100 days of the Trump administration and us
Many people on the Vineyard may be astonished by the sheer number and fast pace of executive orders issued from the White House over the first 100 days of the Trump administration. But it’s...
After Pope Francis, who will carry his legacy?
As Pope Francis was laid to rest in Rome this week, and the Vatican prepares for a historic conclave to elect a new pope, the world is left to ponder what it means to...
Shenandoah’s Master RIP
There have been a couple of significant course corrections in my life. Each popped up, out of the blue, and each posed a question. It was a fork in the road with a choice...
On the 250th anniversary of the “Shot Heard ’Round the World,” what does it...
LEXINGTON — Patriots’ Day weekend is truly one of the great New England rites of spring.
A small army of Islanders marched off to Lexington and Concord to observe the re-enactments and the parades on...
With the death of due process and the rule of law, no one is...
“First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out — because I was not a socialist.
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out — because I...
What we have to fear is fear itself
As a psychiatrist, my job is to help people reduce their pain. In my practice and with family and friends, I am currently seeing people who are experiencing a specific kind of pain: pain...
Birthright citizenship and our Brazilian neighbors
“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” –the 14th Amendment to the U.S....
A drumroll for the next generation of Island writers …
Our small Island has produced an outsize and truly extraordinary legacy of celebrated writers through the years.
A question for us to ponder is, How do we inspire a new generation of Island writers to...
Bottle ban is enforceable
The Vineyard Conservation Society (VCS) is a local, member-supported nonprofit land conservation and environmental advocacy organization that has been working since 1965 to preserve the natural resources and community character of the Island. In...
A narrow bridge
There is a famous Jewish teaching by the Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, who lived about 250 years ago. He said, “The entire world is just a narrow bridge, and the essential thing is not...
Gas versus electric leaf blowers: A way forward
A growing controversy on the Island is the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. There may be a way to resolve the issues –– but first, some background.
Warrant articles limiting and ultimately banning gas leaf...
Struggles of immigration — as ancient as the Bible, as modern as picket signs...
The global movement of people seeking to flee tyranny, poverty, and violence, or to search for freedom in a distant land, is a continuum of human history. It is as ancient as the biblical...
Know your immigration rights
No matter who is president, everyone living in the U.S. has certain basic rights under the U.S. Constitution. Undocumented immigrants have these rights, too. It is important that we all assert and protect our...
Pushing toward solutions
We are all worried. Some of us are actually scared. The Steamship Authority is our connection to critical, lifesaving services. The Steamship Authority's failure to operate as we need and expect threatens what makes...
Educator evokes teachings of MLK
The Martha’s Vineyard branch of the NAACP had a charismatic speaker at their annual celebration of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King on Monday last week. Javier Montanez, superintendent of the...
Buyer’s remorse and the election
buyer’s remorse: “A sense of regret after having committed to an endorsement, policy, plan of action.” –second definition, dictionary.com
Millions of people voted for former Pres. Donald J. Trump in last November’s election. Yet he...
HarborWorks — Embracing our past as a way to define our future
The last year has been the start of a journey for all of us at HarborWorks, the flagship project led by the new nonprofit, Vineyard Lands for our Community (VLC), an Island community redevelopment...
HarborWorks — Embracing our past as a way to define our future
The last year has been the start of a journey for all of us at HarborWorks, the flagship project led by the new nonprofit, Vineyard Lands for our Community (VLC), an Island community redevelopment...
Island older volunteers providing millions in help
By Karen Tewhey
Martha’s Vineyard has an aging population. One in 3 residents are 65 or older, exceeding the national average of 1 in 5. And the elder population is only getting bigger: It is...
Hospice advocates pay tribute to President Carter
His gifts were many. And at 100 years old, he had given them consistently and generously throughout his life.
But no gift may be as enduring as the one President Jimmy Carter gave us the...