Harbor Homes shelter opens Nov. 1
Updated Oct. 26 at 3:33 pm. The only nonprofit and shelter that assists unhoused people on the Island is entering the fall season with a new shelter director and a plan as homelessness on Martha’s Vineyard continues to rise.
Study on Lyme disease includes Martha’s Vineyard
After a warm October weekend, 165 Islanders lined up to donate their blood at the Agricultural Hall and Morning Glory Farm for a study on the public health burden of tick-borne conditions, specifically chronic or persisting Lyme disease. A mini-laboratory was set up under the wooden rafters of the Agricultural Hall on Oct. 12 for…
Lula wins Brazilian presidential reelection
Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, president of Brazil. —Wikimedia Commons Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, often referred to as Lula, was reelected Sunday after the electoral court announced he had 4.4 million votes (51.8 percent) over Flávio Bolsonaro. The election was watched closely by the Brazilian community on Martha’s Vineyard, where 14 percent…
Two state troopers suspended in relation to barracks rape case
Massachusetts State Police suspended two troopers, Ryan Costello and Robert Branca, with pay on Thursday in connection to the alleged rape at the state trooper temporary housing in Oak Bluffs in August. The suspensions are tied to ongoing criminal investigations and an internal affairs probe into the alleged rape of a woman by Edward Joseph…
A new Menemsha-New Bedford ferry service?
With a vision to eliminate transportation hurdles for up-Island residents, Hugh Taylor is pitching a water taxi between Menemsha and New Bedford. Taylor, who leases a lot in Mememsha, presented his proposal to the Aquinnah Select Board on Tuesday and noted that this maritime connection would allow up-Island residents to avoid the hassle of traveling…
Sheriff’s Meadow received largest land acquisition in its history
One of the largest land trusts on the Island just got a little bigger. In “an historic agreement” announced Thursday, the Vineyard Open Land Foundation (VOLF) handed over stewardship of all its lands to Sheriff’s Meadow Foundation, the largest conservation land acquisition in Sheriff’s Meadow’s history, according to a press release. “We are honored that the…
Years-long project for Tisbury dinghy docks completed
The Tisbury Harbor Department announced Friday the completion of a $66,000 project to extend the Lake Street dinghy docks to help alleviate overcrowding in the summer months. Despite high winds, the project “went smoothly,” Michael Gately, Tisbury harbormaster, said in a press release, which included efforts by the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard and John Packer of…
SSA hires first workforce training and development manager
The Steamship Authority (SSA) announced Friday that it hired its first workforce training and development manager: Simone Aguilera, a trilingual learning and training professional. According to the press release, Aguilera, who officially entered her role on Monday, will be coordinating the SSA’s “twice-yearly Training and Development Expo,” a two-week event in which various training and…
State Police close door on overnight guests at barracks
Updated Oct. 21, 5:34 pm. The Massachusetts State Police barracks located at 51 Temahigan Ave. in Oak Bluffs is officially closing its doors to overnight guests at the temporary housing units where troopers stay during seasonal assignments on the Island and Nantucket.
SSA standby line still nixed
After public outcry from Falmouth, the Steamship Authority (SSA) board opted to not reinstate a general standby line. The board unanimously voted on Tuesday to keep using only the Blue Line, a standby line meant only for Islanders, a change that was implemented last year over concerns about congestion from construction in Woods Hole and…
High school serves up discussion about varsity volleyball program
Updated 7:36 pm. A new varsity volleyball program at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS)was raised as a possibility during an MVRHS committee meeting Monday.
Aquinnah to sail after repairs
A mechanical issue on a Steamship Authority (SSA) ferry led to multiple cancellations this week, but lower demand amid high winds mitigated travel disruptions. Sean Driscoll, SSA communications director, said cancellations Wednesday and Thursday stemmed from a cylinder cover on the engine of the Aquinnah, a freight ferry, that needed to be repaired. He said…
Early voting underway as Island counts down to midterm election
The whole country is counting down to the much-anticipated midterm elections, which will determine the congressional sway of a divided country and serve as a referendum of sorts on the presidency of Donald Trump. While Massachusetts isn’t a battleground state, there’s still excitement, which could be seen when Islanders congregated at Five Corners in Tisbury…
Soaring fuel costs prompt a call for hikes in ferry tickets
Record-breaking prices for diesel fuel are driving increases in the cost of shipping and trucking around the world, and that economic pain is hitting home here on the Island as the Steamship Authority (SSA) looks to increase fares to offset the rising costs. For Islanders, that means an uptick in ferry ticket costs to access,…
2026 Derby delivers the magic
When you woke up Sunday morning, could you feel the excitement in the air? It was 29°F when I opened the door at 5 am, and I almost didn’t mind. We were only a few hours away from the 2026 Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby Awards Ceremony at Farm Neck. Can you imagine…
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The High School View
Turning things around: Football team makes their comeback
Last Friday night, Zeke Vought, the new head football coach of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) led the team to an exciting overtime victory against Monomoy at the…
Principal Lombardi emphasizes listening
For Principal Bryan Lombardi, getting to know Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) means starting with the people who fill its hallways. This week, he began inviting small groups of…
New clubs debut at this year’s Club Fair
This year’s Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) club fair took place last Wednesday during super-flex in the gym, where students circulated among rows of club displays — tri-fold posters,…
Environment
Scallop season set for each Island town
Opening dates are set for the scallop season in Oak Bluffs after the town’s select board passed the recommendations of the town’s shellfish committee. According to Oak Bluffs Select Board meeting minutes from Sept. 22, the opening date for recreational shellfishing was Oct. 17 in Sengekontacket Pond, with commercial shellfishing beginning on Oct. 26 for…
Health
A grand opening for M.V. Community Services’ new headquarters
After 18 months of construction, the new campus and headquarters of Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS) was officially opened Friday afternoon in a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The campus at 111 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road, across from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, has served Islanders for six decades. The new headquarters, built by West Tisbury-based South Mountain Co.,…
Housing
Katama Meadows overwhelmingly denied by MVC
This is the print edition of this story, updated Oct. 21. One of the largest housing proposals ever evaluated by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) was overwhelmingly rejected Oct. 15 after seven long and heated sessions in which commissioners weighed not only the plan in front of them but also the consequential impacts of vast…
Education
Bus changes arrive for Island public schools as audit continues
As the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools (MVYPS) undergoes an independent audit of its transportation department’s practices, several implemented and potential changes were presented at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee meeting on Monday. The implemented changes include the addition of a van to transport students residing in the up-Island towns to MVRHS and…
Politics
Gov. Healey addresses alleged rape at State Police barracks
Updated Oct. 21. Gov. Maura Healey and Mike Minogue made their case to voters Thursday in the final gubernatorial debate ahead of the Nov. 3 state election, and one of the topics dicussed was the alleged rape that occurred at the Massachusetts State Police Barracks in Oak Bluffs in August, which sparked a fiery exchange…
Cops and Courts
Edgartown Police hire second Portuguese-speaking officer
The Edgartown Police Department formally swore in a new patrol officer who speaks Portuguese at the Edgartown Select Board meeting on Monday, Oct. 19. Officer Miguel Jarillo, 23, an Oak Bluffs resident, stood before his peers from the Edgartown Police Department, members of the Edgartown Select Board, and other residents as he was sworn in as…
Immigration
Brazil’s fateful presidential election heads to a second round
Logo of the Consulate General of Brazil in Boston. Updated Oct. 8. The first round of Brazil’s presidential election took place Sunday, Oct. 4, and Brazilians voters on Martha’s Vineyard were able to cast their ballots in Framingham and Malden.
Ferry and transportation
The Governor hits the market
The Steamship Authority’s (SSA) oldest vessel, the freight ferry Governor, hit the market this fall. Bids are open until Dec. 8, and the ferry line previously assessed the Governor at an estimated value of $325,000. It’s currently docked at the SSA’s Fairhaven repair facility, after serving one more summer as a spare ferry.
Opinion
Ballot Question 7 addresses affordable housing
As the clock ticks down to what is expected to be a historic midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 3, Islanders will have plenty to consider in this election cycle, from…
Understanding ballot question 7
To the Editor: Question 7 on the November ballot would require every Massachusetts town to allow a single-family home on any lot of 5,000 square feet with 50 feet of…
Keep Island Theatre for the arts
To the Editor: With businesses leaving town (Basics, Linda Jean’s, Phillips Hardware, Murdick’s, etc.), this is the perfect opportunity to encourage business growth within the downtown area year-round. I strongly…
