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CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH VOICES on its meaning to the Island B1 Full calendar of events on B9

A ‘momentous’ gathering of town and tribe

In Aquinnah, tribe invites select board to meet for first time in decades.

BY HAYLEY DUFFY

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky when the Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and the Aquinnah Select Board met around a table in the main tribal offices on Black Brook Road in what was called a momentous and historic moment by officials. It was the first time that the governing bodies of both the town and the tribe had officially met in decades.

“It’s been a long time,” Kevin Devine, chairman of the Wampanoag tribe, said to The Times.

The session on Saturday between the two governments was largely symbolic, but offered a practical way forward to heal a divide between the town and tribe that’s faintly lingered since the 1970s. There were specific projects touched upon — a long-term solution to sand buildup at the West Basin, new life for properties at Aquinnah Circle North near the Cliffs, and an assessment of current agreements between the town and the tribe — but the general goal was simply to establish next steps for deeper cooperation between the two entities, which have operated in parallel but separately for years.

A perfect record and a state title

A whole picture of health

Reports highlight Islanders’ needs as multiple new initiatives are launched to address them.

BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON

New health reports and public surveys of Island residents published this year have shown that tick-borne conditions are rising rapidly, behavioral and mental health markers are worsening, and locals are feeling an increasing strain in regard to housing and affordability.

The data provide a baseline for understanding the health of the Island community and a new path along which people have advocated for healthcare. It has inspired new programs and initiatives that are rising to meet those needs.

A recent report by Island Health Care in partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Continued on A3

VAfter a prayer led by tribal members started around noon, Devine said, “This is a momentous moment for us.” Tom Murphy, current chairman of the Aquinnah Select Board, shared the sentiment in a speech: “This gathering, to my knowledge, is the first time the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head has formally invited the Aquinnah Select Board to sit with you in this way, not across the table of dispute, but in the spirit of open dialogue and shared words. That is no small thing. We receive it with gratitude and genuine hope.” Murphy thanked Devine and the rest of the council for the invitation to meet, and said there are challenges ahead that

Bigger and better: Pride Parade champions LGBTQ community

Organizers say they noticed increases in parade participation and attendance this year. BY

ibrant rainbow hues and upbeat tempos washed over downtown Oak Bluffs on Saturday afternoon for the fifth annual Martha’s Vineyard Pride Parade. Hundreds of spectators of all ages gathered on the sidewalks to watch the procession of decorated golf carts, trucks, marchers, and animals as they departed from the Island Queen ferry terminal and proceeded up Seaview Avenue and Circuit Avenue, took a left onto Narragansett Avenue, and down Niantic Avenue before concluding at Ocean Park.

As the crowd enthusiastically cheered, parade participants sang, danced, and threw candy and merchandise in celebration.

The Oak Bluffs library and the M.V.

SARA CREATO

The Martha’s Vineyard girls’ varsity tennis brings home trophy and avenges last year’s championship loss. SEE A16

First singles Laina Dubin meets the team at the net after defeating Dover-Sherborn‘s Leah Hills, far right, to win the championship.

DENA PORTER

The Parade lineup began on Seaview Avenue.

A Taste of the Vineyard draws record crowd

Although the weatherman said rain, the weather was clear for the start of the iconic two-day event in Edgartown that typically indicates the start of summer.

Guests in floor-length dresses and tailored suits gathered last Thursday on the lawn of the historic Dr. Daniel Fisher House on Main Street, and enjoyed everything from PBRs in red Solos from the Ritz Café to caviar from Rosewater Market.

While it is a big party, A Taste of the Vineyard, better known as the Taste, is also the Vineyard Preservation Trust’s most important fundraiser of the year, with tickets starting at $250. The two-day event, which includes the Thursday night event, and Patron’s Party and auction on Saturday, not only raises money for the continued preservation of some of the Island’s most historic and iconic landmarks, but allows vendors to showcase their food and drink to almost 1,600 people.

Julie Hatt, events and cultivation director for the Preservation Trust and organizer of the Taste, said that this year’s crowd was the biggest they’ve ever hosted. “I can’t imagine a better community event than this,” Hatt said. “Every dime goes back to the buildings that we preserve, restore, and maintain for future generations. Can you imagine the Flying Horses? If we didn’t put the money back in there, they wouldn’t keep going.”

“If there was anything I can say, it’s just the appreciation I have,” Hatt said. “The vendors are happy, and that’s what is important to me, because the vendors are what make it happen. It wouldn’t happen without them.”

The Taste is a celebration of Island life, and especially of those who keep the people fed and happy. There were tables for Black Dog Bakery, Fishbones, Offshore Ale Co., Our Market, the Ritz Café, Black Dog, Edgartown Diner, Rockfish, MV Salads, the Lookout, Behind the Bookstore, and many more.

Some restaurants have been vendors at the Taste for years, while others are new to the scene. This year, 13 new vendors joined the ranks, including co-owners of the Maker Café Chef Carlos Montoya and Sheenagh Caridi, who were excited to be at the Taste for their first year. “The majority of people who have stopped at our table have never been, so the exposure is great.” Caridi said. “You walk around, see everyone, taste some really good food.” They were serving bigeye tuna tartare, which will be added to their menu later this month. “It’s a nice reprieve before it all blows up. See you all in the fall,” joked Caridi.

Chef Ting from Black Joy was celebrating her first year at the Taste as well, serving a “peach party in your mouth,” a dish that included local produce. She said that food offers a bridge between communities.

Although its storefront is currently closed for a big renovation project, the Net Result had a table serving crab cakes, which will eventually be added to its menu. Cassie Walton, who was present at the booth, said that people were excited to see them. “It’s a great opportunity for restaurants to show face,” said Walton, who added that they are on schedule to be open by the end of the month.

The Pawnee House in Oak Bluffs was all about bananas, serving banana pudding, milkclarified banana daiquiri, and vegan pulled pork, which was made with banana peels. Alex Cohen, who owns Pawnee with his wife Debbie, said that the Taste is a great celebration of community. “It’s sort of a nice balance of tourists, seasonal, and year-rounders,” said Cohen. “It’s nice to see businesses that work hard all year get to cut loose a little.”

Nils Leaf, who runs M.V. Smokehouse, is a fisherman who catches and smokes all his own fish, and was serving smoked whitefish spread and tuna spread. “It’s a great event this year,” said Leaf, who added that while this event

The music ‘Comes in Waves’ for Carly Simon

After a recording hiatus of nearly 20 years, Carly Simon is back with a new studio album, called “Comes in Waves,” which releases in full on August 14. The first single, titled “Howl,” was released on YouTube this Tuesday.

Simon, a Grammy awardwinning singersongwriter and inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, recorded the album in her studio on Martha’s Vineyard, where she lives full-time. It’s made up of 12 tracks, and is being released five decades after her first album. In 1971, Simon put out a self-titled compilation of songs that got her international notice, awards, and a legendary reputation as a pioneering vocalist and songwriter. Simon was famously married to James Taylor, and the pair had two children: Ben and Sally Taylor. Ben Taylor lives full-time on the Vineyard, and was featured in his mother’s new album as a singer, musician, producer, and songwriter. Sally Taylor contributed both vocals and cover artwork for the song “Howl.” John Forté is also on the album, in one of his last recorded features released after

his sudden passing in January at the age of 50. Forté was introduced to the Island by the Simon and Taylor family.

The first single from the album, called “Howl,” was officially released last Friday. The track begins with Simon’s recognizably clear and velvety voice, and rises in intensity as the chorus hits. It was co-written with David Spencer, a songwriter and music producer. The lyrics are raw and honest, telling a story about difficult feelings rising and falling and trust being tested.

“‘Howl’ lives in that space between betrayal and forgiveness, where anger has to be voiced before it can be released,” Simon said in a press release. “It’s about letting the frustration out so it doesn’t sit and simmer. The song begins in anger, but it moves toward forgiveness, and speaks to any situation where trust has been broken.”

Since the 1970s, Simon has helped define a generation of singer-songwriters with the likes of Joni Mitchell and Carole King. Simon has lived on the Vineyard for decades. In recent years, she’s been seen perform-

kicks off the summer, it also serves as almost a goodbye to the people in the industry. “It’s the last time I see a lot of local people until September,” he said.

Tom Smith has attended the event for the past two years as a guest, and emphasized the importance of coming together as a community. “It means good food, good people, and good times,” said Smith. “There’s nothing better than supporting my own community, and any part I can play in that is a dream come true.”

Linda Simard, who was representing Clausthaler Schofferhofer Beer, has come to the event for the past 15 years. “Having the opportunity to taste, not just food but each of these companies, is beautiful,” Simard said. “The best part is people are so open to trying new things, and I love that.”

As the night went on, the lines at the booths thinned, and the crowd drifted toward the dance floor, where the Vine Shakers kept the energy going. For locals, it was a pause before the pace of summer picks up; for visitors, it was the start of the season’s celebrations. For everyone, it was a chance to reconnect, celebrate, and take stock of the community before the Island shifts into full swing.

ing at events like Ladyfest, a music festival spearheaded by local musician Rose Guerin with event co-founder Kelly Feirtag.

Simon has released 13 top singles, wrote two memoirs and five children’s books, and has remained a musical icon nationally and on the Island.

“‘Comes In Waves’ does not attempt to recreate the past. Instead, it continues the conversation Simon has been having with her audience for decades, one grounded in truth, vulnerability, and a refusal to simplify emotion,” the press release stated. “It is a reminder of an artist still fully engaged with her craft, still asking questions, and still finding new ways to articulate what it means to live, to love, and to let go.”

Incredible sense of community at forefront of Thursday’s summer kickoff event. BY ELLA MUNNELLY

A new album by the legendary singer-songwriter is coming out on August 14. BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

Darby Patterson sings at the Taste for the Vine Shakers.

The album cover for Carly Simon’s first album in nearly 20 years, to be released this August, with cover art by her daughter, Sally Taylor.

Awholepictureofhealth

Continued from A1

Hospital, called the “Community Health Needs Assessment,” shows that health is a moving target on the Vineyard.

In response, leaders of both Island Health Care and the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital are among a growing list of medical enterprises that have launched new services, hired new staff, and even dedicated walk-in centers: one for ticks and another for integrated services. Others include Martha’s Vineyard Medical’s new tick center, primary care telehealth at the hospital, and overall increased transportation programs for older adults.

Island Health Care and the hospital were prompted to take action based on data they collected together over the course of 2025. The organizations then published separate reports on each health groups’ respective websites under the same title: “Community Health Needs Assessment.”

Between the reports, the reality of health needs for Islanders is clear: The issues facing yearrounders aren’t all new, but they are becoming more dire.

In response to those shifting tides, the public survey that accompanied the report showed that the majority of Islanders are asking practitioners to step up and meet their health needs by looking at the whole picture. This demand for intersectional healthcare — taking into account environmental, physical, mental, and emotional factors — is a pivot from some traditional Western medicinal models. But for many Islanders, the holistic approach sometimes seemed out of reach as expensive healthcare premiums and doctor’s visits sometimes far exceed a month’s rent or mortgage. At the end of the day, Islanders are searching for good value in health care, and they want their money’s worth.

“It was really clear that the community thinks of things like housing stability, food and nutrition and security, and good careers as core to not just health but actually healthcare,” Lucy Hackney, chief operating officer at Island Health Care, told The Times.

A new mobile unit for sameday behavioral health, primary care, and walk-in appointments at Island Health Care was soft-launched in early

June, and will officially open this July. And the group is constructing a new, integrated healthcare center near its Edgartown campus that sprawls 9,000 square feet, compared with the 760-square-foot space they currently operate.

“We are creative with how we deliver services,” Sam Mitchell, Island Health Care’s director of communications and strategic development, told The Times Wednesday. He said many of their staff members work remotely, but the new space could ensure patients are seen in person rather than via telehealth: “Bringing them all under one roof … would be a massive thing for the community.”

In addition, the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital launched a new tick clinic and bolstered its walk-in services, seeing the need amid risking tick illnesses, and joining other initiatives like that of the Martha’s Vineyard Medical Tick Center.

“This location will offer express care, a tick-bite clinic, as well as ophthalmology and audiology services. We are pleased to expand access to state-of-the-art care for upIsland communities, and value the strong collaboration with our infectious disease colleagues across the Mass General Brigham system,” hospital President Claire Seguin said in a statement in April regarding the center.

The hospital also added telehealth for primary care appointments this spring, to assist people on a long waitlist; the additional centers are geared toward in-person care.

In addition to health concerns like ticks and primary care, factors like federal immigration enforcement for the Jamaican and Brazilian community and rising health insurance rates have intensified the fear locals are feeling in a community that is otherwise safer than the mainland, with lower violent crime rates and many front doors left unlocked.

Although specific data points are unknown by practitioners, many have said that the local Brazilian community is afraid to send their children to school or attend their doctor’s appointments in person due to the arrests that have occurred on-Island. This reduced access to care has many

Modern hunting laws removed by House

Back in March, Gov. Maura Healey announced in the middle of an East Falmouth wildlife management area that she planned to file legislation in a budget bill to modernize hunting laws that currently limit access to the sport across the state.

implications, such as a spread of illness because of a missed doctor’s appointment or symptoms going unaddressed and conditions worsening.

Island Health Care is a federally qualified health center, meaning the group receives federal funds and accepts patients regardless of immigration status, their ability to pay,

pital’s version of the assessment was published in November. Both reports relied on local, state, and federal data, plus a survey of more than 1,000 community members.

The common findings included a rising need for primary care physicians, which has already started to be addressed this year by the hos-

was removed in the hospital’s republished assessment, Seguin, said the federal data used a higher population size to gather their information, which could skew the information, making the rates “statistically unstable.”

But a revised version of that supplemental budget passed by the State House of Representatives last Wednesday, which now goes to the State Senate for consideration in the coming weeks, didn't include the provisions on hunting.

or insurance status.

The impression Mitchell had from the data was that Islanders see their health needs as deeply intersectional with their lives, and that yearround residents are “feeling pressures from all these different directions.”

“People don’t just limit their ideas about what a health challenge is to healthcare and access to healthcare. They think about transportation and housing and access to food and quality jobs as being part and parcel of what it means to live a life on the Island and be able to thrive here,” Mitchell said.

He said the health group sees it as a “call to action,” especially since Island Health Care is what he described as a “safety net provider.”

“Also in our collaborations with other organizations, we’re really trying to think about how to relieve pressures on all these different metrics,” Mitchell said.

Although some data are mirrored in each health report, each organization went in different directions with its focus. The hospital left out some federal data in its final report that Island Health Care highlighted; the hospital also completed their assessment a few months sooner.

Island Health Care’s report came out in April, and the hos-

pital, Island Health Care, and Martha’s Vineyard Medical, as well as challenges with transportation. One of the biggest takeaways from the hospital’s report was that the Vineyard is home to a relatively physically healthy community, but locals deal with mental health, substance use, and access to care issues at a higher rate than on the mainland.

Locals with severe health diagnoses who are in need of frequent off-Island specialist appointments, along with older Vineyarders, are especially affected by transportation difficulties, as they often need to rely on the ferry. For those facing sudden, middle-of-thenight emergency trips, a MedFlight is the easiest and fastest way to receive some surgical or emergent care off-Island.

Island Health Care’s own “Community Health Needs Assessment” came to many of the same conclusions as the hospital’s report, with additional data about substance use disorders and mental health. Although they initially included a federal number showing the crude suicide rate in Dukes County, administration at the hospital took down the report, republished their assessment online a few days later, and that data had been removed.

When asked by The Times why data about suicide rates

news in brief

State Sen. Julian Cyr said he can’t speak to why the House didn’t include the provisions, but said there are other options.

“We’ve heard loud and clear, especially from Vineyarders, that we need some more options for hunting to control the deer population on the Island, so we’re taking a look at those,” Cyr said.

Included in the initial bill were provisions on hunting, such as reversing what Healey called Puritan blue laws that prohibit hunting on Sundays, expanding crossbow access to anyone, and reducing the setback limit, or distance from a dwelling, for bowhunting

“Even one or two additional events can significantly change the calculated rate, which limits how reliably those rates can be interpreted. For the same reason, a trend analysis couldn’t be calculated. Given this nuance, we felt it would be potentially misleading to highlight that specific statistic in the final report,” Seguin said.

According to federal data, Dukes County has the highest crude (number of deaths within a population per thousand people) suicide rate in Massachusetts, at 19 per 100,000 people, or about four people a year for a population size of 20,000, like the Vineyard. This is 138 percent higher than the rest of the state, according to the Island Health Care report.

Seguin also acknowledged the removal of the first version of the report, which she stated was “posted as a preliminary draft and was not clearly labeled as such.”

The suicide rate was just one of many statistical findings that were far higher than the rest of the state in the reports. The Island community was found to have only one primary care physician for every 1,740 people, compared to the state average of one provider to 970 people. Tick-borne conditions are soaring on the Vineyard, with emergency visits locally for tick bites at 500 percent higher than any other Massachusetts county.

Dukes County has the lowest overall rate of cancer in the state, but it has the highest incidents of colon and rectum cancer, according to data collected by the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital and Island Health Care. Due to high screening percentages, however, many of those diagnoses were not in the late stages.

Heart disease, hypertension, and high blood pressure were also noted concerns to health providers on the Vineyard.

While the Island community has long struggled with mental and behavioral health and substance use disorders, diagnoses have skyrocketed in recent years.

Through collected data from 2019 and 2025 at Island Health Care, the report stated that “the number of active patients

— from 500 to 250 feet — to open up thousands of acres of land to the sport.

These provisions were supported by Healey for a multitude of reasons, especially because an overabundant deer population contributes to increases in tick-borne conditions, agriculture loss, and vehicle collisions.

“A lot has changed in our country over the past 250 years, and it’s time for our hunting laws to get an update too,” Healey said in a statement to The Times. “The Sunday hunting ban doesn’t make sense. Many people today are working six-day weeks, and Sunday is their only chance to

with a diagnosis of attention deficit and disruptive behavior disorders increased by 636 percent. During that same period, the number of patients with: alcohol-related disorders increased 38 percent; other substance-related disorders increased 108 percent; depression and other mood disorders increased 21 percent; anxiety disorder including PTSD increased 25 percent; and other mental disorders (excluding drug or alcohol dependence) increased 106 percent.”

The public survey, conducted by the health organizations and canvassing efforts in the community, backed that up as well, with people citing a lack of consistent services for mental health. Sixty-eight percent of survey respondents struggle with housing insecurity; 55 percent of locals said they have trouble accessing dental care; 14 percent said accessing mental health services was “very difficult.”

While the “Community Health Needs Assessment” is a framework of data rather than a definitive action plan, it defines the goals and standard of care for those two health organizations on the Vineyard. The Martha’s Vineyard Hospital recently launched the follow-up to its assessment, called the “Community Health Implementation Plan,” which highlighted mental health and substance use services, tick-borne illness prevention and care, and transportation as some top priorities for the next three years.

The goals are similar for Island Health Care, but it added that an acknowledgement of broader issues, like housing, food, insurance, and career maintenance, is at the top of its list.

“If somebody comes with a housing concern, they probably also have a food concern, or they might have concerns about the cost of their medical bills. They might be on MassHealth, and worried about if they’re going to lose their coverage, or how their coverage might change with impending changes, or the changes that have already happened,” Haley Dolan, director of community health at Island Health Care, said.

“Having that holistic approach ensures that we can understand the whole needs of an individual, and also the whole needs of a community.”

hunt. This is a real economic issue for our families, and a matter of fairness. Hunting, along with fishing, is an important source of food for people and local food banks. Hunting is also critical for wildlife management, including to address the serious public health threat of ticks. I’m going to keep working with the legislature to get this done.”

Cyr said that either the Senate could include the provisions in their bill, or what he called the “policy riders” could be taken up in a “different vehicle,” not the supplemental budget.

Sam Mitchell outside the Island Health Care offices.

SARAH SHAW DAWSON

EDITORIAL

A new path in Aquinnah

We applaud the effort in Aquinnah to heal a longstanding rift between the town and the tribe.

No one seemed to remember precisely when the two sides stopped meeting, and few could offer a theory as to why. But what seemed very much front of mind now is that the Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head (Aquinnah) gathered Saturday with the executive arm of the town of Aquinnah, the select board, for the first time in decades in what was as described as a “momentous” event.

We commend Kevin Devine, who is the relatively new chair of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribal Council, elected in November, for extending an invitation to town officials and making this meeting happen. It was something that select board members, tribal and nontribal, have wanted for a while.

The two sides can now set out together and go forward in cooperation to meet the considerable challenges that lie ahead, challenges which we believe neither government can meet alone, such as the pressures caused by overdevelopment, the high cost of living,

and threats posed by climate change.

While there’s been some level of coordination between the tribe and town before, Tom Murphy, current chairman of the Aquinnah Select Board, gave credit to Devine, who “opened a door” to have these conversations take on a more purposeful nature by bringing the two forms of government together to meet regularly.

“These are not problems that stop at the boundary between tribal land and town land … We envision an Aquinnah where the town government and the tribal government speak regularly, not only when there is conflict to resolve, but because ongoing communication is simply how neighbors who care for one another conduct themselves,” Murphy said.

While the tribal and town governments are in the same part of the Vineyard, their land abuts the other on nearly every corner. There has been some cooperation, such as intergovernmental agreements, but actually sitting down in an official capacity is rare.

Bolstered cooperation between the tribe and the town was a goal Devine said he had while he served on the tribal council, years before he became chair. He returned to the Island in 2017 after nearly 30 years of service in the U.S. Army, and strove to relearn the

tribe’s traditions, in a way showing a bridging of cultures in his own story.

Aquinnah was once an area almost exclusively inhabited by members of the tribe, after the settlement of Europeans on other parts of the Island. But through the years, more and more nontribal residents settled in Aquinnah and shifted the demographics. Then in the late 1970s, voters began to elect nontribal members to the Aquinnah Select Board.

That reality may have been what started the rift, but most of the people our reporters spoke with were hazy on the details. What seemed to be forged as a clear consensus out of the meeting was a renewed commitment for residents to work together to solve shared problems, and particularly to start with three areas they can work on right away. They include: a need not only to dredge but to find a long-term solution to sand buildup at the West Basin, new purpose for the properties at Aquinnah Circle North near the Cliffs, and an assessment of current agreements between the town and the tribe so they can find new ways to work together. If these problems are addressed through this new spirit of cooperation, then this meeting on Saturday will indeed be remembered for generations to come as a truly historic moment.

LETTERS

Celebrating 30 years of community success at MVPCS

To the Editor:

This year marks Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School’s (MVPCS) 30th anniversary, a moment to look back on three decades of outstanding community accomplishments.

It’s also a time of exciting leadership transition. Incoming Director Christopher Nace will take the reins in July, while Peter Steedman, current director, will transition to a teaching role on Cape Cod. We are drafting this letter in partnership to highlight the remarkable growth and communitywide accomplishments MVPCS has achieved since its founding.

MVPCS’s founders, parents, teachers, and community stakeholders came together to develop a vision for an alternative public school that prioritized student voice as a key driver of educational success. After years of planning, the school opened its doors in September 1996 as the Island’s first and only K-12 public charter school.

We have witnessed that having a charter school serving the Cape and Islands is a true asset for students, families, and the community at large, cultivating lifelong learners through a rigorous, project-based curriculum.

In 2021, the school became an authorized International Baccalaureate (IB) World School, offering a robust range of IB classes for all high school students to complete the IB Diploma Program or the career-related program. An IB model focuses on international-mind-

edness, student-centered education, and inquiry-based learning. Similar to Advanced Placement courses, an IB diploma is highly regarded by colleges and universities, with IB courses often translating into college credit.

Our rigorous, project-based model includes artists in residence, mentorship, and project period. Over three decades, it has grown into our current educational model, thanks to the contributions of our students and families, staff, school founders, and Bob Moore, who served as the school’s director for 20 years.

MVPCS also prides itself on belonging and cultural responsiveness, becoming the first school on the island to offer Brazilian Portuguese as a language of instruction in grades K-8. Additionally, through direct outreach with the Aquinnah Cultural Center, MVPCS has established strong bonds with the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). These efforts are part of a broader commitment to cultivating authentic and meaningful cultural engagement for our students.

What is perhaps most impactful to witness is how the Island has truly become our classroom. We could not be more grateful to work with amazing community pillars such as Island Grown Initiative, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, the African American Heritage Trail, Native Earth Teaching Farm, Slough Farm, and many more, who help students apply their academic skills in real-world settings every day. It is a privilege to look back on 30 years of success thanks to a model that centers student voice, academic rigor,

and community partnership. We look forward to continued success in the years to come.

Peter Steedman and Christopher Nace Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School

Support the fight against tick-borne

illnesses

To the Editor: It finally happened! On June 9, above the Tisbury Town Hall in Vineyard Haven, we had a very serious conversation about dealing with the very serious tick situation here on the Island, and our sister island, Nantucket. It is presently completely at emergency level. Seven dedicated, wonderful humans who are chock-full of information and help gave up their evening to share what they know.

God bless and thank you, Ellen McMahon, M.D., Lea Hamner, M.P.H., Aubrey Stimola Ryan, PA-C, Josh Levy, M.S., R.D.N., L.D.N., Virginia Barbatti, heading tickfreemv.org, and Kathleen Fitch, N.P. You are so awesome, and we so appreciate you and all the time and love you are putting into helping us on our beloved Island. One of my takeaways was to write to your representatives and tell them you want the Lyme vaccine. Tell them you want them to continue funding for tick diseases. And of course, if you can help in any way, please do: tickfreemv.org needs your funding.

Thank you, all you intelligent and gracious people, we are so grateful to you. And thank you, Lea, for your sweet humour. It was so timely, appreciated, and helpful as the topic was/is (albeit essential) quite morbid. I believe you said, “If you couldn’t go outside, you would be

sad.” Indeed, we would be very sad. We look forward to the next meeting, where we might find out more ways that we can help, as well as become more informed.

Corinna Kaufman

Aquinnah

Bravo to talented Vineyard students

To the Editor:

I am the outgoing chair of the board of ACE MV. ACE has a close partnership with MVRHS, and among ACE’s activities, board, staff, and friends volunteer to do mock job interviews with juniors as part of their career exploration junior seminar.

More than a week ago, I talked with three multilingual juniors. I can only say that these young women were each spectacular. I can’t vouch for their Portuguese, but their English was perfect, and they’re at ease with adults. They serve their community as volunteers, two at the Food Pantry. One is the secretary of the honor society; all had taken AP courses, and two said that math was their strongest subject and interest, though they love English too. All three have college aspirations and great grades. One is the bookkeeper for her dad’s company; another assists in her mother’s tax preparation business, and the third has a responsible retail job. What a gift these young women are to our Island and to the U.S. Bravo to them, and to MVRHS and to their families, of course.

Nancy Hoffman West Tisbury

NICOLE JACKSON

VINEYARD GALLERY

ESSAY

Karma, connection, and the people who find us

BY URSULA KRESKEY

Dedicated to my friend, Patricio Honores.

There are moments in life that change us physically, emotionally, and spiritually all at once. Sometimes those moments arrive suddenly, without warning, and leave us searching for meaning in the aftermath. For me, that moment came through an accident that could have left me feeling frightened, isolated, and defeated. Instead, it revealed something extraordinary about humanity, friendship, and what many people call karma.

As a reminder, the accident occurred at Logan Airport, where I suffered a serious fall that left me injured and in need of immediate assistance. What began as a frightening and painful experience quickly became a powerful lesson in human kindness as 10 people — complete strangers, and caring souls — rushed to my rescue. They comforted

me, protected me, and helped me through one of the most frightening moments of my life. I will never forget the feeling of being surrounded by kindness when I needed it most.

My friend Patricio later said something that deeply stayed with me. He believed that karma had played a role in what happened that day. He told me that because I have always tried to live as a warm, positive, outgoing, and caring person, that energy somehow returned to me in my hour of need. Even though I suffered physically, the love, concern, and support I received from those 10 people felt like life giving something back to me.

At first, I simply appreciated the kindness of strangers. But as time passed, I began to notice something else happening in my life. The accident seemed to awaken a deeper awareness in me — almost as if it opened the door to understanding how connected people truly are.

Not long afterwards, I reconnected with an all-year-on-Island friend I had not seen in more than 20 years. For years we had wanted to connect again, but life simply moved us on in different directions. Then suddenly, almost unbelievably, we crossed paths again.

From the moment we reunited, it felt natural and immediate, as though no time had passed at all. Today we share a close bond, and I cannot help but feel that karma played a part in bringing us back together exactly when we needed each other the most.

Then another meaningful experience happened. I went to lunch with an on-Island friend, and during our conversation, we discovered that we share four close friends — connections neither of us knew existed. It felt too remarkable to dismiss as coincidence. Once again, life seemed to be quietly weaving people together through invisible threads. Since the accident, moments like these have continued to happen over and over again. Encounters, reconnection, unexpected friendships, and meaningful conversations now seem to carry a deeper significance for me. I have started to believe that karma is not simply about rewards or punishments. It is about energy, compassion, human connection, and the way kindness circles back into our lives through people and experiences.

Karma, to me, is no longer an abstract idea. It has become some-

thing deeply personal. It is the stranger who stops to help. It is the old friend who suddenly reappears after decades apart. It is the realization that our lives overlap in beautiful and unexpected ways. It is the comfort of knowing that goodness matters and that the love we give to others may someday return to us when we need it the most.

The accident has had a profound effect in that it has changed the way I see the world. I now pay closer attention to the people who enter my life, the connections that seem destined, and the quiet moments that remind us we are never truly alone.

And through it all, I remain grateful — grateful for the people who helped save me, grateful for the friendships that have deepened since then, and grateful to Patricio, whose insight helped me recognize the meaning behind these experiences.

Sometimes life breaks us open just enough for us to finally see the extraordinary beauty of human connection.

Ursula Kreskey is an Edgartown resident. This is a follow-up piece to her essay published in March, “Human kindness at Logan Airport.”

KRISTOFER RABASCA

State begins audit on Steamship Authority

An audit is underway for the Steamship Authority (SSA), prompted by a state Office of Inspector General (OIG) report that highlighted the failures of the ferry line’s website project. It will take at least a year before the results are released, and it remains uncertain what information is under review.

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio told The Times during a visit to Vineyard Haven on Wednesday, June 10, that her office is inspecting the ferry line. Her interview with The Times was scheduled on the same day she came to the Island to meet local officials and constituents, and to attend a re-election campaign event hosted at an Edgartown home. She said that her future and ongoing efforts include enacting an audit on the state legislature and addressing concerns she’s heard from members of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), but that locally, the ferry line audit is something already initiated.

Alex Kryska, SSA general manager, said during the ferry line’s board meeting on Tuesday morning that they had received a letter in April that an audit had begun, a process he said happens around every three years. The SSA Enabling Act requires an audit be done annually, but in reality, it depends on the availability of the state auditor’s office.

“It’s been about four years since our last state audit, so we’re not surprised by this,” Kryska said. The last state audit report on the SSA was issued in 2024, prompted by a 2021 cyberattack that disrupted service. The report

highlighted that a lack of staff cybersecurity training contributed to the incident.

DiZoglio declined to describe the full details on exactly what her office is looking into regarding the SSA, citing “government auditing standards” that prohibit her office from sharing audit details until the report is released, but said that she was prompted by the inspector general’s report.

But Kryska said during the Tuesday meeting that some focuses of the state auditor’s office include compliance with the SSA enabling act, bylaws regarding the composition and appointment of board membership, the ferry line’s procurement process, settlement agreements with employees, and conflict-ofinterest training.

The audit comes on the heels of the scathing report issued in December by the OIG, DiZoglio said. That report said that the website project, described as “ill-conceived, poorly executed,” was initiated before a new reservation system was made and wasted millions in public funds. The report also stated that the SSA board failed to conduct proper oversight of the ferry line’s spending throughout the project.

“We partner and make sure we’re not duplicating efforts, but that we are working in collaboration to make sure that we’re helping to both do our part to increase accountability,” DiZoglio said about the OIG, highlighting that the auditor reviews organizational procedures, performance, and financial aspects

of state and quasi-public agencies, compared with the inspector general’s role in investigating allegations of malfeasance.

State Inspector General Jeffrey Shapiro also visited the Vineyard in April to explain and discuss the findings of his report.

Since the report was released, there are new faces leading the ferry line. Kryska was hired as the new general manager of the ferry line in December, and Ted Gavin was appointed by the Dukes County commissioners in March to represent the Vineyard on the SSA board. Kryska charted plans to improve the ferry line based on recommendations in the OIG report.

“It’s important to remember that these audits are not about individuals or personalities,” DiZogio said. “They are very much about systems and organizational structures and room for improvements.”

Gavin told The Times that he looks forward to whatever the auditor’s team finds, expressing confidence that Steamship leadership will provide what is needed. “I’m in favor of relentless transparency,” he said.

DiZoglio said her office is also in the very early phase of collecting information over concerns raised by members of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe, although whether an audit will be conducted hasn’t been decided yet. DiZoglio said they have heard concerns that some state government entities “are not properly consulting with the tribal members and tribal governments,

as required by law.”

Additionally, her office received reports that some tribal members have been illegally “balance-billed” for Medicaid services under MassHealth. DiZoglio said balance billing occurs when a healthcare provider charges patients for the difference between their total retail fee and the amount insurance paid. “We are very concerned about this,” DiZoglio said.

Kevin Devine, chair of the Aquinnah Wampanoag tribal council, said he hasn’t heard about the information collection so far, and plans to follow up on it.

Meanwhile, at the re-election campaign event in an Edgartown home on Simpsons Lane, Beth O’Connor, who hosted the Edgartown event and is a founding member of the SSA Citizens Action Group, which pushes for change at the ferry line, said it was an opportunity for guests to hear from DiZoglio about various topics amid “turbulent times.” But the main issue in discussion was a 2024 ballot question that voters across

the state approved for DiZoglio to audit the state legislature, including a review of its functions, programs and commissions, and accounts.

Since the ballot question was passed overwhelmingly by voters, 72 percent across the state, it has faced various delays, from resistance by the state Senate on the release of documents, and, most recently, the state House voted to limit the 2024 law regarding what DiZoglio can audit, citing a need to preserve the separation of powers. But DiZoglio said an audit on the state legislature should proceed since it was approved by voters, and a transparency measure to help bring improvement recommendations to the state legislative branch’s operations. She also said that, regarding the ballot question, what she was hearing from Islanders was more about a “desire for democracy to be protected and less about being concerned about [missing] spreadsheets.”

8-10am

DiZoglio said the process was prompted by the Office of the Inspector General’s report. BY EUNKI SEONWOO

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

State Auditor Diana DiZoglio at The Times’ office in Vineyard Haven.

Nobody hurt after Chappaquiddick home lost in fire

Fire departments from four towns responded to the emergency last Thursday, and continued efforts the next day. BY

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

Afire on Chappaquiddick Island that triggered a multi-town response burned a house to the ground last Thursday in the early hours of the morning.

The Edgartown Fire Department wrote in a social media post later that morning that it received a 2 am call for a house fire on Chappaquiddick. Before first responders arrived, the resident and her dog were able to safely exit the home, located at 123 Litchfield Road, after being alerted by smoke detectors, according to a press release from the town’s fire department. There were no injuries.

The release said that the Edgartown Fire Department’s duty officer, an emergency first responder on call, activated a specialized first-alarm response protocol tailored for incidents on Chappaquiddick, which

initiated responses from multiple Island agencies.

On-call Edgartown volunteer fire personnel on Chappaquiddick quickly deployed a firefighting apparatus, a fire engine, from the Chappy station located at 48 Chappaquiddick Road. First responders from Edgartown arrived later with additional fire trucks and equipment “designed to board the ferry at low tide with a full complement of water,” according to the release. Oak Bluffs assisted with water supply support; they funneled water from the newly installed cistern — a water receptacle that catches, filters, and stores water — on Chappaquiddick Road.

The West Tisbury Fire Department provided two tankers for water-shuttling services as well as on-call firefighters, and Tisbury firefighters maintained

OAK BLUFFS WATER DISTRICT IMPORTANT NOTICE

The Board of Water Commissioners voted unanimously to implement a Mandatory Outdoor Water Ban for the Town of Oak Blu s in June 2006 under the Water Use Restriction By-law of April, 2000. This notice is a re-a rmation that the Mandatory Water Ban is still in e ect for the 2026 season (May 1-Sept 30) and is instituted not only to promote water conservation measures during our peak summer season, but is also intended to satisfy our Water Management Permit conditions with the State for water withdrawal.

Using the Enhanced 911 address system, all water customers who have odd-numbered street addresses may use outdoor water during odd-numbered calendar days. All water customers who have evennumbered street addresses may use outdoor water during even-numbered calendar days. Please help us conserve water during the peak usage of the summer months.

station coverage at the Edgartown Fire Department during the incident.

Memorial Wharf in downtown Edgartown was used as a staging area, and the Chappy Ferry was used to transport engines vehicles and personnel to the smaller island.

“Management of this intricate operation relied on predetermined leadership roles filled by members trained in incident command. The success of the response was also dependent on established procedures with the Chappy Ferry and support from the Edgartown Police Department,” the release read. “Our success in containing the fire, protecting surrounding structures, and preventing the spread to a wildfire is a testament to the established protocols, mutual aid agreements, strategic equipment investments, and infrastruc-

ture improvements implemented in recent years. We extend our sincere gratitude to our partners for their vital contributions to this operation.”

While fire crews worked to extinguish the fire and prevent it from spreading to the nearby woods, the house was deemed a “total loss,” the Edgartown Fire Department’s Facebook post read. “They say it takes a village, but we really think it takes an Island to do what we do,” the post reads.

A “fire watch crew” was assigned for the day Friday to prevent the fire from reigniting. There is an ongoing investigation into the cause of the fire, Edgartown fire officials said on scene on Thursday afternoon.

Later Thursday afternoon, Edgartown firefighters were still identifying hot spots

with a thermal reading device and dousing them with hoses as smoldering areas continued to give off smoke.

Peter Taft, president of the Chappaquiddick Island Association, told The Times Thursday that the Chappaquiddick community was ready to help support the family who owned the home.

“Like anything on Chappy,

once something happens, everyone networks and tries to help out,” Taft said in an interview with The Times. Taft said on Tuesday that the family reached out to Chappaquiddick residents and thanked them for their concern, and said they were OK. Taft added that they will continue to offer support to the family if they need it.

MARCH19,1945-JANUARY10,2026

AnneimpactedmanypeopleontheIsland.Ifshe touchedyourlife,pleasejoinustohonorher memoryandherfaith.TocelebrateAnne’sloveof hostingpartiesandpotlucks,thosewhowishto maybringadesserttoshareatthereception. SaturdayJune20that10AM FirstBaptistChurch,VineyardHaven,MA Servicewillbelive-streamedonYouTube. UseQRcodetojoinusonline.

A fire on Chappaquiddick burned a house down.

The aftermath of the incinerated home.

COURTESY EDGARTOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT

PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA UNLESS NOTED

Here and above: Edgartown firefighters douse hotspots at the location of Wednesdays’ fire on Thursday morning.

Biggerandbetter:PrideParadechampionsLGBTQcommunity

Camp Meeting Association teamed up to design an undersea-themed float consisting of a golf cart adorned with cardboard fish in the pattern of the progress Pride flag, a variant of the traditional design that features a chevron triangle to showcase underrepresented groups within the LGBTQ community.

Donning a blue and purple mermaid tail, Shivonne Schofield, head of circulation at the Oak Bluffs library, embodied the library’s character

of Luna Tide, a mermaid who leads a read-aloud and pool time program for young children at the YMCA of Martha’s Vineyard.

Schofield said she believes that this year’s sunny weather conditions caused a greater turnout.

“Last year, the rain made it a little more difficult, but I think this year, the weather is beautiful, and people are all coming out in full gear,” Schofield said.

“It’s awesome to see.”

Andrea Dello Russo, the

former owner of Andrea’s Auto in Edgartown and a finance manager at a HarleyDavidson dealership in Oregon, marched in the parade with her partner, Lyndsey Wright. Previously, the duo rode motorcycles in the parade procession as part of Dykes on Bikes, a historically lesbian motorcycle group. Dello Russo expressed her joy about returning to the Island for the parade. “I can’t stop smiling,” Dello Russo said. “To be back in this community and feel the support

and the love and the positive energy, it’s really great.”

The parade is organized by the Martha’s Vineyard Pride Committee and the Oak Bluffs Business Association (OBA).

M.V. Pride Committee chair and OBA Executive Director Sofie Green estimated that 38 local organizations participated in this year’s parade. She emphasized this year’s increase in both participation and attendance.

OBA President Larkin Stallings echoed these senti-

ments of success. “Everybody’s a bit more fabulous than in years past,” Stallings said. “[The parade] went off without a hitch.”

Stallings also commented on the Oak Bluffs Select Board’s quickness in already approving next year’s parade. “The town is working to streamline the process in an attempt to make it easier to do stuff,” he said.

Scott Mullin, coordinator of Queer Hub MV, partnered with Martha’s Vineyard Community Services and the Youth Task Force to set up an LGBTQ resources tent in Ocean Park. He noticed an uptick in foot traffic at both the tent and the parade.

“It was definitely a bigger year all around for the parade and the festivities,” Mullin said.

Emily Glanton, a rare dis-

ease researcher for the Undiagnosed Disease Network, a research study dedicated to finding solutions for undiagnosed medical conditions, was a visitor to the Island and the parade. Glanton, of Providence, said that she enjoyed seeing the parade’s animals and catching a packaged sandwich from a float by Mo’s Lunch.

Glanton said that Pride is “an act of resistance.” She said, “Especially in times when people are trying to take rights away from trans folks and trans kids, it’s important for people to show up for the community.”

Max Kieerer, an employee at the Black Dog, marched with a float designed by the Ritz Café. He said that Pride is about love and unity.

“Y’all means all. We all come together and appreciate

each other, and this life that we can live and just be whoever we want,” Kieerer said.

Dressed as Dorothy Gale from “The Wizard of Oz,” Scarlet Johnson, owner of the Yoga Barn, marched in this year’s parade in support of her loved ones in the LGBTQ community.

Johnson explained the story behind her costume.

“Instead of saying, ‘Are you gay?’ because it wasn’t safe to ask that, people in the [LGBTQ] community would ask someone, ‘Are you a friend of Dorothy’s?’” Johnson said. “I’m an ally, and I thought wearing a Dorothy costume would make sense.” For Johnson, Pride is about comfortable selfexpression. “Pride means safety to be who you are out loud,” said Johnson.

PHOTOS: DENA PORTER

1. Paradegoers flanked Derek Hall, center, and had a magnificent time at the Pride Parade.

2. The Upis Land Band, a brass/percussion community ensemble, performed at the Pride Parade. 3. Paradegoers had a magnificent time. 4. Members of the M.V. Camp Meeting Association joined in celebrating the LGBTQ community.

neither government can meet alone, such as the pressures of development, high cost of living, and threats of climate change. While there’s been coordination between the tribe and town before, Murphy gave credit to Devine, who “opened a door” to have these conversations.

Devine told The Times that even in his four years on the tribal council prior to his election in November as chairman, he wanted the town and tribe to share goals and align priorities.

And that view is shared by town officials as well.

Juli Vanderhoop, one of two Wampanoag Tribe members on the select board, said that for as long as she’s been on the board, which is more than a decade, they’ve tried to set up a discussion. She said only positive things can come out of this, and rather

than struggle separately, she looks forward to what they can do together.

“We all just love this place,” Vanderhoop said. She added that with all the respect each board has for the community, “we can only elevate it to where we want it to be” through cooperation.

It remains unclear the last time that the two governments formally met. Vanderhoop said that she doesn’t think the full board and full council have joined together since the late 1970s, around when the entire select board was made up of members of the tribe; there are now two tribal members on the board, Vanderhoop and Chris Manning. Devine guessed 25 years or more, though said that when Tobias Vanderhoop, now secretary for the tribal council, was chairman in the 2010s, he would communicate with the town, though not to this degree.

Brad Lopes, a member of the tribe, and education and public programs manager for the Aquinnah Cultural Center, said that based on those involved and leadership on both boards, efforts to join the two entities in discussion have stopped and started.

Ancestors of the Wampanoag people have lived in

Aquinnah and the rest of the Island, known as Noepe in the Wampanoag language, for at least 10,000 years. The Wampanoag Nation actually existed throughout all of Southeastern Massachusetts and Eastern Rhode Island, but after European settlements in the 1600s and 1700s brought disease and mass displacement, only Aquinnah, Mashpee, and Herring Pond maintain a significant physical presence today.

For decades, Nashaquitsa Pond (along State Road in Chilmark) to the Cliffs was considered an “Indian District,” the tribe states on the history page of its website, and was governed by three tribal overseers. But in 1870, the town of Gay Head was officially incorporated, which meant “the alienation of Wampanoag Indian District Lands (reservation),” according to the tribal history. In 1972, the Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head was formed as a means to achieve federal recognition and return the diminished tribal lands to Wampanoag people. It wasn’t until 1987 that the tribe received federal acknowledgement and some restitution for its land, and the name of the town was changed from Gay Head

to Aquinnah the next year. Still, Lopes said, as more and more non–tribal members came to Aquinnah, there grew an “interesting dynamic” in governance that meant the town no longer governed or was run by only tribal members. Today, he said he’s a “firm believer that we can come together and should come together.” The town and tribe both have access to different revenue

streams that could help everyone, he added.

Devine told The Times that there’s a lot of co-founded projects they can collaborate on, and as he’s talked to state officials, he’s learned that towns and tribes that work together can secure grants more successfully.

After some discussion on Saturday, Tribal Secretary Vanderhoop determined several action items for

each board, which included the select board providing information on past shortterm repairs to West Basin, putting the council on the select board’s agenda, congruently determining the best day to meet monthly, and creating a shared list of items for future discussions, which include management of town-owned land, repairs to the road near West Basin, and determining what towntribe agreements are currently enforced.

“That’s something that we’re digging into right now, the actual intergovernmental agreements,” Devine said. “There have been multiple agreements that have been done. We just need to find out again which ones expired, which ones are still in place, and what they say.” He added that there was a recent intergovernmental agreement created last year. Devine concluded the meeting after about an hour, and said that he really wants to help everyone in the town of Aquinnah, not only the tribal members: “I want to help everyone, and however I can do so, I will bend over backwards to do it.”

Devine and Murphy dismissed residents of Aquinnah, both tribal and nontribal, to enjoy the sun, and people got up to leave as the two chairmen embraced each other in a hug.

main tribal offices of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah).

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Mobility Manager / Transportation Coordinator – Full Time Salary Negotiable

The Martha’s Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) is seeking a motivated, community-focused individual to assist with transportation education and outreach services for the island community, older adults, and people with disabilities.

The ideal candidate must enjoy talking to people and have strong problem-solving skills. Applicants should be comfortable with technology and icrosoft ﬃce, able to work both independently and collaboratively, and demonstrate strong communication and interpersonal skills. Experience in training, travel training, outreach, customer service, education, or human services is preferred.

VTA is willing to consider splitting the role into two part-time positions if a full-time candidate cannot be secured.

Please send resume and cover letter to: Lauren Thomas, Deputy Administrator, info@vineyardtransit.com

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR

The Town of Oak Bluffs seeks an experienced and collaborative professional as its Human Resources Director. Reporting to the Town Administrator, this position is responsible for all municipal human resources administration, including recruitment and retention, employee and labor relations, collective bargaining support, personnel policy development, contract administration, workers’ compensation, and compliance with employment laws. ualiﬁed candidates should possess a

bachelor’s degree in human resources, public administration, or a related ﬁeld and a minimum of five (5) years of progressively responsible human resources management experience. Municipal and union labor relations experience is strongly preferred. Thorough knowledge of employment law, personnel administration, labor relations, and HR best practices required.

Salary Range: $47.72–$57.60/hour, DOQ, plus an excellent municipal beneﬁts package. or a complete job description and application instructions, visit oakbluffsma.gov/ jobs or contact Human Resources at wbrough@oakbluffsma.gov.

Application deadline is July 2, 2026, at 4:00pm. Oak Bluffs is an EO/ AA Employer.

SEEKINGACCOUNTANTTO MANAGEACCOUNTSPAYABLE, CASHCONTROLS, RECONCILIATIONS,BUDGET REPORTING,ANDMONTH-END CLOSEACTIVITIES.

RequiresExcelproﬁciency, organization,communicationskills, integrity,andindependentwork. ApplyNowhttps:// harborviewhotel.com/careers/Or contacthr@harborviewhotel.com

STILL LOOKING FOR HELP WITH RUNNING ERRANDS, POST OFFICE, FOOD PREP/COOKING. Janice (508) 696-8976

THE PLANNING BOARD IS SEEKING A TISBURY RESIDENT TO SERVE AS AN AT LARGE MEMBER ON THE ZONING BYLAW REVIEW COMMITTEE. Please submit letters of interest including experience and knowledge to the Tisbury Planning Board. PO Box 1239 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 or email tisburyplanningboard@ tisburyma.gov

THE UPS STORE IS HIRING FOR SEASON AND POSSIBLY YEAR ROUND.

Customer service star in a fast-paced environment. Retail experience a plus but will train. Please forward your info to Mike at miketfb@aol.com DRIVERS WANTED:

We are looking for people for full time/ part time. All shifts available. Applicants must possess a Massachusetts Driver’s License and have at least 2 years driving experience. Any questions please call BOB @ HARBOR TAXI 508-693-0037.

VINEYARDGARDENSISSEEKING ENERGETIC,MOTIVATED INDIVIDUALSFOROURNURSERY ANDLANDSCAPECREW. Openings:Cashier,Landscape Foreman,GardenDesigner, IrrigationSpecialist,StoneMason, andGroundskeeper.Eligible positionsincludehealth/pension beneﬁts. Applyonlineat www.vineyardgardens.netoremail yourresumeto mv@vineyardgardens.nettoday!

VINEYARDHAVENYACHTCLUB TAKEOUTKITCHENHELP FunworkwiththebestviewofVH Harbor!Breakfast/Lunchtakeout counterkitchenhelpneeded. Experienceinfoodpreppreferable, butnotrequired.Competitivepay. Contactgalley@vhyc.com.

MVCS DISABILITY SERVICES EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES:

Family Support Center Program

Manager ($63,000-$78,000 per year)

We’re looking for a compassionate, culturally responsive leader who honors families lived experiences, diversity, and cultural values. In this role, you’ll direct programming and support families in navigating complex systems, accessing resources, and exploring self-directed options across the lifespan. Experience preferred but paid on the job training may be provided. Sign-On Bonus available to employees in good standing! Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/employment

Family Support Center Service

Navigator

($23.07-$27.40 per hour)

Do you love helping families thrive?

We’re seeking a compassionate and resourceful Service Navigator to support families in identifying resources, solving problems, and building strong community connections. Join a team that values family strengths, diversity, and self-direction across the lifespan. Experience preferred but paid on the job training may be provided. Sign-On Bonus available to employees in good standing! Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

MVCS ISLAND WIDE YOUTH COLLABORATIVE EMPLOYMENT

OPPORTUNITIES:

Program Director

($73,000 - $88,000/year).

The Program Director will lead the IWYC, a Massachusetts Family Resource Center. Responsibilities include program oversight, designing and planning the IWYC program, supervising staff, working with Leadership to develop program budgets, managing state and federal contract compliance, and collaborating with community partners. Some evening and weekend hours are required. Sign-On Bonus available to employees in good standing!

ualifications Bachelor s degree required (relevant field preferred) and 1 years of nonprofit program management or leadership experience. Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills required. Passionate about helping families thrive? We encourage you to apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

School Liaison

($23.00-$28.50/hour)

The School Liaison will serve as a resource to families, schools, and the community, connecting families experiencing CRA-related issues with services and supports. Responsibilities include providing referrals, helping develop Family Support Plans, maintaining family service data, meeting regularly with Island schools, and assisting with IWYC/FRC programming and events. Some evening and weekend hours are required.

ualiﬁcations Background in social services or a mental health setting preferred. Strong communication, organi ation, conﬁdentiality, and collaboration skills required. Valid Massachusetts Driver’s License and reliable transportation required. Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

LOOKING TO RENT SMALL SPACE TO KEEP 4X8 TRAILER And a couple of sawhorses with ladders,spot in a ﬁeld or the woods,anything.508-663-7941.Thanks.

VACATION RENTALS

WEEKLYSTUDIORENTAL INEDGARTOWN

$1000/week.Call508-221-0300.

WEEKLYSTUDIORENTAL INEDGARTOWN $1500/week.Call508-221-0300.

APARTMENTS/ROOMS

ROOM SHARE BEDS

Available $250 per person per week. 3 weeks = $750 upfront to move in. Must be kind, clean and quiet. Email story/ details to pacnwest1@yahoo.com

STUNNING NON TOXIC (NO CARPET/NO MOLD) COMPLIMENTARY/ MEDICAL/ OR OTHER RETAIL SPACE.

2000 sq.ft. West Tisbury across from Cronigs. Two full baths. laundry. hree oﬃces and huge central space where 10 work spaces could ﬁt. New appliances in Kitchen. Ample parking (15 cars) Coy pond. Outdoor space. $6,500 per month or share 4500 with single doctor. Text Lisa 310-213-5472.

PETS & LIVESTOCK

HORSES FOR HALF LEASE TO GOOD RIDERS ONLY. Stunning ﬂoating gaits. ovable and gorgeous chestnuts both.

Enzo: Dressage/jumper- famous sire in Olympics! Indoor arena and out door ring. Also his friend Diamond. For trails and light ring work much less expensive. Text Lisa 310-2135472.

ARTICLES FOR SALE

EXTERIOR/INTERIOR AUTOMATED STAIRLIFT

200” (16’8”) long, can be shortened. Gray. Brand new, unused. Built by Staying Home Corp. Legacy II Stairlift Model SL19. Can be seen at www. stayinghome.com. $500 or best offer. Allan 617-676-8160

MARSHALLSANDERLING18’ SAILBOAT–CLASSIC CENTERBOARDCATBOATWITH TILLER. Sailsbeautifullyinshallowwater andcanbebeached—the quintessentialCapeCod/Martha’s Vineyardboat.Includestrailer,sail, cushions,lifevests,bronzestep— fullyequippedandreadytoenjoy. Storedundertarp;needswashand freshbottom/cockpitpaint.$6,400 OBO.Vineyardsalepreferred.Must pickup;sellercannottransport.Text fordetails(407)625-1475

LOST & FOUND

LOST SILVER BEADS In tan canvas pouch. June 11 - Edgartown $200 reward. 508-939-0347

LOST Key fob for a Subaru. May 24th. Either at MV Film Society back lot or MVCMA area. Please call 860-460-3868. TOOL WITH BATTERY FOUND In the road near the Old County and Edgartown/West Tis Road on Saturday May 30th. Text (508) 221-3262 to identify

MARTHAWASHINGTON STYLECHAIR

Approximately120yearsold Needsupholstery+woodreﬁnish $350onBO P:508-693-8900

SKIP THE SPA. BRING IT HOME

Premium Platinum Spas hot tubs and cold plunges, now available on MV. Relax. Recover. Recharge.

Quality construction, premium components, delivery included, and local support from Vineyard Pool & Spa. 508-693-6636 Your best vacation might be in your own backyard.

SERVICES MY HANDYMAN SERVICES/PROPERTY PAINT, DUMP RUN, TILE/STONE WORK, CARPENTRY, WINDOWS/ DOORS, SHINGLES, GUTTER CLEANUP, DECK REJUVENATE, POWER WASHER, ROOFS, BASEMENT/GARAGE CLEAN UP, Certified Mold Inspector & Remediator, TENNIS COURT CLEANING,

Real Estate

$2,250,000MARILYNMOSES OCEANPARKREALTY 617-462-0381 NEWCONSTRUCTION WelcometoLagoonRidge,Oak Bluffs’newestandmostsoughtafterneighborhood.Buildyour3bedroomdreamhomeinthis elevatedenclave,set95feetabove LagoonPondandcapturing sweepingskyviews,colorful sunsets,andrefreshingsea breezes.Thisexceptionalhomesite representsoneofthe final opportunitiesinthisthrivingnew community.Tobebuilt—The Naushon—features3bedrooms, 3.5bathrooms,andover2,400 squarefeetofthoughtfullydesigned livingspace.Agrandwrap-around coveredporchprovidesawelcoming entryandtheperfectplacetoenjoy morningcoffeeorcoolevening breezes.Inside,theopen-concept floorplanconnectsthechef’s kitchenwithspaciouslivingand diningareas,idealforentertaining familyandfriends.Eachbedroom suiteincludesatileden-suitebath withcustomizable fixturesand finishes,andthesecond-floorsuites mayofferprivatebalconiesfor addedrelaxation.ClassicOakBluffs cottagearchitecturemeetsmodern comfortandenergye ciency, makingTheNaushonanidealyearroundorseasonalretreat.Lagoon Ridgeoffersdirectaccessto conservationlandswithwalkingand bikingtrails,andnearbyLagoon Pondinviteskayaking,sailing,and shell fishing.Allutilities—electric, townwater,andaprivate,state-ofthe-artAmphidromewastewater system—arelocatedatthestreet. Thisinnovativesystemservesthe entireneighborhood,providing convenienceandpeaceofmind. LagoonRidgeisacovenantprotectedcommunitywith architecturalreviewand professionalmanagementbyFirst PropertyManagementCo.This beautifulhomesiteisreadyforthe constructionofyourVineyarddream home.Elevenlotshavesold—only tworemainavailable.Callfor details!

$1,245,000MARILYNMOSES617462-0381OCEANPARKREALTY, OAKBLUFFSCLASSICCAPE

Charmmeetsmoderne ciencyin thismove-in-ready3-bedroom home.Thoughtfullymaintainedand beautifullypresented,thehome featuressun-filledlivingspaces,an updatedkitchen,andcomfortable bedroomsdesignedforeasy everydayliving.Enjoyyear-round comfortwithenergy-e cientminisplitsystemsprovidingbothheating andairconditioning,offeringcosteffectiveclimatecontrolinevery season.The finishedbasement addsvaluablebonusspaceidealfor a mediaroom,homeo ceor workoutroomgivingyouthe flexibilityto fityourlifestyle. Outside,aprivateyardoffersthe perfectsettingforrelaxingor entertaining.Awonderful opportunityforayear-round residence,vacationgetaway,or investment...thisclassicCape blendstimelessstylewithmodern upgrades.

OAKBLUFFSWATERVIEWLOT

FORSALE

$1,200,000

CALLORTEXTReneBenDavid's Cell508-847-4864

OCEANPARKREALTY

PRICEIMPROVEMENT

46KENNEBECAVENUE

OAKBLUFFS,MA

$$1,495,000

CALLORTEXTALANSCHWEIKERT 508-221-1708ORMICHAEL SCHWEIKERT774-563-9112

SOLD&CLOSEDIN30DAYS

$1,995,000CALLORTEXT MARILYNMOSES617-462-0381

SOLD NEWLISTINGINOAKBLUFFS

IMPROVEDPRICE:$1,795,000**

CONTACTMARILYNMOSESAT 617-462-0381FORMORE DETAILS!

OCEANPARKREALTY

Discoverthebeautyof**THE PRESERVEatTHEWOODLANDS** inthehighlycovetedOakBluffs community!Thisisyourchanceto ownoneofthelastremaining buildinglotsinthisprimelocation, justmomentsawayfromtown, beaches,harbor,ferryports,andthe FarmNeckGolf&TennisClub.

Undergroundutilitiesarealreadyin place,makingthisrareoffering perfectfordevelopingyourdream familycompound.Enjoyapeaceful andprivatesetting,surroundedby conservationlandandtrailsidealfor hiking,walking,andbiking. Don’tmissoutonthisincredible opportunitytoembracetheOak Bluffslifestyle!

Real Estate Transactions

June 8 – 12, 2026

Edgartown

June 9, David G. Makowski and Terri East sold property off 0 Clevelandtown Road to the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission for $50,000.

June 10, Kay Dong sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 516 Week 23 and Unit 517 Week 23 to Timothy Santoro and Ellie Farahabadi for $9,000. June 11, Kenneth C. Williams and Leslie A. O’Brien, trustees of O’Brien-Williams Family Trust, sold 29 Majors Cove Lane to Nicole Parent Haughey and Philip C. Haughey Jr. for $4,500,000.

June 11, Stephen H. Myers sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 258 Week 39 to Eric Hastings and Rheanna Hastings for $3,500.

June 12, Winter Street MV LLC sold 62 Winter St. Unit 2 for $970,000 and Unit 3 for $25,000 to Timothy Costanza and Jennifer Franco.

June 12, Richard B. Dagen sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 210 Week 23 to Denis Grenier and Joanne Chung for $8,000.

Oak Bluffs

June 12, Kevin I. Hershfield, Robert S. Hershfield, and Cynthia K. Wolfson sold 54 Columbian Ave. to Carolyn Haynes-Malcolm and Osbourne Malcolm for $1,187,500.

West Tisbury

June 10, Catherine Francesca Kelly sold 157 Ben Chase Road to 157 Ben Chase LLC for $2,225,000.

Welcometo#0TemahiganAve& DoverStreet,OakBluffs.BuildYour Martha’sVineyardDreamHome. Rareopportunitytoownalevel, clearedcornerlotindesirableOak Bluffs,withpavedroadsbordering twosides,readyforconstructionof yourMartha’sVineyarddream home.Approvedforupto6 bedrooms,thisexceptionalproperty includesanapproved6-bedroom septicdesign,withroomfora possiblefuturepool.Locatedinthe sought-afterEastvillearea,where manyhomesenjoybeautifulwater views,thislotoffersthepotentialto capturestunningviewsofVineyard Soundandbeyondfroma thoughtfullydesignedhome.Create a customresidencethatembraces allthebeautyandlifestyleMartha’s Vineyardhastooffer.Enjoyashort walktoEastvilleBeach,whereyou cantakeinspectacularsunsets, watchtheferriescomeandgo,and experiencethecharmofisland living.Justashortdriveaway,you’ll haveaccesstoeverythingthat makesOakBluffssospecial— additionalbeaches,shellﬁshing, swimming,boating,andthevibrant energyofCircuitAvenue,featuring boutiqueshopping,diverse restaurants,andconvenientferry servicetoandfromtheislandvia theiconicOakBluffsHarborand nearbyports.Thisismorethanjust land—it’sanopportunitytocreate somethingtrulyspecial.Don’tjust dreamit—makeitreality.Owninga pieceofMartha’sVineyardisan investmentinalifestyleyou’llnever regret.Pleaseincludeapreapproval orproofoffundswithoffer.Selleris offeringabuyersbroker consideration.

OCEANPARKREALTY

ThisexquisiteVictorianhome, lovinglypreservedbythesame familyforoverageneration,stands inoutstandingconditionandis perfectlysituatedinthevibrant heartofOakBluffsCenter.Enjoythe convenienceofbeingjuststeps awayfromthePublicBeach, SteamshipAuthority,OakBluffs Harbor,asupermarket,andavariety ofcharmingrestaurantsandshops thatcontributetoOakBluffs'allure asapremiersummerdestinationon Martha'sVineyard.Thisdelightful three-seasoncottagehasbeen carefullymodernizedovertheyears, offeringarareinvestment opportunity.Locatedwithinthe highlysought-afterB1Zone,this residencehasbeencherishedasa familyhomewhilealsoprovidingthe potentialforcommercialendeavors. Thepropertyfeaturesawelldesigned floorplanthatincludes fourbedrooms-oneconveniently locatedonthe first floor-alongwith a fullbathroom,twohalfbathrooms, a laundrystoragearea,aneat-in kitchen,andacozylivingroom.The homeisadornedwithstunning wood flooringthroughout,brightand airyroomswithoriginalwindows,a newhotwaterondemandsystem, andacharmingfrontporch,perfect forleisurelyafternoons.Withits fourbedroomsandprimein-town location,thispropertyoffers substantialrentalpotential,making itanexceptionalopportunityfor bothpersonalenjoymentand

PRIVACYMEETSCONVENIENCEIN

OAKBLUFFS

JAYNEISFORD|203-962-4317

$1,795,000

Nestledattheendofaquietstreet, thisroomyandspaciousCape-style homeoffersprivacyand conveniencejustashortdistanceto theOakBluffsSchool,towncenter, andwithinwalkingdistancetothe Lagoon.

Sun-filledmainlevelwithopen floor plan,largewindows,andagenerous kitchenwithamplecounterspace, openingtothediningarea.Sliders leadtoabackdeck,yard,and bluestonepatio..perfectfor entertainingorrelaxing. Radiantheated floorsintheprimary suiteandlower-levelplayroom.Twocargaragewithbonusspaceabove. Beautifulstoneworkdriveway. Updatedfurnace(2020)andwater heater(2024).

HOUSE&STUDIOABOVE GARAGE~ Welcometo26TiaAnnaLane!This exquisiteresidenceisimmaculate, stylish,andfullyrenovated,readyto welcomeitsnewowners!Situated onabeautifullylandscaped0.30acrelotadornedwithvibrant plantings,thehomeboastspristine conditionsbothinsideandout, featuringnewerHardiPlanksiding. Theinvitingfarmer'sporch, completewithMahoganydecking, setsthetoneforthischarming property,whilealovelypergola gracesthebackofthehouse.Upon entering,youarewelcomedbya whitewashedwoodwithhighceiling thatenhancesthewarmambiance. The flooringthroughoutthehomeis first-growthSouthernPine, meticulouslycraftedwithpegged andbungeddetails.Theexpansive entranceleadsintothelivingand kitchenareas,whicharebathedin naturallight,creatinganairy atmosphere.Uncoverthecharmof thewood-burningstovenestledin thefamilyroom,equippedwitha circulatingfanaddswarmth, e ciencyandfocalpointfor gatherings.Culinaryenthusiastswill appreciatethekitchen,whichis outfittedwithstainlesssteelGE CafeSeriesappliances,attractive quartzcountertops,walkinpantry andamplecabinetspacetostoreall yourcookingessentials.The screenedporchoffersanideal settingforentertainingguestsor enjoyingapeacefulmorningcoffee amidstthelushsurroundings.All bathroomsinthehomehavebeen meticulouslyrenovated,ensuring moderneleganceandfunctionality, whilecustomwindowtreatments elevatetheaesthetic.Additional updatesinclude,ahotwaterheater (installedin2020),pull-downstairs toafullyinsulatedattic(upgraded in2021),energy-e cientheatand airconditioningwithmini-splits,in groundsprinklersystemforeasy maintenanceandaforcedhotwater boilerforoptimalcomfort throughouttheyear.Thebeautifully landscapedyardprovidesample spaceforoutdoorenjoyment,and deededaccesstotheLagoonfrom GullLandingopensupopportunities forkayaking,swimming, fishing, boating,clammingorsimply savoringthepicturesquewaterfront scenery.Callnowforyourprivate tour!

SOLDFULLPRICEIN5DAYS!!

$895,000CALL ORTEXTMARILYNMOSES

617-462-0381

$968,750 ALANSCHWEIKERT OCEANPARKREALTY 508-221-1708

OakBluffs:HomeSweetHome Situatedonoveraquarteracreof beautifullylandscaped,level groundswithcolorfulperennial plantingsandmaturetrees,this sun-filledranchoffersaperfect blendofcomfortandcharm.The openkitchen,dining,andliving areasfeaturecathedralceilings, classicverticalknottypinewalls, andacozybrick fireplace.Enjoya convenient first-floorbedroomanda spacioussecond-floorprimary bedroomwithaprivatedeck.The finishedbasementprovides additionallivingorhobbyspace. Updatesincludea2017oilburner andRothoiltank.Aninviting outdoorshowercompletesthiswellmaintainedhome,offeredfurnished andreadyforyourpersonal touches. Locatedinaquietresidential neighborhoodclosetoallthatOak Bluffshastooffer.

Charmingyear-roundrenovated Victoriancottageinthehistoric Martha’sVineyardCampMeeting Association,locatedintheheartof WesleyanGroveinOakBluffs.This 3-bedroom,1-bathhomefeatures shiplapwalls,knottypineceilings, originalwood ﬂooring,andsun-ﬁlled interiorsthroughout.Theupdated kitchenoffersquartzcountertops,a farmhousesink,stylishlighting,and newerenergy-e cientappliances. ImprovementsincludeMarvinwood windows,anewerroof,hotwater tank,andenergy-e cientheat pumpsforACandheat.Enjoya welcomingfrontporchwithcolorful gardensandaslatepatiowith fencedgardenspaceforoutdoor diningandrelaxing.Juststepsto CircuitAvenue,OakBluffsHarbor, andnearbybeaches.

SOLD PRICEADJUSTMENT,NOW $2,600,000 COMMERCIALB-2OR RESIDENTIAL OFFEREDBYRENE’BENDAVID/ REALTOR®,OCEANPARK REALTYINC. 23CircuitAveExtension Cell508-847-4864 3bedrooms/1bathroom,Rare OpportunitywithEndless Possibilities–UnmatchedHarbor& VineyardSoundViews.Location, Location,Location!Atrulyrare offeringintheheartofOakBluffs, wherepropertieslikethisseldom becomeavailable.Positioned directlyacrossfromtheiconicOak BluffsHarbor,thispropertyboasts unobstructedharborviewsand sweepingvistasofVineyardSound— asettingthatcapturestheverybest ofislandliving.Fromyourfrontyard, watchferriescomeandgo,boats driftthroughtheharbor,andenjoy thestunningbackdropofopen waterstretchingtowardVineyard Sound.Thisisapropertythatputs yourightinthemiddleofeverything, whilestillofferingthecharmand characterofaclassicislandhome. ZonedB-2Commercial,the opportunitiesaretrulyendless. Continuethelegacyofasuccessful tourist-orientedbusinesslikethe longtimeAndersonBikeRentals, createanewcommercialventure,or reimaginethepropertyasyour personaldreamhome.Whetheryou renovatetheexistingstructureor buildfromthegroundup,you’ll beneﬁtfromoneofthemostvisible andvibrantlocationsinOakBluffs. Walktoeverything—ferries,beaches, themarina,restaurants,movies, shopping,OceanParkconcerts,the OB ﬁshingpier,andthebelovedOak BluffsFireworks.Thisisamust-see, legacypropertywithrarepotentialin alocationthatcan’tbebeat.Very easytoshow.Pre-approvalorproof offundsrequiredwithalloffers.

Real Estate

OFFICE FOR RENT IN VINEYARD HAVEN. 1,200 sqft Beach Road location for oﬃce use only. Call 508-627-2750. HOUSES-VINEYARD HAVEN

WALK TO LAMBERT’S COVE BEACH

CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION

assets and expenses of administration.

From the lush setting of this 3-bdrm main house with a delightful 2-story guest house. Rinse off at nearby Seth’s Pond before dinner at the Inn...treasures of the island a short stroll away. $1,400,000. Tashmoo Realty 508-364-5061 hollyalaimo@ gmail.com

SOLD$2,400,000MarilynMoses

617-462-0381,Michael Schweikert774-563-9112,Alan Schweikert508—221-1708 15MainStreetVineyardHaven $2,900,000 PrimeCommercialBuilding–Main Street,VineyardHavenExceptional opportunityintheheartof downtownVineyardHaven.This well-maintainedmixed-useproperty offersover3,100sqftofversatile space,featuringtwoground-floor retailstorefrontswithexcellent streetvisibilityandtwoupdated1bedroomapartmentsabove—ideal forstaffhousingorrentalincome.A fullbasementprovides flexible storageorutilityspace,anddeeded rearaccessallowsfordeliveriesand logisticalease.Recentupdates includeplumbingimprovementsand afullyrenovatedapartment. Whetheryou'reaninvestorseeking steadyincome,abusinessowner lookingfora flagshiplocation,ora developerexploringmixed-use potential,thispropertydelivers exceptionalvalueinoneofMartha’s Vineyard’smostdesirable commercialcorridors.

HOUSES-WEST TISBURY

OPENHOUSE SATURDAYJUNE20TH

12:00PM-2:00PM

145VINEYARDMEADOWFARMS ROAD

WESTTISBURY

NEWLISTING$1,399,000 CallorTextMarilynMoses 617-462-0381 Coastalcontemporaryresidenceis locatedonaprivate1.60-acrelotin WestTisbury,withconvenient accesstoLongPointWildlife Refugeandaccessto"Coveted" Lambert'sCoveBeach.Thehome featuresfourbedroomsandtwofull bathrooms.Onthe first floor,you'll findtwobrightbedrooms,a modernizedbathroom,andsliders fromthelivingareathatleadtoa newAZEKdeckandenclosed fencedgardens,perfectforoutdoor enjoyment.Theopen floorplan includesattractivebeadboard ceilingsthatcreateasenseof spaceandlight.Recentupgrades featurearemodeledkitchenwitha tiledbacksplash,granite countertops,andanLGinduction stovealongwithmatching stainless-steelappliances.The firstfloorbathroomhasbeenfully renovatedwithatiledshowerand glassdoor,tiled floor,newtoilet, vanity/mirror,rainfallshowerhead, andallnewhardware.Additional updatesincludeanewerroof,Azek windowtrim,anoutdoorshower enclosure,andgutterswithleaf guards.Thebasementhasa9-foot ceilingwithfourwindows,providing potentialforfurther finishingwith townapproval.Otherimprovements includeupdatedplumbingand electricalsystems,anewwell pressuretank,newCulliganWater FiltrationandConditioningsystem, andaGeneracwhole-house generatorinstalledin2022.

WESTTISBURY

NEWLISTING$1,399,000 CallorTextMarilynMoses 617-462-0381

Coastalcontemporaryresidenceis locatedonaprivate1.60-acrelotin WestTisbury,withconvenient accesstoLongPointWildlife Refugeandaccessto"Coveted" Lambert'sCoveBeach.Thehome featuresfourbedroomsandtwofull bathrooms.Onthe first floor,you'll findtwobrightbedrooms,a modernizedbathroom,andsliders fromthelivingareathatleadtoa newAZEKdeckandenclosed fencedgardens,perfectforoutdoor enjoyment.Theopen floorplan includesattractivebeadboard ceilingsthatcreateasenseof spaceandlight.Recentupgrades featurearemodeledkitchenwitha tiledbacksplash,granite countertops,andanLGinduction stovealongwithmatching stainless-steelappliances.The firstfloorbathroomhasbeenfully renovatedwithatiledshowerand glassdoor,tiled floor,newtoilet, vanity/mirror,rainfallshowerhead, andallnewhardware.Additional updatesincludeanewerroof,Azek windowtrim,anoutdoorshower enclosure,andgutterswithleaf guards.Thebasementhasa9-foot ceilingwithfourwindows,providing potentialforfurther finishingwith townapproval.Otherimprovements includeupdatedplumbingand electricalsystems,anewwell pressuretank,newCulliganWater FiltrationandConditioningsystem, andaGeneracwhole-house generatorinstalledin2022.

YOUCANAFFORDTOBUILDON MARTHA'SVINEYARD Save1/3offconventionbuilding methods.Newhomesand additions.High-endhomeshellsare customdesigned,constructedina controlledenvironment,and deliveredtoyourMVsiteforabout $135/sq.ft.(Estimatedpricefor ﬁnishedhouse:$550/sq.ft.) Packagesinclude:Customdesign, postandbeams,roofandwalls, doorsandwindows,sidingand trim,insulationand ﬂoors.Thepreconstructionwallandroofpanels goupinab out3weeks.Viewmodel inAquinnahbyappointment.(508) 645-3572Brokerparticipation invited Posner@MVPostAndBeam.com

Docket No. DU26P0075EA

Commonwealth of Massachusetts

The Trial Court

Probate and Family Court

Estate of: Carolyn H. Rogers

Also known as: Carolyn Hunt

Date of Death: 01/20/2023

Dukes Probate and Family Court PO Box 237 81 Main Street Edgartown, MA 02539 (508)627-4703

To all interested persons:

A Petition for Late and Limited Formal Testacy and/or Appointment Late and Limited Formal Testacy has been ﬁled by Tammy Ann Silva of Gardner MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition.

The Petitioner requests that: Tammy Ann Silver of Gardner MA Be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in unsupervised administration

IMPORTANT NOTICE

You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on the return day of 07/14/2026 . This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an affidavit of objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you.

UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS

UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC)

A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to ﬁle an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including the distribution of assets and expenses of administration.

WITNESS, Hon. Susan L Jacobs, First Justice of this Court.

Date: June 09, 2026

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS

THE TRIAL COURT

PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT

DUKES COUNTY DIVISION

DOCKET NO. 0026P0041EA

ESTATE OF LINDA J. ROSE

INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION

NOTICE

To all persons interested in the above-captioned estate:

A Petition for Informal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representatives has been allowed by the Dukes County Probate and Family Court.

The Decedent, Linda J. Rose, died on February 4, 2026.

The Will of the Decedent has been admitted to informal probate. Courtney Tilton and Zeb Tilton have been informally appointed as Co-Personal Representatives of the estate on April 1, 2026, and have given bond without sureties.

The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representatives pursuant to the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be ﬁled with the Court, but interested persons are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representatives and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of

Interested persons are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of the Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. Dukes County Probate and Family Court

Docket No. 0026P0041EA

NOTICE OF SALE, NOTICE OF MORTGAGEE’S SALE OF REAL ESTATE, Premises: 42 Kaeka Lane, West Tisbury, Massachusetts 02575, By virtue and in execution of the Power of Sale contained in a certain mortgage given by Dwight K. Kaeka, Elizabeth M. Kaeka, Shirley G. Kaeka and Daniel Kaeka to Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc., as nominee for Capital One Home Loans, LLC, dated July 10, 2007, and recorded with the Dukes County of Deeds in Book 1128, Page 757, of which mortgage the undersigned is the present holder by assignment of mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc. to Bank of America, NA, successor by merger to BAC Home Loans Servicing LP FKA Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP, dated December 11, 2012, and recorded with said Registry in Book 1301, Page 540, and by assignment of mortgage from Bank of America, NA to GreenTree Servicing LLC, dated June 20, 2013, and recorded with said Registry in Book 1322, Page 546, and by assignment of mortgage from Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems, Inc as nominee for Capital One Home Loans, LLC to Bank of America, NA, Successor by Merger to BAC Home Loans Servicing LP FKA Countrywide Home Loans Servicing LP, dated October 12, 2018, and recorded with said Registry in Book 1479, Page 794, and by assignment of mortgage from Ditech Financial, LLC FKA GreenTree Servicing LLC to US Bank Trust, NA as Trustee for LSF10 Master Participation Trust, dated October 12, 2018, and recorded with said Registry in Book 1479, Page 796, and by assignment by Judgment to US Bank Trust N.A., as Trustee for LSF10 Master Participation Trust, dated April 8, 2025, and recorded with said Registry in Book 1709, Page 61, for breach of the conditions of said mortgage and for the purpose of foreclosing the same will be sold by Public Auction at 12:00 o’clock P.M. on the 8th day of July, 2026 at the mortgaged premises located at 42 Kaeka Lane, West Tisbury, Dukes County, Massachusetts, all and singular the premises described in said mortgage, To wit: THE LAND SITUATED IN WEST TISBURY, COUNTY OF DUKES COUNTY, COMMONWELTH OF MASSACHUSETTS, BOUNDED AND DESCRIBED AS FOLLOWS: BEING LOT NO. 3 AS SHOWN ON “A PLAN OF LAND IN WEST TISBURY, MASS., PREPARED FOR DANIEL K. KAEKA III, SCALE: 1” = 100”, APRIL 15, 1981, SMITH & DOWLING, ENGINEERS, SURVEYORS, PLANNSERS, STATE ROAD, POST OFFICE BOX 1087, VINEYARD HAVEN, MASS. 02568” RECORDED WITH DUKES COUNTY REGISTRY OF DEEDS IN WEST TISBURY CASE FILE NO. 207A, TO WHICH PLAN REFERENCE IS HEREBY MADE FOR A MORE PARTICULARL DESCRIBED AND CONTAINING 1.67 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, ACCORDING TO SAID PLAN. TAX ID#: 30 14 BY FEE SIMPLE DEED FROM DANIEL K. KAEKA, III AND SHIRLEY G. KAEKA AS SET FORTH IN DEED BOOK 558. PAGE 717 AND RECORDED ON 6/6/1991, DUKES COUNTY RECORDS. THE SOURCE DEED AS STATED ABOVE IS THE LAST RECORD OF VESTING FILED FOR

THIS PROPERTY THERE HAVE BEEN NO VESTING CHANGES SINCE THE DATE OF THE ABOVE REFERENCED

SOURCE. Premises to be sold and conveyed subject to and with the benefit of all rights, rights of way, restrictions, easements, covenants, liens or claims in the nature of liens, improvements, public assessments, any and all unpaid taxes, tax titles, tax liens, water and sewer liens and any other municipal assessments or liens or existing encumbrances of record which are in force and are applicable, having priority over said mortgage, whether or not reference to such restrictions, easements, improvements, liens or encumbrances is made in the deed. TERMS OF SALE: A deposit of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) by certified or bank check will be required to be paid by the purchaser at the time and place of sale. High bidder to sign written memorandum of sale upon acceptance of the high bid. The balance of the purchase price is to be paid by certified or bank check at Friedman Vartolo LLP, 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, New York 11530, within thirty (30) days from the date of the sale. Deed will be provided to purchaser for recording upon receipt in full of the purchase price. In the event of an error in this publication, the description of the premises contained in said mortgage shall control. Other terms, if any, to be announced at the sale. U.S. Bank Trust National Association, not in its individual capacity, but solely as Trustee of LSF10 Master Participation Trust, Present holder of said mortgage by its Attorneys, Friedman Vartolo LLP 1325 Franklin Avenue, Suite 160, Garden City, New York 11530

LEGAL NOTICES EDGARTOWN

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 4:30 p.m. the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a hearing via Zoom on a Notice of Intent ﬁled by the MV Land Bank under the Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant is seeking permission to reconstruct the Poucha Pond Reservation boardwalks with an elevated, pin-set system.

The property is located at Poucha Pond Road and 5 Ocean Moor Drive (AP Map 34/47/48, Lots 231.21/106.2/95.6).

For a copy of the application or for questions related to participating in the meeting via Zoom, please contact: conservation@edgartown-ma.us

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 4:35 p.m. the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a hearing via Zoom on a Notice of Intent ﬁled by Reid Silva (VLSE) on behalf of MVHOME LLC under the Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant is seeking permission to renovate an existing house and guest house, and construct a pool/spa, shed, pier access deck, hardscaping, and landscaping.

The property is located at 111 North Water Street (AP Map 20D, Lot 276.2).

For a copy of the application or for questions related to participating in the meeting via Zoom, please contact: conservation@edgartown-ma.us

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION

On Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 4:40 p.m. the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a hearing via Zoom on a Notice of Intent ﬁled by Doug Hoehn (SBH) on behalf of

Cooke Three Seven LLC under the Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant is seeking permission to add ﬂoats and spiles to an existing, licensed pier. The property is located at 61 North Water Street (AP Map 20D, Lot 294). For a copy of the application or for questions related to participating in the meeting via Zoom, please contact: conservation@edgartown-ma.us

LEGAL NOTICES TISBURY TOWN OF TISBURY Oﬃce of PLANNING BOARD PO BOX 602

VINEYARD HAVEN, MASSACHUSETTS

WWW.TISBURYMA.GOV

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Pursuant to MGL Ch. 40A, s. 9; and section 06.06.03, 06.06.08 of the Tisbury Zoning Bylaw, the Tisbury Planning Board will hold a hybrid (zoom link below) public hearing on July 1st, 2026 at 5pm at the Town Hall Annex at 66 Highpoint Lane and via zoom at a regularly scheduled meeting to consider a change of operator for the food establishment located at 86 Beach Rd. Locus: 52 Beach Rd., Tisbury, MaAssessor’s Parcel 09-C-11 Property Owner: Packer RM CO Inc Applicant: Richard Mast Join Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom. us/j/81300569131 Meeting ID: 813 0056 9131 Passcode: 108998 A copy of the application and plans are available to review. Please send an email to tisburyplanningboard@tisburyma. gov with your request. Interested parties are invited to send comments and/or attend the virtual meeting.

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY WEST TISBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING On Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 5:15pm the ZBA will hold a public hearing at the TOWN HALL-2 nd ﬂoor meeting room on an application for a Special Permit from Anne Ronella Holmes to allow the construction of a non-habitable accessory structure (barn) over 676 sq. ft on a pre-existing non-conforming lot in front of a primary dwelling requiring 23 feet of front yard setback relief under Sections 11.2-2 and 4.2-2D4 of the West Tisbury Zoning Bylaw at 16 Looks Pond Way, Map 32 Lot 46, in the RU district. Interested parties are invited to send comments via email to: zba@westtisbury-ma.gov or mail comments to: Zoning Board of Appeals, PO Box 278, West Tisbury, MA 02575. Please call 508696-0107 for information on the application.

WEST TISBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING On Thursday, July 2, 2026, at 5:45pm the ZBA will hold a public hearing at the TOWN HALL-2 nd ﬂoor meeting room on an application for a Special Permit from Schoﬁeld, Barbini & Hoehn Inc. on behalf of Natalie Penicaud Volcko to allow the construction of an accessory structure (garage with ADU) over 676 sq. ft on a pre-existing non-conforming lot under Sections 11.2-2 and 4.2-2A3 of the West Tisbury Zoning

Island towns support sheriff’s office designation as regional lockup

Amid budget scrutiny and a construction project, the sheriff’s office needed community support.

All six of the Island’s towns formally recognized the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office as the Island’s regional lockup location, a step officials said was necessary to secure state funding for a service they have provided to the Island since the 1800s. The move strengthens the department’s case for funding amid statewide budget scrutiny on sheriff departments. This comes at the same time that the county police plan to modernize their aging facilities.

Dukes County Sheriff Bob Ogden spent the past few months visiting every Island select board to get approval of the regional lockup designation, and most recently, the Edgartown Select Board gave its approval this past Monday, June 15. Oak Bluffs approved the designation June 10, and Tisbury, West Tisbury, Aquinnah, and Chilmark also gave their approval.

Still, the designation needs to be formally accepted by the state. Though the local

On March 1, 2026, Mark Grandfield died of a sudden heart attack at home in New York City. His loss was utterly unexpected, and is felt profoundly.

Mark was born in 1954 in New Britain, Conn., and was raised in Ridgewood, N.J. He spent every summer of his life on Martha’s Vineyard. He grew up as a member of the Harthaven community in Oak Bluffs, where his grandparents built a home in 1929. In more recent years, he lived in West Tisbury at the family home of his wife, Tova Ferro. It was on Martha’s Vineyard that he and Tova met in 1981, and reconnected in 1996. Mark and Tova married in 1999, and welcomed their only child, Ava, in summer 2002, two days before Mark’s birthday. Their little family was inseparable.

Mark’s life was varied and wholly his own; he spent time at the age of 17 on a Norwegian merchant marine schooling ship, the Staatstrad Lehmkuhl.

BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

county jail already provides these services and has operated as a regional lockup for decades, state law hasn’t explicitly codified it, and the designation would clear up any confusion over budget, an issue recently flagged across Massachusetts by state investigators, and distinguish the facility’s discretionary and essential services.

The towns’ unanimous approvals, Ogden said, mean the designation is implied as a function of the sheriff’s office under Massachusetts law, but now they will present a bill to amend a law that only authorizes the sheriff’s office to operate as a house of correction and a jail.

“This will memorialize the function of lockup as part of our jail,” said Ogden in a message to The Times. “We want to be recognized as a branch of the jail function and continue to fund the service appropriately.”

An official designation of the jail, located at 149 Main St. in Edgartown, would formally acknowledge the

After attending Simon’s Rock of Bard College, Mark set off to be a musician, where he found success and respect. Mark was the singer and frontman for numerous blues and soul bands starting in the 1970s, primarily in New York City, but also in Boston, and Austin, Texas. Recently he released a recording of standards from the American songbook, “It’s Getting Late,” and had been performing this repertoire in community venues on Martha’s Vineyard and jazz clubs in New York City. (Listen at bit.ly/S_ItsGettingLate.) In the 1980s, Mark found his way into the world of jingle singing, and subsequently worked as a voiceover artist, earning SAG and AFTRA memberships and becoming a sought-after session singer.

Mark’s life was filled with myriad hobbies that fulfilled his creative spirit. In the ’70s Mark committed himself to the art of Uechi-Ryū, a traditional style of Okinawan karate, reaching black belt status. In the ’90s, Mark found satisfaction in owning and repairing several GTOs. Mark’s leading hobby of the past 25 years, fixing vintage amplifiers, was far more than that — Mark made connections worldwide among musicians and gear enthusiasts. Mark also became an avid fisherman in the waters around Martha’s Vineyard, participating in the Derby each year.

Mark had friendships and connections that spanned

sheriff’s statutory obligation to handle prearraignment detention services on-Island, protective custody, and shortterm holding for arrestees who cannot be immediately released on bail or brought before a judge, and it does not require any additional local funding. The facility is also home to a house of corrections for inmates with longer stays.

“We want to make sure there’s a clear agreement from all towns that we are a regional lockup, so we can go back to the state and show them,” Ogden said in an interview with The Times. “This is a statutory, necessary obligation of the sheriff’s office on Martha’s Vineyard.”

If the towns didn’t grant the local sheriff’s office their approval, then towns would individually bear the responsibility of lockup services, a scenario Ogden warned was impractical.

“If we shut our doors, where would we put arrestees?” Ogden said. “There’s no place to put them. Look at any police departments

time, geography, age, and creed, and called his closest friends nearly every day. He was an exemplary father, readying Ava for school each day as a young girl, and providing emotional and practical support into her adult years. She prides herself in being one of the friends he called each day.

Mark gave everything his all — his performances in the studio and on the stage, his engagement with politics and the world’s affairs, his kindnesses and favors, and his dedication to be the very best to Tova and Ava.

Mark’s last days were typical of his life, and are now treasured by his family — a day spent keeping abreast of world affairs, talking to friends, singing, and spending time at home with Tova and Ava.

Mark is survived by Tova, Ava, their little dog Nellie, his sister Dorsey, niece Kate, and great-niece Lillian, in addition to Tova’s mother and sister, and her family. He was predeceased by his mother, Dorsey, and brother, Peter.

A celebration of life will be held at the PortugueseAmerican Club in Oak Bluffs on July 20, which would have been Mark’s 72nd birthday. The gathering will begin at 7 pm, with music from Johnny Hoy and the Bluefish, Jon Zeeman and Friends, and others continuing until late. All are welcome.

To read the complete obituary, go to mvtimes.com.

on Martha’s Vineyard, there’s no place for them to provide a detention area. Not only do they not have the space, but they don’t even have the land to do it.”

The need for the designation comes as sheriff offices statewide are facing increasing scrutiny. A report by the Office of the Inspector General, released on June 1, said that deficits across all offices totaled $110 million in the year 2025. It also highlighted a pattern of chronic underfunding, illegal overspending, inconsistent accounting, and confusion over mandated versus discretionary spending and obligations. The designation, for example, would clear up concerns between mandated or discretionary spending.

“Because of all the scrutiny with the sheriffs and their spending, it has kind of put us under the microscope,” Ogden said. “We are trying to make the state understand this is not a discretionary function; this

Frances Anne Crane Bradley passed away in the wee hours of the morning on June 2, 2026, at the age of 78. It was just like her to wake her family at the crack of dawn, but this time we wish it had been because she felt the urge to aggressively vacuum the stairs or to blast Leonard Cohen from the kitchen.

Fran was born on July 26, 1947, in Norristown, Pa., the eldest of the four daughters of Paul and Margaret Crane. She graduated from Webber College (Babson Park, Fla.) in 1968 with a degree in finance and marketing. Fran summered on the Vineyard with her family for many years, which is where she met Daniel Bradley, whom she married in 1972. In 1981, Dan built the family home in West Tisbury where they raised their four children, Gabe, Matt, Marah, and Luke.

“Franny,” as most of her friends knew her, was a thrill seeker to her core. As a teenager, she made a valiant attempt to become a high school dropout to join the Diving Horses act in

is a statutory obligation as part of our jail.”

Ogden said that the Dukes County Sheriff’s Office is unique in the Commonwealth, providing temporary lockup, jail, and house of corrections functions under one roof. Services include medical and mental health evaluations, food service, and aroundthe-clock observation.

“We run very lean,” Ogden said of the facility, but he also highlighted that because of its age, there are maintenance costs.

The designation also aligns with ongoing construction efforts to modernize the sheriff’s office facility in Edgartown. Phase one would include demolition of an obsolete 1985 modular unit of about 1,000 feet, Ogden said. It will be replaced by a new, 1,765-squarefoot facility to modernize booking and intake areas, increased safety precautions, four high-security short-term holding cells, an ADA holding cell, and sightand sound-separated cells to protect individuals from vulnerable populations. Still waiting on a bid, construction is expected to begin this fall, at an estimated total cost of about $8 million.

“We have an antique facility,” Ogden said in an interview with The Times.

Phase two, a $34 million capital funding request, is

Atlantic City. Fran was known to steer massive draft horses through log-pull competitions, went barrel racing in Montana with her best pals, got thrown from the back of a horse more times than she could count, and found immense joy through all of it. Fran accumulated a collection of broken bones that would have convinced most people to slow down, yet she viewed those injuries less as warnings and more as evidence of a life well-lived.

Fran shared this love for horses with others during her work with therapeutic riding programs. She delighted in seeing people’s faces light up from interacting with horses, sometimes for the first time.

After spending years testing the limits of her durability, Fran became an EMT, helping to patch people up after their own adventures. She served both Oak Bluffs and Tri-Town. After she retired from EMT life, she became a familiar face at Squibnocket Beach, where she checked passes, swapped stories, and made strangers feel like Islanders.

Fran battled Parkinson’s disease for the last 13 years of her life, and she fought it with fierce determination. What buoyed her the most when she had to give up her horses and her rescue squad was her love of family and friends. What many people remember about Fran is how incredibly proud of her kids she was, whether they were starting fires or putting them out. She cared deeply for people, and

currently awaiting review, approval, and funding allocation through the commonwealth’s formal capital planning lifecycle. The secondary phase aims to demolish a 2001 temporary modular wing that’s about 2,930 square feet and replace it with a 5,450-squarefoot addition. Plans include realigned 14-bed pretrial and jail housing, a separate four-bed house of corrections, dedicated medical and program spaces and services, and upgrades to the historic main building, such as a full fire sprinkler system, structural remediation, and energy-efficient windows.

Massachusetts State Rep. Thomas Moakley said the services that the jail provides are essential.

“I support the sheriff in this, and I am going to make sure the Island maintains its regional lockup and regional communications center,” said Moakley. “I don’t think Dukes County was one of the problem counties, but as a result of this realignment, it is going to be a responsibility of Senator Cyr that the essential services that they provide to the Island are maintained.” The facility can house up to 30 individuals, and currently, on average, houses 15 to 20 people in its combined jail and house of corrections, said Ogden.

could see the good in just about anyone. She truly did radiate joy, and made everyone around her feel seen and special. Fran leaves behind her husband, Daniel Bradley, who stood beside her through every chapter and lovingly cared for her in recent years; her four children, Gabriel, Matthew, Marah, and Lukas Bradley; her grandchildren, Madilyn and Benjamin Bradley; her sisters Margaret (“Mitzi”) Crane, Janet (“Roe”) Belain, and Patricia Ray; her nieces, Julie Devine and Andrea Eckhoff; her nephews, Jonathan, Harold, and Nathan Belain; her cousins, Cynthia Rheinheimer and W. Bradford Phillips; and a community of people who all seem to have their own “Franny” story. A celebration of life will be held in the early fall; details will be announced at a later time.

To read the complete obituary, go to mvtimes.com.

Mark Grandfield

Frances Anne Bradley

Ilove summer. I’ve probably shared that once or twice, or 500 times. Sunshine, warm weather, shorts, bathing suits, sundresses, and one beach day after another. What’s not to love?

Last week was the first truly perfect summer weather for 2026. I drove up to Menemsha twice to catch the sunset and cast a line. I wasn’t there, but I wish I had been, when Aaron Kinne landed the first shore bonito of the year on June 10. Aaron’s 25-inch fish weighed 6.5 pounds, a hefty fish for this early in the year. I haven’t heard of another shore bone being caught, but did hear reports of boaters reeling them in.

I’ve put a pink and a green Deadly Dick in my tackle bag, as well as a few Colt Snipers that worked well last year, an Exo epoxy, and a swimmer. I’d love to serve bonito for dinner this month.

The Martha’s Vineyard Surfcasters Association annual Father’s Day Chappy beach barbecue was Saturday. The blue skies and 80° temperature meant a great time would be had by all, whether the elusive fish showed up or not. A bunch of folks were on Chappy on Friday. A few bluefish were caught, but only a few, and then the bite was over for the whole day. I drove out to Chappy with two rods and dozens of lures. I was willing to throw everything and anything out there, hoping something would inspire a random blue to hit my plug.

I arrived around noon. Of the dozens of fishermen on the beach, only four actually had a line in the water. Either everyone was resting because they’d reeled in dozens of fish and needed a break, or the fish were absent. I hoped for the first and prepared for the latter. I asked the guys who’d been on the beach since 8 am. The good news: Some decent-size bluefish had been caught in the early morning, before they’d gotten there. The bad news: They hadn’t seen a fish in four hours.

Gratitude

BY LISA BELCASTRO

We spent a great deal of time eating and talking while watching someone cast in case there were fish swimming by. A little after two, MVSA President Donald Scarpone picked up a rod and took a turn casting. As the rest of us continued chatting, Donald hooked up. Suddenly, all eyes were on Donald. He landed a fluke, probably over 17 inches and a keeper, but Donald didn’t have a tape measure in his pocket, so he let the fluke go. No fish tacos for us.

The sight of a bent rod and a fish on the beach had the rest of us grabbing our rods. We spread out along the water’s edge, and soon you could hear the whip of lures whizzing through the air. The sight of all of us lined up, drawing back, and reeling in brought a smile to my face: This is Chappy. This is fishing. This is fun!

I started fishing with a blue and white Roberts Ranger, then switched to a white and silver

ballistic missile. I don’t know how many casts we’d made before gentlemen to my far far right and even farther left hooked up on small blues. Dave Kolb, on my immediate left, was the next one on. Dr. Dave was working the line, drawing the fish closer, when suddenly his line went slack. He’d lost the fish. When he retrieved the lure, he discovered the hook had snapped off. We’re going to believe that it was one huge bluefish!

As Dr. Dave walked back to his truck to change lures, I switched to the Exo Lime Time epoxy. It was in my bag for bonito, but I didn’t have anything to lose. I cast and saw a blue chasing Neil Coppola’s lure for a hot second. Neither one of us got a hit. I cast again. I felt it. The tug. It wasn’t seaweed. Fish on! Not huge, but a fish nonetheless. I reeled and watched the water. A bluefish.

My first blue of the season. He was small and feisty. Neil took a quick picture for me, and I released him back into the ocean to grow bigger, much bigger.

And just like that, the bluefish bite was over. I was the only MVSA member to land a blue. Talk about being lucky.

On Sunday, I had a party to attend. A bunch of the guys went back out to Chappy. Donald Scarpone landed a nice 7.4-pound bluefish — the only fish of the day. You could say it’s a darn good thing we don’t go fishing just to catch fish. One of my favorite moments on Saturday was connecting with Mike Carotta. Mike has been visiting the Island for more than 50 years. He comes for a month in late spring, and then returns for the Derby. Mike is an avid fisherman. He could fish all day, every day, if his family didn’t want to spend a little quality time together.

Fortunately for Mike, his son and daughter both love fishing, and his wife is incredibly supportive of their hobby. Mike and I commiserated over the lack of bluefish. We talked about bass fishing this year, and he shared a story of a magic moment with his son and daughter on the North Shore when his daughter landed a big slob. He shared photos, and it looked like the perfect evening.

If you haven’t read Mike’s book, “A Long Cast,” I highly recommend you do. Mike writes about years of fishing on-Island, the people, the hot spots, and the fish. It’s a must-read when you’re not casting your own line.

As I drove the inside trail off the beach before sunset, I watched some osprey fishing in the pond for dinner, took in the scent of a beach of roses, and reflected on the laughter and good friends I was blessed to spend the day with. A truly fintastic day! I couldn’t have been more grateful.

I hope to see you on the beach this week, and I hope the moments fill us with gratitude.

Last year, I had the joy of writing about the first-ever “Washashores Review,” published by Featherstone Center for the Arts. I’m equally thrilled to have the new Vol. 2 in hand, which includes even more submissions and reflects the group’s growth. The 30 dedicated writers who contributed to this anthology are members of the Martha’s Vineyard–based Washashores Writers Collective. It has been a privilege to belong to this diverse sisterhood of serious writers who support each other in getting our stories out into the world, offer seasoned advice, and serve as a constructive sounding board for creative ideas.

The theme of wanting inspired this year’s submissions, and the fascinating mix of fiction, essays, and poems reflects the diversity and excellence of the group’s authors. Editor Tracey Braun says, “The first year, the theme was Vineyard-related. This year we went a little broader with the theme of wanting. It’s a more varied group of pieces, which makes it fun, because as you turn the pages, you never know what you’re going to come across next.”

For instance, Maureen Hall’s poem “Summer Solstice” touches on the feelings that arise when we know the loss of long days of sunlight is behind us.

There is a small sense of panic, I must remind myself not to get so caught up In the impending loss of light

That I miss entirely the beauty of this endless day. I confess to preferring the winter solstice. How comforting to have the longest night behind me. To look forward to a little more light each day. The poem continues, and her last line hits home:

How much dearer August seems when Day after day another minute Is so boldly stolen from our sight.

Barbara Y. Phillips’ essay, “You Don’t Always Get What You Want,” starts by turning the theme of wanting on its head:

“What do you call it when you desire ‘unwanting’? When you are adulting by ‘being realistic,’ which you camouflage so well as wisdom that you almost believe it yourself. Because to do otherwise — to acknowledge the wanting — would reveal a debilitating wound seemingly impossible to heal.”

Phillips shares poignant vignettes of how the celebration of Christmas evolves as one gets older and families expand and disperse. For 45

BOOKS

The Geography of want

Washashores Review 2026 is available now. BY

ABBY REMER

ing space. She carefully crafts a home for her literary moments out of an old abandoned privy. “My efforts transformed ‘the shitter,’ as Jasper called it, into a tiny cabin — a cozy nest, if you don’t think about what once went on there.” When Jasper invades her space, leaving a large, old, broken, ornate picture frame, Marlanne is initially livid. But Early masterfully carries us along as Marlanne’s heart softens, and the humorous story becomes a tender one of love as well.

Brenda Horrigan, who served as the coeditor this year, shares, “It’s such a treat to see the variety and how people are interpreting the theme of wanting.”

years of her life, she says, “The defini tion of Christ mas was the home of my par ents in Memphis. As adults, my farflung three siblings and I knew we’d be gathering there and perform each and every ritual just as we had done for all of liv ing memory.” Now that things have changed, she writes, “I suppose this longed-for Christmas may seem rather rigid and stifling, but these rituals were the sacraments affirming our love and belonging that bound together our individual selves into a family ... All sorts of improvisations include some elements of Christmas Past that my siblings probably hope as much as I will be enough to accomplish the ‘unwanting’ that we imagine will heal our hearts.”

Marlanne, the protagonist in Alice Early’s “A Privy of One’s Own,” opens her short story

and her husband Jasper are.

“That boy has never finished anything but a meal,” Marlanne’s father-in-law warns her before her marriage. Jasper is a collector of junk, things he plans to but never gets around to refurbishing. Marlanne, however, is a self-proclaimed finisher … with an intense desire (i.e., wanting) for a private writ-

The idea for the review originated in 2025 with Mathea Morais, a member of the collective, the director of literary arts at Featherstone, and co-editor of the “Review.” “I knew I couldn’t pull it off myself, so the first year I said to [Washashore co-founder] Elisa [Speranza], ‘Hey, would you be interested in doing this with me? And she ran with it.”

Morais continues, “I always wanted to publish a literary journal as part of Featherstone’s mission to support writers at all levels of their journey. Getting published is such an important and necessary part of being a writer, both from a career perspective and from taking a risk and pushing yourself to create something that isn’t just for you, your friends, or your writing group. There’s a lot of gatekeeping in the literary world, and it’s extremely hard to get an agent without a record of publishing. I saw this as a concrete way to help. What we found really exciting is that we had so many more entries than last year.”

Each review is a member-led effort. In addition to Braun, Horrigan, and Morais, Kate Feiffer created the cover art, Kim Leaird handled the design, and Liz Norwood and Robin Stratton Rivera served as copyeditors. Sharisse Scott-Rawlins, Norwood, and Elle Lash have taken on marketing. Terri Potts-Chattaway has been coordinating the literary events that will take place at Featherstone on June 20 at 4 pm, and those at Island libraries — which is exactly how you can come and hear some of the authors read their works yourself, and experience firsthand the talent within the Washashore Collective.

“Washashores Review,” vols. 1 and 2, are available for purchase locally at Edgartown Books and Bunch of Grapes, and Featherstone Center for the Arts. Proceeds from the sale of the “Washashores Review” support Featherstone’s literary arts.

Making a difference in young lives. BY

MARGE HARRIS

Megan Willey, class of 2003, loved school. She was a strong academic student, and felt that the community she experienced in school, which taught her how to build lasting relationships, was the foundation for her

eventual pursuit in a successful career. At Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS), she played three sports — soccer, ice hockey, and lacrosse — for nearly all four years. Megan also had a wonderful group of friends, many of whom are still close to her today. This seems to be a common occurrence for Island kids, to keep their

friendships no matter how far away they may be … their strong connections remain. College was Megan’s expected path. She attended Wesleyan University in Connecticut and continued to play ice hockey, making more lifelong friends. Being away from the Island was initially daunting, but thanks to sports, she made strong connections, particularly with her hockey teammates, and that made all the difference. Academically, she took every intro course she could to sort out what would be her major, and that was ultimately psychology. After graduation, she completed a master’s from Smith College in social work. Megan married fellow MVRHS grad Jesse Nicholson. She laughs as she notes their “Senior Superlatives” fated their connection: he was Class Clown, and she had the Best Laugh — a dynamic that continues nearly 22 years later.

Upon completion of her degree at Smith, Megan worked in residential settings, engaging in trauma work with adolescents for three years in upstate New York, followed by seven years at a facility in Tewksbury.

After Megan and Jesse had two kids, she decided to shift her focus to providing social work support in schools, joining a Lexington middle school. There, she continues to use her skills to build students’ social and emotional resiliencies. How lucky the Island is to be part of her foundation, preparing her for this most important profession.

Thanks, Megan — we are so proud of you, and wish you well in your continuing to make a difference in kids’ lives.

Marge Harris was a teacher at MVRHS for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month. Celebrating Our MVRHS Grads

TOWN COLUMNS

Tisbury

By Taylor Stone tisburycolumnist@gmail.com

It’s official: I’ve been writing this column for a little over a month, and haven’t been asked to stop yet! Thank you to everyone who has bumped into me lately and mentioned they’ve read at least a few lines here or there. (If I’m lucky they might even admit to laughing, or learning something new about Tisbury.)

With this weekend being Father’s Day, I want to give a super-big shout-out to my dad: Bruce Stone. Edgartown resident, best known in West Tisbury, and frequent golfer

at Tisbury’s Mink Meadows. He was the town accountant of West Tisbury for 20 years, and even got a shout-out in the West Tisbury column when he retired two years ago. Always quick to thank everyone but himself, his own retirement speech ended with thanking “the police, the firefighters, the guys who do the roads, the legal services people” (the list went on). “Sometimes people who work in the public interest get forgotten about what a key role they play — and they are really valued, important

Edgartown

By Marnely Murray marnely@gmail.com

Igo away for two weeks, leaving the Island barely awake, and come back this week to a town filled to the brim with visitors and friends! The season is here, and I’m excited to welcome everyone back to Edgartown for another incredible summer. This is the time that the column writes itself, as the days are packed with things to do, places to visit, shops to support, food to eat, beverages to drink, and events to celebrate.

New this year is the Vineyard Style Night, a fashion show fundraiser that starts at 5:30 pm on June 18, and will take place at the Carnegie. The evening will feature a runway show from Edgartown

retailers, a complimentary welcome drink, refreshments, and a curated silent auction, all benefiting the Edgartown library Children’s Room. Tickets on sale online at bit.ly/MVFashionShow.

If you’re looking for a musical event on June 18, head to Music in the Square: Sarah Shaw Dawson and Friends, presenting at the Eisenhauer Gallery, starting at 6 pm. This free initiative is hosted by Eisenhauer Gallery,

parts of the community.”

Recently skimming through my old journal scribblings, I came across this note written two years ago on the night of my dad’s retirement party: “I think I want to be like my dad.

Stay in my lane, where my flashlight shines brightest. Show up. Consistently. Be dependable.

I don’t need to know everything or help everyone. I just need to be honest and meet expectations whenever I can.”

Dad, thank YOU for being such a consistent, dependable role model throughout my life. I love you. And shout-out to everyone this weekend celebrating Father’s Day in all its many forms.

Following in my dad’s footsteps, thank you also to all the hard-working Tisbury employees installing new lampposts, celebrating our new Owen Park dock ribbon cutting with homemade donuts, (repeatedly) staying late in public meetings, or grilling burgers at a First Fri-

day V.H. event. And if you’re a local resident — it’s easy to jump in any time of the year and help make a difference in the community! Attend a public meeting, vote, join a committee, or just sign up for the text or email system at tisburyma.gov/list.aspx to stay in the loop on what’s important to you.

This Saturday, June 20, from 1 to 4 pm is a Dad and Me Backyard Bash at the Martha’s Vineyard Family Center (35 Greenwood Ave., V.H.). Cookout, lawn games,

This Saturday, June 20, from 1 to 4 pm is a Dad and Me Backyard Bash at the Martha’s Vineyard Family Center (35 Greenwood Ave., V.H.). Cookout, lawn games, raffles and FREE for families and kids ages 6-12.

Vineyard Square Hotel, and Chesca’s Restaurant to present live, local music in Vineyard Square every Thursday all summer long.

On June 19, from 2 to 4 pm, head over to Edgartown Books for a book signing of three “Jaws”-related books with author Michael A. Smith. Should be a fun event to meet the author and talk about “Jaws.”

On June 20, head over to the Edgartown library for its annual Juneteenth celebration. Andrew Sue Wing, a Boston-based singer-songwriter and guitarist specializing in R and B, will perform live music on the library’s front lawn. This is a family-friendly event, and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. This

program is generously funded by the Friends of the Edgartown Free Public Library. No registration required. Another thing I want you to note with the library is that they are doing library walking groups every Wednesday morning from 8:30 to 9:30 am; meet at the library’s rear entrance at 8:30 am to stretch your legs! The walk is between 2.5 and 3 miles through the downtown area, and will take about 60 minutes. I plan on joining this week, so grab your morning coffee, and let’s walk together!

After my walk, I plan on getting ready to eat all things strawberry at the Morning Glory Farm Strawberry Festival that starts at 11 am on June 20.

If you’re looking for a musical event on June 18 head to Music in the Square: Sarah Shaw Dawson and Friends, presenting at the Eisenhauer Gallery, starting at 6 pm.

Oak Bluffs

By Joanne Lambert joannelamber@gmail.com

“There is no life that does not contribute to history.”

–Dorothy West

Dorothy West was born in June 1907. She started writing in her teens, was part of the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s, and became one of the few Black women to be published in major literary magazines in the 1930s and ’40s. In 1948, after moving to Martha’s Vineyard, she wrote her first novel, and she also started a weekly col-

umn about Oak Bluffs in the Vineyard Gazette. I think about Dorothy West a lot — the turbulent times she lived through, and how she so bravely and eloquently wrote about it throughout her life. June 19 is Juneteenth, the day we commemorate the official end of slavery in the U.S. On the Juneteenth flag, there are three symbols: the star represents freedom for every black American, the burst around the star symbolizes a new beginning for all, and the arc shows a new

horizon of opportunities.

The Juneteenth flag will be raised at the Tabernacle on Friday at 11 am. The Union Chapel will host a panel, “Discussing Freedom at 250,” at 3:30 pm, as well as film screenings and other events. Jubilee MV will be hosting a cultural festival all day.

Inkwell Beach will be the spot from 3 to 6 pm for gathering to enjoy music, refreshments, and fun to celebrate the day. More events can be found at mvy.com.

The Oak Bluffs library will

have a special Juneteenth Storytime at 10:15 am. Taste of Juneteenth is Sunday, June 21, at the P.A. Club from 2 to 5 pm. Culinary offerings from local Black chefs, music, drinks, and more. Get your tickets at naacopmv.org.

I am always proud to be from O.B., especially so last weekend when the town hosted the most beautiful and exuberant Pride Parade yet! Thanks to the OBA, the Pride committee, and all who worked so hard to organize and participate in a

raffles and FREE for families and kids ages 6-12. In West Tisbury (this weekend only), my very favorite art show of the year is happening: Blooming Art at the Old Mill, Friday through Sunday, 10 am to 3 pm. Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club members are tasked with bringing artwork by Island artists to life (literally) through interpretive floral arrangements. Do you have an upcoming birthday or something you want shared in a future Tisbury column? Email me at tisburycolumnist@gmail. com with your own stories of our town, and anything coming up that you want spotlighted here. I certainly don’t want to miss anyone’s rightful “big bunches of birthday balloons,” or an awesome upcoming event in our corner of the Island.

All the strawberry treats and family fun you can imagine — it’s always a delicious time. Father’s Day is the day after the strawberry festival, so maybe pick up a local gift at Morning Glory for your dad, grandpa, or uncle. I’m thinking a Morning Glory trucker hat, some local MV Sea Salt for grilling, a few packages of local bacon, and some of that honey-roasted peanut butter should do the trick. Most father figures are easy to shop for when you go the food route.

Don’t miss Amity Week, from June 20 to 27, organized and produced by the Edgartown Board of Trade. Last year marked the 50th anniversary of Steven Spielberg's “Jaws,” shot in 1974 on location all over the Vineyard to bring to life the fictional Amity Island. But in Edgartown, the celebration continues with special events and activities all week long.

To top this column off, one of my favorite things:

glorious celebration of love and freedom.

O.B. Harbor Fest is Saturday, June 21, from 10 am to 6 pm. This fun all-day celebration on the harbor includes vendors, food, and music. Come out and support all the artists, buy some treats, dance on the dock, and see your neighbors before the summer crowds take over! Congratulations to all the graduates of the past few weeks, from preschool through high school! Congratulations to the MVRHS

Inkwell Beach will be the spot from 3 to 6 pm for gathering to enjoy music, refreshments, and fun to celebrate Juneteenth. More events can be found at mvy.com.

When a local emails me something special to share with the world. Recently, a little birdie told me that Ed and Mary Lou Roman are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 19, and that’s something worth celebrating! They have lived here since 1985, and are living their best “retired” life on the Island. Ed is the treasurer of the Friends of the Edgartown Library, and a member of the Amity Running Club, Surfcasters Association, and Cribbage Club. He also works parttime as a ranger for the Trustees on Chappy in the summer. Mary Lou is the proudest grandmother to their three grandsons, who are the light of their lives, and is said to be the sweetest, kindest, most thoughtful person in Katama. If you know Ed and Mary Lou, please make sure to congratulate them! Birthday shout-outs next week, I’m already way over my word limit!

girls’ tennis team for winning the state championship! The Animal Shelter’s Garden Party fundraiser is Monday, June 29. Don’t miss this chance to support the great work Lisa, Gordon, staff, and volunteers do for our Island animals. Tickets at animalshelterofmv.org. Happy birthday to Rachel Araujo and Jeff Burnett on June 18 — they share the day with Paul McCartney! Pam Swan celebrates on June 20. Birthday balloons go to Teddie and Robbie Pacheco on the 21st. June 22 is the day for Paula O’Connor and Sandi Moquin. On the 23rd, we celebrate Coach Jay Schofield and Melanie deMore. Happy birthday to Mika Durrell and Taalibah Cabral on June 24! Send me your news!

TOWN COLUMNS

Aquinnah

By Kathie Olsen aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com

Fi rst, some reminders. This is a busy week. Thursday, June 18, from 5 to 7 pm, is the first of the Third Thursdays BBQ and Jazz gatherings at the Aquinnah library. Food is available, of course, but you are urged to bring a dish and nonalcoholic beverages to share while listening to the music of David Mintz and watching your kids zoom around. Friday and Saturday, June 19–20, you can go and see some terrific art by the Howes House watercol-

or group at the Up-Island Council on Aging. On Saturday, June 20, head up to the Aquinnah Circle from 4 to 6 pm for the Aquinnah Summer Solstice Celebration, with music, food and fun guaranteed. All those

events are free. Then, head down to the P.A. Club from 5 to 8 pm for more food, more music, and terrific silent auction items in support of the Up-Island Council on Aging. This one calls for a suggested donation of $15 per person.

In every community you will find certain people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and get the necessary work done. If you would like to be one of those people, take heed: The Aquinnah Select Board will be making

annual appointments to 24 varied working committees soon. Registered Aquinnah voters who are interested in volunteering, please email Jeffrey Madison by June 26 at townadministrator@ aquinnah-ma.gov. Be a hero and step up if you can. Ruth Folchman tells me that the Mindfulness and Meditation Practice Group is moving to Wednesdays, 7:30 to 8:30 am, effective June 18 and onward. She writes, “Everyone is welcome to join this freely offered,

The Aquinnah Select Board will be making annual appointments to 24 varied working committees soon. Registered Aquinnah voters who are interested in volunteering, please email Jeffrey Madison.

Chilmark

By Claire Ganz cganz@live.com

Collective effervescence is something this Island is good at. Photographers captured the joyful participants in graduation ceremonies, and the Pride Parade in Oak Bluffs. The Farmers Market. The Island tradition of friends, family, and fire engines meeting the ferry carrying the courageous home was on display Saturday night. Everyone standing patiently, while it docked and unloaded, before starting the sirens,

whistles, and cheers for the champions as the Martha’s Vineyard High girls’ tennis team marched off the freight deck Saturday night. Congratulations to Head Coach Bill Rigali and Coach Eddie Stahl. Captains Liana Dubin, Leah Thomson, and Zoe Treitman. And the team: Charlotte Marshard, Tessa Schulz, Bella Schilling, Frencesca Carlos, Stella Cowan, Charlotte Cramer, Abigail Geary, Josephine Johns, Leela Khelalfa, Maple

West Tisbury

By Hermine Hull hermine.hull@gmail.com

It already feels like summer, although that designation won’t officially come until this weekend, June 21. Hot, hazy, humid, all miserable. As I shut my windows and turned on the air, I silently thanked Eric and Julius Lowe for about the millionth time for installing those splits some hot summers ago. They have saved my life and made it bearable.

Through the miracle of technology, I was able to watch Megan Mendenhall performing in a concert with the Back Bay Ringers last Saturday evening. The program at the First Baptist Church, Worcester, included pieces for organ and bells. One, “Sonata in the Baroque Style,” was composed by Michael Hillman, specially to

be debuted at this concert. Friends of the Up-Island Council on Aging will host a fundraiser at the P.A. Club on Saturday, June 20, 5 to 8 pm. The UICOA supports programs for older adults, purchase of medical equipment they loan out, and emergency financial assistance. Come for music, great food, a silent auction, and to support an organization that does a lot of good in our community.

Martha’s Vineyard Museum will present a debate, “Revolution in Words:

Martone, Gabriella Schilling, Tessa Schultz, Autumn Wiggin, Talia Young, and Emma Treitman. What a perfect addition to the summer season celebrations. Congratulations to our town’s graduates from the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School and Falmouth Academy: Emily Boyd, Grazina Biskis, Hunter Broderick, Maeve Cook-Nartin, Cian Davis, Matthew Day, Lathrop Keene, and Anthony Smith.

Thursday, June 18, at 10

am is graduation day for Chilmark School. Thanks again to all of the children and their families who came to the Chilmark Church Children’s Fair. The pony was under the weather. Thank you, Julie Flanders, for wrangling substitutes. Thank you, Laurie David and Bart Thorpe, for bringing Penny, Violet, and Enzo, three rescued and loved sweet and gentle minidonkeys. Special thanks to Sarah Laux for painting characters like Stitch. It will help to have better tools to

drop-in group. Here you will find some guided practices for developing present moment awareness with a tender acceptance for how things actually are, and what can be nurtured to increase open heartedness.”

Friday the 19th is Juneteenth, a celebration of the day in 1865 that the last of the enslaved people in the U.S. were made aware of the Emancipation Proclamation (which had been issued by Abraham Lincoln in 1863) and were officially, legally released from their bonds.

Later that same year, in December 1865, the ratification of the 13th Amendment formally abolished slavery in the U.S. The amendment surely didn’t erase prejudice, but it was a crucial step along the path toward our continuing attempts to try

make neat, edged lines. Any tips are most welcome. Ann Noyes’ cupcakes, frosting, and toppings were a hit. All of the leftovers were turned into mountains and consumed with glee by the Sunday school.

We will continue to make mountains, and sprinkle only with things like slime and shaving cream, petals and confetti, buttons and beads. Thank you again to Judy Mayhew and Sarah Shipway. Emily Broderick, Janet Weiner, Kathie Carroll. Mariah and Jessica Camp -

Thanks again to all of the children and their families who came to the Chilmark Church Children’s Fair. The pony was under the weather.

A Patriot versus Loyalist Showdown” on June 22, 5 to 6 pm. The Loyalist perspective will be represented by Mary Beth Norton, Mary Donlan Alger Professor Emerita of American History at Cornell University, author of several books about the Revolutionary War, most recently “1774: The Long Year of Revolution,” and West Tisbury resident. Arguing for American patriots will be Patrick Spero, chief executive officer of the American Philosophical Society, also an author and historian of the Revolutionary War period.

Don’t forget that the library and town offices will be closed this Friday for Juneteenth. Melissa Knowles will be at the library on Saturday, June 20, 9:30 to 11:30 am, taking free Fa-

ther’s Day photographs for dads, granddads, caregivers, and loved ones. Children’s librarian Hannah will hold the Wednesday, June 24, storytime at the Farmers Market, 10:30 am.

I want to write about a dear friend, Marie-Louise Rouff, who died on May 13. We met when she walked into my gallery in 1989 carrying a portfolio of small landscape paintings, clearly landscapes, but striding the line between recognizable and abstraction. I loved them, and over the years of our friendship, we grew to love one another. Her paintings became more nonrepresentational, more intuitive, more strongly colored. They were/are mostly large enough to envelop a viewer with their power and poetry.

I looked back at an article I

Melissa Knowles will be at the library on Saturday, June 20, 9:30 to 11:30 am, taking free Father’s Day photographs for dads, granddads, caregivers, and loved ones.

and “form a more perfect Union.” It’s something we can all celebrate. In that vein, I want to thank those who organized the joint meeting of the Aquinnah Select Board and the Wampanoag Tribal Council last week. Continuing work on collaboration and cooperation makes for a rising tide that lifts all our boats. Sunday, June 21, is also Father’s Day. I salute all those men who, like my Charley did, completely share primary caregiver roles for their children with their partners. You give manhood a good name. I am gratified that many people read this column for news of Aquinnah. Let me hear your news so I can share it with them. As that sign on State Road reads, we are one.

bell, Janet Stoddard, and Pam Goff. The treats created by Irene Wong offered for sale at North Tabor Farm’s stand are fabulous, and her biscuits continue to sell out within the first hour at the West Tisbury Farmers Market.

Trish Ginter is offering a sound bath at the Chilmark library on Saturday, June 20, 3:30 to 4:30 pm. Wednesday, June 24, at 11 am at Stillpoint, I will begin hosting workshops based on my Sunday school classes. Come for tea and play with stones, pens, wire, beads, and clips. Joyful creation with laughter. Fostering discovery and connection with the glorious humans we all are.

wrote about Marie-Louise in 2015 Arts & Ideas. Do look it up. It shows her as I will always see her in my mind, a tiny woman with white hair brushed out of her way, wearing a painting apron and a determined look, the “art look” she wore when she painted or talked about art.

She was 93 when she died. All of our artist friends are devastated. It seemed she would go on forever. She will, in her paintings, and in her interactions with other artists.

One of my major paintings was of Marie-Louise and her husband, Paul Levine, another character to be lauded for his brilliant mind, creative in a different way. My

painting is called “The Dinner Party,” showing them in my dining room after dinner with Mike and me. They had decided to move back to the Island, bought a house in town. It had a little outbuilding that would become her studio and gallery. Mike would refurbish both to their requirements. He would come home with stories of Marie-Louise lugging canvases or building supplies like a stevedore, marveling at her strength and stamina. It takes a lot to impress my husband. I have one of her small paintings on the wall opposite our bed. It is the first and the last thing I see every day.

Anabelle PA Lourenco

Natalie Lourenco and Paulo V. Lourenco of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a daughter, Anabelle PA Lourenco, on June 12, 2026, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Anabelle weighed 7 pounds, 10.2 ounces.

The Cottagers at 70

A celebration at the M.V. Museum. BY ABBY REMER

The Martha’s Vineyard Museum was filled to capacity on Thursday, June 11, to hear a distinguished panel discuss the history, legacy, resiliency, and power of community among the Cottagers, who are, as moderator Linda Moffat said, “generations of black women who have shown up, spoken out, and lifted others along the way for 70 years.” She continued, “Let’s take that in. Seventy years of black women shaping the Vineyard in ways both seen and unseen. Now that doesn’t happen by accident, but through commitment, courage, and community.”

The Cottagers, Inc., is a

prestigious, philanthropic group of Black women homeowners on Martha’s Vineyard. The 100 women who make up the organization band together to promote cultural pride by fundraising for charitable, educational, and community service projects that improve the quality of life on their beloved Island. It all began in 1956, when summer resident Thelma Garland Smith spearheaded the founding of the Cottagers after overhearing a white woman make negative comments about the Black Oak Bluffs community. At the time, a little more than 30 Black families came to Oak Bluffs for summer vacations.

The women often gathered for coffee and conversation,

and at one of their coffee klatches, someone suggested that they each donate $10 as a token of appreciation to the hospital. Three hundred dollars was collected and given in the name of “the Cottagers” — and a tradition of philanthropy and camaraderie was born.

homeownership, [the founders] created a structure that encouraged families to maintain roots on the Island. Just as homes were passed from one generation to the next, so were traditions, values, and relationships. They created a

er in 2009, spoke about some of the events the Cottagers had organized over the years to raise funds, events she had become intimately familiar with early in her time with them. Among them were the fashion show, Trivia and Treasures, where members would sell preowned items, and the annual house tour, which still draws visitors from off-Island.

Recent donations have gone to Island Grown Initiative and its Food Pantry, the Martha’s Vineyard Cancer Support Group, the Vineyard House, Harbor Homes, and scholarships for high school students.

“There has always been a sense of pride and delight in a job well done,” says ColemanWalton. Since that first $300 donation, the Cottagers have given $340,000 to date. “We have made an impact on this Island through who we are and our commitment.”

Jennifer Smith Turner spoke about the sense of sisterhood that permeates the organization. “It goes way beyond what we do as Cottagers in supporting other organizations. It’s the friendships that form. They add depth to what you experience day to day, and to the commitment.”

being very hands-on,” Smith Turner observes. “As a body politic, we know that we are better and stronger when we work together.”

Nowhere has working together been more important of late than in the renovation of the organization’s home. As the Black community grew, so did membership, and the tradition of meeting in each other’s homes was no longer adequate. There was also a pressing need for a gathering place for the community’s youth. In 1968, under the presidency of Maggie Alston, the Cottagers voted to buy the old town hall on Pequot Avenue, purchase three lots on Wamsutta Avenue, and apply for incorporation. They named their building Cottagers’ Corner, which by 2019 needed preservation and renovation.

“By anchoring membership in homeownership, [the founders] created a structure that encouraged families to maintain roots on the Island.” –PATRICIA BUSH

In her remarks, current President Patricia Bush emphasized, “Over the years, our mission has remained remarkably consistent with the vision of our founders … By anchoring membership in

sisterhood. Because of that vision, the Cottagers have maintained many of the customs and practices established by its founders while continuing to evolve and remain relevant in changing times.”

Jocelyn Coleman-Walton, who became summer treasur-

With everything that needs to get done, part of being a Cottager is serving on two committees. Smith Turner reflects on the collective expertise of the women: “We could build countries and make them run. It’s unbelievable how many skills everyone brings to a particular step in the process.” Many of the Cottagers have or currently run organizations, and are used to supervising others. “And then suddenly we find ourselves

Leah Brown, one of the five members of the Cottage Home Improvement Committee, shared the journey, which began with restoring the crumbling foundation, followed by redesigning and restoring the interior. “We have basically preserved the history with a modern flair,” says Brown. She gives an example, explaining that, in addition to having once been a town hall and firehouse, the building was also a jail. “So, the wallpaper in the bathrooms we used is striped. It’s basically a modern take on what the house used to be.”

Clearly, the organization lives up to the quote on its website from Maggie Alston: “The Cottagers, Inc., is the most hard-working ‘vacation’ group around.”

Discussion moderator Linda Moffat, center, and panelists Patricia R. Bush, Jocelyn ColemanWalton, Jennifer Smith Turner, and Leah Brown discussed the history of The Cottagers.

Tickets were sold out for "100 Black Women Serving the Vineyard for 70 Years."

PHOTOS: DENA PORTER

Before Juneteenth was a celebration, it was a waiting. A waiting for news. A waiting for justice. A waiting for a freedom that had already been promised but had yet to arrive.

For generations of African Americans, freedom was not simply about the end of slavery. It was about something even more fundamental: the ability to exist safely. To gather without fear. To build community. To rest. To dream. To claim space in a country that had spent centuries denying them all of the above.

When enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally learned on June 19, 1865, that they were free, the announcement marked the end of one chapter. But it did not immediately create belonging. Freedom did not guarantee safety. It did not create places where Black families could fully exhale.

And yet, over time, those places began to emerge.

Long before Martha’s Vineyard became known as a summer destination, it became something far more meaningful to many African Americans: a refuge. That reality is at the heart of “Where They Still Remain,” an exhibition by Martha’s Vineyard–raised photographer, writer, and researcher Austin Bryant, whose work explores the intersections of African American and Wampanoag history on the Island through photography, archival images, and historical records.

“What I enjoyed learning about the most was the truth about our presence on the Island since its colonization,” Bryant said. “Whether we arrived in chains or as freedmen and freedwomen, African Americans carved out an existence on the Island.”

For Bryant, that history challenges many assumptions people hold about New England.

“I think people look at Massachusetts through rose-tinted glasses when it comes to enslavement and abolition,” he said. “In reality, the 19th and early 20th centuries were still a dangerous, difficult time for those fleeing enslavement or pursuing freedom on their own terms.”

Understanding that history makes the significance of Martha’s Vineyard even more profound. It challenges us to look beyond the familiar narrative. The story of Black Martha’s Vineyard did not begin with summer traditions; it began generations earlier, with people whose lives, labor, and experiences helped shape the fabric of the Island.

When I asked what made Martha’s Vineyard such a meaningful place for Black families, one theme surfaced repeatedly: Community.

Toni Kauffman, former president of the Martha’s Vineyard chapter of the NAACP and a longtime advocate for preserving Black history on the Island, reflected on the broader historical context.

“Research shows that in the mid-Fifties, because of Jim Crow laws, we were not allowed in other places of respite,” Kauffman said. “Honestly, we carefully and deliberately made our own places to retreat across the country.”

For many families, Martha’s Vineyard became one of those

Long before Martha’s Vineyard became known as a summer destination, it became something far more meaningful to many African Americans: a refuge.

places. “There are many examples of family legacies on the Vineyard,” Kauffman said. “Through very intentional planning, some were even able to acquire property.”

As Black families continued to establish roots on the Island, community became more than a feeling. It became an institution. Few organizations embody that legacy more than The Cottagers, Inc., founded 70 years ago by African American women committed to fellowship, civic engagement, and service. Today, the organization remains an important part of the Island’s Black history and community life.

“Black people found it a safe place, initially, and it was open to ownership too,” said Patricia Bush, president of The Cottagers. “I think people of African American descent have always felt very comfortable here on the Island. It’s a safe space. And you just continue to invite your friends and family, and it evolved from that.”

For many families, that invitation became something lasting. “So many people that I’ve talked to, they come to visit somebody, and then they just fall in love and purchase their own home,” Bush said.

But access was not always straightforward.

A PLACE TO EXHALE

How we came to where we are. BY

SHARISSE SCOTT-RAWLINS bySharisse

Parade.

Seasonal visitors at Gay Head.

Costello Barber Shop.

Open Door Club.

Fashion Show in CC.

Liz White Summer Theater.

Fashion show model on runway.

COURTESY THE COTTAGERS

COURTESY MV MUSEUM

COURTESY THE COTTAGERS

“People did find it necessary to use different means to purchase in other areas than the Highlands, which was the area that was most noted,” explained historian, educator, and longtime Cottager Joanne Hyppolite Edey-Rhodes.

Even so, families found ways to build lives and legacies here. “It was a sacrifice,” she said. “It’s not that these people were rich. A lot of the families were professional families, but not all.” For both women, preserving that legacy means more than maintaining property. “You couldn’t tell the story of Oak Bluffs without adding in the Cottagers and Cottagers’ Corner,” EdeyRhodes said.

“We just don’t want to be the people that come there and enjoy,” Bush added. “We want to also make an impact in the community.” That commitment to stewardship surfaced repeatedly throughout my conversations.

Heather Seger, executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Museum, oversees the museum’s work to collect, preserve, and share the stories of communities whose histories have often been overlooked. Seger believes preserving Black history is ultimately about telling a fuller story of Martha’s Vineyard itself.

JUNE 11

M.V. Museum

‘100 Black Women

Serving the Vineyard for 70 Years’

able Truth, this discussion will explore the question, Who was America for? Free; 3:30–4:30 pm. Union Chapel, 55 Narragansett Ave., Oak Bluffs. eventbrite.com.

JUNE 19

“Many people think of the Island as a playground for the wealthy elite,” Seger said. “But those of us who really love the Island know that the story is much more complicated than that.” Through exhibitions, archival collections, oral histories, and community partnerships, the museum continues to preserve stories that might otherwise be lost to time. For Seger, that work is not simply about safeguarding artifacts. It is about ensuring future generations have access to a more complete understanding of the people and communities that shaped the Island.

“The Black history of the Island includes parts about enslavement and redlining and minstrel shows and segregation, along with parts that are about Black excellence and success and community building and resilience,” she said. Bryant believes preserving those stories has become even more urgent today. “The past informs our future,” he said. “In a time where some are actively practicing historical erasure in the U.S., I believe it’s on us as individuals to keep the fire burning for future generations.”

For him, stewardship extends beyond preserving buildings or artifacts: “We need to carry our collective memory forward.” His hope is that future generations understand both the refuge Martha’s Vineyard became and the histories that made that refuge possible.

“We need to connect summer visitors, who come here for refuge, to the depth of Black and Wampanoag history in this place that helped create the Eden we consider the Island to be,” Bryant said. “The more we see ourselves in each other across the lines of Black and Wampanoag communities, the more we can keep these stories alive.”

As Juneteenth celebrations continue to grow, Kauffman believes understanding the history behind the holiday remains essential.

“It sometimes surprises me that so many people have no idea of many historical facts,” she said. “But if it is not taught, and today we face erasure of history, only those who have those experiences understand how that history impacts us all.”

“It wasn’t that the Emancipation Proclamation was not known to the state of Texas,” she added. “Economics kept our ancestors enslaved. It took federal troops to emancipate them.”

And perhaps that is what Juneteenth asks of us now. Not simply to celebrate freedom, but to honor those who transformed freedom into something tangible. A home. A community. A tradition. A gathering place. A legacy.

The people who came before us did more than arrive here. They built something.

The question now is whether we are willing not only to enjoy what was built, but to understand it, honor it, and carry it forward.

“100 Black Women Sewrving the Vineyard” celebrates and honors 70 years of The Cottagers, Inc., and the Black women members’ commitment to community, culture, and care, features longtime Cottagers reflecting on the organization's origins, evolution, and legacy. 5 to 7 pm. mvmuseum.org/registration-06-11-26.

JUNE 18–21

Sixth annual Juneteenth Jubilee Festival

Celebrate freedom, joy, culture, and community. Be a part of a powerful gathering of trailblazers, visionaries, and cultural and community leaders. Experience intriguing porch talks, live performances, storytelling, art, and connection. More details coming soon at jubileecharity.org.

JUNE 19

Juneteenth Flag Raising

The Juneteenth flag raising honors and recognizes the enduring contributions of African Americans, and renews a commitment to becoming a more welcoming, diverse, and inclusive community for all. 11 am. Flagpole at the entrance to the Tabernacle, in Oak Bluffs. For more information, contact generalmanager@mvcma. org, or call 508-693-0525.

JUNE 19

The second annual JuneTeaNth MV

Enjoy a cup of tea and a delicious conversation — as we celebrate JuneTeaNth MV. 2 to 3:30 pm. Cost: $35 per adult. Children under 12 free. For more information, contact loyalteabagsy@ gmail.com.

JUNE 19

Juneteenth panel: ‘Discussing Freedom at 250’

Featuring panelists Reginald Browne of the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and Kyle Williams, educator, social justice advocate, and creator of A Long Talk about the Uncomfort-

Juneteenth at the Inkwell Gather for an afternoon of music, games, water sports, refreshments, and more. Sponsored by local businesses. Free, 3 to 6 pm. Inkwell Beach, Oak Bluffs. For more information contact marthasvineyardchocolates@gmail.com.

JUNE 19

‘The Vineyard Mindset: Where Heritage, Creativity, and Business Meet’ Gatsby Coram will be at the M.V. Museum for a conversation on art, heritage, and the Island, followed by a light wine reception in the Rose Styron Garden. MVM members, $25; nonmembers, $35; 5–6 pm. 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven.

JUNE 19

‘Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution’

Catch a screening of the History Channel documentary "Black Patriots: Heroes of the Revolution.” NBA legend, best-selling author, and activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar will be covering the African American experience during the Revolutionary War. Free, 5–6 pm. Union Chapel, 55 Narragansett Ave., Oak Bluffs, unionchapelinstitute.org.

JUNE 19

Juneteenth Community Celebration at MV Salads

MV Salads will host a memorable Juneteenth Community Celebration honoring Black storytelling, culture, connection, and community. Enjoy an evening filled with special surprises, unexpected moments, and opportunities to come together in celebration and reflection. Free, 6:30 pm, MV Salads, 55 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs. mvsalads.com/about.

JUNE 19

Juneteenth Jubilee Freedom and Joy Cultural Festival '26

Catch the live "Sonic Front Porch" podcast taping and reception as part of the Juneteenth Jubilee Freedom and Joy Cultural Festival. Free, Jubilee MV, 42 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs. For more information contact HoverFly Events; 202-415-6264; events@hoverflyevents.com.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth Storytime

In honor of Juneteenth, Oak Bluffs library will host Juneteenth books, songs, scarves, and a parachute. Stories are geared toward kids ages 3 to 8, but all ages are welcome; 10:15 am, Oak Bluffs library, 56R School St., Oak Bluffs, oakbluffslibrary.org/events.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth Fabric

Patchmaking

Drop into the Oak Bluffs library for a fun Juneteenth patch-painting craft session. Fabric paint on canvas and denim, and everything you need, including stencils, fabric, and paint, will be provided. Free, 11 am to 1 pm. Oak Bluffs library, 56R School St., Oak Bluffs, oakbluffslibrary. org/events.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth crafting

Create your own Juneteenth bracelet or key chain with pony beads at the Oak Bluffs library. Drop in anytime between 11 am and 2 pm. Free, Oak Bluffs library, 56R School St., Oak Bluffs, oakbluffslibrary.org/events.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth concert

R and B Boston-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Andrew Sue Wing will perform live music on the library's front lawn. This is a family friendly, and is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Free, 1–2 pm. Edgartown library, 26 West Tisbury Road, Edgartown, edgartownlibrary.org/ adult-programs/calendar.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth activity

Celebrate Freedom Day with librarian Michelle, who will hold a fun Juneteenth activity. For ages

7–10, Free, 2:30 pm. Oak Bluffs library, 56R School St., Oak Bluffs, oakbluffslibrary.org/events.

JUNE 20

Juneteenth Jubilee Freedom and Joy Cultural Festival '26 — Main Event Head to Union Chapel to celebrate another year of trailblazing stories, inspiring music, and special guests. Keynote speakers and community events will be announced at jubileecharity. org. Free, 2 pm, Union Chapel, 55 Narragansett Ave., Oak Bluffs.

JUNE 20

Marie B. Allen

Juneteenth Creative Arts Contest

Juneteenth Creative Arts Contest for Island seventhto 12th-grade students on the theme "What freedom looks like, yesterday, today, and tomorrow," will take place from 2 to 4 pm. Cash prizes and awards up to $250 will be presented. Free, Oak Bluffs library, 56R School St., Oak Bluffs. For more information, contact davidmiltonallen@gmail.com.

JUNE 21

Union Chapel Juneteenth church service

Celebrate Juneteenth with the Rev. Willie Bodrick II from Twelfth Baptist Church. Free, 9:45 am doors open, 10 am service begins. Union Chapel, 55 Narragansett Ave., Oak Bluffs, unionchapelmv.org.

JUNE 21

Juneteenth Jubilee Freedom and Joy Cultural Festival '26 — Walk to Water Ceremony

A Walk to Water Ceremony, honoring and remembering the ancestors, taking place after the Juneteenth service at Union Chapel. Union Chapel to Inkwell Beach, free, jubileecharity.org.

JUNE 21

Juneteenth Gospel Brunch 2026

Honor the spirit of Juneteenth at a live performance by Paryss & Allie along with a brunch buffet. Noon, $130, Edgartown Yacht Club, 1 Dock St., Edgartown, eventbrite.com.

Flag was raised on Juneteenth at the Tabernacle.

Juneteenth at the Tabernacle in Oak Bluffs in 2024.

PHOTOS: JULIA GOUJIAMANIS

Paleface & Mo

Artist Paleface and his Puerto Rican singing drummer and life partner Mo blend heartfelt lyrics, rhythmrich melodies, acoustic warmth, and innovative electronic soundscapes. 7 pm, $10 at the door. Portuguese-American Club, 137 Vineyard Ave., Oak Bluffs, palefaceonline.com.

‘Washashore Review Volume Two’ reading

Featherstone Center for the Arts will host a reading from the newly published second volume of the “Washashores Review” by the Washashores Writers Collective. The “Washashores Review”

features poetry, essays, and fiction written by 24 local women-identifying authors. At 4 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, 30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs, featherstoneart.org/literaryartsevents-776461.

JSAT 6/20 FRI 6/19 SUN 6/21

Taste of Juneteenth

uneteenth commemorates the effective end of slavery in the U.S. in 1865. Taste of Juneteenth showcases the Vineyard’s BIPOC chefs and celebrates Black culture, cuisine, and liberation. The guest speaker will be culinary historian and jour-

nalist Jessica B. Harris, author of 15 books including “High on the Hog,” which was made into a Netflix series. Proceeds benefit the NAACP and MV NAACP’s scholarship fund; $75, 2 to 5 pm, Portuguese-American Club, 137 Vineyard Ave., Oak Bluffs, naacpmv.org.

TUES 6/23 MON 6/22 WED 6/24

Musical Monday with Delanie Pickering Band

Musical Mondays feature performances on Featherstone’s outdoor stage. Enjoy music while supporting musical artists and the Featherstone nonprofit art center. It’s $20, with 50 percent of proceeds going to the musicians. Tickets for each week’s performance go on sale at noon a week prior. From 6:30 to 8 pm. Featherstone Center for the Arts, 30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs, featherstoneart.org/music.

Edgartown Village Market

The Edgartown Village Market is an open-air market in the heart of Edgartown’s downtown. From farm-fresh produce, flowers, and provisions to

one-of-a-kind artisanal goods, the market is a one-stop shop. From 10 am to 2 pm. Daniel Fisher House, 99 Main St., Edgartown, edgartownvillagemarket.com.

Events

THURSDAY, JUNE 18

Dance Fitness and Strength

Training with Kris Martin

Virtual Kripalu Flow Yoga

7:30 am, West Tisbury Library. On Zoom with Yogijay. Sign up for free by emailing wt_mail@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Morning Pages Mornings

8-9 am, West Tisbury Library. Meets on the library porch. Writing prompts and inspiration with Kate Feiffer. No sign up required. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Early Birders Walk

8-10 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. The early bird gets the worm, and early birders, the binoculars. Walk with our birders to listen to and observe the sanctuary’s avian residents. 508-6274850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Kaiut Yoga

8:30-9:30 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga works through chronic pain and injuries, general aches and stiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-5638282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com. Balletics

9-10 am, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tisbury. Total body conditioning, learning body’s strengths & weaknesses, how to prevent injury. coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov, 508-693-2896. Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

9 am-3:30 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Enjoy Sengekontacket on this self-guided kayak tour. Clues lead you through the pond. Call to reserve for up to 3 hours; returning the boats by 3:30. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. Docent-Led Arboretum Tours

9:30-10:30 am, The Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury. Learn about the incredible history, people, and plants that make the Polly Hill Arboretum a local and global landmark. Free with admission! 508-693-9426, info@pollyhillarboretum.org.

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the creative process of muralist Margot Datz, whose work transformed the Old Whaling Church and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Art Exhibition: Student Scholarship Show

10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Art Exhibition: Student Scholarship Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org.

Seaweed art

11 am-5 pm, Aquinnah Seaweed Art Gallery, Aquinnah. Colorful, natural seaweed art made on handmade paper by local artist Corinna Kaufman. Victorian art form. Open till 7/15. Private showings available. ken@newlivingexpo.com.

Family Yoga Play

11-11:30 am, West Tisbury Library. Playful, fun yoga for littles & their caregivers. Rec. for ages 0-5! Free and no registration needed. Thursdays 508-693-3366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org.

Tech help

11 am-1 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tisbury. Free tach help 508-6932896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov.

Portraits: Black & African Countenance

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Portraits: Black & African Countenance 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org. Spring Spectacular Show

11 am-4 pm, Louisa Gould Gallery, Vineyard Haven. Annual Spring Group Show: Sean Roach, Christie Scheele, Teek EatonKoch, Juliean Jarreau, and Paul Beebe. 508-693-7373, louisa.gould@gmail.com. Tick Talk Thursdays: Community Q&A with the Martha’s Vineyard Tick Program 12-1 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Open office hours: ask questions, share experiences, and learn more about ticks and tick-borne diseases. Register on VH Library event calendar. 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. Community Knitting Circle 1-3 pm, Chilmark Library. Join us for a relaxed afternoon of knitting in the Martha’s Vineyard Room. Our knitters love to share their knowledge and beginners are welcome! 508-645-3360, chil.programs@gmail.com.

‘Cooking

from the Island: What’s Fresh and What’s Local’

Chef Jenny Devivo will host a seasonal farm-to-table cooking class. Participants begin with a guided tour of the Friendship Garden to harvest vegetables and herbs for the day’s recipes, followed by cooking and meal preparation in the FARM Institute’s teaching kitchen. The class concludes with a shared meal enjoyed together on the porch. Please notify thefarminstitute@ thetrustees.org of any food allergies or dietary restrictions prior to the program. If you are unable to pay, please contact lbrown@ thetrustees.org. From 5:30 to 7 pm. Trustees members $64, nonmembers $80. The FARM Institute, 14 Aero Ave, Edgartown, tickets. thetrustees.org.

Book Club: “The True True Story of Raja the Gullible” by Rabih Alameddine 2 pm, EMS Facility, Vineyard Haven. Enjoy a lively discussion in a casual, hybrid format. Send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org to be added to the list. Everyone is welcome! 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. Chair Yoga

2:30-3:30 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tisbury. Chair Yoga 508-693-2896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov. Lego and Magna-tile Club 3-5 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Drop in anytime between 3 to 5pm. For kids ages 5-11. Duplos, Magna-tiles, and a huge quantity of legos will be provided. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Ukulele Jam

3:30-5 pm, West Tisbury Library. All ages and abilities. The library has ukuleles to borrow, or bring a guitar or banjo, or come to sing. wt_mail@clamsnet.org, 508-693-3366.

Edible Garden Tour with Doug Reece 4-5:15 pm, Location provided after registration, West Tisbury. Raised bed gardening know how with Doug Reece 508-693-9549, programs@mvagsoc.org.

Fanny Howe Tribute Reading curated by Jennifer Tseng 4 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for a tribute reading for renowned poet Fanny Howe, curated by Jennifer Tseng. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Third Thursdays: BBQ & Jazz 5-7 pm, Aquinnah Library. Spend a summer evening on the library porch enjoying good food and live local music. Guitarist and singer David Mintz will perform. 508645-2314, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

Table Tennis 5 pm, Tisbury Senior Center, Vineyard Haven. Table tennis for all ages and skill levels. 508-728-5898, raeobmv@gmail.com.

Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile 5:30-6:30 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This upbeat Pilates class blends preventative medicine, mind-over-matter focus, and joyful movement info@stillpointmv.org. Precarious Freedom: A Conversation on Culture, Climate, and Conservation 5:30-7:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Public Library. Join us to discuss and strategize conservation of Black cultural spaces in Oak Bluffs endangered by

Joy, connection, and strife: ‘A Thousand and One’

BY ABBY REMER

The title of A.V. Rockwell’s film, “A Thousand and One,” speaks to the many struggles 22-year-old Inez (Tenyana Taylor) faces as she tries to raise her son in New York City in the late 1990s and 2000s. The M.V. Film Center is screening this thoroughly engrossing feature on June 19 in honor of Juneteenth.

Inez is fierce, speaks her mind, and is quick to anger. We meet her in 1994 at Rikers Island Correctional Facility, styling a fellow inmate’s hair just before Inez is released from prison. Once released, she tries unsuccessfully to get her old stylist job back. But Inez’s real interest is tracking down her 6-year-old son, Terry (Aaron Kingsley Adetola), who believes she left him on a street corner before disappearing and thus wants little to do with her.

Inez is relentless in winning him over, continually visiting Terry in the hospital, where he landed after hurting himself while trying to escape from his foster mother. As she breaks

climate change. All welcomed to ‘munch-andlearn.’ 917-583-2743, samuelsaidoo@gmail.com.

Vineyard Style Night - Fashion Show Fundraiser

5:30-7 pm, The Carnegie, Edgartown. Vineyard Style Night - Fashion Show Benefitting the Edgartown Library Children’s Room 917-4712027, emmafitztownsend@gmail.com.

Pierogi Class and Dinner with Good Pierogi

5:30-7 pm, The FARM Institute, Edgartown. This hands-on workshop will explore the art of pierogi making, where you’ll create both sweet and savory fillings from scratch. thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org.

Makers Space Grand Opening!!

6-7:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Makers Space Grand Opening!! 508-6939433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Music in the Square: Sarah Shaw Dawson and Friends

6-8 pm, Eisenhauer Gallery, Edgartown. Eisenhauer Gallery presents “Music in the Square” with Sarah Shaw Dawson and Friends 508-627-7003, eisenhauergallery@gmail.com.

Jazz at Sweet Life with Jeremy Berlin

6:30-8:30 pm, Sweet Life, Oak Bluffs. Jeremy Berlin plays jazz piano every Thursday at the Sweet Life starting at 6:30 617-835-3756, emhaggerty@gmail.com.

Live Blues Trio at The Pawnee House on Thursday Nights from 6:30–8:30 PM 6:30-8:30 pm, The Pawnee House, Oak Bluffs. Live Blues Trio at The Pawnee House Every Thursday Night from 6:30–8:30 PM 508-338-2770, thepawneemv@gmail.com.

Bestselling authors Mary Kay Andrews and Sally Page in conversation

7-8:30 pm, Bunch of Grapes Bookstore, Vineyard Haven. Bestselling authorsMary Kay AndrewsandSally Page discuss their new novels, Road Trip and Six Little Words at Bunch 508-693-2291, molly4books@gmail.com. Film Screening: Chris & Martina: The Final Set

7:30 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Film Screening: Chris & Martina: The Final Set 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

through Terry’s protective wall, he confronts Inez about why she kept leaving him. Truly devastated, she asks, “Would it make you feel better if you came to live with me for just a few days?” When he agrees, Inez kidnaps him, escaping into the far reaches of Brooklyn and then Harlem. But her frustration at not being able to find a safe place to call home sends Inez ricocheting into short-tempered outbursts that sharply contrast with her loving moments of motherhood.

However, her fierce devotion to Terry keeps her fueled to meet one obstacle after another. She reassures him, “I’d go to war for you. They’re not breaking us up this time.” Later, he asks, “Why is nobody looking for me?” She responds, “Because we made it too hard for them.” Yet the everpresent threat of being found out threads through the story, including when Inez has to obtain a forged birth certificate and Social Security card to enroll Terry in school.

Life becomes more complicated when Lucky (William

FRIDAY, JUNE 19

Barre Fusion with Kris Martin 7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Ballet styled flows, barre work, balance and weights incorporating disks, loop bands and Bender balls. Come with sneakers, barre sox, or bare feet. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. Pumped Up Intervals with Maria McFarland

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A class alternating cardio intervals and weight work intervals using heavier weights, body bars, loops bands, and weighted balls. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. EFF’n Move Series with Tuni 9-10 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. EFF’n Move is a mindful, low-impact training approach focused onwhy you move, not just what you do. info@stillpointmv.org. Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

Blooming Art

10 am-3 pm, The Old Mill, West Tisbury. See the merging of fine art & floral design. Artwork by island artists & MVGC members interpret the art in floral designs. All artwork is for sale! media@ marthasvineyardgardenclub.org. Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the creative process of muralist Margot Datz, whose work transformed the Old Whaling Church and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-5499107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. Carnegie Heritage Center Opening Weekend

10 am-3 pm, the carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Admission: $5 (ages 12+). vineyardtrust.org/events/ 774-5499107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Catlett), Inez’s boyfriend, is released from jail and moves in with them. The relationship among all three is intriguingly nuanced, marked by moments of joy and connection as well as wrenching periods of strife. At one point, Inez tells Lucky, “Damaged people don’t know how to love each other.” Through thick and thin, however, Inez and Lucky, both of whom grew up without a family, try to create a stable home for Terry. At times, though, Inez’s intense need to provide the best possible life for her son causes tension in the household. As the film progresses over the years, two additional actors portray Terry — Aven Courtney at 13 and Josiah Cross at 17. The three of them, and indeed the entire cast, deliver seamless performances with a depth that echoes Rockwell’s script, in which the city itself plays a part. According to Focus Features’ website, Rockwell infused the film with her own personal history of growing up Black in Harlem. She told Essence, “What

Events

Art Exhibition: Student Scholarship Show

10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Art Exhibition: Student Scholarship Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org.

Seasonal Crafting

10:30 am-4 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Craft projects for ages 3-11. Fresh craft each week! Drop in. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Seaweed art

Portraits: Black & African Countenance

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Portraits: Black & African Countenance 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org. Spring Spectacular Show

11 am-4 pm, Louisa Gould Gallery, Vineyard Haven. Annual Spring Group Show: Sean Roach, Christie Scheele, Teek Eaton-Koch, Juliean Jarreau, and Paul Beebe. 508693-7373, louisa.gould@gmail.com.

Juneteenth Prayer Vigil for Freedom 12-1 pm, First Congregational Church of West Tisbury, West Tisbury. Juneteenth Prayer Vigil for Freedom 508-6932842, wtiscong@comcast.net.

Book Donations Welcome! Friend of the WT Library

1-2 pm, Friends Book Donation Shed at West Tisbury School. Book Donations accepted for the annual Friends of the West Tisbury Library summer book sale. 617-543-7898, kjskin@comcast.net.

Book Signing: Three JAWS-related Books with Author Michael A. Smith 2-4 pm, Edgartown Books. Three JAWSrelated Books will be featured during the book signing with author Michael A. Smith 508-627-8463, info@edgartownbooks.com. Grace Church Lobster Rolls 3-6 pm, Grace Episcopal Church, Vineyard Haven. Grace Church Lobster Roll Fundraiser 508-693-0332, rector@graceepiscopalmv.org.

For tickets and information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.

really compelled me to tell this story so urgently was seeing firsthand the impact of gentrification on the Black communities of New York City.” And as a superb

The Vineyard Mindset: Where Heritage, Creativity, and Business Meet 5-6:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Juneteenth conversation on art, identity, storytelling, and Martha’s Vineyard. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org. Magic the Gathering: Gaming Club 6-9 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. All skill levels are welcome. You can bring food and drink. Under age 14 should be with an adult. mdaniels@clamsnet.org, 508-693-9433. Paleface & Mo Live 7-9 pm, Portuguese American Club, Oak Bluffs. Eclectic powerhouse duo blending heartfelt lyrics, rhythm-rich melodies, acoustic warmth, and innovative electronic soundscapes 508-693-9875, Palefaceonline@gmail.com. Film Screening: The Brittney Griner Story 7:30 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Film Screening: The Brittney Griner Story 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

SATURDAY, JUNE 20

Dance Fitness with Kris Martin

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A creative blend of rhythmic resistance, cardio conditioning, manageable mobility and core strength exercises all set to crazy-FUN music. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. Greenhouse Soil Therapy!

9-11 am, Community Greenhouse of MV, Oak Bluffs. Get your hands in the soil and help the community greenhouse. Seeding, transplanting, and harvesting; gardening chats and advice are a bonus! 774-563-8417, smiller8690@gmail.com. Vinyasa Power Yoga

9-10 am, Edgartown Library. Therapeutic and creative, with elements of strength building. programs@ edgartownlibrary.org, 508-627-4221. Kaiut Yoga

9-10 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga is works through chronic pain and injuries, general aches andstiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-563-8282, vsonnenthal@gmail.com

Free Father’s Day Photos

storyteller, Rockwell, for good measure, throws a curveball in her ending, which tosses everything you thought you understood into question.

9:30-11:30 am, West Tisbury Library, with photographer Melissa Knowles. Families are invited to enjoy free family photo sessions in honor of Father’s Day. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Barnyard Buddies

9:30-10:30 am, Farm Institute, Edgartown. Spend your Saturday morning exploring the farm and meeting our friendly animals in this program for families! For ages 2-5, pre-registration required. 508-627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org.

Tyke Hikes

9:30-10:30 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Skip, waddle, or walk with your little ones alongside a Naturalist as you explore a new habitat on this one-hour program. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Blooming Art 10 am-3 pm, The Old Mill, West Tisbury. See the merging of fine art & floral design. Artwork by island artists & MVGC members interpret the art in floral designs. All artwork is for sale! media@marthasvineyardgardenclub.org. Hidden Treasures of the Arboretum with Tim Boland 10 am-12 pm, The Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury. Join PHA Executive Director Tim Boland on a special behind-the-scenes tour of the Arboretum’s non-plant collections and herbarium. Register online. 508-693-9426, info@pollyhillarboretum.org. Community Greenhouse Plant Sale! 10 am-3 pm, Community Greenhouse, Oak Bluffs. Community Greenhouse Sale! Get your annual and perennial plants!

herbs and flowers. Discounts for members and memberships available on site. 774-563-8417, smiller8690@gmail.com.

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator

10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the creative process of muralist Margot Datz, whose work transformed the Old Whaling Church and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-5499107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Carnegie Heritage Center

Opening Weekend

10 am-3 pm, the carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Admission: $5 (ages 12+). vineyardtrust.org/events/ 774-549-9107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org.

Juneteenth Storytime

10:15-10:45 am, Oak Bluffs Library. Join us for a fun-filled storytime with stories, songs, scarves, and a parachute. Stories geared toward kids ages 3 to 7, but all ages welcome. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Mini-Maker Craft Club

10:30 am-2 pm, Edgartown Library. A different-themed craft will be offered every week, drop in and get creative! 508-6274221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Seaweed art

Portraits: Black & African Countenance

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Portraits: Black & African Countenance 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Spring Spectacular Show

11 am-4 pm, Louisa Gould Gallery, Vineyard Haven. Annual Spring Group Show: Sean Roach, Christie Scheele, Teek Eaton-Koch, Juliean Jarreau, and Paul Beebe. 508693-7373, louisa.gould@gmail.com.

Let’s Talk JAWS Live!… LIVE! – This Time It’s REALLY Personal

11 am-12:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Exclusive JAWS event featuring hosts, guests, stories, and surprises 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org. Juneteenth Patch Craft

11 am-1 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Juneteenth Patch Craft 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Sensory-Friendly Barnyard Buddies

11 am-12 pm, Farm Institute, Edgartown. Spend your Saturday exploring the farm and meeting our friendly animals in this dedicated hour with a reduced number of guests & quieter environment. 508-6277007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org.

Summer Saturdays at the Aquinnah Library 12-3 pm, Aquinnah Library,. Join us for drop-in outdoor games and activities for kids and families! 508-645-2314, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

Dad & Me Backyard Bash

1-4 pm, Family Center, Vineyard Haven. Dad & Me Backyard Bash! Cookout, Lawn Games, and Raffle! 774-563-3601, poliveira@mvcommunityservices.org.

Jeffrey Kramer: On Jaws, Life, and the Island 1-2 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Jaws actor Jeffrey Kramer discusses filmmaking, life, and perseverance. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org. Juneteenth Concert 1-2 pm, Edgartown Library. This is a familyfriendly event and is free and open to the public 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

All Ages Chess Club

2-3:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Join us in a fun and welcoming environment. oakb_mail@clamsnet.org, 508-693-9433. 508-693-9433, oakb_mail@clamsnet.org

Juneteenth Activity

2:30-3:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Join librarian Michelle for a Juneteenth Activity. We’ll celebrate Freedom Day with a little learning and a lot of fun. For ages 7-10. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org. The Shark Is Still Working: A JAWS Documentary

3-5 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Acclaimed documentary examines Jaws’ creation, legacy, and cultural influence. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Book Signing: ‘Historic Storms of Martha’s Vineyard’ by Thomas Dresser

3:30-5:30 pm, Edgartown Books. Thomas Dresser signs his latest book, ‘Historic Storms of Martha’s Vineyard’, which recounts ten of the most dramatic tempests on Martha’s Vineyard. 508-6278463, info@edgartownbooks.com.

Washashore Writers

Volume Two Reading 4 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for a reading from the newly published second volume of “Washashores Review,” by the Washashores Writers Collective. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org. Party at the PA Club! 5-8 pm, PA Club, Oak Bluffs. This event is to raise funds for the Up-Island Council on Aging. Please come and support the Friends and have a great time. 774-5638391, beth.kramer.mv@gmail.com. Film Screening: Rafa (Episode 1) 7:30 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Film Screening: Rafa (Episode 1) 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

SUNDAY, JUNE 21

Events

Opening Sunday with the Rev. Dr. Libby Catania

9-10 am, Trinity Episcopal Church on Ocean Park, Oak Bluffs. Co-Creator, Limina Renewal Center, Searsport, ME 508-566-9755, trinityoceanpark@yahoo.com.

29th Annual Vineyard Artisans Summer Festival

10 am-2 pm, The Grange Hall, West Tisbury. The Vineyard Artisans Festivals provide an important link between the community and the Arts. artisan02557@yahoo.com.

Blooming Art

10 am-3 pm, The Old Mill, West Tisbury. See the merging of fine art & floral design. Artwork by island artists & MVGC members interpret the art in floral designs. All artwork is for sale! media@marthasvineyardgardenclub.org. “The Flourishing Principle” with Rev. Vicky Hanjian 10 am, Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard, Vineyard Haven. We hope you can join us on Sunday, in person or online! uu.society.mv@gmail.com.

Community Greenhouse Plant Sale!

10 am-3 pm, Community Greenhouse, Oak Bluffs. Community Greenhouse Sale! Get your annual and perennial plants! Beautiful herbs and flowers. Discounts for members and memberships available on site. 774-563-8417, smiller8690@gmail.com.

Jaws: A FINatic’s Breakdown of the Film

10:30 am-12 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Discover why Jaws remains a masterpiece nearly fifty years later 508627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Seaweed art

Spring Spectacular Show

11 am-4 pm, Louisa Gould Gallery, Vineyard Haven. Annual Spring Group Show: Sean Roach, Christie Scheele, Teek Eaton-Koch, Juliean Jarreau, and Paul Beebe. 508693-7373, louisa.gould@gmail.com

Sunday B-Side Brunch

11 am-2 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Sunday B Side Brunch: 11–2 at First Light Café. Great food, views, and soulful vinyl by DJ Vincent Patricola. Free and open to all. 508-627-4441, rpierce@mvmuseum.org

Sunday B-Side Bites

11 am-2 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Sunday brunch, vinyl music, waterfront views, and community gathering. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 12-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org.

Robert Shaw: The Man My Family Knew 1-2 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Explore Robert Shaw’s life, career, and Jaws connections firsthand.

508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Taste of Juneteenth

2-5 pm, Portuguese American Club, Oak Bluffs. A celebration of Black culture and liberation, featuring the island’s BIPOC chefs and guest speaker culinary historian Jessica B. Harris. 508-560-0283, sjsturgis@comcast.net.

Rona’s Self Care Products Pop-Up

2-4 pm, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Get muscle tested for Rona’s handcrafted self-care products, infused with healing energy designed to support emotional and energetic well-being. 774-563-8282, vsonnenthal@gmail.com.

Amity Aftershocks: The Enduring World of Jaws

3-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Author shares stories behind Jaws’ lasting cultural phenomenon. 508-6274441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Community Sing

5-6 pm, Tisbury Amphitheater, Vineyard Haven. Sing easy to learn songs with song leader Roberta Kirn. No experience necessary. All ages welcome. Free! 774-563-0318, roberta@bewellsing.com.

MONDAY, JUNE 22

SoulStrength with Kris Martin

7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A creative blend of rhythmic resistance, cardio conditioning, manageable mobility and core strength exercises all set to crazy-FUN music. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. Virtual Chair Yoga with YogiJay 7:30-8:30 am, West Tisbury Library. Accessible to all levels and ages. Sign up for free by emailing wt_mail@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org. Core Stability, Strength and Balance with Alyson Parker 8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Core stabilization, strength and balance, targeting all the major muscle groups with some intermittent cardio. Have fun and go at your own pace! 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. Misty Meadow Summer Camp

9 am-2 pm, Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center, West Tisbury. Misty Meadows Equine Learning Center offers a horsemanship camp for ages 6 to 12, running Monday to Thursday, 9am to 2pm. 508-338-7198, info@mistymeadowsmv.org. Greenhouse Soil Therapy! 9-11 am, Community Greenhouse of MV, Oak Bluffs. Get your hands in the soil and help the community greenhouse. Seeding, transplanting, and harvesting; gardening chats and advice are a bonus! 774-563-8417, smiller8690@gmail.com. Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

9 am-3:30 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Enjoy Sengekontacket on this self-guided kayak tour. Clues lead you through the pond. Call to reserve for up to 3 hours; returning the boats by 3:30. 508627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. Approaching Painting with Eva Cincotta

9 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. This intermediate/advanced class combines demos, techniques and individual instruction in acrylic, watercolor, or oil. 508693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org. Summer Begins with Papermaking

9:30 am-12:30 pm, Seastone Papers, West Tisbury. Dip, stencil, laminate, collage, and to create many decorative papers with wet fiber. 508-693-5786, sandy@seastonepapers.com Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org. Farm Tour with Meadow Wagon Ride 10-11 am, The Farm Institute, Edgartown. Wagon ride and family-friendly farm tour! 508627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org. Seashore Discovery

10-11:30 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Head to the edge of Sengekontacket Pond to net, catch, and release marine life and discover the coastal creatures that live in local waters. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. Moving Stories Dance Class

10:15-11 am, West Tisbury Library. Free Kids creative dance class with Claire Page! Mondays at 10:15 WT Library (ages 1.5-6 years old) 508-693-3366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org. Seaweed art 11 am-5 pm, Aquinnah Seaweed Art Gallery, Aquinnah. Colorful, natural seaweed art made on handmade paper by local artist Corinna Kaufman. Victorian art form. Open till 7/15. Private showings available. ken@newlivingexpo.com. Online Balance with Kanta Lipsky 11:30 am-12:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. To strengthen our connection to Earth and maintain balance. To sign up, email wt_mail@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366.

Book Signing with JAWS Authors Ryan Dacko, Matt Taylor, Dennis L. Prince 12-2 pm, Edgartown Books. Trio of JAWS Authors! Meet Ryan Dacko, Matt Taylor & Dennis L. Prince, who will be signing their books. 508-627-8463, info@edgartownbooks.com. Book Donations Welcome! Friend of the WT Library

1-2 pm, Friends Book Donation Shed at West Tisbury School, West Tisbury. Book Donations accepted for the annual Friends of the West Tisbury Library summer book sale. 617-543-7898, kjskin@comcast.net.

June 18, 2026

Family Farmer for a Day 1-3 pm, The FARM Institute, Edgartown. Spend an afternoon on the farm with the family! 508-627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org.

Drop-in Mah Jongg

1-3 pm, Edgartown Library. Mats, tiles, and cards provided. No formal instruction. programs@ edgartownlibrary.org, 508-627-4221.

Switch Games for kids and teens

3-5 pm, West Tisbury Library. Switch club Mondays from 3-5pm in the Community Room 508-693-3366, lhearn@clamsnet.org.

Sound Bath

5-6 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. Peaceful environment while immersed in calming sounds and vibration. 508-6932900, jtau@mvcommunityservices.org.

Revolution in Words: A Patriot vs. Loyalist Showdown

5-6 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Historians debate Patriot and Loyalist views before American independence. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Musical Mondays with Delanie Pickering Band

6:30-8 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us this summer for Musical Mondays, featuring musical performances on our outdoor stage under the trees! 508-6931850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Vineyard Haven Town Band Rehearsal

7:30-9 pm, Martha Vineyard Sailing Camp, Oak Bluffs. Join us! Bring your instrument and love of playing! We have music and stands. 508-889-9621, jschilling4@msn.com.

TUESDAY, JUNE 23

Cardio and Conditioning with Alyson Parker

7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Cardio and strength work with weights and conditioning using your own body weight for resistance. 508696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Kaiut Yoga

8:30-9:30 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga works through chronic pain and injuries, general aches andstiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-5638282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com.

90-Minute Vinyasa Flow with Camille Beauzile

9-10:30 am, Stillpoint Martha’s Vineyard, West Tisbury. This practice offers the space to move with intention, depth, and presence. info@stillpoint.org. Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

Docent-Led Arboretum Tours

Play Kitchen and Store

10 am, Oak Bluffs Library. Come enjoy watching your kids be creative and solve problems! For ages 2-6. Drop in between 10amnoon. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Edgartown Village Market

10 am-2 pm, Daniel Fisher House, Edgartown. From farm-fresh produce, flowers, and provisions, to one-of-a-kind artisanal goods, the Edgartown Village Market is your one-stop-shop 603-489-9155, edgartownvillagemarket@gmail.com.

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown.

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org.

Farm Tour with Meadow Wagon Ride 10-11 am, The Farm Institute, Edgartown. Wagon ride and familyfriendly farm tour! 508-627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org. Island Wildlife 10-11 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Felix Neck is home to wild things. Wander the trails and discover birds, insects, and other animals then spend time meeting our animal ambassadors. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. Portraits: Black & African Countenance 11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Portraits: Black & African Countenance 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org. SQUAD FITNESS with Triva Emery • BeWell-MV 11 am-12 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. SQUAD FITNESS with Triva Emery • BeWell-MV 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org

Mah Jongg Intermediate Strategy Class 12:30-2:30 pm, Edgartown Library. American Mah Jongg class, focused on strategy for intermediate players 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Learning Mah Jong 1-3 pm, Tisbury COA, Vineyard Haven. Mah Jong learning session, perfect for absolute beginners — no experience needed. 508696-4205, amcdonough@tisburyma.gov.

Book Signing: ‘Love & Other Monsters’ by Emily Franklin 1-3 pm, Edgartown Books. We’re thrilled to welcome Emily Franklin, bestselling author of ‘The Lioness of Boston’, to sign copies of her new book,‘Love & Other Monsters’. 508-627-8463, info@edgartownbooks.com. Farmer for a Day – Child Drop-Off Program

1-3 pm, The FARM Institute, Edgartown. Spend the afternoon on the farm with this hands-on program. 508-627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org. Drop in for our Teen and Tween Art & Craft Class

3:30-4:30 pm, West Tisbury. Teen and Tween Art & Craft Class at the librarymeets every Tuesday, from 3:30-4:30pm. ages 10-18, supplies provided. 508693-3366, lhearn@clamsnet.org

Washashores Review, Vol. 2 – Literary Discussion 4-5 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Washashores Review, Vol. 2 – Literary Discussion 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org Music Class for Littles

4-4:45 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Come join us for Ms. Sarah’s music class! The class includes a combination of songs, rhythmsand movement. For 2-5 year olds. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org. American Legion Post 257 Lobster Rolls

4:30-7 pm, American Legion Post 257, Vineyard Haven. American Legion Post 257 Lobster Rolls! 508-6939257, lobsterladies@yahoo.com. kundalini

4:30-5:30 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. A chance to slow down, stretch and breath. 508-693-2900, jtau@mvcommunityservices.org. ASL Practice Group

4:45-5:45 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Want to learn ASL? Come drop in on our conversational practice group! No experience necessary. 508-6939433, sschofield@clamsnet.org. Knitting Group

5-6 pm, West Tisbury Library. Creativity and conversation. Use supplies provided or bring your own. Adults and teens. No sign-up. wt_mail@clamsnet.org, 508-693-3366.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY

The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society (MVCMS) has a robust four-concert summer festival, running from June 24 to August 16. Board member David Snead remarks, “I think one particularly interesting thing is that the Chamber Music Society has really focused on bringing in young artists, who have this real passion and fire. Also, every concert is this very interesting creative blend of standard classical rep and music you might not normally define as chamber music, which makes for exciting performances.”

The Rasa String Quartet opens the season on Wednesday, June 24, at 7 pm at Stillpoint. Rasa explores the connection between music and storytelling, delivering performances that blend classical elegance with folk whimsy. Violinist and violist Emma Powell says, “We love the feel of a folk concert and incorporating it into the classical music concerts. Hopefully everybody in the audience will hear something familiar to them, and also something new.”

At Stillpoint, Rasa will perform a program titled “Songs that Raised Me,” connecting Antonio Vivaldi’s “La Folia,” Antonín Dvorák’s “String Quartet No. 13 in G major,” and Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” with a jazz tango, a traditional Korean lullaby, and more. The musicians have a strong connection to the pieces in “Songs that Raised Me,” all of which they grew up listening to and playing. They will share these stories throughout the performance. As an example, Powell speaks about Alberto

Ginastera’s “String Quartet No. 1, Op. 20,” which she first performed in high school.

“That was the first time I was onstage, and I was like, ‘Wow, this is something that maybe I could do for a long time.”

She continues, “We want audiences to have a cohesive experience from start to finish, and the chance to get to know us a little bit. I think the program leans into the personal connections between us as musicians and the music they will hear.” Whether classical or pop, Powell believes, “It’s about creating a playlist you wouldn’t always think of as going together, but we’ve always found so many similarities in the different styles because it’s all music.”

Flutist Emi Ferguson performs at the Old Whaling Church on Sunday, July 26, at 4 pm.

“I’m on a mission to shake up classical music,” she explains. “I’m really excited about finding different pathways for people to experience and appreciate music of all kinds. These days, I’m working across genres, playing music from many different places and times. That is normal, and also a radical act at the same time.”

Ferguson has selected an eclectic but linked set of composers including, for example, Schubert, Lead Belly, and Harry Burleigh, an eminent African American composer and arranger who famously introduced the world to spirituals and was a dedicated summer resident of Martha’s Vineyard. He spent his summers in Oak Bluffs as a guest at the historic Shearer Cottage, which became a haven for renowned Black artists, including Paul Robeson and Ethel Waters.

“I’ve fallen deeply in love with

Mixing it up

The Martha’s Vineyard Chamber Music Society’s 2026 summer series.

BY ABBY REMER

his music and arrangements,” Ferguson says. “At the heart of this program are all of these arrangements of songs that were originally for other instruments.”

She continues, “This program originated from my interest in bringing together two musical storytellers, which has now expanded to quite a few more. It started with the confluence of Franz Schubert and Woody Guthrie. He has a beautiful 1941 song, ‘Pastures of Plenty,’

About her concert, Ferguson says, “I want people to have opinions. For it to inspire ongoing discussion and discovery afterward. My hope is that people are introduced to composers and musicians they may not have known before, and that they become lifelong fans.”

The Katarina String Quartet performs on Sunday, August 9, at 4 pm at First Congregational Church. Violinist Jeanel Liang says the group formed at McGill University

“I’m really excited about finding different pathways for people to experience and appreciate music of all kinds.” –EMI FERGUSON

chronicling migrant workers in the Pacific Northwest. When I heard it, I couldn’t help but think about Franz Schubert and how these two incredible, iconic songwriters often bring people, nature, and places together in ways I found really complementary. All the composers are such incredible communicators through words and music, whether that’s 19th century Germany or 20th century Oregon or Mississippi.”

in Montreal, brought together by a shared passion for string quartet music: “Then two years later, we moved to New York City together to be the graduate quartet in residence at the Juilliard School of Music. As much as we love playing the standard repertoire, we also love working on contemporary pieces.” The group also does a lot of teaching and community engagement. Liang says, “Our mission centers on the people we touch

with our music. We believe we can’t make art alone, whether that means each other, the audience, the people in our lives who support us, or the countless people behind the scenes who make it possible for us to be onstage and perform this beautiful music. We value a blended, cohesive group sound that reflects this connection, and we think of the string quartet as a collective instrument that allows four different voices to speak as one.”

The quartet’s name refers to Katarina Guarneri, who was married to Giuseppe Guarneri (1698–1744), an elite Italian luthier. Liang explains, “She worked in his shop, and when he became ill, she finished a lot of his violins. We wanted to celebrate her by naming our quartet Katarina, because we thought that it highlighted that there are so many people behind the scenes who contribute to this art who we don’t necessarily see.”

The first piece they will perform is Florence Price’s “Adoration.” Liang says about this tender, meditative short piece, “I think she had something special to say, and I love that the Americana shows through her works.”

Violinist Jérôme Chiasson says that the Haydn “String Quartet Op. 50, No. 2,” “ties into our group identity. [Haydn] was the first composer we ever worked on. He allows us to be free in our playing. There’s a lot of humor in it, and a lot of flexibility to do anything with the timing, dynamics, and tempo. We feel like we have something to say when we play Haydn.”

For Schumann’s “String Quartet No. 1,” Liang says, “It’s really exciting, because

Schumann was a pianist, and notorious for writing difficult-to-play string music that is meant to sound simple, lyrical, and easy. He wrote a set of string quartets as a birthday gift for his wife Clara, so you can hear the romanticism.”

Liang continued, “The Beethoven “String Quartet No. 13” is one of my personal favorite pieces for string quartet ever. He wrote it when he was fully deaf, which is a wonder, given all the harmonies he heard in his head or through vibrations from his piano. One of the reasons I pursued the string quartet was so I could play this piece.”

The Harlem Quartet will perform on Sunday, August 16, at 5 pm at the Old Whaling Church. Their website describes the quartet’s mission: “The group was conceived as an instrument to realize a much bigger goal than ourselves — to diversify and create new audiences, including inner-city schoolchildren, for classical music, as well as to commission and perform works by contemporary composers. We found that this cross-pollination of classical, contemporary, jazz, and Latin-infused repertoire makes our concerts more appealing to a younger audience. What started as a tool to make it more accessible to kids developed into a true affinity for all these genres.” Their performance includes Beethoven’s “String Quartet No. 6” and Britten’s “String Quartet No. 2,” alongside “Entr’acte” by multi–Grammy and Pulitzer prizewinning American composer Caroline Shaw, plus a virtuosic setting of the children’s song “Frère Jacques” by Cuban composer Aldo López-Gavilán. First violinist Ilmar Gavilán says, “This repertoire seems full of things that are seemingly opposite, but they were all great improvisers. For instance, Shaw’s ‘Entr’acte’ is based on a Haydn quartet, and Haydn was a phenomenal improviser and the inspiration for all the quartets written after him. Beethoven was also heavily influenced by Haydn. And López-Gavilán is influenced by taking the roots of classical music and then improvising on them. But music is music. The goal is to present wonderfully executed music. It’s important to play with the same commitment and attention to all styles and genres.” Ultimately, Gavilán hopes audiences “are inspired to perhaps travel into the zones of the imagination that take them away from daily life. Not that daily life is bad, but I want them to feel similar to when they watch a beautiful sunset that is always changing slightly, and you’re mesmerized by the beauty and the dynamic of it.”

Tickets for all MVCMS concerts are on sale at mvcms. org; $40 for adults, with children and students admitted free of charge.

Emi Ferguson.

Harlem Quartet. From left, Ilmar Gavilan, Felix Umansky, Jaime Amador, Melissa White.

Rasa String Quartet. From left, Kiyoshi Hayashi, Maura Shawn Scanlin, Emma Powell, Mina Kim.

Katarina String Quartet. From left, Jerome Chiasson, Celia Morin, Maya Enstad, Jeanel Liang.

PHOTOS: COURTESY MVCMS

The woman who wrote about her 30th birthday party, who couldn’t leave the house and didn’t want to “forc[e] other people to as well,” is the same woman who wrote a collection of essays that were recently published in “Delusions: Of Grandeur, of Romance, of Progress” (St. Martin’s Press) that is so deeply personal, she can only be commended as a hero for her courage.

Cazzie David, a selfclaimed “nepo baby” — yes, she’s the daughter of Larry David and Laurie David — has written in this assemblage of essays what, I think, every girl or woman has thought: Aging is a “death march”; “I’m a burden on … everyone I’ve ever known.” She’s written texts to a guy in the Notes app — so as not to send them — in her darkest moments at least once. And she confessed to all of that in a permanent manuscript. I think she deserves credit, or at the very least, were this part of the Alcoholics Anonymous recovery program, which can’t be possible because she doesn’t like to drink, she passed step one: Honesty. It’s clear that David didn’t write this book because she thinks she has the most important voice in the world, but maybe so that someone can say, “Well, same.”

I won’t pretend to know exactly why David decided to publish her innermost thoughts, but I’ve always loved to read, because I think the act is an exercise in empathy. I think to read is to become more compassionate. And there were several elements of “Delusions” that I felt tug at my heart, made me laugh out loud

at the absurdity of what we’ve both experienced, and induced an anxious pit in my stomach because, as much as I love to push some of these thoughts down, they’re there, and I can say on some authority that they’re in the minds of a lot of women in their 20s. David focuses a lot on age — the premise of these essays are that they’re about the lead-up between her 29th and 30th birthdays. There is some discussion of her worry about accomplishments; on the day of her 30th birthday, she said that what her “youthful ego hoped to achieve by now would have probably required [her] becoming a modern-day Joan of Arc.” But there is a much stron-

ger focus on how to find a partner. She describes the importance of this in this way: “I once saw a chart online that mapped out the people you spend the most time with at different stages in your life … from 22 onward, it was a slow incline

BY HAYLEY DUFFY

dren, their future children, and on and on and on “in perpetuity, until the apocalypse.” But what really struck me in this chapter, called “Romantic Advice to Ruin Your Life By, or the Code,” is that David touches on how the noise around romantic relationships, or how to find the right partner, makes the whole idea seem impossible.

of time spent with your partner, until finally it’s just the two of you, and everyone else is dead.” She said that “choosing a partner is the equivalent of choosing the person who you will eventually enter a mutual soli-

tary confinement with.” I’m 25 years old, and, man, do I worry about age, so imagine my dread when I read that. She even went on to say that the choice affects the fate of your future chil-

That’s what was so curious about these essays. I figured I’d add this to a list of books, podcasts, Instagram reels, etc., that attempt to let me in on the secret on how to find, secure, and marry the right guy. This wasn’t that, and that’s why I liked the read. “This advice will fly at you from all angles. From random taxi

Your mom’s that you haven’t seen in eight years. The person who

often contradicts what she was told prior — “Opposites attract. You have to have things in common. There’s no rush. And also don’t wait too long! Relationships take work versus It shouldn’t feel like work.” All the advice, as she and I came to realize, operates on the inaccurate assumption that one size fits all, that all partners act the same, and have the same brains. I like what my dad tells me after I cry (very rarely, I think) about a lack of a boyfriend: “Men and women are one of life’s greatest mysteries no one’s solved yet.”

David, who vacations on the Island much like I did before I took a full-time job at The Times, discussed the summer between those two pivotal birthdays in terms of a guy who she said she liked for about a decade and also summered or lived on the Island. She brought a red minidress to wear in front of him (never happened), she took mirror selfies to post on social media so he could see, and she rationalized his every text or move. I mean, who hasn’t? But also who’s admitted in print that the red minidress was packed for summer for his specific opinion?

The book doesn’t hand out unsolicited advice. It just is relatable, and sometimes, that’s really nice, so you don’t feel like you’re a crazy person.

cuts your hair (especially them). Really anyone who is or has ever been in a relationship,” she wrote.

David goes through all the advice she’s received, often against her will, which

Cazzie David will be speaking at Islanders Write on July 16 at 3 pm on a panel called “Comic Approaches to Serious Subjects.” “Delusions” is available at Edgartown Books and Bunch of Grapes. Hayley Duffy is a news editor and reporter at The Times. She’s in her 20s, and is single.

Garden Notes

BY ABIGAIL HIGGINS

Mid-June, solstice time: So special, so fleeting. It marks the height of the solar power that drives everything in the Northern Hemisphere that grows. Under the force of these photons, witnessing the spring flowering and growth all around us is a green marvel.

Even a ho-hum garden like mine is going to look pretty good right now. This year, though, the season is tempered by lack of rain and lots of drying wind. The drought we are under is a disappointment. It causes flowering to cycle through and finish far too soon.

Nonetheless, much was prolific. Rhododendrons and azaleas appeared to have enjoyed the harsh 2026 winter. In May and June, once the lupines, roses, Oriental poppies, and peonies open, almost any bed looks like something straight out of Gardens Illustrated.

Choose a flowering tree

Polly Hill’s famous kousa dogwood alleé is justly admired and photographed; and all over the Island, kousa dogwoods are demonstrating that they, like the rhododendrons, were not fazed by the cold and snowy winter.

However, not all of us have that sort of garden, or the conditions where we can pretend to be Gardens Illustrated for a minute, or a month. We plant and garden where we live, according to varying sets of constraints: personal predilection; the ‘genius loci’ (which means, what the site offers); time and expense; or maybe simply randomly planting, based on whim.

So I want to talk about trees that flower. Many good flowering trees require less water, once established, than flower gardens. Many also happen to be those whose habit fits a more intimate scale, the opposite of a towering shade tree. With flowering trees, take a bit of lawn or patio, add a flowering tree, and you have a garden!

And when a dry year such as this causes a doted-upon flower bed to speed through too fast, filling in with lots of annuals remains about all you can do.

Pause a minute if thinking about choosing a flowering tree. Many looking for one make a typical choice, a pink flowering dogwood. However, there are some others to consider: Here are a few that are less commonly used and worthy of consideration.

(The spring-blooming crabapple, cherry, plum, and apricot are ornamental and festive, and whet appetites

for the coming gardening season. These, however, compete for attention with all the spring-flowering bulbs.)

A white fringe-tree (Chionanthus virginicus) is like a mirage of mist and fog, scenting the whole garden.

It is a native North American understory tree, with dioecious habit (males and females on separate trees). The form is spreading, wider than tall; nice yellow-colored fall foliage. Avoid chionanthus seedlings by choosing one sex or the other.

advised to prevent attracting lilac borer wasp. Rake away overmulched areas of rhododendron and azalea crowns. Their fine roots are easily smothered. Scrape away mulch volcanoes from trees’ trunk flares. Cut off and destroy fungal growths that occur on certain groups of azaleas, the exobasidium galls. Sidedress with compost around the root zones, which strengthens plants.

Japanese styrax (Styrax japonicus) is another smaller tree that blooms in June, spreading rather than tall. The texture is fine, with small pointed leaves and pendant, heavily scented white or pink flowers lining the spreading branches. Nice yellow fall color. Named cultivars are grown.

Documenting perennials that need division is easy with ubiquitous cellphone cameras. For example, Siberian irises, so happy in Island gardens, need division when bloom is sparse and clumps look circular with empty centers.

Circuit Avenue in Oak Bluffs is beginning to reap the reward of the tree lilac (Syringa reticulata) planting that replaced the Bradford pears there. These spreading or vase-shaped members of the lilac family bloom late and have handsome, lustrous bark, in addition to the lacy white panicles and leaves shaped like common lilac’s.

Clumping herbs such as oregano, chives, thyme, and marjoram need a trim of flowering growth to keep producing their culinary leaves. This is unnecessary if they are being grown for bee forage. Self-seeding chive can become a pest, however, if not deadheaded.

Native pagoda dogwood (now Benthamidia alternifolia) has a graceful, tiered growth habit and produces lacy white flowers in cymes and, later, berries, even in shade. I bought my three pagoda dogwood at very small size; they now knit with the surrounding woodland very compatibly.

Laburnum x wateri, known as the golden chain tree, produces long, drooping flowers reminiscent of wisteria, but yellow instead. With the sculptural pendant growth habit, this small leguminous tree easily becomes a garden focal point.

In the garden

Here is the link to the AstroSeek biodynamic moonplanting calendar for June: bit.ly/AS_JuneMoon. Many will find it helpful in organizing garden activity.

Clean up and deadhead (compost it all) spring-flowering perennials and shrubs, such as lilac and rhododendron, noting that avoiding major pruning of lilac is

Side-dress tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, cucumbers: Compost and low-number soil food are best. Hardneck garlic is scaping. Growers usually snip scapes off so plants direct all their energies into bulbing. Onions and garlic both benefit from an inch of water per week, plus weeding and good cultivation. A hoe design called the collinear hoe is good for the kind of weeding that requires this delicate touch. Be water-wise. Prioritize newly planted trees, food gardens, then flowerbeds, and lawns lastly. Browned-out grass bounces back when rain comes or summer is over.

As we enter summer, a critical growth point for many plants in and outside our gardens, water in the best form of rain seems scarce. All our water comes from the sky. In your gardening and landscaping, try to maximize infiltration, and minimize runoff. However, in a “careful what you wish for” sense, equally injurious to lack of rain is rain that comes as cloudburst or tropical-style downpour. Strategize how to capture what comes from the sky. Tick check, every night, and at all hours.