The Martha's Vineyard Times

West Tisbury select board expressed concern Wednesday evening over litter along Edgartown-West Tisbury Road.  “The root of the problem is the dump in Edgartown,” town administrator Jennifer Rand said. Rand suggested working with Edgartown, the West Tisbury Police, and the Martha’s Vineyard refuse district to find solutions. Rand suggested a public information campaign and “very […]

Two Beacon Hill lawmakers are calling for an investigation into what they’ve called a “political stunt” that brought 50 migrants and refugees to Martha’s Vineyard last week.  In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, state Sen. Julian Cyr, D-Truro, and state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, who have been integrally involved in the Island’s […]

Bill and Caroline Miner came to the Island 25 years ago for a bike ride and saw an opportunity as they pedaled. With a thriving sporting goods store off-Island in Medfield, they saw a need for one on Martha’s Vineyard. “Obviously, we fell in love with it,” Bill Miner told The Times. It turned out […]

Despite slow start, MV football optimistic The Vineyarders played their second game of the season on Saturday, losing to a highly regarded Salem team 30-6. This was their second away nonconference game as well, following their close Sept. 10 loss to Sutton. Coach Tony Mottola and the Vineyarders remain optimistic, however, due to their late […]

The Manhattan Short Film Festival, now in its 25th year, has arrived and is ready for the Island’s audience to pick their favorite films and actors. The 10 finalists come from eight different countries and will screen simultaneously over a one-week period: Sept. 22 to Oct. 2. They include shorts from Scotland, Chechia-Slovakia, Spain, Australia, […]

Paul Doherty is a masterful “painter” of light with his camera, capturing glorious sunrises, transcendent sunsets, and the calm right after storms — making for a body of work with breadth and great beauty. “There’s something so special about the light on the Island,” Doherty says. “It’s different from the mainland. There’s something about living […]

The Ashley Medowski Gallery on Lamberts Cove Road in West Tisbury is a special place, one well worth visiting. It might be said that the property where it’s located is an extension of her gallery. Along the driveway are three pieces of old farming machinery. Near the building that houses the gallery an old bicycle […]

If you were wondering what became of the building on Main Street in Vineyard Haven where Mad Martha’s used to be, wonder no more because Chef Spring Sheldon has reinvented the space as a cozy gathering spot, a catering hub, and a place to purchase provisions and local crafts and goods. It’s now S&S Kitchenette. […]

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cape Cod and the Islands announced in a press release its 34th annual M.V. Big Golf Fore Kids Tournament will take place at Mink Meadows Golf Club in Vineyard Haven on Sunday, Oct. 2. Registration is open, and can be done at bit.ly/3RX8QgV.  The tournament is sponsored by Martha’s Vineyard […]

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars A tale as old as time. One man on a quest to find true love. The question is, how many times can I rewatch the same love story unfold? Seven times. Craig Thomas and Carter Bays created one of my favorite shows of all time — “How I Met […]

With the sun climbing into the sky, children anglers and their guardians gathered on Sunday morning at Oak Bluffs pier for the annual Kids Derby. This event is hosted by the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby.  “It was a perfect morning with some good fishing and lots of smiling faces,” Derby committee member […]

The Chilmark library will host a virtual presentation of the films of legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock on Tuesday, Sept. 27, at 7 pm. Brian Rose, professor emeritus at Fordham University, will discuss the five decades that Hitchcock made his 54 films, including classics like “The 39 Steps,” “Rebecca,” “Notorious,” “Rear Window,” “North by Northwest,” […]

The Island community gathers on State Beach on Saturday, Sept, 24, from 5 to 7 am, for the 5th annual Darkness into Vineyard Light Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk. Everyone will congregate before the sun rises, and the event is kicked off with speakers. Proceeds go to the National Alliance on Mental Illness of Martha’s […]

Adam Markel will be at Edgartown Books on Friday, Sept. 23, from 2 to 4 pm, to sign copies of his new book “Change Proof.” It illustrates the best ways that individuals and businesses can actively embrace change, and to use times of uncertainty, crisis, and even chaos to stimulate positive growth and develop long-term […]

Martha’s Vineyard was widely promoted in the late 1800s and early 1900s as a place of healing. The ad-packed 1932 booklet titled “Martha’s Vineyard: The Isle of Dreams and Health” gushes over the Island’s moderate temperatures, “fresh air and pure water,” “healthful walks,” and “wholesome entertainment … to improve your mind and body.” It’s hard […]

A forum held by the Martha’s Vineyard Older Adult Transportation Coalition Tuesday night made attendees aware of a variety of existing and brand-new programs that get older adults on the Island where they need to go. The coalition is a collective of Vineyard Councils on Aging, elderly housing organizations, local planning entities, and pretty much […]

Aquinnah select board members announced at their Tuesday afternoon meeting that local business and establishments have been reportedly receiving less-than-favorable mail and phone calls from Americans nationwide in response to last week’s arrival and later departure of 50 Venezuelan migrants. Aquinnah town hall is receiving “not one or two calls,” said select board chair Juli […]

Gardens are at their end-of-season best, the Farmers Market full of beautiful produce and CSAs delivering an abundance of summer goodness. What to do with this excess bounty? Stick it in the veggie bin at the bottom of the fridge and hope you’ll get to it in a timely way? Maybe you will. Maybe not, […]

To the Editor: Seems there’s no fascist purer than that fabulous Floridian Führer! Gerry Yukevich Vineyard Haven

At its Monday evening meeting, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s Land Use Planning subcommittee was presented with two new project proposals. Owners of a vacant 0.17 lot at 14 Narragansett Ave. in Oak Bluffs are requesting permission to construct a five-bedroom year-round inn, named Four Sisters Inn. The proposal calls for the construction of a 2½ […]

To the Editor: I was shocked by the insane use of vulnerable human beings for political stunts, but Martha’s Vineyard showed off their kindness in a big way. It showed real America does not abandon those in need. So, to Martha’s Vineyard Community; I think you are all wonderful, loving people, I applaud you for […]

To the Editor: I’m a retired veteran and “Florida Man.” It seems the people of Martha’s Vineyard have recently defied and insulted my governor. You failed to turn your backs on persons who were used, and discarded in your town. Compassion, it seems, is still an American value. Sorry about the DeSantis thing. Greg Kugler […]

To the Editor: The arrival of 50 migrants yesterday on MV was a totally unexpected and tragic stunt by the Florida Governor. Kudos to the many who spurred into action to care for them. This incident raises serious questions about why two chartered planes from unknown destinations, loaded with people with no documentation, no means […]

To the Editor: Construction on the Steamship Authority’s vastly over-scaled terminal building in Woods Hole village has not yet begun, and James Malkin, the Vineyard appointee to the SSA board, is already distancing himself from the coming monstrosity. He reported recently in an update to the Dukes County Commission that he’s “not comfortable with the […]

After a two-year stage hiatus due to COVID, Island Theatre Workshop is turning pumpkins into carriages and mice into noble steeds with the 1957 version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s “Cinderella.” It’s been an extensive and laborious process for ITW director Kevin Ryan, his board, and everyone who has been involved with putting on this major […]

Updated 5:22pm Migrants who were transported unwittingly to Martha’s Vineyard and then relocated to Joint Base Cape Cod have been free to come and go from the military base. Edgartown attorney Rachel Self, who has worked on behalf of the migrants, said some have taken trips to places like the Cape Cod Mall and two […]

Yellow is the signature color of Martha’s Vineyard in late September: goldenrod is blooming everywhere! These members of the aster family — somewhere around 20 species and forms are known from the Vineyard — are the most obvious plant of our late summer landscape, growing in abundance in many habitat types and producing voluminous, bright […]

Dear Tom, How best do we introduce our daughter’s new pup into our home when we already have two adult French bulldogs, Stella (10), and Louie (3), one of whom (Louie) defaults to an aggressive posture when we are out and about on walks? We previously tried to introduce our dog to another family member’s […]

NOAA Fisheries reported that the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) has recently joined its marine mammal stranding network.  The stranding network is a part of NOAA Fisheries’ marine mammal health and stranding response program, which “coordinates emergency responses to sick, injured, distressed, or dead seals, sea lions, dolphins, porpoises, and whales.” Network partners are […]

Garden Gate Child Development Center is moving to a new permanent home at Featherstone Center for the Arts in Oak Bluffs. According to a press release, Garden Gate has been partnering with Featherstone for children’s art shows and professional development for many years. “Now we have the opportunity to make a greater community impact as […]

The Oak Bluffs select board announced last week that the search for the town’s new shellfish constable has been narrowed down to two applicants, who will have their final interviews in the near future.  At the same meeting, the select board discussed an ongoing problem of the Oak Bluffs shellfish committee often being unable to […]

I am sad to begin this week’s column with an announcement of the death of our friend, Mark Weiner. Mark and his wife, Michiko, had been the faces of Vineyard Glassworks in West Tisbury. Their children, Aki and Kiyla, were born here. The family had just moved to California to establish their glassblowing and art […]

The annual report Aquinnah Circle Cultural District Committee submitted to the Massachusetts Cultural Council showed improvements have been implemented in the Aquinnah Circle area during fiscal year 2022 (July 1, 2021, to June 30, 2022), with more to come.  The report listed a series of accomplishments the committee undertook. The Aquinnah Cliffs area received some […]

Heard on Main Street: One thing you can’t recycle is wasted time. By tomorrow at noon: Applications for Community Preservation Act funding of community housing, historic preservation, recreation, or open space must be submitted, with the eligibility application, to town hall by noon Friday, Sept. 23. For more information, contact Heidi Dietterich, CPC administrator, 508-687-9286, […]

“When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace.” This quote, made well-known by Jimi Hendrix, who may have heard it from the teachings of Sri Chinmoy Ghose, an Indian spiritual leader who may have paraphrased the quote from a speech by the prime minister of the United Kingdom […]

I am torn tonight between writing a typical column versus an open letter to Governor DeSantis for his inhumane political stunt last week. I’ll start with the latter and if space allows, finish with some other Island news. First off, I am so proud of this Island and our community who stepped up immediately to […]

Noelle Lambert, the young woman whose leg was severed in a moped crash on Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs in 2016, is a member of the cast of the CBS reality series “Survivor.” Lambert, who returned to the Island in 2017 to thank the first responders in Oak Bluffs, came back to play lacrosse for […]

Last week I celebrated my magical Medicare birthday with my family and enjoyed playing Photosynthesis, a board game I borrowed from our library. Now I can get that National Park Pass for $80 that entitles me to free entry at any park. Oh, and I had my annual physical and learned you can get a […]

Kudos to all the people who helped with the migrants who were flown to Martha’s Vineyard unannounced and dropped at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. I don’t know what the governor of Florida expected the people of Martha’s Vineyard to do when the migrants arrived, but I’m sure he didn’t expect that they would be treated […]

Circuit Avenue was packed with people Saturday as vendors sold food, clothes, and art, and folks of all ages turned out for the 42nd annual Tivoli Day. Tivoli Day in Oak Bluffs celebrates the end of the hectic summer and welcomes the cooler weather and the more laid-back offseason days — needless to say it […]

Please come celebrate the life of John W. Leite III on Sunday, Oct. 16, at the East Chop Beach Club from 1:30 to 4 pm. The family would be so grateful to receive your stories or pictures before that date. Mail to P. Belain, P.O. Box 1623, West Tisbury, MA 02575, or email to rememberingjohnleite@gmail.com.

Islanders By Donald Nitchie Anyone who doesn’t want to leave. Orlando, sure, New England Aquarium, school vacations to Sanibel, Mt. Snow and if you can swing it, Aspen or Bora Bora but if you can’t, the Town & Beach Motel in Falmouth where our boys were delighted to learn sex wasn’t just a myth but […]

The Vineyard Cribbage Club met on Wednesday with 20 members at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown to play our usual six-game format. The results are as follows: 1st: Mike Smith with a 11/5 +89 card 2nd: Ed Montesion with a 10/5 +30 card 3rd: Kathy Kinsman with a 9/4 +68 card 4th: Neale Bassett […]

Zachary Edgar Townes Sara Townes and Zachary Townes of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Zachary Edgar Townes, on Sept. 12, 2022, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Zachary weighed 6 pounds, .7 ounces. Benjamin Dias Carvalho Jeyse Carvalho and Ramon Carvalho of Vineyard Haven announce the birth of a son, Benjamin Dias Carvalho, on Sept. […]

Edgartown Sept. 12, Gordon W. Tyra and Patricia A. Tyra sold 32 Planingfield Way to 32PFWB LLC for $2,800,00. Sept. 14, Stephen E. Cirillo, trustee of Harborside Inn Condominium Trust, sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 357 Week 42 for $4,790.57. Sept. 14, Lisa A. Reindorf and Mitchell S. Goldman sold 69 Seventeenth Street North […]

July 15 John H. Bunker Jr., West Tisbury; 53, unsafe operation of motorboat: continued to pretrial hearing. Sept. 1 Temple E. Canfield, Vineyard Haven; 57, disorderly conduct, trespassing: continued to pretrial hearing. Sept. 6 Shamar T. Hyatt, Oak Bluffs; 33, in possession of Class B drug to distribute, trafficking in 100 grams or more but […]

A lease agreement between the owners of Grey Barn and the Trustees of Reservations caught the attention of the Chilmark select board Tuesday night. Taken up as a matter not anticipated by the chair, the select board expressed concern that the farm, known for its awardwinning cheese products and farmstand, might be in jeopardy of […]

Some of the asylum seekers duped into boarding airplanes that eventually landed at Martha’s  Vineyard Airport suffered injuries on the long journey to and over the U.S. border with Mexico. One man was reportedly tortured along the way.  Sergio Racig, an immigrant from South America who has gained his U.S. citizenship, volunteered at St. Andrews […]

Updated Sept. 22 Tisbury voters have endorsed a request for $25.6 million in additional funds for the Tisbury School’s renovation and addition. Per prior statements by school officials, the new dose of money will stave off what might have been a collapse of the project, which has suffered from cost overruns attributed to inflation, among […]

Beatrice S. Amaral, 97, of West Tisbury, passed away on Sept. 16, 2022.  A complete obituary will appear in a future edition of this paper, and a memorial service will be announced in the future. For online condolences and more information, visit chapmanfuneral.com.

Daniel Jon Madeiras went home gently and peacefully on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022, at the age of 77, surrounded by his family and healthcare team. He went from this life to his Savior’s arms, loved, hands held, face embraced, and with music filling the air. Daniel was born on August 3, 1945, in Oak Bluffs […]

The environmentally friendly school building task force presented to the Up-Island Regional School Committee its recommendations for retrofitting West Tisbury School during a Monday evening hybrid meeting that will cost an estimated $26 million to $37 million, depending on which option is picked. Task force member Doug Ruskin said the school’s retrofitting will help meet […]

At Monday’s Edgartown select board meeting, Island director of the Trustees of Reservations (TTOR) Darci Schofield gave an update on the controversial beach management plan, which was recently rescinded after getting overwhelmingly negative feedback from residents Island-wide. A report compiled of community response to the 49-page draft plan, which will be available at the end […]

The Steamship Authority began work on the landside portion of the Woods Hole terminal reconstruction project Monday. The marine portion of the project was completed this past spring, according to SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll. Driscoll noted the marine side of the project cost $59.5 million, and the landside portion is expected to cost between $31 […]

To the Editor, “Bray-ve souls: Donkeys go on the lam“, on the donkey escape deserved the front-page attention it received. To learn that two curious Vineyard donkeys ventured out of their confines into the world beyond may perhaps serve as encouragement to others in the herd to consider going for the liberating joy that awaits […]

The Oak Bluffs select board has augmented five sets of executive session minutes following an Open Meeting Law (OML) complaint filed by the Martha’s Vineyard Times and a subsequent violation finding by the Massachusetts attorney general’s office.  The minutes pertain to an Oak Bluffs Police Department rifle that disappeared and then reappeared months later, after […]

A Texas sheriff announced Monday that his office will be launching a criminal investigation into the transportation of the Venezuelan migrants flown from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard as part of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ relocation program.  Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar said that his office has obtained information indicating that the refugees had been approached […]

When migrants arrived on Martha’s Vineyard unannounced with little way to help themselves, Islanders stepped up to the plate. In fact, so many Islanders came forward to help that it became necessary to start a volunteer waitlist.  “It was amazing. This Island moved in a powerful way to help these people,” Lisa Belcastro, who runs […]

I don’t remember eating much broccoli when I was growing up. My mom, God bless her, didn’t like to cook. She liked to work. When we did have broccoli, it was cooked way too long and came out sort of like green Cream of Wheat. On my own, I advanced to frozen broccoli with the […]

A pickup truck driver was cited by Massachusetts State Police after a collision with a utility pole Sunday afternoon on State Road in Tisbury. The crash, which occurred near Tisbury Meadow, severed the pole and closed the roadway for several hours. Vehicles were diverted down Lambert’s Cove Road while Eversource crews worked to install a […]

To the Editor: Wow! Once again, we’re so impressed by our neighbors, the people of Martha’s Vineyard, and their response to the recent dropping off of Venezuelans to our Island. What a sad statement for DeSantis and Abbot who prey on these people using them as “political pawns” however, the people of MV responded with […]

Pay it forward just might be Martha’s Vineyard’s motto. While the entire nation was learning about our Island’s innate generosity last week as we rallied around the immigrants in need, another such endeavor was quietly going on. This one involved 15-year-old Finn Sears, who was here this weekend because of an Island couple, Mike Cassidy […]

Keith Chatinover said he was in a political science class at Vermont’s Middlebury College when the Twitter skirmish erupted. Chatinover, a Dukes County commissioner, said Cruz quoted a Martha’s Vineyard Times article “back when he proposed sending refugees back to the Island through legislation rather than by sending a plane of them unannounced. And at […]

The 50 migrants and refugees left for the mainland on Friday, but that hasn’t dimmed the spotlight on Martha’s Vineyard. On Wednesday afternoon when two planes arrived unannounced at Martha’s Vineyard Airport carrying the migrants and refugees, Island social services, public safety, school officials, and volunteers sprung into action creating a temporary shelter at St. […]

A runaway dump truck barreled down Beach Street and Beach Street Extension Monday morning, sideswiping several cars, before crashing into Vineyard Haven Harbor. The operator told The Times he lost his brakes, and tried the emergency brakes to no avail. He estimated his truck hit the water at 30 mph. He said he was able […]

We saw the worst of humanity. We saw the best of humanity. The 50 migrants and refugees from Venezuela were on Martha’s Vineyard for just about 40 hours, but in that time we saw — once again — that Islanders rise to the occasion when opportunity presents itself. Helping individuals they met by surprise and comforting them. […]

At their Thursday evening meeting, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission voted to deny the proposed demolition of an Oak Bluffs house at 7 Arlington Ave, Commissioners denied the application in a 8-2-1 vote and without prejudice, allowing the applicants to submit another request before the typical two year waiting period. The Oak Bluffs house, believed to […]

The leader of the Island’s Wampanoag Nation spent Sept. 12 and 13 in the company of another nation leader. On Monday, Sept. 12, Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) chairwoman Cheryl Andrews-Maltais was invited to the JFK Museum in Boston as President Joe Biden talked about his Cancer Moonshot and on Tuesday, Sept. 13 was […]

Real Estate Confidential is a biweekly chit-chat about new listings, sales, or other insider information on the Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate market, presented by Fred Roven, owner/broker of Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents. It appears every other Friday in The Minute. When the times demand it, I go back to the introduction to my mother’s favorite […]

Family members of Paul Whelan met personally with President Joe Biden on Friday along with the family of WNBA player Brittney Griner — both individuals have been imprisoned in Russia. Paul’s sister, Island artist Elizabeth Whelan, has sought the assistance of the Biden administration in having Paul released from custody so he can return home […]

Winston’s Kitchen in Oak Bluffs did indeed return to business on Saturday. In a Facebook post, Winston’s announced it had reopened. “Thank you to everyone that helped us get back open so quickly,” the post stated. On Friday, co-owner Lisa Christie told The Times that a Saturday reopening was possible “if all goes well.” The […]

  The migrants and refugees from Venezuela have left St. Andrew’s Church for Joint Base Cape Cod. Buses rolled from St. Andrew’s at about 10 am and headed for the Steamship Authority. They arrived at about 10:30 am on Vineyard Transit Authority buses and a Yankee bus was waiting. The bus and passengers loaded onto […]

Many of you have asked how you can help with the ongoing efforts to provide shelter, clothing, and food to the 50 Venezuelan migrants and refugees who arrived Wednesday on Martha’s Vineyard. Here’s what we know: To make donations see mvcommunityservices.org/helpmigrants. Don’t bring items to St. Andrew’s Church. Instead there is a dropbox located at […]

The West Tisbury select board considered holding a special meeting about the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) regional agreement, which was sent to the state for review earlier this month, during a Wednesday, September 14, meeting.  According to West Tisbury town administrator Jennifer Rand, once the agreement was reviewed by the state’s Department of […]

Updated An attorney who specializes in immigration law says what happened to the 50 people brought to Martha’s Vineyard may be considered kidnapping. Rachel Self, an Island attorney, issued a statement saying that she is looking at potential legal avenues after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took credit for sending the 50 people to Martha’s Vineyard […]

The Oak Bluffs board of health rescinded the town mask advisory at its morning meeting Thursday, citing low CDC risk levels and the lack of ability to enforce an advisory. In the advisory issued on May 18, officials warned of the highly transmissible Delta variant, and strongly advised that individuals wear masks when indoors or […]

To the Editor: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’s reckless decision to deceive 50 poor and homeless migrants from Latin America into traveling, at Florida’s citizen’s expense, to Martha’s Vineyard, by misleading them into thinking that jobs and housing awaited them, was not merely an outrageous and villainous deed. It may also have constituted a federal crime. […]

Updated There has been some confusion about where the two flights came from that landed at Martha’s Vineyard Airport on Wednesday afternoon — mostly because Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has taken credit for the flights even though they originated in Texas. Both planes originated at Kelly Field in San Antonio, Texas, then went to Crestview, […]

Less than 24 hours after 50 migrants and refugees from Venezuela arrived at Martha’s Vineyard Airport, the Island is on the national stage — leading national news broadcasts and trending on Twitter. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who threatened to send immigrants to the Island a year ago, is claiming responsibility for what his political opponents are […]

Updated September 15 A group 50 Venezuelan migrants, some of them children, landed on Martha’s Vineyard on Wednesday. The migrants arrived by plane at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. According to Geoff Freeman, airport director at Martha’s Vineyard Airport, the name of the charter was Ultimate Air Charters. He said it was two planes that arrived at […]

To the Editor: I am a parent of an incoming Tisbury kindergartener and 6th grader as well as a teacher at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. This year has started off so joyful at the Tisbury School.  The Tisbury staff danced and sang their way into convocation and the PTO hosted an amazing BBQ.  […]

To the Editor: A simple search inquiring whether facilities play a role in student achievement revealed much about the detrimental impact of deteriorating school facilities on learning. The issue of deteriorating schools has plagued many a community.  From a report on Duval County Schools, in Florida, where school projects are expected to top $1 billion […]

With the recent primary election, it seems an opportune time to reflect and raise questions about where we are and where we are headed. Let’s start with the Dukes County Sheriff. Given the state of the jail (even with $6 million headed to the sheriff’s department from the state over the next few years for […]

The Cardboard Box and Oyster Bar 02557 of Oak Bluffs will be closing their doors, owners Ben and Erica DeForest announced on Facebook. The last night of operation for the two restaurants will be on Saturday, Sept. 17.  “We’re very grateful to the Island community that supported us,” Ben DeForest told The Times.  DeForest said […]

The National Theatre Live’s production of “Straight Line Crazy” comes to the M.V. Film Center on Sunday, Sept. 18, at 1 pm and Wednesday, Sept. 21, at 7 pm. For those with an interest in the impact of city planner Robert Moses in Manhattan and the rest of the country, this performance, recorded in London’s […]

“Official Competition” happily returns to the M.V. Film Center on Saturday, Sept. 17, and Sunday, Sept. 18. This satirical Spanish comedy played initially at the International Film Festival on Sept. 11, and if you missed it then, it’s worth seeing it this time. Directed by Argentinians Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, it stars Penélope Cruz, […]

Legendary local actress Brooke Adams will be on the big screen and live in-person at the Grange Hall this weekend to debut her recently released 1984 film, “Vengeance Is Mine,” by Michael Roemer. The movie was filmed early on in Adams’ acting career, but not before “Days of Heaven,” and “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” […]

Beth Parker’s exhibition at the West Tisbury library is not quite like anything you have ever seen. What you’re looking at is hard to place, because it isn’t of this world, but rather one of Parker’s endlessly inventive imagination. Parker, who purposefully never titles her works, leaves them wide open for interpretation. Some pieces look […]

The Oak Bluffs’ Galaxy Gallery, which bills itself “A Gallery of Stellar Artists,” opens a new show today on Thursday, Sept. 15. Twenty artists will display their work at the nonprofit cooperative Arts District gallery on the theme of “Celebrating the Sea.” “Everybody is enthusiastic,” says executive director Holly Alaimo, and they will exhibit in […]

As you walk down the hall on the second floor of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the vibrant, 30- by 42-in. photographic portraits in the large, light-filled Hollinshead gallery straight ahead beckon to you. There is a community here waiting to welcome everyone into the space. “The Bureau: Grow, As We Are” is a thought-provoking exhibition […]

In a joint meeting with the Oak Bluffs affordable housing committee Tuesday evening, the town’s select board approved a request of $250,000 by Island Housing Trust and Boston-based Affirmative Investments to help fund the affordable housing project Southern Tier. The project was made logistically possible by the recent “doughnut hole” land swap signed into law […]

The title of Rebecca Randall Gilbert’s wonderful book, “Weedy Wisdom for the Curious Forager: Common Wild Plants to Nourish Your Body & Soul,” reflects the nature of her writing, which is filled with her own wise advice, observations, personal stories, thought-provoking perspectives on the world, particularly the rich magic of plants. Gilbert considers plants to […]

Care Access is reaching out to the Brazilian and Portuguese-speaking community on Martha’s Vineyard about Pfizer’s Lyme vaccine with the help of two Brazilian doctors, Luis Russo from Rio de Janeiro and Gustavo Kesselring from São Paulo.  “I’m very excited to be here to help local people in this important … new vaccination for Lyme […]

The fifth annual “Bass in the Grass” art initiative, coinciding with and honoring the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, is set to kick off.  The Bass in the Grass fundraiser is made possible through collaborations among the Edgartown Board of Trade (EBT) and a handful of facilitating sponsors.  Proceeds from auctioning off uniquely […]

Special town meeting voters will decide if they will support an additional $25.6 million in additional costs to fund the Tisbury School renovation and addition project at a meeting scheduled for 7 pm Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the MVRHS Performing Arts Center in Oak Bluffs. Voters approved $55 million for the project at a prior […]

It’s one of the Island’s most anticipated events that waves goodbye to the busy summer season — Tivoli Day — and folks are getting ready for all the fun live entertainment, street vendors, dancing, and art to welcome fall. Head to Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 am to 6 […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club brings the Island community another fun and enriching activity as part of their monthly meeting. Head to the Wakeman Center in Vineyard Haven on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 1 pm and join Teri Culletto of Vineyard Baker for a class on designing beautiful and delicious homemade bread using flowers. For […]

Featherstone Center for the Arts welcomes pottery (and soup) lovers to the 11th annual Potters Bowl on Saturday, Sept. 17, from 4 to 6 pm. Enjoy a display and sale of beautiful handmade bowls created during the past year that are donated for this special fundraising event. Patrons select a handcrafted bowl of their choice […]

Back in 2011, Island Grown Schools started a Harvest of the Month program to highlight a locally available seasonal crop each month in school cafeterias and grocery stores. The goal was to teach children, families, and the Island community about healthy, seasonal foods while helping to support local farms. Our first ever Harvest of the […]

It’s not always easy to have faith. Sometimes we get a taste of what St. John of the Cross called “the dark night of the soul.” No matter how hard we pray, it all feels pointless, and we don’t feel God’s love or mercy at all. I’m not writing about this to be disparaging, I’m […]

The Trustees of Reservations have begun assembling “a representative working group inclusive of multiple stakeholders on the Island with a shared interest in crafting the next beach management plan (BMP),” according to a press release. The announcement comes after the Trustees abandoned a previous beach management plan in the wake of public backlash, including from […]

I have spent a lot of time waiting this summer. There have been the usual moments of suspended time — waiting for the electrician to come, the internet to work, the mechanic to fix the car. Right now I am waiting for someone to figure out why we don’t have any running water all of […]

What does a medieval church built between 1180 and 1200 have in common with Martha’s Vineyard? St. John’s parish church is located in Tisbury, U.K., and the village’s name, along with the nearby village of Chilmark, traveled here with the English colonists in the 17th century. Photographs of these still rural towns in England with […]

The runners of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School’s (MVRHS) cross-country team competed during the Martha’s Vineyard Invitational meet on Saturday, Sept. 10, through the Manuel F. Correllus State Forest.  “We had a good day,” MVRHS cross-country Head Coach Joe Schroeder said. “We had a great turnout for the invite. There were 20 schools there, and […]

I am here to give you an update on the Steamship Authority at the end of a very busy summer. Through August 2022, 11,406 trips, of 11,677 scheduled and available, operated on the Vineyard route — with just 0.46 percent of those trips canceled for mechanical reasons, or only 4.6 trips per thousand. This year […]

Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Beth Card declared in a press release on Friday that “except for the Southeast Region that saw improvement at the regional scale,” the rest of the state “will remain at their current drought levels.” That means despite the recent rain, Martha’s Vineyard, in the Islands Region, will remain […]

It was a beautiful late summer day, but sunshine won’t get kites up in the air. “There was no wind, but the kids had a ball,” Holly Alaimo, organizer of the 11th annual Wind Festival in Oak Bluffs, said. “We were looking at the flags, and everything was just limp.” Still, the kids made kites, […]

Fall is lawn repair time. Based on trends, it is likely that dry summers and drought figure in our future. Letting the grass attend to itself seems like a viable way to go for those who are comfortable with a laissez-faire style. We mowed the lawn just twice this summer, and only parts of it […]

“Oh wow, oh wow, oh wow!” “This was real life. Oh my God, this was made in the olden days.” “Look at this fossil. Excellent!” Fossil enthusiasts and rock hounds of all ages attended this year’s National Fossil Day celebration at the Union Chapel in Oak Bluffs last Saturday, Sept. 10. The annual event, sponsored […]

Not long ago I met a couple at a BBQ who told me that their two Boston terriers started fighting when a visitor came to the door and rang the bell. They said they would send in the question asking why someone at the door would cause them to fight, but they never did, so […]

What does it take to be an inventor? Do you need to be a creative genius? Maybe you simply need to have a keen eye for design and the willingness to take a chance. For brothers Joel and Alan Aronie, inventing a new product usually starts with a simple observation. “One time way back when, […]

It’s been a damp week, no real rain, just an overcast wetness like living inside a cloud. It’s still dry as you dig into the ground. The shallow-rooted rhododendrons and young trees look as though they are trying their best to conserve what water is incorporated into their systems. Leaves are drooping, or turning colors […]

Heard on Main Street: Turn your face to the sun, and the shadows fall behind you. The Tisbury special town meeting is this Tuesday, Sept. 20, at 7 pm at the High School Performing Arts Center. Your town needs your support. Many of you pleased me with your reactions to my comments about the harm […]

“Come, come, Tivoli Girl, dance the hours away. Come, come, Tivoli Girl, don’t you hear the music play? If you’ll be my pal in the summertime down beside the ocean blue, when the snow flies, Tivoli Girl, I’ll be dreaming of you.”  –“Tivoli Girl,” Will Hardy, 1917 Will Hardy was the bandleader and musical director […]

I sit down to write this week’s column on Sept. 11, the 21st anniversary of the attacks on the Twin Towers in New York. I suppose this day will always be full of solemn memories of the tragedy of the day so long ago now. The kids I teach now, too young for the day […]

The big news from the Yard this week was learning that Chloe Jones will be moving to Salt Lake City, Utah, to become assistant dean at the University of Utah in their College of Fine Arts, and will also serve as the executive director of University of Utah’s performing arts center, UtahPresents. We wish her […]

The Aquinnah Wampanoag Powwow did not disappoint. While Saturday was remarkably warm, people came in droves to celebrate. There were many familiar faces among the regalia-clad dancers, singers, and musicians, but there were others who had traveled from other areas to perform and participate. My favorite were the children in regalia dancing traditional dances with […]

The  Martha’s Vineyard Museum hosts a special event with celebrated cookbook author and food historian Joan Nathan on Sunday, Sept. 18, from 10 am to 12 pm. The author will explore the intersection of food and community, paying special attention to Jewish food on Martha’s Vineyard. Using historical recipes and stories collected by the museum’s […]

Vineyard Herreshoff Cup By Don McLagan We come to compete for the Cup From Chappy to the trail of Moshup. Menemsha, V-Haven, and E-town Contend in the Pond and the Sound. We duel it out in H12s For a trophy that shines on the shelf So the winner can boast to their peers (While knowing […]

The Vineyard Cribbage Club met on Wednesday to play our favorite game at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown. Twenty of us played six games, with two points for a win, and three points for a skunk (winning by more than 30). The results were as follows: First place, Louis Larsen with a 12/5 +113 […]

Oona Sal Osnoss Faren Worthington and Oliver Osnoss of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Oona Sal Osnoss, on August 30, 2022, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Oona weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces. Samuel S. Torres Gisleine Torres and Marcelo Torres of Edgartown announce the birth of a son, Samuel S. Torres, on Sept. […]

Christine M. Smith died peacefully on August 23, 2022, at her home in Edgartown. She was 81 years old.  Gesa Christiana Martinoff was born on March 6, 1941, to Ralph Martinoff and Waldtraut Dorothea von Schilling of Tallinn, Estonia. Chris’ father was killed in action in World War II, and her mother later married Hans […]

Elisabeth Bellissimo and Joshua Bates were married on Sept. 10, 2022, at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort in Edgartown. The bride’s parents are Michael and Barbara Bellissimo of West Tisbury. The groom’s parents are Debbie and Joe Bates of Nashua, N.H. Elisabeth and Josh met at a Boston University college house in Allston, where they were […]

An August 30 cable failure at the Steamship Authority’s Slip 1 transfer bridge in Vineyard Haven was caused by a trash truck, according to SSA general manager Robert Davis. During a comment period at the end of Tuesday’s Port Council meeting, Davis said “essentially” what happened was a trash truck was boarding, and a protruding […]

President’s list Shaina McDonald of Vineyard Haven, at Southern New Hampshire University. Dean’s list Ashley Fauteux of Edgartown, at Southern New Hampshire University. Taylor Rogers of Vineyard Haven, at Southern New Hampshire University. Henry David Thoreau Scholarship Ingrid R. Moore of Chilmark has been awarded the Thoreau Scholarship, in the amount of $26,000, to study […]

Edgartown Sept. 7, Rebecca Shanor and the Estate of Donald Read Shanor sold 13 Pierce Lane to Kathryn R. Ham, trustee of Pierce Lane Realty Trust, for $1,675,000. Sept. 7, Michelle Beshansky and Colette Maillet sold 68 Schoolhouse Road to Ama Romaine and Kwame Romaine for $1,100,000. Sept. 8, Katama Acquisitions LLC sold 61 Herring […]

The question posed in the title recently surfaced in the New York Times. A conservative House Republican from Texas, Jodey Arrington, introduced legislation directing the archivist of the U.S. to “tally applications for a convention from state legislatures and compel Congress to schedule a gathering when enough states have petitioned for one.”  “It is time […]

To the Editor: Tisbury voters still have an opportunity to vote in private on the Tisbury School project. At town meeting, we can decide to have an Australian ballot by a simple majority vote. Tisbury voters who primarily vote at the ballot box should be encouraged to come to town meeting knowing there is an […]

To the Editor:  Sports Haven plays an important role on the Island. Having a local sporting goods store means our young athletes have convenient access to necessary equipment, so they can always show up for the field, ice, court, or pool. As the store faces a sudden, significant rental hike, here’s to hoping some Island […]

The Howes House building committee is looking for volunteers to “participate in a focus group meeting to share their thoughts about what the building’s space needs might — or should — be in the years to come,” according to an announcement on the Chilmark town website. Howes House is home to the Up-Island Council on […]

A memorial service for Bruce E. Doten will be held on Saturday, Oct. 8, at 11 am at the Federated Church, 45 South Summer St., Edgartown. All are welcome. 

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School is engaging in Comprehensive School Threat Assessment Guidelines (CSTAG) training in order to properly evaluate and respond to threats within the educational community.  According to school psychologist Jennifer Russell during a meeting of the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Committee, CSTAG has been used by thousands of schools across […]

The Steamship Authority’s port council was informed Tuesday that fare hikes are on the table due to rising fuel costs and other inflationary matters. For the Vineyard route, SSA treasurer Mark Rozum proposed an increase of $3 to $5 for standard-fare vehicles under 20 feet (one-way), $5 on peak Fridays and weekends, $1.50 to excursion […]

Emotions flared at the continued public hearing of Brad Tucker and Liz Ragone’s request for a special permit to install a second curb cut at 844 State Road during the West Tisbury planning board Zoom meeting on Monday.  A total of 132 people attended the public hearing, many of them supporters of the family, who […]

To the Editor: Dear Members, Tisbury select board, Tisbury School committee, and citizens of Tisbury, there is no question that Tisbury needs to address a school expansion. This letter is not written to protest the expansion, but to protest the Tisbury select board’s decision to deny its citizens the right to a ballot vote. This […]

Waterfield Design Group, in a collaboration with the town of Oak Bluffs, presented plans to introduce a roundabout at the intersection of Sea View Avenue and Circuit Avenue during a Martha’s Vineyard Commission subcommittee meeting Monday evening. The proposal comes as a modification to the North Bluff Seawall project, which called for the installment of […]

 The Island is being hit with some severe weather Tuesday morning into the afternoon with the potential for up to two inches of rain, according to Glenn Field, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Norton office. The same storm hit Southeastern New England earlier this morning and at one point there was a report […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission voted 4-0 to sign a release deed with the commonwealth for Doug’s Cove Preserve, but declined payment for it. Commission vice chair and commonwealth representative Wesley Motts abstained.  Land Bank executive director James Lengyel told the commission a bike path is being constructed on Beach Road, a part of […]

John Callahan Jr., a resident of Bonita Springs, Fla., former long-term resident of Huntington, N.Y., and part-time resident of West Tisbury, passed away on Sept. 1, 2022.  He was born in Hoosick Falls, N.Y. to John and Pansy Tilley Callahan. Growing up, “Johnny,” as he was known to his family and friends, dove into his […]

A single motor vehicle crash near Harbor View Hotel that resulted in an emergency MedFlight to Mass General Hospital Saturday afternoon has left the driver of the car facing a handful of offenses, including causing serious bodily injury while operating under the influence.  Andrew Rauker, 37, of Littleton, appeared in Edgartown District Court Monday, where […]

Edgartown District Court Judge Benjamin Barnes rejected a plea bargain from Shawn Trieschmann, who is accused of child pornography possession, on Monday, and indicated he would largely adopt the prosecution’s harsher recommendation on the case, which included jail time. Trieschmann’s attorney, Peter Elikann, subsequently withdrew the plea. Elikann had asked for two years probation for […]

Islanders are displaying their support for the struggles of Brad Tucker and Liz Ragone, who lost their dog Ralf, a 3½ year old cane corso-Neapolitan mastiff mix, from a hit-and-run incident on Saturday.  “I’ve never been in more pain in my entire life,” Tucker told The Times. Tucker has had Ralf since he was an […]

Lampost building owner Adam Cummings has filed a lawsuit against the Martha’s Vineyard Commission following the May 5 denial by the MVC of a request to lift restrictions on short-term rentals. Cummings’ proposal to reduce the number of workforce housing units at the 6 Circuit Ave. location from 10 to four was met with overwhelming […]

Cultural celebration and preservation took place over the weekend during the Aquinnah Powwow, hosted by the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). The annual event returned to the Aquinnah Cliffs after a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19. Aaron Athey, a member of the Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut, acted as the emcee for the event.  “It’s […]

At a remembrance ceremony honoring the lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, members of the Edgartown Fire Department gathered at Memorial Wharf early Sunday morning.  Engine truck bells rang as the American flag was raised and then lowered to half-staff, followed by a moment of […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School field hockey team lost its season opener 7-0 to Nauset. It was a tough game for MVRHS, with no shots on goal. Goalie Reese McCracken, a junior, made 12 saves, including one penalty corner save. “Nauset had us on our heels, and kept pressure on our defense,” Coach Becky […]

To the Editor:  In the emotionally charged atmosphere surrounding the financial developments of the Tisbury School project, it has been a go-to response to revisit the 2018 “scenario.” This may be all well and good, but it is also necessary to be accurate and to understand that said “scenario” may well be a chimera.  The […]

The 77th annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby is underway as of 12:01 am Sunday, with the headquarters’ opening bell rung kicking off the first weigh-in. Following a brief moment of silence for those who were killed in the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center, Steve Amaral, M.V. Derby Hall of […]

Updated September 13 Fire crews from Oak Bluffs and Tisbury responded to an electrical outlet fire at Winston’s Kitchen in Oak Bluffs at 8:29 am Saturday. Oak Bluffs police officers blocked the parking lot area from cars. Oak Bluffs EMS was on standby. “Within minutes, our senior captain arrived on location,” Oak Bluffs Deputy Fire […]

Updated  A vehicle fire sent plumes of thick black smoke into the air near Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Friday afternoon around 3:45. The Ford Transit van apparently rear-ended a white SUV, which resulted in the fire, according to Oak Bluffs Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Foster. Foster said Oak Bluffs Fire and EMS responded to an […]

The West Tisbury zoning board of appeals decided to continue Lambert Cove Inn’s public hearing to Oct.13 after listening to testimony about the inn on Thursday, Sept. 8.  Jon Saunders, who owns Lambert’s Cove Inn, located at 90 Manaquayak Road, with his wife Stephanie, is applying for a special permit to allow outdoor dining in […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission held multiple public hearings Thursday evening to take testimony from Island board members and Vineyard residents concerning several proposed projects. Following over an hourlong presentation from, and subsequent discussion of, Meshacket Commons, a planned affordable housing development with 36 rental and four homeownership units in Edgartown, hearing officer and commissioner Doug […]

The Dukes County Commission unanimously approved the state revolving fund (SRF) loan application the Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission submitted, airport commission chair Bob Rosenbaum told his fellow commissioners during a meeting Thursday. “So, that’s moving ahead,” Rosenbaum said. “That was required for the Sept. 15 deadline, which was met. So we should be good to […]

Following promises to engage the Massachusetts Department of Transportation concerning the recent Big Bridge tragedy, which claimed the lives of two young men, the Dukes County Commission discussed correspondence from MassDOT sent to the towns of Oak Bluffs and Edgartown. The fatal incident, resulting in the loss of life of brothers Tavaughn, 21, and Tavaris […]

The Massachusetts State Ethics Commission took closing arguments in the matter over Aquinnah select board member Gary Haley under advisement during a Thursday, Sept. 8, meeting. Haley was in Boston for the closing arguments.  In May 2021, the ethics commission accused Haley, a master electrician, of allegedly overbilling the town of Aquinnah for electrical conduit […]

Updated September 14 The Steamship Authority ferry Island Home went out of service Thursday and departed for the ferry line’s Fairhaven facility for engine work. SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll said the engine of the Island Home will undergo a turbocharger replacement. Driscoll said the ferry is expected to be out of service for a week, […]

Updated Sept. 9 The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School girls varsity soccer team won 5-0 in its season opener against O’Bryant. Junior Paige Malowski opened the scoring with an assist from junior Ali Dyke off some great combination passing to beat the O’Bryant keeper. Freshman striker Emily Coogan led the team with two goals. Emily […]

Three Island residents have received enough write-in votes to have their names appear on the ballot for county commissioner in the Nov. 8 general election. There were only three candidates on the ballot for the seven positions available — Donald Leopold, Christine Todd, and Richard Wharton. Todd got the most votes (2,418), but both Leopold (1,970) […]

At its Wednesday meeting, the Dukes County Commission heard from Jim Malkin, who was appointed by the commission to represent the Vineyard on the Steamship Authority board, in response to concerns from commissioners and Vineyard residents about recent ferry operations.  At their August 17 meeting, commissioners emphasized the need for transparency among SSA reps, specifically […]

Martha’s Vineyard Hospital will host a monkeypox vaccination clinic on Sept. 12 from 1 to 5 pm at the drive-through vaccination tent. A second dose of the vaccine will be administered at the same location on Oct. 17, from 1 to 5 pm. To receive the two-dose inoculation, people must sign up in advance.  In […]

The Aquinnah select board unanimously approved entering into an intergovernmental agreement with the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank and having board chair Juli Vanderhoop sign it during a Wednesday, Sept. 7, meeting. Board member Gary Haley was absent from the meeting for an unspecified reason.  Sarah Thulin, the Land Bank’s Aquinnah commissioner, presented the agreement to […]

Select board member Jessica Miller was appointed unanimously on Wednesday — by her vote and her fellow board members’ votes — to a new “zoning change committee,” as town administrator Jennifer Rand called it, or a “zoning amendment update committee,” as select board member Skipper Manter called it.  The committee, previously described as a type of working […]

When Sarah Doyle arrived home at her house on Quansoo Road in Chilmark on Wednesday, she noticed her pony Peanut was a bit frantic, running back and forth inside the paddock. Doyle quickly realized that the family’s two donkeys — Tony and Anne (more about the names later) — were missing.  “The pony was looking very concerned […]

As journalists, we are biased when it comes to LIV Golf, and make no apologies for it. If you’re not familiar with LIV Golf, it’s a professional golf tour that’s being financed by the Saudi government. Professional golfers are being paid millions of dollars just to play on that tour — not for winning tournaments, but […]

“The Ocean in Winter” by Elizabeth de Veer intermingles the themes of the loving bonds of sisterhood, inherited family trauma, healing, and mystery in her moving and intriguing debut novel. The story opens with a perplexing prologue in the midst of a wicked storm narrated by Riley, the youngest of the three Emery sisters: “I […]

The prevalence of allergic reactions triggered from the bite of the lone star tick has Vineyard tick experts concerned. Alpha-gal, a type of mammalian sugar, somehow becomes problematic through bites of lone star ticks, and can cause people to have reactions to meat products. Known as alpha-gal syndrome, the reactions can be severe, such as […]

When is an art opening really something quite a bit more? When it’s a celebratory art happening in a design and dressmaking atelier, which is exactly what artist Elizabeth Whelan and Stina Sayre of Stina Sayre Design created last Saturday night. In and among Sayre’s stunning clothes hung Whelan’s striking portraits of nine women they […]

At its Tuesday meeting, the Edgartown select board approved a $200,000 contract with engineering firm Fuss & O’Neill to conduct a study and feasibility assessment regarding the Chappy Ferry’s susceptibility to climate change hazards.  Approved at the spring annual town meeting, the study and assessment will be vital in seeking and securing grants and alternative […]

The work of two very talented and expressive artists of color is currently on display at the dual galleries owned by Val Francis of Oak Bluffs. At the Knowhere Gallery on Dukes County Avenue, you will find a show of the work of mixed-media artist Maria-Lana Queen, while at the Center of Knowhere on Circuit […]

Kara Taylor is showing the work of two sculptors working in different media and vastly different styles, and it’s well worth a visit to her eponymous West Tisbury gallery. Inside, Taylor has reserved the main gallery space for the work of Adrian Smith, a stone carver who has created a series of nature-inspired carvings done […]

Founded in 1961, Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS) was one of America’s first rural Community Mental Health Centers (CMHC). The community mental health movement of the 1950s and 1960s had the dream that communities could come together to support mental health needs regardless of ability to pay. The CMHC model is based on the notion […]

When Adam Epstein and Innovation Arts and Entertainment first began the M.V. Concert Series in 2016, the goal was to attract great performers into intimate settings, and show folks how special smaller Vineyard venues could be. Those goals remain at the center of the Vineyard Campout — another brainchild of the event promoter that offers […]

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars I have always dreamed of traveling across the world to explore different places, cultures, and environments. Although not nearly the same, “Earth at Night in Color” has transported me around the globe — albeit from the confines of my couch — and provided me with jaw-dropping images and insight […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Wind Festival will be held in Ocean Park on Saturday, Sept. 10, from 10:30 am until dusk. Enjoy spending time with friends and family, make your own unique kite to fly, and check out live music and prizes for all ages. You can also toss frisbees and blow bubbles. Artist-designed posters and […]

David Two Arrows and Saskia Vanderhoop, founders of Sassafras Earth Education, will be at Polly Hill Arboretum on Wednesday, Sept. 14, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm to discuss acknowledgement of indigenous peoples and territories, representation of the history of the Wampanoag people, ancestral skills and knowledge, and strategies of repair and activism. Free event. Register […]

Head to the Edgartown library on Monday, Sept. 12, from 10 to 11 am for a special class with Tessa Permar. She has taught for more than 15 years, drawing from traditions of yoga, tai chi, pilates, modern dance, acrobatics and more. Participants will be led through gentle exercises that encourage exploration of movement and […]

Now in its 17th year, the International Film Festival began on Tuesday, Sept. 6, and continues through Sunday, Sept. 11, with 16 films and events. Films from 11 different countries are on deck. Opening night takes place officially on Thursday, Sept. 8, beginning with a reception on the lawn at Tisbury Marketplace, followed by a […]

The Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the West Tisbury board of health recently announced West Nile virus “has been detected in a mosquito collected in West Tisbury.”  According to the announcement, West Nile virus is “most commonly transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected mosquito.” While anyone can be infected, individuals […]

Updated September 15 The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) announced that the antlerless deer permit award period is underway.  These permits are “required to harvest antlerless deer,” which are deer without antlers, or antlers less than three inches in length. According to Massachusetts deer hunting regulations, permit-holding hunters “may take as many antlerless […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission unanimously approved referring a decision about the state revolving fund (SRF) loan to the Dukes County Commission for the wastewater treatment plant’s construction during a special meeting on Thursday, Sept. 1. The vote was held during a special meeting to meet the deadline for the loan and meet the county […]

Contractors for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) are set to restart work on the Beach Road project. Some of the pending work will involve the removal of old utility poles. These poles have been partially cut down, and mostly have had their lines transferred to new poles.  “The utility companies still have some remaining […]

Healthy Aging Martha’s Vineyard and a “coalition of 14 Island organizations and agencies serving the needs of the Island’s senior population” will be hosting their first Older Adult Transportation Summit on Tuesday, Sept. 20, at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Center in Vineyard Haven. The event will take place from 7 pm to 8:30 pm.  According […]

Martha’s Vineyard is anticipated to see “above normal” temperatures this fall, according to the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.  The center’s seasonal temperature outlook map indicates a 60 to 70 percent chance of above-normal fall temperatures between the months of September and November for the Cape and Islands. Above-normal fall temperatures are forecast for […]

Chilmark’s select board voted unanimously Tuesday night to hold a special town meeting on Sept. 26 at 7 pm. The sole business of the meeting will be to secure $44,000 in funding for Phase II of the town’s commercial wharf project in Menemsha. That project is geared toward replacing about 700 feet of dock and […]

The summer tourists and winter locals all seem to frequent Bangkok Thai Cuisine. The Thai restaurant located at the bottom of Circuit Ave. in Oak Bluffs always seems to be open. Even on a desolate winter night I will drive by and see their lights on, and at a minimum, a couple of tables dining […]

Because of Labor Day, we have an early deadline for our columns, so I can’t give much of a report on the weather, as it won’t have happened yet. I am, as always, waiting for rain. We will have voted in the Sept. 6 primary by the time you are reading this. Children will have […]

To the Editor: Several recent Letters to the Editor complained about noise levels in West Tisbury. I am a resident of the town, and have been for some time.  I previously lived in New York City, and I find the complaints to be almost laughable. Indeed, there are lawnmowers, leaf blowers, and trucks backing up. […]

To the Editor: Let’s raise a glass to Dawn Braasch as she relinquishes her longtime ownership of that splendid bookstore in Vineyard Haven, Bunch of Grapes. Dawn presided, in several cozy Main Street venues over the years, with tact, charm, and impeccable taste — from Ward Just to Elin Hilderbrand, to Dickens, Styron, and Kent Haruf. […]

Oh, how I miss the days when I was young, coordinated, and agile, with unceasing athleticism. Oh wait. I was never those things. And apparently, I’m still none of those things, although I do give it a go. I recently started running again, having taken much of the summer off because of the heat. Heat, […]

Oh September, so soon. School is back in session, and I hope all the new kids joining the Chilmark School community are having a great first week, as well as those Chilmark school-age kids who’ve moved on to middle and high school. It’s getting dark at 8 pm, and there’s a nip in the evening […]

Heard on Main Street: Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good. Tonight at 6 pm, the Vineyard Haven library presents Frye Gaillard, co-author with Cynthia Tucker of the new book, “The Southernization of America: A Story of Democracy in the Balance.” The program will be on the main floor (masks required). On Monday, Sept. 12, […]

The first day of school on the Island was this past Tuesday. Clyde Smith, who turned 18 last week, is a senior. Laina Benoit, Noah Manning, Yossi Monahan, Nahani Hyde, and Olive and Violet MacPhail are all juniors, and Hayden Higgins (who is off to boarding school this year) and Rodeo Purves-Langer are sophomores. Claus […]

One sunny and fragrant day last spring, Jemima James and I sat out on her back porch in West Tisbury as she talked about the trajectory her career has taken. No less than the Vineyard’s own Kate Taylor had this to say about Jemima’s music when talking about one of her upcoming shows: “Sit back, […]

The Brazilian state of Pernambuco could be compared geographically to Massachusetts: a small, populous, Atlantic coastal state shaped like a rectangular(ish) slab, sporting 100 miles or so of Eastern coastline. Our Boston is their Recife, a busy maritime port smack in the middle of their Eastern Coast. Like the Bay State, Pernambuco even boasts the […]

Dana Valentine is a pensive young ex-con who is offered a life-or-death opportunity to join a covert society of assassins that rights the wrongs of a broken criminal justice system. Her creator is Dan Cooney of West Tisbury, who began writing Valentine while studying at the School of Visual Arts in New York city in […]

On Thursday, August 25, I met with high school science teacher Anna Cotton to discuss a natural history classroom project she’s developing. We briefly toured a likely site for the fieldwork portion of that project: a section of the broad firebreak on the northern edge of Correllus State Forest, just south of the regional high […]

Take a walk out in the woods or along a stretch of beach, and you’re sure to see a ton of wild edibles — it’s all about knowing what to look for. Luckily for Islanders, there are knowledgeable wilderness experts here who specialize in foraged foods, and can provide hands-on experiences to those who want […]

Imagine going to your doctor for a routine visit, and being advised to exercise more regularly to preserve your mobility and to improve your balance. Lately you’ve felt less steady on your feet, and had envisioned that your physician would review your medications, offer a diagnosis, and prescribe a treatment. You never imagined that exercise […]

(Note: I grew up living with my grandparents, Sadie and Elton Wood, and as more time goes by, the more I appreciate the years I spent with them. This is the only time I remember that my grandfather disobeyed his wife. Grandparents Day is the first Sunday after Labor Day, Sept. 11.) My grandparents, Sadie […]

Climate Change By Vi Larsen A bottle floats helplessly into a mass of hungry plastic bobbing through the endless sea A polar bear stumbles weakly over the frozen tundra and collapses, its final icy breaths shakely exit A young man who lives in the frosty mountains is shocked by the sudden blast of furious heat […]

The Vineyard Cribbage Club met with 20 members on Wednesday at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown. We played our usual six games against six different opponents, and here are the results: First place, Collin Evanson with a Grand Slam Perfect card 12/6 +96 Second place, Roy Scheffer with a 12/5 +86 card Third place, […]

Both of the final HHSA races saw perfect summer weather and serviceable, if fickle, 10-knot breezes. Thursday evening brought 10 boats out to sail the Harbor triangle while the wind came from the West, the Northwest, and finally, the South. It more or less disappeared altogether between Nun 4 and Can 23a off East Chop, […]

Elizabeth Clare Leader and Evan Patrick McCarthy were married on August 20, 2022, at John Henry Newman Chapel in Colorado Springs, Colo. The bride’s parents are Daniel Leader and Sally Leader of Colorado Springs, Colo. The groom’s parents are Mark McCarthy and stepmother Tina McCarthy of Oak Bluffs, and Clair Lansing McCarthy of Rochester, N.Y. […]

Eleanor Frances Gottlieb  Jaime and Michael Gottlieb of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Eleanor Frances Gottlieb, on Sept. 1, 2022, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Eleanor weighed 7 pounds, 14 ounces. Montgomery H. Mueller Christa Wilburn and Alexander Mueller of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Montgomery H. Mueller, on Sept. […]

Edgartown August 30, Colonial Reproductions Inc. sold 42 Field Club Drive to Steven Chilinski and Lisa Oppenheimer for $2,200,000. August 30, Imprimis LLC sold 29 Main St. to 29Main LLC for $2,345,000. August 31, Stephen A. Spear and Judith A. Spear sold 8 Boylston Drive to John A. Calvo and Beth C. Calvo for $992,500. […]

August 11 Hillary C. Seaton, Oak Bluffs; 45, assault and battery on family/household member: continued to pretrial hearing. Tarcisio M. Dasilva, Vineyard Haven; 25, uninsured motor vehicle, operating a motor vehicle with suspended registration, unlicensed operation of motor vehicle: to be dismissed immediately upon payment of $100 court costs. Salatiel P. Da Silva, East Falmouth; […]

There will be a celebration of life for Albert W. Warren Jr. on Sunday, Sept. 18, 3 to 5 pm, at the P.A. Club. Please bring a potluck dish, some photos, a memento, and stories!   

Professor Minton Forman Goldman died on August 31, 2022. Born in Manhattan to Julius and Hessie Forman Goldman, Minton attended DeWitt Clinton High School in New York City. He went to the College of William and Mary, where he majored in history. At graduation, he was recognized as a Fulbright scholar, the only one that […]

As the peak summer season comes to a close and the post–Labor Day shoulder season begins on Martha’s Vineyard, residents and business owners are breathing a collective sigh of relief after making it through a particularly busy summer.  With COVID-19 seemingly less pervasive, the aftermath of three consecutive pandemic summers on the Island has resulted, […]

A crash on rain-slicked roads near the intersection of State and Stoney Hill Road snarled traffic between 2 and 2:30 pm Tuesday. Traffic headed up-Island was backed up beyond the Tisbury-West Tisbury line. The accident appears to have occured when a silver car pulled out of Buttonwood Farm Road and was struck by a Volvo, […]

On Tuesday the Steamship Authority diverted multiple ferries from Oak Bluffs to Vineyard Haven due to weather conditions.  In an email to The Times, SSA general manager Robert Davis said issues with the Nantucket initiated the diversions.  “With the winds out of the east and the tides/swells the decision was made to divert as a […]

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) released a 598-page draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for Revolution Wind, an offshore wind farm proposed to be constructed in Rhode Island waters. A 1,178-page appendix document with more information surrounding the project and the draft environmental impact statement was also released. According to the Revolution Wind website, […]

State Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, announced in a press release that legislation he sponsored, titled “An Act authorizing Tisbury to modify fire department employment,” otherwise known as H.4622, passed in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. According to the release, this bill will “aid the Tisbury Fire Department’s crucial work” by changing the mandatory retirement age […]

The first day of school rang out across the Island’s public schools on Tuesday morning. At Oak Bluffs School, students excitedly chattered, parents took photos, and teachers guided the children on a cloudy and at times drizzling Tuesday morning.  Some family members were up earlier than others for the first day of school. Mary Lombardi […]

Scattered throughout the Vineyard Haven Harbor this weekend were 22 traditional Herreshoff 12.5 sailboats, competing for the win in the 2022 Vineyard Herreshoff Cup. After five races comprising three Island fleets, Edgartown came out on top in the two-day Herreshoff 12 class Regatta, with frontrunner Warren Vose, skipper of ‘Moonglader,’ earning just 17 points. Menemsha […]

Updated 9/8 Dukes County Sheriff Robert Ogden won in a landslide over challenger Erik Blake in the Democratic primary. The unofficial results show Ogden with 2,116 votes to 1,530 for Blake — a gap of 586 votes. Ogden won each of the towns, including Oak Bluffs, where Blake served as police chief until he retired earlier […]

A memorial service to celebrate the life of William Dean Holtham will be held at the Chilmark Community Center on Saturday, Oct. 1, from 1 to 4 pm. Friends and family are invited to bring their stories, laughs, and happiness over a life that was lived to the fullest.

John Callahan Jr., 84, of Edgartown and Bonita Springs, Fla., passed away on Sept. 1, 2022. He was the husband of Barbara J. Callahan.  A complete obituary will appear in a later edition of this paper, and his funeral services will be announced at a later date. For online condolences and more information, visit chapmanfuneral.com.

A celebration of life for Margaret DeVane Logue will be held on Monday, Sept. 19, at 4 pm at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, on Panhandle Road in West Tisbury. The family invites you to bring your memories and a dish to share. Masks are encouraged.

The parents of Henry Bowman Backer issued a statement drawing attention to their son’s drowning death and pleading with the community not to forget their child. In a letter to the editor, Ellie and Stephen Backer say their son, who was 3 years old when he drowned in the Field Club’s pool due to negligence, […]

To the Editor: An open letter to the members of the Edgartown Field Club and Boathouse:  This is a photo of our son, Henry. This September, our family should have been eagerly looking forward to Henry starting kindergarten and turning 5 years old. Instead of celebrating his birthday, we will continue to mourn his death. […]

Two people were arraigned on drug charges in Edgartown District Court Friday morning following the seizure of 850 grams of cocaine (nearly a kilo). Judge Benjamin Barnes set combined bail for Shamar Hayatt, 33, at $2,200 — far less than the $26,000 ADA Matt Palazzolo requested. Hayatt was arraigned on a charge of trafficking 100 […]

The installation of undersea cables connecting the proposed Park City Wind offshore wind farm to a Barnstable substation was approved by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission on Thursday.  The export cables, which will be buried under the Atlantic seabed, will transfer the electricity generated by the proposed Park City Wind, 19 miles off the Island’s coast. […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee unanimously voted to submit an amended draft regional agreement for the high school district to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) during a Thursday evening meeting.  Committee chair Robert Lionette said the agreement was sent before to DESE for review, and came back to […]

Tisbury voters will have the opportunity to decide whether alcohol can be served in town without the accompaniment of food. Following a 2020 town meeting approval of the subject, and subsequent approval by the state legislature, Tisbury voters will see the question on the Nov. 8 election ballot. Friday morning, Tisbury’s select board unanimously approved […]

Registration for the 77th annual Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby has opened at tackle shops Island-wide. Both solo and team — two people, maximum — registrations are in-person only, and required for participation. Preregistration is available online for efficiency. According to the event regulations, fish caught before completion of the registration process are not eligible.  […]

Real Estate Confidential is a biweekly chit-chat about new listings, sales, or other insider information on the Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate market, presented by Fred Roven, owner/broker of Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents. It appears every other Friday in The Minute. As you travel around the Island these days, you can see new construction everywhere you […]

The West Tisbury select board found itself in a pickle during its Wednesday, August 31, meeting over a botched permission process for an auction. According to West Tisbury town administrator Jennifer Rand, resident Sue Whiting requested a special permit to hold an auction at Grange Hall on Friday. Rand said West Tisbury building inspector Joseph […]

When Molly Coogan came to work at Bunch of Grapes Bookstore on Thursday; it was not in her longtime managerial role, but as the new head of ship. Having been the bookstore’s manager for the past nine years, Coogan is certainly in tune with the ins and outs of the shop’s operations, which, she explained […]

Updated On Friday, a Bristol County Superior Court jury found Joseph (“JoJo”) Noe not guilty in the September 2019 shooting death of former Oak Bluffs firefighter Eric Voshell.  It was an emotional end to the trial, with Noe hugging his attorney, Rob Galibois, and his wife as he left the courtroom. In the lobby, Noe […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Public School District (MVPS) is amending health and safety policies as state and federal COVID restrictions continue to loosen, doing away with weekly COVID pool testing for students and staff. At Wednesday’s All-Island School Committee meeting, based on updates to Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control protocols, Superintendent Richie […]

Click here to view the official 2022 program guide for the M.V. International Film Festival

West Tisbury residents gathered virtually to discuss the future of Howes House during a select board meeting on Wednesday, August 31. The topic of Howes House’s potential use was brought up during a previous board meeting, but needed to be delayed to be posted on the agenda to allow more people to participate.  “A point […]

The Steamship Authority board — somewhat reluctantly — authorized an additional $461,314 to make necessary repairs to the steel on the MV Katama, a vessel they plan to replace as early as next summer. The Katama is in dry dock at Thames Shipyard in Connecticut, where it was already undergoing $1.1 million in repairs. However, once the […]

Bart Barthelemy, the founding director of the Ohio-based Wright Brothers Institute, has always had a fascination with aircraft and innovation. He served in the U.S. Air Force, was the national director of the National Aerospace Plane Program, and is an author of several books about leadership and innovation. However, this New Bedford–raised man’s journey began […]

Two Plymouth residents — Jesse Brown and Dan Sullivan — will square off in the Republican primary Tuesday, Sept. 6, for a chance to run in the general election against incumbent U.S. Rep. William Keating, D-Bourne, in the 9th Congressional District. The district includes Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, Cape Cod, and much of the South Shore. Brown, 45, […]

We know you’re still basking in the glow of another successful summer on Martha’s Vineyard. Some of our favorite traditions were back in full swing, with no restrictions — the Oak Bluffs fireworks, the Ag Fair, the Edgartown fireworks and parade among them. We were pleased to be able to attend some great public events at […]

A Bristol County Superior Court jury was deliberating a murder charge against Joseph (“JoJo”) Noe for the September 2019 shooting death of Eric Voshell as The Times went to press Wednesday. Voshell, a former Oak Bluffs firefighter, was 39 years old at the time of his death.  Voshell died at a Rhode Island hospital following […]

Judge Mark Gildea heard arguments from attorneys involved in the lawsuit filed by Courtway Trust on behalf of Benjamin Hall Sr. against the Edgartown Stop & Shop’s expansion project on Tuesday. Gildea took the case under advisement after a hearing at Dukes County Superior Court.  Stop & Shop’s project started in July after lengthy delays […]

Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) will offer its students a virtual American Sign Language (ASL) course this school year.  “We are contracting with the American School for the Deaf and Bristol Community College to provide instruction to students,” MVRHS Principal Sara Dingledy told The Times. “It will be live, but remote. All [classes] are […]

The two Democrats running for Dukes County sheriff, incumbent Robert Ogden and challenger Erik Blake, faced off during the candidate forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard. The event, the first in-person candidate forum on the Island in two years, took place in the packed Oak Bluffs library meeting room Tuesday […]

Life brings with it a fair share of emergencies, but when your crisis is of the raw bar kind, finally there is a modicum of relief. Wrapped in a European-style ambulance with cresting waves toward the underbelly and a shucker emblazoned where a caduceus might be, the Clambulance is at the ready when oysters, clams, […]

Three Republicans are running for Cape and Islands District Attorney, a position being vacated by longtime Republican DA Michael O’Keefe. All three candidates, Melissa Alden, John Carey, and Dan Higgins, live on the Cape. Only one of the three, Carey, returned emailed questions. On Tuesday, in a text message to The Times, Higgins wrote, “We […]

There were two games on Sunday, but the real highlight for Chilmark Softball was the annual awards that were handed out. According to Sig Van Raan, between the two games, the rookie award was handed out to Tony Carabella and a guy named J.B. Van Raan told The Times there were a lot of first-time […]

Friends, family, and neighbors headed to Sengekontacket Pond Sunday, August 28, to have some competitive fun out on the water with kayaks, canoes, paddleboards, and more for the 32nd annual Oar and Paddle Regatta, hosted by Island Spirit Kayak. The 2.4-mile race on the pond raises money each year for Friends of Sengekontacket.  The Friends […]

There are only two more races in the official 2022 season for the Holmes Hole Sailing Association. In terms of this year’s championship, Mo Flam’s Penelope, an Alerion 28, is likely too far ahead of the fleet to lose the No. 1 position, but second and third places are still up for grabs. As was […]

There is an exhibition of stunning, bold paintings by Alejandro Carreño with text by poet Donia Elizabeth Allen at the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society. The two marry their artistry to create a show brimming with personal meaning. Carreño, born in 1962, originally hails from Cuba, and Afro-Cuban influences abound in his colorful artwork. “For me, […]

The Howes House building committee plans to gather a focus group rather than relying on a survey to determine what folks want for the future of the building. The committee met Tuesday morning for the first time since its name was changed.  According to committee member Bernadette Lyons, the committee wanted to form a survey […]

Love lies at the heart of the play “Burning Patience” (“Ardiente Paciencia”), currently at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse. It is the love of the young, smitten mailman Mario for young Beatriz, Beatriz’s mother for her daughter, and very much the loving bond of friendship between the fictional Mario and real-life Chilean poet Pablo Neruda. The […]

The paintings of Christie Scheele, currently the focus of a solo show at the Louisa Gould Gallery, are clearly landscapes. Yet Scheele considers her work more in line with the color field artists, like Mark Rothko, than with traditional landscape painters. “I came to it from a very contemporary point of view,” Scheele says of […]

To the Editor: In Marc Rosenbaum`s recent appearance before the West Tisbury select board (WTSB), he is absolutely correct about the noise levels in West Tisbury.  Where he makes a big error is in asking the WTSB, or for that matter, any W.T. board, to solve a problem. They are much better at creating problems, […]

To the Editor: This letter was addressed to Adam Epstein, CEO of Innovation Arts Entertainment, promoters of Beach Road Weekend. I live on Lagoon Pond Road, abutting Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven. What a busy concert you put on this weekend. There was a steady stream of happy and kind people (except for the […]

They battled a flooded field from a thunderstorm that required Friday night’s concert to be evacuated, traffic snarls due to the Lagoon Pond Drawbridge opening two nights in a row, and escalating costs that put the three-day music festival about $2 million in the hole, but still Beach Road Weekend promoter Adam Epstein called this […]

To the Editor:  I am writing to ask that everyone who cares about animals speak up for them today. Please, contact your representatives and ask them to vote for state Bill S.2251. S.2251 is an act relative to the use of elephants, big cats, primates, giraffes, and bears in traveling exhibits and shows. The animals […]

“Jack London’s Martin Eden” comes to the M.V. Film Center for one night on Friday, Sept. 2. This second version of the film was directed by Jay Craven, a Vermont filmmaker who wrote much of the script on Martha’s Vineyard, and shot it on Nantucket. Thirty-five students from a dozen colleges participated in developing and […]

The Veterans Affairs Providence Healthcare System announced in a press release it will be providing medical services and holding a town hall meeting at American Legion Post 257 in Tisbury on Tuesday, Sept. 13.  According to the release, VA medical specialists will be available “to adjust and repair hearing aids and eyeglasses on a walk-in […]

Artist Elizabeth R. Whelan announces the call for artists for the fourth annual Martha’s Vineyard Drawing Prize. The competition is open to artists and illustrators 18 years or older in the U.S. and Canada, and encourages “the pursuit of excellence in drawing,” according to a press release. The competition has grown in popularity over the […]

Former Dukes County commissioner David Holway of Edgartown was appointed by President Joe Biden to the Federal Salary Council on Friday.  According to a press release, the council is an advisory body that “provides recommendations on pay differentials for federal employees.” The council submits recommendations to U.S. Secretary of Labor Martin Walsh, director of the […]

On Saturday, Sept. 3, from 4 to 6 pm, artist Elizabeth Whelan will present portraits of various Island community women who “symbolize the inspiration we can be to each other” at a special event at Stina Sayre Design’s Boutique and Design Studio, according to a press release. Called “Inspiration,” the show will be on exhibit […]

With primary elections just around the corner, there are two Republicans competing for state Senate, hoping to unseat incumbent Democratic Sen. Julian Cyr in representing Cape Cod and Islands.  The Cape and Islands district encompasses nearly 185,000 residents in 19 towns; out of the 40 Massachusetts Senate seats, 37 are held by elected Democrats.  Candidates […]

Featherstone Center for the Arts welcomes back former U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins for a night of poetry, as well as a poetry writing workshop. Collins first came to Featherstone in 2007 and has returned on a biennial basis since. However, that tradition was put on hold since 2019 due to COVID. Now, according to […]

Join the 2021 Best in Show winner at the Philadelphia Flower Show, Wambui Ippolito, for a discussion at Polly Hill Arboretum on Wednesday, Sept. 7, from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. Born in Kenya, Ippolito was influenced by her mother’s garden in Nairobi, her grandmother’s farm in the countryside, and the natural landscapes of East Africa. […]

The M.V. Surfcasters Association used tackle sale always has some amazing gear to pick up for a fraction of the cost of full-priced stuff from the shop. Rods, reels, lures, tackle boxes, and much more will be lined up at the M.V. Regional High School parking lot on Saturday, Sept. 3, from 8 am to […]

Islanders are gearing up for another First Friday on Sept. 2, starting at 4 pm, and many local businesses, artists, and organizations are going to be there to celebrate. The entire event will be held in Owen Park, and will feature live musical performances, more than a dozen artists and artisans selling their wares, and […]

Last week you may have read about Brad Tucker and Liz Ragone’s new venture, Radio Farm. I was so excited when I visited, I wanted to do a separate “Gardens of Love” just on Liz’s gardens. Yes, Brad cleared the land and put the posts in for the fencing, he helped put in the irrigation […]

Thomas E. Kennedy Jr., 62, of Vineyard Haven, passed away peacefully in his sleep at home on Thursday, August 4, 2022. Tom was born in Waterbury, Conn., on Feb. 21, 1960, the son of Janet (Vensel) Tracy and Thomas E. Kennedy Sr. He was the husband of Suzanne (Jones) Kennedy, passing one day before their […]

I first met Rabbi Giulia Fleishman years ago when I was working at the West Tisbury library. She exudes the word “kindness” from the moment you meet her. Giulia is still involved with the M.V. Hebrew Center, although she was ordained a rabbi herself this past May after five years of study. During that time, […]

I wheeled my bike out of the shed. I took my helmet from the peg. My water bottle was full, and I was wearing sunscreen. Ahead of me, not more than a 45-minute bike ride, awaited the rides, the food, the contests, the animals, the art, and the craftsmanship of the annual Agricultural Fair. The […]

This installment of Second Acts started out as a profile on Steve Ewing, dockbuilder-poet. If ever there was a Vineyarder finding his “other self,” it’s Steve, a man who drives 20-foot pilings into sand and mud and then goes home to express his feelings in iambic pentameter. But in exploring Steve’s expressive journey, it became […]

Catherine Roselyn Kerr Browne, recently of Vineyard Haven, passed away peacefully on July 20, 2022. She was the wife of Dr. Faust C. Browne of Indian Harbor Beach, Fla., and Needham.  Catherine was born on July 16, 1932, in Boston to William and Marion Kerr. She grew up in Belmont, and Rochester, N.Y., with her […]

Penelope Curtiss Pease (“Penny”) died peacefully at home in Harthaven in Oak Bluffs on August 1, 2022, at the age of 98. She was born on Dec. 16, 1923 in New Britain, Conn., to Mary Curtiss Pease and Herbert Hoyt Pease. Penny was the fifth of five children. Penny attended Mooreland Hill School in Kensington, […]

Ah, September! College students and summer help are melting away; goldenrod glorifies; Labor Day nears; the Derby bell rings. These punctuate the 10 weeks of Island summer. It has become an endurance race: too much. Looking ahead Gardens will soon be entering the cut-downs phase, maybe with relief, since heat and drought have inhibited rebloom. […]

It’s 5:30 in the morning, and I’m trying to figure out if I want to kayak. The conditions are just the way I like them. Calm and foggy. I had just kayaked the morning before, and so many mornings and evenings, not just in summer, but in fall when the ducks return, in winter when […]

On Sunday Sept. 4, the Federated Church in Edgartown will celebrate the past, present, and the future of the Mayhew Parsonage. Visitors are invited to visit the historic building from 12:30 to 2 pm. Church historians Herb Ward and Elizabeth Villard will be available to answer questions about the building. The building has been the […]

Pulitzer prizewinning author Geraldine Brooks will discuss her latest novel, “Horse,” in an event to benefit the Vineyard Haven Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 5 pm, outdoors at the Tashmoo Spring Waterworks building. “Based on the remarkable true story of the record-breaking thoroughbred Lexington who became America’s greatest stud sire, ‘Horse’ is a […]

An accident at the Steamship Authority Vineyard Haven terminal sent a set of transfer bridge counterweights into the water Tuesday morning. SSA spokesman Sean Driscoll told The Times a truck hit some portion of the bridge while the ferry Governor was at the slip, and the damage broke a cable, sending the counterweights into Vineyard […]

A lightning strike damaged a West Tisbury home late Friday evening. West Tisbury Fire Chief Greg Pachico said the roof of a Charles Neck Way home ignited, but rain extinguished the fire. Chief Pachico said the lightning strike blew off shingles, damaged woodwork, and traveled through interior wiring, where it blew an outlet out and […]

John David Nisbet Katie Nisbet and Aiden Nisbet of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, John David Nisbet, on August 16, 2022, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. John weighed 7 pounds, 11 ounces.  

An intimate crowd joined together at Grange Hall on August 16 to hear an interactive conversation between Teresa C. Younger, CEO and president of the Ms. Foundation, and Latanya Mapp Frett, CEO and president of Global Fund for Women. The Ms. Foundation brings domestic attention to women’s issues and provides insight on economic, social, and […]

At its Monday meeting, the Edgartown select board was given a presentation by Larry’s Tackle Shop owner Peter Sliwkowski regarding the MV Beachgoers Access Group.  Sliwkowski, who is a full-time Chappy resident, said he created the grassroots organization in the spring of 2021 with hopes to strike a balance between “responsible beach access” and active […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission considered allowing Youth Deer Hunt Day on its properties.  During a meeting on Monday, land superintendent Harrison Kisiel told the commission that a Youth Deer Hunt Day takes place in the state on the “fourth Saturday after Labor Day,” which would be Oct. 1, for minors 12 to 17 […]

During a brief meeting at the town’s senior center Tuesday afternoon, Tisbury’s select board unanimously approved a warrant for its Sept. 20 special town meeting at the M.V. Performing Arts Center. The single item of the warrant is a request for $25,610,841 in additional funds to support the Tisbury School renovation and addition project. Last […]

In the last full week of reporting cases of COVID-19, the number of positive test results reached 55 from Sunday, August 21, to Saturday, August 27. That’s up from 29 the previous week. The Island remains at low risk for community spread, according to the report issued by the Island boards of health. There was […]

While not exactly “a song of praise or triumph,” as my Oxford English Dictionary defines it, I begin this column with a paean to rain. Specifically, a paean to the long, soaking, much-needed rain we had last Friday night. It was accompanied by thunder and lightning, giving local dogs a scare, and hitting a house […]

The Vineyard Haven library has a new program that I wish I could do. Yoga With Kat or Chair Yoga for Arthritis starts Monday, Sept. 12, at 11 to 11:50 am for six weeks, on the lower level. Yoga With Kat continues sessions of Chair Yoga, one of the most gentle forms of yoga. This […]

“I am the source of my joy and infinite possibilities.”  –Martha’s Vineyard Polar Bears mantra The “Today Show” did a piece about our own Martha’s Vineyard Polar Bears on August 24, with video footage and interviews with Polar Bear leaders Caroline Hunter and Brenda Davenport. It was a beautiful representation of the 76-year legacy of […]

Eek! Sitting down to type this, and had to enter the date. Sept. 1. How did that happen? I scared myself. The itty-bitty panics are starting, as we teachers face our return to school on Wednesday. Honestly, so many teachers and other staff members have been in school throughout the summer, cleaning and organizing supply […]

The summer season at the Yard closed with Ephrat Asherie’s fantastic company premiering a work that will soon be presented at NYC’s Guggenheim Museum, and had most of the audience up and dancing, then heading outside to toast the dancers before that amazing lightning and downpour. You can still enjoy the Yard by heading to […]

Happy Sept. 1, everyone. Take a big inhale, now let it out. Now do that 100 more times, and you might be able to let go of some of the August tension. I’m sure most people have heard by now that Captain Buddy Vanderhoop collided with another boat at the beginning of August. The insurance […]

Tiasquam By Fran Schumer (to J.A.) I ride through the forest to buy chocolates for a friend. Dozens already on lengthy lines. Like the former mayor said: half the fun of going to the movies is the line. I eat leaves from turnips just picked, sweet, peppery, newly born; pluck the lone blackberry left in […]

The Vineyard Cribbage Club met on Wednesday to play our favorite game at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown. Twenty-one of us played 6 games with 2 points for a win and 3 points for a skunk (winning by more than 30). The results were as follows: 1st place – Mike Smith with a 10/4 […]

Craig Stephen Robertson and Katharine Warren Clarke were married on August 20, 2022, at Newfound Lake Inn in Bristol, N.H. The groom’s parents are Kathy Rafferty and Matt Robertson of Chelmsford. The bride’s parents are John and Nancy Clarke of Daytona Beach, Fla. Katherine is formerly from Edgartown, and a graduate of MVRHS, Endicott College, […]

Edgartown August 23, Robert S. Daniels, Lynne Chapman Daniels, and Mark Sherman Daniels, trustees of Daniels Realty Trust, sold 5 Lois Lane to Fred Mascolo for $679,250. August 23, Richard S. Dubin and Lee M. Dubin sold 20 Oakdale Drive to James W. Clabby III and Mary K. Clabby for $1,322,500. August 23, Kruppers LLC […]

I was fortunate to have been born on Martha’s Vineyard, and to enjoy a pretty idyllic childhood of summers spent under the auspices of my creative and kind grandparents. It was definitely the best of times. The Vineyard “community,” certainly in the summer, was as a rule collectively fun and friendly. The most notable aspect […]

Two candidates for Dukes County sheriff, the incumbent Robert Ogden and challenger Erik Blake, will be running against each other during the state primaries on Tuesday, Sept. 6, on the Democratic ballot. Since there is no Republican candidate, whoever wins the Democratic primary election will become the sheriff. The sheriff is the chief law enforcement […]

As the famed Flying Horses Carousel gets its new paint job this fall, the abutting souvenir shop will be torn down. The demolition of the more than 100-year-old Old Variety Store, located at 10 Oak Bluffs Ave., was unanimously approved via special permit by the Oak Bluffs zoning board of appeals last August.  Oak Bluffs […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Commission unanimously approved the construction of the Vineyard Wind 1 maintenance building at 69 Beach Road in Tisbury at its meeting on Thursday.  The building will be paramount in facilitating the offshore substation and wind farm, Vineyard Wind 1, and is one of a handful of Vineyard Wind–related projects currently in the […]

A public hearing for Stillpoint Martha’s Vineyard’s barn took place during a West Tisbury zoning board of appeals meeting Thursday evening.  Stillpoint acquired this property with the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank in April. The plan was to have Stillpoint make an educational community space for Islanders, while the Land Bank preserves the surrounding area. Stillpoint […]

Updated Monday, August 29 After seeing “Jaws” at Veterans Park Thursday night, the crowd lined up with camp chairs, sunscreen, water bottles, and sunglasses Friday morning, ready for the music to begin. Opening day of Beach Road Weekend got off to a stellar start with the National Reserve, Clem Snide, Aoife O’Donovan, Bully, Shovels & […]

At its Thursday night meeting, the Martha’s Vineyard Commission denied the request by Susannah and Brian Bristol to demolish their West Chop 1133 Main St. house. The request for permission to demolish the four-story, seven-bedroom, 8,500-square-foot dwelling — believed to have been built around 1890 — and replace it with a 7,178-square-foot, three-story structure was […]

Members of the Wampanoag community both on and off the Island will be receiving 700 pounds of freshly fileted haddock from the Massachusetts Environmental Police as part of a recent food donation. According to Bret Stearns, natural resources officer for the tribe, the Environmental Police have been supporting the Wampanoag tribal community for many years, […]

Updated September 12 Massachusetts Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) secretary Beth Card declared in a press release on Wednesday, August 24, Level-2 (significant) to Level-3 (critical) droughts are being experienced across the state. Martha’s Vineyard started experiencing Level-1 (mild) drought in May. Now, Martha’s Vineyard is facing significant levels of drought. Nantucket, the Elizabeth Islands, […]

As Beach Road Weekend kicked off with an outdoor screening of “Jaws” at Tisbury’s Veteran Memorial Park on the evening of August 25, the Oak Bluffs select board held a special meeting to discuss the recent plans made by festival organizers to offer water taxi transport via Patriot Party Boats charters to off-Island eventgoers.  The […]

Updated 8:09 pm The Tisbury select board made it clear on Wednesday it had no appetite to hold a special town election for $26 million in additional funds to pay for the Tisbury School renovation and addition project. Following debate, the board unanimously rescinded the special town election. The select board previously set a special […]

Island Elderly Housing has filed a lawsuit against the Martha’s Vineyard Commission for conditions placed on an approval of IEH’s proposed elderly housing project in Oak Bluffs, Aidylberg III.  The June 9 approval of the IEH project — in a 7-5 vote with two abstentions — was contingent upon certain conditions being met.  Mainly, the […]

Through an 18-year partnership with the NAACP Martha’s Vineyard branch, Howard University alumni group Bison on the Vineyard held a forum, “Political Future of America,” at the Strand Theater on Monday.  The “fireside chat,” sponsored by Bison on the Vineyard (BOV), was one of a handful of events held on the Island this past weekend, […]

A zoning bylaw working group was established to explore incidental retail sales during a joint meeting among West Tisbury’s select board, planning board, and zoning board of appeals on Wednesday, August 24.  Select board member Skipper Manter, who has had a history of voting against awarding permits and licenses to event requests with a retail […]

The much anticipated Beach Road Weekend will be starting up on Friday, and the Steamship Authority (SSA) Thursday announced adjustments to its ferry schedules that will “accommodate increased pedestrian traffic” from the music festival.  From Friday, August 26, to Sunday, August 28, “the last departure from Oak Bluffs will be delayed 15 minutes, to 8:45 […]

The Island boards of health will end their reporting of COVID-19 cases on Martha’s Vineyard next week. “After two and a half years of reporting case numbers, September 2 will be the last day that I issue the daily update on behalf of the boards of health,” Tisbury health agent Maura Valley said in an […]

Often seen with her trademark overalls and noise-canceling headphones, Melanie Englert has become somewhat of an Island celebrity. Recognized and approached by strangers who have seen her videos on social media, perhaps in the Islanders Talk group on Facebook, Englert casually goes about her days as an increasing number of people are impelled to introduce […]

BiodiversityWorks launched a new website called the Martha’s Vineyard Atlas of Life, where Islanders can record the biodiversity that exists on the Island. This project was launched with support from the Betsy and Jesse Fink Foundation. Claire Callagy, the foundation’s philanthropic program manager, said the foundation made a three-year commitment to help launch this project.  […]

It’s every parent’s nightmare. You send your young adult children off into the world, and then receive the worst possible news. Our heart aches for the parents of Tavaris and Tavaughn Bulgin, the Jamaican nationals who jumped off Big Bridge, got caught in the dangerous current, and were found dead in Sengekontacket Pond. By all […]

A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by Emily Vanderhoop, daughter of Capt. Buddy Vanderhoop, in light of recent damage to his charter fishing boat, Tomahawk. The Tomahawk collided with the dragger Gloria Jean off Aquinnah on August 5. The collision remains under investigation, U.S. Coast Guard Lt. Brandon Newman told The Times Wednesday.  On […]

After mounting pressure from Martha’s Vineyard Camp Meeting Association (MVCMA) leaseholders following the filing of multiple lawsuits against the town of Oak Bluffs planning board and zoning board of appeals regarding imposed restrictions on the planned restoration of the Tabernacle, MVCMA board president Andrew Patch has switched gears and announced the withdrawal of the pending […]

The Oak Bluffs select board mulled over the possibility of creating a new Wi-Fi policy in response to alleged late-night mischief in the vicinity of the town’s public library. According to select board members, various incidents have occurred outside the Oak Bluffs library that have triggered alleged safety concerns. Those incidents, according to the board, […]

Family and friends of Tavaris and Tavaughn Bulgin gathered at Big Bridge Tuesday evening for a remembrance service. They were joined by Vineyard community members and a number of first responders who were involved in the search and recovery of the two young men.  Tavaris Bulgin, 26, and Tavaughn Bulgin, 21, died following a late […]

The Vineyard seems to attract characters on a mission of one sort or another, and no one exemplifies this better than Robert S. Douglas, whose imprint on Vineyard Haven Harbor, wooden boatbuilding, and sailing in general has been transfiguring. Not many folks who first come here on a ferry fail to notice one of the […]

Last weekend the Cousen Rose Gallery presented its CRG crystal design award to artist Glenn Tunstull in honor of his 20th year of showing his work at the gallery. A large crowd was on hand at the Saturday opening reception, where gallery owner Zita Cousens spoke to those gathered, saying, “Glenn has chronicled 20 years […]

When Irving Petlin passed away at his Chilmark home in 2018, the world lost a man who was not only a brilliant artist, but one who devoted his life to issues of social justice. Petlin, considered one of the premier pastel artists in the world, had shown his work in prestigious galleries in New York […]

Ashley Wagner, 2014 U.S. Olympian and Olympic bronze medalist, visited the Martha’s Vineyard Ice Arena and taught two classes to figure skaters, according to an email from Jane Taylor. There were 25 skaters who participated and worked on edges, turns, and improving their overall skating skills. The class was called “Skate & Sculpt,” which is […]

“Badger and Fox and Friends,” by Edward Zlotkowski, is a lovely book for reading to children ages 3 through 5, and for those up to about age 9 who can read it themselves. Both the stories and endearing illustrations celebrate friendship and cooperation. The two protagonists are quite different — neat, methodical Badger, and whimsical, […]

“Nope” plays at the M.V. Film Center on Thursday, August 25. Written, directed, and produced by Jordan Peele, this nutty film describes the sci-fi/horror happenings at a ranch in an isolated California town. “Nope,” however, begins in 1998 on the set for production of the sitcom “Gordy’s Home.” Reacting to the pop of a balloon, […]

Creativity and camaraderie are what sustain a remarkable group of eight professional artists working and living on the Vineyard. Initiated by Nancy Shaw Cramer, the women have been meeting monthly over dinner for 26 years to discuss ideas, great exhibitions, books, business goals, and the inspirations that drive their art. Fortunately for us, we get […]

The Kara Taylor Gallery welcomes guest artists, beginning this weekend through Sept. 11 — stone carver Adrian Smith, with outdoor steel sculptures by Island native Brian Abbott. Smith studied under a master carver in Kathmandu, Nepal, learning to carve stone Buddhas. His teacher’s ancestors were the architects and sculptors of many of Nepal’s great temples. […]

The Aquinnah select board expressed support for exploring how to make a segment of Lobsterville Road safer for pedestrians and cyclists, an idea brought forward by Martha’s Vineyard Commission special projects planner Dan Doyle.  Doyle joined Tuesday’s meeting late, so Aquinnah town administrator Jeffrey Madison explained the idea to the board. The technical term is […]

The Martha’s Vineyard Sharks have started a GoFundMe campaign with a $50,000 fundraising goal for repairs and improvements to the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School baseball field and stadium.  “Among the early tasks on our punch list — all the play coupled with one of the driest summers on record leaves us in need of […]

There’s always a lot of competition at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair — from skillet tossing to tractor pulling, to oyster shucking. And, of course, there were lots of ribbons handed out for arts, crafts, flowers, vegetables, and livestock. Some of the contest winners are posted at bit.ly/MVFairwinners.

Despite our midsummer vacation being still weeks away, and perhaps Pavlovian in nature, my tongue began wagging in early July: Where to eat? A common conundrum, I suppose, and the greatest “first world worry” you will read about today — our family’s annual summer “struggle,” given the oh-so-many dining choices that Martha’s Vineyard bestows each […]

Circuit Arts presents a special screening of the new film “Ariel Phenomenon” on Thursday, August 25, at 7 pm. Head over to the Grange Hall in West Tisbury to witness a film about one of the most studied and well-documented UFO encounters, and join a conversation with film director Randall Nickerson and Dominique Callimanopulos, a […]

Author Dianne C. Braley will be at Edgartown Books on Friday, August 26, from 2 to 4 pm to sign copies of her book “The Silence in the Sound.” This provocative debut novel details the devastating effects of growing up with addiction, and it’s all based around a fascinating Martha’s Vineyard mystery. A woman returns […]

Kayakers, canoers, paddle boarders, and more are gearing up for the 32nd annual Oar and Paddle Regatta on Sunday, August 28, from 8:30 to 11:30 am. Made possible by Island Spirit Kayak, the race costs $50 for single paddlers and $100 for doubles. All proceeds go toward cleanup and environmental initiatives for Sengekontacket Pond and […]

The Beach Road Weekend Music Festival is finally here, with each day of tunes constituting an all-out bash of big-name performers, notable up-and-coming artists, and more. Workers have been busy turning Veterans Memorial Park in Vineyard Haven into a major music venue. The dual stages — the Black Dog Stage and the Lighthouse Stage — […]

Over at Native Earth Teaching Farm in Chilmark, back behind a small wooden structure filled with colorful drums, something truly unique is blossoming. What started as a vision in 2019 by Island drummer Rick Bausman and a number of Haitian leaders is slowly materializing on Martha’s Vineyard — the Milokan Cultural Center. This is only […]

Most women seeking abortions today now go about self-medication by ordering two pills through the mail. According to the Guttmacher Institute, medication abortion is the chosen method for women to end a pregnancy in more than 54 percent of all abortions. The FDA allows its ingestion up to 10 weeks into a pregnancy. (The World […]

To the Editor: Raise your hand if you were heading up-Island on State Road last Wednesday and noticed the intersection of High Point Lane (hint: it’s between Shirley’s and NAPA). Of course, you didn’t! An overgrown tree had been blocking that street sign all summer long. But thanks to yours truly, people will no longer […]

To the Editor: In July, after a two-year hiatus, the Library Friends of Oak Bluffs welcomed our neighbors of all ages back to the library (and Town Hall) for our annual summer Book Sale. Thanks to year-round community support, and the success of the summer Book Sale, the Friends help fund the programs, services, and […]

To the Editor: The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Soccer Booster Club, players, and parents would like to sincerely thank all those who contributed to our fundraising efforts this summer. Our car washes have been fun and successful — thanks to all who have driven through for suds and a shine! Special shout-out to Oak […]

At first I didn’t make the connection, seeing the Facebook invite to Radio Farm’s open house, and when I arrived to check out what I’ve been watching transform from the road for months, I was greeted by Brad Tucker. Brad is a 10th-generation Vineyarder who grew up on a West Tisbury farm. Radio Farm is […]

Thursday evening, crystal clear and sparkling, sported a quite robust breeze in the high teens with heavier gusts, but that didn’t discourage three competitors from the harbor triangle race. Penelope, Mo Flam’s Alerion 28, took the cup, while all three finished within a minute of each other in a real time of under 44 minutes. […]

By any stretch of the imagination, Gaston Delacroix Vadasz’s route to living on the Vineyard has been circuitous. Born in Budapest during World War II in 1944, he spent the first two years hidden from the Nazis by a kindly family in a small peasant village on the Danube — although he didn’t learn of […]

It can be tough for folks who first visit Martha’s Vineyard to visualize another smaller and even more rustic Island just a stone’s throw away (maybe literally, if you’ve got a good arm). Even tougher still for people to imagine that the tiny Island of Chappaquiddick is home to one of America’s oldest golf courses […]

Judith S. Miller passed away on August 12, 2022. Judy, who at one time was very well-known to many Vineyarders as a conservationist intent on preserving as much of the Island’s natural habitat as possible, got her start as an activist unusually early. In fact, while she was still a student at Queens College, where […]

The Steamship Authority is looking for some assistance in naming two new ferries that will join the fleet and, according to a press release, has launched a naming contest. The vessels are two offshore supply vessels being purchased from Hornbeck Offshore Services in Covington, La., and will be retrofitted as freight ferries for the SSA […]

This has, by and large, been a pitiful season for butterflies. As I wrote in my July 12 column, I believe butterfly numbers in general are in steady decline on the Vineyard, and in most of the world that I’m familiar with. And the vicious drought that the Island has experienced this summer has wrought […]

A request from a West Tisbury resident to allow use of his property as a rentable wedding venue was met with hesitation Monday by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s Land Use Planning subcommittee (LUPC).  Initially submitted by David Reed to West Tisbury zoning board of appeals, the application was referred to the town’s planning board, which […]

Charlie Nadler arrived in the world at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on July 11, 1984 — and I can attest to this because I was right in the middle of the action. He was a native millennial, in other words. In his early years, his TV-writer parents moved him around a lot, from New York […]

The West Tisbury planning board decided to do a site visit to 844 State Road in response to a request by Bradford Tucker and Liz Ragone for a special permit to “install a second curb cut within 100 feet of the nearest curb cut” during a public hearing. According to planning board member Leah Smith, […]

How do you bring dance to life in a museum exhibition, which is inherently made up of objects that don’t move? Exhibitions assistant Kate Logue skillfully animates the show by covering the walls with fabulous photographs of dancers in motion to tell the story in “Let’s Dance! 50 Years of the Yard,” at the Martha’s […]

Elizabeth Goodell of West Tisbury took third place in Category K, women 55 to 59, at the 2022 World Long Distance Aquabike Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, on August 21. Her podium time was 3:24:27. Goodell is the proprietor of Island Gymnastics in West Tisbury.  

The West Tisbury library offers many events for adults and children, including storytime, educational workshops, live performances, art exhibits, and more. On Monday, August 29, at 1 pm, the library hosts storytime with Weezie Welz with puppets, songs, and plenty of stories. All ages are welcome, and no sign up is needed. From 2 to […]

When I was about 12 years old, my stepmom’s family put in an in-ground pool. When I was growing up in New Hampshire, beach days were few and far between, unlike living here on Martha’s Vineyard. As soon as the pool went in, I, my brother, Tim, and her two siblings, Phoebe and Timmo, all […]

Jane (Fox) Curelli of Oak Bluffs passed away peacefully in her home on Monday, August 22, 2022, surrounded by her husband John, her family, and close friends. Jane was born and raised in Brockton, and was the oldest of 10 children. She lovingly helped raise her nine siblings, which led Jane, a natural caregiver, to […]

Allen S. Hanson, 94, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on August 21, 2022, at her home. She was the wife of Lincoln F. Hanson, who passed away in 2012.  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 […]

I hadn’t planned on writing a column this week, as I intended to go to my 55th Ridgefield High School class of 1967 reunion. A classmate, Marilou Serfilippi, has organized all of our reunions over the years, and many of us were planning to attend from all over the country. From all over the world, […]

Heard on Main Street: I do my best. I let go of the rest. It’s good the Lyme disease project has started. But what about West Nile virus? A number of years ago, I had a huge turkey fall out of a tall pine tree, where it had been for a day or so. I […]

“Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, air, and you.” –Langston Hughes We all need rain and humor these days! Now that we are past the big week of summer, maybe the roads will become a bit easier to travel, the lines a bit shorter. I don’t know, though, […]

Happy last full week of August and the first week of (hopefully) seeing the Island quiet down a little bit. Last week was wild. Illumination Night was packed on Wednesday night, with a bigger crowd than I’ve seen since buying my little cottage a few years ago. My front porch was packed with family and […]

I could only get to the Ag Fair on the last day, and what a glorious day it was. I saw Peter Norris’s Paw Paws won a second place, while North Tabor Farm’s big heirloom tomato and red onions garnered blue ribbons. Each of the Weiss kids not only play softball but took ribbons at […]

That was a wonderful fair this past weekend. I hope everyone was able to attend and enjoy the amazing local food, including Deon’s, Goldie’s Rotisserie, Nina’s (new this year), and of course the West Tisbury Firemen’s booth. There were incredible displays of artistry, gardening, and baking. Aquinnah’s own Morgan Hodgson won first place for her […]

According to 2,500 respondents to Healthy Aging MV’s 2020 Islandwide survey, for 97 percent of older adults, home is where the heart is — meaning they wish to stay in their homes as they age. Keeping homes safe and age-friendly is a cornerstone of making this a reality, which is all the more pertinent with […]

To the Editor: On August 26 — Women’s Equality Day — the League of Women Voters of Martha’s Vineyard will again partner with Martha’s Vineyard Museum, whose archives hold photographs and materials of the Vineyard’s contributions to the passage of the 19th Amendment. The exterior will be illuminated in purple, white, and sunflower gold, the colors […]

By Nancy Slonim Aronie For my sister Grandma was the Red Cross I had no such first aid station except for her, my older sis she told me everything which I passed on to my fellow four-year-olds with perhaps a fact or two askew OK so maybe the penis didn’t go into the stomach and […]

Save the Date: Sept. 13 at 4 pm at 47 Martin Way, Vineyard Haven  VA general practitioner Dr. VanBeber will be hosting a Town Hall (VA care and updates, and M.V. news) at the American Legion Hall. There will be two VA representatives there to answer questions. If you have a topic you would like […]

The Vineyard Cribbage Club met with 15 members on Wednesday night at the American Legion Hall in Edgartown. We played our usual six games against six different opponents. The results are as follows: First place, Tony Rezendes with a 11/5 +58 card Second place, Louis Larsen with a 10/5 +73 card Third place, Tricia Bergeron […]

Valentina Valentim Misleine Mandelli and Ricardo Valentim of Edgartown announce the birth of a daughter, Valentina Valentim, on August 12, 2022, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Valentina weighed 7 pounds, 6 ounces.  

Aquinnah August 18, Nola Elsie McGowan, also known as Nola Elsie Vlatkovich, administrator of the Estate of Rolfe Lumley, and Brownyn Francis Downton sold 0 Rose Meadow Way to Joshua A. Recave and David G. Recave for $6,927.40 with 33.3 percent undivided interest. Edgartown August 16, Fiduciary Trust Co. and David Ames Jr., trustees of […]

July 29 Everett E. Whiting, West Tisbury; 40, operating under the influence of alcohol, marked lanes violation, in possession of open container of alcohol in motor vehicle: continued to pretrial hearing. Nicholas Moskow, Occidental, Calif.; 24, operating a motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol, negligent operation of motor vehicle, marked lanes violation: continued to […]

The Howes House (Up-Island Council on Aging) offers outreach; fuel assistance; SNAP; government-surplus food distribution; notary services; Lifeline and Be Safer at Home; durable medical equipment; reassurance phone calls; File of Life; SHINE; and more. Open Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 4 pm, closed on holidays. 508-693-2896. SEPTEMBER OFFERINGS Sept. 5: Howes House closed […]

The Edgartown Council on Aging serves as an information and referral source to long-term services and supports available to older adults. In-person programs are subject to cancellation or change with limited notice due to COVID-related concerns. Open Monday to Friday, 9 am – 4 pm. For a complete list of our current programs, sign up […]

Weekly Zoom Exercise Monday 9 am, group exercise Zoom with Patience Campbell and Marilyn Miller Zoom: bit.ly/OBExercise Thursday 9 am, Zoom exercise with Bill White Zoom: bit.ly/OBExerciseWhite Friday 9 am, Zoom exercise with Floyd Lifton. Please be ready with your Zooming device, whether computer, tablet, smartphone, or landline (audio only), and an armless chair. Zoom:  bit.ly/ZoomFloyd To […]

Activities Hello! We welcome you to join us to explore, get fit, meditate, relax, play, laugh! P.S., some activities are new; perhaps you will be the person to initiate a group! Mondays Keep limber with 20 minutes of Gentle Music and Relaxing Freeform Dance, 10:45 am Poets and Story Writers, new and practiced. Bring your […]

As seniors, we understand that everyone eventually dies, and we know, for us, it may be sooner rather than later. Beyond that, it’s all speculation. In the meantime, here are a few tips to help you get some sleep rather than staying awake worrying about all this. Make sure you have a healthcare proxy. That’s […]

Serving Health Information Needs of Everyone program (SHINE) Open Enrollment 2022 The time is now to review your Medicare coverage. By Sept. 30, each Medicare beneficiary receives an Annual Notice of Coverage, which includes important information regarding Medicare costs and benefits. You can compare your Medicare benefits and health insurance options at no cost with […]

Learn about the transportation challenges that Martha’s Vineyard’s older adults face in their aging journey. Hear what options are available today and what we are doing to address the growing need for alternative transportation options, both on-Island and off-Island. An open invitation to all Islanders. The summit is at the M.V. Film Center or via […]

At their Monday meeting, the Edgartown select board quelled concerns of Chappaquiddick residents relayed by Chappy steering committee member John Dropick, regarding rumors of increasing boat fares stemming from a possible transfer of ownership of the ferry boats.  A small group of seasonal Chappy residents are seeking to take over the operations, despite some year-rounders […]

On Monday Tisbury officials got word from the Massachusetts Department of Revenue (DOR) that they will not need to hold a special election for the $26 million request for school project funding. DOR approved an exemption from the provisions of a Proposition 2½ debt exclusion, which typically requires both a town meeting vote and a […]

Family Caregiver and Dementia Support Services The Family Caregiver Support Program advocates for caregivers, provides information and referral to programs and services in support of your caregiving efforts, and has meaningful tools and tips for a better caregiving experience. It’s for any caregiver living on Martha’s Vineyard, or who is caring for someone living on […]

Anna Deavere Smith, an actress known for her roles on shows like “The West Wing” and “Black-ish,” alongside being a playwright and an educator, came to the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs to give a presentation called “Race in America: Accepting Difference, Standing Shoulder to Shoulder.”  The presentation was, as Smith described it, “like a speech […]

Updated August 24 The power outages that affected numerous Vineyard Haven homes on Saturday afternoon and evening turned out to be part of repair work done by Eversource.  “In order to make repairs to an equipment issue that we discovered at one of our substations, it was necessary to take a controlled outage affecting approximately […]

Tamma L. Cimeno, 57, of Vineyard Haven, passed away on August 20, 2022. A complete obituary will be updated in a later edition of this paper. For online condolences and more information, visit chapmanfuneral.com.

A graveside service will be held for Kathleen M. O’Sullivan on Saturday, Sept. 10, at 11 am at the Edgartown cemetery. The family also welcomes you to the Portuguese-American Club in Oak Bluffs to celebrate her life at 12 pm.

Robert Jeffrey Baum, born Feb. 3, 1949, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 25, 2022.  He leaves behind many family and friends, who will remember him “one of a kind,” forever tilting at windmills! He graduated from Andrew Warde High School in Fairfield, Conn., and the University of Bridgeport with a bachelor’s degree in English. […]

The number of COVID-19 cases reported from Sunday, August 14, to Saturday, August 20, dropped to 29, and for the first time this summer, the Island is considered at low risk of community spread. In the past seven days, one person has been hospitalized and remains in the hospital, according to the report from the […]

To the Editor: Hey there, Scott from Mott’s here. I just wanted to take a second out of summer madness to say a couple of deeply felt, honest-to-goodness, true thanks-yous!  First, to all the drummers and other folks who participated in Built on Stilts this year — 26th year we’ve been doing it! Seriously, soooooo […]

A recent carving fork–punctuated protest by Anna Edey, 83, at the Tisbury School has caused at least one school official to condemn the behavior and to suggest light-handed treatment or “downplaying” may have occurred. On August 11, Edey went to the Tisbury School with large culinary forks in hand, and tried to stop contractors from […]

After almost a year in the works, Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s Climate Action Plan, dubbed “The Vineyard Way,” has been unveiled. Spearheaded by MVC climate change planner Liz Durkee, The Vineyard Way aims to take on manmade climate change. Described by Durkee as a “turning point” for Island climate change action, the plan seeks to entice […]

Updated 3:54 pm The Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) announced reductions to multiple bus lines from Monday, August 22, to Saturday, Oct. 1, have been implemented due to a shortage of drivers with commercial driving licenses (CDL). This change will remain until the VTA switches to its off-season schedule on Sunday, Oct. 2. The revised schedules […]

Slow down there, Tisbury. You might want to see how fast you’re driving along Franklin Street.  Tisbury Police Chief Chris Habekost said his officers installed a new radar speed sign at the intersection of Center Street and Franklin Street on Sunday, August 14, to “make [drivers] aware of the speed limit in that area.” The […]