Town Column : Tisbury
By Kay Mayhew
Published: October 30, 2008
News flash: the Bradford pear trees are glorious. Treat yourself to this vision of autumn in vivid color. I've just come back from a trip through the Mid-Atlantic States, and these trees are the prettiest sight I've seen.
The P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs will host our Minnesingers' annual auction and mini-concert on Saturday. The Minnesingers are a select group of students with exceptional talent and commitment to music and dance who perform here and abroad. Tisbury is represented by Willy Nevin, Hannah Marlin, and Rosie Bick. Tickets are $15 at the door. Enjoy the music and gourmet food, and do some Christmas shopping. The silent auction begins at 5 pm; Trip Barnes will take the stage after the concert.
Staying up late on Tuesday for election results? Join your neighbors at the Vineyard Haven Library. Voting is not only our privilege; it is also great television entertainment. Doors open at 7:45 pm. How late you stay will depend on the vote and how late everybody wants to stay up. Popcorn will be provided. The best part will be that finally all that electioneering will be over. I hope.
Of course, you get good information from the library. Betty Burton offers even more. Did you know you should never put certain papers in the recycling bin? Pizza boxes have oil from pizza. Napkins and paper towels are used to wipe up food, cleaning products, and other hazardous waste. Because of the adhesive strip, sticky notes should go in the trash. Also keep out wet paper. Paper fibers exposed to water are shorter and not useful in recycling. Who knew paper was so complicated?
Betty says the library is offering a six-part series on energy continuing next Wednesday. Peter Cabana, who will be speaking, has a degree in Civil Engineering from UMass. He managed coal-fired power plants in Missouri, an oil-fired power plant in Michigan, and a nuclear power plant in Georgia. He also has over 30 years experience in the design and construction of large energy projects throughout the world.
The Tisbury School has early dismissal next week. On Tuesday, ages four and up are invited to the library for popcorn and a movie about an American girl at 1 pm. On Thursday, the library offers special crafts for children from 1 to 4 pm.
What do we do on Martha's Vineyard in the winter? We have lots of opportunities to learn. Money is the topic at the Senior Center on Monday. At 10 am, Ted Desrosiers will offer an overview of The Market and Finance. Stock Market 101 will help us understand the news of the day. Do you know how the stock, bond, and credit markets interact? A Q&A session follows with coffee and quick breads. Then on Wednesday at 1:30 pm Chris Fried will tell you "How to Lower Your Energy Bills." Who doesn't want to do that?
The following Monday, Nov. 10, reverse mortgage specialists Bob Cronin and Lillian Arevian will speak at the Senior Center at 10 am. The new federally insured reverse mortgages are available to seniors 62 and over. Not for everyone, but they are becoming more popular as ways to cover unexpected expenses or to increase quality of life. Property owners on the Vineyard will benefit from new legislation. Congress has mandated a reduction in some fees. Learn about these mortgages that convert home equity into cash.
The scarecrows are a grand addition to Main Street. Now you just have to figure out what they are. Sometimes the signs are really helpful for some of us. This year's topic of Marine Life seems pretty clear. It is certainly the first time I ever saw an octopus scarecrow - but I love it. The charter school students do a fine job of decorating our streets for Halloween.
Show off your costume on Halloween: there will be a Halloween Open House at the Hillside Community Center, 425 Edgartown Road/Clover Hill Road from 4 to 5 pm. All are welcome, in costume or not.
"The Election Game" is a film view of America and this year's election issues. An Italian news crew traveled across our big, beautiful nation, interviewing Americans from every walk of life. These journalists from abroad attempted to discover what a U.S. presidential campaign is all about. The film will be shown Saturday at 7:30 pm in the Cornell Theatre. Admission is $8.
Peter Boak will perform a benefit organ recital at the Federated Church in Edgartown on Sunday at 4 pm. He will play on the 1895 Hook and Hastings organ. Donated admissions will go towards organ repairs and other restoration of the church property.
Don't forget to set your clocks back on Saturday night.
Big bunches of birthday balloon wishes go out Saturday to Ann Davey. Wish the best on Monday to Diane Castelli, Emma Wajda, and Maura Valley. Happy birthday to Lena Hanschka on Tuesday. Wednesday belongs to Alice Marshall.
Heard on Main Street: Happy Halloween! The goblins'll get you if you don't watch out.
