside of a posted […]

Chilmark Town Meeting preschool lease passes

Over 100 Chilmark voters unanimously approved a lease for the town’s preschool project, the sole warrant article in a special town meeting Monday night.  With town meeting approval, a new building for the Chilmark Preschool is planned for completion in September 2025. The planned building is a response to pressures from rising enrollment in the […]

Manage a retreat from Squibnocket shore

To the Editor: After the storms of the past month, I would like to comment on the general destruction at Squibnocket Beach. The issues neatly divided into two: the turn around at the end of the town road and the breach of the dune just west of there. Several years ago Chilmark rearranged and rebuilt […]

West Tisbury: Snowdrops, baby lambs, community suppers, and library programs

It’s been another week of storms, rain, and wind. Our one snowstorm covered the ground, leaving a snow-washed landscape before it disappeared. It’s turned cold, too, and the ground feels hard underfoot. Probably not the kind of deep winter freezes we used to have; one could probably penetrate that thinly frozen layer and dig down […]

Tisbury: M.V. Playhouse, Elizabeth Whelan, Great Decisions, and Tech Pro for seniors

Heard on Main Street: Don’t cry because it’s over; smile because it happened. Selected items from the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse wardrobe collection will be sold from 10 am to 1 pm this Saturday, Jan. 27, at the Playhouse. There are furs, winter coats, sweaters, men’s sports coats, and more. Island artist Elizabeth Whelan will lead […]

Oak Bluffs: Oprah Winfrey, M.V. Museum, Rotary Club, and community potluck

“We have to make the choice — every single day — to exemplify the truth, the respect, and the grace that we wish for this world.” –Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey was born into poverty in rural Mississippi, in 1954. She did not have an easy childhood; she was born to a teenage mother and a […]

Edgartown: Carnegie talk, Film Night, Brickyard hike, Bodhi Path, and alpaca

As I sat down to write my column, I was happy to see that Thursday is Jan. 25. Not that it’s a special day, but it means that January is almost over. One winter month down, almost. In my head it’s still early January, because I’m doing end-of-the-year bookkeeping work, and have tax forms due, […]

Chilmark: Working together, VTA buses, local farms, and Pathways events

I know we can do things on our own, but what might happen if we do them together? In his last sermon, “Remaining Awake Through a Great Revolution,” Martin Luther King said, “Our world is a neighborhood. Through our scientific and technological genius, we have made this world a neighborhood, and yet we have not […]

Aquinnah: Wintertime quiet, creative flow, and Aquinnah Variety Show

Even with the wind howling, this is actually the quiet time of year here in Aquinnah. Many of us see our work slowing down (or stopping) for the season. Visitors are infrequent. Gardens are fallow. Many of the houses sit boarded up and empty of human inhabitants. Sometimes you see people, bundled into hats and […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘On Aging and the Loss of One’s Marbles’

On Aging and the Loss of One’s Marbles By Ellen Martin Story Sad, to think I’m losing marbles these days. Used to lose a lot when I was a kid playing on the sidewalk. Could never finger-flick other marbles out of the circle. I remember the marbles were pretty with colorful veins especially in sunlight. […]

Births

Cecelia Lyn Campbell Courtney Campbell and Jarrett Campbell of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Cecelia Lyn Campbell, on Jan. 16, 2024, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Cecelia weighed 8 pounds, 4 ounces. Clare Alexina Nisbet Katie Nisbet and Andrew Nisbet of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Clare Alexina Nisbet, on […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Caroline Moffet of Oak Bluffs, at Eastern Connecticut State University. Joseph Serpa of Edgartown, at the University of Michigan. Daniel Serpa of Edgartown, at Bucknell University.  

Celebrating 100 years of auxiliary service

  The U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, put in place by Congress in 1939, has been a beacon of safety for those on the water for 85 years. Martha’s Vineyard flotilla vessel examiners Jules Ben David and Kenneth DeBettencourt have been active members for more than half of that. Both have been with the service for […]

Nine seals stranded on Island this month

Natural resource officials are keeping a close eye on what is believed to be a juvenile gray seal that is seemingly trying to haul itself onto the beach after being found stranded in shallow waters off of Chappaquiddick’s Wasque Reservation this weekend. The seal — according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — […]

Former O.B. fire chief facing illegal video charge

Updated, Jan. 24 The former fire chief of Oak Bluffs who resigned years ago amid sexual harassment allegations — and then seemingly given a second chance in another Island town —  has been arrested on a charge stemming from a sex tape. John Rose, 53, was arrested at Logan airport on Saturday after state prosecutors […]

Deep concern for Montessori expansion

To the Editor: There is deep concern in our formerly peaceful area of Vineyard Haven, that the expansion plans for the Montessori School will have an even more harmful impact on the neighborhood in our section of Vineyard Haven. The anticipated doubling of traffic on Tashmoo Ave. — a two way street already with parking […]

Rose arrested for alleged salacious videotaping  

Former Oak Bluffs Fire Chief John Rose has been arrested and charged with photographing, videotaping, or electronically surveilling partially nude or nude persons, the Cape and Islands District Attorney Rob Galibois announced Saturday. The DA’s office was unable to confirm where the arrest was made. The charges are a result of an investigation conducted by […]

SSA delays summer reservation rollout over tech issues

Updated Jan. 23 The Steamship Authority is pushing back the dates to make summer vehicle reservations due to technical issues. The openings of summer vehicle reservations for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard had been scheduled for Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, respectively. While the Head Start reservation period will continue through Monday as planned, no new […]

Chilmark tennis dispute surfaces

Updated A group of Chilmark residents are pushing for better management of the year-round tennis operations at the Chilmark Community Center, arguing that the programming is geared more toward summer residents than year-round Islanders. A petition with over 130 residents signatures was recently submitted to the town; the petition calls for the creation of two […]

Islanders testify for housing legislation

  Updated, Jan. 26 More than a dozen Island housing advocates traveled to the State House last week to support the passage of sweeping legislation that calls for investing $4 billion statewide into affordable housing.  The legislation is seen by many on the Island as a potential boon for the development of much-needed affordable housing, […]

Stranded seal dies at care center

A multi-agency effort to rescue a stranded newborn seal in Edgartown Great Pond unfortunately did not end well. Edgartown Animal Control Officer Kimberly Andrade told The Times that the young seal, which still had its umbilical cord, likely got stuck during last week’s storm.  Andrade said while local animal rescuers waited to see if the […]

Housing committee reprimanded

The West Tisbury affordable housing committee was grilled at a West Tisbury select board meeting on Wednesday, Jan. 18, with some members of the board calling the committee’s latest actions “embarrassing.” Board chair Skipper Manter said the problems emerged during the special town meeting last November when the committee tried to push forward a warrant […]

Two arrested in Edgartown sting

An investigation involving Homeland Security, the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), and local police departments resulted in the arrest of an Edgartown couple last week.  Steven Luce and Rosalynn Kent were taken into custody the morning of Jan. 12 after the DEA, assisted by the Martha’s Vineyard Drug Task Force, conducted a controlled delivery of a […]

The High School View: Vineyard Wind visits class; Basketball team at TD Garden

Read the MVRHS High School View: 1-18-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Lagoon struggling water quality behind Tisbury shellfish regs

Jeffrey Canha was the first Tisbury resident to get an aquaculture license for the Lagoon when the town passed its first set of regulations in 2019.  He had high hopes for the industry, investing his savings into shellfish seed and an operation on the Lagoon side of Beach Road: a shipping container serving as his […]

Boys swimming continues winning ways

In back-to-back meet days, the Vineyard swim team traveled off-Island to swim against Saint John Paul at the Sandwich pool on Friday afternoon.  The girls score was close throughout the meet, but they did end up losing, 70 to 83.  The Vineyard boys team greatly outnumbered the small SJP team, and won 105 to 30.  […]

Edgartown declares emergency for South Beach

In order to qualify for federal emergency funds after significant storm damage last week, the Edgartown Select Board declared an emergency for the South Beach area. The board did so at a Wednesday meeting with the town parks commission, which was well-attended by officials from other town bodies. Much of the meeting involved descriptions of […]

Build smart in storm aftermath

“There is a rapidly closing window of opportunity to secure a livable and sustainable future for all.”   That’s a line from the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of scientists and economists around the globe who contribute to a regular update on the climate crisis. The latest trifecta of […]

Ballot measure a chance to end the turf wars

What may have been lost in last week’s excitement surrounding the turf field was a vote by the MVRHS School Committee to support a nonbinding ballot question for voters to say whether they would support grass or synthetic turf.  We say, Finally. Let the voters decide. This should have happened long ago. The details on […]

Trump eligibility and the Anderson petition

In its Jan. 11 edition, my op-ed in The MV Times reviewed the Trump argument before the Supreme Court to allow him to appear on the Colorado primary ballot. To reiterate, the focus is on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which disqualifies a candidate for federal office if that person has “engaged in insurrection […]

State should subsidize ferry service

To the Editor: While the SSA may be proud about being self-funded through bonding arrangements and its own farebox, penny-pinching by the SSA has resulted in the recent purchase of several retired vessels to be refitted, and an obsolete computer reservation system. Financial concerns dominate the SSA’s goal to maximize its freight volume to Martha’s […]

Town permitting an obstacle to Airport booze sales

Updated January 18. To raise more money for employee housing, the head of post-screening concessions at the Martha’s Vineyard Airport is looking to sell beer and wine to passengers. But the idea may be a non-starter. West Tisbury town administrator Jen Rand says that only restaurants are currently allowed to have a retail license for […]

Student magazine receives national recognition 

Seabreezes, a student-run magazine from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has been recognized by the National Council of Teachers of English. This year, schools in 46 states and five countries nominated 375 student magazines. Magazines from middle school, high school, and higher education were eligible for the 2023 contest. The Recognizing Excellence in Art and […]

Peaked Hill Pastures RFP advances

The Peaked Hill Pastures affordable housing project is finally going out to bid. A request for proposal (RFP), presented by the Peaked Hill Pastures RFP committee, was unanimously approved by the Chilmark Select Board during a Tuesday evening meeting.  It’s taken almost two years for the bidding process to start. The project itself was approved […]

Housing advocates push for Homes Act passage

State lawmakers and Island housing representatives are seeking support from Vineyard residents for an upcoming hearing on the so-called Affordable Homes Act — a bold housing bill presented last year by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healy that champions a transfer fee on high-priced real estate transactions.  While the housing bank legislation continues making its way through […]

A nice off-season treat

To the Editor: Amy and I ventured from Chilmark for a dinner out in the short interval between last week’s downpours. On the advice of dear friends, we walked into Bombay Indian Cuisine in O.B., which sits where Sea Smoke used to dish out great BBQ, across from Tony’s. We were warmly greeted, expertly cooked […]

Edgartown Police requesting body camera funding

Three years after the codification of a landmark police reform law aimed at increasing accountability in Massachusetts law enforcement agencies, the Edgartown Police Department is looking to modernize its approach to ensuring public safety.  The department is looking for funding for a five-year program that will outfit officers with body cameras. If approved and executed, […]

Around the bookstore

Watching the Christmas decorations come down on Main Street in Edgartown caused a sigh to slip out; it always seems they come down a week too soon — but that’s me, someone who’d like to keep Christmas going a while longer. However, as it seemed everyone else on Main Street was stripping away Christmas, we […]

Two artists, one show at Pathways

A new exhibit at Pathways pairs two artists from different generations whose work, though vastly different, complements the other well. Paul Lazes has been creating art since his days studying at the California Institute of the Arts in the 1980s. Since moving to the Vineyard in 2000, Lazes, whose day job is renovating bathrooms and […]

A grouchy cab driver is won over in ‘Driving Madeleine’

“Driving Madeleine” opens at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Jan. 19. This film is a delightful story of two characters confined in the space of a car, much like Hitchcock’s “Lifeboat” and many other films, but the best of them. The story concerns a 92-year-old woman named Madeleine and the cab driver who takes […]

Farming and prose

Scott Chaskey’s new book, “Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life,” is an ode to nature in many ways. It brims with personal essays and poems in which he intermingles recollections of key periods of his life in different natural settings and the related work he was doing with poetry — […]

Winter writing

It’s wintertime. It’s cold. It gets dark at an absurdly early hour. What better time to light a fire under your inner muse? The upcoming literary arts workshops at Featherstone Center for the Arts are offering us the opportunity to do just that. First up, starting on Tuesday, Jan. 23, will be the online “Memoir […]

Harvest of the Month: Potatoes

“Boil them, mash them, stick them in a stew. PO-TAY-TOES,” as Samwise Gamgee says in “Lord of the Rings.” Potatoes are incredibly versatile, and we couldn’t agree more! Originally cultivated in the South American Andes more than 8,000 years ago, potatoes made their way to Europe through Spanish colonization. They can be grown almost anywhere, […]

Mini golf at the library

Did you know that there is a mini-golf course in the Oak Bluffs library? Well, to clarify, on Friday, Jan. 19, both floors of the library will be transformed into a spacious 18-hole golf course. 4 to 5:30 pm is specifically set aside for folks ages 12 to 18, and 6 to 9 pm is […]

Community Chess Night

According to chess.com, the game is beneficial in numerous ways — it helps to develop creativity, build confidence, improve problem-solving skills, and much more. Plus, it’s fun. On Mondays throughout the winter in the MVRHS cafeteria, the Chess Club will host Community Chess Nights for all students and families on the Island. Beginners to experts […]

Get your dance on

The West Tisbury library hosts an in-person “Adult Community Dance Class” on Saturdays from 10:30 to 11:30 am. Instructor Jesse Keller Jason begins the class with a guided warm-up that will align the body and help build strength, stability, and flexibility. Participants will transition to upbeat movement sequences that keep them socially connected and moving […]

What Are You Watching? NFL Playoffs

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars It’s the NFL playoffs! The prime time of the season, when all the best teams in the NFL square off against each other in a bracketed tournament to reach the pinnacle of all sports championship games: the Super Bowl! My wife, Denise, is British, and to her, football is […]

Garden Notes: Winter comforts

The Island had a taste of snow. It was just enough for a 3-year-old, visiting from the South, to get his first experience of winter’s beauty. Snowscape lights up objects and landscape differently, revealing this faintly glittery praying mantis egg case, pasted onto fencing wire until hatching time arrives. However, in many parts of the […]

Young at art

Aquinnah resident Claus Smith is a sophomore at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS), and is already quite the seasoned potter. Although Smith took pottery in eighth grade, he dove in more deeply as a freshman. “I took ‘Crafts and Sculpture’ class, and that’s when I really got interested,” Smith said. “My older brother, Clyde, […]

Clifton H. Athearn

Clifton Hillman Athearn, a native son of West Tisbury, died on Dec. 12, 2023, at his home in West Tisbury.  He was born about a half-mile from there in 1923, the youngest of four children, including Elmer (Mike), Leonard, and Louise. The farmhouse he was born in, now the home of Simon and Robyn Athearn, […]

This Was Then: Tallman’s octagon

Henry Beetle Hough, in his 1936 book “Martha’s Vineyard, Summer Resort,” listed the Island’s five most colorful, outward-facing characters of the late 19th century: a “bell ringer at the camp meeting,” “a somewhat mad woman with her hens,” “Blind Nathan Athearn from North Tisbury who went about with a green market basket calling, ‘Bananas — […]

Grants for good

What do the Sankofa African American Literature and Culture Festival, Pride Festival in Oak Bluffs, the Aquinnah Artisans Festival, Women in Film Festival, Built on Stilts, Cinema Circus, M.V. Chamber Music Society, Ungrateful Taking, Islanders Write, and the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse have in common? These, along with individual artist programs, are just a small handful […]

Writing from the Heart: Different isn’t weird

The other night at a small dinner, one of our friends said she had just come back from Charlottesville, where she attended her 20th Dave Matthews concert this year. Someone said, “You traveled 20 times to 20 concerts?” “Sometimes, yup,” she answered, “but sometimes there are two in one weekend.” “So,” someone else said, “you […]

Visiting Vet: On call

I wasn’t too concerned about being short-staffed, even though it was my turn on call for “urgent care.” A small group of veterinary practices here rotate providing basic emergency services the best we can. It’s always challenging, so even in the winter I don’t book routine appointments those days. Now I was down to one […]

Have Faith: Lent comes early

Christmas is the fun Christian liturgical season, with its Advent calendars (sometimes filled with little pieces of candy) and decorated trees. Lent, on the other hand, is a more solemn time when we recognize the 40 days Jesus spent in the desert when he was tempted by Satan. Not a lot of candy involved; in […]

Museum Pieces: Universal acceptance

“We didn’t think anything special about them. They were just like anyone else.”  Deafness in Chilmark was once very common, and medical anthropologist and author Nora Ellen Groce wrote a book about it, called “Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language.” I read an article she wrote for the Dukes County Intelligencer in February 1981, which sort […]

Teddy Bear Suite raised more than $42,000

The Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite, the annual holiday fundraiser sponsored by Point B Compass, raised a total of $42,075 in support of the food security programs at the Martha’s Vineyard Boys and Girls Club (MVBGC) in 2023. According to a press release, last year marked the 13th annual fundraiser to date, bringing the all-time […]

Hilary Dreyer is new executive director at Camp Jabberwocky

The board of trustees of Camp Jabberwocky announces Hilary Dreyer is the new executive director. A press release for the camp says that Dreyer, who grew up in West Tisbury, “brings to Jabberwocky her positive energy, collaborative approach, and extensive experience with nonprofits on Martha’s Vineyard.” In the release, Dreyer says she is grateful for […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Forgetting to Remember’

Forgetting to Remember By Peter Ledermann Speak not casually ever As there is no drop of rain that is insignificant Nor any look that we give to one another Impermanent Look to the passage of every moment as precious as The splitting of diamond The cleaving of accident from karma The impression of fall On […]

West Tisbury: Covid, Parks and Recreation, Howes House trip, and library programs

It’s been a week of storms, of heavy rain and winds that scoured the beaches, and flooded roadways and basements across the Island. Big waves. Branches down. Squishy, muddy walkways. There were a few sunny hours providing respite in between, but mostly it’s been a week of storms. Of course, I am still tucked up […]

Tisbury: M.V. Playhouse, Clifford the Dog exhibit, recycling textiles, and Vineyard Lawn

Heard on Main Street: Snow is like kindness. It makes everything more beautiful. Speaking of beautiful: The best possible example is someone offering to help just when you need it! The Monday Night Movies at 6 pm, $5 at the door, continue at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, featuring “Mister Roberts” on 22 Jan. 22, and […]

Oak Bluffs: Aging, TBD Improv, mini golf at library, ACE MV, and Tony’s Market

“At age 20, we worry about what others think of us. At age 40, we don’t care what they think of us. At age 60, we discover that they haven’t been thinking of us at all!” —Ann Landers  Isn’t that the truth? It is one of the benefits of aging, I think, this shedding of […]

Edgartown: Fitness, Barn Buddies, Community Suppers, scavenger hunt, and Life Review

I’ve got the January blues. Is that a thing? In reality, I think I’m just feeling the post-holiday slowdown. Riley has returned to base. Amelia has not yet returned from Australia. The weather is cold and dreary. Or sometimes warm and dreary. And though it has been milder than January should be, winter is upon […]

Chilmark: Effects of storm, Community Church, Preschool, and North Tabor Farm

“There must be those among whom we can sit down and weep and still be counted as warriors.” —Adrienne Rich, “Sources”  It was a shocking week of warm winter storms. The most recent storms from the South brought fierce seas and inches of rain. They thawed and tore at the cliffs, and toppled a scary-to-walk-by […]

Aquinnah: Flooding, emergencies and CERT, baby seal, and Tri-Town Ambulance

Last week I found myself in the terrifying position of driving my new-to-me vehicle through a rushing river, complete with waves. I wasn’t in the wilds of Montana, I was on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven. No signs had yet been put up to warn of the flooding, and I was part of a long […]

Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 8 – 12, 2024

Edgartown Jan. 9, Frank D. Bowers sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 462 Week 39 to Steven R. Becker and Jo-Ann R. Becker for $2,800. Jan. 10, FACINGWESTVENTURES, LLC, sold 11 Peases Point Way North to Sea Shed LLC for $5,150,000. Jan. 12, Carlene P. Washburn sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 418 Week 38 […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Sara Creato of Edgartown, at Boston University. Ethan Creato of Edgartown, at Vanderbilt University. Gabriella Carr of West Tisbury, at Roger Williams University. Tyler Edwards of Edgartown, at Roger Williams University. Andrea Pachico of Vineyard Haven, at Roger Williams University.  

Services Friday for Marion Sanford

Marion Plummer Sanford (“Mimi”), a longtime resident of Glastonbury, Conn., and East Chop, passed away on Jan. 13, 2024. Mimi was 89. She was the widow of George J. Sanford. Mimi grew up in Hartford, Conn., the youngest of four daughters of Frank and Margaret (Coughlin) Plummer. She attended Weaver High School, where she was […]

Services Monday for Alexander Friend Newton

Alex Friend Newton, 84, of Oak Bluffs died from natural causes at Falmouth Hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024, after battling several respiratory illnesses. The Almighty needed Alex more, as he was taken to his eternal home where he can rest in peace and live in spirit with his always and forever, beloved and missed, […]

Col. Everett K. Spees Jr.

Col. Everett K. Spees Jr., M.D., Ph.D., D.Div. passed away on Jan. 11, 2024, at the age of 90 in Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, after living with multiple myeloma for seven years. Dr. Spees was born into a military family in Chanute Field, Ill., in 1933, the second child of Everett K. Spees Sr. and Maude […]

Big Brothers Big Sisters celebrate mentoring month

January is National Mentoring Month. To celebrate, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod & the Islands bigs, littles, board, and staff members will strap on their bowling shoes and enjoy a free afternoon of bowling and lunch on Saturday, Jan. 20, from noon to 2 pm at the Barn, Bowl & Bistro.  “Our entire […]

SSA budgets for hybrid ferry design work

The Steamship Authority is looking to add a hybrid vessel to its fleet.  Part of a newly approved capital budget for the ferry line will include nearly $400,000 to go toward design and engineering work for a vessel. The plans, which were first publicly announced at a board meeting, come after calls from Islanders and […]

Gratitude for celebration of life

To the Editor: To the P.A. Club, Benevolent Committee, and all who attended Ed Medeiros’ celebration: Our family would like to extend our deepest gratitude for the beautiful memorial celebration you helped create for Ed on Dec. 28. We were blown away by the huge turnout, the fantastic music by ESP, and the spread of […]

Art and history

Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District (VHHCD) is far more than the sum of its parts. Founded in 2014, it is one of the biggest cultural districts in Massachusetts, and the only one with a harbor, which includes two classic wooden shipbuilders and a working waterfront. However, the district expands beyond the Vineyard Haven shore to […]

Celebrating the life of MLK

  More than 200 local members, new and old, of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People gathered at the Portuguese-American Club in Oak Bluffs on Martin Luther King Jr. Day for an afternoon of honor, education, and activism.  An introduction by President Toni Kauffman set the tone of the event. After acknowledging […]

Snow delays opening for Vineyard schools

Martha’s Vineyard public schools are experiencing a two-hour delay on Tuesday. According to Martha’s Vineyard assistant superintendent John Stevens, the delays were due to the Vineyard accumulating two inches of snow. Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School also implemented a two-hour delay, according to MVPCS director Peter Steedman.

Vineyarders duel at TD Garden showdown

The MVRHS boys basketball team didn’t come away with a win from their matchup against Nantucket at TD Garden in Boston on Sunday afternoon. But Coach Mike Joyce said that they had an amazing experience playing on the Boston’s Celtics’ parquet. “They were eating it up,” Joyce said of his squad after the game. “They […]

Third storm brings more flooding, erosion

  More strong Southeast winds overnight Saturday brought their share of troubles for the Island, including road closures from coastal flooding, scattered outages, and more erosion on South-facing beaches. As Tisbury officials warned, Five Corners flooded again. Tisbury Police announced online on Saturday morning that the Massachusetts Department of Transportation was notified, and asked drivers […]

Ralph Kirkham Safford

Ralph Kirkham Safford (“Kirk”) of West Tisbury passed away in Boston on Jan. 10, 2024, after a brief illness. He was 81. A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of The Times.

Tisbury warns of possible coastal flooding, again

Tisbury town officials are asking residents to stay out of the Beach Road and Five Corners area in downtown Vineyard Haven overnight and into tomorrow in anticipation of another coastal storm making its way through the region. “We are expecting a lot of rain again beginning around midnight tonight through tomorrow, Saturday Jan 13th,” a […]

Tisbury supports new tool to fight invasive beetles

Tisbury is supporting an effort to diminish the impact of the invasive Southern pine beetles on woodlands within its borders, possibly employing a tool that hasn’t been used within Massachusetts yet.  On Wednesday, Jan. 10, the Tisbury Select Board unanimously approved supporting an application with the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) to permit a […]

Banner year for Island airport

More than 78,000 passengers flew through Martha’s Vineyard Airport in 2023, which airport director Geoff Freeman said is likely the highest number seen at the airport in a given year. The increase is roughly 15 percent more passengers flying commercial, compared with 2022, when about 70,000 passengers were tracked. Freeman said that while it might […]

Whale of a tale coming to V.H.

On Sunday afternoon, the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center will show “In the Whale,” a documentary about the international news story of lobsterman Michael Packard, who was caught in a humpback whale’s mouth. Filmmaker David Abel will field questions after the film. In summer 2021, 56-year-old Michael Packard of Cape Cod, the region’s last remaining lobster […]

Oak Bluffs nixes funding for field appeal 

Oak Bluffs will no longer be funding the controversial turf field appeal, calling into question how the lawsuit will continue. The town’s select board decided in a 3-2 vote to halt funding for the litigation. Board members Emma Green-Beach and Gail Barmakian cast dissenting votes.  Last month, the Oak Bluffs planning board filed an appeal […]

‘Jaws’ 50th bash pitched for Aquinnah

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the release of the film “Jaws,” a great-grandson of a Universal Pictures co-founder has asked Aquinnah to host a 10-day event in June 2025. Mike Cochrane, the event planner, a descendant of Universal founder Robert Cochrane, detailed potential elements in a letter to Aquinnah reviewed at a select board […]

Milestone reached in Navigator Homes project 

Updated, Jan. 16 Navigator Homes and Martha’s Vineyard Hospital announced that they recently closed a real estate transaction, making a ‘monumental milestone’ as part of the assisted living facility and workforce housing project. The transaction, finalized on Jan. 9, puts a portion of property at 490 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road in Edgartown under Navigator’s ownership. It […]

New chiefs promoted at Station Menemsha

Coast Guard Station Menemsha held a promotion ceremony for four officers this week. Three servicemen — boatswain Gary Kovack, boatswain Jeremiah Jacobs, and machinery technician Justin Harris — were promoted Wednesday, Jan. 11, from junior to the senior leadership position of chief. A fourth, Shane Mullin, was promoted from petty officer to a first class […]

The High School View: Passion for game hunting; Wrestling as a varsity sport

Read the MVRHS High School View: 1-11-2024 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

School committee receives additional lawsuit donations

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee now has an additional $2,000 to spend on ongoing synthetic turf field litigation. The committee received a $2,000 donation from Terrence and Annemarie Donahue for “field project legal fees,” alongside another $2,000 donation from a group of anonymous donors that was being submitted by committee member Louis […]

Focus on education, not a field

MVRHS Principal Sara Dingledy deserves praise for standing up and speaking her mind in front of the high school committee this week, asking to please find a way to compromise on the turf debate.  She spoke for the school staff and students, and also for the Islanders who are fed up with this ongoing battle, […]

Islanders a fraction of Vineyard Wind workforce, so far

The Island will have to wait a bit longer before more residents are hired for the Vineyard Wind project.  Vineyard Wind recently touted in a press release that 937 union workers have been hired so far for its construction phase. The second annual report on Vineyard Wind’s employment and economic impact, prepared by UMass Dartmouth […]

Swimming team stays impressive

It was an exciting day for the Martha’s Vineyard swim team on Saturday, Jan. 6, as they traveled to Sandwich High School for the 18th annual Cape Cod Classic.  Five teams were in attendance aside from the Vineyard: Nauset, Sandwich, Barnstable, Saint John Paul, Nantucket.  “We knew going in the boys would have to swim […]

Chappy: An Island way of life

Have you ever been to Chappy? Have you driven on the beach, parked by the water, and shared a day with family and friends, grilling, playing games, laughing, and soaking up the sun? Have you driven out in August, turned left over the Dyke Bridge, and driven down to a quiet area, set up a […]

Rockland Trust providing scholarships

Rockland Trust announced its 20th annual scholarship program for graduating students this year, enrolling in post-secondary study at an accredited two- or four-year college, university, or vocational-technical school.  Up to 16 $3,000 renewable scholarships will be given out.  Selections will be based on financial need, academic performance, and personal or family circumstances. More information is […]

Power outage to delay MVRHS on Thursday

A power outage will be delaying classes by two hours for students at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) on Thursday, Jan. 11. Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools assistant superintendent John Stevens told The Times a transformer blew out at the high school and Eversource will need to bring another one from off-Island.  “We’ve only been […]

NAACP hosts MLK luncheon

After three years of virtual luncheons, the Martha’s Vineyard branch of the NAACP will bring back its annual Martin Luther King Jr. membership event to the P.A. Club on Monday, Jan. 15, from 1 to 3 pm.  A panel of guest speakers will discuss how to most effectively continue the struggle for social and economic […]

Edgartown residents back ‘party bylaw’

A proposed bylaw that would set restrictions on large parties in residential areas of Edgartown was met with no opposition Monday during a public hearing with the town’s select board.  The proposal, which would limit the number of social events homeowners can have to two per week and five per month, with no more than […]

Coast Guard hosting emergency training course

The Martha’s Vineyard Coast Guard Auxiliary is introducing a new boating safety course, “Suddenly in Command.”  The course aims to teach those unfamiliar with the basics of boating how to be prepared in the event of an emergency when the captain or crew are in the water.  According to a press release by the Martha’s […]

Bad Martha may soon offer wine

Edgartown’s Bad Martha Beer is looking to add wine to the brewery’s menu.  At a meeting with the Edgartown planning board Tuesday, Bad Martha co-owner Jonathan Blum said the establishment is looking to give customers an option if someone doesn’t care for beer. “We’re not changing any of our operations, we’re not changing our structure, […]

Of friends and frogs

Kanta Lipsky, who lives on the Vineyard, says she is a big fan of the tree frog commonly referred to as spring peepers, but affectionately called pinkletinks on the Island. Her second children’s book is titled “Pinkletink the Froggie.” Her delightful story and lovely illustrations make you fall in love with the little creatures, too, […]

Dynamic music duo

The musical duo of baritone David Behnke and pianist David Rhoderick are at it again. On Sunday, Jan. 14, at 3 pm, they will be performing Franz Schubert’s “Die schöne Müllerin” (the Beautiful Miller Girl) at the First Congregational Church of West Tisbury as part of the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society’s expansion to providing […]

Filmmaker Kaurismäki’s ‘Fallen Leaves’

“Fallen Leaves” plays at the M.V. Film Center starting on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 pm. Directed by Oscar nominee Aki Kaurismäki, this comedy relies on low-key humor in a story about a middle-aged Helsinki working-class couple. The viewer first meets heavy drinker Holappa, played by Jussi Vatanen, when he loses one job after another […]

Humor is medicine

I often hear people say that we could all use a little humor in our lives, especially in this day and age. But I disagree. I suspect we’ve always needed humor, no matter what day and age. I wonder if cave people performed standup, or wrote sketches on cave walls, or laughed when someone did […]

Museum Pieces: New year, new shows

“If things go wrong, don’t give up. Go back and try again.” These words by Norman Bridwell, author of the “Clifford” books, are a perfect reminder to begin the year with. There are examples throughout history of people’s persistence leading to discoveries that have changed the world. Living on Martha’s Vineyard is like living in […]

What Are You Watching? ‘Jeopardy’

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Today I will be writing about the influences TV game shows can have over lives. Not all shows, certainly, but one in particular, a long-running, internationally copied, and extremely popular show, “Jeopardy.” I don’t know exactly when I started watching the show, but it was a long time ago. […]

‘To Share a Dream’

“To Share a Dream,” an interfaith community Shabbat service honoring the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel, with Rabbi Giulia Fleishman and the Rev. Cathlin Baker, will take place on Friday, Jan. 12, from 5:30 to 7 pm, at the M.V. Hebrew Center. Toni Kauffman, president of NAACP of M.V., […]

Jazz night

Enjoy a night of jazz music and songs featuring the Jeremy Berlin Trio (Eric Johnson, Taurus Biskis, and Jeremy Berlin), along with other notable musicians: Peter Halperin, Mark Granfield, Gordon Healey, Theresa Thomason, Jessie Pinnick, Rose Guerin, Vivian Male, Allison Roberts, and Jessica San Severino. Doors open at 6:30 pm, and the music begins at […]

Kindness rocks

There can never be too much kindness in the world, or ways to convey it — through a hug, a kiss, or a kind word. On Saturday, Jan. 13, from 1 to 3 pm, stop into the West Tisbury library and paint some kind words, sayings, or scenes onto rocks. Take your finished love rocks […]

Presidential eligibility and the Supreme Court

News first broke last September that two highly conservative law professors argued that Donald J. Trump was no longer eligible to run for president because he was directly involved in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, he was no longer qualified as a presidential candidate. Section […]

Two more solutions to Five Corners

Boredom as muse

It seems culinary inspiration comes and goes around my house. Sometimes I get very energized, and spend all Saturday afternoon planning and prepping and shopping. Other Saturdays I’m boiling up some pasta and dumping a jar of sauce on it, and calling it a day. Because I’ve had so many weekends with less-than-spectacular options, I […]

One tree at a time

Some might argue that the “one person can change the world” theory is simply wishful thinking, but Islander Claudia Macedo is proving them wrong. Macedo is stepping up in a big way, making significant strides in forest restoration in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest. According to rainforestconcern.org, tropical rainforests cover around 8 percent of the world’s […]

‘Soul awareness’

To talk to Constance Messmer is to be excited by the work that she does as a transformational speaker, focusing on psycho-spiritual development and empowerment. While she has chosen the topics for her upcoming series at the West Tisbury library, once a month through April, it’s ultimately spirit who will be guiding the discussion … […]

Community suppers: Comfort food

Our faith community knows that there’s a significant population here on the Vineyard that doesn’t enjoy the high living and “fun in the sun” vacation life that most outsiders associate with the Island. Housing, we know, is a significant problem, and so too is food scarcity, and Island congregations make sure that there are opportunities […]

From books to painted rocks at the West Tisbury library

On Friday, Jan. 12, at 7:30 am, Jason Mazar-Kelly continues teaching an all-levels virtual “Kripalu Flow Yoga” class through the West Tisbury library. Visit wholesomemv.com to sign up. At 10:30 am, “Music with Maryse,” a weekly child-centered music time with Maryse Smith, is on tap. Instruments will be provided, but you can also bring your […]

The Rotary Club of M.V. hosts an open house

Allyson Malik, Oak Bluffs library director, and a new member of the Rotary Club of Martha’s Vineyard, hopes to inspire other young professionals to consider joining the Rotary Club family, according to a press release from the club. Every Wednesday at noon, members from all walks of life meet at the Portuguese-American Club in Oak […]

Wild Side: Savannah sparrows

Across its vast geographical range, Savannah sparrows show a remarkable range of variation in features such as bill size, coloration, and preferred habitat. About 28 subspecies of Savannah sparrow have been described; a few, particularly ones with limited ranges on the West Coast, are fairly distinctive, but many of the others can’t be reliably sorted […]

Woodside Story: The boogeyman of old age

It probably wouldn’t matter to us if the only downside to elderliness was, well, to put it bluntly, looking crappy. We do endure that awful specter; crepey skin, gray hair standing in tufts on a pink skull, and bodies we’d rather encapsulate inside a stone sarcophagus than in a bathing suit. But the worst part […]

Vineyard pummeled by coastal storm again

A substantial amount of rain and storm surge overnight Tuesday led to coastal flooding in downtown Vineyard Haven, and strong winds on the south side of the Island led to continued beach damage. On Wednesday morning, some local businesses were forced to close with flooding reaching their doors; Stop & Shop built a barricade of […]

Land Bank insurance climbs

Officials with the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank say that they may have to draw from their reserves to fund increasing insurance costs. The Land Bank had budgeted about $65,000, based on last year’s premium plus a 15 percent increase; but fiscal officer Jannette Andrews informed commissioners that the premiums are more than double the estimate, […]

Island braces for another coastal storm

The National Weather Service is expecting a storm system to move into the region Tuesday evening and into Wednesday, bringing fears that south-facing beaches could once again be damaged. Alan Dunham, meteorologist with the National Weather Service, says to expect Southeast winds gusting as high as 65 miles per hour on the Vineyard Tuesday night; […]

Chilmark farmers push for friendlier zoning

On Monday, Chilmark’s planning board heard from local farmers about their proposal to amend zoning bylaws in the town to clarify what kinds of activities farms are allowed to host on-location. The planning board took no official action on the matter during its meeting, but will revisit the topic in future meetings. Approaches discussed on […]

MVRHS principal urges cooperation

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Principal Sara Dingledy urged the high school committee to find a resolution with the Oak Bluffs planning board in the lawsuit over the athletic field surface, so that resources could be put toward the overhaul of the school building.  Dingledy took time during the Monday evening meeting to read […]

West Tisbury: Winter wellness, jazz concert, kindness rocks, and Aging Gracefully

After complaining about the lack of snow so far this winter, I was happy to look out my windows Sunday afternoon to see snowflakes blowing through the treetops. Our house, having an upstairs, gives me the perspective of living in a treehouse. Weather can seem untethered from the ground below. I enjoy living in an […]

Tisbury: Music concert, beach cleanup, Elizabeth Whelan class, and Great Decisions

Heard on Main Street: When in doubt, just take the next small step. I was very sorry to learn that my late husband’s brother, Allen Gifford Mayhew, died on New Year’s Day, just weeks short of his 90th birthday. His last visit here was for Donald’s funeral in 2019. Allen, his wife Doris, and children […]

Oak Bluffs: Interfaith service, MLK luncheon, senior center, and winter activities

“Everybody can be great … because anybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.” —Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. This message from Dr. King is […]

Edgartown: Clothing swap, Community Chess, Misty Meadows, and quilting

I’m sitting here writing watching the rain outside my windows and the snow at the Patriots game. January is definitely here. And my boy went back to Arizona this weekend, so between that and the weather, I was planning on sulking all day in my jammies. Alas, I have an errand to run, so I […]

Chilmark: Shared joy, Jazz and Songs, sound healing, and printmaking class

Friend: a being life doesn’t explain Which only goes on seeing another born And multiplies the mirror of my soul … —“Soneto do Amigo,” Vinicius de Moraes  Despite the weather, there were offerings of music, poetry, and light at the Chilmark Community Church. It takes a community. I want to give a shout-out to all […]

Aquinnah: Outermost Inn, ice skating, Howes House, and library positions

I write this column on Sunday mornings, and this Sunday morning feels special. It’s a rainy Sunday in January. Is there any more blissful moment? The world is quiet. There is no way we can work outside. Visitors are pretty much gone home. Books and cooking and games and naps await. The cat is curled […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Explaining the world to a 14-year-old’

Explaining the world to a 14-year-old By Fan S. Ogilvie We are walking outside to fill bird feeders — a perfect time to talk about Hamas and the Israeli bombing of Gaza — events he knows little or nothing about. I go back 6,000 years and to Abraham, bring the story forward with today’s evil […]

Cribbage Club results

Nineteen members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met at our NEW LOCATION, the MVRHS Culinary Dining Room. The results were as follows: First, Suzanne Cioffi with a 11/5 +81 card Second, Collin Evanson with a 10/5 +77 card Third, Doug Werther with a 10/5 +61 card Fourth, George Giosmas with a 9/4 +62 card Fifth, […]

Real Estate Transactions: Jan. 1 – 5, 2024

Edgartown Jan. 2, Aaron Silva sold 47 Pine St. to James F. Nelson and Bryan Nelson for $100. Jan. 3, 45 Curtis Lane LLC sold a part of 45 Curtis Lane to Michael McCauley and Sheilah McCauley for $100,000. Jan. 3, 45 Curtis Lane LLC sold 45 Curtis Lane to XLV Curtis LLC for $1,585,000. […]

Academic honors

President’s list Stephany Ribeiro of Vineyard Haven, at Southern New Hampshire University. Dean’s list Margaret Sykes of Vineyard Haven, at Hofstra University. McMahon Sykes of Vineyard Haven, at Hofstra University.  

Rose suspended from W.T. Fire Department

Former Oak Bluffs Fire Chief John Rose has been suspended indefinitely from his current role with the West Tisbury Fire Department, following the issuing of a restraining order against him. Rose was set to appear in Edgartown District Court last month for a criminal harassment prevention order hearing, but did not show up. The request […]

Ralliers remember, condemn Jan. 6

With the upcoming presidential election in mind, concerned citizens rallied at the Oak Bluffs roundabout this Saturday, Jan. 6, on the three-year anniversary of the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Just over a dozen demonstrators displayed homemade signs warning against hate and fascism, and highlighting the election’s importance. The event was held by Indivisible M.V., […]

Islanders clear over 640 pounds of beach trash

On New Year’s Day, the Beach BeFrienders cleared more than 640 pounds of trash from Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah.  Dubbed the “First Day Lobsterville Sweep,” Beach BeFrienders organizer Laurisa Rich said the beach cleanup attracted over 100 Islanders to the up-Island beach.  “It was so well attended they also flaked out to Red Beach, Ox […]

FinCom against funding field appeal

The Oak Bluffs finance and advisory committee is once again urging the Oak Bluffs planning board and the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee to resolve the field lawsuit. During a meeting on Thursday, Jan. 4, the finance committee voted 7-0 to send a letter to the planning board recommending that no more funds […]

Sandy L. McElhinney

Sandy L. McElhinney, 80, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on Jan. 3, 2024. Sandra was born on April 25, 1943, in Beverly. She was predeceased by her husband, John McElhinney Sr. Sandra loved spending time with her family, cooking, swimming, clamming, and cruising. She is survived by her children, Jack McElhinney (Shelley), Rick McElhinney (Kelly), […]

Island Grown executive director to step down

Island Grown Initiative has announced that its longtime executive director, Rebecca Haag, will be retiring this spring. Haag has been at the helm of the Island organization since 2016. In that time, Island Grown Initiative officials say, they have quadrupled in size. “During her tenure, IGI’s growth has succeeded because of her commitment to strong […]

Aquinnah playground expansion coming together

After phase one of construction on the Aquinnah playground completed in November, the town is considering a cost of $250,000 for a second building phase.  This next phase is planned to include submarine and pirate ship structures, a toddler swing set, xylophones, and more. The playground is part of the ongoing Aquinnah Town Center project, […]

Kathryn Retmier

Kathryn Retmier (“Kathy”) died on Dec. 30, 2023, at the age of 65. In the early ’90s, Kathy found her way to the Vineyard as a single mom searching for a welcoming community in which to raise her two kids. She loved the Vineyard deeply, finding it quite difficult to having to relocate to the […]

Superintendent contract still not finalized

A contract agreement still hasn’t been reached between the All-Island School Committee and Martha’s Vineyard schools Superintendent Richie Smith.  Committee chair Amy Houghton provided a brief update during a Thursday evening meeting, before the committee entered into an executive session to discuss details regarding the superintendent’s contract.  Houghton said a contract proposal had been made […]

Island Alpaca sign vandalized

Local police are investigating after black graffiti was sprayed on a set of mailboxes on Head of the Pond Road and an Island Alpaca sign in Oak Bluffs. Barbara Ronchetti, owner of Island Alpaca, said that whoever sprayed the graffiti likely did so overnight on either Jan. 2 or 3. Ronchetti says they are reviewing […]

Aquinnah’s climate building codes approved

The new year brought new building codes for Aquinnah that will not allow the use of fossil fuels in large renovations and new builds for systems like heating and cooling. The Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources recently gave the final green light to seven communities across the state involved in the new pilot program. Aside […]

SSA warns of potential cancellations Sunday

The Steamship Authority is warning travelers that weather conditions may impact travel on Sunday.  “Although this weekend’s storm forecast mainly concerns snow and rain, gusty winds will have the potential to cause service cancellations on Sunday,” the post reads. “Disruptions are most likely to occur on the Nantucket route, although cancellations on the Martha’s Vineyard […]

Plans filed for high school athletic field demolition

Updated, Jan. 8 Plans to tear down the bleachers, sports lighting, and scoreboard on the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s varsity athletic field are underway, as school representatives have filed an application for a demolition permit. In the filings, which were submitted to the Oak Bluffs building department on Dec. 22, Island schools Superintendent Richie […]

Dukes County treasurer resigns

The Dukes County Commission is on the search once again for a new county treasurer, after current treasurer Judy Soules, who has been in the role less than a year, announced she will be resigning from the position effective March 29.  Soules was appointed last February as a replacement for former county treasurer Ann Metcalf, […]

MVY Radio proposing 60-foot antenna 

MVY Radio is looking to improve its signal strength in the up-Island area by installing a new, 60-foot antenna at the Chilmark Fire Station on North Road property The Chilmark Select Board approved referring the proposal to the Chilmark zoning board of appeals with a site visit during a Tuesday evening meeting in a 2-0 […]

A new era for Martha’s Vineyard Times

At 7:30 am, it’s a chilly 29°. The first workday in the New Year. Early morning light glistens as Stephen Bernier rolls a pushcart out to the parking lot of Cronig’s Market in West Tisbury, and with a push broom and dustpan, begins sweeping up. It’s a ritual he has done every morning except Sundays […]

Oberfests leave an Island legacy

Vineyard Haven residents Peter and Barbara Oberfest didn’t come into ownership of The Martha’s Vineyard Times with a background in newspapers. The two were looking to move to the Vineyard full-time from Philadelphia.  But in the mid-1990s, the Oberfests became the publishers of the paper anyway, and for nearly three decades, they shepherded it through […]

Vineyard women’s club reflects on 125 years

Updated, Jan. 4 In 1642, the first settlers arrived on Martha’s Vineyard. Two centuries and a few decades later, the Woman’s Club of Martha’s Vineyard was founded, celebrating its 125-year history this past March. The women’s club held an initial celebration this past spring, and are continuing to look for ways to rebuild their membership […]

Housing legislative update planned

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission will be hosting a legislative update on a key bill that could provide some relief for housing issues on the Island. During a commission housing action task force meeting, Truro-based state Senator Julian Cyr will provide an update on Gov. Maura Healey’s Affordable Homes Act; Eric Shupin, chief of policy for […]

Chilmark eyeing a new preschool 

Chilmark will hold a special town meeting later this month to potentially take steps toward building a new, two-classroom preschool.  The Chilmark Select Board voted 2-0 on Tuesday to approve a single-article special town meeting warrant. Board member Marie Larsen was absent from the meeting.  The single article asks residents to consider voting to approve […]

Boy Scouts on the SSA

To the Editor: I am so impressed with the Steamship Authority personnel for taking youths from Boy Scout Troops 93 and 193 aboard the MV Martha’s Vineyard to show them how the ship works (Save Our Steamship Authority Facebook page, Dec. 28). I am also so impressed with the scouts for showing the SSA personnel […]

Question early existence of skunk on the Island

To the Editor: Chis Baer, in his article “This Was Then: Mephitis mephitis mentions,” writes that the skunk was present on the Vineyard at an archaeological site on Squibnocket Pond 500 years ago, and before.  There have been extensive faunal studies at sites on the Vineyard, that include Ritchie Roy’s 1969 book, “The Archaeology of […]

Rossi not seeking select board reelection

Chilmark Select Board chair Bill Rossi announced during a Tuesday evening meeting that he does not plan to run again for a seat on the board.  “I’m [officially announcing] I’m not going to run for another term on … the select board,” Rossi said, adding he wanted to give people interested in running for the […]

Brian M. Daur

Brian M. Daur of Port Chester, N.Y., passed away on Dec. 29, 2023. He was 43. Brian was born in Greenwich, Conn., on March 14, 1980. He graduated from Tisbury School and Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, where he played basketball, track, and football. He attended Southern Connecticut University, and was a paramedic with the […]

Keep the faith in public education

Before we sign off completely for 2023, I have a short message: Our public schools are under attack, but they are stronger and more resilient than their enemies assume, and more effective than you are being told.  The crusade against public education: Unfortunately, the right-wing, anti-public-education crusade has been effective, as witnessed by a recent […]

Casting into the New Year

The last day of 2023 began with a fun text conversation. Friend: “What are you doing today?” Me: “Going out looking for holdovers.” Friend: “I think it’s still at the Film Center.” Me: “What’s at the Film Center?” Friend: “The movie.” Me: “What movie? I’m going fishing?”   Laugh. Go ahead. But such is life […]

W.T. Town Moderator not seeking reelection

Dan Waters, West Tisbury town moderator, has given notice that he won’t seek reelection.  April 2024 will be his 10th and final Annual Town Meeting as moderator.  Waters began as town moderator in April 2015 after running unopposed. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time in office,” Waters wrote in a statement. “Moderating West Tisbury town meetings […]

Edgartown mulls new zoning bylaws

Edgartown voters will likely get a chance to act on a number of zoning changes at the spring town meeting, ranging from limitations on tree cutting on residential property to increasing the number of housing units allowed within a building. Edgartown planning board members on Tuesday heard from Julia Livingston, Edgartown zoning board of appeals […]

Moderator not seeking re-election

To the Editor: With nomination papers now available at Town Hall for the spring elections, I am writing to give notice that I do not plan to seek re-election to the position of West Tisbury town moderator. April of 2024 will mark my tenth and final annual Town Meeting as moderator. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my […]

Road trip recollections

Lorraine Parish’s new book, “Miles to San Miguel,” is part confessional memoir and part road trip journal, from the Vineyard to her new life in Mexico. Parish opens with a prologue where she is on the ferry leaving the Vineyard, car packed with her beloved dog Pearl and trusty mannequin, yes, a mannequin named Agatha, […]

On My Way: Mapping a new trail

A few weeks ago, I had the rare opportunity of following a bouncing ball. Have you ever wondered how a trail makes its way onto a map, into a guidebook, or onto an app on your phone, along with little nuggets of information like the location of a resting bench? Chris Seidel, cartographer for the […]

Making ‘Connections’ at the Feldman Family Artspace

Hillary Noyes-Keene has a stunning eye, and her large photographs are on display at the Feldman Family Artspace, curated by Featherstone Center for the Arts at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center. Her show, “Connections,” captures nuances our eyes might otherwise pass over, and gives us time to linger on them and let their beauty emerge. […]

An artist who makes time for everything

The abundance of artistic talent on the Island is always amazing when we stop a minute to think about it. It’s come more to light in our office as we’ve realized that one of our feature writers, Allison Roberts, has a whole other side to her that involves pens and sketching, cameras and lenses, and […]

Tour de force: Jon Batiste’s ‘American Symphony’

“American Symphony” comes to the M.V. Film Center on Wednesday, Jan. 17, at 7:30 pm. This documentary follows the career of the tour de force pianist Jon Batiste, providing a history of his performances. The film was directed by Oscar nominee Matthew Heineman, who was nominated for “Cartel Land” in 2016. The screening will be […]

Bridge Over Untroubled Waters

The artist, Liz Coogan, says, “I love this connection between Vineyard Haven and Oak Bluffs. My granddaughters count the pigeons on the bridge house, and marvel at how each pigeon is unique. This watercolor hopefully reminds us that clean water below ever-changing skies will keep us safe on this fragile earth.”

Jazz comes to Pathways

The Jeremy Berlin Trio will present two special evenings of jazz at Pathways at the Chilmark Tavern on Friday, Jan. 12, and Sunday, Jan. 14, at 7 pm both nights. This will be the third time the trio, made up of Berlin, Taurus Biskis, and Eric Johnson, present the jazz nights, backing up a slew […]

Inspired in the kitchen

It all started when I bought one of those mesh orange bags of about 10 yellow onions, because it was almost cheaper than buying the one onion I needed that day at the store. I used one, then the rest of them filled my fruit and veggie bowl on top of my fridge. I was […]

Kimberly Kirk reappointed to school committee

Former Edgartown School Committee member Kimberly Kirk has been reappointed to the committee, following the midterm resignation of one of its members. In November, Edgartown School Committee member Laura Seguin said she’d be stepping down from her role for personal reasons.  “Given my current job, and spending 90 days a year away from my family, […]

Make your own book

Remember the smell of crayons? How about making crafts at home, or colorful masterpieces in art class? Did you keep a journal? We never outgrow our creativity, and writing down our thoughts, stories, and feelings is good for the soul. Head over to Vineyard Haven library and make a handmade book or journal. Let your […]

Making artisanal breads

Bread. Just the word makes our mouths water. Join Teri Culetto for hands-on Saturday morning workshops to learn the art of bread from around the world. Each participant will take home a loaf or muffins/buns of their own making. Sign up for one class, or to receive a discount, sign up for them all. Saturday, […]

Books, books, and more books

Isn’t it somehow comforting to know that we’ll never be able to read every book in existence? There will always be a new story to read. And the Friends of the Chilmark Library are holding a book sale every Tuesday to Saturday during regular hours. Everything that is left is available for free. Get your […]

Gardens of Love: Duncan Caldwell

After the 2023 Thanksgiving storm, Lucy Vincent Beach appeared transformed. Not only was there loss of sand, revealing more colored clay underfoot, it felt as though the surface of the cliffs had been shorn away to reveal a physical history thousands of years old, and made me think of Duncan Caldwell. I reached out to […]

Writing from the Heart: Opposites attract

We’ve all heard the expression “opposites attract,” and I have to admit that my husband and I are almost the perfect example of that phrase. And it was never more obvious than what happened the other night. Every so often I jokingly quote a stanza from a poem by Sir John Suckling (honest to God, […]

Have Faith: New year, new ideas

A new year means we can take some time to reset our priorities and goals, large or small. I learned long ago to stick with small changes, because I’m much more likely to follow through if I don’t feel overwhelmed by the challenge. Baby steps. For something a little different, I started listening to the […]

Dogcharmer: The Sheltie puppy and the cats

Dear Dogcharmer: We have a new 3-month-old Sheltie, Michael, we rescued, and while he’s a sweet boy, our two cats haven’t warmed up to him yet. He seems to think they make great toys, but they’re not having it. Do you have any advice about how to keep the cats and the puppy happy in […]

Garden Notes: Returning light

In a new twist on winter garden decor, wispy, earliest-ever threads of witch hazel flowers incongruously accompany out-of-season forsythia. It is growing evidence of our screwy seasonality. Astronomically, the Northern Hemisphere is now in true winter, which will last until the vernal equinox, usually March 21; daily, though, the amount of daylight increases. The increasing […]

Visiting Vet: Let’s try happy

It’s January. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s resolutions, but if I had to pick one for 2024, it’s simply this: Happy New Year. Happy. I come from a family and a culture that tends to focus on the sad and the negative. Yiddish music, mostly in minor keys, is full of lamenting. […]

Museum Pieces: Another 100 years

“How little we know, I thought, of the people we live amongst.” —Geraldine Brooks Geraldine Brooks is a Pulitzer prizewinning author who has a residence on Martha’s Vineyard. Her ability to capture the complexities of human beings is immeasurable. We walk around every day in our own little bubbles, living life from our own perspective, […]

Working for Your Health: A New Year’s resolution

“This year, I will do what I can to keep from getting sick from an infection, and help others to do the same.” In 1952, the polio epidemic reached its peak in the U.S.; 60,000 children would be infected. Thousands would be paralyzed, and 3,000 would die. Images of “the iron lung,” a medieval-looking machine […]

West Tisbury: Snowless winters, Tony Rezendes, planners, and Covid

Walking around the yard, I have seen a few forsythia and cherry blossoms. I suppose I could bring some branches inside to force, but the beginning of January feels too soon for that. Boxwood, pieris, rhododendron, holly, with trails of ivy are proper winter bouquets, and they are lovely. No point rushing the seasons. I […]

Tisbury: Houseplants, decluttering, ‘Winter Blooms,’ ditching plastic, and induction cooking

Heard on Main Street: Happy New Year! I hope you had a chance to relax and enjoy friends and family over the holidays. My break was wonderful, but it is always good to get home. Even better if you have a chance to get some chowder. On my return, my son painstakingly installed an automatic […]

Oak Bluffs: Sun and moon, South Beach, Chicken Alley, and Clothes to Go

“May your coming year be filled with magic and dreams and good madness. I hope you read some fine books, and kiss someone who thinks you’re wonderful, and don’t forget to make some art — write or draw or build or sing or live as only you can. And I hope, somewhere in the next […]

Edgartown: Activities for kids, making a journal, Family Center, and seafood workshop

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year celebration, if you celebrated. After years of staying home, we actually went out for a little while on New Year’s Eve. We went to the Lookout with our kids and their friends, but were home safe and sound by 11, while the […]

Chilmark: Holiday decorations, Potluck Jam, book sale, and Music and Light concert

“Whatever I do, I want that impact to lead to joy. I want the impact to lead to somebody being uplifted or healed. That’s a real thing. That’s a very real thing.” —Jon Batiste, “American Symphony” “You’re meant to return from the hardest moments of your life stronger and braver, and more of a warrior […]

Aquinnah: New year tidying, song of hope, Howes House, and town library

We’re taking down our Christmas tree. Packing away beloved ornaments, many of them silly creatures like a cloth cow in fancy hat and high-heels, a wooden hedgehog on skis, another cloth cow in housedress and apron who is holding onto a bouquet of flowers, and lots of other similar treasures. Each of our ornaments have […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘The Beach at Lambert’s Cove’

The Beach at Lambert’s Cove By Leroy Hazelton I believed In all stars spinning From the Mouth And that sea clams, Loons and strangers wing to paradise, While your hand, Intruding on a pope’s disguise, Traced to a deeper skull A sea gull’s rowdy circle In my hair. Leroy Hazelton lives in Vineyard Haven, and […]

Real Estate Transactions: Dec. 25 – 29, 2023

Edgartown Dec. 27, Richard A. Atkins and Judith B. Atkins sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 501 Week 40 to Steven Harvey, Kimberly Harvey, and Melanie Journet for $10,500. Gosnold Dec. 26, Rachel B. Garfield sold 6 Blue Heron Road to Rachel B. Garfield, trustee of Rachel B. Garfield 2023 Qualified Personal Residence Trust, for […]

Academic honors

Dean’s list Felix Colon of Vineyard Haven, at Lehigh University. Jack Marshard of West Tisbury, at Lehigh University. Tisbury School honor roll Grade 8 high honors: Heitor de Oliveira Vargas, Cecilia Lopes. Grade 8 honors: Sophia da Silva, Lindsay De Oliveira, Izabella Lopes, Henrico Oliveira, Michael Rivers, Maria Eduarda Xavier, Daniel Zuniga Luna. Grade 7 […]

Births

Rosemarie Julia Doane Julia Doane and Matthew Dolan of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Rosemarie Julia Doane, on Dec. 26, 2023, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Rosemarie weighed 7 pounds, 10.2 ounces. Ryder Jay Cook Rachel Cook and Emmett Cook of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Ryder Jay Cook, on Dec. […]

Court Report: Dec. 18 – 22, 2023

Dec. 18 Victoria Correnti, West Tisbury; 38, leaving the scene of property damage: released on personal recognizance, continued to pretrial hearing. Dec. 21 Daniel O’Connor, Oak Bluffs; 55, false reporting of a crime: released on personal recognizance, continued to pretrial hearing. Jahlee R. Bonfield, New Britain, Conn.; 21, municipal bylaw or ordinance violation: case closed. […]

Edwards Park Schwentker

Edwards Park Schwentker (“Ned”), 82, of Palmyra, Pa., passed away on Dec. 22, 2023.  Ned was born on Feb. 5, 1941, in Sterling, N.Y., and grew up in Baltimore. The youngest child of an accomplished physician, his early interest in orthopedics was manifested in the many roadkill skeletons he reassembled using acid baths and glue, […]

Charlotte Collat Fallon

Charlotte Collat Fallon died on Dec. 26, 2023, surrounded by family at her home in Washington, D.C. Born on April 24, 1962, in Columbus, Ohio, Charlotte spent her elementary and teenage years playing with her older brother and younger sister in Falls Church, Va. She learned to ride horses in her backyard with her mother, […]

Katherine White Mazza

Katherine White Mazza, or “Katie,” as most knew her, passed gracefully and peacefully on Dec. 22, 2023, surrounded by her family at her home in Oak Bluffs. She was 90 years old.  Born on August 18, 1933, Katie was the youngest of seven children of Antone F. White and Mary Caton White. They raised a […]

Vineyard welcomes first baby of the year

The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital welcomed the first Island baby of the year on Monday. Weighing 6 pounds, 10.7 oz, Cameron Snow Godbout came into the world at 9:04 pm on New Years Day. Cameron is the son of Kayla Snow and Eric Godbout. Cameron joins his brother Charlie.

From merlins to warblers: 30,000 birds spotted in annual count

The Vineyard’s 64th annual Christmas Bird Count, held this weekend, identified more than 30,000 individual birds, up from around 19,000 in 2022.  With results still coming in, volunteers have noted 126 different species, up from 124 last year. According to wildlife biologist Luanne Johnson, director of the Island nonprofit BiodiversityWorks and coordinator of the Vineyard’s […]

Vineyard Wind starts delivering power

Updated Jan. 3 Although Vineyard Wind missed its 2023 goal to deliver power to the state, Avangrid, the company that owns half of the offshore wind project alongside Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners, announced on Wednesday morning that power has been delivered to the New England grid.  In a press release, the company announced that one of […]

Appreciation for the Gatchell holiday lights

To the Editor: A giant, heartfelt thank you to Mr. Gatchell for his continued commitment to making magic on County Road each year. We typically visit the Gatchell house a few times throughout the month, but this year, despite the desperate pleas from the children each time we drove by, we waited until Christmas Eve. […]

Federal funding boosts right whale conservation efforts

The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries will receive more than $4.6 million from the U.S. Congress to increase protections for the endangered North Atlantic right whale.  The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission funding, plus an additional $475,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, will bolster the development of new fishing gear, and will […]

Island WWII veteran hits centennial milestone

Island World War II veteran Clarence Miller Bannister turned 100 years old on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.  The senior Bannister was a sergeant in the U.S. Army, and first inducted into the service on June 28, 1943; he was honorably discharged on Feb. 24, 1946, at the former Fort Bragg in North Carolina.  Clarence […]

Vehicle crash causes Tisbury power outage

Areas in Tisbury experienced some electric power disruptions after a vehicle crashed into a utility pole around 1:30 pm on Monday. The driver of a Silverado pickup truck “completely snapped” a pole located by the intersection of Clover Hill Rd. and Edgartown Road; the truck then became wedged between multiple trees, dispatched officers said.  The […]

Upcycling as art

Chicken Alley Thrift Shop in Vineyard Haven is a popular place to donate used goods: clothes, toys, kitchenware, and more. But not all goods are donated in equal condition, and a great portion are filthy, ripped, and unusable — or simply unpopular, and unmoving.  These pieces often end up in the hands of Anna Marie […]

Up-Island Council on Aging: January 2024

Up-Island Council on Aging, Howes House 1042 State Rd., West Tisbury Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 4 pm, closed holidays 508-693-2896 friendsofupislandcouncilonaging.org There’s always something happening at the Howes House! We are open Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 4 pm. Closed holidays. Wishing health and happiness to you and yours in the new […]

Edgartown Council on Aging: January 2024

Edgartown Council on Aging The Anchors at 10 Daggett St. Lyndsay Famariss 508-627-4368 lfamariss@edgartown-ma.us edgartowncoa.com Weekly Events Monday 11:30 am: Bowling at the Barn 12:30 pm: Bridge Tuesday 9 am: Yoga 10 am: Knitting 12 pm: Tuesday lunch 1:15 pm: Mah Jongg Wednesday 9:30 am: Tai Chi with Nan Doty 12:30 pm: Bridge Thursday 9:30 […]

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging: January 2024

Oak Bluffs Council on Aging 21 Wamsutta Ave. Rose M. Cogliano, 508-693-4509, ext. 3 oakbluffsma.gov/152/Council-on-Aging Oak Bluffs Council on Aging will be closed Jan. 1 and Jan. 15 to observe New Year’s Day and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In case of inclement weather, the Councils on Aging follow the Martha’s Vineyard public school […]

Tisbury Council on Aging: January 2024

Tisbury Senior Center 34 Pine Tree Road, Vineyard Haven Director: Joyce Stiles-Tucker 508-696-4205 tisburyma.gov/council-aging The Tisbury Senior Center will be closed Jan. 1 and Jan. 15 for New Year’s Day and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Weekly Activities Mondays 9:30 – 10:30 am – Line Dancing with Catie 1 pm – Silver Quilters Call on […]

Noteworthy for 55+: January 2024

Community Programs  MVRHS Luncheon Monthly senior luncheons at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s Culinary Arts dining room are back every second Thursday. The next one is on Jan. 11, with 11 am seating. Enjoy a 3-course, gourmet, dining experience for $15. Reservations are required. Call 508-939-9440. Emergency Food Program As a member of the Greater […]

M.V. Center for Living: January 2024

M.V. Center for Living, the Island’s Dementia and Caregiver Support Network Leslie Clapp, executive director 508-939-9440 lesliec@mvcenter4living.org mvcenter4living.org M.V. Center for Living will be closed Mon, Jan. 1, for New Year’s Day, and Mon, Jan. 15, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Regular Programs Daily: 9 am – 2 pm, Supportive Day Program […]

Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard: January 2024

Announcing “Call the Tech Pro” for M.V. Older Adults According to Healthy Aging M.V.’s Islandwide older adult survey, 9 in 10 of those 60+ want to learn more about digital technologies and feel it is important to do so, yet over 30% report that they are uncomfortable discussing their technology knowledge with others. To address […]

CORE senior services

CORE senior services Care Coordinator: Ann Baird 508-693-7900, ext. 244 mvcommunityservices.org Counseling, Outreach and Referral for the Elderly (CORE) at M.V. Community Services works with at-risk and mostly home-bound seniors in the community, addressing significant physical, behavioral, social, and case management needs of seniors age 60+ at no cost to the client. The program strives […]

Adopting a drain in Tisbury

There’s a new way for Tisbury residents to help keep bodies of water within the town clean. Tisbury Waterways, Inc., announced the launch of the Adopt-a-Drain program, which allows volunteers to monitor and clean a drain, out of the 639 current drains in Tisbury. The nonprofit organization is sponsoring the program through a grant from […]

2023 by the numbers

Here are some of the top news stories in 2023 on Martha’s Vineyard, by the numbers: First: On March 28, the Oak Bluffs select board appointed Emily deBettencourt to the position of town harbormaster, making her the first woman harbormaster on Martha’s Vineyard. 2 – 1: On September 5, a land court judge ruled in […]

Oak Bluffs explosion prompts mutual aid effort

The Oak Bluffs Fire Department responded to a reported explosion at an Oak Bluffs scrapyard Wednesday evening, where officials say numerous vehicles, including buses and trailers, had caught fire. At 9:08 pm, firefighters were dispatched to the JWL property, abutting Pennsylvania Avenue and County Road in Oak Bluffs. Mutual aid came from Tisbury and Edgartown […]

Thank you

You’ll read elsewhere in our pages and online this morning that by the first of the year The Times will have been sold to Steve Bernier of West Tisbury. This is astoundingly good news for all Islanders, good news because it means that The Times, a community newspaper through and through, will remain in community […]

MV Times welcomes new leadership

The ownership of the Martha’s Vineyard Times is changing hands. Longtime publishers and owners Peter and Barbara Oberfest are selling the Island news organization to Steve Bernier, West Tisbury resident and longtime owner of Cronig’s Market, who is well-known for his community service and quiet support for philanthropic causes. The sale is expected to be […]

The 2023 Vineyard literary list

Most of the 2023 year-end book lists we’ve been reading are categorized by genre. Not this one. This impressive list of books published in 2023 will be sorted into categories that those of us who visit and live on the Vineyard spend quality time debating. The three categories for this list of books have to […]

Top 10 films of the year

Here they come: the top 10 films of the year. Of course, you, the viewers, may have your own ideas of what’s best. Let me know, and I’ll see that they show up, published next. “Still: Michael J. Fox.” This documentary tells the tale of a wonderful guy struck with Parkinson’s disease in his 20s. […]

The visual arts in review

It was a blockbuster year for art in 2023. Just comb through the many archived articles, and you will see that each week offered wonderful new visual experiences. I’ve tried to capture just a few to give a sense of the breadth of what we saw this year. As usual, Featherstone Center for the Arts […]

The supreme court adds three (maybe four) to its schedule

Like most government agencies, the U.S. Supreme Court winds down its schedule as the Christmas and New Year’s season draws closer. The last day on which the justices heard arguments was Dec. 6.   Since then, they have agreed to hear three new cases in early 2024: two affect the federal suit against former President Donald […]

Unexpected connections and coincidences

To the Editor: An especially grateful trio of elderly recipients of free Christmas meals sponsored by our M.V. Community Services and volunteers led to amazing unexpected connections and coincidences. The MV Times advert offering such dinners to us living-alone oldsters prompted me to inquire re: my own eligibility and that of my aide. The woman […]

Turf appeal could remedy Dover Amendment

To the Editor: The Oak Bluffs’ Planning Board has decided to appeal the ruling by the Massachusetts Land Court regarding the artificial turf field at the high school. Not only is the planning board’s appeal the correct action to take to remedy the verdict of the Land Court, it is precisely the remedy that Judge […]

Bridge funding appreciated

To the Editor: The best Christmas present was from the Biden Administration: nearly $400 million toward replacing the Sagamore Bridge — and hopefully the Bourne as well. It’s not just Cape people who need those bridges. Virtually everyone and everything on the Vineyard crosses a bridge to reach the ferry. Thanks, Joe Biden.   Tom […]

Delivering the Christmas spirit

Local Community Services advocate Sharon Brown teamed up with Chef Deon to distribute nearly 300 meals to families and seniors in need on Christmas Day. Meals consisted of roast beef, collard greens, squash, potatoes, lamb chops, ribs, turkey, pork shoulder, and other holiday favorites.  “It was wonderful,” Brown said of Monday’s event.  Brown said she […]

Natalie King

Natalie Dickinson King of Vineyard Haven died on Dec. 25.  Born in Boston in 1932, she was the widow of Frederick D. King.  King is survived by her brother Joseph C. Dickinson, of Northborough, Mass., her three children, Charles D. Duane, of Marion, Marion D. Hammond of Vineyard Haven, and Paul L. Duane of South […]

Arthur Costa

Arthur V. Costa passed away on Dec. 12, 2023 in Florida.  He was born to John Costa and Mary Rezendes on June 9, 1938 in Oak Bluffs and graduated from Edgartown High School. He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Ponte Vedra, Fla., and the Holy Ghost Association in Oak Bluffs. His […]

Corliss Maciel

Corliss R.(Corly) Maciel, 66, of Vineyard Haven, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Dec. 17, 2023 at Mass General Hospital. He was the brother of Neal J. Maciel; the father of Denver Maciel and uncle of Curtis Michael Maciel. A graveside service will be held on Friday, Jan. 5, at 11 am in the Oak Grove Cemetery […]

Harriet Dorsey

Harriet Patricia (“Pat”) Valarie Morello Dorsey, 85, passed away peacefully at home on Dec. 14, 2023, surrounded by her family. Pat was born Jan. 14, 1938, in Hartford, Conn., to the late Joseph Michael Morello and Harriet Mary Panas Morello and was the sister of Christina Morello. She married James J. Dorsey in 1958 and […]

The year in music

It was an amazing year for music on the Island. Pathways Arts began its off-season with an A list group of Island vocalists. Backed by the Jeremy Berlin Trio, some unexpected vocals were performed by Lucas Ostinato, Rose Guerin, Peter Halperin, Johnny Hoy, Darby Patterson, Delanie Pickering, and Allison Roberts. The idea was to showcase […]

A boy and his mother in a Japanese film

“Monster” will play at the M.V. Film Center on Jan. 5. A challenging drama set in Japan, the director and editor Kore-eda Hirokazu was nominated for the Cannes Palme d’Or, writer Yuji Sakamoto won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival, and the film was honored with the Queer Palm. ”Monster” was the last score […]

Onstage in 2023

Despite some minor hitches (well, if you can call the AC conking out in August a minor hitch), the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse managed to present a full season of theater this past summer. In the preseason, the Playhouse hosted a reading of a play by part-time Vineyarder and Tony-nominated playwright Kathleen McGhee-Anderson. “Miss Maybelline’s Nocturnal […]

Museum Pieces: A few favorites

“There is no life that does not contribute to history.” —Dorothy West Dorothy West was one of the most remarkable writers of the Harlem Renaissance, and a groundbreaker for Black women writers. She lived out her days in Oak Bluffs until 1998, when she passed at the age of 91. West’s belief that each and […]

Islanders clear over 300 lbs. of post-storm beach trash

Last week’s powerful storm that struck the Island, eroding a number of south-facing beaches, also washed up a lot of trash and debris.  And Island environmentalists, during a cleanup on a breezy winter solstice Dec. 21, gathered at Squibnocket Beach and removed more than 300 pounds of lighters, fishing equipment, plastic bottles, and other debris.  […]

In The Times kitchen

2023 was a year of balance for us food writers at The Times. We learned which corners to cut, pennies to pinch, and when to slow down and splurge on a higher-end meal. From kickin’ crab melts, meatballs paired with childhood memories, and Dave’s perfectly seared scallops to barbecue chicken tortilla pizzas, we might have […]

Fishing and other 2024 goals and resolutions

I don’t know how the rest of you feel, but I can’t believe 2023 is almost over. I’m still struggling with the fact that the Derby is over and there are 263 days until the 79th Derby begins on Sept. 15, 2024. My teammate Dave Balon often texts me the number of days until the […]

Telepathic interpsychic rapport

Do you ever know something is going to happen before it does? Maybe you swear you heard your late mother talking to you from the kitchen. Transformational speaker Constance Messmer will be giving a series of talks at the West Tisbury library that focus on psycho-spiritual awareness and empowerment, and interpsychic rapport in love, life, […]

First Day Hike at Menemsha Hills

A new year means a new opportunity to contemplate, refresh, and try new things. Reconnect with nature, breathe, observe, listen, and reflect on last year while hiking in Menemsha Hills. Start the new year by taking time for yourself. Meet in the parking lot, and head out from there. Click the website at thetrustees.org/event/408185 to […]

Bundle up and play

Christmas is over, gift-opening adrenaline has plummeted, and the little ones are restless. Before they take down the dining room chandelier or start using stairs as a trampoline, bundle them up, grab a snack to go, and get them outside. Stat! On Friday, Dec. 29, from 9:30 to 11 am, get over to the Martha’s […]

So long, farewell, to 2023

What a year we had. Turmoil was a significant part of our lives this year, so it is somewhat comforting to look back and see all that we did. As always, we featured Island musicians, and those who were just visiting. We managed to cover the visual arts all year long without missing a beat, […]

Faces and places in 2023

From Gabe Bellebuono’s job as an onshore — and offshore — wind tech to the young sailor Landon Cormie, to Dr. Charles Silberstein’s take on writer’s block, we took a deep dive into our Island community, met some interesting people, and visited interesting places. Early in the year, Ray Whitaker wrote about ketamine therapy, and […]

Merry lights

The chatter started in early December, chatter of a Christmas surprise. Vineyard Transit was to dedicate a special bus on a Saturday before Christmas to take nondriving Vineyarders on an after-dark tour of holiday lights and other festivities. The highlight was to be a stop to view the famous Gatchell house ablaze with lights after […]

Woodside Story: Ancestors

So your mother was an opera singer who married an American G.I., and yet continued to keep her bonds with her arty and famous family members in Milan? And, get this: During World War II, that hideous Mussolini put out word not to shoot, during a typical roundup, any of her kin? And as much […]

Wild Side: Titmice are fun to watch

As our excellent planet wraps up another orbit around its star, most naturalists probably reflect a bit on their activity over the past 12 months. In my case, this includes hundreds of hours in the field, thousands of photographs, a few notable observations, and more mistakes than I care to admit! But I’m also thinking […]

West Tisbury Library activities

On Friday, Dec. 29, from 11:30 am to 1 pm, the library will be serving free Soup and Bread Lunch for all ages. Lunch for all will be served every weekday of the school winter break. The soup is provided thanks to the West Tisbury Library Foundation, Friends, and Chef Deon at the VFW. Also […]

Tisbury: Sherry Sidoti, book club, 21st century fiction, and M.V. Tap Map

Heard on Main Street: If all is not lost, where is it? Lots going on online and in person at the Vineyard Haven library in January. At 5:30 pm on Tuesday, Jan. 16, join author Sherry Sidoti for “A Smoke and a Song.” Soon after the pandemic struck, Sherry’s mother found she had terminal cancer, […]

Oak Bluffs: New Year’s resolutions, climate discussion, and Kwanzaa

“Approach the New Year with resolve to find the opportunities hidden in each new day.” –Michael Josephson That New Year’s resolution resonates with me! It is so unrealistic to make a resolution for an entire next year — such as, this year I will not procrastinate, this year I will lose weight, etc. We will […]

Edgartown: Mothers’ Circle, Interpsychic Rapport, and Lobsterville Beach cleanup

I hope everyone had a very merry Christmas. I struggled a bit myself. With one of my kids away for the holiday, it was smaller and less traditional than usual. Fewer presents. Fewer traditions. Riley is busy catching up with all his friends and family here. We decorated the tree and watched a few Christmas […]

Chilmark: Potluck Jam, Peaked Hill Studio, Pathways, and book sale

I am grateful to live in Chilmark. Many houses have lights and decorations you can see from the road. We come together and we carry forward traditions and often the Community Center plays host. Last Thursday evening Katie and Marshall Carroll, Jonah Maidoff, Emma Mayhew, and many others helped the Chilmark Community Fire Department host […]

Aquinnah: Yossi Monahan, Philbin Beach cleanup, and gratefulness

The place on Philbin Beach where the stream meets the sea is becoming one of those spirit-lightened places. For a long time, locals have gathered there to celebrate birthdays, to mark anniversaries, and to gather in mourning for those we have lost. On Saturday, Dec. 23, there was such a gathering. This one was to […]

Real Estate Transactions: Dec. 18 – 22, 2023

Aquinnah Dec. 21, Nuovo Riche LLC, Carmela E. Stephens and Teresa M. Nuovo, as individuals and trustees of Frank J. Nuovo Trust, sold 0 Jeffers Way to Mark Harding, trustee of Munah Kutah Realty Trust, for $50,000. Chilmark Dec. 20, Susan Dickler, trustee of Susan Dickler 2014 Trust, sold 15 Marsh Road to Sin of […]

State grant boosts recreational fishing on Chappy

The Trustees of Reservations have been awarded $25,000 to help enhance recreational fishing opportunities in Edgartown, the Healey-Driscoll administration announced last week.  Funded through the Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) revenue from the sale of fishing permits, the grant will go toward the repair of off-road vehicle roadways and access […]

Caroling for the cows at Grey Barn

  The Grey Barn in Chilmark hosted over 100 people just before Christmas for its “Caroling for Cows” event.  Islanders of all ages, many young children, arrived in holiday gear and gathered at the farm’s stone wall to sing to dozens of farm cows.  “Our cows love a bit of singing before they are milked,” […]

Dr. Edward S. Sternick

Dr. Edward S. Sternick (“Ned”), 84, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on Nov. 30, 2023.  He was born on Feb. 10, 1939, in Boston, the son of Charles and Adele Sternick of Brookline, and was an esteemed member of the community, both in Boston and later in his adopted home of Martha’s Vineyard. Ned was […]

School committee seeks donations to fight turf appeal

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Committee is looking for more donations to fund the lawsuit with the Oak Bluffs planning board over the proposed athletics field construction project. The high school committee convened on Friday morning before Christmas weekend in response to the Oak Bluffs planning board’s split decision to appeal the athletics […]

Coast Guard rescues fishing vessel near Vineyard

The U.S. Coast Guard conducted a rescue operation near Martha’s Vineyard, saving four people on Tuesday, Dec. 19.  According to Coast Guard spokesperson Lyric Jackson, crews from Station Brant Point in Nantucket and Air Station Cape Cod responded to an alert that came from the fishing vessel Two Dukes. The alert came in around 9:20 […]

Commission leaning into up-Island nitrogen remediation

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission is recommending a number of options for the up-Island towns to address nitrogen pollution in local waterways, including the installation of so-called innovative/alternative (I/A) septic systems. Commission staff on Wednesday presented wastewater planning focused on Chilmark, in anticipation of pressure from the state government to implement remediation. The presentation came Wednesday […]

SSA summer reservations coming soon

Reservations for Steamship Authority ferries in the 2024 summer season go live next month.  For Martha’s Vineyard, reservations can be made online starting on Tuesday, Jan. 30, at 5 am. The travel dates for reservations are between May 15, 2024, and Oct. 20, 2024. Vineyard route reservations made by mail will also be processed in the […]

Steamship employees again denied vaccine relief

A U.S. District Court judge has again denied relief to a collection of Steamship Authority employees who had tried to gain an exemption to the ferry line’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Eleven plaintiffs were seeking a preliminary injunction, but Judge Richard G. Stearns with the federal district court in Massachusetts denied the motion on Dec. 11, […]

West Tisbury considers Public Safety Building upgrades

West Tisbury is considering improvements to the town’s Public Safety Building that could include additional sleeping quarters for personnel.  Town treasurer Kathy Logue presented a recommendation from the town’s capital improvements planning committee to the select board for review on Wednesday; the recommendation is to create a working group, which could include West Tisbury Fire […]

Boys & Girls Club lands $1 million expansion grant

MVYouth awarded a $1 million grant to the Martha’s Vineyard Boys & Girls Club during a ceremony held Wednesday evening at the Edgartown library. The funding will help the Boys and Girls Club (MVBGC) construct a new, 25,000-square-foot facility on land purchased from the Norton family, abutting the club’s current location near the Edgartown School. […]

The High School View: Remembering Yossi Monahan; Healthy sleep habits for students

Read the MVRHS High School View: 12-21-2023 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Stay focused on Sankaty errors

There are several takeaways from the Steamship Authority’s internal investigation into the untethering of the Sankaty at its Woods Hole slip — one that uncorked a not-so-flattering narrative of the SSA. The response so far in addressing some of those issues has been flat. The Steamship seems to be focused on protecting policies and procedures, […]

Morning Glory plans production barn, employee housing

Simon and Robyn Athearn, owners of Morning Glory Farm, are looking to build a new production barn as well as five new cabins on Pond View Farm Road in West Tisbury, which they plan to use as employee housing.  Since Simon Athearn bought the property from his family in 2011, he says, Morning Glory has […]

This Was Then: Mephitis mephitis

Updated 1-5-2024 Skunks have lived on Martha’s Vineyard for at least four or five hundred years. (Except, that is, for about 50 of them. We’ll get to that shortly.) Nantucket, on the other hand, hosts neither skunks or raccoons, and apparently never has. When writer James Freeman visited the Vineyard in 1807, he made a […]

Emily Davis’ ‘Ecology Through an Artist’s Lens’ on exhibit

The inspired artist Emily Davis has given us a plethora of captivating leaf art spanning the past four years in her exhibit “Ecology Through an Artist’s Lens,” at the Oak Bluffs library through the end of December. Walking in, there are two enormous blue tarps on opposite walls that are typically used to hold the […]

The fastest racing car

“Ferrari” plays at the M.V. Film Center on Thursday, Dec. 21. No racing car has had the success of Ferrari, the Italian sports car developed in 1929, when Enzo Ferrari formed the Scuderia Ferrari racing team. Ferrari has shown a remarkable skill at both designing and developing the sports car company over the years. The […]

Apologies for harsh comments

To the Editor: I have been a frequent commenter on this forum for a long time. Over the years I have chimed in on many of the issues that have come up. There are certainly people with differing opinions about everything. This comment section affords the opportunity to anyone who feels moved to express their […]

Smitten scribes

The thoughtful and inspiring new book “Black Love Letters,” by Cole Brown and Natalie Johnson is an extraordinary read. Brown, a seasonal Vineyarder, met Johnson when they were summering here as kids. While conceived when the world was in a dark place, this handsome collection of letters and original illustrations powerfully celebrates blackness in all […]

Around the table

Walking into S&S Kitchenette on Main Street in Vineyard Haven is a little like walking into someone’s eclectic, fun, cozy home. This isn’t by accident. Owner Spring Sheldon had a vision. “I collect things. I like having fun things to look at, and I’m also a big vintage person. Actually, this place is just an […]

Adding color to dark skies

The Louisa Gould Gallery opens “Winter Blossoms” as the first show of the 2024 season. It will be up before Christmas Eve, and throughout school vacation. The inspiration for this exhibit is to bring joy, beauty, and color to the darker days of winter. Experience 30 new original paintings by gallery artists Alexandra Averbach, Wooley […]

Photography in motion at the Playhouse

Robin Gottesman clearly has an eclectic eye for color, light, motion — and subject matter. Her solo exhibit at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse is a delightful mix that reflects her impressive talent. Gottesman began as a sports photographer, and while she does shoot other genres, she is still active in this field. But what we […]

Vineyard swimmers win big in Barnstable

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity swim team took home the win against Barnstable during a swim meet on Friday, Dec. 15.  The girls took a comeback victory with an 84-79 win, and the boys won 92-40. This is the first league meet the girls have won since the 2020–21 swim season.  The girls […]

What are the fishers asking from Santa?

Dear Santa, Do you fish? Maybe some ice fishing at the North Pole, with Rudolph pulling your sleigh full of fish? I hope so, because my Christmas list has a lot of fishing tackle on it. I have been a very good girl this year. I would like a new Century … Well, to be […]

Decorate holiday cookies

One of the best things about the holidays is all the yummy food. Especially the cookies. Celebrate the holiday season by decorating your very own delicious Christmas cookies at the Edgartown library. Icing, piping bag, cookies, and sprinkles will be provided. Put on your decorating hat. Friday, Dec. 22, 1 to 2 pm.  

Aquinnah encouraging healthy safety for the holidays

The Aquinnah health department is providing guidance to Islanders gathering for the holidays in light of COVID-19, RSV, and flu season. The department issued a press release on Monday pointing to precautions the public can take to minimize the risks, with all three “ramping up” on the Island and nationwide. Islanders are encouraged to stay […]

Figure skating for all ages

Come one, come all — all ages and all levels — to experience the joy of ice skating through public sessions at the M.V. Ice Arena. Skates are available to rent, or you can bring your own. Visit ymcamv.org/mv-ice-arena for the arena schedule and more information. Get started on Saturday, Dec. 23, from 11:40 am […]

Community soup and bread

Enjoy the perfect winter meal, soup and bread, for free at the West Tisbury library during school break. Starting on Tuesday, Dec. 26, this offering will run through Dec. 29, from 11:30 am to 1 pm. Soup is provided thanks to the West Tisbury Library Foundation, Friends of the West Tisbury Library, and Chef Deon […]

Harvest of the Month: Winter squash

Show a picture of a pumpkin to almost any child, and they will be able to identify this round, orange fruit that is ubiquitous in fall. The magic happens when you open up the whole wide world of winter squash to children and families. Some of my favorite varieties are buttercup, acorn, ‘Delicata,’ butternut, and […]

Festive food

The holidays are about celebrating, and at the heart of the festivities typically is food: family traditions, or those we create as adults. Personally, our Christmas dinner was a replica of Thanksgiving, and for me, the best part was the stuffing, although those little creamed pearl onions were mighty good. Of course, the best was […]

Garden Notes: The short days and long nights of winter solstice

Eying Pinetree Garden Seeds’ 2024 catalogue with the pink celery cover is the “eyes bigger than the stomach” moment. Perusing seed catalogues propels us into the future, and future gardens. Fall’s decor to winter’s food Pumpkin is acquiring almost mythic status as a nutritional powerhouse, with good amounts of vitamins A and K, minerals, and […]

South-facing beaches hit hard by Monday’s storm

On South Beach, near the Western end of Atlantic Avenue, the dune protecting the bank and beach has been decimated. As of Wednesday morning, the beach was mostly gone near the lifeguard shack. There appears to have been overwashes in several areas of South Beach, and there was also a breach at Katama Bay after […]

Have Faith: Hope in these times

Something hopeful happened via Pope Francis on Monday. He issued an official document saying that priests can bless same-sex marriages. Who would ever have thought that was possible? He basically says that people who ask for blessings shouldn’t be turned away. (See how I narrowed all those words down?) These are non-liturgical blessings, however, so […]

Writing from the Heart: Don’t jinx it

When I got married, my husband wasn’t into sports — playing or watching. He didn’t know the NBA from the NFL. And I loved that about him. When the men would gather in groups at parties, the talk invariably would go to, “How ’bout them Mets?” Joel didn’t engage in those conversations, and often we […]

Visiting Vet: Onions and garlic are toxic for cats and dogs

Every time my friend Gail brings her pup for a veterinary visit, she also brings me a little bag. Usually when clients do this, it’s a bag of poop. Not Gail. Her bag contains lovely homegrown garlic. I used to grow garlic myself, but I’m just too busy to garden. Besides, I don’t exactly have […]

Dogcharmer: He hates the car

Dear Dogcharmer, Our dog Carlos absolutely hates to go anywhere in the car. He paces, whines, and barks continuously, whether it’s a five-minute or two-hour ride. It’s really put a constraint on our lives. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you, Janet Dear Janet, In the possible event that Carlos is feeling carsick, you may […]

Museum Pieces: Maritime history and more

“History is who we are, and why we are the way we are.”  –David McCullough Island author David McCullough was a two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award, who believed that “history is the story of people.” The M.V. Museum concurs, recognizing our role as stewards of the Vineyard’s history and […]

Climate Change Connections: Taking action

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.” —Chinese proverb Listening to all that is out there in the news and in everyday conversations, the amount of information about climate change can be overwhelming, but maybe there is a simple solution: each of us doing our part, […]

No need to go off-Island for these healthcare services

Much has changed at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital over the past five years in terms of clinical services being offered. Today, the hospital offers close to a dozen specialties to meet the healthcare needs of those who call the Island home, as well as those in need of treatment while vacationing here. Here’s a closer look […]

Tiny Tim saves the day

The Oak Bluffs Public Library staff brought down the house with their performances of Doris Baizley’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The staff’s adaptation followed the general story line, with a few comedic twists. The actor portraying Tiny Tim had been fired for eating the Christmas dinner, and there was no Scrooge initially, […]

West Tisbury: Winter solstice, Carl Widdiss tree, and Athearn family

What a week we have had. After the rain last Monday, it’s been warm and sunny through the rest of the week. No need for a coat during the day, although it does feel cold once the sun goes down. People are still easily digging in their gardens, a mixed blessing, but still … You […]

Tisbury: Holiday cards, museum exhibits, and library programs

Heard on Main Street: Remember that Santa can appear in mysterious disguises, in the uniform of FedEx or UPS, or even the Post Office. Holiday blessings on Molly McCutcheon and her friends for making our town and our Island a prettier place by planting daffodils at our Post Office and across our town. You and […]

Oak Bluffs: Holiday movies, Kwanzaa, and Gatchell light display

“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.” –Zuzu Bailey, “It’s a Wonderful Life” Our little Island, with its small towns and big community, is enduring some serious heartbreak this year. Too many of our angels have gained their wings, and left us struggling with sadness and grief. The holidays seem to magnify […]

Edgartown: Interactive ‘Elf’ movie, Jingle Bell run, and church services

We’re about a week out from Christmas, and as I write, the only present I want is heading this way overnight. My boy is scheduled to arrive on the Island sometime tomorrow, and I am beside myself with excitement. I’m like a kid in a candy store, as they say. It’s weird to only see […]

Chilmark: Linda Fischer, Solstice Celebration, and Community Church

’Tis the season to greet one another with good tidings. To notice those we cherish. It is time to wrap friends in a warm hello and smile. It is time to write emails, send messages and pictures. It is time to allow ourselves to be amazed. The news that my beloved friend, Susan Markwica’s daughter, […]

Aquinnah: Holiday preparations, reusable gift wrap, and Wishing Tree

Although this is a dampened holiday for sure, we are nonetheless preparing for the pending arrival of all our immediate family. Son Alex and his wife Madalena are arriving with their three little ones (the youngest we will meet for the first time) from Switzerland. Daughter Laurie and her husband Anil are arriving from San […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Opening the Cabin’

Opening the Cabin By Warren Woessner We drag our bags to the side door and hunt for things that don’t work — big things like the heat and hot water and little things like burned-out bulbs. I am putting up the umbrellas and worrying about the rain that might come when the sun sets. Then […]

Cribbage Club results

On Wednesday, 20 members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met to play our favorite game of cribbage. The results are as follows: First, Roger Thomas with a 10/5 +35 card Second, Dick Kelly with a 10/5 -25 card Third, Bill Russell with a 9/4 +79 card Fourth, Ron Ferreira with a 9/4 +67 card Fifth, […]

Real Estate Transactions: Dec. 11 – 15, 2023

Aquinnah Dec. 15, James F. O’Brien Jr. sold 0 Moshup Trail Beach Lot to George Pyne for $450,000. Edgartown Dec. 12, Carlos I. Benitez and Maria N. Martinez-Shedden sold 27 Windsor Drive to Carlos Ignacio Benitez, trustee of Carlos Ignacio Benitez Trust, and Maria Nazareth Martinez Shedden, trustee of Maria Nazareth Martinez Shedden Trust, for […]

Births

Ramiro Macedo Alves Débora Macedo and Ramiro Alves of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Ramiro Macedo Alves, born on Dec. 13, 2023, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Ramiro weighed 6 pounds, 1.9 ounces. Luka Velkov Liljana Velkova and Mitko Velkov of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Luka Velkov, on Dec. 14, 2023, […]

Antone H. Rezendes Jr.

Antone H. Rezendes Jr., 80 years old, son of Gertrude and Antone Rezendes Sr., passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, on Dec. 14, 2023, at Mass General Brigham in Salem. Antone, known as “Tony,” was born on Sept. 20, 1943, in Acushnet, and raised in his family home in West Tisbury. Tony was old school, […]

Leonard R. Jarek

Leonard R. Jarek (“Lenny”), 82, part-time resident of Oak Bluffs and lifelong resident of Lowell, died Thursday, July 6, 2023, at Care Dimensions Hospice House in Lincoln, following a brief illness. He was the beloved husband of Donna M. (Zusin) Jarek, to whom he was married for 59 years, after they met as teenagers. Lenny […]

Oak Bluffs to appeal field case

Updated Dec. 20 The field case is headed back to court.  During a Tuesday afternoon meeting, the Oak Bluffs planning board decided in a split 2-1 vote to appeal a Massachusetts Land Court judge’s decision.  Board chair Ewell Hopkins and member JoJo Lambert voted in favor appealing, while board member Sean DeBettencourt voted against the […]

Hebrew Center threatened amid nationwide bomb hoax

On Sunday, the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center was the target of a bomb threat made through an email that was sent to approximately 20 other synagogues around Massachusetts. After searching the Hebrew Center, local and State Police found no dangerous materials, and Rabbi Caryn Broitman considered the threat a hoax.  Broitman and four others were […]

Winter shelter reaches capacity

Alex, a 38-year-old farmworker from Brazil, made the move to Martha’s Vineyard seven months ago; he’d been promised housing and employment with a local company. When he first arrived, Alex found a job as a trade worker, as well as temporary lodging with an acquaintance. But he was forced to find a new living situation […]

Vineyard Haven welcomes holiday spirit

Despite the rainy and windy weather over the past few weeks, Vineyard Haven’s Main Street turned into a winter wonderland on Sunday.  There were festive holiday music, hayrides, and a special visit from Santa Claus.  The holiday season in Vineyard Haven has also featured a window-decorating competition for businesses on Main Street, State Road, and […]

Breaking the comfort zone in Argentina 

Not everyone can say they’ve represented a country for baseball on another continent.  Bryan Sornas, who grew up on Martha’s Vineyard and is a student at Worcester Academy, recently competed in the South American Tournament of Baseball’s (Sudamericano de Béisbol) under-18 competition as a member of the Brazilian national team.  Teams from four nations — […]

Women’s club celebrates 125 years

To the Editor: The Woman’s Club of Martha’s Vineyard celebrated its 125th anniversary in 2023 with a program in March at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum. This is the second oldest club on Martha’s Vineyard and the oldest woman’s club on the Cape and Islands, and over the years its members have worked hard to enrich […]

Barbara Carrier Block

Barbara Jean (Carrier) Block, beloved wife of Waldemar L. Block Jr. for 71 years, died on Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. She was born June 21, 1925, in Springfield, the daughter of F. Lawrence and Genevieve (Cory) Carrier. She grew up in Mount Vernon, N.Y., and North Westchester, Conn. She was a graduate of the State […]

Christopher Michael Arms

Christopher Michael Arms, 43, of Harwich, passed away on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023, surrounded by his loving family.  Chris was born on Cape Cod on Dec. 6th, 1980. He was educated in the Martha’s Vineyard schools. He attended the University of Maine, and later graduated from Wyoming Technology Institute.  He was a talented diesel mechanic […]

Clifton H. Athearn

Clifton H. Athearn, 100, of West Tisbury, passed away on Dec. 12, 2023, at his home.  A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of this paper, and services will be held at a later date.

MVC approves YMCA expansion

A nearly 40,000-square-foot expansion to the Island’s YMCA was approved by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission Thursday.  The 39,000-square-foot, multilevel addition, which will consist of an indoor gymnasium, track, conference rooms, and additional event space, had been planned for the YMCA since its 2009 construction, but was postponed due to financial constraints.  Organization representatives say the […]

Oak Bluffs considers housing municipal workers

Oak Bluffs is looking to provide housing for municipal employees.  During a meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 12, the Oak Bluffs Select Board unanimously approved preparing a letter to the state with the intention of setting aside units for municipal employees at the Southern Tier affordable housing project. Southern Tier is an Island Housing Trust project […]

Cape bridge replacement project awarded $372 million

The Healey-Driscoll administration announced on Friday the project to replace the two aging Cape Cod bridges received $372 million in federal funding.  A release from Healey’s office says the state applied for the $372 million in August from the Federal Multimodal Project Discretionary Grant program. The administration is also waiting on an outstanding application for […]

Protect the Island’s fresh water

To the Editor: Thanks again to Abbie McGrath for your essay a few weeks ago reminding us of the dangers that companies don’t warn us about, such as the known carcinogen PFAS. Of course, even though we may forget exactly why, we did deprive our babies of Johnson’s baby powder. The frightening thing is that […]

Storm brings road closures, scattered outages

Updated, Dec. 19 Fierce wind and heavy rains from a storm blowing through the Vineyard on Monday brought ferry cancellations, scattered power outages, some flooding, and road closures. Steamship Authority ferries were mostly canceled throughout the day, on both the Vineyard and Nantucket routes. Eversource started reporting power outages on the Island shortly before 10 […]

Heritage Trail names new board member

The African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard has announced the addition of a new board member. Dr. J. Keith Motley was the first African American chancellor of UMass Boston, a position he served in for a decade; he is a tenured professor at UMass Boston’s College of Management. “The African American Heritage Trail of […]

Accessory dwelling pilot in the balance

After West Tisbury voters last month rejected an article for an accessory dwelling unit pilot program, the town’s select board members have doubts that public opinion will have changed enough by the April 11 town meeting. But members of the affordable housing committee plan to submit a warrant article for the town meeting regardless.  At […]

Consultant: Steamship underinvesting in IT

A consultant is telling the Steamship Authority (SSA) that it will need to make changes to its “outdated” information technology (IT) infrastructure, and sooner rather than later.  During a joint meeting between the SSA board and the Port Council on Tuesday, Dec. 12, Thomas Innis from Gibbous, a firm tapped to review the authority’s IT […]

Oak Bluffs pushing SSA improvements 

The Oak Bluffs Select Board is supporting a regional effort to increase transparency and improve operations at the Steamship Authority. The town’s select board voted Tuesday to issue a letter in support of Dukes County Commissioners and the county’s request to restore the public’s trust in Steamship Authority management.  Tuesday’s vote follows the untethering of […]

Vineyard surprised by ‘significant’ drought

A lack of rain over the fall has led the state’s environmental affairs department to issue a drought advisory for Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs secretary Rebecca Tepper announced on Wednesday that the Islands are in a significant drought, or a level 2 drought. “After receiving record rainfall in Western and […]

West Tisbury enacts new flag policy

After receiving a request to fly an anti-abortion flag, the West Tisbury Select Board has unanimously adopted a new policy for town-owned property, limiting flyable flags to just a select few.  Starting Dec. 14, the only flags that can be raised on town-owned property are the POW/MIA flag, the U.S. flag, Massachusetts’ flag, and West […]

Two firefighters injured in O.B. blaze

A fire that spread through a commercial building and multiple vehicles in Oak Bluffs Wednesday night resulted in injury to two firefighters and extensive property damage. Around 9:15 pm Wednesday, Oak Bluffs Fire-EMS were dispatched to 79 Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Rd, where fire officials believe a fire originating from the engine compartment of a work van […]

SSA strategic plan finalizations underway

The Steamship Authority (SSA) is finalizing a strategic plan to improve the long-term performance of its operations.  During a joint meeting between the SSA board and the Port Council on Tuesday morning, consultants from Raftelis presented a strategic plan framework for authority officials to consider.  The process began in February, and included gathering feedback from […]

Anti-erosion measure adding to water quality issues

A private property next to Tisbury Great Pond, permitted to truck in sand from off-Island and dump it in perpetuity in an effort to mitigate erosion, is concerning local environmental officials, who are already worried about sand accumulation at pond coves. Local officials say the sand buildup is affecting water flow and quality, even leading […]

The High School View: Israel-Gaza war discussion; Holiday pop-up store

Read the MVRHS High School View: 12-14-2023 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Fun Police alert: Tread carefully when restricting private parties

Leave it to Edgartown to try to pass a bylaw restricting parties. Next they might require everyone’s trim to be the same color, or their nighttime lights dimmed so as not to offend any pedestrians. Jokes aside, the town’s building inspector and member of the bylaw review committee is proposing to restrict the amount of […]

Chabad lights menorah in Owen Park

Chabad on the Vineyard held its second annual Owen Park menorah lighting on Tuesday evening, with festive foods, music, and plenty of light. Over 50 event-goers of all ages enjoyed hot soup, latkes, and sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), as well as take-home menorah kits. A large inflatable dreidel also spun around through the event, moved by […]

New report a comprehensive profile of the Island

A new statistical report on Martha’s Vineyard, made up of everything — from town demographics and land use to traffic counts, and shellfish prices; the total number of emergency hospital visits and solar installations to municipal budgets and watersheds — was released by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission this month. In collaboration with dozens of state […]

Eversource completes undersea boring samples

Vineyard residents may have noticed an odd-looking vessel in Vineyard Sound, and inside Vineyard Haven Harbor, over the past couple of weeks. The Northstar Voyager, with three pier-looking attachments, has been providing testing for a proposed Eversource cable-laying project between Falmouth and the Vineyard.  The Voyager is equipped with a 50-ton crane, and has a […]

Swim team starts the season off with a bang

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School varsity swim team started off the season strong in the first dual meet of the season at home versus Saint John Paul II on Monday. The Vineyard boy’s team took a commanding lead early in the meet, winning 74 to 45.  The girls team is triple the size of last […]

How do you like your oysters?

Oysters. They are as much a part of the Island culture as the Campground cottages or the traffic at Five Corners, or Morning Glory corn in August. Island native or visitor, you’ve probably eaten at least one oyster, if not hundreds. The question is, Have you eaten them on the beach, immediately after harvesting them? […]

Double talk from the Steamship Authority

To the Editor: Self-aggrandizing double talk from the Steamship Authority is nothing new, but it usually comes from two different people, or the same person at two different times. In contrast, SSA General Manager Robert Davis (“No effort to conceal Sankaty records,” Nov. 29) has separated his diametrically opposed statements by nothing more than a […]

Energy providers offer benefits to ratepayers

Vineyard Power and Cape Light Compact announced in a press release the launch of an initiative to deliver monetary benefits to eligible ratepayers on Martha’s Vineyard.  Funding for the initiative comes in part from a program established by the Boston-based Citizens Energy Corporation and offshore wind developer Vineyard Wind, which is aimed at increasing resiliency […]

Manager hired for high school project

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Committee unanimously agreed to enter into a contract with CHA Consulting as the owner’s project manager for the overhaul of the Island’s regional high school building. According to MVRHS special projects coordinator Sam Hart, the Massachusetts School Building Authority officials recently gave the green light on the contract.  […]

Around the Bookstore: Gift-giving

It is with disbelief, almost absolute, I realize we are facing the holidays, or, as I often joke in notes to friends, the Holidaze. Somehow, 2023 has disappeared into the record books, and in another blink of an eye, I will be hoisting a flute of champagne to 2024. It is beginning, now a slow […]

Photographer Michael Johnson returns for the holidays

Take the narrow path off Main Street in Vineyard Haven between Claudia’s Jewelry and Soft as a Grape to the Michael Johnson Photo Gallery, to imbibe the holiday spirit. Happily, after 29 years, the well-known Island photographer, who spends the summer season here, has decided to return from his winter home in California to share […]

Museum Pieces: Exploring Island history

“A visit to a museum is a search for beauty, truth, and meaning in our lives.” This statement from artist Maira Kalman, which I came across by accident the other day, hit me deeply. I recently began a whole new chapter in my life, after 32 years in radio, and have found myself doing just […]

Craving curry

It all began with morning chitter-chatter with one of my best friends and coworkers, Ava, when we were bringing the horses out to their paddocks. We were sharing how our weekend was, what we did, and funny moments that were just too good to text. One of the highlights of her weekend was ordering takeout […]

Shaken, not stirred

Folks were certainly in a celebratory spirit at Town MV’s annual Holiday Cocktail Competition on Monday, Dec. 4. Milling about the crowded room, you saw many dressed to the nines, and everyone was having a rip-roaring good time. Spirits were high, the drinks were plentiful, and the music was rockin’. DJ Mike Roan, who hosts […]

Gwyn McAllister presents a twisted Christmas in ‘Santacide”

Gwyn McAllister, a resident of New York and Martha’s Vineyard, may be best known on the Vineyard as a frequent contributor to The Martha’s Vineyard Times. However, on the island of Manhattan, McAllister is also making a name for herself, most recently with an off-off-Broadway production of her show “Santacide.” The play is described as […]

A boy searches for his mother

“The Boy and the Heron” opens at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Dec. 22. This animated film is by the Oscar-winning director Hayao Miyazaki, considered one of the greatest filmmakers of animation. Making “The Boy and the Heron” for his grandson, Miyazaki creates a world set in a realistic WWII background in which a […]

Winter walk at Polly Hill Arboretum

There is beauty to be found in every season, especially at Polly Hill Arboretum. This time of year, plants and trees display unique foliage colors, textures, structure, cones, and berries. Bundle up, grab a friend, and explore the lovely winter landscape. $5. Registration is requested. Saturday, Dec. 16, 10 to 11 am. West Tisbury.  

At the Playhouse Art Space

Photographer Robin Gottesman is showing some of her work at Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse Art Space in Vineyard Haven. View some of her past and present work, which includes a plethora of subjects, such as nature, animals, drone photos of Martha’s Vineyard, and more. Friday, Dec. 15, through Friday, Dec. 29, 12 to 3 pm.  

Holiday bazaar

Snow or not, it’s holiday time, and the shopping has begun. Experience a fun and relaxing atmosphere and support local artists, while shopping for unique holiday gifts. Chat with friends, find that special something, and enjoy a snack at Mo’s Lunch and something to drink. P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs. Thursday, Dec. 14, 3 to […]

The Israeli people will persist

To the Editor: As Hanukkah approaches, it ushers in a reflection. Though not a religious holiday, Hanukkah remains firmly relevant to present-day Judaism. The holiday’s origins date to the Jewish revolt and restoration of the Israeli kingdom in 164 BCE. Although the rebellion was subsequently quelled by the Greeks (though a Jewish kingdom persisted until […]

Wild Side: Dovekies may show up

Since it seems to be impossible to write about alcids — that is, the auks — without mentioning footballs, I’ll get it over with. These seabirds, often described as the Arctic’s ecological equivalent of the Antarctic penguins, really do look like footballs with wings. Their bodies are round, thick, and oblong; their tails are virtually […]

Woodside Story: Strength training

It’s not just kids who dream about being superheroes. I’m thinking everybody at every age would like to be stronger. Tougher. When I was a wee one back in the 1950s, I adored the TV series “Annie Oakley.” Some of you reading this must remember her. Fringe on her leather jacket. Pigtails (I’m remembering them […]

Musical combo at Jazz Fest

On Friday, Dec. 15, Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School will have four groups performing for the second annual Jazz Fest. MV Big Band and MVRHS combo groups are upperclassmen, and will perform alongside professional musicians. The Vineyard Jazz Unit, led by Brian Nelson on C melody saxophone and Taurus Biskis on drums and percussion, will […]

Thomas Page Barrett

Thomas Page Barrett passed away peacefully at Windemere, where he was beautifully cared for, on Dec. 8, 2023, after a long fight with Alzheimer’s disease. An obituary will follow in a future edition of this paper.

Boston Tea Party recognition at Chilmark library

Once upon a time, there was the Boston Tea Party … and that’s not likely a new piece of history for you. But on its 250th anniversary, Dec. 16, at 3 pm, we will experience the Island during the Revolution via a historic Islander, Mrs. Sarah Allen, who will host an 18th century tea party […]

Learning by doing

‘It takes a village” might sound a little clichéd, but it’s what comes to mind when learning about the Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School (MVPCS) mentorship program. Twenty-two ninth- and tenth-grade students work one-on-one with mentors for two hours every Wednesday. The program stalled when COVID hit, but Peter Steedman, MVPCS director, says, “Now it’s […]

Rise Vineyard Performing Arts: ‘Season’s Greetings!’

Spirits were running high at the Performing Arts Center last weekend as the Rise dancers presented their annual holiday dance performance. There wasn’t a parking space to be had during the two shows. Dancers, ages 3 and up, showcased their talents in the genres of ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, acrobatics, and hip-hop. Studio Director Jil […]

Working for Your Health: There’s no place like home

The concept of “home” varies from person to person; all of us know its importance. For many of us, home takes on greater meaning during the holiday season. It is a place where we gather with family, and welcome friends. It is where we prepare meals, celebrate life’s joys, mourn our losses, and rest comfortably […]

Farm Neck Foundation announces its 2023 grants

The board of directors at the Farm Neck Foundation has announced its 2023 grant awards. The total amount being awarded to organizations Islandwide is $101,076. Farm Neck Foundation is an independent corporation founded in 1979 by Farm Neck Golf Club to provide charitable assistance for the Island community. Some of the recipients of the largest […]

Beach cleanup and holiday craft fun

Upcycled and found object art is a great way to reduce waste and promote sustainability. Plus, it’s cool. Not only are the pieces created one-of-a-kind, but by using found materials, you’re helping the environment by cleaning up items that can potentially pollute our surroundings. Items can include anything from newspapers to used bottles and cans. […]

West Tisbury: Haynes Point tree, dollhouses, holiday party, and David Stanwood concert

We had some frosty cold days this past week. Seeing our rhododendron leaves shriveled up into themselves makes it all so visible. I had the pleasure, when driving home one afternoon last week, of seeing John Cotterill on a ladder, stringing lights on the tree at Haynes Point. When I went to Vineyard Haven on […]

Tisbury: Spice Club, tennis courts, movies and crafts, ‘Home’ exhibit, and modern fiction

Heard on Main Street: Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. We need them to survive. Join the Vineyard Conservation Society and Befriend a Beach: This month, go to Long Point (with the Trustees) on Saturday, Dec. 16, and clean up the beach from 2 to 4 pm. A volunteer will be there with bags […]

Oak Bluffs: Robert Hayden, ‘An Island Christmas,’ seasonal crafts, and M.V. Family Chorus

“And when all Americans — young and old, black and white — come to know these men and women, we will have a greater understanding and respect for America and all of its citizens.”  –Robert C. Hayden, “9 African American Inventors,” 1992 There is a new site on the M.V. African American Heritage Trail here […]

Edgartown: Holiday markets, Island Theatre Workshop, Christmas Tea, and seasonal concerts

I hope everyone had an enjoyable weekend. I missed the festivities, but by all accounts, Christmas in Edgartown sounds like it was wonderful. Lots of fun events and things to do, and I’ve seen nothing but rave reviews online. I hope you all got a nice jump-start on your holiday shopping, and had some fun […]

Chilmark: Rainer Maria Rilke poem, Yossi Kai Monahan book, and Holiday Flea Market

Let This Darkness Be a Bell Tower By Rainer Maria Rilke Quiet friend who has come so far, feel how your breathing makes more space around you. Let this darkness be a bell tower and you the bell. As you ring, what batters you becomes your strength. Move back and forth into the change. What […]

Aquinnah: Mice and rats, home repair, holiday spirit, and Long Point cleanup and crafts

Many years ago, Jeffrey Madison joked that you could describe one aspect of our Island as made up of “mice, lice, and mold.” True that. Right along with the breathtaking beauty, kindly souls, good music, et cetera, that’s what we’ve got. This is the time of year when all living critters are looking for a […]

Robert Michael Flanagan

Robert Michael Flanagan passed away peacefully on Dec. 8, 2023, surrounded by family, after a yearlong illness. Bob was 79 years old. Born on Feb. 5, 1944, in Memphis, Tenn., Bob grew up in South Orange, N.J., with his brothers Jack and Dave, and sister Mary. His mother, Helen Froehlich Flanagan, was a retired school […]

John Paul Sullivan

John Paul Sullivan, resident of Edgartown, devoted family man, avid golfer, distinguished legal mind, and consummate professor, passed away on Nov. 27, 2023. Born in Boston on May 23, 1931, to Marjorie Doherty and John Patrick Sullivan, he was the first son in the family, and brother to Dr. Philip Richard Sullivan of Sherborn. Raised […]

Jacqueline F. Baer

Jacqueline Frances (Lair) Baer died peacefully at her home in Vineyard Haven on Nov. 25, 2023. She was 90. Jackie was born in Oak Bluffs to H. Stanton (“Stan”) Lair and Phyllis Lightowler, and aside from a few years immediately following her 1954 marriage to Eugene (“Gene”) Baer, she lived her entire life in Vineyard […]

Edward T. Medeiros

Edward T. Medeiros, 77, passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning, July 18, 2023, at his home in Edgartown. Ed was born to Edward and Anna Medeiros in Oak Bluffs on August 20, 1945. He graduated from Edgartown Elementary, then was in the first class to complete four years at the new Martha’s Vineyard Regional High […]

Moakley first to announce state House bid

Falmouth Democrat Thomas Moakley is the first to announce a run for a seat representing Martha’s Vineyard in the state House. Moakley, 28, is currently an assistant district attorney in the Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office. According to a release announcing his run issued on Tuesday, he served as a prosecutor for criminal cases […]

Guerrilla gardener plans 15,000 daffodils Islandwide

On Sunday, Tisbury resident Melly Meadows McCutcheon, with help from two friends, planted dozens of daffodil bulbs in the raised islands of the Vineyard Haven Post Office parking lot. Meadows, who wants to plant 15,000 bulbs in total across the Vineyard, is one week into her efforts for this season. She says that she planted […]

Four indicted by grand jury

A Dukes County grand jury earlier this month handed down four new indictments in two cases allegedly involving sexual assault and two cases allegedly related to drug trafficking. Both Christine Anthony Kurth and Jordan Dwayne Creech have been indicted on one count each of trafficking in 100 grams or more and less than 200 grams […]

Edgartown Cape Cod 5 closing

The Edgartown branch of Cape Cod Five is expected to close in March next year, the bank recently announced. The reason for the Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road location closure is due to the number of people using the branch, not because the larger institution is in any kind of peril, says Chris Richards, chief banking services […]

Celebrating Robert Hayden

Dozens gathered at the Oak Bluffs library last week to unveil the latest addition to the African American Heritage Trail of Martha’s Vineyard (AAHT), and to honor intellectual and activist Robert Hayden Jr. On Thursday, Dec. 7, through a collaboration with the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST), the trail’s 37th site was named in […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘Vineyard Reality’

Vineyard Reality By Joan Noëldechen Every day Appearing in the sand Or on the trail Seemed so surreal I could not tell If it was all a dream Or something constantly changing. I came home, But I was not living In the world. Joan Noëldechen is a former resident of West Tisbury who has been […]

Cribbage Club results

Twenty Vineyard Cribbage Club members met on Wednesday at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown to play our favorite game. The results were: First, Sharon Barba with an 11/5 +102 card Second, Patricia Bergeron with a 10/5 +71 card Third, Collin Evanson with a 10/4 +39 card Fourth, George Giosmas with a 9/4 +58 card […]

Real Estate Transactions: Dec. 4 – 8, 2023

Chilmark Dec. 7, Douglas Del Vigna and Erika West, trustees of the Douglas M. West 2017 Trust, sold 3 Tennis Lane to Irene E. Ziebarth, trustee of the Irene E. Ziebarth 2017 Trust, for $1,311,000. Edgartown Dec. 6, 23 Pinehurst Road LLC sold 23 Pinehurst Road to Millers Unlimited Properties LLC for $1,550,000. Oak Bluffs […]

Academic honors

Honor roll Harley Snowden of Edgartown, high honors, at Pomfret School. Paige Anderson of Edgartown, honors, at Pomfret School.  

Births

Hanna Helena Rodrigues Clarice Rodrigues and Alef Rodrigues of Chilmark announce the birth of a daughter, Hanna Helena Rodrigues, on Dec. 4, 2023, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Hanna weighed 7 pounds, 4.9 ounces. Aurora Lee Ficarelli-Danberg Morgen Schroeder and Alexander Ficarelli-Danberg of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Aurora Lee Ficarelli-Danberg, on Dec. 5, […]

Court Report: Nov. 30 – Dec. 11, 2023

Nov. 30 William S. Sanfilippo, Oak Bluffs; 59, violating an abuse prevention order, upon hearing bail set at $2,000 cash and $20,000 surety, and further conditions to stay away from the alleged victim’s residence, GPS monitoring with 7 pm to 6 am curfew with no phone access, and to provide home address to probation. Dec. […]

Irene Price

Irene Price (“Daisy”) of West Tisbury, formerly of West Roxbury, passed away on Nov. 27, 2023, surrounded by her children.  Daisy, a former Boston Public School teacher for more than 30 years, dedicated herself to reading recovery, and keeping children who were struggling on track. As was her nature, she was always in service to […]

Travis Scott Macomber

Travis Scott Macomber, 37, passed away on Nov. 29, 2023, while visiting his sister in Boynton Beach, Fla.   A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper, and a celebration of life will take place in the spring. 

A hearty thanks from Oak Bluffs

To the Editor: The Oak Bluffs Association would like to thank all the individuals and businesses who helped make Light Up Oak Bluffs so special and memorable. We would like to publicly thank our sponsors, Friends of Oak Bluffs and Martha’s Vineyard Bank, for helping finance the event. Also, the boots on the ground, like […]

Feds recommend fewer turbines for Sunrise Wind

Updated Dec. 13 Federal officials are recommending a smaller amount of wind turbines for a major offshore wind farm planned for waters about 16 nautical miles south of the Island. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced in a press release today that it completed the environmental review of the proposed offshore wind project. […]

County distributes first two grants for septic upgrades

Updated Dec. 12 A countywide initiative aimed at restoring impaired Island ponds by mitigating nitrogen-loading has cut its first two checks to Island homeowners looking to upgrade their septic systems.  Projects in Edgartown and Tisbury each received funding to help pay for upgrades to septic systems with nitrogen-removing technology. The Dukes County Commission, tasked with […]

Joy, jazz, and lots of latkes for Hanukkah celebration

Sunday evening, the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center hosted its “Hanukkah and All That Jazz” event, featuring a live duet, a sing-along, and classic Hanukkah foods for the holiday’s fourth night. Attendees were encouraged to bring their own menorahs, to be lit together along with the hanukkiah at the Hebrew Center. More than 50 attendees on […]

Vineyard Wind expected to deliver power in weeks

Updated Dec. 12 Vineyard Wind is expected to begin supplying power to the grid in a matter of weeks. According to a recent release from Avangrid, the energy company that owns half the offshore wind project, the first five turbines for Vineyard Wind have been installed, and are expected to deliver 65 megawatts of energy […]

Edgartown decked out for the holidays

Big crowds came out for the 42nd Annual Christmas in Edgartown this weekend, which featured the annual parade, carriage rides, carolers, and plenty of revelers.

Support New Bedford freight option

To the Editor: You report that Jim Malkin, the Vineyard’s Steamship Authority’s member, expressed concern that allowing 41 North Offshore to carry freight by barge from New Bedford to Martha’s Vineyard “could potentially give away truck revenue, an important income source for the authority, as well as scheduling issues for the busy Vineyard Haven terminal.” […]

Vineyarders headed to TD Garden

Updated Hoopers on the Island are in for a rare treat next month. The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) basketball team will be facing their rivals Nantucket at TD Garden — home court of the Boston Celtics — on Sunday, Jan. 14, at 1 pm.  The game is a part of a fundraiser for […]

Vineyard school community in mourning

Updated Dec. 11 Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) announced in a Friday morning online post the passing of Yossi Monahan, a former student.  “As we come together to remember and celebrate Yossi, let us surround the Monahan family with love, support, and strength,” the announcement reads. “In the face of such profound loss, we […]

SSA trips impacted by high winds

Updated Dec. 11 Steamship Authority (SSA) trips were impacted this weekend because of strong winds.  “The National Weather Service has issued a storm warning and high wind warning starting later this evening through Monday afternoon, Cape Cod and the Islands,” the SSA announced online on Sunday. “High winds are likely to cause cancellations on both […]

OSV access on Chappy is essential; wealth transfers are not

To the Editor: The nonprofit organization Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) are stewards of a sublime refuge on Chappy, consisting of 500 acres and nine miles of pristine shoreline. The majority of this land was generously donated, and the balance was purchased using public donations in the 1950s. These beaches constitute a full 35 percent of […]

New Tisbury town hall estimated at $15 million

A Tisbury group charged with coming up with a recommendation for a future town hall has recommended building a new, 10,000-square-foot facility on West William Street. The consolidated town hall task group pitched the idea to the town’s select board on Wednesday for the 1.3-acre 55 West William St. site. The group estimated the project […]

State considering improvements for Five Corners

The state is developing ways to improve traffic and climate resiliency along a major artery in Tisbury. Representatives from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) and consultants presented the current state of Five Corners and Beach Road as a part of the “Martha’s Vineyard Beach Road Study” during the study’s first public information meeting on […]

West Tisbury issues survey to improve governance

The West Tisbury Improving Governance Task Force (IGTF) has issued a survey for volunteers serving on town boards and committees to better understand their current practices and challenges.  The over 20-question survey is intended to highlight where governance is working well and where it could be better.  The survey will help IGTF create a town […]

Dispute over Dike Bridge funding continues

The Edgartown conservation commission voted Wednesday to again continue its review and public hearing for the Trustees of Reservations’ application to sell over-sand vehicles (OSV) permits for its Chappaquiddick properties. It was the latest of a number of hearings regarding two separate notices of intent (NOI) submitted to the Edgartown commission by the Trustees concerning […]

Holidays in miniature

The Dickens Christmas Village is up and running at the Carnegie Heritage Center in Edgartown, Wednesdays through Sundays, 10 am to 4 pm, through Dec. 22. The adorable display is courtesy of Debbie and Dave Brown. Debbie began collecting the village in 1998. “The pieces are all from Department 56, a company in Minnesota,” Brown […]

Religious services for the holidays

Aquinnah Community Baptist Church of Gay Head Visit communitybaptistgayhead.org or call 508-693-1539. Christmas Eve Worship, hymn singing, scripture lessons, and prayer, 6:30 pm.   Chilmark Chilmark Community Church Visit chilmarkchurch.org or call 508-645-3100. Christmas Eve Service, plus lessons, carols, candle lighting, and special musical guests. 5 pm. New Year’s Eve Worship and New’s Year’s Eve […]

Holiday events

  Chilmark Holiday Book Sale Tuesday to Saturday until January Chilmark Library Discover great finds at the Friends of the Chilmark Library holiday sale. There are thousands of books and DVDs available at bargain prices during regular library hours. Until Dec. 16: $1.00 for hardcovers and DVDs; $0.25 for paperbacks. Dec. 19 – 23: Half […]

42nd annual Christmas in Edgartown schedule

Thursday, Dec. 7 8 am – 2 pm Cookies for a Cause at Rosewater Market 9 am – 9 pm Alchemy’s Instagram Photo Contest 10 am – 5 pm Holiday Costume Raffle at Juniper 10 am – 5 pm Annual Fortune Cookie Sale at Nell 3 – 8 pm MVRHS Pop-up Store at Mad Martha’s […]

The High School View: Remembering Waylon Sauer; Change Makers Fair

Read the MVRHS High School View: 12-7-2023 The High School View is staffed and prepared entirely by students from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, and published on their behalf by the Martha’s Vineyard Times, with generous assistance from sponsors.

Preserve community while preserving water quality

Island coastal embayments, as have we’ve reported many times before, have issues with water quality.  While not nearly as problematic on the Island as some parts of the state, such as Cape Cod, high nitrogen from backyard septic systems has seeped into these embayments, leading to a decline in habitat for eelgrass and other aquatic […]

Heritage trail honoring Robert Hayden

On Thursday, Dec. 7, at 2 pm, the 37th site of the African American Heritage Trail will be dedicated at the Oak Bluffs library.  The site honors the lifetime achievements of Robert C. Hayden Jr., a teacher, educational trailblazer, author, and lifelong activist for justice. The dedication is a collaboration between the African American Heritage […]

Chilmark School HVAC project nears completion

Upgrades to the Chilmark School HVAC system are nearing completion. According to Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools business administrator Mark Friedman, the project is progressing on budget and ahead of schedule, with the expectation of finishing over winter break.  On Tuesday, the Up-Island Regional School Committee unanimously approved the usage of up to $106,000 for a […]

Edgartown proposing to restrict private parties

Edgartown is proposing a new bylaw that would regulate how many parties a private residence could have in a given week and month. The bylaw would limit social events with more than 50 people at a private residence to two per week for that space, and five per calendar month.  “Exceptions may be granted for […]

A serene Sunday morning becomes a nightmare

You could fill a long shelf with books written about Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor 82 years ago, and yet Marc Favreau of West Tisbury has found a niche not taken. “Attacked!” is a short, concise account that can serve as a useful entry point if you’re curious about the origins of WWII, about […]

Dick Iacovello’s ‘ecletric’ work at Miner Family Gallery

Dick Iacovello’s art doesn’t seem to fit into a specific category. He’s a painter, sure, but also a photographer, a mixed-media artist, and a natural storyteller. As with many artists, his work changes over time, and is based on the unique experiences of his life. In Iacovello’s art, though, there seems to be an immediacy […]

‘Notorious thief’ facing new charges

Nearly three years after attempting to purchase a $15 million house in Edgartown with a fraudulent $2 million check, convicted embezzler and Oak Bluffs resident Jeffrey S. Windle again faces charges of larceny by check and larceny by false pretenses. Due to prior convictions spanning almost three decades, police are charging Windle with being a […]

Life while it’s happening

“American Symphony” layers a story about love, creativity, and the human spirit around the creation of a musical extravaganza by multi-instrumentalist Jon Batiste, who touches on jazz, classical, R and B, and funk. He was the well-known bandleader on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. The documentary, presented by Circuit Arts at the Grange Hall, […]

Legislation to shift SSA voting structure gets a hearing

A bill pending in the state legislature that proposes giving Steamship Authority port communities on the mainland more voting power got a hearing before a joint committee this week. Falmouth state Sen. Susan Moran’s bill, called an Act Relative to Municipal Equity in Steamship Authority Operations, was heard before the Joint Committee on Municipalities and […]

The world-famous conductor and his wife in ‘Maestro’

“Maestro” comes to the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Dec. 15. It tells the story of the tour-de-force conductor Leonard Bernstein, played by Bradley Cooper, and his relationship with Felicia Montealegre, played by two-time Oscar nominee Carey Mulligan, along with her commitment to him. A world-famous composer and conductor, Bernstein received seven Emmy Awards, two […]

‘Rustin’ onscreen

Think of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, and what likely pops to mind is Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech. But none of that would have come to be without the before-now-unsung hero Bayard Rustin, who conceived and galvanized a fractured group of activists to make the march […]

Grab a bite

We have all been talking about it, the recent opening of the expansion of the Edgartown Stop & Shop. If we have gone, what did we think of it; what did we find? I have a hard time with change, so it took me a couple of visits to the store to get my bearings. […]

Labeling

People take one look at me and immediately label me a sweet little old lady who feeds the birds and goes to the library a lot. If I had a label on the back of my head, they could read what I really am, or could they? They might think that they know what is […]

Two deaths, two different lives, a retrospective

Two deaths, Henry Kissinger at 100 on Nov. 29 and Sandra Day O’Connor, 93, two days later, mark the end of an era. Few people will be able to emulate them, their achievements, or their shortcomings. Most controversial was Kissinger. As a resolute member of the realist school, he rejected what historians call Wilsonian idealism, […]

Public service an oxymoron at O.B. Post Office 

To the Editor: On Dec. 4, there was a large, heavy box for pickup at the Post Office. After waiting for a very long time in a very slow line, I said I would pick it up at the back door, where I had been picking up large boxes for 25 years. Easy-peasy, right? No, […]

Pro-choice flag

High school project progressing on state track

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) is progressing through the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) process for a renovated or newly built school building.  MVRHS special projects coordinator Sam Hart shared during a MVRHS School Committee meeting on Monday that CHA Consulting, the firm chosen by the school to be the owner’s project manager for […]

Edgartown conservation denies water access proposal

Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank commissioners agreed to open a preserve on Chappaquiddick on Monday, although it won’t be with some of the planned improvements the Land Bank was hoping to add. Commissioners voted unanimously to open the Caleb’s Pond Preserve to the public, despite a denial from the Edgartown conservation commission last week for approval […]

‘Season’s Greetings!’ from Rise

“Season’s Greetings!” is a beloved annual holiday show that benefits the Rise Above Access program. This festive production includes the entire company dancing in a variety of styles including ballet, tap, jazz, contemporary, acrobatics, and hip-hop. There are two performances on the same day at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center. Tickets will be sold at […]

The perfect gift for your fisherman

December. The month of holidays and parties and celebrations in all our Island towns, and, of course, gift giving. Please note that I did not say, “December, a month of great fishing.” Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas, and that is probably an understatement. I begin decorating the day after Thanksgiving, and spend the […]

Martha’s Vineyard Teddy Bear Suite

You gotta love a teddy bear to snuggle up with. Check out a variety of fun and festive teddy bears, and support the mission of the Teddy Bear Suite, which is to raise awareness and funds for the M.V. Boys and Girls Club food security and safety net program, Beyond the School Bell, which helps […]

Writing from the Heart: Christmas envy

Every year at this time ever since I’ve been a writer, I have written about my Christmas envy. How I wished I could go to my attic or my basement and get out the big box of decorations. How I’d be careful of the crystal star that had been passed down from my great-grandmother, generation […]

Visiting Vet: Aging gracefully

I only met my little friend Beulah two years ago. She was already a senior citizen, with bilateral cataracts (meaning both eyes were affected), causing vision loss. As many visually impaired dogs do, she had adjusted well, but as she aged, Beulah became increasingly anxious. There were many possible reasons for this. She certainly had […]

On My Way: Community spirit

The annual 5K for KJ is a Thanksgiving tradition in my family. Our first participation in the event was in ’16 or ’17, when my son Peter was first a member of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School cross-country team. We have been represented ever since. My mother cried out the call for runners Friday […]

A resource for young and old

I recently came across a reference to the Island Wide Youth Collaborative (IWYC), and immediately visited their site, which piqued my interest, sending me to discover what they are all about. As I learned from administrative assistant Victoria Rolanti, it turns out IWYC is about many wonderful things for Island youth and families. The center […]

Have Faith: The Wishing Tree

Polly Simpkins is one of those people who lifts your spirits just by having a conversation with you. And that’s extraordinary. I happened to notice her family has their annual Wishing Tree up in the front yard of her William Street home in Vineyard Haven. About six years ago, I saw the tree while I […]

Perfect presents

Running 10 am to 5 pm daily through Christmas Eve, Gayle Gardens in West Tisbury, formerly the site of Heather Gardens, is hosting an Island Made Holiday Shop. More than 20 Island makers are participating, and a variety of items will be available to purchase, including wreaths and plants by Gayle Gardens, and Island-inspired photography […]

Getting around

Recently injured and unable to drive, I was suddenly in the precarious position of not being able to rely on myself to get around for either necessity or pleasure. I’m fortunate that I have a support network willing to help out. But what if this wasn’t the case, and either suddenly or over time, any […]

Dogcharmer: A traumatic search

Dear Dogcharmer, I would love to hear about a K-9 search and rescue experience. Arnold Dear Arnold, My wife often tells me to relate this story, because of the role she played in this one. It was late November, and quite cold, with patches of ice on the ground. I had had five training appointments […]

Garden Notes: On into the winter

Beets and indeterminate tomato varieties are a good bet because they prolong the harvest in our warm, extended autumn weather pattern. Conversely, the determinate tomatoes are those that bloom and set fruit in an all-at-once pattern, and then halt production. Their convenience and opportunity to harvest and process a large amount of fruit all at […]

Holiday Bazaar at the P.A. Club

Coming up on Wednesday and Thursday, Dec. 13 and 14, from 3 to 8 pm, the Portuguese-American Club in Oak Bluffs hosts a Holiday Bazaar filled with crafts, food, and fun. To add to the lineup, musicians Rose Guerin and John Stanwood will be playing their usual show beginning at 5 pm, and Mo’s Lunch […]

West Tisbury: Trips off-Island, holiday decorations, town party, jazz concert, and Circuit Arts

The weather has stayed mild most of the past week, our lovely long temperate autumn that makes up for our endlessly cool springs. Oddly, though, I saw a few snow flurries. Just a few, but enough to make me excited for the onset of pretty winter snowfalls, and maybe even a white Christmas. This time […]

Tisbury: Wishing Tree, Christmas Faire, winter walks, holiday activities, and Boston Tea Party

Heard on Main Street: Santa comes by ferry because it is deer week on the Island. One of the first things I think of in December is the seasonal delight of children. I missed the chance to learn about fostering Island children last weekend in Oak Bluffs at the home of Vineyard foster parent Elexis […]

Oak Bluffs: P.A. Club, beach cleanup, holiday lights, ‘A Christmas Carol,’ and Council on Aging

“Peace is not something you wish for; It’s something you make, something you do, something you are, and something you give away.”  –John Lennon It was 1980, I was working at Checkers Pub on Circuit Ave. (formerly the Boston House; later it was Seasons). I was a daytime bartender, and I had Tuesdays off. Howard […]

Edgartown: Aging Greatfully, Christmas in Edgartown, the Anchors, and Hanukkah

Happy December! I already feel rushed. Didn’t I just write last week about taking this holiday season slowly and enjoying it? How can I already feel like I’m in a hurry? I need to work on that, and keep reminding myself to embrace the season for the peace and joy it can bring, and not […]

Chilmark: Offering of Music and Light, prompt-inspired poetry, and making fire cider

I wish I could hold the sands of time. I really miss my deceased loved ones, and have come to understand, with a shock, we have become the elders. Much is falling on our shoulders, and I value time with friends and family. I’m practicing going to gatherings, and am terrible at small talk. Who […]

Aquinnah: Holiday Fair stories, town sprucing up, Howes House, and holiday crafts

Sunday morning, Dec. 3, and I’m writing my column from behind a table at the Aquinnah Artisans Holiday Fair at the Aquinnah Town Hall. Saturday, yesterday, saw our Town Hall packed with holiday shoppers for most of the day. The mood was one of quiet happiness as neighbors greeted neighbors, and visitors from out of […]

Fire cider workshop with Laurisa Rich

Fire cider is a folk recipe with countless variations. Aside from apple cider vinegar and honey, fire cider recipes can include horseradish, ginger, turmeric, citrus, and herbs. Itis also a natural remedy for the flu and common cold, and it supports digestion, warms the body, and boosts immunity. Learn to make fire cider, and stay […]

Poet’s Corner: ‘The Gift’

The Gift By Jeffrey Agnoli Though we lean into the pull of the season it’s hard to say all is well when we know with inner sense some of the worst waits behind closed doors within the human heart yet the dwindling day promises the timeless truth that light is ever renewed a solstice dispensation […]

Cribbage Club results

Twenty members of the Vineyard Cribbage Club met at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown on Wednesday evening to play our favorite game. The results are as follows: First, Samantha Burns with a 10/5 +64 card Second, Collin Evanson with a 10/5 +58 card Third, George Giosmas with a 10/5 +46 card Fourth, Robert Hakenson […]

Real Estate Transactions: Nov. 27 – Dec. 1, 2023

Edgartown Nov. 30, Emily Mead sold 55 Pinehurst Road to Jennifer Stillman and Jonathan Stillman for $1,575,000. Nov. 30, MV Troika LLC sold 8 Tuthill Lane to MV Tut LLC for $10,922,400. Nov. 30, MV Troika LLC sold 27 Braleys Way to MV Tut LLC for $9,577,600. Dec. 1, Justin T. Nonemaker, trustee of Justin […]

Birth

Fiona Read Merry Zoë Shanor and Daniel Merry of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Fiona Read Merry, on Nov. 28, 2023, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Fiona weighed 6 pounds.  

Court Report: Nov. 30, 2023

Nov. 30 Eric J. Shooter, Vineyard Haven; 58, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, failure to slow: released on personal recognizance, continued to pretrial hearing. Michael B. Habekost, Edgartown; 22, negligent operation of a motor vehicle, marked lanes violation, speeding: released on personal recognizance, continued to pretrial hearing. Tanner J. Langis, Fairfield, Conn.; 19, unlicensed […]

Circuit Arts presents ‘A Christmas Carol’

Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” ushers in the holiday season at Circuit Arts at the Grange Hall. The heartwarming tale is timeless, and will be brought to life in a unique and enchanting reading. According to Circuit Arts’ description: “Written by Charles Dickens, one of the most prolific and beloved authors of the Victorian era, ‘A […]

Lucina Johnson Lewis

Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, great-aunt, sister, and consumer of life experience, Lucina Johnson Lewis (“Tina”) died suddenly of natural causes on Sept. 29, 2023, at age 77, at her home in Durham, N.C. Born to George F.B. Johnson Jr. and Audrey Strong Johnson on Jan. 25, 1946, Tina grew up in Greenwich, Conn., and […]

Services Thursday for Randy C. Gibson

Randy C. Gibson, 59, of Edgartown passed away on Saturday, Dec. 2, 2023, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, after a prolonged battle with cancer. Born on Oct. 3, 1964, in Oak Bluffs, Randy was an Islander through and through. His parents, Diane and Sam Jackson, are also lifelong Islanders.  Randy enjoyed working at the VTA for […]

Sharks attendance doubles over past several years

Attendance at Martha’s Vineyard Sharks baseball games has doubled since 2019, according to general manager Russ Curran. Curran says that in 2023, the Sharks averaged 2,800 fans per game, for a total of 61,000 fans — the highest attendance in their New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL). In 2019, the Sharks averaged 1,308 fans per […]

Island towns consider pooling opioid settlement money

The Vineyards’ boards of health are looking to work together to fund a countywide substance use disorder coordinator position, using money made available through federal settlements with several pharmaceutical companies. Massachusetts is slated to receive more than $900 million to assist in addressing the harms caused by the opioid epidemic. While 60 percent of that […]

Proposed high school budget up nearly 8 percent

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School administrators are proposing a $27.02 million budget for the next fiscal year, a $1.92 million increase from the current budget of $25.1 million. The increase would be nearly 8 percent. Much of the increase is due to rising staffing costs. Contractual obligations are up $745,767.62. New positions, like English and […]

Public survey issued for principal search

The search is underway for a new principal for Chilmark School, and the town wants the public’s input.  The current Chilmark School principal, Susan Stevens, announced earlier this year she plans to retire by the end of this school year.  “We are very grateful for her service to our children and families,” the town announcement […]

Sgt. with local D.A.’s office dies

The Massachusetts State Police announced on Sunday that a detective assigned to the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s office died suddenly. State Police announced over the media platform X that 41-year-old Sgt. Gregory Furtado “spent his career in service to, and in protection of, the citizens of our commonwealth.” Sgt. Furtado led a narcotics task […]

Vineyarders compete at table tennis championships

Two members of the Martha’s Vineyard Table Tennis Club competed in a national tournament the weekend after Thanksgiving, ultimately reaching the quarter-finals. The 25th annual North American Teams Championships featured over a thousand players from across the country, with some of the best players from around the world. Among the nearly 300 teams competing at […]

Controversial Edgartown project continues hearings

A controversial Edgartown project will make another appearance before the Edgartown historic district commission.  Neighbors have voiced their opposition to the 81 South Water St. project in the past, including some who felt that changes to the property would eliminate a view to Edgartown Harbor. But the project was approved by the Edgartown historic district […]

Pigeon causes large power outage

Updated Dec. 4 Thousands of down-Island residents were struck by power outages on Monday.  “Our crews responded to a power outage in the Oak Bluffs area just before 12:30 this afternoon, affecting approximately 3,600 customers,” Eversource spokesperson Chris McKinnon told The Times in an email. “Using remote switching capabilities, our system operators were able to […]

State studying Beach Road, Five Corners improvements

The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) will hold its first public meeting on planned alternatives for Beach Road on Wednesday, Dec. 6, at 6:30 pm.  The state project, launched in June this year, is called the “Martha’s Vineyard Beach Road Study.” According to the state’s announcement, the study is being conducted to develop conceptual alternatives […]

Vineyard committee exploring universal preschool

Vineyard school officials are looking into the possibility of creating universal preschool on the Island. At the All-Island School Committee (AISC) meeting Thursday, Vice-Chair Alex Salop presented plans to create a task force, to work toward expanding options for students before kindergarten. Salop hopes to educate more students early on, to save resources otherwise spent […]

SSA eyes December or February website launch

The Steamship Authority (SSA) is making preparations to launch its new website in either December or February.  Work is still underway to launch the site and accompanying app, the latter of which is delayed by a longer approval process than what Stellar Elements, the firm handling the redesign, estimated.  “We were informed by Stellar Elements […]

New Bedford freight company proposes Vineyard expansion

A New Bedford freight company that has provided service to Nantucket is looking to expand services to Martha’s Vineyard.  41 North Offshore, LLC, owner Jonah Mikutowicz received unanimous approval from the Steamship Authority (SSA) board to have his company’s license renewed for barge services to Nantucket through 2026.  During the meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 28, […]

Vineyard rep. will run for state Senate

Updated, Dec. 1 The Vineyard representative for the Massachusetts State House, Dylan Fernandes, announced that he will be running for a state Senate seat representing Cape Cod and Plymouth. The announcement opens up a race for Fernandes’ current position, representing Nantucket and parts of Falmouth in addition to the Vineyard, during next year’s election.  State […]

West Tisbury pauses on pro-life flag request

Updated Dec. 1 The West Tisbury Select Board unanimously voted to refer a request to fly a pro-life flag to town counsel during a Wednesday, Nov. 29, meeting before taking any action.  The request came from Pro-Life Legal Defense Fund director Robert W. Joyce. He wants the town to raise a four-foot by eight-foot flag, […]

Chilmark raises building permit fees

The Chilmark Select Board approved a recommendation from the building department to charge more for permit fees. Town building inspector Adam Petkus proposed the higher fee during a public hearing on Tuesday. Without the increase, Petkus said, taxpayers would be subsidizing the department more each year. Petkus proposed charging $6.50 per $1,000 of total building […]

Hospital names new board member

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital has announced that John M. Denson Jr. has been named the newest member of its board of trustees, which also covers Windemere Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. Denson fills a final vacancy left open since the summer, when three board members stepped down. “We are delighted to be working with John at this […]

Museum to host housing panel

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum will be hosting a discussion next week titled “Off-Island Perspectives on the Island Housing Crisis,” where panelists will be exploring the intricacies of the Martha’s Vineyard housing problem. Panelists will include Dan O’Connell, former secretary of housing and economic development under Gov. Deval Patrick; Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth; and Nantucket Housing […]

Menorah display coming to Oak Bluffs

A Jewish symbol will be joining the holiday decorations in Oak Bluffs. The Oak Bluffs Select Board unanimously approved a menorah display in Ocean Park during its Tuesday, Nov. 28, meeting, after hearing from its legal counsel.  Chabad on the Vineyard director Rabbi Tzvi Alperowitz made the request. He came before the board earlier in […]

Whelan attacked by Russian inmate

The family of Paul Whelan, who has been imprisoned in a Russian jail on what federal officials classify as wrongfully detained on espionage charges, say that he was attacked by a fellow inmate last week. Whelan’s brother, David Whelan, issued a statement on Tuesday, saying that Paul was struck in the face while working at […]

For a permanent ceasefire

Controversy rages on our Island and around the world over the Israel-Gaza war. Some Island residents, myself included, have publicly expressed outrage over the Israeli military’s assault on Gaza, which we, along with millions of others, characterize as genocidal. Our group of like-minded Islanders has coalesced into an informal organization called Ceasefire MV, also known […]

How to be an ally to Jews in these difficult times

It is now almost eight weeks since Hamas perpetrated horrific attacks, including murders, kidnappings, and sexual violence, on innocent Israeli civilians of all ages from the very young to the very old. In the week after the attack, someone sent me a moving blog meant to help the wider community understand our trauma with a […]

Woodside Story: No need to panic

We think we prepare for being old — or, to use a more shuddery word, elderly — but we don’t, do we? We back away, don’t we? And then suddenly we have to face the facts: We’re old. I’m old. Everyone has a different entrée into this shadowy part of life, this Being Old Situation. […]

Fall colors on exhibit at Louisa Gould Gallery

You’ll find lots of gold and russet tones in the latest exhibit at the Louisa Gould Gallery. The show, titled “Colors of Fall,” showcases work by a variety of artists whose palette leans toward these hues. However, given that we live on an Island, there are also plenty of vibrant blues, and cooler shades of […]

The art of shopping

Among the dozens of items on offer at the Featherstone Holiday Gift Show — from ceramics and knitwear to jewelry and ornaments — you’ll also find works of art by a number of different participants. If you want to give someone something truly unique, there are smaller-scale paintings, photos, and sculptures to be found among […]

Creative crèches

“No Room at the Inn” is a display of crèches that will be part of Christmas in Edgartown, and will benefit Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard. For the third year, 40 crèches will fill the Federated Church Meetinghouse, showcasing a variety of Nativity scenes. The crèches come from all over the world, including Haiti, […]

AgSociety secures Buy Local grant

The Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society received a more than $60,000 grant to promote and assist Island farmers and fishers. The $61,882 in state funding is through the Healey administration’s Buy Local program, and Vineyard funding was one of 10 groups that received a part of $800,000 announced Monday. “This is a really big benefit,” Ag […]

EMT open house planned

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) of Martha’s Vineyard will hold an EMT open house on Tuesday, Dec. 5, from 5 to 7 pm at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, in the culinary arts dining room.  EMS officials, department chiefs, and instructors from Cape Cod Community College will present information regarding an upcoming EMT class. Representatives […]

A curmudgeonly prep school professor babysits the left-behinds

Playing at the M.V. Film Society this week is “The Holdovers,” an awardwinning comedy about a crew of preppies stuck at Barton Academy, their New England boarding school. They end up there for the Christmas holidays with a crabby classics professor in charge. Starring Paul Giamatti at his best as pedagogue Paul Hunham, it also […]

Oak Bluffs limits overnight harbor use

The Oak Bluffs Select Board implemented changes to its harbor during its meeting on Tuesday, both limiting overnight harbor slip and mooring use during the off-season and amending its residential slip lottery program.  These changes were also discussed earlier this month, but were sent back to the Oak Bluffs harbor advisory committee for further review.  […]

What Are You Watching? Celtics basketball is fun TV

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars Hello, Vineyard sports fans. It’s been a tough fall, watching the Patriots flounder like a fish out of water. The Tom Brady era is over. The Mac Jones era is imploding. If you’re looking for a new team, may I introduce you to the Boston Celtics? The boys in […]

I did it

Thanksgiving is over, and I did it! I did not say one word about genocide, indigenous peoples, or Day of Mourning. I did not interrupt halftime, get up on my soapbox, and tell people about the massacre of the 600 Pequots on this day of family, friends, and football. Nobody wants to hear about the […]

Community service versus ‘serving your community’

Some years ago, when I was visiting a high school classmate in a small town in Ohio, he showed me some benches near a bus stop and a small park. “Our high school kids built those and installed them,” he told me, “because the senior citizens told them they needed benches.”  “Ah, community service,” I […]

Deer hunting season

Two little ballerinas

“No matter how big the world is, this Island bubble is so small,” laughs Leah Buffone (née Campos) about a holiday tale to warm the heart — with Vineyard roots that now sprout on the mainland. For generations upon generations, budding young ballet dancers have yearned to perform in the holiday classic “The Nutcracker.” Tchaikovsky’s […]

VTA buses free through March

Through March of next year, the state legislature has prepaid your fees for Vineyard Transit Authority bus rides, as well as other VTA offerings. The free rides, which began last week, are courtesy of the Try Transit program, funded by the Massachusetts legislature. Also free through March will be the VTA’s weekly Medivan to Boston-area […]

Music for the holidays

It’s indeed that joyous time of year, as the Island Community Chorus’s annual holiday concert delights us at the Old Whaling Church on Saturday, Dec. 2, at 7:30 pm, and 3 pm on Sunday, Dec. 3. Given the vast array of pieces, I wasn’t surprised to hear from director William Peek that the group of […]