Compost, override passed in Chilmark
Citizens’ petitions were the talk of one up-Island town at their annual town meeting, from compost initiatives to a stand against federal surveillance. Chilmark residents filed into the local community center on Monday evening as the sun was setting behind them. Quite a few of the warrant articles they were to decide on were proposed…
Flu complications led to John Forté’s death
The death of John Forté, the Grammy-nominated recording artist who died in January at the age of 50, stemmed from a fatal combination of influenza and a seizure condition, according to state officials. Brenna Galvin, deputy director of communications at the Massachusetts Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, said in a statement that the…
Stable price for Vineyard Wind energy now in effect
Massachusetts ratepayers should now expect to see the effects of offshore wind in their energy bills. Gov. Maura Healey announced Monday that the contract price for energy from the Vineyard Wind 1 offshore wind farm, 15 miles south of the Island, is now active. The contract activation guarantees stable and affordable energy prices, a press…
From the streets to couch cushions
After two grueling weeks, Island-raised Laura Macomber helped to deliver a nervous stray dog from the streets of Dominica through a multi-country journey to the couch cushions of her mother’s home in Edgartown The dog, a female “potcake” mix, roughly one year in age and named Birdie, had spent her short life so far scavenging…
New SSA terminal to open in June
As the Steamship Authority (SSA) prepares for what should be another busy summer season, the ferry line will be in a rush to train its staff for the new terminal in Woods Hole. During the Steamship Authority meeting on Tuesday, April 21, SSA COO Mark Amundsen said construction of the terminal is expected to be…
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Environment
Public briefing on aerial deer survey
Tick Free Martha’s Vineyard (Tick Free MV) is hosting a public briefing and panel discussion on the aerial deer survey results later this month. Panelists include Martin Feehan, deer and moose biologist at the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), and Patrick Roden-Reynolds, public health biologist and director for the MV Tick Program. The…
Health
Martha’s Vineyard Medical to launch Tick Center
A new medical initiative plans to expand care, especially through holistic approaches, to serve Islanders who experience health issues caused by ticks. Martha’s Vineyard Medical announced Tuesday that the practice will open the Tick Center, a specialty center for patients who suffer from tick-borne illnesses and alpha-gal syndrome, in May. The aim of the center…
Housing
Christian camp housing proposal pushed to MVC
A special permit request for a residential home to become workplace housing for a Christian summer camp has been moved to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) for further evaluation. The permit was submitted to the West Tisbury Zoning Board of Appeals in March by Fellowship of Christian Universities and Schools (FOCUS), an organization that operates…
Education
High school building costs for year-rounders sharpen into focus
Updated April 21. A new tool for calculating an individual homeowner’s tax increase from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s (MVRHS) building project went live last Friday, clarifying how each town’s differing policies impact the cost burden on year-round residents. The Times published the first look at tax burdens for all property owners in March…
Politics
Tisbury voters to consider elimination of short-term rental cap
Tisbury voters will be considering various potential amendments to zoning bylaws, one of which proposes the elimination of a cap on short-term rentals, at the town meeting next week. Tisbury is scheduled to hold its annual and special town meetings on April 28 at the Tisbury School gymnasium at 7 pm. The annual warrant consists…
Cops and Courts
Island resident sentenced in rape case; one detained by ICE
Two Brazilian nationals accused of child rape were convicted on Tuesday, April 7 at a Dukes County Superior Court hearing at the Edgartown Courthouse. One defendant, whose child rape charge was dismissed but was convicted on a lesser charge, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents as she left the…
Immigration
Island family stranded in Canada after visa renewal denial
Updated April 17. An Island family, stranded in Canada for the past six weeks due to a denied visa renewal following a family ski trip, has been forced to seek documentation in order to try to return home. The family’s status continues to remain uncertain after federal border officials rejected Michael Freeze’s work visa renewal…
