MV Times October 1, 2026

Editorial: Climate science is vulnerable A4

Thursday, October 1, 2026

Orange Peel Bakery closes A15

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD TIMES

Volume 43, Issue No. 39

2 Sections

An Island inundated

Price $1.00

Pooling point of storm runoff at Five Corners repeatedly causes road closures. BY HAYLEY DUFFY

I

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

t was a surprise to no one that Five Corners flooded this past weekend, and local officials were forced to close Beach Road for most of Saturday as an early-season nor’easter dumped between five and eight inches of rain on the Island. Other places across the Island — Dock Street in Edgartown, Seaview Avenue in Oak Bluffs, and even Safe Harbor Marina near the museum — were also flooded, as the land appeared to give way to the ocean. But nowhere was as bad or obtrusive as the Five Corners intersection. Years of frustration from Islanders and significant dangers as the route to both the hospital and the only year-round ferry terminal have pushed state and local officials to formulate a plan to fix the area. The state Department of Transportation (MassDOT), the town of Tisbury, and the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) are partnered on “formulating a robust drainage system,” Kirk Metell, director of public works for Tisbury, said of the infamous intersection. The project is still in the design phase, and doesn’t have a timeline or cost estimate yet, but does build on a June 2025 study of the intersection, as well as Beach Road and Lagoon Pond Road, which were evaluated by MassDOT for short-term and long-term improvements. The project, called drainage project No. 609459, hopes to “improve stormwater conveyance and reduce flooding” at Five Corners in the “near term,” John Goggin, spokesperson for MassDOT, said. Beach Road was closed from the intersection to the hospital for most of the day Saturday. Edgartown Fire Chief Alex Shaeffer said that the first closure message went out at 11:14 am, and a local MassDOT employee said the depth was definitely over a foot. The road wasn’t fully reopened until 8:30 pm. Because there were no ferries Saturday after the Steamship Authority (SSA) Continued on A7

Washout nor’easter A few boats broke free, one sank, and more than 700 people lost power. BY HAYLEY DUFFY

A

s a rainbow arched over Vineyard Haven Harbor Monday afternoon, an early-season nor’easter began to exit from the Cape and Islands. The storm, which brought wind gusts as high as 60 mph, finally ended, after between five and eight inches of rain had been dumped on the Island over the weekend and into Mon-

day. And many Islanders, who had been left stranded due to every ferry line’s decision to cancel almost every trip to and from Martha’s Vineyard, breathed a sigh of relief. Though damage wasn’t as bad as anticipated, high winds and intermittent heavy rain amid a full-moon tide, which occurred midday Saturday, caused a few

New Donaroma’s operation raises environmental questions

Edgartown residents push back on ancient way Town administrator doubts the issue will go before the select board. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

A

plan by the Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank to cut a public footpath through an ancient way known as Swimming Place Path is before town officials after a year of no action by the Edgartown Select Board. But abutters claim the town can’t approve a plan for a footpath after a title search found the town doesn’t own the land. Land Bank officials want to restore public trail access on a portion of Swimming Place Path from Herring Creek Road to Road to the Plains, through a six-foot-wide, natural surface footpath, for walkers, nonmotorized bicycles, and horses in an effort that goes back several years. The road was historically Continued on A8

road closures, at least one sunken boat in Oak Bluffs Harbor, a closure to all shellfish areas across the state, and power outages for more than 700 Islanders. Based on a state-certified rain gauge at the Martha’s Vineyard Shellfish Group’s hatchery on Lagoon Pond, almost eight Continued on A6

Jordan’s Nursery is before the commission, but meetings keep getting rescheduled.

I

slanders may have noticed a new nursery pop up on Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road recently; 17 acres of sparse activity suddenly featured bright green leaves peeking through landscaping fabric and work trucks with Donaroma’s signature circling in and out. More than nine acres of the parcel of land slowly sprang to life over a number of months in the 2026 off-season: White fabric over dome-shaped greenhouses appeared in the winter, plants emerged from pale brown soil in the spring, and a wide array of plants and flowers are now potted around the perimeter. The property is called Jordan’s Nursery, and is located at 218 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road. It’s before the Martha’s Continued on A9

BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON

Jordan's Nursery on Edgartown Vineyard Haven Road.

SARAH SHAW DAWSON © 2026

8

08805 93096

2

A2

news

October 1, 2026

School mulls over regionalization HR audit marks the second time off-Island organization recommended centralization of resources. BY SARA CREATO

F

ollowing an audit assessing the human resources and payroll practices of the Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools (MVYPS) District, mem-

bers of the All-Island School Committee (AISC) and Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) committee continue to contemplate gradu-

al regionalization. The audit, which was conducted by the University of Massachusetts Boston’s Collins Center for Public Management, recommended that

the district implement regionalized software systems and payroll, and create a centralized human resources office for efficiency and to ensure equitable treatment of staff across the Island’s six schools. The report marks the second time that an off-Island organization has recommended regionalization. Last year, a study conducted by the Massachusetts Association of Re-

gional Schools revealed that it costs more than $34,000 to educate a student enrolled in the Vineyard’s public schools, a significantly higher per-pupil cost than other regionalized school districts of a similar size in the state, including Nantucket. Collins Center associates Monica Visco and Marie Altieri presented the human resources audit’s findings

during an AISC meeting last Thursday. Altieri emphasized that the varying software systems used by the schools to track staff hours could be improved. “There are so many different software systems across the Island. The default systems have been very manual and very paper-based, so there Continued on A15

news in brief Brazilians on-Island head to polls this Sunday for presidential election Brazil’s presidential election is this Sunday, Oct. 4, and Brazilian voters on Martha’s Vineyard can cast their ballots at polling locations in Framingham and Malden. Voters are asked to check their polling location through Brazil’s E-Título app before heading off-Island, and all voters who previously registered to vote in Hyannis are being directed to the Framingham polling station. On Sunday, voters should bring an official Brazilian photo ID or their e-Título to their assigned polling location. According to the official Boston-based Consulate General of Brazil’s Instagram account, for voters registered to vote in Framingham, polls are located at St. Tarcisius Parish, 562 Waverly St., Framingham, and those registered to Malden should head to Salemwood School at 529 Salem St., Malden. All literate Brazilian citizens living abroad who are over 18 are required to vote in the presidential election, which also includes the vice president as a joint ticket, according to Brazil’s electoral authorities. Voting is optional for those between the ages of 16 and 18, as well as those more than 70 years old. Voters who are unable to vote can justify their absence through Brazil’s electoral system. Failing to fulfill or justify an electoral obligation can result in penalties in Brazil. For some Brazilian residents of the Island, however, getting to the polls is not as simple as knowing where to go. Several Island residents interviewed by The Times said they don’t plan to vote in this year’s election for reasons that varied from concerns around immigration enforcement and wanting to avoid leaving the Island to not knowing until recently that they could vote from Massachusetts. “I feel a bit uneasy going off-Island for the election because of the situation with immigration,” Kathleen said in an interview conducted in Portuguese. (Last names of Brazilians living abroad were omitted from this article out of an abundance of caution.) Oseias has lived on the Island for the past four years, and only recently found out that he could cast his vote from Massachusetts. “I only found out about being eligible to vote from [Massachusetts] after registrations had closed. So I won’t be able to vote in this election,” he told The Times in an interview conducted in Portuguese. Brazilian citizens residing abroad can register to vote up to 151 days before the election. Simone is a notary public for and facilitates consular services to the Brazilian community on the Island. She plans to make the trip to Framingham this Sunday. “As Brazilians, we’re always linked to our country of origin. Be it through investments, family and friends, or wanting to go back to our country of origin, we always want to see our country in good conditions,” Simone said. She added, “Exercising our right to vote, to pick who will be spearheading the next few years, is very important to us.” The first round of the election includes four prominent names in Brazilian politics, Ronaldo Caiado, Renan Santos, Flávio Bolsonaro, and sitting president Luíz Inácio Lula da Silva, often referred to as Lula. Bolsonaro and Lula, however, currently lead the polls. If a candidate receives more than half of the votes, they are elected, but if that threshold isn’t met, the two candidates who have the most votes participate in a second round, held on the last

Sunday of October, Oct. 25 this year. The incumbent Lula represents the left-leaning Partido Trabalhador (PT), often referred to as the Workers’ Party. A former union leader, Lula first served as president from 2003 to 2010 before returning to office in 2023. If he wins the election, this would be his fourth, nonconsecutive term. Flávio Bolsonaro has been a senator representing Rio de Janeiro since 2019. The son of former president Jair Bolsonaro, he built his career in Rio, first serving as a state deputy before entering the Senate. His candidacy has put his family’s political movement, known as “Bolsonarismo,” at the center of this year’s election. “I think this will be a very polarized election,” Kathleen told The Times. “People are really thinking about their self-interests and finances, more than anything else … most think that there should be a radical change in the government.”

Tension over the Oak Bluffs fishing pier As Oak Bluffs looks at implementing a new security camera policy, ongoing tensions between summertime swimmers and those who want to fish in peace at the town’s fishing pier — one of the only wheelchair-accessible docks on the Island — have raised questions of whether increased surveillance should be brought to the area. Doug Asselin, longtime fisherman and employee of Dick’s Bait and Tackle in Oak Bluffs, said conflict between people jumping off the fishing pier and anglers has been present since construction was first finished in 2014. The Oak Bluffs fishing pier, located next to the ferry dock, opened that year after the $1.2 million construction project was funded through saltwater fishing license fees. Every year around July and into August, dozens of adults, teens, and young kids jump off the dock. “Originally, when the dock was first built, there was signage all down the dock,” Asselin said. “On the pylons, red-and-white signs: No diving, no swimming. That doesn’t mean you can’t swim around the pier from the beach, but they didn’t want people jumping.” In previous years, especially after the first two seasons, the signs were torn off the sides of the pier at one point, Asselin said. The fishermen have had no problems with any other visitors to the dock, but there have been disputes when Asselin and other fishermen try to explain what the purpose of the Oak Bluffs fishing pier is to two to three dozen kids, teenagers, and young adults, according to complaint letters sent to the Oak Bluffs Select Board from various residents and fishermen, detailing concerns about enforcement, verbal abuse from people jumping off the pier, and damage done to the pier. One response by Oak Bluff’s town administrator at the time, Deborah Potter, detailed that many of the concerns raised have been present since the pier was first constructed. Dick’s Bait and Tackle donates a large circular fishing net to the Oak Bluffs fishing pier every year, which people jumping off the pier sometimes swing on and snap. Asselin has had to replace it every year; it costs around $80. “We have had no help from anyone,” Asselin said. “Originally, we were calling the state and letting them know what was going on, because all these arguments started to escalate.” The Oak Bluffs fishing pier is under a land management agreement between the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game, Office of Fishing and Boating Access (OFBA),

and the town of Oak Bluffs. The Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) is a partner to the agreement for construction of the fishing pier, according to Julia Hopkins, DMF communications director. Oak Bluffs is the managing authority of the fishing pier, including policing responsibilities. However, the OFBA and DMF have worked collaboratively with town officials and local police to post more recent “no jumping” signage. There are even potential plans to install live-stream cameras to address concerns about people jumping off the pier. According to Oak Bluffs Police Lt. Nicholas Curelli, Oak Bluffs has not installed cameras at the fishing pier because they are in the early stages of policy development. A camera policy is under consideration by the town’s select board following serious incidents downtown. In one incident, a fight outside the Ritz Café left a man paralyzed from the waist down. Trying to enforce the rules against jumping off the Oak Bluffs fishing pier is extremely difficult, and is outside the mission of the police department, Lt. Curelli said. The Oak Bluffs Police Department has four community service officers working in addition to the police force, Lt. Curelli said. The primary job of a community service officer is writing traffic tickets, with part of the community officers patrolling the Oak Bluffs fishing pier, but the Oak Bluffs Police don’t have enough personnel to have someone be there all day. “The issue is that there needs to be adequate signage and prevention methods,” Curelli said. “Prevention is what’s key to solving this problem, and not writing tickets.” No young kid or teenager is going to have a proper ID on them when they go to jump off the pier, Curelli said.

Martha’s Vineyard Medical pilots tickrelated stress management group Martha’s Vineyard Medical’s Tick Center is piloting a Mindfulness and Stress Management Group program for its patients with alpha-gal syndrome and Lyme disease that starts in October. The eight-week-long program will consist of weekly sessions, each focusing on a particular stress-management skill, a mindfulness practice, and a group discussion. Rather than acting as a support group, the program aims to provide participants with coping skills to manage the stress and anxiety stemming from their diagnoses. Dr. Ruth Folchman, who lives in Aquinnah, is the clinical psychologist leading the program. Folchman’s professional background is based in mindfulness-based stress reduction, a meditation therapy used to alleviate stress and psychological suffering. Folchman said that her passion for teaching people coping mechanisms drove her to this course. Folchman emphasized that the stress patients often experience surrounding the possibility of triggering their tick-borne illness symptoms makes staying mindful in the present a challenge. “Whether people have Lyme or alphagal, there’s a level of uncertainty that goes along with that,” Folchman said. “That past and future focus becomes predominant, and people feel overwhelmed about that, because you can’t change the past, and we can’t predict the future.” Each session, beginning Oct. 14, will focus on a specific coping mechanism, such

as communication within social relationships, and cognitive reappraisal, a regulation strategy that involves reflecting on a previous emotional response. Folchman said that the program intends to help participants rediscover their personal joys that are overshadowed by their condition. “Let’s look at how to really develop our capacity to amplify what is pleasant and the sources of happiness that are occurring in life, [which] sometimes get lost because we’re stressed and our attention is absorbed by this anxiety about alpha-gal or Lyme and the uncertainty that goes along with that,” she said. Participants can enroll in the program on the Martha’s Vineyard Medical website.

N E W S

C O R P O R A T I O N

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Charles M. Sennott

NEWS + EDITORIAL Hayley Duffy Managing Editor | Reporter Eunki Seonwoo News Editor | Reporter Nicole Galland Managing Editor | Features Allison Roberts Features Editor Sarah Shaw Dawson Staff Reporter | Island Writer Nicholas Vukota Staff Reporter | Sports Editor Abby Remer Features Writer Kate Feiffer Director | Islanders Write Sharisse Scott-Rawlins Voices bySharisse Editor Jenna Sylvia The Grapevine Editor Ella Munnelly Digital Editor Barbara Dudley Davis Copy Editor Jessica Leaman Copy Editor Dena Porter Senior Photographer Sara Creato News Intern

ADVERTISING (DISPLAY / DIGITAL / INSERTS) Sean Potts Director | Marketing & Digital Strategy Kaylee Haase Ads & Partnership | Manager Valerie Desire Manager | Classifieds, Business Directory Eamon Colbert Advertising Coordinator

DESIGN + PRODUCTION Kristófer Rabasca Creative Director David Plath Art Director | Production Manager Nicole Jackson Senior Designer

BUSINESS OPERATIONS Julie Klapper Sennott Manager of Operations Barbara Oberfest Manager of Finance

TO REACH ALL DEPARTMENTS 508-693-6100 NEWSROOM ADVERTISING CLASSIFIEDS MEMBERSHIPS

ext. 101 ext. 135 ext. 132 ext. 110

OWNER & PRESIDENT Stephen Bernier

THE M.V. TIMES NEWS CORP. 30 Beach Road P.O. Box 518 • Vineyard Haven • MA • 02568 E-mail: editor@mvtimes.com Office hours: Mon-Thurs • 10 am - 2 pm Published weekly on Thursday, year-round. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to MV Times, P.O. Box 518, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 TO BECOME A MEMBER visit mvtimes.com/membership or by phone at 508-693-6100 ext. 132 For any questions about your membership / subscription email us at memberships@mvtimes.com This newspaper does not assume responsibility for errors in advertisements printed herein, but will reprint without charge that part of any advertisement in which an error occurs.

news A3

October 1, 2026

obituaries Ellen B. Dunn

Ellen B. Dunn of Keyport, N.J., and recently Lee, passed away peacefully on Sept. 12, 2026, surrounded by family, five days before her 87th birthday. Ellen was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., in 1939 to Herman and Anna Baum, and was older sister to Sandy (who predeceased her), but grew up in Chicago. As a girl Ellen loved swimming, volleyball, roller and ice skating, canoeing, dancing, and playing piano, and participated in water ballet in high school. She was studious, double-promoted in grades, and graduated ninth in her high school class. She had a close gang of girlfriends who called themselves “the P Club,” and loved summer camp and libraries. Ellen earned a B.A. in teaching of Spanish from the University of Illinois, Urbana, in 1960. She was awarded a fellowship and spent a year living in Mexico, later becoming a high school Spanish teacher. In 1960 she married Bob Dunn, and had two children, Deb Dunn of Chilmark, and Jeremy Dunn of Becket. Ellen and Bob divorced in 1977, and she never remarried. Ellen was a lifelong learner. Over her lifetime she took many classes on interior design and decorating, flower arranging, color theory, and computer skills. In her mid-40s she earned a M.Ed. in psychology from NYU, and was especially proud of an A in statistics! She was a gifted writer, and used that skill to chronicle her life in (often humorous) short stories and in her work as a technical editor for Prudential, Combustion Engineering, and Mobil (where she lamented engineers’ writing skills), and later as a social services writer for the N.J. Department of Youth and Family Services. During these latter 10 years she was recognized for her extreme care and skill in comprehensively and sensitively documenting the lives of children in the foster-care system who were adoptioneligible. This was heartfelt, traumatic work for her. She gave so much of herself to do the best for the children. Ellen was a voracious reader and researcher. She favored books on interior design and flowers, magazines and newspapers, underlining and notating everything in red pen. She loved PBS and documentaries. Ellen most loved international folk dancing and folk music, African drumming, international culture, and folk

crafts and musical instruments from all over the world. As a mother in the 1970s she was ahead of her time, insisting on using seatbelts, restricting sugar consumption and, though not a gourmet cook, laboring over cooking healthy food for her family, including fresh vegetables from the home garden. She found alternative schooling for her children, and joined an intergenerational recreation organization, Eastern Cooperative Recreation School, where lifelong friendships were formed. Ellen was an inherently good, kind person. Once Alzheimer’s ensued, her sense of humor shone. To laugh with her in the last couple of years of her life was a true gift. Ellen leaves her daughter, Deb Dunn, son-in-law Jim Feiner, and grandson Elijah DunnFeiner; son Jeremy Dunn, and daughter-in-law Delsie. Donations in her name can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, online at alz.org.

Robert Hale Morrison

Robert Hale Morrison

(“Bob”), 86, of Naples, Fla., and Oak Bluffs died peacefully on August 2, 2026, surrounded by his family. Born in Waltham on April 10, 1940, Bob was raised in Belmont, one of seven children of John Christopher and Margaret Matheson Morrison, alongside his adoring Nana, Asenath Matheson Morrison. He graduated from Northeastern University in 1963, and served as a U.S. Army Signal Corps officer, spending three years in Germany and attaining the rank of captain. Bob joined Fidelity Management & Research Co. as an equity trader in 1968, was selected to lead equity trading in 1985, and ultimately became vice president and head of global equity trading. Over nearly 30 years, he guided the equity trading desk through tremendous growth and technological transformation. At his retirement in 1998, it was the world’s largest equity trading desk by assets traded. Bob carried authority without demanding attention. Deliberate and measured, he listened closely and spoke with purpose; when he did, people listened. His intelligence, understated humor, and steady presence made him a trusted leader. He treated everyone with equal dignity, and instilled in his children hard work, humility, loyalty, and integrity. His family called him the man who “spoke the least and said the most.”

Bob met Susan (“Sue”) Gura of Wellesley Hills, and they married in 1970, and moved from Boston to Topsfield to start a family. Their old colonial farmhouse had doorways so low that 6-foot-3 Bob had to duck between rooms. In 1980, they moved to a beautiful Victorian in Beverly Farms that needed work, but mercifully had high ceilings. They celebrated their 56th anniversary in July. In retirement, Bob and Sue traveled abroad, spent winters in Naples, and enjoyed long summers at their cherished Oak Bluffs home. On the Vineyard, Bob played golf, read, and competed fiercely at backgammon on the porch, and savored fine food, wine, and conversation. He was known for his blended coffee, famous rum punches, generous tips, and frosted lemonade “cocktails” made for his grandchildren. Bob never forgot his modest beginnings. They made him prudent and self-reliant, but also deeply generous. He was devoted to his family, especially Sue, remaining by her side as her needs increased. His accomplishments never made him self-important; his greatest influence came from the example he set. Bob is survived by his wife, Susan Morrison; his son, Todd Morrison, and Todd’s wife, Stephanie Nelson, and their children, Henry and Grace, of Boston; and his daughter, Sage Pagano, and Sage’s husband, Dan Pagano, and their children, Miles and Julia, of Hingham. He is also survived by sisters Peggy Bukoski of Stoneham and Mary Jane Mahoney of East Providence, R.I. His siblings John Morrison Jr., Donald Morrison, Murdock Morrison, and Asenath Bellino predeceased him. In accordance with his wishes, Bob was laid to rest in Oak Bluffs on August 19, surrounded by his closest family. It was fitting that his final resting place would be on Martha’s Vineyard, where everything was “good good!”

Timothy Garland Collins

Timothy Garland Collins, an award-winning filmmaker, died on Sept. 8, 2026 at his home in Atlanta, Ga. He was 37. Tim was born on Oct. 10, 1988, and grew up in Atlanta. His enduring passion, beginning at an early age, was filmmaking. As soon as he could hold a video camera, he was making films. He started with his neighborhood friends, and later attended

the Art Institute of Atlanta, where he graduated with a B.A. in digital filmmaking, magna cum laude. During his college years he made several short films that were exhibited at dozens of film festivals around the world (including the Cannes Film Festival), and won numerous awards. He excelled at every aspect of filmmaking, from screenwriting, casting, and set design to directing, photographing, and editing. He even created posters and DVD art for his films. Most recently, he was working on a screenplay that he hoped to develop into an independent feature film. Tim was also a student of film history, with an almost encyclopedic knowledge — from classic films to contemporary films, including many foreign-language films. Watching a film with Tim was always a special experience, since he could provide a sophisticated commentary track for just about any film. His knack for turning ordinary moments into memorable ones extended beyond his films. Tim’s quick wit drew people in. He connected with others through humor, creating countless shared memories and lasting joy. Tim loved animals, too, and had a special affinity for cats. For a time, he worked as a volunteer at an animal shelter. He was assigned the cats because he could relate to them better than any of the permanent staff. The members of Tim’s extended family (great-grandparents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and numerous cousins, from as far away as Australia and Austria) have a century-old tradition of gathering each summer on Martha’s Vineyard. Tim especially enjoyed those annual visits, and developed strong bonds with his many cousins, who would keep in touch throughout the year. He knew that he was part of a large, extended family who cared deeply about him. He also enjoyed photographing the wildlife and natural beauty of the Island. Tim was a gentle soul, who left a legacy of kindness and compassion wherever he went. His passing was unexpected and all too soon. The world of his family and friends is now sadly diminished, but they will cherish his memory and the many blessings he provided them. Tim was predeceased by his grandparents, E.B. Collins and Judith M. Collins of Edgartown, and John L. Garland and Paula J. Garland of Atlanta. He is survived by his parents, Steven M. Collins and Anne G. Collins of Edgartown; and his sister, Erin Marie Collins, and her partner, Anthony Parton, his nephew, Calvin E. Collins, and his nieces, Cassidy L. Collins and Courtney M. Collins of Melbourne, Australia. A memorial service is planned for July 2027 in Edgartown.

Robert F. Cimeno Jr.

ful English bulldog, Rockie, and a close circle of family and friends. A celebration of life will be held on the Vineyard at a later date, with details to come in a future edition of this paper. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to M.V. Shellfish Group, online at mvshellfishgroup.org/ donate-now, in honor of Rob and his brother Derek.

Donna Ducatt Souza Robert F. Cimeno Jr. of Tisbury, and recently of Brunswick, Maine, passed away on August 30, 2026, just before his 64th birthday. He was born in Boston to Robert and Patricia Cimeno on August 31, and settled on Martha’s Vineyard several years later as the oldest of six children. Rob showcased his creativity and craftsmanship in many ways throughout his life. He attended the Tisbury School, where he won Mr. Ovios’ first “Golden Hammer” award for woodworking (an achievement that has not been independently verified, but we will take his word for it) and graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, crowned class of 1980’s “Most Artistic.” From there, he never stopped educating himself, always curious and open to learning new skills. He was self-taught, selfemployed, and took meticulous care, earning a reputation as the guy for the job throughout his 30-plus year career in stone fabrication and design. A man of many talents, you could count on Rob to understand your obscure references, as his interests spanned from motorcycles to U.S. history and Andy Warhol paintings. He often acted as his own mechanic, a skill he knew had its limits, and learned to snowboard in his 40s, a hobby he thankfully gave up before breaking anything. When he wasn’t working, you could often find him at home outside, feeding the birds and deer, propagating his plants, or tinkering with something. When or if the apocalypse hit, Rob was the one you wanted to see coming in his red Dodge Power Wagon. You just needed to know the code word. A nearly lifelong islander, Rob had recently moved to Maine, to the same area where he spent time as a child with his aunt and uncle. After a lifetime of working through Island summers, the Maine lifestyle was a welcome change. Throughout his life he was a loyal friend, beloved father, and made life more fun. Rob is remembered for his wit, sense of humor, and generosity by those who knew and loved him. He was predeceased by his father, Robert, and youngest brother, Derek. He leaves behind his two daughters, Lindsay and Olivia, his faith-

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Donna Ducatt Souza. She left this world on Sept. 9, 2026, after a courageous two-year battle with leukemia. Donna was a free spirit who loved travel and horticulture, but most of all, her family. She leaves behind her three children, Sean Souza, Erin Ducatt, and Jesse Smith; her grandchildren, Michael Ducatt and his wife Reagan, Kayden and Kaylee Ducatt, and Catherine Smith; and her great-grandson, Lincoln Ducatt. A full obituary will be posted in a future edition of this paper.

Services Saturday for Mildred Scott

A celebration of life for Mildred Scott will be held on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 4 pm at Sunset Lake Hill in Oak Bluffs. Millie died on May 21, 2026, at the age of 91.

OBITUARIES The Martha’s Vineyard Times publishes obituary information and photos at no charge for current and former residents of Martha’s Vineyard and for persons with significant ties to the Island community. The submission deadline for full obituaries is 5 pm Tuesday, for publication on that Thursday. The Times reserves the right to edit as needed. If you have questions or need assistance writing an obituary, please email editormvtimes.com. Obituary information may be submitted by e-mail: editor@mvtimes.com, barbara.davis@mvtimes.com mail: PO Box 518 Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 by hand: The Times office on Beach Road in Vineyard Haven (opposite the ArtCliff Diner).

A4

news

October 1, 2026

EDITORIAL Trump cuts to climate science leave us all vulnerable

The Island always feels vulnerable when extreme weather conditions like last weekend’s early-season nor’easter start heading our way. This time was no different, especially as forecasts became more and more dramatic and television meteorologists breathlessly updated viewers from windblown shorelines, reciting scripts filled with dire warnings about heavy rain, high winds, and coastal flooding. The Steamship Authority made a decision on Friday to cancel all ferries for the rest of the afternoon and evening, as well as the entire day Saturday. On reflection, it seems the forecasters and Island officials may have seemed a bit over-the-top in their assessments, and in some cases, they were. But better safe than sorry. What is important to remember is that forecasts are only as reliable as the data compiled by the National Weather Service (NWS), the publicly funded cornerstone for U.S. weather information, public forecasts, and storm warmings under the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and these days, with draconian budget cuts by the Trump administration in place for government agencies as well as climate research, there are mounting concerns about the reliability of the information we have about weather, especially when it’s extreme. A country that was once a global leader in climate research has been stripped down by the Trump administration, and the chief executive has sought to eliminate what he sees as un-

C

O

R

P

O

R

A

T

I

O

needed domestic spending. He’s withdrawn the country from global scientific leadership, fired much of the scientific workforce, including at NWS, and defunded and canceled climate research. Included in the line of fire is the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, the primary research arm of NOAA, as well as other NOAA federal programs that provide weather forecasting data and research from 80 universities, and work to improve the agency’s warning and forecast capabilities. Without continued funding, there are fears that long-term data sets will be disrupted, and the NWS’ ability to inform disaster preparation and provide accurate and timely weather tracking could be at risk. The Trump administration’s current budget calls for a $1.7 billion cut to NOAA’s budget, according to Columbia University’s Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. Slashing some 1,500 staff members has also prompted the Ocean Conservancy to issue a warning this week that these cuts of up to 30 percent would threaten the National Hurricane Center’s operations and weaken domestic storm surge and flood warnings. The Ocean Conservancy said the cuts were a direct threat to public safety, and issued a warning that the cuts could result in the loss of lives if a serious weather event goes untracked. For this storm, it seems most of the forecasts were close to accurate, and public warnings were made in a timely fashion for the 60-mph winds and up to eight inches of rain. But the specter of unreliable forecasts raises concerns across the Cape and Islands, and across the country. So many scientists

and advocates for addressing climate change are sounding warnings that cuts in funding threaten to undo the web of research required to provide the most up-to-date information to the public. The administration has said that it will increasingly seek to rely on artificial intelligence (AI) to compile threat assessments for extreme weather brought on by climate change, but the fact is that AI is only as good as the data it has to make predictions. And right now, the data gathered is being compromised by insufficient funding. The Times wants to add our editorial voice to the chorus that is rising up to call for federal funding to be both restored and maintained, to provide adequate resources for the research we all need to understand the risks that climate change poses to our shores and lives. In Woods Hole, many of the world’s top scientists are pushing back and demanding that our tax dollars flow to the research and policy work that is needed for us to confront the challenges of climate change, specifically the rise of extreme weather that places Island communities like ours in peril. The way we will find a way forward is through doing more research, not less, and giving greater support to the scientific community in places of excellence such as Woods Hole — not by abandoning the important work they do. Our sustainability as an Island and as a planet depends on robust funding for the science of climate change. We will need that funding in place if we are going to have an accurate measure of the threat posed by extreme weather. This time, we circumnavigated any serious calamity, but next time, we may not be so lucky.

N

30 Beach Road P. O. Box 518, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-6100 e-mail: editor@mvtimes.com

Charles M. Sennott • Publisher

Note to Readers The Times welcomes letters to the editor on subjects of interest to Islanders. Each letter must include the name, address, and phone number of the writer. No exceptions, no anonymous letters, no pen names. All letters are subject to editing for style, taste, sense, and conciseness. Five hundred words is the outer limit. We publish most letters, but not all. The editor chooses. Letters will normally be published in the week they are received, but not always. The Times accepts letters by mail and e-mail.

Menemsha during the nor’easter. REGGIE FORSTER

BECOME AN MV TIMES MEMBER Join The MV Times as a member today and make the pledge to support independent local journalism. Choose any of our three tiers of membership and become a valued part of our community-supported

TO SIGN UP: SCAN QR CODE OR VISIT MVTIMES.COM/MEMBERSHIP/

news organization. Each level includes an opt-in to receive the weekly print edition and/or access to our daily online coverage.

news A5

October 1, 2026

VINEYARD GALLERY

KRISTOFER RABASCA

ESSAY A third of our food is never eaten. On the Vineyard, we can change that. BY SOPHIE MAZZA AND NOLI TAYLOR Imagine going to the grocery store and buying three bags of food. You carry two to the car, drop the third in the parking lot, and drive home without it. That is essentially what happens to our food supply. Roughly a third of all food produced globally is never eaten. This week is Food Waste Prevention Week, a good time to look at how much food we lose and how much we could save. Wasted food is both an economic and an environmental crisis. According to ReFED, wasted food in the U.S. was worth $325 billion in 2024. Wasted food made up 24 percent of what went into landfills, 3.5 percent of the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, and 15.5 percent of its freshwater use. Meanwhile, one in three Massachusetts households is food-insecure, according to the Greater Boston Food Bank.

Here on the Vineyard, we throw away about 16 million pounds of food every year. Most of it was shipped to the Island in the first place, and then it’s shipped off again as trash to an incinerator on the mainland. At the same time, IGI’s Island Food Pantry serves one in five Islanders. On an Island where food costs are among the highest in the country, wasted food is money out of household

budgets, and for many of our community members, those budgets are already stretched thin. At IGI, we are continuing to advance local food-waste processing solutions, so that the food that is thrown away on the Island can be processed here and used as a soil amendment. We have now secured funding to purchase foodwaste recyclers for every Island school, and four towns — Aquin-

COURTESY NOLI TAYLOR

The Island throws away about 16 million pounds of food every year.

nah, Chilmark, West Tisbury, and Oak Bluffs — are in the process of purchasing food-waste recyclers for residential use at each of their town dumps. But to reach our goal of 70 percent food-waste reduction on the Island by 2040, we need to throw away less to begin with. The good news is that this is a problem each of us can do something about, starting in our own kitchens. The kitchen is the heart of the home, and it can also be a place where we save money and ease our impact on the climate. Shifts in our habits can make a real difference: planning meals before shopping, storing produce so it lasts, using the freezer wisely, and understanding what date labels really mean. Try one thing this week: Set up an “eat first” shelf in your fridge. Put leftovers, cut produce, and anything nearing its date there, where you’ll see it every time you open the door. Move older items to the front and newer groceries to the back. It takes five minutes, and can change what ends up in the trash. Your wallet, and future generations, will thank you. Sophie Mazza is the food-waste director and Noli Taylor is a co– executive director at Island Grown Initiative. You can reach them at office@igimv.org.

LETTERS Goodbye and thank you To the Editor: David and I, along with our dogs, Rufus and Ruffy, will be leaving Martha’s Vineyard and moving to Stonington, Conn. As much as we don’t want to leave, health issues make it a necessity. There is an Amtrak station five minutes from our new house, putting Boston, New Haven, and NYC doctors in play. We have tried to make a small difference during our 14-year stay, by immersing ourselves on Island boards, including M.V. Playhouse, Featherstone Center for the Arts,

the Chamber Music Society, Polly Hill Arboretum, the Mass Cultural Council, Island Community Chorus, WTCC council, and as a volunteer and vice president for Vineyard Village at Home. I have so loved driving seniors to doctor’s appointments and cultural events to keep them connected. I’m also especially proud of a group of 17 volunteers that I started with the help of Cheryl Doble, the Friends of Owen Park, where we helped clean up and redesign the top entrance to the park. And I’m grateful that I had some influence on generating awareness of the nip-bottle problem, which led to Oak Bluffs and Edgartown banning

them, and for donating photography to the new Navigator nursing home. A special thanks to Nancy Slonim Aronie and Kate Feiffer, for making me believe that I can write! And thanks for all the love on Islanders Talk Facebook page, where our former “goofy” Gordons were beloved as our current ones, Rufus and Ruffy. We have been blessed with the most incredible neighbors, who have become family to us. We love them and will never forget them. Our hearts are heavy, but we know it’s the right next move! Here’s to the next chapter! Paul Doherty West Tisbury

In response to ‘The time is now to fix Five Corners’ To the Editor: Regarding your editorial on flooding in Five Corners (Sept. 24): One would think any Third World country such as ours (joke joke) could easily rig up some hoses and pumps to drain water from flood spots to the nearby harbor as needed. Your editorial needs to inform us a bit more — like why cannot this be done, even if it’s just on a temporary stopgap basis? Are there restrictions that prevent the diverting of road water to the sea? Allan Dutton Oak Bluffs

A6

news

October 1, 2026

Washout nor’easter

Finn Lewis surfed the South Shore Friday.

Dock Street was inundated Saturday.

South Beach Saturday.

of the broken dock, but as the club is a private entity, repairs are their responsibility, McElligatt said. There are plans to go out this week to recover buoys from the areas between East Chop Beach Club and State

The storm has a “pretty significant ripple effect." —DONOVAN MCELLIGATT A Harthaven Community Association dock broke free, and was retrieved by the harbor department, McElligatt said. He also acknowledged that part of the dock at East Chop Beach Club broke off and washed ashore. The town is aware

Beach, he added. In Edgartown, Gary Kovack, harbormaster, said they had tracked the storm early and found spots for boats that needed to be relocated; two boats broke free but landed on the beach, and vessel owners were notified.

“We had a crowded harbor … with a lot of visitors seeking shelter,” he said. The breach between Cape Poge and Norton Point may have helped, Kovack said, because that open waterway gave the storm surge somewhere to go. About half of the Dock Street lot, near the Edgartown Yacht Club, was flooded, but Kovack said there wasn’t more water than is usual for a full-moon tide. He added that the Derby moved the prize Jeep, out of caution. Edgartown’s town administrator, James Hagerty, said there wasn’t “significant flooding, damage, or outages to report,” and the town fared well. In the town of Gosnold,

HAYLEY DUFFY

beached, and a “couple of close calls,” he said, but the town came out intact. Northeast winds are very hard on the harbor, but between the harbormaster’s department, Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard, and Gannon and Benjamin, Gately said, every boat out in the water was “doublechecked and triple-checked.” Northeast winds are also hard on Oak Bluffs Harbor, which saw two boats take on water, one of which was almost completely submerged Friday. Em deBettencourt, Oak Bluffs harbormaster, was on vacation over the weekend, and Donovan McElligatt, who stood in for her, said that a 30-foot MerCruiser, originally tied up in a slip then moored for the storm, sank Friday afternoon. There was no one on board, and TowBoatUS was on scene Monday to refloat and haul the boat out, but McElligatt said he thinks the boat is a “total loss.” He was notified at 3:15 pm Friday, and the boat was completely submerged by 3:43 pm. A powerboat was “listing heavily” Monday, Jennifer Goeckel, assistant marina manager, said in her update to the town, and it was stabilized and pumped out by the shellfish and harbor departments. TowBoatUS was there, and also evaluated that boat. McElligatt said that the Oak Bluffs “pump-out boat” had been taken out of the harbor on Thursday because the harbormaster was away, and he had been worried about the vessel in the storm as well as about a bilge pump malfunction. Also, at an emergency management discussion on Friday, officials decided that no one would risk their lives for property damage, McElligatt said. A Fire Department boat was in the harbor in case of a human safety risk. McElligatt told The Times that prior to the peak of the storm, he’d located an elderly couple who intended to ride out the storm on their vessel moored in the harbor, and that he, alongside the town administrator’s office and Fire Department, transported them and their cat (in a Modelo box) off the boat to the nearest hotel. Another boat broke loose in Oak Bluffs Harbor Thursday, landed on a dock, and was able to be put back on a mooring with no damage, Goeckel also said in her update.

SARAH SHAW DAWSON

inches of rain fell over the weekend, Donovan McElligatt, shellfish warden for Oak Bluffs, said. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration logged 0.91 inches of rain on Saturday and 4.22 inches on Sunday. Francis Tarasiewicz, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service (NWS), said that 5.18 inches fell, based on instruments at Martha’s Vineyard Airport. Tarasiewicz also said that the highest gusts on the Island were 60 mph, almost exactly as forecast. Based on buoy data, wave heights reached between five and eight feet in Nantucket Sound, and 10 to 15 feet near Block Island, Tarasiewicz added. The NWS issued a high surf advisory, high wind warning, and coastal flood warning for the Island through the weekend, and predicted six- to 13-foot waves in the surf zone. Some Islanders took the forecast as a reason to test out the waves on the South Shore. Chace Lewis, who photographed Island surfers Friday before the peak of the storm, said that the early-season nor’easter pushed an odd swell direction that made it hard, but not impossible, to “find a few diamonds in the rough.” Several businesses, such as the Island Food Pantry, Martha’s Vineyard Medical, and Island Health Care, announced closures Friday for the next day. And following every other ferry line’s suspension of service for several days (even the Chappy Ferry shut down on Friday at noon), the Steamship Authority (SSA) canceled ferries Friday afternoon and Saturday, which wreaked havoc at the height of the wedding season and the Derby. Sean Driscoll, communications director for the SSA, said that the first trips to be canceled Friday on the Vineyard route were the 12:25 pm trips on the Barnstable and Sankaty. “Based on the forecast and the duration of the event, we made the decision Friday night to cancel the entire day’s service Saturday, to give customers certainty about their travel plans. We tend to keep those decisions a little closer to the time of service, but based on the forecast, there seemed little doubt that conditions were not favorable,” Driscoll said. There were also cancellations for the SSA Sunday, which resumed service on the 7:40 am trip, due to trip consolidation based on low demand. Driscoll said that many people didn’t travel even when the boats opened back up. Trips continued to be diverted from Oak Bluffs to Vineyard Haven into Monday. Vineyard Haven Harbor fared well, Michael Gately, Tisbury harbormaster, said. There were a few boats

CHACE LEWIS

Continued from A1

Cuttyhunk Assistant Harbormaster Maddie Lynch said that the wind was pretty strong, and there were twoto three-foot waves inside the harbor. She said they lost one public dinghy dock, which she plans to haul out this week to get repaired, but there were no injuries. Lynch said the worst of the storm was between Friday at 8 pm and Saturday at around 10 am in terms of wind and waves. Jeffrey Madison, town administrator for Aquinnah, said he wasn’t aware of any issues related to the storm. West Tisbury Town Administrator Jennifer Rand said the same — a few tree limbs downed, “but nothing of note.”

Tim Carroll, town administrator for Chilmark, said nothing serious was reported to the town. There was, however, significant flooding in Vineyard Haven. MassDOT closed Beach Road from Five Corners to the hospital around 11 am on Saturday. A portion of Seaview Avenue in Oak Bluffs was also closed to traffic. The road closures forced the Vineyard Transit Authority to detour several routes. Olessa Stepanova, communications director for the Island’s utility provider, Eversource, said that between Friday and Sunday, there were 21 outage events, and over the course of the three days, 791 customers on the Island lost power. Eversource sent extra crews in ahead of the storm before there were ferry cancellations, and the damage was what they expected, though the storm started to shift further west, Stepanova said. Tree limbs account for more than 90 percent of outages, she said, and all power was restored to Islanders by Monday. Cape Poge and Leland beaches remained closed to oversand vehicle dues to flooded trails through Tuesday. Wasque was opened Monday for only parking and walking, according to the Trustees of Reservations, which manages the areas on Chappaquiddick. Mary Dettloff, director of public relations for the Trustees, reported that Darci Schofield, Islands Trustees director, said because the trails were flooded and the tide remained high, they weren’t able to drive out on them to get a good look at any erosion on Monday. There was a lot of sand movement, Schofield said, though she didn’t think erosion was as bad as expected. Schofield and staff were at work to recover fencing that had been buried in the sand. A social media post from the Trustees Wednesday reopened the beaches to oversand vehicles. The Edgartown Parks Department didn’t respond to calls, but Hagerty said no losses had been reported to him, and he assumed that wind direction, which was primarily northeast, played a part in less erosion than typically seen from storms on the South Shore. The state Department of Marine Fisheries (DMF) issued a closure of all shellfish areas Saturday at sunrise due to the rainfall. (There is a four-inch threshold of rainfall across the state before areas are closed.) DMF planned to come out to the Island Tuesday, McElligatt said, to collect an initial round of samples that should take around one or two days to process at the state laboratory before the areas can be opened again. Currently, no recreational harvest can occur across the Island, and no commercial oysters can be taken to market. The storm has a “pretty significant ripple effect,” McElligatt said.

news A7

October 1, 2026

Continued from A1 several problems of the drainage, which allows the system to function “more as storage than facilitating stormwater discharge during storm events.” A tool used by the ResilientMass Action team that allows state agencies and other parties to project flood risk predicts that sea level rises by an average of 1.2 feet and up to 2.4 feet at high tide above the current level by 2030, which is the same elevation where Five Corners currently sits, and is higher than some parts of Beach Road. The risk rating for sea level rise and storm surge, as well as extreme precipitation, is high, based on the tool. By 2050, Five Corners could be flooded on a daily basis, the study said. In a 20-year storm scenario,

partnership between UMass Boston School for the Environment, Boston Harbor Now, and city, state, and federal officials. This new expansion — 10 overland flood sensors, two wave buoys, a “mobile sensor” in Essex, tide gauges, and weather stations — more than double the reach of

$387,000 grant to the MVC to “maintain the connection” between the ferry terminal and the hospital, Dan Doyle, special projects planner and district of critical planning concern coordinator for MVC, said in an email. “Several near- and mid-term alternatives will be considered to ensure this infrastructure remains viable in the years and decades ahead,” he added. Though Lake Avenue wasn’t inundated by water this past weekend, through a separate project, Oak Bluffs is now home to one of 10 overland flood sensors that are part of an expanded network of instruments to monitor the Massachusetts coast. Attached to a lampost in June in front of the large mako shark replica hung outside Nancy’s Restaurant, the sensor is used to collect data and refine models at the state level and inform local officials. The network of instruments, which include Hohonu overland sensors (like the one in O.B.), and wave buoys in Ipswich Bay and Buzzards Bay that monitor wave height, frequency, and direction, is operated by the Stone Living Lab, a research

LEFT: Stone Living Lab’s overland flood sensor on Lake Avenue in O.B. 2018 that set flood records in Boston, and brought two to three inches of snow per hour. But the idea of these overland flood sensors is to get data from places that flood more often, which Bosma said, due to sea level rise and climate change, happens at a higher frequency. There isn’t a lot of data on smaller storms, even when there’s a big impact to a place like the Island. Bosma said he knows the area of Oak Bluffs through work, and he whittled down 20 to 50 potential sites to those that were picked. He the network developed by said he’s seen pictures of cars the lab, and is meant to fill in pretty deep water in the in gaps in ocean and flood area when storms cause wamonitoring, a press release ter to overtop the bulkhead. from the lab stated. Over They “put in a data senthe past year, it’s gone from 10 to 22 instruments across sor in a location where maybe 90 to 95 percent of the state. the time you’re not actuThe lab studies naturebased approaches — monially seeing anything. It feels like a waste, like we’re toring, education, policy, not seeing it, but that’s and social resilience — for the whole point,” he said. climate adaptation. This The lab reached out to Em network of instruments is only one of the lab’s projects. deBettencourt, Oak Bluffs harbormaster, and had The real-time and localdiscussions about where to ized monitoring data is install the sensor. The Oak provided to local leaders, climate scientists, and even Bluffs Select Board was also consulted. residents, and informs The sensor is not a camlong-term flooding models. era; it measures the water The data is publicly availsurface elevation and depth, able on dashboards, and and provides a time series of can even create accurate flood levels at the particular predictive models, giving flood warnings 7 to 10 days spot. It sends signals down to the surface of the water and in advance, Kirk Bosma, senior coastal engineer and bounces off what is there. All data collected from the lampvice president at Woods post at Lake Avenue is upHole Group and engineerloaded to a dashboard on the ing director at the lab, said lab’s website, to be available in the press release. It is to the public and municipal part of a strategy from the staff. The data is also used to Office of Coastal Zone improve models, such as the Management’s ResilientMassachusetts Coast Flood Coasts Initiative, which Risk Model (MCFRM) by the also recently gave funds Woods Hole Group, which to the Martha’s Vineyard looks at future and evolving Commission to complete a flood risk probabilities. supply-chain study. “We simulate thousands The overland flood sen-

RIGHT: Cops direct traffic at Five Corners over the summer.

ELLA MUNNELLY

canceled all the boats, obstructed travel to the port was less of an issue. The hospital, however, could only be reached from Oak Bluffs; patients could access the campus via the Eastville Avenue entrance. Noah Brown, spokesperson for Mass General Brigham, said that the storm and road closure didn’t cause any ambulance delays, but “transports requiring moving patients off-Island for higher levels of care via ambulance and ferry were disrupted Friday [and] Saturday because [the] Steamship canceled ferry trips.” MassDOT confirmed in its Beach Road study that any detours “adds significant travel time.” And still, truck traffic and their cargo can only reach the Vineyard Haven terminal by Water Street, and must go through Five Corners. Especially as the only year-round port on the Island, the area is critical to the Island’s supply chain. The closure wasn’t unprecedented. Earlier this month, from a rain event that didn’t garner nearly as much recognition as last weekend’s nor’easter, on Sept. 13, Five Corners flooded and Beach Road was closed. There were multiple cars stuck in the water, and the road was closed between 11:30 am and 5 pm. In an email to town officials, Sean Young, local building inspector and conservation agent for the town of Tisbury, said that the rainfall added an estimated 5,000 to 10,000 gallons of extra flow to the drainage system. He added that the pipes are supposed to drain the water empty at Beach Street, or Beach Road Extension, next to the Black Dog Pier, but because they sit near sea level, are clogged with sand and debris from the tide, and allow seawater to be pushed back up into the system. The redesigned outfall system is based on a layout by the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center. Young said that a similar project was proposed in 2023, but “fizzled out.” He awaits the town’s decision to move forward. The area around Five Corners is highly vulnerable due to the intersection’s low elevation and position at the “head of a shallow, funnel-shaped harbor [that] contributes to storm surge during” nor’easters, tropical cyclones, and heavy rainfall events, as was seen twice in September. It is the area’s low point (2.5 feet above sea level), where storm runoff wants to go, and because the outfall pipe, which has a tide-control valve that sits below sea level under future climate scenarios, is already blocked by debris and tides, the top of Beach Road Extension floods easily and makes the area a “pooling point.” The study discussed

the wave elevation could also be as high as 7.7 feet; in a 100-year storm event, that could rise to 9.3 feet, and cause six feet of inundation at Five Corners. The study suggested flood mitigation alternatives that included a revision of the Five Corners “geometry” that would raise Beach Street Extension as well as reduce Water Street to one lane of traffic in each direction. It also suggested a retention tank for stormwater underneath Beach Road Extension, to be pumped out to the harbor after severe weather events; a pump station would be necessary. The study said the tank, however, would probably be insufficient for 2030 flood projections. A long-term alternative suggested was to reconfigure the intersection and raise the elevation of infrastructure by five feet, to be 7.5 feet above sea level and allow the drainage system to slope toward the harbor outfall, not the one near Five Corners. Then stormwater retention could be expanded under the raised infrastructure. It is estimated to cost (doesn’t include raised infrastructure costs) $3.1 million. There was also the suggestion of a roundabout of five entrance points that

sors come from a company called Hohonu, which is based in Hawaii, and the lab set out to locate where beyond Boston there are major flood pathways. Bosma said that there are good data when there’s a really big storm, like Hurricane Sandy, the Blizzard of ’78, or the bomb cyclone in

would also be raised. Currently, MassDOT, Tisbury, and the MVC are working on a possible redesigned outfall system that would replace the current pipe that exists across the beach. And recently, the state’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program awarded a

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

An Island inundated

and thousands of events in a physics-based model, and determine where risks are now and how that is changing under future climate conditions, so we utilize those results to identify areas that may be prone to flooding on more frequent levels than just big storms,” Bosma said. The goal is also to develop a model that could predict possible inundated areas days in advance of a big storm. “It’s odd to think about putting a sensor anywhere that’s not wet, and that’s what you’re supposed to measure. But the data is super-critical, and so it provides that real-time community benefit right now. But in the future, it hopefully will provide that model improvement and predictive benefits as well,” Bosma said. Joe Christo, chief resilience officer at the lab and Boston Harbor Now employee, said that he hopes the sensor can help benefit the Island through education and awareness, and help local officials make more informed decisions — whether that’s through data from individual sensors or because the data helps refine models. Bosma said he knows about Five Corners as well, and said there’s a similar problem at an inland intersection in Fall River, where the lab installed a sensor that floods in heavy rain. He guessed that the storm drainage systems, like the catch basins and pipes, are under capacity as well as having downstream problems, like the outfall and where the water goes. He said that Five Corners is probably a compound problem, and has both tidal and coastal influences as well as precipitation influences; Lake Avenue primarily suffers from tidal problems. He said he’d want a sensor there, so “maybe the Vineyard will get another one.” Dock Street in Edgartown was also inundated, though the storm came to a head at a full-moon tide. James Hagerty, town administrator for Edgartown, said the town is in the preliminary stage of an engineering plan to raise the finger piers and reinforce the bulkhead. The town also spent money on a climate change resilience alternative system for the Chappy Ferry, which floods at the ramp entrances. The ultimate price to raise the ramps and move infrastructure around is between $15 million and $25 million. The town applied for grants last year and this year. Memorial Wharf was recently raised, and can be raised again if needed. North Wharf, which was reinforced last year, can also be raised easily. The town wants to do a feasibility study for Atlantic Drive in Katama, which has also been inundated in the past, but didn’t receive a grant it applied for last year.

A8

news

October 1, 2026

Edgartown residents push back on ancient way Bonetti and his wife Sandra Bonetti, 80, bought their house on 34 School House Road almost two decades ago. Bonetti said he owns four houses abutting Swimming Place Path: 19 Suttons Way, 21 Suttons Way, 23 Suttons Way,

in Community Preservation Act funds for the project on the assumption that the town owned the path. But 2024 title search found that the town doesn’t. According to a document titled “Swimming Place Path

tor for Edgartown, said that might happen again. “I don’t see that getting actioned anytime soon,” Hagerty said in an interview with The Times. Hagerty said they won’t put the topic on an Edgartown Select Board agenda because “where does it lead?” “One, it’s a path to nowhere, and two, I think the

and 34 School House Road. He said the path is only nine feet from the deck of his residence on School House. “They are going to allow on this path walking people, unmotorized bicycles, and horses, and I’m not against horses at all, but who’s going to pick up the crap nine feet from my back door?” Bonetti said. The history of the project to restore Swimming Place Path as an ancient way began back in 2022, when the town voted to appropriate $66,420

Chronology of Milestones” on the Edgartown planning board’s website, submitted by Veno and Josephs, the Edgartown Estates Homeowners Association, which Bonetti is a part of, owns about 75 percent of Swimming Place Path. The document, from August of this year, says nearly 70 percent of the path would cross association land, and the remaining 750 feet, near Road to the Plains, crosses four other resident-owned lands. It is here on this stretch that the discussion of the ancient way runs along the proposed 54-acre subdivision known as Katama Meadows, which is still in the process of approval. After the title search in 2024, the Edgartown Select Board took no action on the project for a year, and this time around, James Hagerty, town administra-

current iterations of design don’t work,” Hagerty said. “There’s been a lot of neighbor pushback, there’s a lot of abutter pushback, and lack of clarity about the title.” Hagerty said for the project to move forward, a land management agreement would have to be made between the select board and the Land Bank. Without the select board’s approval, the project cannot move forward. Bonetti said he and his wife aren’t against public use paths, but 31 houses sit close to the path, and residents have already made their concerns clear in meetings and through emails to the planning board. Aside from the fact the town doesn’t own the land, Bonetti said they are worried about decreased privacy as well as decreased property values, an increased likelihood of

used by farmers traveling from Edgartown Great Pond to Swimming Place Point, where farmers herded livestock to grazing points and swam them across Katama Bay to Chappaquiddick. According to Charles Edward Banks in “The History of Martha’s Vineyard,” the path was first recorded as a “cross path” in 1675. A document on the Edgartown planning board’s website, submitted by Land Bank trail planners Bill Veno and Emily Josephs in August of this year, said longstanding “public right to pass” laws trump private ownership. They said most ancient ways on the Island are owned by abutting residents, and those residents usually own only to the centerline of the ancient way. Veno told The Times in June 2024 that ancient ways are old roads and former cart paths, and for some of them, a public right to access exists even through private property, but proving that right can be challenging. In 2011, the Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld a controversial Superior Court ruling that the public has a right to use Rogers Path, an ancient way in West Tisbury, after it had already seen years of public use and town work on the path. Brae Eddleston, planning and zoning administrator for the planning board, told The Times Tuesday that Swimming Place Path is considered an ancient way in Edgartown, and has been for many years. Those ways, she said, are acknowledged and protected for public use. “The recommendation was voted three to two by the planning board to recommend to the select board to enter into a land management agreement. The planning board does not have any jurisdiction over land management agreements … that exists between the select board and the Land Bank,” Eddleston said. Residents who live along that property line, however, don’t want a path behind their houses. Their concerns were aired at a public hearing on Sept. 15, when the planning board voted 3-2 to bring the issue to the Edgartown Select Board. “I don’t think the select board is going to vote it in,” Paul Bonetti, 83, who attended the meeting on Sept. 15, said in an interview with The Times. “If it does, all hell is going to break loose.”

they don’t own.” Bonetti’s wife Sandra added, “Everybody is close. You don’t see anything except in people’s backyards. They’re taking away our privacy.” Despite resident opposition, the planning board and Land Bank said they do have the right to restore the public use path. Based on Land Bank documents, Veno and Josephs agree that neither landowners or trail users generally prefer trails situated near residents, but they said in a Q and A file, “The reality is that trails and residences are frequently within eyeshot of the other.” “The Land Bank has worked with dozens of landowners in all of the towns to create new trails while protecting homeowners’ privacy,” Veno and Joseph wrote. “Planting

RENDERINGS COURTESY LAND BANK

Continued from A1

trespassing, and the clearing of old trees, which residents are concerned is inevitable to revitalize the path. “Most of us are not against the path,” he said. “It’s just 30 houses, five feet, nine feet [from the path], and the town doesn’t own the land. That’s why we are fighting it. Wrong location, and they can’t put that path on land

3D Scanning & Modeling Building Documentation for Remodeling and Renovation.

support@pointknown.com | 617.575.2222

of screening vegetation or erection of fencing can enhance privacy.” “Routing of the path through [Swimming Point Path] will impact some abutters more than others. A property-by-property assessment with each landowner is recommended to determine a workable arrangement,” Veno and Joseph wrote in the document. When it comes to the concerns over safety and over property value from the residents, Veno and Joseph said the Land Bank is unaware of any concerns from local police regarding criminal activity on trails, or of insurance companies taking into account the presence of a trail when determining risk or premium costs. “Nevertheless, to help appease landowner concerns, when the Land Bank obtains a trail easement or enters into a trail management agreement with a town board, it indemnifies the landowner and/or town should damages occur,” Veno and Joseph said. Veno and Joseph also wrote that trail users are “normally respectful to the natural environment.” “Litter is a rarity, but does happen. Other trail users are just as likely to pick up the random wrapper or bit of debris. However, when under Land Bank management, Land Bank staff would work to see that trail users stay on the trail by keeping the trail clear and well marked,” Veno and Joseph wrote. Bonetti said some residents are ready to take the issue to the court, if the Edgartown Select Board ever votes to approve the restoration of the path. “There’s going to be so many lawsuits it won’t even be funny. We are hoping the select board nixes the whole thing,” Bonetti said. In letters sent by abutting residents to the Edgartown planning board, other residents aired similar concerns to those of Bonetti. Maureen Schwab, who’s been an abutter of Swimming Place Path for 17 years, said in a letter to the board in April 2024 that she was told the path behind their homes “would never be developed.” She was not specific in her letter about who told her that. Also in April 2024, Jenny Goerge sent an email to the planning board, to which she attached 17 objection letters from residents in the area and a list of 300 signatures opposing the path. The Land Bank held a site visit on Sept. 15 to evaluate the specific route for the trail, as well as any need for screening or fencing, and forwarded a recommendation to the select board as to whether or not to proceed with the trail. “Unless the plan further develops past what is shown in past iterations, I don’t see the select board putting that on the agenda,” Hagerty said.

news A9

October 1, 2026

Jordan’s Nursery. SARAH SHAW DAWSON

New Donaroma’s operation raises environmental questions Continued from A1 Vineyard Commission (MVC), although public hearings have been rescheduled several times. The property involves three separate well-known names on the Island, including a former Edgartown selectman and large housing developer. Michael Donaroma, owner of Donaroma’s, subleases the property from William Cumming through his company Atwood LLC; the land is owned by Norton Farm. The site plan for Jordan’s Nursery includes greenhouses, retail sheds, workplace housing, an office or warehouse, 77 parking spaces, hazardous-material storage, and a retention pond. The nursery has a storied history, much of which is available for view through the MVC but has not been discussed by commissioners yet. After being approached by concerned community members regarding the potential environmental impact of Jordan’s Nursery, The Times looked into the materials at hand regarding the ownership, the use, and the concerns, many of which are yet to be discussed publicly. The land is owned by Jamie Norton, who also owns Bayes Norton Farm, which is just down the street from Jordan’s Nursery. It falls under Massachusetts General Law Chapter 61A, which reduces property taxes to preserve agricultural or horticultural land. In order to maintain those lower taxes and that designation under the law, however, the land can’t be “nonproductive.” In 2020, Bayes Norton Farm and Atwood LLC entered into a long-term agricultural lease. Atwood LLC is owned and operated by Vineyard housing developer

William Cumming, known for projects like Edgartown Gardens, located near Donaroma’s Nursery and Landscaping Services in Edgartown. Cumming is the largest local developer in recent years of Chapter 40B housing projects. Chapter 40B is a state statute that allows developers to bypass local zoning if at least a quarter of the units proposed are deemed affordable. According to materials submitted by Cumming to the MVC in 2021, Atwood LLC (Cumming) approached three Island agricultural businesses to build up the land at 218 Edgartown–Vineyard Haven Road. One of those businesses was Donaroma’s Nursery, owned by Michael Donaroma. Donaroma agreed to get involved, and a lease was formally documented in 2025 for 7.5 acres for Jordan’s Nursery. Then, from 2022 to 2024, infrastructure was installed at the site, like water, gas, and electricity, as well as polyhouse greenhouses. Since then, the site has been slowly built up with materials, operations, dirt roads that cut through the center, and signage. A well was also drilled on the property in 2023, which the nursery now utilizes, along with minimal pull from town water sources. Donaroma and Cumming are driving the nursery project forward, while Norton has stated in letters to the MVC that he supports their plans, and is looking to eventually sell plants from Jordan’s Nursery at his farm. “In 2026, Jordan’s Nursery announces plans to introduce retail sales at Jordan’s location and begins a join[t] venture with the Norton

Farm farmers market,” the materials Cumming filed with the MVC state. The nursery is before the MVC after being constructed, because the group is looking to expand those retail operations, including the installation of a glass greenhouse for the store, which Donaroma told The Times will be about 3,000 square feet in size. Prior to MVC referral, which was submitted by Oak Bluffs building commissioner Adam Petkus on April 6, the project was under the purview of Oak Bluffs officials, mostly under the previous building inspector in Oak Bluffs, Matthew Rossi. According to Cumming, Jordan’s Nursery was built under Oak Bluffs bylaws that allow agriculture on parcels of five acres or more by right in residential, business, and healthcare districts. Petkus told The Times that while he didn’t start the review of the project, he was happy to continue it and refer it to the MVC. “The commission has been reviewing it ever since,” he said in a phone interview. When asked whether he’s heard concerns about the project, Petkus said much of the reviews were conducted before his tenure, but that he referred the project to the regional planning group because of the scope of the retail operations and the potential for mixed-use buildings on the land, such as housing. “We need to make sure that the Island, as a whole, is protected and that the watershed is protected as well,” Petkus said. “But that doesn’t mean that scaled projects like this one can’t be done appropriately; they

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD

LAND BANK COMMISSION

The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank Commission purchases property for conservation and passive public recreation and the Dukes County Regional Housing Authority seeks property appropriate for the construction of affordable housing. These two agencies can work cooperatively on projects of mutual interest. Please contact the land bank office (508-627-7141) if you are disposing of your property and believe that your land may be suitable for conservation or for a joint land bank - housing authority venture.

just need to be protected, and answers to the questions need to be responded to.” According to Cumming, the nursery is for agricultural use and therefore falls under the Dover Amendment (Massachusetts General Law Chapter 40A), which exempts owners and landlords from a number of local zoning restrictions and regulations if the use of the property is religious, educational, or agricultural. In MVC materials, however, the Dover Amendment is not invoked. Cumming told The Times that Jordan’s Nursery is exempt from any regulation outside of bulk, height, setbacks, yard sizes, lot sizes, open-space requirements, parking, and building coverage, as outlined in the Dover Amendment. Now that the project is before the commission, it must abide by the MVC process, which includes a water quality policy, a regulatory framework which aims to ensure that large projects don’t overly impact water quality, pond health, and groundwater. According to the Oak Bluffs Water District, Jordan’s Nursery poses a potential concern to the district because of the amount of water used. “The degree of concern would depend on the proposed withdrawal rate, seasonal demand, well location and depth, hydrogeology, and potential interaction with district sources,” the department states in a question and answer about Jordan’s Nursery. Jordan’s Nursery is also located on the Lagoon Pond watershed, a 4,000-acre area which is especially sensitive to added nitrogen due to the deteriorating health of La-

goon Pond, including eutrophication, which is a process where excess nitrogen that leaches into water leads to toxic algae blooms, resulting in dead zones and decreased oxygen. Several considerations that arose in the MVC materials were related to the potential impact of fertilizers, including organic ones, on a watershed with such sensitivity. All fertilizers, even organic ones, contain nitrogen. According to MVC materials, Rich Saltzberg, the DRI coordinator for MVC, asked Donaroma over email this May whether hazardous materials, like fertilizers, would be stored at Jordan’s Nursery. Donaroma wrote back that “other than two propane tanks above ground, there will be no hazardous material stored at Jordan Nursery. My fertilizers, fuels, etc., have always been stored off this site, and have no intention of adding to this site.” Donaroma did state to The Times, however, that he intends to move a portion of the nursery and retail operations in Edgartown to Jordan’s Nursery over time. “I’m completely organic,” Donaroma noted in an interview. “I think the main thing to understand is: I’m not a farm. I don’t grow

things in the ground. I don’t rototill the ground. I don’t fertilize the ground. I don’t spray anything on the ground. I have some landscape fabric that covers the ground everywhere, including in the greenhouses. I grow everything in pots. I’m a container grower, so whatever I put in the pot has to go through the pot and be absorbed by the plant.” The MVC staff report, however, states that even “containerized plants” could affect the health of the Lagoon Pond watershed, especially those that have been imported to the Vineyard from elsewhere, which many of the plants at Jordan’s Nursery have been. “Containerized plants that are subject to irrigation and have previously been treated with fungicides, herbicides, and pesticides could, over time, potentially, present a pollution burden for the Lagoon Pond well,” the report states. Cumming told The Times that concerns about nitrogenloading are nuanced, largely due to housing development and pre–Title 5 septic systems, and are the reason for the comprehensive wastewater management plan (CWMP) on the Island. “We have a nitrogen problem from the legacy homebuilding, and the towns have a plan to address this longstanding source of nitrogen overloading as part of their CWMP,” Cumming wrote. “There are state and federal laws to allocate the responsibility of the preexisting wastewater nitrogen pollution. The towns’ CWMP are rectifying this problem. That is what a CWMP is for.”

MVAA MVAA MVAA ALL MEMBER SHOW SHOW SHOW ALL MEMBER ALL MEMBER ExhibitionExhibition Dates: September June Dates: 20 - 12 26 June - /October Open 20 - 26 Daily 12 / Open Daily

58 Dock Street, 58 Dock Edgartown Street, 58 Dock Edgartown 508.939.4092 Street, Edgartown 508.939.4092 art@oldsculpingallery.org 508.939.4092 art@oldsculpingallery.org art@oldsculpingallery.org OLDSCULPINGALLERY.org OLDSCULPINGALLERY.org OLDSCULPINGALLERY.org

Across from Across the from Chappy Across thefrom Ferry Chappy the Ferry Chappy Ferry

ISLAND ENERGY Heating Oil Delivery and More! Our Service Department is Dedicated to Our Heating Oil Customers for: Oil Burner Service, Installations, 24/7 Emergency Service

islandenergyinc.net · 508-696-5959

A10 classifieds

October 1, 2026

CLASSIFIEDS To browse new ads online or to place yours, visit mvtimes.com/classifieds.

SCAN QR CODE

For assistance, advertising rates or to find out more, email mvtclassifieds@mvtimes.com or call 508-693-6100 ext. CLASSIFIED LINER AND DISPLAY ADS MUST BE PLACED BY NOON TUESDAY PRIOR TO THE THURSDAY PRINT PUBLICATION.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES CURRICULUM SPECIALIST, ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE. Part-time, 20 hrs/wk, $30/hr, remote option. Develop farm/garden education curriculum for Island Schools. Apply: igimv.org/employment FACILITIES MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN Martha’s Vineyard Club Management seeks an experienced, hands-on maintenance professional for private club properties. Troubleshoot and repair carpentry, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC issues yourself; coordinate subcontractors for larger jobs. Must be quick-thinking, self-directed, and calm under pressure. Valid driver’s license required. Some evening/ weekend availability. Competitive pay. Send resume to allen@mvcm.club LOOKING FOR PERSON TO DO MASSACHUSETTS STATE VEHICLE INSPECTIONS. Requires valid Mass. driver’s license, basic mechanical knowledge and people skills. Apply in person Bink’s Auto 29 Winthrop Ave Oak Bluffs LOVE NATURE AND WANT TO SHARE IT WITH OTHERS? Felix Neck is hiring a Lead Education Coordinator & Camp Director! To Apply: massaudubon.org/jobs NEED TEMPORARY LEGAL ASSISTANT/ADMIN TYPE PERSON FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 HOURS PER WEEK FOR $200.00. Paperwork, technical, computer skills, research and analysis. 504-460-2804.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

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 TISBURY COUNCIL ON AGING IS LOOKING FOR PART TIME RECEPTIONIST. Duties involve answering phones, inputting data, helping with senior services, daily statistics and logging. send a letter of interest and resume or application found on the town website www.tisburyma.gov under all departments, human resources-job application. Send to the Council on Aging Director cblake@tisburyma.gov. Pay range $21.02-24.15.

Jobs

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Family Support Worker – MV Family Resource Center ($23.00-$28.50/hour) Help connect families with community resources and support services while assisting with parent and youth programming, support groups, family events, and volunteer coordination. Responsibilities include providing referrals, maintaining program data, participating in community outreach, and supporting Family Resource Center activities. Evening and weekend hours required. Qualifications: Background in social services or a mental health setting preferred. Strong communication, organizational, and teamwork skills required. Ability to maintain confidentiality and work effectively with diverse populations. Valid Massachusetts driver's license and reliable transportation required. Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

FOOD PANTRY MANAGER, ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE. Full-time, year-round. Lead Pantry operations, supervise staff and volunteers serving island families. Portuguese/English preferred. Apply: igimv.org/employment

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

GARDENER WANTED We’re looking for an experienced gardener. Knowledge of organic methods helpful. Must speak fluent english and have valid working papers. Please reply to info@indigo@ vineyard.net GLEANING & DISTRIBUTION ASSISTANT, ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE. Oct–Dec, 40 hrs/wk, $25-26/hr. Harvest, glean, and deliver local food. Valid driver’s license required. Apply: igimv.org/employment

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

DUKES COUNTY SHERIFFS' OFFICE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS $1,000 Monthly Housing Stipend for Full Time Island Residents Looking to kick-start a rewarding career while serving the Island community? Correctional Officers at the Dukes County Jail & House of Correction are responsible for the care, custody, control of inmates, as well as other assigned duties. Must be at least 19 years of age with a valid MA Driver’s License, Greenhouse Assistant PHA seeks a Greenhouse Assistant have effective oral and written communications skills, flexibility and to propagate and care for plants, trees and shrubs in our greenhouse willingness to adapt to changing environment and priorities; positive and nursery. This is a part-time, attitude, integrity, and excellent seasonal position from March thru judgment. Work schedule includes November (flexible) and pays $25/ assignments to the day, evening and hour. Job description and night, weekend, and holiday shifts. application instructions found at Paid Correction www.pollyhillarboretum.org/getinvolved/employmentopportunities/. Academy training (may be hosted on or off-island) with a strong MVPCS LEARNING FACILITATOR commitment to supporting The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter employees’ ongoing professional School has an opening for a paragrowth. professional in our student services Full-time position with a generous department. Please email resume, benefit package, including paid letter of interest, and completed leave, insurance, state application to Chris Nace, Director, pe nsion and deferred compensation cnace@mvpcs.org. Applications matching. Full time pay range is can be found on the school website: $65,516.88- $70,933.46 mvpcs.org annually, plus $1,000 monthly housing stipend. Candidates must pass interview, background check, and post-conditional-offer medical evaluations and meet the physical fitness testing requirements. Apply today! Download applications and job descriptions at dukescountysheriff.com/careers FRONT DESK MANAGER | HOUSING AVAILABLE Vineyard Decorators seeks an organized, detail-oriented Front Desk Manager to handle calls, scheduling, product replenishment, and daily front desk operations. The role also supports our Bookkeeper Staff Generalist at Daybreak with scanning, filing, and other Clubhouse administrative tasks. Proficiency in ($23.00 - $27.60 per hour) Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Love supporting others as they Workspace required. Saturday grow, learn and connect? We’re availability required. Opportunity looking for a dynamic team member to grow into a full-time Operations to provide vocational, educational, Assistant role. Benefits include a and social support to members in 401(k), paid vacation, health insurour Daybreak Clubhouse. We value ance, and housing if needed. Send lived experience and strongly your résumé to sophia@vineyarddecorators.com. encourage individuals with personal experience of mental health illness OPERATIONS COORDINATOR | to apply. Apply at: HOUSING AVAILABLE mvcommunityservices.org/ Vineyard Decorators seeks an Operations Coordinator to support our employment Operations Manager and showroom VAN DRIVER - $28.10/HR, management team. Responsibilities UP TO 15 HOURS/WK include inventory management, cycle Enjoy beautiful MV by providing counts, quality control, damage claims, website updates, pricing, and essential morning & afternoon transportation services for the Supportive operations spreadsheets. ProficienDay Program at MV Center for Living. cy in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Google Workspace required. Saturday Applicants must submit to a CORI availability required. Benefits include and have a clean driving record. Drug and alcohol testing is required. a 401(k), paid vacation, health insurTraining is provided. Please contact ance, and housing if needed. Send your résumé to sophia@vineyarddec- Mary Holmes, 508-939-9440, maryh@ mvcenter4living.org for more informaorators.com. tion or to apply

JOB OPPORTUNITIES OPTOMETRIC ASSISTANT / FRONT OFFICE – JOIN OUR ISLAND EYE CARE TEAM! We’re looking for a positive, energetic person to help run our friendly optometry office on the Island. No experience? No problem. If you learn quickly and enjoy working with people, we’ll train you. What you’ll do: · Pre-test patients before their exam with the doctor · Greet patients and answer their questions · Schedule appointments · Help patients choose the right glasses What we offer: · Top pay · Paid vacation and benefits · Monday–Friday, 9:00–5:30. No nights or weekends! To apply: Send your resume to dr@hseyecare.com.

ISLAND AUTISM – RESIDENTIAL HOUSE MANAGER Island Autism is seeking an organized, dependable, and caring Residential House Manager to oversee the day- to-day operation of a home for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). The House Manager is responsible for making sure the home is safe, organized, well maintained, and running smoothly. A major part of this position is developing and maintaining household systems so that important tasks, appointments, maintenance, supplies, and other responsibilities are consistently tracked and completed. The House Manager also provides guidance to Residential Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) and helps ensure individuals receive consistent, person-centered support in their home. Primary Responsibilities Household Systems & Organization The House Manager is responsible for establishing and maintaining systems for the day-to-day operation of the home, including: · Maintaining household calendars, schedules, and checklists · Keeping track of recurring household responsibilities · Creating systems so staff know what needs to be completed each day, week, month, and year · Maintaining organized household records and binders · Monitoring groceries, household supplies, and other necessities · Coordinating grocery shopping and household purchasing · Helping maintain meal planning and household routines · Ensuring important household information is clearly communicated between staff · Regularly reviewing household systems and improving them when needed Home Maintenance The House Manager will take the lead in tracking the physical condition and maintenance needs of the home.

PLACE YOUR AD, EMAIL VALERIE@MVTIMES.COM.

classifieds A11

October 1, 2026

Jobs JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Responsibilities include: · Conducting routine checks of the home and identifying maintenance or repair needs · Maintaining a household maintenance schedule · Tracking routine services and preventative maintenance · Reporting and coordinating repairs with appropriate vendors or Island Autism leadership · Following up to make sure repairs are completed · Maintaining records of completed maintenance and service · Keeping track of seasonal household needs · nsurin smoke detectors fire e tinguishers, emergency supplies, and other safety equipment are checked as required · Identifying potential safety concerns and addressing them promptly he ouse Mana er is not e pected to personally perform major repairs, but is responsible for making sure maintenance needs are identified communicated, scheduled, and followed through to completion. Household Tracking The House Manager will maintain systems for tracking: · Heating and HVAC service · Plumbing and electrical needs · Generator service, if applicable · Fire and safety equipment · Pest control · Appliance maintenance and repairs · Septic/service needs, if applicable · Landscaping and seasonal property needs · Snow and ice management · Household inspections · Cleaning schedules · Household supplies · Vehicle maintenance and inspections · Registration and insurance renewals · Other recurring household services Medical, Dental & Appointment Coordination · Maintain an organized calendar of medical, dental, and other important appointments · Help ensure routine appointments are scheduled when due · Coordinate transportation and staff coverage for appointments · Make sure appropriate paperwork and information are available for appointments · Track recommended follow-up appointments · Communicate appointment information to appropriate staff and supervisors · Coordinate with nursing or other healthcare supports as appropriate Staff Coordination · Provide day-to-day guidance and support to Residential DSPs · Help staff understand household routines and responsibilities · Maintain clear shift e pectations and household checklists · Monitor completion of household responsibilities · ommunicate sta n or performance concerns to the Residential Program Director · Help orient and train new staff to the home · Promote consistent communication between shifts · Participate in staff meetings and trainings Individual Support · Help ensure individuals receive respectful, person-centered support · Promote independence and participation in household routines · Ensure staff understand individuals’ ISPs, goals, preferences, and support needs · Support individuals in making choices about their home and daily lives · Assist with morning and evening routines, meals, community activities, appointments, household responsibilities, and daily living as needed · Maintain appropriate professional boundaries Health, Safety & Emergency Preparedness · Help maintain a safe and healthy home environment · Ensure emergency information and household emergency supplies are current and accessible · Monitor completion of required safety checks · Ensure staff understand individual supervision and safety requirements · Report health and safety concerns promptly · Follow Island Autism and DDS policies and procedures · Assist with incident documentation and follow-up as needed Documentation & Communication · Maintain accurate and organized household records · Keep household calendars, mainte-

nance logs, appointment trackers, and other systems current · ommunicate si nificant concerns to the Residential Program Director · Ensure important information is communicated between shifts · Maintain confidentiality · Participate in residential team meetings Qualifications · Strong organizational and follow-through skills · perience mana in a household residential program, property, or similar environment preferred · perience supportin adults ith intellectual or developmental disabilities preferred · Ability to create and maintain practical organizational systems · Comfortable coordinating appointments, vendors, maintenance, and household services · Strong communication and problem-solving skills · Ability to supervise and provide guidance to staff · Dependable and able to manage multiple responsibilities · Basic computer and record-keeping skills · Valid driver’s license and safe driving record · Ability to pass required background checks · Ability to complete required DDS and Island Autism trainings Schedule This is a full-time position structured primarily around morning and evening hours, when individuals are most likely to be home and household support needs are highest. The House Manager should generally be available to provide leadership and oversight during: · Morning routines, including preparation for work, day programs, appointments, and other daily activities · Afternoon/evening routines, including individuals returning home, meal preparation, household responsibilities, activities, and preparation for the following day The schedule may include a combination of morning and evening hours rather than a traditional 9:00 AM–5:00 PM schedule. Some daytime administrative hours may also be necessary for appointments, household management, vendor coordination, meetings, and other responsibilities. Some weekend coverage and participation in an on-call rotation may also be required. Key Expectations The House Manager should always have a clear understanding of: · What needs to be done · When it needs to be done · Who is responsible for doing it · Whether it has been completed · What needs follow-up The goal of this position is to ensure that important household responsibilities do not fall through the cracks and that the home remains safe, organized, comfortable, and well maintained. cellent Benefits and alary is based on e perience https://islandautism.org/employment-opportunities/

community participation · Maintain appropriate professional boundaries Daily Living & Household Support · Assist with cooking, meal preparation, grocery shopping, laundry, cleaning, and household routines · Support personal care and hygiene when needed · Help individuals develop and maintain daily routines · Encourage individuals to participate in household responsibilities based on their abilities · Help maintain a clean, organized, and safe home Health & Safety · Follow each individual’s health, safety, supervision, and emergency plans · Assist with medication administration when trained and authorized · Observe and report changes in an individual’s health, behavior, or wellbeing · Support individuals with medical and dental appointments as assigned · Follow emergency procedures and respond appropriately to incidents · Complete required incident and health-related documentation Community & Transportation · Support individuals in participating in activities, appointments, employment, recreation, and community events · Provide transportation as assigned · Support safe and appropriate community participation · Encourage individuals to build relationships and connections within the community Documentation & Communication · Complete shift notes, data collection, medication documentation, and other required records accurately and on time · Communicate important information to other staff and supervisors · Participate in staff meetings, trainings, and individual planning meetings as required · Maintain confidentiality and protect individuals’ personal information Qualifications · High school diploma or equivalent · perience supportin people ith autism, IDD, or related needs preferred · Patient, dependable, respectful, and comfortable supporting people with different abilities · Strong communication and problem-solving skills · Ability to work independently and as part of a team · Valid driver’s license and safe driving record · Ability to complete required DDS and Island Autism trainings · Ability to pass required background checks · P irst id certification preferred or willingness to obtain Schedule Residential services operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Positions may include: · Morning/day shifts · Afternoon/evening shifts · Weekends and holidays · Awake overnight shifts · Relief/per-diem coverage pecific schedules ill be established based on the needs of the individuals living in the home.

Expectations esidential Ps are e pected to · Treat all individuals with dignity and respect · Promote independence rather than doing tasks for individuals when they can participate themselves · Arrive on time and remain on duty until properly relieved · Maintain professional boundaries · Follow all Island Autism and DDS policies and procedures · Maintain a safe, supportive, and welcoming home environment · Report concerns promptly to the appropriate supervisor · Complete all required training and documentation Physical Requirements The position may require standing, walking, bending, assisting with household activities, participating in community activities, and providing physical assistance to individuals when needed. Equal Opportunity Island Autism is committed to creating an inclusive workplace and providing respectful, person-centered services to individuals with disabilities. cellent Benefits and alary is based on e perience https://islandautism.org/employment-opportunities/

ISLAND AUTISM – RESIDENTIAL DIRECT SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL (DSP) Island Autism is seeking caring, reliable, and responsible Residential Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) to support adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) living in a residential home on Martha’s Vineyard. Residential DSPs help individuals live as independently as possible while maintaining a safe, comfortable, and supportive home environment. Staff provide assistance with daily living, household routines, community activities, health and safety, and personal goals. This position may include day, evening, weekend, and overnight shifts. Primary Responsibilities Individual Support · Provide respectful, person-centered support based on each individual’s needs, preferences, and goals · Encourage independence and allow individuals to make choices whenever possible · Assist individuals in working toward oals identified in their ndividual Support Plan (ISP) · Support communication, social skills, emotional regulation, and

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

· Participate in hiring, onboarding, training, supervision, and evaluation of residential employees · Ensure homes maintain appropriate sta n and supervision based on individual needs · Oversee staff scheduling and help address vacancies, call-outs, and coverage needs · Ensure staff complete required trainings and maintain necessary certifications · Provide coaching and corrective action when needed · Participate in an on-call system for urgent residential issues Individual Support & ISP Implementation · Ensure staff understand and follow each individual’s ISP, support plans, supervision requirements, and personal goals · Monitor progress toward individual goals · Participate in ISP meetings and other planning meetings as appropriate · Work with individuals and their support teams to address changing needs · Promote individual choice and involvement in decisions about home and community life Health & Safety · Ensure each residence maintains a safe and healthy environment · Oversee implementation of medical, medication, emergency, supervision, and safety procedures · Coordinate with nurses, healthcare providers, behavioral supports, and other professionals as needed · Ensure medical and dental needs are appropriately tracked and ISLAND AUTISM – RESIDENTIAL addressed PROGRAM DIRECTOR · Review incidents and ensure approsland utism is seekin an e peripriate follow-up enced, organized, and compassionate · Identify health or safety concerns Residential Program Director to and respond promptly oversee residential services for adults DDS Compliance & Documentation with intellectual and developmental · Help ensure residential services disabilities (IDD) on Martha’s Vineyard. comply with applicable MassachuThe Residential Program Director is resetts DDS requirements sponsible for ensuring that residential · Maintain organized and accurate services are safe, person-centered, well residential records with support staffed, and operated in accordance from administrative staff with Island Autism policies and applica· Ensure required staff documenble Massachusetts DDS requirements. tation is completed accurately and This position provides leadership and on time supervision to residential staff and · Review incident reports and other works closely with individuals, families, required documentation ith ecuguardians, healthcare providers, DDS, tive Director and other members of each individual’s · Prepare for DDS reviews, surveys, support team. licensing activities, or other moniPrimary Responsibilities toring Program Leadership & Oversight · Work with Island Autism leadership · Oversee the overall operation of to identify and correct compliance Island Autism’s residential program concerns · Ensure residential services are Household & Operational Oversight person-centered and promote · Ensure each residence has approindependence, choice, dignity, and priate systems for: community involvement · Household schedules and routines · Develop and maintain consistent · Grocery shopping and meal residential policies, procedures, and planning household systems · Cleaning and household upkeep · Monitor the quality and effective· Medication and health-related ness of residential supports documentation · Help develop new residential · Medical and dental appointments services as Island Autism’s housing · Transportation and vehicle needs program grows · Household supplies · Serve as a primary point of contact · Maintenance and repairs for residential program concerns · Emergency preparedness Staff Supervision & Scheduling · Work with House Managers to ad· Supervise House Managers, Lead dress household needs and concerns DSPs, Residential DSPs, and other · Help oversee residential program residential staff as assigned

Join the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Team!

spending and purchasing within established budgets Communication & Team Coordination · Maintain regular communication with residential staff and Island Autism leadership · Communicate appropriately with families, guardians, DDS representatives, and other members of individuals’ support teams · Lead residential staff meetings · Promote clear communication between shifts and across residential teams · Maintain confidentiality and professional boundaries Qualifications · Bachelor’s degree in human services, social work, psychology, education, healthcare or a related field preferred · Previous e perience supportin adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities · esidential pro ram e perience strongly preferred · Previous supervisory or management e perience preferred · Knowledge of Massachusetts DDS residential services and requirements preferred · Strong organizational, leadership, and communication skills · Ability to manage multiple priorities and respond appropriately to urgent situations · Strong documentation and problem-solving skills · Valid driver’s license and safe driving record · Ability to pass required background checks · Ability to complete all required DDS and Island Autism trainings Equivalent combinations of education and relevant e perience may be considered. Schedule This is a full-time leadership position. The Residential Program Director should generally maintain a regular eekday schedule but must have fle ibility to respond to residential needs outside of normal business hours. Participation in an on-call rotation may be required, including occasional evenings, weekends, and holidays. ey pectations The Residential Program Director is expected to: · Maintain high standards for safety and quality of care · Promote independence and person-centered support · Provide consistent and supportive leadership to residential staff · Maintain professional boundaries · Address concerns promptly and appropriately · Ensure residential homes are appropriately staffed and supported · Maintain strong communication with individuals, families, staff, DDS, and Island Autism leadership · Support the continued development and growth of Island Autism’s residential services eports to the ecutive irector. alary benefits and housin commensurate ith e perience. cellent Benefits and alary is based on e perience https://islandautism.org/employment-opportunities/

Join the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Team! Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

Financial Advisor

Martha’s Vineyard Bank and Martha’s Vineyard Investment Advisors (MVIA) are excited to welcome a Financial Advisor to our investment team. In this role, you will build and nurture meaningful client relationships with tangible support and guidance from the entire MVIA team. You will help families and institutions find investment solutions that solve their unique financial goals. While investment licenses and designations are preferred, MVIA is willing to support individuals who have the desire to obtain them and a proven passion to help others. Please visit www.mvbank.com for detailed information and how to apply. We offer an exceptional benefits package, a clear path for advancement, and a competitive compensation package. This package includes an initial base salary ranging from $70,000 to $85,000 plus substantial potential incentive compensation. Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled

Martha’s Vineyard Bank has an exciting career opportunity for a seasoned and talented professional to join our team as the Executive Assistant to the President & CEO. The primary function of this position is to ensure consistent and effective management of daily operations of the office of the President & CEO as well as provide Board level support to the Board of Trustees and various Board committees. Please visit www.mvbank.com for detailed information and how to apply. We offer an exceptional benefits package and a competitive compensation package. This package includes an initial base salary ranging from $117,000 to $129,000. Equal Opportunity Employer: Vets/Disabled

A12 classifieds

October 1, 2026

Jobs

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

VINEYARD HAVEN PUBLIC LIBRARY Full-time Library Associate to provide comprehensive library services to adults and children. Bachelor’s degree plus experience in libraries, education or related fields and strong computer and communication skills required. Ideal candidate will be detail oriented, with knowledge and enjoyment of books and literature, excellent customer service skills, and enthusiasm for new technologies. Full time 40 hrs/ week schedule includes regular evening and weekend hours. Permanent year-round position ith full benefits under union contract, salary range $34.75 per hour or commensurate with experience. Schedule includes regular evening and weekend hours. ualified applicants should submit an application, resume and cover letter to pbennett@tisburyma.gov by October 15, 2026. Application available on Town website under Human Resources at www.tisburyma.gov. EOE

VINEYARD HAVEN PUBLIC LIBRARY ADULT SERVICES LIBRARIAN/ ASST TO LIBRARY DIRECTOR Tech-savvy individual with excellent communication to provide the public with reference and research services, reader’s advisory, and instruction for use of the Internet, electronic library resources, computers and other technology. Duties include cataloging, collection development, IT and administrative tasks. Bachelor’s degree, with a Master’s Degree in Library Science preferred, and from 3 to 5 years of professional library experience or e perience in a related field. Candidates must have the ability to obtain a ertificate of ibrarianship from the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners and certification as a Massachusetts Notary Public within 1 year of hire. Permanent year-round position with full benefits under union contract starting rate of pay $38.40 per hr or commensurate with experience.

Full-time (40 hours/week) schedule includes evening and weekend hours. ualified applicants should submit an application, resume and cover letter by October 15th 2026. Application is available on the Town website under Human Resources at www.tisburyma.gov. Position open until filled. . TOWN CLERK ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT Town of Tisbury seeks individual to perform Assistant duties. Administrative support for the activities and operations of the Town Clerks o ce. ome duties include nswering phones, Administering Oath of o ce Postin meetin s and hearing notices in compliance with Open Meeting Law, Dog licensing, Payments, Issues ZBA and Planning board permits once appeal period is over. Full-time (40 hrs/weekly) yearround, starting pay $34.75/hour, Grade 3 step 1 or commensurate with experienced and generous benefits packa e under union contract including retirement. Application

available on website under Human esources. ualified applicants should submit application and resume to pbennett@tisburymag. gov. Town of Tisbury is EOE. Open until filled. ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT TO THE OFFICE OF THE TOWN ADMINISTRATOR AND HUMAN RESOURCES Town of Tisbury seeks individual to perform Administrative duties that support the activities and operations of the Town Administrator and Human Resources Director. Some duties include Answering phones, Assisting residents, maintaining records, and selling permits. Full-time (40 hrs/weekly) year-round, starting pay 40.27-42.91 per hr. commensurate with experience, Grade M1 step 1 with generous benefits packa e. pplication available on website www.tisburyma.gov under Human Resources. Please submit an application and resume by October 15, 2026 to pbennett@tisburyma.gov. Town of Tisbury is EOE.

MARTHA’S VINEYARD SHIPYARD IS SEEKING AN ORGANIZED AND DEPENDABLE FULL-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM. Your prime focus will be managing employee timecard data to ensure our customers are billed accurately and on time. Key responsibilities will be to collect & review daily employee timecards for completeness enter hours & work data into our billing system, verify accuracy and identify & resolve discrepancies quickly and help the office team with other basic admin tasks as needed. If you have great attention to detail & love keeping things organized, have provenexperience in data entry, office admin and strong time-management skills, we can teach you how to do the rest. This is a full-time, benefited position. Please send your resume & a brief note about your availability to jhale@mvshipyard.com with the subject line “Office Admin”.

NOW HIRING MEDIA ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE: JOIN OUR AWARD-WINNING TEAM! We are seeking a driven, community-minded Account Executive to support our ad sales and marketing efforts. Help local businesses grow while supporting exceptional local journalism. Part-time (20 hrs/wk) with potential for full-time advancement. Primarily in-person with remote fle ibility. hr k yr plus bonus and commission potential. 1-2 years of sales or marketing experience preferred. To apply, email your resume to sean@mvtimes.com. PART-TIME KENNEL ASSISTANT Animal Health Care Associates is seeking a part-time Kennel Assistant. The ideal candidate must have an excellent work ethic, a positive attitude, and a compassionate approach to animal care. We are willing to train a motivated individual who is eager to learn e cient and observant. Weekend availability is required. Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to aduricpm@allianceanimal.vet.

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

51 WINEMACK ST PLUS BUILDABLE LOT BEHIND East Chop colonial style 2BR/2BA year-round home on East Chop PLUS a separate buildable lot behind the house. The house at 51 Winemack St has a 2-bedroom Title V septic that recently passed inspection, full basement, electric baseboard heat and large yard that allows for expansion potential of the house. The property includes a separately deeded buildable lot (10,246 sq ft) behind the house where the recent perc test indicates that it is potentially able to support a 4-6 bedroom house. Both properties listed exclusively for $2,045,000. For more information, contact Perry Patterson, Realtor, Broker, MV Luxury Homes, 973-789-1264.

4 PERIWINKLE LANE | 4BR/2BA WITH SOLAR | LISTED FOR $1,295,000 Stylish, thoughtfully designed ranch style home built in 2014 is bright and sunny. Tucked away in a private tranquil setting just a stroll to downtown, harbor, beaches, ferries, library, restaurants and shops, the home features solar panels, large living room with separate dining area, kitchen with stainless steel appliances, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths with tiled floors, and laundry room. Completing the home is a large rear deck, irrigation system, and a walkout basement that would make a great family room, additional bathroom and home office. Septic Title V passed 6/8/26. Septic design at 524 gpd can support a fourth bedroom. ontact Perry Patterson, MV Luxury Homes, 973-789-1264.

24 HARRISON AVE, EAST CHOP | $2.595M East Chop with Water View! The perfect size vacation house or year round living, with all the bells and whistles and located in the most desired neighborhood on East Chop! Designed by Hutker Architects, built with high quality craftsmanship by J.G. Early and landscape design by Dan Gordon Landscape Architects. This recently completed cozy 2BR/1BA + 2 half baths, includes solar panels providing remarkable results in ener y e ciency and cost savings, electric car charging station in the garage, landscaped yard and is conveniently located near the East Chop beach club, tennis courts and yacht club, downtown, the harbor, ferries, restaurants and shops. ontact Perry Patterson M u ury Homes, 973-789-1264.

#2 WINEMACK ST, OAK BLUFFS FOR SALE $1,095,000 CALL OR TEXT Rene Ben David, Cell 508-847-4864 OCEAN PARK REALTY INC.

$1,450,000 MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 4 LAGRANGE AVENUE Tucked away on a dead-end road in Oak Bluffs Enjoy the best of Vineyard living from this beautifully renovated Oak Bluffs home, ideally located just a short walk from a private Lagoon beach—perfect for swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding and all your favorite water activities. The inviting living area features a dramatic vaulted ceiling and gas fireplace, creating a warm and spacious gathering space. The thoughtfully designed layout offers a private first-floor primary suite, while the second-floor features two additional spacious bedrooms and a full bath. Step outside to a spacious back deck, ideal for outdoor dining, entertaining or relaxing after a day at the beach. Beautifully updated for today’s lifestyle, this home offers a wonderful blend of comfort, coastal living and Vineyard charm.

$2,250,000 MARILYN MOSES OCEAN PARK REALTY 617-462-0381 NEW CONSTRUCTION Welcome to Lagoon Ridge, Oak Bluffs’ newest and most soughtafter neighborhood. Build your 3bedroom dream home in this elevated enclave, set 95 feet above Lagoon Pond and capturing sweeping sky views, colorful sunsets, and refreshing sea breezes. This exceptional home site represents one of the final opportunities in this thriving new community.To be built — The Naushon — features 3 bedrooms, 3.5 bathrooms, and over 2,400 square feet of thoughtfully designed living space. A grand wrap-around covered porch provides a welcoming entry and the perfect place to enjoy morning coffee or cool evening breezes. Inside, the open-concept floor plan connects the chef’s kitchen with spacious living and dining areas, ideal for enter taining family and friends. Each bedroom suite includes a tiled en-suite bath with customizable fixtures and finishes, and the second-floor suites may offer private balconies for added relaxation. Classic Oak Bluffs cottage architecture meets modern comfort and energy efficiency, making The Naushon an ideal yearround or seasonal retreat. Lagoon Ridge offers direct access to conservation lands with wal king and biking trails, and nearby Lagoon Pond invites kayaking, sailing, and shell fishing. All utilities—electric, town water, and a private, state-ofthe-art Amphidrome wastewater system—are located at the street. This innovative system serves the entire neighborhood, providing convenience and peace of mind. Lagoon Ridge is a covenantprotected community with architectural review and professional management by First Property Management Co. This beautiful home site is ready for the construction of your Vineyard dream home. Eleven lots have sold—only two remain available. Call for details!

99 OCEAN AVE, OCEAN PARK Victorian Grand Dame with 4 bedrooms overlooking Ocean Park -- in a truly spectacular setting with sweeping water views from two stories of verandas. Located in Oak Bluffs most popular and exciting neighborhood and ust steps from the beach fine restaurants, art galleries, shopping, harbor, ferries, the Campground and the Tabernacle. Listed exclusively for $3,700,000. For more information, contact Perry Patterson, Realtor, Broker, MV Luxury Homes, 973-789-1264.

MAIN HOUSE PLUS GUEST APT WITH ROOM FOR A POOL! 44 TIFFANY DRIVE Tucked away in a serene setting, and set on 1.38 private acres, this beautifully renovated 4BR/4.5BA Cape offers over 4,000 sq. ft. of living space, a gourmet kitchen, large living room ith fireplace dinin room lar e family room ith propane fireplace office game room, two ensuite bedrooms, multiple entertaining areas, a screened porch, and a separate one-bedroom guest apartment above the garage. All new appliances, windows, mini-splits. Listed for $2.595M. Contact Perry Patterson, Realtor, MV Luxury Homes, 973-789-1264

$1,475,000 MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 Renovated Cape style home in the desirable East Chop neighborhood of Oak Bluffs, offering the perfect combination of coastal charm, modern updates and an exceptional location. This bright and inviting 3-bedroom, 2-bath home features a spacious open floor plan coastal-inspired décor throughout, and comfortable spaces designed for relaxed Vineyard livin and entertainin . first-floor bedroom provides added fle ibility while the enclosed 120-square-foot sun porch creates a wonderful extension of the living space. Outdoor living shines with a newer mahogany outdoor shower, bluestone patio and beautifully designed walkway, all surrounded by a private setting. n unfinished basement provides approximately 720 square feet of additional space for storage and future possibilities. Walk or bike to Jetty Beach and the East Chop Lighthouse, enjoy the nearby East Chop Beach Club, or stroll to Oak Bluffs Harbor, downtown restaurants and shops. With a proven rental history and a desirable East Chop location, this move-in-ready property is equally suited as a Vineyard retreat, year-round home or investment opportunity.

Real Estate

$1,150,000 Marilyn Moses 617-462-0381 30 Double Ox Road in Oak Bluffs Create an extraordinary Martha's Vineyard estate in the exclusive Lagoon Ridge community of Oak Bluffs. This mostly wooded estate parcel of over one acre features gently rolling topography, providing an exceptional canvas for a customdesigned luxury residence. Privately situated within an intimate enclave of just four estate parcels, the property is accessed by a welcoming paved approach. This thoughtfully planned neighborhood will feature distinctive architectdesigned residences, creating a refined and cohesive community setting. Approved for connection to the neighborhood's private Amphidrome® (you will avoid the high expense of a septic system a savings of almost $50,000)on-site wastewater treatment system the parcel is approved for a threebedroom residence and may offer the potential for additional flex spaces, expansive outdoor living areas, a pool, and attached or detached garages, subject to applicable approvals. Embrace the timeless Martha's Vineyard coastal lifestyle, with beaches, boating, children's sailing programs, the harbor, ferries, boutique shopping, restaurants, and the charm of Oak Bluffs just minutes away. This exceptional offering presents a rare opportunity to create a private Island retreat in one of Oak Bluffs' most desirable neighborhoods.

Located at the southern end of Winemack Street, this inviting 3bedroom, 2-bath Oak Bluffs home offers a quiet residential setting in a neighborhood of both year-round and seasonal homes, while remaining remarkably close to everything Oak Bluffs has to offer. Just approximately 1.2 mile s from downtown, you’ll enjoy convenient access to the ferries, Oak Bluffs Harbor, beaches, shopping, restaurants, and all the attractions that make this area of Martha’s Vineyard so special. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is also just a short two-minute drive away. Built in 1988, the home offers approximately 1,456 square feet of living area, with prefinished wood flooring in the living room and bedroo ms. The roof is approximately 10 years old, and recent improvements have focused primarily on the basement, where the space has been transformed to expand the home’s usable living and recreational area. Whether you envision a TV room, game room, home office, exercise area, or a combination of uses, there are plenty of possibilities. A newly completed “doghouse”-style exterior basement entry provides convenient direct access to the lower level. The first and second floors would benefit from a little TLC and personal touches to brighten and refresh the space, providing a great opportunity for the next owner to make the home their own. Outside, the property offers a small, manageable yard with off-street parking, along with a classic Vineyard outdoor shower—a favorite feature after a day at the be ach and something many consider a must-have for Island living. Set on a 5,000-squarefoot lot, the property offers the best of both worlds—a quieter location at the Eastville side of Winemack Street while still being just minutes from downtown Oak Bluffs. Prequalification letter from your lending source or proof of funds required. Owner and tenants currently occupy the home; 24-hour notice for show ings is preferred.

SOLD $1,150,000 MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 OCEAN PARK REALTY, OAK BLUFFS CLASSIC CAPE Charm meets modern efficiency in this move-in-ready 3-bedroom home. Thoughtfully maintained and beautifully presented, the home features sun-filled living spaces, an updated kitchen, and comfortable bedrooms designed for easy everyday living. Enjoy year-round comfort with energy-efficient minisplit systems providing both heating and air conditioning, offering costeffective climate control in every season. The finished basement adds valuable bonus space ideal for a media room, home office or workout room giving you the flexibility to fit your lifestyle. Outside, a private yard offers the perfect setting for relaxing or entertaining. A wonderful opportunity for a year-round residence, vacation getaway, or investment. ..this classic Cape blends timeless style with modern upgrades.

TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED AD EMAIL VALERIE@MVTIMES.COM.

classifieds A13

October 1, 2026

Real Estate HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

$429,000 Marilyn Moses 617-462-0381 Welcome to Unit B-12 at the Causeway Condominiums, a turnkey studio offering comfortable, lowmaintenance island living just a short walk to the charming village of Vineyard Haven. Thoughtfully designed to maximize space and functionality, this inviting residence features warm bamboo flooring throughout, a custom Murphy bed, and a beautifully crafted custom mahog any closet and storage system, providing exceptional organization while making the most of every square foot. The bright, open layout is filled with natural light and offers an ideal blend of comfort, style, and efficiency. Residents enjoy a beautifully maintained in-ground swimming pool with an expansive sun deck and lounge seating the perfect place to relax after a day at the beach or exploring Mar tha’s Vineyard. The affordable monthly HOA fee of just $221 includes water, on-site dumpster service, grounds maintenance, snow removal, pool maintenance, and master insurance, providing exceptional value and worry-free ownership. Ideally located within walking distance of the Steamship Authority ferry, Vineyard Haven Harbor, Main Street’s shops and restaurants, beaches, and the bike path, this mo ve-in-ready studio offers an exceptional opportunity as a yearround residence, island getaway, or investment property. Enjoy all the convenience and charm of Vineyard Haven with easy access to everything that makes Martha’s Vineyard such a special place to call home. With onsite parking available immediately and strong rental income potential, this property presents a compelling opportunity for i nvestors seeking both lifestyle and return an affordable gem in a highly desirable location.

$925,000 Marilyn Moses 617-462-0381 67 Hudson Avenue Oak Bluffs ALL OFFERS REQUIRE COURT APPROVAL in multiple jurisdictions and may be somewhat lengthy. A straightforward offer is encouraged and may help expedite the required court approvals in multiple jurisdictions. Located in a convenient Oak Bluffs setting, this 2-bedroom, 2-bath home offers approximately 1,000 square feet of living space on a generous .69-acre lot. Built in 2014, the property presents an excellent opportunity for a year-round residence, vacation getaway, or investment. The property is being sold as is. Buyers and their agents are encouraged to perform their own due diligence and verify any potential for expansion or additional improvements with the Town of Oak Bluffs. All buyer’s agents must submit proof of funds with a ny offer. The Court approval in multiple jurisdictions is required and may result in a longer than usual acceptance process.

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

46 KENNEBEC AVENUE OAK BLUFFS, MA $1,350,000 CALL OR TEXT CATHY GARGIULO 203-530-1008 OCEAN PARK REALTY This exquisite Victorian home, lovingly preserved by the same family for over a generation, stands in outstanding condition and is perfectly situated in the vibrant heart of Oak Bluffs Center. Enjoy the convenience of being just steps away from the Public Beach, Steamship Authority, Oak Bluffs Harbor, a supermarket, and a variety of charming restaurants and shops that contribute to Oak Bluffs' allure as a premier summer destination on Martha's Vineyard. This delightful three-season cottage has been carefully modernized over the years, offering a rare investment opportunity. Located within the highly sought-after B1 Zone, this residence has been cherished as a family home while also providing the potential for commercial endeavors. The property features a welldesigned floor plan that includes four bedrooms-one conveniently located on the first floor-along with a full bathroom, two half bathrooms, a laundry storage area, an eat-in kitchen, and a cozy living room. The home is adorned with stunning wood flooring throughout, bright and airy rooms with original windows, a new hot water on dem and system, and a charming front porch, perfect for leisurely afternoons. With its four bedrooms and prime in-town location, this property offers substantial rental potential, making it an exceptional opportunity for both personal enjoyment and investment.

CLASSIC OAK BLUFFS VICTORIAN $2,575,000 MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 OCEAN PARK REALTY, INC Built in 1875 by renowned architect Samuel Pratt, this classic 4bedroom Victorian is just one block from the beach and moments to the harbor, ferries, shops, and restaurants. Enjoy water views from the mahogany wrap-around porch and private balcony. Historic charm is complemented by thoughtful updates, including mini-split heating and cooling, Harvey replacement windows, a rebuilt mahogany porch, newer roof, updated electrical, outdoor shower, and town water and sewer.Established rental history with 2026 bookings in place. Partially insulated 3-season home.

LAND BANK

WEEKLY INCOME FY 2027, Year to Date:

$5,704,984.24

$900,000 $850,000 $800,000 $750,000 $700,000 $650,000 $600,000 $550,000 $500,000 $450,000 $400,000 $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 21 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 38G REDUCED, NOW $389,000 Call or text Rene Ben David 508-847-4864 Ocean Park Realty Inc. Welcome to Unit 38G at the Island Inn, offering resort-style living in an exceptional Oak Bluffs location just steps from the beach. This desirable ground-floor end unit features a large glass slider opening to the patio, with stairs leading to the heated outdoor pool just a few feet away. Accommodating up to six guests, the unit features one bedroom with a queen bed, a separate sleeping area partially divided by a 4' wall with two single beds, a sofa bed, 1.5 baths, and a small kitchen with a two-burner cooktop. The Island Inn is a seasonal resort community, open April–October, with beautifully maintained grounds, heated pool, three association clay tennis co urts, outdoor fire pits, and easy access to downtown Oak Bluffs, beaches, restaurants, shops, ferries, golf, and boating. The popular Noman’s outdoor family restaurant is directly next door, offering dining, cocktails, lawn games, live entertainment, and a pet-friendly atmosphere. Gulph Creek Management is conveniently located on site and handles rentals, bookings, cleaning, repairs, and maintenanc e. Just bring your luggage and enjoy your piece of paradise! Ideal as a Vineyard getaway, investment, or combination of personal use and rental income. Showings during turnovers only, 10AM–3PM. Proof of funds required.

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 27 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 10C $287,500.00 Call or text Rene Ben David 508-847-4864 Ocean Park Realty Inc. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 10C, a comfortable one-bedroom, onebath Martha’s Vineyard retreat offering an ideal combination of personal enjoyment and rental opportunity. Accommodating up to four guests, 10C features a queen bedroom, sofa bed, cozy living area, well-equipped kitchenette. A unique feature is the adjoining door to Unit 9C, a studio with two double beds, full bath and kitchenette. Units 9C and 10C are being offered for sale separately, with the opportunity to purchase both together—perfect for extended family, guests, or expanded rental possibilities while still allowing each unit to be used independently. Island Inn is a seasonal resort, open April t hrough October, offering a relaxed, petfriendly setting with a heated outdoor pool, 3 association clay tennis courts, grilling areas, fire pits and spacious grounds. Directly next door is the popular pet-friendly Noman’s, featuring outdoor dining, cocktails, lawn games and entertainment. Ideally located between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, just minutes from beaches, golf, shops, restaurants, ferries and Oak Bluffs Harbor. On-site Gulph Creek Management handles virtually every aspect of the rental operation, including bookings, guest coordination, cleaning, repairs and maintenance. Just bring your luggage and enjoy your piece of paradise! Ideal as a Vineyard getaway, investment, or combination of personal use and rental income. Showings during turnovers only, 10AM–3PM. Proof of funds required. ,

$50,000 0

July

Aug

Sept

Oct

Nov

Weekly Registrar’s Report: Sept 25, 2026

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 27 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 9C $287,500.00 Call or text Rene Ben David 508-847-4864 Ocean Park Realty Inc. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 9C, an inviting Martha’s Vineyard retreat offering the perfect combination of personal enjoyment and rental opportunity. This comfortable studio accommodates up to four guests with two double beds, a full bath, kitchenette with a 2-burner cooktop, cable TV and free WiFi. A unique opportunity is adjoining Unit 10C, a separate 1-bedroom, 1-bath suite accommodating up to four guests with a queen bed, sofa bed, cozy living area, well-equipped kitchenette with 2-burner cooktop, and patio/deck. Units 9C and 10C can be enjoyed separately or together through the adjoining door. Each is being offered for sale separately, with the opportunity to pu rchase both together—ideal for additional family, guests or expanded rental possibilities. Island Inn is a seasonal resort, open April through October, offering a relaxed, pet-friendly setting with a heated outdoor pool, 3 association clay tennis courts, grilling areas, fire pits and spacious grounds. Directly next door is the popular and pet-friendly Noman’s, offering outdoor dining, cocktails, la wn games and entertainment. Ideally located between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, you’re minutes from beaches, golf, shops, restaurants, ferries and Oak Bluffs Harbor. On-site Gulph Creek Management handles virtually every aspect of the rental operation, including bookings, guest coordination, cleaning, repairs and maintenance. Just bring your luggage and enjoy your piece of paradise! Ideal as a Vineyard getaway, investment, or combination of personal use and rental income. Showings during turnovers only

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 33 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 25F $260,000.00 CALL OR TEXT RENE BEN DAVID 508-847-4864 OCEAN PARK REALTY INC. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 25F, a comfortable studio offering the perfect combination of a Martha’s Vineyard getaway and rental opportunity. Accommodating up to four guests, this inviting unit features two double beds, one full bath, a convenient kitchenette, cable TV and free WiFi. Island Inn is a seasonal resort, open April through October, offering a relaxed, petfriendly setting with a heated outdoor pool, 3 association clay tennis courts, grilling areas, fire pits and spacious grounds. Directly next door is the popular pet-friendly Noman’s, featuring outdoor dining, cocktails, lawn games and entertainment. Ideally located between Oak Bluffs and Edgartown, just minutes from beaches, golf, shops, restaurants, ferries and Oak Bluffs Harbor. On-site Gulph Creek Management handles virtually every aspect of the rental operation, including bookings, guest coordination, cleaning, repairs and maintenance, making ownership easy and convenient. Just bring your luggage and enjoy your piece of paradise! Ideal as a Vineyard getaway, investment, or combination of per sonal use and rental income. Showings during turnovers only, 10AM–3PM. Proof of funds required.

LAND-OAK BLUFFS

OAK BLUFFS WATERVIEW LOT FOR SALE $1,200,000 PRICE REDUCED, NOW $1,049,000. CALL OR TEXT Rene Ben David's Cell 508-847-4864 OCEAN PARK REALTY Welcome to # 0 Temahigan Ave & Dover Street, Oak Bluffs. Build Your Martha’s Vineyard Dream Home. Rare opportunity to own a level, cleared corner lot in desirable Oak Bluffs, with paved roads bordering two sides, ready for construction of your Martha’s Vineyard dream home. Approved for up to 6 bedrooms, this exceptional property includes an approved 6-bedroom septic design, with room for a possible future pool. Located in the sought-after Eastville area, where many homes enjoy beautiful water views, this lot offers the potential to capture stunning views of Vineyard Sound and beyond from a thoughtfully designed home. Create a custom residence that embraces all the beauty and lifestyle Martha’s Vineyard has to offer. Enjoy a short walk to Eastville Beach, where you can take in spectacular sunsets, watch the ferries come and go, and experience the charm of island living. Just a short drive away, you’ll have access to everything that makes Oak Bluffs so special — additional beaches, shellfishing, swimming, boating, and the vibrant energy of Circuit Avenue, featuring boutique shopping, diverse restaurants, and convenient ferry service to and from the island via the iconic Oak Bluffs Harbor and nearby ports. This is more than just land — it’s an opportunity to create something truly special. Don’t just dream it — make it reality. Owning a piece of Martha’s Vineyard is an investment in a lifestyle you’ll never regret. Please include a preapproval or proof of funds with offer. Seller is offering a buyers broker consideration.

SOLD $1,200,000 NEW LISTING IN EAST CHOP OAK BLUFFS MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 .52 ACRES 66 Munroe Avenue and 17 Madison Avenue Oak Bluffs East Chop~Build your custom island retreat in coveted East Chop on this over onehalf acre parcel. Offering the potential for a 6 + bedroom residence, this exceptional homesite includes a topographic map and features expansive grounds that may accommodate a pool, subject to local approvals. Ideally located just minutes from the East Chop Beach Club, Oak Bluffs Harbor, beaches, ferries, restaurants, shops, and vibrant downtown Oak Bluffs. Buyers should perform their own due diligence with the appropriate town agencies to verify all information regarding building requirements, approvals and intended use. All offers should include proof of funds.

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS $1,599,000 Alan Schweikert 508-221-1708 OAK BLUFFS Beach Road: VINEYARD HAVEN OUTER HARBOR WATERFRONT WITH DOCK… 1860’s Beach House with substantial 60’ dock built in 2004, is situated on OUTER HARBOR in private waterfront setting. Enjoy all variety of watersports, dramatic sunsets every evening, refreshing swims, or just relax on your back porch and watch the colorful boating activity unfold. Property features 2 bedrooms, 1 full bathroom, attached garage, open kitchen/dining/living area with stone fireplace, hardwood flooring throughout and plenty of space to work with for your own design. Location is convenient to shopping, restaurants, and ferry. Requires restoration and renovation.

COMMERCIAL-VINEYARD HAVEN

10,000 SF WAREHOUSE FOR SALE AT AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK $2,650,000, plus assume ground lease. Email: jim@bigskytent.com.

HOUSES-WEST TISBURY

WEST TISBURY $1,349,000 Call or Text Marilyn Moses 617-462-0381 Coastal contemporary residence is located on a private 1.60-acre lot in West Tisbury, with convenient access to Long Point Wildlife Refuge and access to "Coveted" Lambert's Cove Beach. The home features four bedrooms and two full bathrooms. On the first floor, you'll find two bright bedrooms, a modernized bathroom, and sliders from the living area that lead to a new AZEK deck and enclosed fenced gardens, perfect for outdoor enjoyment. The open floor plan includes attractive beadboard ceilings that create a sense of space and light. Recent upgrades feature a remodeled kitchen with a tiled backsplash, granite countertops, and an LG induction stove along with matching stainless-steel appliances. The firstfloor bathroom has been fully renovated with a tiled shower and glass door, tiled floor, new toilet, vanity/mirror, rainfall showerhead, and all new hardware. Additional updates include a newer roof, Azek window trim, an outdoor shower enclosure, and gutters with leaf guards. The basement has a 9-foot ceiling with four windows, providing potential for further finishing with town approval. Other improvements include updated plum bing and electrical systems, a new well pressure tank, new Culligan Water Filtration and Conditioning system, and a Generac whole-house generator installed in 2022.

Real Estate Transactions Sept. 21 – 25, 2026

Edgartown

Tisbury

Sept. 21, Neuhoff Realty LLC sold 19 Chappaquiddick Road to Sandbox Group LLC for $1,973,350. Sept. 23, PPWS LLC sold 43 Peases Point Way South to 43 PPWS LLC for $8,175,000.

Sept. 23, Joseph A. Nickowal sold 2 Barnacle Bill Way to Barnacle Bill Realty Trust for $483,000. Sept. 25, Gordon Joshua H Trs sold 272 Bigelow Road to Donohue Robert Trs for $3,005,000. Sept. 25, Moses Marilyn Trs sold 124 Skiff Ave. to Stiles Kenneth J Trs for $380,000.

Oak Bluffs Sept. 21, Charlie Deshazer sold 26 Sea Glen Road to Gordon S. Cameron for $1,390,000.

A14 classifieds

October 1, 2026

Legal Notices

LEGAL NOTICES CHILMARK

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

he elect Board ill hold a public hearin on amendin the hellfish e ulations at 6:15 PM on October 20th 2026 in the elect Board Meetin oom o n all. Copies of the text available at the Town Hall and online www.chilmarkma.gov

us06web.zoom.us/j/83834311909 Meeting ID: 838 3431 1909 Dial by your location e ork ontact the elect Board at - 0102 or townadmin@westtisbury-ma. gov..Written comments will be accepted into the record upon receipt by Friday, pril pm at the elect Board ce tate oad P Bo est Tisbury, MA 02575.

window locations. Replace preexisting window in kitchen, replace pre-existing door on enclosed porch. Repair/rebuild as required to correct structural issues. Unify section of rear roof for structural support. Adjust wall height to accommodate new floorin system and oists. Proposed plans are on file in the Buildin Department at Town Hall. Written correspondence can be addressed to: Copeland Plan District Review Board Attn: Lee Ann Tavares, PO Box 1327, Oak Bluffs – 02557 email: buildingadmin@ oakbluffsma.gov

LEGAL NOTICES EDGARTOWN

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at 4:35 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing at d arto n o n all econd loor NOTICES TISBURY Main treet d arto n on a otice of nTOWN OF TISBURY FY 2027 tent filed by ou oehn B on behalf TAX RATE CLASSIFICATION of The Henderson Personal Residence HEARING NOTICE Trust under the Edgartown Wetlands he isbury elect Board ill hold a Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts public hearing on Tuesday, October LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant 27, 2026, at 4:30 p.m. to discuss the NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING is proposing to plant within the bordering classification of the ta rate and the APPEAL OF THE BUILDING vegetated wetlands and buffer zone, and allocation of local property classes for OFFICIAL’S DETERMINATION FY2027. The Board will be expected LEGAL NOTICES EDGARTOWN is seeking after-the-fact approval for a RE: Ehrman Appeal shed constructed within the buffer zone. to revote a minor change. This public Greg Ehrman NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING hearing will be held in a Hybrid Format. The property is located at 51 Edgartown Applicant Address: 24 Kenney Rd. EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION The Public can attend and participate in Bay Road (AP Map 46, Lot 44). Map 7 Parcel 241-2 COMMISSION the hearing by joining scheduled Zoom For a copy of the application or for quesShed at issue located at 26 On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at meeting via Tisbury Town Hall is inviting tions related to observing the meeting Prospect Ave. 4:30 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation you to a scheduled Zoom meeting. Join remotely, please contact:conservation@ Map 7 Parcel 232 Commission will hold a public hearing Zoom Meeting https://us06web.zoom. edgartown-ma.us The Oak Bluffs Zoning Board of Appeals at d arto n o n all econd loor us/j/84071203487 will hold an In-Person Public Hearing NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Main treet d arto n on a otice Meeting ID: 840 7120 3487 Passcode: on Wednesday, October 21, 2026 at EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMof ntent filed by hris lley B on 835250 and in person at Katherine CorMISSION behalf of Lisa Berkower 2012 Trust under nell Theater, 51 Spring Street, Tisbury. 6:00PM in the Oak Bluffs Town Hall o nstairs Meetin oom chool On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at Taxpayers are invited to present their the Edgartown Wetlands Protection treet on the application of the refer4:40 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation views by submitting written comments Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands enced petitioner seeking: if unable to attend the hearing. Letters Protection Act. The applicant is proposing Commission will hold a public hearing at d arto n o n all econd loor should be addressed to the isbury elect An appeal of the Building Official’s to construct an Accessory Dwelling Unit Decision re: a shed built over the Main treet d arto n on a otice of nBoard, P.O. Box 1239, Vineyard Haven, (ADU) adjacent to the existing single-famproperty line. tent filed by ou oehn B and aleb MA, 02568 or via email to jgatchell@ ily dwelling, including a septic system Relevant documents and/or proposed tisburyma.gov. Nickerson (Contemporary Landscaping) connection and other underground plans will be available on the Town of Oak on behalf of Little Beach Trust under the LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY utilities all ithin and ub ect to oastal Bluffs’ web site: https://www.oakbluffsEdgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw torm lo a e. WEST TISBURY ZONING ma.gov/443/ZBA-Regular-Meetings and the Massachusetts Wetlands ProThe property is located at 67 Kanomika BOARD OF APPEALS Written correspondence can be tection Act. The applicant is proposing to NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Road (AP Map 38, Lot 8.5). addressed to the Board of Appeals via level a lawn and create a native peastone On Thursday, October 8, 2026, at For a copy of the application or for quesemail: zbaadmin@oakbluffsma.gov parking area with additional plantings 5:15pm the ZBA will hold a public hearing tions related to observing the meeting or mailed to: PO Box 1327, Oak Bluffs, within FEMA Flood Zone AE10. at the - nd floor meetin remotely, please contact:conservation@ MA 02557 For a copy of the application or for quesroom on an application for a pecial edgartown-ma.us Cottage City Historic District tions related to observing the meeting NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Permit from Harry Beach, to allow the Commission remotely, please contact:conservation@ EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION removal of an existing shed and the conNOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING edgartown-ma.us COMMISSION struction of a new 120sf shed requiring Wednesday October 14, 2026 On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING 3 feet of side yard and 3 feet of rear yard at 5:30 PM 4:45 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION setback relief under ection . of RE: 3 Uncas Av Map 11 Parcel 156 Commission will hold a public hearing at COMMISSION the West Tisbury Zoning Bylaw for propThis is a HYBRID meeting with both in d arto n o n all econd loor On Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at erty owned by Jim Feiner at 35 Music person & Zoom participation available. Main treet d arto n on a otice of 4:50 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation St., Map 32 Lot 44, in the VR district. The meeting will be held in the downstairs ntent filed by eid ilva on behalf Commission will hold a public hearing Interested parties are invited to send meeting room at the of Little Falls Partners, LP under the Edgar- at d arto n o n all econd loor comments via email to: zba@westtistown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the ak Bluffs o n all chool treet Main treet d arto n on a otice bury-ma.gov or mail Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. of ntent filed by eid ilva on Oak Bluffs MA or Join Zoom Meeting comments to: Zoning Board of The applicant is proposing to trim, prune, behalf of Bridgette Minicus under the Appeals, PO Box 278, West Tisbury, MA https://oakbluffs.zoom.us/ and remove vegetation within existing Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw j/82172512894?pwd=CfVaH8iCT5snX02575. Please call 508-696-0107 for view channels, with pruning of understory and the Massachusetts Wetlands gtevpCRb4FKTaya8t.1 information on the application. shrubbery limited to the buffer zone and Protection Act. The applicant is Meeting ID: 821 7251 2894 PUBLIC HEARING all mature trees to remain, and to relocate proposing to construct, maintain, and Passcode: 409794 STORAGE OF PROPANE landward (and reconstruct if necessary) license a -foot fi ed pier addition and Reconstruct ADU/bungalow on cinderTOWN OF WEST TISBURY an existing beach access stairway a -foot float addition to an e istin block foundation, add 2 windows, 1 rear he elect Board ill hold a public hearthreatened by coastal bank erosion, with timber pier. door for egress. Allow for slight increase coir logs to be installed to help stabilize in under Massachusetts eneral a s The property is located at 85 Edgartown in building footprint due to placement hapter ection on the Petition of the bank near the stairway. Bay Road (AP Map 51, Lot 38). of cinderblock foundation at the front Donald Hendricks to license the storage The property is located at 11 Jacobs For a copy of the application or for quesright corner of building. Add skirt around Neck (AP Map 43, Lot 1.3). of 2,990 gallons of Propane on Map 8 Lot tions related to observing the meeting porch/foundation to match the main For a copy of the application or for ques- remotely, please contact:conservation@ 22 at 140 Merry Farm Road. The hearing house. Extend ADU porch to the right tions related to observing the meeting edgartown-ma.us ill be held in the elect Board Meetin front corner of the building. On the main remotely, please contact:conservation@ Room at 4:40 PM on April 22, 2026 and house, adjust rear double door and two edgartown-ma.us on zoom at Join Zoom Meeting https://

Classifieds WINTER RENTALS COZY AND CLEAN FURNISHED HOME. LAUNDRY, DECK & FENCED-YARD. OCTOBER-MAY 2027 Walk to town - Oak Bluffs. $2,450/ mo (plus electric) Internet included. References. 508-280-6650. OB. BRIGHT AND SPACIOUS FURNISHED ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH KITCHENETTE. Laundry & parking. 1,150. per month. October-May 2027. Call or text 508280-6650 TISBURY WINTER RENTAL 1 bedroom furnished garage apartment. 10 min walk to town and public transportation. $1800 month + gas/ elec. 10/15 thru 5/31 (508) 287-9519. TISBURY WINTER RENTAL Cute 1 bed/1 bath basement apt. Community laundromat. Causeway Harborview. $2100 month + oil/elec. 10/1 thru 5/31. (951)965-3214 Rita. VH, 1 MILE FROM TOWN. Two BR, 2 BA, beach access, pet OK. $2,400/month plus utilities; Internet included Nov. 1 - May 1. Contact kharcourt.mv@gmail.com. WEST TISBURY HOUSE FOR RENT Year-round rental. Three bedroom house fully furnished. Newly built, custom kitchen, 2.5 ensuite bathrooms, 1 half bath. Fireplace, cathedral ceilings, living room, large covered deck. Includes heat and hot water. No pets per month first last security . Available Nov. 1. Call 617-921-6584. RENTAL THRU JUNE 2027 MONTHLY RENTAL TWO BEDROOM APARTMENT Huge one bath 4000 a month which includes utilities available immediately. Perhaps available next summer for a year-round contract. Professionals preferred 9000 to move in. First and last month and deposit. Text 310-213-5472 WEST TISBURY LAMBERT’S COVE AREA Beautiful apartment, one bedroom ith o ce. p . . ivin

WINTER RENTALS

YARD SALES

APARTMENTS/ROOMS

ESTATE SALE Antiques, Vintage, Collectibles, Art, Furnishings, Kitchenware, Household tems utdoor urniture omethin for veryone. at un - 10a - 2p 61 Canonicus Ave - OB 850-293-4345

RENTALS

HOUSE RENTAL - EDGARTOWN (KATAMA) - WINTER (10/1 - 5/1) 3 BED/2 BATH. Rent $3,000, plus utilities. If interested, call Peter at (401) 789-3127. VINEYARD HAVEN WINTER RENTAL Furnished one bedroom for two people ma imum. cenic ater vie close to town. Laundry facility on premises. $1,700 per month not including utilities. One month security deposit required. Call 860-558-5193 or 860-550-3198.

PETS/LIVESTOCK

HORSE FOR HALF LEASE TO GOOD RIDERS ONLY. tunnin floatin aits ovable valuable 18 hand gorgeous chestnut Enzo: Dressage/jumper- famous sire in lympics dvanced rider. ndoor arena- Text Lisa 310-213-5472.

P

SECOND TREASURES MV ANNUAL INVENTORY REDUCTION SALE SAT/SUN OCT 10TH & 11TH 10A-2P AT FEATHERSTONE CENTER FOR THE ARTS (JUST OFF BARNES RD) Estate Items, Antiques, Collectibles, Furniture, Rugs, Jewelry, Art, Something for Everyone 850-2934345

BOAT SALES

UP, DECK REJUVENATE, POWER B M P ertified Mold nspector emediator rench rain Installation. 508-684-0242., RENATO myhandymaninmv@gmail.com

MUSIC & ARTS

RAY ELLIS BASS & BLUEFISH TOURNAMENT PRINTS. Framed Numbered $600 each. Farm Neck 9th hole print by David Wallis framed $300. 781-760-2340.

Island news daily

YARD SALES

MARTHA’S VINEYARD MOVING SALE! 5 Pine Tree Lane, Vineyard Haven ri at ct. nd rd from - pm Complete 3 floor home with much modern, high-quality furniture everythin less than years old . Many beds, bureaus, upholstered furniture. Also, rugs, artwork, household items, etc.

FROM FLOORS TO FINISHES – WE'VE GOT YOU COVERED! • Floor Installation • Hardwood Sanding • Painting • Kitchen Remodeling Multflooring.com 508 982 9675 MY HANDYMAN SERVICES/PROPERTY MP P

LIKE NEW 19’ North Coast cc 2018. Includes roller trailer in excellent shape, and a Suzuki 140 four stroke OB with low hours. READY TO GO: $32000 508-693-8900

The free daily MV Times newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Sign up today at mvtimes.com/newsletter

PUBLIC NOTICES Place: Hybrid Meeting MVC Office - 1 st Floor, 33 New York Ave, Oak Bluffs, MA and Zoom Meeting ID: 831 5537 2107; Password: 103121 The application and plans are available on the MVC website. Written testimony may be submitted prior to or during the hearing. Check for updates on the online calendar. CITATION ON PETITION FOR FORMAL ADJUDICATION Estate of: Paul avid ampieri Date of Death: 02/10/2024 Docket No. DU26P0116EA Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Dukes Probate and Family Court PO Box 237 Main treet d arto n M (508)627-4703 To all interested persons: A Petition for Formal Probate of Will with Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by Edward Belain, Jr. of Vineyard Haven 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: Edward Belain, Jr. of Vineyard Haven MA be appointed as Personal Representatives) of said estate to serve ithout urety 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 10/27/2026 . 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. ate eptember Daphne DeVries, Register of Probate

BargainBox

SERVICES

space. Prefer one person. Utilities included. Washer/dryer. Patio. Full kitchen. $3500/month. Possibly year round. 508-939-1414

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 o ces and hu e central space here ork spaces could fit. e appliances in Kitchen. Ample parking (15 cars) Coy pond. Outdoor space. $6,500 per month or share 4000 with single doctor. Text Lisa 310-213-547

PUBLIC NOTICES MARTHA’S VINEYARD AIRPORT COMMISSION DISPOSITION OF PROPERTY VIA LEASE 20 HANGAR ROAD NORTH The Martha’s Vineyard Airport Commission (Airport) is soliciting responses from interested parties for the lease of up to 20 years, with one (1) 20-year extension, of one (1) parcel of land and a hangar located at 20 Hangar Road North, West Tisbury, Dukes County, Massachusetts for aviation purposes only and as allowed under current zoning regulations in the Town of West Tisbury. The Airport is seeking to have the property used in a manner that best reflects the irport s long term master plan and to maximize revenue to the Airport. A pre-proposal response meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 14, 2022-10:00am at the Airport’s ARFF Conference Room, 71 Airport Road, West Tisbury, MA to entertain questions and review the submission requirements. This solicitation is being conducted in accordance with the provisions of Massachusetts eneral a s hapter 30B, Chapter 16 and a resulting lease must be awarded in accordance with the requirements of the Request for Proposal regarding Real Property Transactions. If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP or otherwise provide additional information, an addendum will be issued to all prospective proposers who received copies of the original request. The Airport reserves the right to cancel the process at any time when it is in its best interest to do so. Proposals are due on Friday, October 30, 2026 at or before 12:00 p.m. to the Airport Properties Manager, 71 Airport oad P ineyard aven M P est isbury M 02575. All responses must be received in a sealed envelope properly marked prior to the deadline per the submission requirements found in the RFP documents. The Request for Proposal documents and supporting information can be obtained from the Airport Properties Manager, 71 Airport Road, West Tisbury, MA electronically from reeman MVYAirport.com. PUBLIC HEARING MARTHA’S VINEYARD COMMISSION The public is invited to a public hearing concerning the following Development of Regional Impact #778 Hoft Barn Demolition Applicant: The Nature Conservancy; Rebekah Myers Location: 74 Lambert’s Cove Road, West Tisbury. Map 3, Lot 44-0 and Tisbury Map 64-A, Lot 4 (approximately 58 acres). Proposal: Demolition of a barn listed in M ith no replacement structure proposed. Date & Time: Thursday, October 15, 2026 at 6:35 p.m.

-

2 - 10 SPEED BICYCLES RALEIGH AND HUFFY ree. ood condition but need a tune-up. Text @ 508-274-5740. 2 - CUSTOM SHOWCASES Wood framed glass on all sides with locking door. 22”;x22”;x45”;. Very good condition. Free. Text @ 508-274-5740. 2 CONCRETE BASES 36” Dia $50; 3 Ball Jars wide mouth 6c $25; Vtg ‘94 A Papell red bead jkt M $75. 508-221-0527. ANCHOR LINE 100’ Braided 7/8”; with brass mooring connector. $60.00 or BO 774-563-8473. CASE (300) 4 OZ CLEAR PET LOW PROFILE COSMETIC JARS $100.00. Case (520) 89/400 smooth, black lids $100.00 Denise 508-496-5986 FREE FURNITURE/LAMPS/ ART WORK /TABLES/ BED FRAMES. Chairs. text 774-563-2260 a lot of nice things. JIGSAW PUZZLES SCRABBLE, PARCHEESI, ETC. ood cellent condition. - . 508-693-7472 -Call anytime, 7:30am-12:30pm is best. REGALO BED RAIL ($10), rarely used Ryobi 3/8 inch cordless drill with charger ($15). Text 508-326-2500. SOLID BRASS FLOOR LAMP. Mid Century design. Antique metal. 62”;H with 24”; round shade. $100. 508-696-7186.

STATELY VINTAGE DESK Leather top, nice condition, 48 x 24; 30H; $95. Vintage Pottery:$18-$35. Fair posters: outof-print $40-95. MV Art/Artifacts $15-95. 860-391-1893 TWO 4 FOOT TALL SCREW TYPE BOAT JACK STANDS $60 each. Call 508 627 2139. WING BACK CHAIR, PERFECT CONDITION, NEWLY COVERED. Must pick up. 508-939-1241. YELLOW 2 PERSON KAYAK. B . ood condition. Must pick up in Vineyard Haven. 774-521-5448 FREE Washer and Dryer Machine. Works fine no lon er needed. all Bill in Edgartown 774-521-4352 24 INCH TRICYCLE Like new. $100 774-563-8516 6 MONTH OLD TOSHIBA MICROWAVE $75. 774-563-8516 30 FT CATALINA. Diesel power. Free. 508-685-3398 NINJA CREAMI MACHINE WITH PINT CONTAINERS $100.00 PowerBlock sport 24 pair of free weights. 2.5 - 24 lbs each. $100.00 denise 508-496-5986. dblair1451@gmail.com WHITE, GLACIER BAY Vanity Combo, 18”w, x16” d, x 32” h. ink . . ontact DM Allen, davidmiltonallen@ gmail.com.

BARGAIN BOX ADS ARE FREE; CALL OR EMAIL TO RENEW AFTER 2 WEEKS 24 words maximum • Maximum sale price is $100 Prices must be listed with each item.

news A15

October 1, 2026

Aquinnah’s Orange Peel Bakery to close its doors Owner Juli Vanderhoop vows a “comeback” amid a lawsuit and bankruptcy filing. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

T

he most beloved upIsland spot for woodfired pizza, and the only place where locals could stop at any hour of the day or night for a snack and drink, Orange Peel Bakery on State Road in Aquinnah, has permanently closed. Juli Vanderhoop, owner of the bakery, said she will be back with “something a little different, but still with the same energy.” “What I was doing was sustaining the community, where there is no sustenance most of the year in Aquinnah,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many people have reached out to me to say how stunned they are, or how upset they are about this … Right now it’s the fishing Derby, and I can’t tell you how many of those fishermen come in between 10 pm and 2 in the morning to grab something, something warm or sweet to keep them going out there. “We will rise and come back with more creativity, because of the outreach and the energy that’s being put in right now,” she added. The backdrop for the bankruptcy declaration is a lawsuit involving two bakers from New York who worked there from May through September in 2023. They are seeking a $95,000 settlement that Vanderhoop initially agreed to pay the two former seasonal bakers through a seven-month settlement plan, and now the former employees are suing her for unpaid wages, overtime,

and tips. Vanderhoop’s attorney, Eugene Johnson of Vineyard Haven, says she couldn’t financially swing the monthslong plan, and after they couldn’t agree on a counteroffer, Vanderhoop filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy, dissolving her business and potentially discharging her debt, but that means that Orange Peel Bakery will never open again. To Vanderhoop and the local community, the bakery was never just a shop. “I wanted people to understand the kinder way of doing business. I put the spirit of my people into that business, because when you are an indigenous person, you take care of the community,” said Vanderhoop. “We will all miss it. I never expected people to receive the bakery like it had been received.” What was so unique about Orange Peel is that it was open all hours of the day and night, regardless if someone was there to help customers. The bakery operated on an honor system, where people like local fishermen looking for a snack in the early morning could stop and leave cash, or Venmo the bakery, for whatever they purchased. Vanderhoop said she is offIsland while the dust settles, and that she is going to spend time with her 95-year-old mother. She said Orange Peel Bakery closed after 20 years and two weeks, and she is going to take a break. “This could happen to any business on the Island,” Van-

School mulls over regionalization Continued from A2 really is room to be able to create some efficiencies,” Altieri said. Some examples that Altieri suggested for the district were software systems for requesting time off, assigning placements for substitute teachers, and for onboarding. “Onboarding and recordkeeping could be instrumental in helping to improve service to employees and accuracy of documentation,” Altieri said. MVYPS Superintendent Jaime Curley also said that she discovered over the summer that around 30 Island teachers were working without the proper licensing. Currently, Curley said that some teachers remain unlicensed, and the waiver process is in progress for

several members of staff. In Massachusetts, unlicensed teachers can work at schools under waivers from the state education department after other candidates are considered. During an MVRHS School Committee meeting on Monday, Curley referenced the audit during the committee’s interview with officials from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC). The association visited the high school this week as part of the renewal process for the school’s accreditation. Regionalization of schools and services on the Island has come up in relation to budgets, safety, and resources. The community has often considered further merging of regula-

derhoop said. She blamed the end of this chapter on “two employees with more greed than anything else.” In the U.S. District Court at John J. Moakley U.S. Courthouse, on Nov. 5, 2025, Vanderhoop agreed to pay the two bakers over a seven-month period. According to court documents, the former bakers said Vanderhoop settled in court with no intention of paying, then filed for bankruptcy to get out of debt. Vanderhoop’s attorney, Johnson, said Vanderhoop agreed she owed them for late wages, tried to pay over five years after the seven-month schedule proved to be financially impossible, and converted to Chapter 7 bankruptcy after a trustee said that repayment plan wasn’t feasible either. The plaintiffs, Claire Depasquale and Christopher Mueller, both New York residents, worked at the bakery through the 2023 season. In January 2024, they sued Vanderhoop and Orange Peel Bakery in the district court in Boston. According to court documents, Depasquale and Mueller worked at the bakery from May 20 through Sept. 23 in 2023. They said they were promised $2,200 every two weeks, but said wages arrived late or not at all, that they regularly worked 45 to 60 hours a week, and were never paid time-and-a-half, and Venmo tips left for them were never turned over. “The Defendant failed to pay the Plaintiffs all earned

tory and educational bodies, but hasn’t yet pursued it. “One of the dirty words that we never say, but I take every opportunity to say, is ‘regionalization,’” Curley said at that MVRHS School Committee meeting. In an interview with The Times at the beginning of the school year, she referenced wanting to pursue more regionalization at the schools as part of her superintendency tenure. Curley told The Times that the district has been working on some of the software initiatives recommended by the audit prior to the presentation. These initiatives include Vector, which would track teacher licensing and accumulation of professional development points, and software for tracking teacher absences. However, Curley said, the district is still deliberating on the audit’s other proposed changes.

DENA PORTER

Vanderhoop’s Orange Peel Bakery store included coffee, delicious baked goods, souvenirs, and more.

wages, overtime, and tips,” the plaintiffs’ complaint, submitted to the district court in January 2024 by their attorney Matthew Patton, said. Attorneys representing Depasquale and Mueller from the Law Office of Nicholas F. Ortiz, P.C., and Ortiz & Moeslinger, P.C., were not immediately available for comment. Johnson refuted this, and said Depasquale and Mueller were on salaries and not hourly workers, and they were paid more than the $2,200 every two weeks they cited in their complaint. According to pay stubs shared with The Times by Johnson, Depasquale made $2,400 every two weeks, and Mueller made $3,000, before taxes. Regarding the tips on Venmo, Johnson said, Venmo spreadsheets didn’t show a single tip in Depasquale or Mueller’s name, and said the Venmo tips are usually left to support the bakery when customers help themselves. Regarding pizza-night tips, in Johnson’s Sept. 10, 2026, answer in the bankruptcy adversary case, he wrote that Depasquale and Mueller “were fully aware that a designated co-worker counted the tips in front of all of the workers and distributed the tip money to

the employees at the end of the night,” and that Vanderhoop “did not participate in the counting and distribution of the tips.” An Aug. 17 complaint submitted by Depasquale and Mueller that objected to the discharge of Vanderhoop’s debts following her filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy said Vanderhoop agreed to the settlement with no intention of paying it “solely to avoid trial and impending judgment.” “The court should refuse to allow a discharge of the debt,” the complaint said. Johnson said, in the Sept. 10 document responding to the bakers’ objection to Vanderhoop’s debt discharge, that Vanderhoop fully intended to pay the debt, but after meeting with her accountant to arrange payments, it was determined the payment schedule could not be met. Johnson said they filed a Chapter 13 petition seeking to change the payment plan from 12 payments to 60 equal payments over five years, but the trustee who reviewed the plan said it was not feasible. Johnson said the trustee’s decision was due to the seasonal dependency of her business; she

ultimately filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. “If debtor/defendant’s [Vanderhoop] plan was to file for bankruptcy prior to the settlement agreement, she would have done so prior to the pretrial conference on Nov. 5, 2025,” said Johnson in his Sept. 10 document. In an interview with The Times, Johnson said they never disputed that Vanderhooop was late with the two bakers’ pay, and the law requires employers to pay on time. Johnson said Vanderhoop was willing to pay for falling behind with the plaintiffs’ paychecks, but the other claims, where Depasquale and Mueller say they were hourly workers and were owed overtime, that Vanderhoop withheld Venmo tips from them, and that she kept pizza-night tips, are false, Johnson said. “Had they not added those false allegations, the matter would have been settled,” Johnson said. “[Vanderhoop] learned something, and she’s willing to pay for that, but she’s not going to pay for those false allegations.” There is no schedule for an upcoming hearing based on the plaintiffs’ complaint and Johnson’s response.

“We want to take those recommendations and really consider them, and be very thoughtful about what our next steps would be,” Curley said. “We want to be super-thoughtful that we’re not creating different problems by alleviating other problems.” The report also recommended that the schools should centralize their food and custodial services. “We do think there are ways to create efficiencies by having more [food service] done at the district offices and then pushed out to the schools, rather than each school creating their own menus and ordering their own food,” said Altieri. After the presentation, School Business Administrator Mark Friedman raised possible questions about the legal classification of MVYPS employees if payroll is

centralized. Currently, Edgartown, Oak Bluffs, and Tisbury handle their payroll through their separate municipalities. The Up-Island School District — which consists of the towns of West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Aquinnah — and MVRHS administer their payroll through the MVYPS superintendent’s office in Tisbury. “Having everybody come through a high school payroll means that everybody becomes a high school employee, and what are the legal ramifications for that?” Friedman said. “That’s just one aspect of trying to fully centralize payroll without being one region that we have to look at.” Amy Houghton, AISC chair, stressed the necessity of the audit. “The fact that a staff member can’t go to a portal and find out how much time [off] they

have left is ludicrous,” Houghton said. “We need to have more efficiencies, and those efficiencies are going to be able to help us with stopping the bleeding in areas where we’re doing that.” Houghton told The Times that the regionalization process is unfolding in “baby steps.” She said that the AISC hopes to reduce the expenses of operating the Island schools without erasing their distinct characters. “The culture and uniqueness of the schools and the different ways that people celebrate certain things that are true to the town, we want to be able to keep that kind of thing,” Houghton said. “There’s no attempt to reduce that, and what the school committee is looking to do is to find ways that we can reduce the cost burden across the Island.”

A16

news

October 1, 2026

fishing report

Rain and wind flood Week Two of the Derby

1

BY LISA BELCASTRO

A

s of Tues. Sept. 29 — Just as the Derby was heating up, the fish were biting, and the leaderboard was changing like a roulette wheel in Vegas, the winds of change blew in. Can we collectively say, “Wow! What a weekend!”? Wind gusts over 40 mph, road flooding and closures across the Island, canceled ferries, boats docked or pulled from the water for safety, and six days of interesting fishing. Keith Krogslund weighed in a 5.11-pound boat bluefish on Monday, Sept. 21, and that was the last boat fish weighed during Week Two. While wind and waves kept boaters off the water, and many shore fishermen opted to stay home during the worst of the storm, there were a few dozen of us crazy enough to continue fishing. The wind kicked up a bit, but not horribly, on Tuesday. The breeze seemed to push more bait and a few larger hardtails closer to shore. As the doors opened at headquarters on Sept. 22, Michael Goldsmith carried in an 8.56-pound albie to take the Grand Leader position. About two minutes later, Josh Kresel placed an 8.79-pound albie on the weighmaster’s table to move into the Grand Leader position. Not quite 12 hours later, Angie Fisher showed up at headquarters with a 13.70-pound fish to claim the Shore False Albacore Grand Leader position. Angie is a 15th-generation Islander. She jokes that she’s “an original Wharf Rat,” named for the crew that fishes Memorial Wharf during the Derby. She’s also from a long line of fishermen who make a living on the sea. “I enjoy fishing. I really look forward to the Derby. It’s a family thing,” said Angie. Last Tuesday, Angie was multitasking as she stood on the wharf live-lining. “I was typing on my phone, answering an email about a charter. I had my finger on the line,

and my bail open. The fish hit, and I was trying to get my phone into a pocket while the fish ran,” said Angie with a chuckle. Fortunately, she secured the phone, flipped the bail, and set the hook. “It gave quite a fight,” said Angie. “After about 10 minutes, someone on the wharf said, ‘Do you need to tighten your drag?’ I thought my drag was tight, but then I wondered if my drag was really loose, and it was a small fish.” The albie wasn’t small. Far from it. After measuring the fish, Angie realized her cooler wasn’t big enough. One of the guys fishing alongside Angie loaned her a fish bag, and Ron McKee gave her some ice. She’s held the lead for the past week throughout the storm, but Angie knows anything can happen in the next 2½ weeks. “If it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” said Angie, who owns Nauti Girl Excursions, providing sunset charters and private beach days from May 15 to Oct. 15. As the skies poured and wind roared on Friday, those of us still out there on the beaches were casting into whitewater in hopes of reeling in something other than seaweed. At one point, Oliver Valdes looked over at me and said, “This has taken the ‘F’ out of fun.” We had a good laugh and continued fishing. There were a surprising 22 fish weighed in on Friday. One 4.53-pound bonito was caught by Tony Jackson, and one 7.04-pound albie by Jacob Batchelder. That was it for the hardtails. Of the 20 bluefish reeled in, Bill Robinson landed a 9.72-pounder to win the first-place daily pin. With the Saturday weather predicted to be worse than Friday, the Derby committee announced that Bluefish Super Saturday would be rescheduled for Sunday, Oct. 4. Mother Nature didn’t disappoint the storm chasers. Fiercer winds and a deluge of rain all but washed Saturday away. The rain actually hurt when it

Stay up to date on all things Derby! Weekly fishing columns, tide charts, where to fuel up, even where you can grab a quick bite (to eat). Scan here or visit mvtimes.com/fishing-2

Don’t forget to send us your Derby photos for our online gallery at editor@mvtimes.com.

pelted my face, but I fished for hours in case a Derby weighable opted to bite my lure. I found fish, and spent more than 30 minutes casting into them, changing lures multiple times, constantly reeling in silversides, but never getting a hit, never mind a tug. At the end of the day, only three bluefish had made an appearance at headquarters. Johnny Rogers topped the

2

LISA BELCASTRO

1. Johnny Rogers and his mom Jeanne celebrated his Shore Triple Crown on Sunday night. 2. Angie Fisher reeled in the new Shore Grand Leader False Albacore while live-lining off Memorial Wharf. 3. Kevin Seger was all smiles weighing in a small bluefish after fishing through the nor’easter. 4. Oliver Valdes landed his first albie in three years during a weekend of stormy weather.

4 COURTESY ANGIE FISHER

3

LISA BELCASTRO

board with his 9.96-pound blue. Johnny and his teammate Kevin Seger fished daily throughout the storm. “We love fishing in the weather. It’s when it’s the most fun,” said Johnny, 25. “For us, fishing in storms is our passion, especially fishing the Derby in a storm. It doesn’t get any better than that,” said Kevin. On Sunday, the winds had died back and shifted from a north to a south wind. The rain wasn’t as hard or as drenching, but it was consistent and wet — so, so very wet. Oliver and I left the beach at lunchtime on Sunday and drove to Chilmark General Store for sustenance. We ran into Kevin and Johnny getting their lunch. Johnny had a bonito in the cooler, which completed his triple crown. We headed in opposite directions in hopes of seeing each other again later at weigh-in. I fished through the afternoon, once again getting rained on. I didn’t see any fish

at West Chop or Eastville, but decided to go to weigh-in sans fish to cheer some friends on. I ran into Kevin right after parking my truck. He had a bluefish, slightly bigger than the one he’d previously weighed in, which would up his team points. Kevin and John, the Bozos, are a little less than two pounds behind the first-place Tongatapu team of Tyler Poole and D.J. Consolati. I’m so happy to see Kevin fishing and enjoying some success. The previous two years, Kevin did very little fishing as he struggled with some debilitating medical issues that made holding a rod, casting, and reeling in a fish impossible. “I went through so much healthwise — mentally and physically. When you have your health, you really do have everything. It’s like all the joy is back in fishing,” said Kevin, adding, “and seeing Johnny catch these fish is the best.” Johnny had two bonito to choose from on Sunday night: The smaller one he caught in

LISA BELCASTRO

the morning and the slightly larger one (4.85 pounds) he reeled in after lunch. After weighmaster Mike Cassidy put his fish on the scale, Johnny moved into first place in the Shore Triple Crown division, bumping Tyler Poole to second place. “My goal every year is to get my triple crown,” said Johnny, who had never been in the lead before. Johnny moved to the Island with his family before he turned 1. His family moved off for a few years, then moved back nine years ago. Johnny graduated from MVRHS in 2019. He and Kevin both own boats, but they’ve been a shore team for the past five years. “We like it from shore. We do enough boat fishing the rest of the year,” said Johnny. “And we’re not going to Nantucket.” As I was leaving headquarters, Bill Robinson arrived with a bonito and an albie. When I got home and checked the leaderboard,

Bill had claimed the lead in the Shore Triple Crown by .05 pounds. Such a tiny amount, but more than enough to edge past Johnny. At the close of weigh-in on Monday, Sept. 28, we had gone a full week without seeing a boat fish carried into headquarters for weigh-in. Let’s hope the seas settle, the fish return, and the boaters can safely return to the water. As Dave Balon and I plan our fishing locations for the week ahead, I’m also hoping the rain is done, and I can leave my raincoat in the truck. This weekend, we will have Super Saturday for false albacore and Super Sunday for bluefish. I can’t wait. Double the fun, at least 12-hour days fishing, and probably a bit of exhaustion on Monday, but who cares! I hope to see you on the beach, and I definitely hope to see you at Derby Headquarters when I’m weighing in a fish that’s slightly bigger than yours.

T H E P EO P L E , TOW N S, A N D STO R I E S O F I S L A N D L I F E + R E STAU RA N TS, GA L L E R I ES & E N T E RTA I N M E N T

T H U R S D AY, O C TO B E R 1 , 2026

From shopping local to eating local this month. SEE B3

FRANCES FLOOD

RICHARD NORTH PATTERSON'S "TRIPWIRES"

SEE B2

"MENAGERIE OF MARVELS" EXHIBIT AT THE MV MUSEUM

SEE14

B2

community & calendar

October 1, 2026

BOOKS

CelebratingOur MVRHSGrads

Chelsea Toole Barbini Uplifting children through education. BY MARGE HARRIS

ROBB CHAMBERLAIN

C Richard North Patterson’s ‘Tripwires’ Bestselling author helps navigate the perilous road to Trump.

F

rom his seasonal perch in a rural corner of West Tisbury, Richard North Patterson has spent more than 30 years writing 25 books. They include legal and political novels that traverse terrain that runs far from the Island, as well as a trilogy of novels that explore family dynamics right here in the rolling hills and rugged shorelines of Chilmark. More than 20 of Patterson’s books have been bestsellers. He has also written political analysis for the Boston Globe and many other publications, and served as a trial lawyer. His most recent book is a work of nonfiction: “Tripwires: 15 TwentyFirst-Century Events that Undermined American Democracy — and How to Reclaim It.“ The book examines 15 key turning points, or "tripwires" as he describes them, when

BY CHARLES M. SENNOTT

helsea Toole Barbini, class of 1994, enjoyed high school primarily because it made her social world much bigger, connecting her with students from across the six towns. She played soccer and tennis, sang with the Minnesingers, played in the band, participated in the school plays, and did well academically. She especially remembers Mr. Toscano and Ms. MacLeod, two of her math teachers, for pushing her to be a better student, and Coach Scho for his life lessons on and off the soccer field. Chelsea continued her studies at Wheaton College in Norton, where she majored in psychology and minored in elementary education — two areas that would play well in her future endeavors. She espe-

cially remembers a fellowship between her junior and senior college years offered through the Institute for Urban Education at Barnard College. The program immersed the students in learning about urban life and teaching middle schoolers in NYC. Chelsea attained her master’s in early childhood education at Wheelock College, continuing to student-teach kindergarten and pre-K in Boston and Brighton. Chelsea was incredibly lucky to work with some talented educators throughout her highereducation experiences. After graduation, she came home to the Island and worked at the Oak Bluffs School as a special education paraprofessional for about a year and a half. In 2001, Chelsea married Ryan

POET’S CORNER Lure Maker By James Lowell

America has stumbled and fallen into democratic decay and autocracy. Among them are: the 2000 Supreme Court intervention that resulted in the election of George W. Bush over his Democratic challenger, Al Gore; the ascension of John Roberts as chief justice of the Supreme Court, a conservative who has led the majority on reshaping many aspects of the American democracy; the subprime mortgage crisis that spurred the economic breakdown, and the housing crisis that hit when subprime mortgages came due. “Tripwires” concludes with a carefully drawn roadmap on how to sidestep the tripwires and restore a constitutional democracy. At the Martha’s Vineyard Times, we have gotten to know Patterson, or “Ric,” through his long-standing and generous participation at our Islanders Write gathering, and his public

speaking. He has always professed a great love for the Island’s beauty and the eclectic mix of extraordinary talent and power that is drawn here. In his spare time, he enjoys painting and golfing, and by his own assessment, does both badly. I caught up with Patterson to talk about his latest book on a phone interview from his home in Jackson, Fla. Here are lightly edited excerpts from our Q and A.

Charles Sennott:

Your book offers a stepby-step explanation of how we got to this point we're in. Why is it important to understand the process that way? Why do we need to go step by step?

Richard North Patterson:

The first thing is to dispel the illusion that Donald Trump did this all by himself, or that he came from

Continued on B6

For J.B.B. His lathe blurred blanks of basswood like sticks of hard butter — each cylinder tapered like a hand-rolled Ybor. Above his head, lids screwed to rafters held Mason jars filled with circle hooks, eyelets, tail feathers. Knots like age spots added character, shone through translucent undercoats sprinkled with scale-imitating glitter. Whittling, his craft flares the mouth to create a feeding frenzy among curled whitecaps on the floor.

Barbini, and they moved off the island to Acton to be closer to Ryan’s job at Raytheon. Chelsea was able to attain a position teaching toddlers at the Concord Children's Center in Concord. After about a year, Chelsea and Ryan’s search for a more permanent home took them to Pepperell, where they have been living for the past 20-plus years. After about five wonderful years at CCC, Chelsea chose to be a stay-at-home mom when she and Ryan adopted their first child as an infant. Once their second child, also adopted as an infant, headed off to kindergarten, Chelsea eased back into teaching as a substitute teacher at Second Nature Academy. Both of her children had attended the pre-K program there and loved it. The school focuses on following the students’ interests and being outdoors. There is easy access to hiking trails and a nearby conservation area, which makes teaching there a lot of fun. After two years of subbing, Chelsea was offered a full-time classroom position, where she continues to teach today. What a joy it is to see her enthusiasm and commitment to teaching pre-K students, giving them a solid start. Thank you, Chelsea — you make us proud! Marge Harris was a teacher at MVRHS for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month.

A C A DE M IC HONOR S PRESIDENT’S LIST Hanna Santos of Vineyard Haven, at Southern New Hampshire University.

DEAN’S LIST Gertrude Ahey of Oak Bluffs, at University of Maryland Global Campus.

Island news daily

And as his lure hooks another angler he turns a sale into a promise, “I made this one to walk on water.” James Lowell spends most of his time on Cuttyhunk Island, and fuels up in Menemsha when fishing. Short- and longlisted for Fish’s 2026 poetry prize, his work has appeared in many literary journals. Poets with a connection to Martha’s Vineyard are encouraged to submit poems of 120 words or fewer to Michael West at m@mwest.com. Please also include a two- to three-sentence bio at the end of your poem.

The free daily MV Times newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Sign up today at mvtimes.com/newsletter

community & calendar B3

October 1, 2026

O

ctober on this Island has a rhythm to it, and this year that rhythm runs through our historical buildings. On Oct. 10 and 11, from 10 am to 4 pm, the Grange Hall in West Tisbury fills up with tables of handmade goods for the Vineyard Artisans Fall Festival. On the 25th, the Agricultural Hall fills up, but this time it’s with pie contests and sustainability demos, for the Ag Society's sixth annual Harvest Festival. Two weeks apart, two historical halls, two completely different definitions of what it means to make something with your hands. I want to start with the artisans, because I think we undersell what actually happens at that festival. It is easy to walk through a room of vendor tables, call it "shopping local," and move on. But every single item on those tables started as raw material in a person's two hands, with no factory line in between. If anything, this should be called “shopping big” not “shopping small”! I can’t imagine how much courage you must have to create and sell your wares to the public, which is why I’m shining a light on them today. Take Amy Nevin or Up-Island Pottery, both throwing functional, beautiful pieces that will end up as somebody's everyday coffee mug for the next 20 years. Walk a few tables down and you'll find Hypatia Book Arts, where living masterpieces are created by binding books by hand, a dying craft that somebody on this Island decided was worth keeping alive. The jewelry alone could fill its own paragraph, and it will. Analog Archival creates pieces from repurposed dead stock, broken or unsellable pieces of jewelry. Cecilia Designs has always been a favorite of mine, just the wide variety is admirable, and she works with Island beach rocks, quahog shells, and other semiprecious stones in a unique way. Kenneth Pillsworth Jewelry, Liam McGorman Jewelry, L A Hart Jewelry, and Cynthia McGrath all round out the jewelry offerings, each with a completely different eye, none of them interchangeable the way mass-produced jewelry always is. Then there's the stuff that doesn't fit neatly into a category. Amy Benford’s adorable beach glass series of art, Beldan Radcliffe’s mixed-media and one-of-a-kind garments from upcycled materials, Debra and Warren Gaines’ incredible, Island-inspired fine art with their landscape photography, along with original oil, acrylic, pastel, and encaustic paintings. Don’t worry, I had to look up what encaustic meant, so let me share the definition with you: It’s an ancient art form that uses heated beeswax mixed with dammar resin and colored pigments! All done right here on this Island! Here's why I think this matters more than a nice weekend browsing tables and saying hi to friends. “Locally made” is not a trend or a marketing angle, even though I say a version of that sentence in nearly every client meeting or conversation I have. Long before anyone on this Island called it a "festival," people here were making what they needed with what was around them, out of necessity first and pride second. The instinct to work with your hands and make something that lasts did not start with an Etsy shop. It is baked into this Island; it’s human nature. And while speaking about humans and nature, Indigenous Peoples' Day falls on the 12th, the Monday right after the local artisans pack up their tables. I don't think it is a coincidence worth overemphasizing, but I also don't think it should pass without a mention. The Wampanoag were making baskets, tools, and textiles on this land for thousands of years before any festival table existed here, a tradition of working with your hands that the rest of us are, in our own small way, still borrowing from every time we choose to buy something made by a person in favor of something made by a machine. Which brings us to the other kind of harvest, two weeks later, when the Ag Hall

Locals enjoy shopping local.

Autumn Harvest

From shopping local to eating local this month. BY MARNELY MURRAY

Long before anyone on this Island called it a "festival," people here were making what they needed with what was around them, out of necessity first and pride second. Cut flowers at Morning Glory Farm.

Pumpkins ready to go at Morning Glory Farm.

PHOTOS: MARNELY MURRAY

fills up for its Harvest Festival on the 25th. This one is less about what people made and more about what the land itself produced this year, and October is when you can actually see it. The festival is packed with all the

contests, like corn husking, squash toss, pie baking, pie eating, tug of war, and more. I’m excited to learn there will also be a clothing swap, indigo dyeing, local eats, and live music by Blues Switch and the Flying Elbows. Now, if you want to eat your way through this month the way I plan to, here are farms worth driving to before the season turns. Ghost Island Farm in West Tisbury grows something like a hundred varieties of openpollinated tomatoes, and leans hard into the season with their own fall displays — I’m still jumping out of my passenger seat whenever we drive by. Morning Glory Farm in Edgartown is filled to the brim with both edible and ornamental pumpkins and squashes, gorgeous mums, and with a kitchen and bakery that never seem to slow down. Beetlebung Farm up in Chilmark is one of my new favorites, with their baked goods offering even delicious brownies that are alpha-gal friendly — a must-try. North Tabor Farm, also in Chilmark, is where the talented Irene Wong, chef-in-residence, had been all summer, creating some of the tastiest biscuits, dips, and treats: I hope she left some of her recipes for us to keep enjoying. Mermaid Farm and Dairy has raw milk, yogurt, lassi, and cheese, the latter of which we will need a lot of while we cook at home the comfort-food recipes that we know are coming with the cooler weather. I’m thinking I’ll start with making a French onion soup topped with Mermaid Farm Gouda, and take it from there. Native Earth Teaching Farm keeps goats, and is as much an education as it is a farm. Allen Farm Sheep and Wool has been running since

classics of an autumnal festival: pumpkin carving, farm animals, crafts and games for kids and adults, gardening and sustainability demos, tractors, antique power displays, and scavenger hunts. There are plenty of

1762, which puts this month's harvest in a pretty serious historical context: wool and lamb meat from a farm older than the country it sits in. Local farms and local artisans, two halls filling up with the results of their year, pie contests and squash tosses layered on top of it, because apparently we cannot celebrate a harvest on this Island without also turning it into a competition — and know that I will be competing in both pie baking and eating! What strikes me, looking at these two weekends side by side, is that they are really the same, deep down. One is hands shaping clay, wood, metal, and leather into something that did not exist before. The other is hands pulling something out of the ground that the land was already growing, then turning it into dinner, or a jar of jam, or a slice of pie good enough to win a contest. Both are proof that this Island still runs, at its core, on people making things themselves rather than buying the easiest version available. That was true for the Wampanoag long before it was true for any of us, and it is still true now, two weeks apart, in the town of West Tisbury. So go to both, and buy the mug, the handcrafted earrings, the fresh loaf of sourdough, the pie. It all comes from the same place, and at the end of the day, aren’t we all but the same humans, all living profound experiences on this Island we call home? With that, may your harvest be plentiful, may your tables be filled with nourishment, and may you bake an extra pie this season to bring over to a friend. Marnely Murray is a contributing writer for the Grapevine, our monthly newsletter dedicated to Island events and eats.

B4

community & calendar

T

O

W

N

Tisbury By Taylor Stone tisburycolumnist@gmail.com

T

o start with a little peek behind the curtain: I’m writing this on Friday, Sept. 25, alongside storm watches, canceled boats, flooding warnings, and our little MV Times building right in the thick of everything at Five Corners. It’s hard not to contrast that image with the liveliness of First Friday V.H.’s October event ,coming up this Friday on Oct. 2! Expect our Daytime Art Market on Beach Street Ext. as usual, 10 to 2 pm, and our

main celebration in Owen Park, starting at 5 pm. Our October First Friday event is always extra-special for our team, as it’s the last event of our “summer season.” Join the Upis Land Band as they march along Main Street all the way to Owen Park, and dance your heart out in the sand with Johnny Hoy, followed by our Silent DJ Party thanks to Pathways Arts. Note: This month, we finish up by 10 pm, as it gets darker and colder this time of year, and if you haven’t partici-

Edgartown By Marnely Murray marnely@gmail.com

T

here are times that as columnists, we must write our columns way in advance due to unforeseen circumstances, and it feels like writing to the future. I’m typing this pre-storm, on Thursday, Sept. 24, as the wind picks up and the ferries are bobbing up and down on their way to Woods Hole and back. But writing for a community newspaper has its quirks, and one of them is that if Five Corners gets flooded, access to the newsroom is limited. Thus, I’m writing this a few days ahead of time. By the time you read this, it’ll be October, and I

can’t even believe that. Because of that, this week’s column will be a little different, inspired by Lis of mvacay.com, who recently shared her fall bucket list, and inspired me to write my own as well! I’d love to hear what’s on your bucket list, but here are some ideas and inspiration to get you started this season:

By Joanne Lambert joannelamber@gmail.com

T

his quote made me think of all the big differences being made in our lives by something very tiny: a tick. Of course, it’s not just one tick, it’s the multitude and variety of them that are wreaking havoc in so many lives.

C pated in the First Friday V.H. Passport scavenger hunt, this is your last chance to collect your stamps at participating businesses for a prize at our merch tent in Owen Park. As September comes to a close, thoughts begin turning to the fall and winter season on Martha’s Vineyard. In Tisbury, we are looking forward to Halloween (a Saturday this year) with our giant Puppet Parade, officially approved and scheduled for 4 pm, followed

O

L

U

by trick-or-treating. And we are planning even further out with discussions surrounding holiday pop-ups, ’Tis the Season cheer, and another round of New Year’s Eve celebrations, all coming up before we know it. The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District monthly open meetings are starting back up, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 pm in the new Vineyard Haven library. Come learn more

I had a conversation with Meg Carman from the new Express Clinic at the hospital. She spoke to the Family Child Care Network about how the clinic works, and what they are seeing for tick bites and health issues. They are also running research studies to follow people who have been bitten or are diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome or one of the other tick-borne infections. It is impressive work,

SCAN HERE TO SIGN UP OR LEARN MORE

M

N

about what this local group does in the town of Tisbury, along with special speakers from the M.V. Cultural Council and Circuit Arts. A series of “Climate Conversations” are being held at each of our local libraries, Oct. 3 through 17. The Vineyard Haven library's discussion will be on Oct. 14 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm, aptly focused on flooding and Island infrastructure. Happy upcoming birthday wishes on Oct. 1 to Ray

The Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District monthly open meetings are starting back up, with the first one scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 8, at 6 pm in the new Vineyard Haven library.

· Attend a ceramics open studio at Slough Farm, happening Tuesdays and Saturdays. · Get the paper at the Edgartown Paper Store and sit on a Main Street bench and read it. · Bid on a bass, with proceeds going to the Derby scholarship fund, local artists, and the Edgartown Board of Trade, online at bassinthegrassmv.com. · Join Edgartown Books at the Carnegie for a discussion of Emma Cline’s novel, “Switzy,” on Oct.15, free to attend. · Register for a sound bath with Trish Ginter on

Oct. 17 at the Edgartown Free Public Library. · Eat all the things at this year’s Morning Glory Farm Pumpkin Festival, taking place on Oct. 17. · Swing by Edgartown Harbor and watch a nighttime M.V. Derby weigh-in take place, between 7 and 9 pm. · Take a foliage tour of Mytoi Gardens, and see how October looks on Chappy. · Check out “Ponies & Pumpkins” at Misty Meadow on Oct. 17, starting at 10 am, a fun family event. · Eat lunch at the Edgartown Council on Aging; this happens Tuesdays and Fri-

CB Stark Jewelers was recently recognized as one of America’s coolest jewelry stores by InStore magazine — stop by the shop and confirm how cool they are!

Oak Bluffs

“If you think you are too small to make a difference, try sleeping with a mosquito.” –Dalai Lama XIV

October 1, 2026

and we can be grateful that we have these resources. Dennis-Alley Park, a.k.a. Waban Park, is the place to be on Saturday, Oct. 3, for Ladyfest 2026! Gates open at 1 pm for music throughout the afternoon and evening, plus artisans and food vendors throughout the park. Your $25 ticket benefits Connect to End Violence. Children under 12 are free — and there will be

activities for children, too! More info, like what you can bring into the festival and what will be available there, is at ladyfestmv.com. A brand-new music and arts festival will be hosted at Stillpoint in West Tisbury on Oct. 2. The HERitage Music & Arts Festival, curated by Island musician Sarah Shaw Dawson, is a multimedia celebration of the history and current

S Ewing, who is currently holding a new photography show at the Workshop Gallery in town. Filled with all sources of light, this show is open Fridays 2 to 6 pm and Sundays 11 to 5 pm, through Oct. 7. Also a very happy birthday on Oct. 2 to Elaine Barse, who does so much for our businesses in Tisbury as president of the Vineyard Haven Business Association. And an extra-special congratulations to Julie Pringle and Dean Lovewell, newly married on Sept. 12. Do you have an upcoming birthday, event, or just something you want shared in a future Tisbury column? Email me at tisburycolumnist@gmail.com with your own stories of our town, or upcoming events you’d like to see spotlighted here.

days, at noon and you must register by noon the day before to reserve your spot. · Pop into the Old Sculpin Gallery and check out the work being featured this month. · Sip ’n Stitch at Erica Wilson happens every Thursday from 6 to 7:30 pm, and is a great way to connect with needlepoint enthusiasts! · Take a casting lesson from Kismet Outfitters. · Go into Rosewater Market, and if they have mocha rolls, make sure to get one for yourself and a couple for a friend. Made with Chilmark Coffee, they are to die for. · Shop the sales at Soft as a Grape, and start stocking up on holiday gifts. · CB Stark Jewelers was recently recognized as one of America’s coolest jewelry stores by InStore magazine — stop by the shop and confirm how cool they are!

· Grab a morning bagel at Edgartown Meat & Fish Market, and a pumpkinspice latte from their instore Starbucks. · Have a lovely time with the complimentary Friday wine tastings at Bettini, if you’re booked for a dinner reservation at the restaurant: such a fun and new experience. · Dress up for Edgartown’s Happy Haunting, which happens Oct. 25 from 10 am to 1 pm. What’s your Halloween costume this year?

work of Island women and nonbinary creatives in the arts. Doors open at 3 pm; there will be artisans, as well as free bites provided by Betsy Carnie and the M.V. Public Charter School. Musical performances will be from 6 to 8 pm. More info at stillpointmv.org. Sundays in the Park this week offers the Dukes Duo on Oct. 4, playing at the bandstand from 5 to 7 pm.

October birthdays kick off with Erik Albert celebrating on the 1st. Happy birthday to you, Erik! He shares the day with Fallon Aiello, and happy anniversary to Jen and Richie Combra on the 1st also! Elaine Barse celebrates on the 2nd, sharing the day with Grace Vanderhoop, Elyse Madeiras, and Cynthia Redshaw. Sarah Thomas blows out her candles on Oct. 4. Oct. 5 is the day to celebrate the tireless and always smiling Toni Kaufman! Sweet Charlotte Goeckel will blow out twelve candles on Oct. 6. Happy anniversary to Grace and Albie Robinson on Oct. 7! Send me your news!

The Family Child Care Network is running research studies to follow people who have been bitten or are diagnosed with alpha-gal syndrome or one of the other tick-borne infections.

BECOME AN MV TIMES MEMBER

Birthday wishes go out to Ray Ewing on Oct. 1, Mandy Epstein, Ellen Gaskill, and Jim Feiner on Oct. 2, Dee Landers on Oct. 3, Ivona Sabeva on Oct. 4, and my bestest friend Abby Gardner on Oct. 6! Wishing you all a great birthday and year ahead!

community & calendar B5

October 1, 2026

T

O

W

N

Aquinnah By Kathie Olsen aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com

W

e have gratefully lived here, in our beloved and beautiful half of a barn, for 10 years. During that time, chores attached to the change of seasons have become rites calling for a shifting of gears and an activated appreciation of what is being lost and what is being gained. Spring cleaning takes place sometime in April, a process of throwing open the windows, putting up screens, digging out the alarming mounds of dust and dead leaves and greasy bits accumulated during the

coldest months of the year, and putting away space-filling winter coats and sweaters. Cleaning up after summer, like right now, is a time for preparing for the season of mostly staying in and being cozy. It consists of washing and putting away outdoor furniture, taking down the screens, scrubbing out ground-in sand, dusting off or throwing away piles of books and papers gathered casually for lazy days, and switching summer clothing and sun-protecting hats for those bulky sweaters, coats, and wintry caps and gloves

Chilmark By Claire Ganz cganz@live.com

A

t Alison Convery’s beautiful and moving memorial service, Katherine Poole’s words recalling her mother, Virginia Poole, and Alison Convery laughing and singing together, brought home the powerful experience of connection we can offer one another as family and chosen family. Alison Convery was a talented businesswoman and artist. She kept in touch, and as Katherine said, Alison made simple

seem like a celebration. Rebecca Gilbert of Native Earth Teaching Farm, author of “Weedy Wisdom for the Curious Forager,” will be sharing her knowledge of foraging

By Hermine Hull hermine.hull@gmail.com

I

we’d packed up in spring. As much as I always dread the chore part of this, I am also grateful for the reminder that each season ends and therefore needs to be embraced while it is still here. So while I curse the mud and debris caused by wintry storms, I also celebrate the fall and wintertime of less bugs, a fire in the wood stove, breathing space on our roads, and the coziness of quilts and soft sweaters. Healthy Aging M.V. has volunteer drivers available to do the driving for seniors who need help

O

L

U

getting to medical appointments. The need is particularly acute for those who live up-Island, as there are too few drivers available up here, and apparently some of the taxi services will no longer work with the program to pick up Aquinnah elders, due to distance. If you know anyone who would like to be a hero by becoming a volunteer driver, please have them call Diane Abbot at Healthy Aging M.V. at 508-5604514. I know of at least one senior who currently needs rides to regularly scheduled

M

N

physical therapy appointments. Do what you can. I want to remind you that on Saturday, Oct. 3, at 3 pm in our Aquinnah Town Hall, you can learn some ballroom dance routines, thanks to the Aquinnah library and all the other libraries on the island. Then, the Gay Head 10k, Run for the Light, is taking place on Sunday, Oct. 4, beginning at 10 am. This terrific fundraiser for our lighthouse promises to have more than 100 runners. It means that traffic will be stopped and/ or diverted for a time that

same ones I have now, were set out along the mantle. She made tuna sandwiches on Wonder Bread that we ate on a blanket in front of the fireplace. We called them snow or hurricane picnics, depending on the weather event. We had games, books, art supplies, blankets to snuggle up in. We always felt safe. Dad would even close the store early, take off his jacket and vest, roll up his shirtsleeves, and join our picnic. Those stormy days are my happiest memories. Ramona Belle Hammond will experience her first nor’easter, although she will probably sleep through the whole event. Ramona is Bethany and Stephen Hammond’s daughter, born on

S morning, so plan for it and be careful, and come on out and cheer for the runners if you can. And then on Monday morning, go to the Up-Island Council on Aging to pick up some free fish from the Derby. I urge you to call the council beforehand at 508-693-2896, as it’s a first-come, firstserved deal. Happy birthday to Grace Vanderhoop on Oct. 1, Tim Murphy on Oct. 2, and Nadine Slate on Oct. 7. Also, anniversary cheers to Hollis Smith and Robin Robinson on Oct. 2.

On Monday morning, go to the Up-Island Council on Aging to pick up some free fish from the Derby. I urge you to call the council beforehand at 508-693-2896, as it’s a first-come, first-served deal.

and nuts at the “Friends Foraging and Fermenting” gathering at the Chilmark library, Saturday, Oct. 10, from 1 to 3 pm. To register, go to bit.ly/CLAMS_ ForageFerment. The Island is full of exceptional people. If you haven’t already seen the interactive exhibit of Life magazine and Time-Life Books photo editor Dolores Littles, on display at the M.V. Museum, go before it closes on Oct. 4.

Littles is a master, and this interactive exhibit gives you a chance to not just admire and honor her and the profession of journalism, but to experience how stories are crafted. In the same floor of the museum is the exhibit “The Two Worlds of Denys Wortman”; alongside his exceptional cartoons capturing the depth of life hangs his last painting, a stylized version of Menemsha that beautifully encapsulates the breadth of

the people and the place. As Nancy Aronie says, there is already enough judgment, and we need to hear each other's stories. Her “Jump-Start Your Memoir” workshop, a place where hearts open and words begin to flow. is headed to the Omega Institute in Rhinebeck, N.Y., Oct. 18–22. There are a few spots left in Nancy’s Feb. 15-19 retreat at Kripalu, in Stockbridge. She gives us a place to honor

Sadly, October is the last month of Irene Wong’s residency at North Tabor Farm. Keep your eyes open, because Wong will be offering one more Fancy Pizza party at a multi-course feast at the farm.

West Tisbury

t’s been breezy the past few days, expected to get outright windy with heavy rain over the weekend. I, along with everyone else, have brought in my houseplants, the chair cushions from the porch, did laundry, set out candles and flashlights, made sure we had dog and cat food. I noticed that Mike brought in some kindling and firewood. We are ready for anything. My mother always prepared for storms much the same way I do now. The remembered rituals and connections feel right. Mom brought up a Sterno stove from the cellar to have ready, in case the power went out. Candles in her brass candlesticks, the

C

Sept. 17, West Tisbury’s newest citizen. I saw pictures of her with her brothers, Silas and Kieran, who look ready to dote upon her. She is the first granddaughter for Suzanne and Rich Hammond, and Sue and Will deBettencourt. The Barnes family postponed the celebration of the life of Trip Barnes that was scheduled for this weekend. It has been rescheduled for Nov. 21 at 4:30 pm, still at the Ag Hall. Trip’s daughter, Elizabeth, said the family “hesitated, as he was not the kind of guy to change things for a storm, but the mere mortals among us figured it made sense.” We will remind you in November. I met Christine Buckley at the horse show last weekend. We started chatting, and she told me

about her husband, Paul, who is a model train enthusiast. Her story sounded interesting. After all, who doesn’t like watching trains clanging through elaborate villages, tunnels, forests, and all of the other possible landscape forms one can construct? A total of 390 feet of track on two levels, 81 locomotives, and more than 200 cars comprise Paul Buckley’s model train setup. He has replicated the 1960s small town of his childhood, complete with the hardware store, town hall, church, bank, train junction, the garage where he worked, a coal mine and refinery, an evergreen forest with deer, a fishing hole, freight yard, houses laid out along streets with a cast of adults, kids, and

dogs going about their lives. His layout won third prize in the LGB Club’s indoor category in 2025. Paul was delighted to meet Rick Fisher, a kindred spirit who started the Model Railroad Club that meets at the West Tisbury library the first Saturday of every month at 3 pm. I am curious enough to want to check out their meeting this Saturday, Oct. 3. How many model railroad engineers belong? What kinds of fantastic worlds have they created? What kinds of trains have they chosen, and how simple or complicated are their journeys? Also at the library this week, on Friday, Oct. 2 from 2 to 3 pm, is a program for caregivers and their loved ones with

our inner voice and silence the inner critic. Sign up through her website, chilmarkwritingworkshop.com. North Tabor Farm has a generator, and we will be able to restock treats even if our power goes out. The Farmers Market is inside the Ag Hall on Saturdays. Sadly, October is the last month of Irene Wong’s residency at North Tabor Farm. Keep your eyes open, because Wong will be offering one more Fancy Pizza party at a multi-course feast at the farm. The first one sold out quickly. Follow her on Instagram: bit. ly/Insta_IreneWong. May we keep in touch with our neighbors not just before and after storms.

Alzheimer’s or other dementias, about the healing power of music, by documentary filmmaker Dawna Hammers, and a book for caregivers by writer Sue Beardsley. At 3:30 pm, May Oskan will perform some of her own compositions, solo or performing with other musicians from the Vineyard. The Island Quilters Circle will welcome viewers to their exhibition of handmade, hand-designed quilts on Saturday at 3 pm. Thursday, Oct. 8, is the inaugural meeting of the Philosophy Book Club at 5:30 pm. Contact gwilbur@clamsnet.org if you are interested. Hope we all survive the nor’easter with minimal damage. Stay safe and stay warm.

Dad would even close the store early, take off his jacket and vest, roll up his shirtsleeves, and join our picnic. Those stormy days are my happiest memories.

B6

community & calendar

October 1, 2026

Richard North Patterson’s ‘Tripwires’ Continued from B2 nowhere. And so what I want people to understand is the environment from which he sprang. Look at the first decade of the new millennium, which I think was one of America's historic worst. In the presidential election, we have Bush v. Gore, in which the Supreme Court intervened in a Florida recount, essentially picking the president. And then it all flows from there. Maybe 9/11 would or wouldn't have happened under a Gore administration. We don't know. What we do know is that we had the Iraq War, which created enormous distrust, and fractured Iraq, which gave rise to ISIS, which empowered Iran. The Bush tax policies uber-charged our deficit, which added to the suffocating class divide we already had. We had the subprime mortgage crisis of 2008, in which ordinary people got sucked into mortgages with rates that essentially bankrupted them. Then interest rates were raised. Then [Supreme Court Chief Justice] John Roberts drove the revolutionary decision in the Citizens United case, which allowed unlimited money from corporations and wealthy individuals in politics. And so you look at all of that, and Trump had nothing to do with any of it, but it all created the conditions of discontent and destabilization on which he bred.

CS: Why is it important

for us to understand that historical pattern that led to this moment?

RNP: It’s important to un-

derstand why this happened, and the stages that brought us here, if we're going to recover our democracy and reinvigorate our belief in the American destiny, and make it actually more inclusive than ever before. I would argue that as bad as Trump's racism was, in making people paranoid, angry, and rallying people to his side, the economic divide is something that we have to address to create a wider sense of opportunity for people and their kids before we get them to worry about democracy. So I think those are my true reasons.

CS: If I am hearing you

correctly, you are saying there may be a danger if

we heap disproportionate blame for our decline as a country only on Donald Trump. Why do you believe it's so important to be distributive in the blame, and where is the peril in pinning it on Trump?

very privileged group, and they have their own ideological leanings. I mean, watching MS NOW is like a warm bath, OK? But that's not necessarily where you want to get your news …

cents and early teens. Now, I think those issues are not nearly as important as Republicans make them out to be, but it's also true that we cannot be scornful of people who have different takes on things than we do on some issue or another, so that they feel excluded. And part of the liberal problem,

RNP: The no-

tion that if we simply get rid of Donald Trump, we will dispel all our problems is delusional. And let me make another point here. Where has half of the Republican Party gone in the past 25 years? It's an angrier party. It is a less well-educated party than it was when our parents were, perhaps, Republicans. It is more economically threatened. It is more racially anxious, in part because of immigration, in part because of racism and a backlash against having a Black president. And so we have to understand the Republican Party is now a seedbed for not just Trumpism, but for autocratic leanings. There is a belief that what we need is an authoritarian government to dispel all the enemies that we imagine we have, and to provide simple solutions unimpeded by Democrats, democracy, or anything like that.

CS: Another point you

make is to encourage readers to understand and reflect on the economic divide as a driving factor for how we got where we are. This Island that we love, Martha's Vineyard, is one of those places of great economic divide. So what would you have to say to Islanders in this regard?

RNP: You know, the Martha's Vineyard summer crowd, in particular, is a

the electorate writ large. And I also, frankly, avoid some of it. Because there’s only so much that you need to hear, because it's not new. And I avoid, for example, email exchanges about political opinions. I remember once voicing not just an opinion, but the awareness that there was a substantial skepticism in Washington about Kamala Harris' political abilities and policy chops. And when I put that out, I got a lot of, Well, what do you know? Well, actually, in that case [I knew] more than they did, and I think my concern was somewhat vindicated during the campaign, as well as she did in lots of ways. So I don't partake broadly in conversations with people who are sort of locked in to what I would call white liberalism because it simply doesn't go anywhere.

CS: I want to

However one feels about immigration, it is clear that we have broken borders. It is clear that a sound border is part of an indispensable sovereignty. And once we understand that, we can have the meaningful reform of our immigration policies that we need. Also, it’s perfectly reasonable for the parent of a high school kid to be concerned with their child competing against a transgender athlete. It’s perfectly OK for the mother of a third grader to wonder about the kid being taught about sex. It's perfectly valid for one to wonder about the medical and psychological effects of transitioning for adoles-

as surely Martha’s Vineyard knows, is that it is so precious. It is so rarefied that you simply can't accept that other people believe differently than you.

CS: Is some of your purpose in this book to try to help us all get past some of that rigid ideology, to think about this in a new way? How do you navigate that here? RNP: Well, I would say the preciousness I spoke of is not a quality shared by everyone, but there is certainly enough. It goes to the broader analytic tools they bring — or don't bring — to considering the quality of

give readers a good sense of where you're going and where this book seeks to lead them through the tripwires. Do you ever put a hierarchy on these 15 different causes of where we are right now? Do you see some that need to be more focused on than others?

RNP: Well, I would say that there's a collective of five tripwires, which involve the Supreme Court. John Roberts is involved in four of them as an agent of our democratic decline. Start with the intrusion on the election by Bush v. Gore, then go to the Citizens United case. So now Elon Musk was able to give $130 million [in PAC funds, an estimate later revised up to $250 million] to Donald Trump. So we have, in 24 years of Supreme Court decisions,

“We cannot be scornful of people who have different takes on things than we do on some issue or another, so that they feel excluded.” –RICHARD NORTH PATTERSON

really degraded democracy in a lot of ways. You know, it's kind of remarkable that the Supreme Court has been such an agent of democratic degradation. I would argue that next to Donald Trump, John Roberts is the single person most responsible for the perilous state in which we find our democracy.

CS: It's really interesting

that the whole nexus of the arguments of “Tripwires” is that the Supreme Court, actually should be the instrument that we use to disentangle ourselves from those tripwires. Is the undermining of our democracy inevitable at this point? Can we stop it? And what's the first step to turning it around?

RNP: The first step is economic equity. What do you say about a country in which we have a minimum wage of $7.25, which hasn't changed in 16 years? We spent a lot of that time, in fact, shoveling money upstairs with aggressive tax cuts that go really only to the wealthy. So we have to address economic inequities in a variety of ways. We have to make people more secure, you know, whether it's daycare or tax credits or antitrust laws that provide more competition for workers. Among other things, we have to redo our tax code, and ensure that people at the upper end pay their fair share. We have to worry about funding local education, Head Start, our public schools, free community college for two years, higher Pell grants. We need to aggressively make our middle class more secure, because they've become increasingly less secure and more economically marginalized. If you look at how our class system breaks down, the top 10 percent, particularly the top 1 percent, can live where they want, they can buy their house where they want, they can send their kids to school where they want. They know the gatekeepers of success. That's not the world in which most Americans live. CS: After finishing this

book, do you end up hopeful that we can in fact accomplish the goal of reclaiming our democracy?

RNP: Well, you know, the whole process of writing this book is an act of hope …

A monthly newsletter for people interested in writing and the writing life on Martha’s Vineyard. SCAN

HERE TO SUBSCRIBE!

community & calendar B7

October 1, 2026

Event spotlight for the week of 10•1 — 10•7

FRI 10/2 First Friday

B

e sure to catch your favorite artists, musicians, food trucks, and some new vendors, for a day of community and local art. Featuring a Daytime Art Market

SAT 10/3

Haunted Edgartown

at Beach St. Ext., 10 am to 2 pm; Owen Park market and food vendors, 5 pm until dark; live music at Owen Park, 5 to 9 pm; Silent Disco at Owen Park, 9 to 10:30 pm.

SUN 10/4

‘Inside the Edit: Dolores Allen Littles, Time-Life, and the Island’

T J

oin in a 90-minute guided storytelling walk through Edgartown, where tales of shipwrecks, curses, and restless spirits come alive. Best for brave teens and curious adults. The tour includes ghost stories, legends, and strange truths from one

of the most historic (and haunted) corners of Martha’s Vineyard. Designed as a "PG-13" experience. Please wear walking shoes and prepare for uneven paths, dark corners, and unexpected guests. $30. 7:30 to 9 pm. 56 North Water St., Edgartown, hauntededgartown.com.

his exhibition centers on Oak Bluffs resident Dolores Allen Littles, and her decades in the Time Inc. photo department, making her way up from the clip desk to photo editor, and later director of photography at Time-Life Books. Littles was one of the rare Black women shaping national visual narratives in that era. Through Littles’ life, visitors will meet the photographers behind the images, explore the craft of photo editing, and see

how the Vineyard nurtured a community of Life photographers, editors, and others. Adults $21, seniors $18, youth $7, under 6 free; members free. M.V. Museum, 151 Lagoon Pond Road, Vineyard Haven, mvmuseum.org/exhibition/insidethe-edit-dolores-allen-littles.

MV MUSEUM

MON 10/5

TUES 10/6

WED 10/7

T

T

C

‘MVAA All Members Show’

he Martha's Vineyard Art Association's All Members Show at the historic Old Sculpin Gallery features work from local artists. Open daily, 10 am to

5 pm, through Oct. 12. Old Sculpin Gallery, 58 Dock St., Edgartown.

Lil Lab Tick Workshop

his four-week hands-on science and art workshop is for grades 4 through 6. They will explore ticks up close with microscopes, 3D printing, and other creative projects, and learn how to protect themselves, their families, and pets. Part science lab, part art studio, Lil Lab offers a chance to look closely, ask questions,

make things, and learn by doing. Space is limited. Please register with mlynch@clamsnet.org or call 508-693-9438. 56R School St. R, Oak Bluffs.

Center of Knowhere

enter of Knowhere is sowing seeds of a movement that will change the world through art. It is the mission to serve as a vehicle toward that

end. Be sure to visit and check out the artwork. 11 am to 5 pm, 73 Circuit Ave., Oak Bluffs. info@knowhereart.com, or call 917-960-9344; knowhereart.com.

Events THURSDAY, OCTOBER 1 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.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-5499107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Mah Jongg for Beginners

10:15 am-12:15 pm, Vineyard Haven Public 9-10 am, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tis- 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Library. Learn to play American Mah Jongg with Rosemary Chalk. Registration required. bury. Total body conditioning, learning body’s Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. creative process of muralist Margot Datz, strengths & weaknesses, how to prevent injury. Tech help coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov, 508-693-2896. whose work transformed the Old Whaling Church and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-549- 11 am-1 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, Adaptive Strength and 9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. West Tisbury. Free tach help 508-693Pilates with Judy Kranz 2896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov. Art Exhibition: MVAA All 9-10 am, West Tisbury Library. Weekly Stravaiger: Wanderer Members Show Pilates and strength training. This class 10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. 11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playis free and open to the public. Please house, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show dress in comfortable clothing and bring Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery. o rg. your own mat. wt_mail@clamsnet.org. around Scotland, open throughout Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest the month of October. 508-6969 am-3:30 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. 6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo Edgartown. Enjoy Sengekontacket on this Center of Knowhere transforms wood into striped bass, self-guided kayak tour. Clues lead you 11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar through the pond. Call to reserve for up Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, to 3 hours; returning the boats by 3:30. 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Balletics

Science & Nature Book Club Reads “Fuzz” by Mary Roach

TONY — at the MV Film Center

OPEN AUDITIONS: THE ODYSSEY

2:30-5 pm, West Tisbury Library. Email gwilbur@ clamsnet.org for more information or to register. 508-693-3366, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

Edgartown Old Westside Graveyard Walking Tour

Author Talk: Numinosity: A New England Forester’s Search for the Ineffable

Pokemon Club

‘FORGOTTEN ISLAND’ at the Edgartown Cinema

2 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Contact library to join email list. Everyone is welcome! 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Chair Caning Workshop Series with Fred Thornbrugh

4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. TONY — A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown, MA and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

4-5:15 pm, Old Westside Graveyard, Edgartown. Gravestones are a window 3-4:45 pm, Chilmark Library. Join us for a relaxed into the past. Walk through Old Westside afternoon of knitting. Our knitters love to share graveyard with historian Elizabeth Villard. Fee $20. Information. Text 508 their knowledge and beginners are welcome! 627 2529. evillardmv@gmail.com. 508-645-3360, chil.programs@gmail.com.

Community Knitting Circle

3:30-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Bring your Pokémon cards to show to others! This is a club to talk about Pokémon, look at cards, play the game and draw! For ages 5-12. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

‘PRACTICAL MAGIC 2’ at the Edgartown Cinema

3:45 pm, Edgartown Cinema. A multi generational family of witches, cursed to be loveless for centuries, attempts to break the spell. 508-627-8008, yourneighborhoodtheatre.com.

4 pm, Edgartown Cinema. Two best friends become stranded on the mystical world of Nakali, where their only escape might cost them their shared lifetime of memories. 508-6278008, yourneighborhoodtheatre.com.

6-9 pm, Katharine Cornell Theater, Vineyard Haven. OPEN AUDITIONS! Adults & teens 10+—your next adventure awaits! Join The Odyssey! Arrive at 6 PM. Directed by Jonah Maidoff. Sign up by Sept. 25! 508-208-5945, islandheth@gmail.com.

6-7 pm, Edgartown Library. Bob uses his poems to engage participants in thinking and discussing 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Brazilian Portuguese for Beginners: Class

6-8 pm, MVRHS, Oak Bluffs. 6-week beginners class covering the essentials for everyday conversation, getting to know someone, and more! Visit acemv. org to sign up. admin@acemv.org.

Meditation

6-7 pm, Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, West Tisbury. Group meditation available both in per5 pm, Tisbury Senior Center, Vineyard son at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury, and online Haven. Table tennis for all ages and skill via Zoom. marthasvineyard@bodhipath.org. levels. 508-728-5898, raeobmv@gmail.com. Continued on B8

Table Tennis

B8

calendar & community

October 1, 2026

‘Rivals of Amziah King’: The underworld of beekeeping BY ABBY REMER

A

ndrew Patterson’s genrebending movie “The Rivals of Amziah King” plays at the M.V. Film Center starting Oct. 2, and is full of great music, humor, mystery, and adventure.. It can make you smile and, at times, keep you guessing about where the story will go next. Veteran actor Matthew McConaughey stars as a backwoods philosopher, Amziah, and Angelina LookingGlass is Kateri, a young indigenous woman who was once his foster child. Set in rural Oklahoma, the narrative opens with an intriguing hook. The loquacious, mandolin-playing Amziah and his musically gifted bluegrass band of misfits gather at a low-key drive-in to play their hearts out as waitresses serve drivers in hulking vehicles around them. The band members share an easy camaraderie as they serenade the diners and play up a footstomping storm. Suddenly, a detective shows up and asks Amziah, a professional beekeeper and honey producer, to help identify whom some huge, valuable barrels of stolen honey belonged to. Happy to comply, Amziah must extract the honey and look for the owner’s markings

inside the barrel. His friends join the complicated procedure, each doing his job like a worker bee. The scene takes a bizarre turn before jumping to the next few scenarios, which lead to his wandering into a diner. It turns out his waitress is Katari, whom Amziah hasn’t seen since she was 8. He takes her under his wing, folding Katari into his warm family of friends. Amziah also introduces her to the magical world of beekeeping and honey production, explaining that each hive is an interconnected community of three types of bees: drones, worker bees, and a queen. With all its surprises, it would be a spoiler to give away too much more, except to say that when the unexpected happens, the film turns into an imaginative, fast-paced revenge drama, as Amziah’s rivals set themselves against him in the competitive underworld of beekeeping. This introduces a particularly fiendish character, Dob McCoy, played by Kurt Russell. Ultimately, “The Rivals of Amziah King” becomes a tale of a colony’s collapse and rebuilding of the hive. The memorable, rousing soundtrack, which leaves you wanting to hear more, along with the ensemble cast, knits the film together, creating a boisterous, curious, enjoyable romp.

Events

Continued from B8

Jazz piano at the Sweet Life with Jeremy Berlin

6:30-9 pm, Sweet Life Cafè, Oak Bluffs. join us for dinner, drinks a some live jazz piano. Jeremy Berlin plays every Thursday at 6:30 598-696-0200, erin@sweetlifemv.com.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 2

Pilates Mixed Apparatus Class

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

The MV Film Society • Now celebrating 28 years • 1999-2026

4:00 PM Thurs TONY 10/1 LATE FAME 7:30 PM MANHATTAN SHORT LAST SHOWING 4:00 PM Fri FILM FESTIVAL 10/2 THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING 7:30 PM METROPOLITAN OPERA LIVE: 1:00 PM Sat 10/3 COSI FAN TUTTE THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING 7:30 PM Sun THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING 4:00 PM 10/4 LATE FAME 7:30 PM MONDAY & TUESDAY, OCT. 5 & 6 · FILM CENTER IS CLOSED

NATIONAL THEATRE LIVE: 7:30 PM THE MISANTHROPE LATE FAME LAST SHOWING 4:00 PM Thurs 10/8 THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING 7:30 PM Wed 10/7

WINNER BEST ARTS AND CULTURE ORGANIZATION 2025 & 2026 Voted by the Vineyard Community

The MV Film Center is open to the public and masks are optional for all individuals. Please join us for an in-person movie experience soon!

scan code for complete schedule

mvfilmsociety.com

508.69 6.9369

Toddler Time

11-11:30 am, Chilmark Library. We’ll 9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The en- read classic and current children’s chanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail literature, and sing, move, and play together. Ideal for preschool ages. meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com 508-6453360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com. 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

9-9:55 am, Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork, Vineyard Haven. This group equipment class using Reformer and/or Tower and/ or Chair is designed for those with some ‘RESIDENT EVIL’ at the Edgartown Cinema experience on the Pilates Apparatus. 6:45 pm, Edgartown Cinema. A hapless 508-696-6452, pilates@vineyardpilates.com. First Friday Vineyard Haven courier is tasked with delivering a package 10 am-10 pm, Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural Kayak & Stand Up Paddle to a remote hospital. He soon finds himself District, Vineyard Haven. First Friday returns Board Quest caught in the middle of an outbreak. 5089 am-3:30 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, to the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District 627-8008, yourneighborhoodtheatre.com. for an incredible day celebrating local art, Edgartown. Enjoy Sengekontacket on this food, and community! Hello@vhhcd.org. LATE FAME — at the MV Film Center self-guided kayak tour. Clues lead you 7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator through the pond. Call to reserve for up Haven. LATE FAME — Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, to 3 hours; returning the boats by 3:30. a forgotten New York poet works in the post 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the creative office. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com. Acrylic Painting with John Holladay process of muralist Margot Datz, whose work transformed the Old Whaling Church Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s 9 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the work by appointment Arts, Oak Bluffs. Perfect your painting tech- and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-549-9107, Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, niques during this intermediate/advanced THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s class. Bring an image for inspiration and 10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can learn to improve your composition. 508be seen by appointment by calling 502693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org. 936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com.

Information & Schedules

“The Rivals of Amziah King” opens at the M.V. Film Center on Oct. 2. For tickets and information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.

10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-5499107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-549-9107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Kid’s Music Class

10:30-11 am, West Tisbury Library. Sing fun songs and play instruments with friends! Ages 0-5 508-693-3366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org.

Friday Crafting

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

Stravaiger: Wanderer

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Center of Knowhere

11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.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.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3

Loving Kindness and Mindfulness Meditation: A 90-Minute Journey 8:30-10 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This class offers a blend of loving-kindness meditation, mindfulness practice, and shared experiences through personal reflection info@stillpointmv.org.

Community Greenhouse of MV

Children’s Saturday Crafting with Helen Hall

10 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Come have fun in the Children’s Art Studio during these weekend crafting workshops - different themes will be explored seasonally! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Saturday Storytime

9-11 am, Community Greenhouse of MV, Oak Bluffs. Get your hands in the soil and help the community greenhouse. Music is Medicine Seeding, transplanting, and harvesting; 2-3 pm, West Tisbury Library. Caregivers and gardening chats and advice are a bonus! their loved ones are invited to join Dawna 774-563-8417, smiller8690@gmail.com. Hammers and Sue Beardsley for a program Vinyasa Power Yoga centered on the healing power of music. 9-10 am, Edgartown Library. Free and open 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org. to the public. Registration is required. HERitage: A Multimedia Sign up at edgartownlibrary.org. 508-627Music and Art Retrospective 4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

10:15-10:45 am, Oak Bluffs Library. Join us for a fun-filled storytime with stories, songs, scarves, and shakers. There will be interactive board books and a story picture book as well. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

3-8 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Join us for a brand-new music and arts festival, curated by Island musician and Martha’s Vineyard Times reporter Sarah Shaw Dawson info@stillpointmv.org.

Circus: To the Moon and Back!

on Historic MV Women

Nintendo Switch and Laptop Gaming for teens 13-18

3-5 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Play switch games and use our gaming laptops! 508-696-4211, jrapuano@clamsnet.org.

Teen Smash Bros Tournament and Pizza Party POSTPNED UNTIL10.02 5-7 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. POSTPNED UNTIL10.02 Switch Smash Bros Battle for teens aged 13-17! Pizza provided by MV Community Servicesjrapuano@clamsnet.org.

THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey). 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

Kaiut Yoga

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

Tween STEAM: Science Through Art

9:30-11:30 am, Slough Farm, Edgartown. Tween STEAM: Science Through Art 508-627-7222, kendall@greatpondfoundation.org.

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

10:30-11:45 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This upbeat Pilates class blends preventative medicine, mind-over-matter focus, and joyful movement info@stillpointmv.org. 10:30 am, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Fantastic juggling, acrobatics, clowning, physical theater, comedy, & more! Great family entertainment, this show will have you laughing and clapping! 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Stravaiger: Wanderer

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Fall Bulletin Board Craft

11 am-2 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Help us decorate the main circulation Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator desk bulletin board for fall. Drop-in 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the creative between 11am and 2pm and make a fall craft! All ages welcome! 508process of muralist Margot Datz, whose 693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org. work transformed the Old Whaling Church Center of Knowhere and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-549-9107, 11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com. 10 am-5 pm, Old Sculpin Gallery, Edgartown. Oktoberfest Weekend at NOMANS Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show 11 am-9 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. 508-939-4092, art@oldsculpingallery.org. Celebrate OKTOBERFEST at NOMANS Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired | October 3 - 4 | All Ages Welcome by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood 508-338-2474, events@nomansmv.com. into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-5499107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. Continued on B9

calendar & community B9

October 1, 2026

Events

Continued from B8

Storytime

11-11:30 am, Chilmark Library. We’ll read classic and current children’s literature, and sing, move, and play together. Ideal for ages 3-6. adubno@clamsnet.org, 508645-3360. chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com.

Ballroom/Partner Dance Class

11:30 am-12:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Led by Tom Carberry, from the MV Ballroom Dancers. No experience necessary, no need to bring a partner. All ages and abilities are welcome. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Mah Jongg Group

12:30-2:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Weekly gameplay at the library. Email gwilbur@clamsnet.org to reserve your spot or for more information. 508693-3366, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

A Conversation with BoSama: Wisdom, Healing, and Higher Guidance

1-2:30 pm, Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork, Vineyard Haven. Join Janet Griffin, an intuitive healer and teacher with over 30 years of experience, for a powerful live channeling gathering. 410-9603376, pilates@vineyardpilates.com.

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.

Climate Conversation Chilmark: Menemsha’s Working Waterfront 2-3:30 pm, Chilmark Library. A panel discussion explores local priorities and the goals of the 2022 Island Climate Action Plan with a focus on economic resilience in Menemsha. 508-338-7388, isomichi@mvcommission.org.

Model Railroad Group

3-4 pm, West Tisbury Library. Share ideas, tips, projects, and more! This group is led by long-time model railroad enthusiast Rick Fischer. Free and open to the public. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

West Tisbury Quilting Circle Show and Reception

3-4:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Come meet the artists and see the quilts of the West Tisbury Quilting Circle at our biennial show. Refreshments will be served. 508-560-0260, kswarner57@gmail.com.

Island Quilters Quilt Show

3-4:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Join the Island Quilters Circle for an artist reception on Saturday, October 3 from 3PM-4:30PM. Free and open to the public. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org

Community Remembrance Event 5:30-6:30 pm, Joseph A. Sylvia State Beach, Edgartown. HPCMV will host a Community Remembrance Event on 10/3/26 at 5:30 PM at Joseph A. Sylvia State Beach, gathering at the Camp Jabberwocky parking area. 508-6930189, lstevens@hospiceofmv.org.

Neighborhood Dance w/ MV Ballroom Dance Group & PathwaysArts

7-8:30 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Please join us for this once-monthly dance event brought to you by the Martha’s Vineyard Ballroom dance group info@stillpointmv.org.

THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey). 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Haunted Edgartown

7:30-9 pm, The streets of Edgartown. Get ready to explore spooky stories and ghostly vibes in Edgartown! 508-2123035, seamusrattigan@gmail.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com.

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 4 Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Meditation

10-11 am, Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, West Tisbury. Group meditation, both in person at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury and online via Zoom. marthasvineyard@bodhipath.org.

Softening Into Stillness

11 am-12 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Somatic meditation practice. Soften awareness into the body to release tension, cultivate resilience, and connect to presence. awakeningthewildheart@gmail.com.

Oktoberfest Weekend at NOMANS 11 am-8:30 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. Celebrate OKTOBERFEST at NOMANS October 3 - 4. All Ages Welcome 508338-2474, events@nomansmv.com.

Center of Knowhere

12-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com.

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.

Understanding Guitar with Shelly Jones

1-3 pm, West Tisbury Library. Join guitar teacher Shelly Jones for a four-part series of lessons at the West Tisbury Library! To register, please email gwilbur@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366, wtprograms@clamsnet.org.

FOOTBALL AT NOMANS

1-5 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. FOOTBALL @ Nomans ON THE BIG SCREENS | FOOD | DRINKS | FUN FOR ALL AGES 508338-2474, events@nomansmv.com.

Open Writing Hours

1-3 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for Open Writing Hours every Sunday! Writers are welcome to gather and work in Featherstone’s Library. 508-6931850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

At Stillpoint // Healing Hour with Sue Angeley

3-4 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Healing practitioner Sue Angeley utilizes two modalities that employ vibrational energy to lead you to a deeply restorative state of relaxation info@stillpointmv.org.

THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — at the MV Film Center

Inside the Edit: Dolores Allen Littles, Time-Life, and the Island

Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Exhibit highlighting Dolores Littles’ pioneering role within Time–Life photography. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 5

Pilates Mixed Apparatus Class

9-9:55 am, Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork, Vineyard Haven. This group equipment class using Reformer and/or Tower and/ or Chair is designed for those with some experience on the Pilates Apparatus. 508-696-6452, pilates@vineyardpilates.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. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

Martha’s Vineyard Poetry Reading Group

10 am, Vineyard Haven Public Library. No qualifications, except a love of poetry. Send an email to vhpl_programs@clamsnet. org to be added to the list. 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.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

Moving Stories Dance Class

11-11:45 am, West Tisbury Library. Free, Creative Dance Class for ages 2-6 WT Library 11-11:45 on Mondays 508-6933366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org.

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.

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.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs, Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 6 Kaiut Yoga

4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey). 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

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.

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. LATE FAME — Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) a forgotten New York poet works in the post office. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

9-10:15 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This upbeat Pilates class blends preventative medicine, mind-over-matter focus, and joyful movement info@stillpointmv.org.

LATE FAME — at the MV Film Center

Radio show - Renaissance Viol music

7:30-9:15 pm, WVVY - MV Community Radio, Vineyard Haven. Radio show “It’s a Big World, Open Yer Ears”. This week: Renaissance Viol music from Jordi Savall and Hesperion. Excellent. 96.7 lpfm or www.wvvy.org 617-676-8160, egik_egak_egoogimak@yahoo.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-9363599. 502-936-3599, juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

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.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@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. 774-549-9107, 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.

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-549-9107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Assisted Knitting Open Studio

10 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for open knitting studio with assistance from Helen Hall and Zoe Thompson. Enjoy company and conversation as we work on our own projects! 508-6931850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Story Circle

At Stillpoint // The Somatics of Language: How Words Land in the Body

5:30-6:45 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. In this class led by Kate Gamble, we will explore the deep connection between language and the body. info@stillpointmv.org.

Barre Fusion with Kris Martin

5:30-6:30 pm, 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.

Meditation

6-7 pm, Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, West Tisbury. Group meditation available both in person at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury, and online via Zoom. marthasvineyard@bodhipath.org.

Chilmark Church Pizza Nights

6 pm, Chilmark Church. Tuesday Free Pizza Nights 508-645-3100, pclarkgoff@comcast.net.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7 Mindfulness & Meditation Open Practice Group

Stravaiger: Wanderer

7:30-8:30 am, Aquinnah Town Hall, Aquinnah. Mindfulness & meditation practice group, open to anyone interested in being more intentional and practicing with others. 413-575-0110, ruthfolchman@me.com.

Memory Training – MV Center for Living

8-9 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. EFF’n Move (essentials for embodied, ecstatic, elevated, and empowered functionality) is a mindful, low-impact training approach. info@stillpointmv.org.

10:30-11 am, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Story circle with stories, music and songs, responsively led by librarian Aria. All ages. 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

At Stillpoint // Balance with Kanta Lipsky

9:30-10:30 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This is a one-hour class based on the gentle, flowing movements of Qigong (Chi Kung) info@stillpointmv.org.

Memory Support Group

10 am-11:30 pm, Tisbury Council on Aging, Vineyard Haven. Are you concerned about memory changes? Join us for a safe, welcoming group to talk openly & explore helpful tips and tools for memory support. 508-939-9440, maryh@mvcenter4living.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: MVAA All Members Show

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

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-5499107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

At Stillpoint // EFF’n Move Series with Tuni

2-4 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Memory Training is an intensive course teaching memory enhancing techniques and practical strategies. 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Learn what to do if ICE/ Federal agents come

10:15-10:45 am, Oak Bluffs Public Library. Join us for a fun-filled storytime with stories, songs, scarves, and a parachute. Stories are geared toward kids 1.5 to 5, but all ages are welcome. 508693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

10:30-11 am, West Tisbury Library, West Tisbury. Storytime with Hannah! Fun stories and silly songs for kids of all ages. Rec ages 0 to 5 but all are welcome. 508-693-3366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org

Play Reading at Tisbury Senior Center

10:30-11 am, Edgartown Library. A story time in both Spanish and English/Una hora del cuento tanto en español como en inglés. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org

Lego Club

2:45-4 pm, Chilmark Library. Kids Lego Club 508-645-3360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com.

Creator Club

3-4:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Each week we’ll have a different hands-on craft to try 508627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Basics of Metalsmithing with Liam McGorman

3-6 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Learn the craft of jewelry making - create either a bracelet, ring, or necklace pendant using a variety of metals including, brass, copper and silver. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.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 library-meets every Tuesday, from 3:30-4:30pm. ages 10-18, supplies provided. 508-693-3366, lhearn@clamsnet.org.

Lil Lab Tick Workshop

3:30-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Students in grades 4-6 are invited to join us for a 4 week, hands-on exploration of ticks. Please register w/ mlynch@clamsnet.org or 508-693-9438.

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. 508-693-9433, 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.

Table Tennis

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

Soil Testing 101

5:30-7 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, West Tisbury. Learn how to test your garden soil and grow healthier food! 508-693-9549, admin@mvagsoc.org.

8:30-9:30 am, Oak Bluffs Library. Protect yourself and others from ICE -- become a Fourth Amendment workplace 508693-9433, MV4AProject@proton.me.

Wednesday Storytime

Children’s Storytime

9-10:15 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This upbeat Pilates class blends preventative medicine, mind-over-matter focus, and joyful movement info@stillpointmv.org.

Hello/Hola/Oi! Bilingual Storytime

9 am-12 pm, Tisbury Council on Aging, Vineyard Haven. Play Reading for Artistic, Literary and Dramatic Pleasure 201207-7568, monahennessy1@gmail.com.

Stravaiger: Wanderer

Pilates Mixed Apparatus Class

9-9:55 am, Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork, Vineyard Haven. This group equipment class using Reformer and/or Tower and/or Chair is designed for those with some experience on the Pilates Apparatus. 508696-6452, pilates@vineyardpilates.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.

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.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Center of Knowhere

11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com

Mah Jongg Group

12:30-2:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Registration is required. Due to limited space, observers are not permitted. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Mah Jong

1-3 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tisbury. Come join us for Mah Jong every Wednesday from 1-3:00 @ The Up Island Council on Aging . 1042 State Rd West Tisbury 508-6932896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov.

Lego and Magna-tile Club

2-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. For kids of all ages. Creativity, problem solving, spatial reasoning and teamwork are skills your child can practice at Lego Club. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Virtual Reality Games for Ages 10-18

3-5 pm, West Tisbury Library, The Oculus VR is set up for 10-15 minutes of use per person. wt_mail@clamsnet.org, 508-693-3366. Continued on B10

B10

calendar & community

October 1, 2026

Events

Continued from B9

Climate Conversation Oak Bluffs: Caring for Our Coastal Ponds

Restorative Reset with Jelisa Difo

5:30-6:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Postures close to the ground for deep rest and relaxation. programs@edgartownlibrary.org, 508-627-4221.

3-5 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. This panel discussion explores local priorities and the goals of the 2022 Island Climate Action Plan with a focus on coastal ponds across the island. 508-3387388, isomichi@mvcommission.org.

Quilting Circle

6-7:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. All are welcome. For details, email Wendy at wgnierenberg@ yahoo.com or call the library at 508-693-3366.

Drop-in Knitting Group with Cindy Bonnell

Fall Film Showcase: Burgundy 7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Fall Film Showcase: Burgundy 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

3-5 pm, Edgartown Library. All levels are welcome to bring their projects for support and inspiration. programs@ edgartownlibrary.org, 508-627-4221.

Free English Classes

7-8 pm, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day saints, Vineyard Haven. Free English Classes offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Basic conversational classes offered. To register text 774-563-0460. brentbrown81@gmail.com

Rug Hooking Open Studio with Island Hookers

3-6 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Come further your skills with the support of the Island Rug Hookers! They will be available for guidance ,or just come for company while working! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Strings & Things drop-in club

3:30-5 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Play games with string, including iconic childhood favorites like Cat’s Cradle. Explore our building materials including Legos, Magnatiles, and more. 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Memory Infusion Support Group

3:30-4:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, Vineyard Haven. MV Center for Living. Contact Mary Holmes to register. 508-939-9440 maryh@mvcenter4living.org

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. 774-563-8282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com.

Adaptive Strength and Pilates with Judy Kranz

5-6 pm, Agricultural Hall, West Tisbury. Discuss disease prevention, hive maintenance, and more. Open to all. Visit marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org. 508-693-9549. 5-8:30 pm, MVRHS, Oak Bluffs. This in person class will prepare you to pass the Construction Supervisor’s License Test. 978-939-3435, NAILIT@contractorsuccess.com.

Kaiut Yoga

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.

4-6 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This experiential workshop offers a gentle space to slow down, turn inward, and explore what it means to live alongside grief info@stillpointmv.org.

CSL Test Prep Course

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8

Balletics

Living Alongside Grief: A Somatic and Positive Psychology Workshop

Beekeeping Club

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

9-10 am, West Tisbury Library. Weekly Pilates and strength training. This class is free and open to the public. Please dress in comfortable clothing and bring your own mat. wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

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.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@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.

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.

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-5499107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

Mah Jongg for Beginners

10:15 am-12:15 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library, Vineyard Haven. Learn to play American Mah Jongg with Rosemary Chalk. Registration required. 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Wiggle with the Words Storytime

10:30-11 am, Edgartown Library. Fun props and interactive stories. Geared for ages 1-5, but all are welcome. No sign-up. programs@edgartownlibrary.org, 508-6274221. programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Tech help

11 am-1 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, West Tisbury. Free tach help 508-693-2896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov.

Stravaiger: Wanderer

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Center of Knowhere

annual

Harvest

Festival

484 STATE ROAD WEST TISBURY www.vineyardgardens.net

Saturday Oct.10th 10am-2pm

11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com.

Chair Caning Workshop Series with Fred Thornbrugh

2:30-5 pm, West Tisbury Library. Email gwilbur@clamsnet.org for more information or to register. 508-693-3366, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

Community Knitting Circle

3-4:45 pm, Chilmark Library. Join us for a relaxed afternoon of knitting. Our knitters love to share their knowledge and beginners are welcome! 508-6453360, chil.programs@gmail.com.

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.

Free Event Food Crafts Sales One DayOnly Harvest Sale 50% off *

At Stillpoint // Naptime with David Stanwood

3:30-4:30 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Experience the calming effect of harmonic vibration, with pianist and acclaimed piano technician David Stanwood. info@stillpointmv.org.

Kids Crafts & Crunch Glitter Pumpkins

3:30 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Decorate a plastic pumpkin while enjoying snacks provided by MV Community Services. 508-696-4211, jrapuano@clamsnet.org.

Pokemon Club *exclusions apply

Guess the weight of a giant pumpkin

3:30-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Bring your Pokémon cards to show to others! This is a club to talk about Pokémon, look at cards, play the game and draw! For ages 5-12. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

LATE FAME — at the MV Film Center

4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. LATE FAME — Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) a forgotten New York poet works in the post office. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Edgartown Old Westside Graveyard Walking Tour

4-5:15 pm, Old Westside Graveyard, Edgartown. Gravestones are a window into the past. Walk through Old Westside graveyard with historian Elizabeth Villard. Fee $20. Information. Text 508 627 2529 evillardmv@gmail.com.

Wampanoag Sovereignty, Relationality, and Responsibility

5-6 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Museum, Vineyard Haven. Online lecture tracing Tribal sovereignty, U.S. obligations, and Wampanoag survivance. 508-627-4441, events@mvmuseum.org.

Table Tennis

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

Philosophy Cafe

5:30-6:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Exploring life’s big philosophical questions through engaging and unexpected fiction. For more information or to register, email gwilbur@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366.

VH Harbor Cultural District Community Conversation

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

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

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org

Bass in the Grass

10 am-3 pm, carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Bass in the Grass brings together an imaginative collection of wooden fish created by local artists for MV Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. 774-5499107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org

Chair Yoga with Yves Vandeplas 10:30-11:30 am, Highfield Hall, Falmouth. highfieldhallandgardens.org

Kid’s Music Class

6 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Community conversation on Arts & Culture with VH Harbor Cultural District, Circuit Arts, & MV Cultural Council 508-696-4211, hello@vhhcd.org.

10:30-11 am, West Tisbury Library, West Tisbury. Sing fun songs and play instruments with friends! Ages 0-5 508-693-3366, hburbidge@clamsnet.org

6-7 pm, Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, West Tisbury. Group meditation available both in person at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury, and online via Zoom. marthasvineyard@bodhipath.org.

10:30 am-4 pm, Oak Bluffs Library, Oak Bluffs. Craft projects for kids ages 3+. New craft each week! Drop in. 508693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org

6:30-9 pm, Sweet Life Cafè , Oak Bluffs. join us for dinner, drinks a some live jazz piano. Jeremy Berlin plays every Thursday at 6:30 598-696-0200, erin@sweetlifemv.com.

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. “Stravaiger: Wanderer” is an art exhibit that revolves around Scotland, open throughout the month of October. 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org

Meditation

Jazz piano at the Sweet Life with Jeremy Berlin

THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. THE RIVALS OF AMZIAH KING — Deep within the backwoods of rural Oklahoma charismatic and musically gifted Amziah King (Matthew McConaughey). 774392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502936-3599. juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com.

Friday Crafting

Stravaiger: Wanderer

Center of Knowhere

11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Bluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com

Toddler Time

11-11:30 am, Chilmark Library, Chilmark. We’ll read classic and current children’s literature, and sing, move, and play together. Ideal for preschool ages. chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com 508-6453360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com

Online Balance with Kanta Lipsky

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9

11:30 am-12:30 pm, West Tisbury Library, West Tisbury. To strengthen our connection to Earth and maintain balance. To sign up, email wt_mail@clamsnet.org. 508-693-3366. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org

9-9:55 am, Vineyard Pilates & Bodywork, Vineyard Haven. This group equipment class using Reformer and/or Tower and/ or Chair is designed for those with some experience on the Pilates Apparatus. 508-696-6452, pilates@vineyardpilates.com

12-1 pm, Edgartown Council on Aging (The Anchors), Edgartown. To help with your laptop, smartphone, iPad, or other devices. Tech help is also available at the library. programs@ edgartownlibrary.org, 508-627-4221. 508627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org

Pilates Mixed Apparatus Class

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

Acrylic Painting with John Holladay

9 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Perfect your painting techniques during this intermediate/advanced class. Bring an image for inspiration and learn to improve your composition. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com

Pre-School Playtime

10 am-12 pm, West Falmouth Library, Falmouth. 508-548-4709, becky@westfalmouthlibrary.org

Drop-in Tech Help at the Anchors

Book Signing: ‘The Theory and Practice of Apparent Logic’ by Peter Steer

2-4 pm, Edgartown Books, Edgartown. Meet author and MV resident Peter Steer who’ll be signing copies of his new book, ‘The Theory and Practice of Apparent Logic.’ 508-627-8463, info@edgartownbooks.com

Nintendo Switch and Laptop Gaming for teens 13-18

3-5 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library, Vineyard Haven. Play switch games and use our gaming laptops! 508696-4211, jrapuano@clamsnet.org

Fall Film Showcase: The Incomer 7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Fall Film Showcase: The Incomer 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 10 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, Edgartown. Free and open to the public. Registration is required. Sign up at edgartownlibrary.org. 508627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

9 am-6 pm, Island Folk Pottery, Chilmark. The enchanting Island Folk Pottery Fairy Sculpture Trail meanders 1/4 mile through a magical wooded landscape populated with whimsical sculptures. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com

Kaiut Yoga

9-10 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga is works through chronic pain and injuries, general aches and stiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-5638282, vsonnenthal@gmail.com

MV Dems Monthly Meeting

9:30-10:30 am, Democratic Council of MV, West Tisbury. Guest speakers, discussion, outreach for national, state and local Democratic leaders and issues. Email demsmv@gmail.com for Zoom link. 774-563-0467, demsmv@gmail.com

24th Annual Fall Festival

10 am-4 pm, The Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Meet island artisans and browse a multitude of mediums, all handmade on Marthas Vineyard. For more information visit our websitevineyardartisans.c artisan02557@yahoo.com

Annual Harvest Festival

10-11:30 am, Oak Bluffs Library, Oak Bluffs. Cows and sheep to pet, cider press demonstrations, harvest vegetable printing, sack races, gourd bowling and more! Also popcorn and fresh apple cider. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.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

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

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. Inspired by the Island around him, Leo transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org

Fall on the Farm at The Farm Institute 10 am-12 pm, The Farm Institute, Edgartown. Welcome Fall on the Farm with pumpkins, wagon rides, kid’s crafts, and more! 508627-7007, thefarminstitute@thetrustees.org

Saturday Storytime

10:15-10:45 am, Oak Bluffs Library, Oak Bluffs. Join us for a fun-filled storytime with stories, songs, scarves, and shakers. There will be interactive board books and a story picture book as well. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

10:30-11:45 am, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. This upbeat Pilates class blends preventative medicine, mind-over-matter focus, and joyful movement info@stillpointmv.org

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

Oak Bluffs, Oak Bluffs. Island sculptor, master potter, and published arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich’s diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. 502-936-3599, juliet.ehrlich@gmail.com

For events for the full week scan code or visit mvtimes.com/things-to-do.

community & calendar B11

October 1, 2026

T

he Island will kick off October with two womancentered festivals this weekend: the inaugural HERitage and the ninth annual Ladyfest, to platform women and nonbinary musicians and artists, and raise money to support domestic violence survivors. HERitage is a festival that celebrates the legacies of Island women from the past through the music, art, and food of contemporary Island women and nonbinary residents. The festival will take place on Friday, Oct. 2 from 3 to 8 pm, at Stillpoint in West Tisbury. Proceeds from ticket sales will go to both the headlining performers and Stillpoint, an educational nonprofit that provides space for various community events. MV Times reporter and musician Sarah Shaw Dawson launched HERitage as a way to add more events on the Island that celebrate women and nonbinary community members. “I’m very drawn to events that uplift women and nonbinary people, people of color, and indigenous folk,” Dawson said. “There can never

Celebrating our HERitage and supporting women now Two woman-centered festivals this weekend. BY SARA CREATO be enough events that uplift creative people, because of the incredible utility of creative events at building community and connection and inviting everybody into the space.” The festival will begin with food, henna, and art showcases. Some of the artists in attendance include Ella Mahoney, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), who makes paintings and threedimensional installations inspired by Aquinnah, and Althea Freeman Miller, an artist known for her colorful block-printed designs. At 6 pm, the live music performance lineup includes Sarah Shaw Dawson & Friends, harpist Thistle Jemison, and the Outskirts. After attending community suppers at Stillpoint during the winter, Dawson said, she felt inspired to contact them about hosting her festival. “Community events, third spaces, and having an opportunity to gather with each other is important,” Dawson said. “I felt like

those dinners were a perfect example of that.” After realizing that the festival’s scheduled date was on the same weekend as Ladyfest, Deb Klein, programs coordinator at Stillpoint, said that she and Dawson agreed to run their event “in solidarity” with Ladyfest. “We're doing a very woman-centric event. Let's just extend Ladyfest's reach to include us as sort of a satellite event, where we could help each other, promote it, and support each other,” Klein said. Ladyfest will take place on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Waban/ Alley Park in Oak Bluffs. The music festival raises money for Connect to End Violence, a Martha’s Vineyard Community Services initiative that provides services for victims and survivors of domestic violence. Kelly Feirtag co-founded Ladyfest at the Ritz Cafe with bartender and musician Rose Guerin in 2017. While remodeling the restaurant, then-general manager Feirtag said she noticed a lack of

photos of female musicians displayed on the wall compared with male musicians. “There were a lot of pictures of the incredible, iconic men who play on Martha's Vineyard all the time. There weren't a lot of photos of the women who play,” Feirtag said. “We wanted to do a night where we would have that, and get great photos of all the women.” The first Ladyfest began as an evening of live music at the Ritz before expanding along the sidewalks of Circuit Avenue. Last year, the festival relocated to Waban/Alley Park. This year, town officials permitted the festival to integrate its bar service into the festival grounds. Previously, bar service had to be fenced off, which made serving attendees a challenge. Feirtag expressed her eagerness about this change. “Our bar setup will be a lot easier and more convenient,” Feirtag said. “I'm really excited to see how that goes.” From the folksy Appalachian rhythms of Kate Taylor

LEXI PLINE

Kate Taylor performs folk tunes at a previous Ladyfest.

GABRIELLE MANNINO

The Space Invaders perform at the Ritz.

and Delanie Pickering’s New Orleans–style blues to the indie rock melodies of the Los Angeles–based duo Wolftrap, this year’s artist lineup features both Island and offIsland musicians. Feirtag said that the festival’s organizers aim to have variety. “There's so many incredible musicians on Martha's Vineyard. We try to get as many as we can, and switch it up every year,” Feirtag said. “We like to bring in some off-Island people as well.” The festival will also feature a multitude of food vendors, including Reunion Pizza & Catering and the Swimming Pig, along with stands selling art and jewelry, and promoting local organizations. Feirtag described last year’s Ladyfest as a success partially because of a surprise performance by Carly Simon. A record amount of $25,000 was raised for Connect to End Violence. This year, Feirtag wants to continue the momentum. “I just hope we raise a ton of money for Connect, and that's my ultimate goal,” she

lise Haigazian and Island Hip Hop. JOSHUA ROBINSON-WHITE

said. “And then just throw a really good party.” Emily Medeiros, programming manager for Connect to End Violence, highlighted how the funding earned from Ladyfest allows the organization to meet the domestic violence survivors’ needs — such as stays at retreats or assistance with moving out of state to flee unsafe environments — that are sometimes restricted by state organizations. “With the donation money, it can help us meet more of those creative needs that might come up,” Medeiros said. For example, last year’s funds contributed to a daylong retreat for survivors, featuring yoga and a sound bath. Susan Mercier, division director of Connect to End Violence, expressed her deep appreciation for Ladyfest. “The event itself [last year] was such an incredible outpouring of support and love from our community for the value that they find in the work we do,” Mercier said. “It's hard to put into words how grateful we are to Ladyfest for all the work that they've done on our behalf, and on behalf of all the people on the Island who are affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.”

GABRIELLE MANNINO

Delanie Pickering plays guitar during Kate Taylor's set.

B12

calendar & community

October 1, 2026

1

‘‘Y

PHOTOS: COURTESY HPCMV

ou are not alone. Our compassionate Island team is here to make life’s hardest transitions easier.” These are the first words that greet you when visiting the new website for Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard (HPCMV). The organization, which is 45 years old, focuses on comfort, dignity, and quality of life — managing pain and symptoms while supporting the patient and their family’s emotional, spiritual, and practical needs. As they say, “Care for the last phase of life should center the whole person and all the people who matter.” Executive Director Chantale Patterson spoke about HPCMV’s origins: “It was started at a community meeting among Islanders, to talk about whether we think hospice is something the Vineyard needs. They decided, Yes, we want to do this. They identified a chair, incorporated, and by 1982, it was fully operational, with one paid social worker funded by anonymous donors, and 24 volunteers.” Patterson adds, “What’s interesting is that what stood out then and still stands out now is this feeling that this is the Island’s hospice. We started this, we brought it here, we’ve held it up for 45 years. There’s an investment in the organization to ensure that it continues to stay and be available for Islanders.” Hospice is compassionate care for those facing a serious illness when the focus shifts from treatment and cure to comfort and quality of life. “Hospice isn’t about dying. It’s about living,” Patterson notes. An Islandbased expert hospice team partners with the patient, their family, and caregivers to create a personalized care plan. On-Island nurses, hospice physicians, social workers, spiritual care counselors, aides and CNAs, and patientcare volunteers see clients in the place they call home — whether that be their house, hospital, or assisted-living accommodations. They also work with unhoused patients. Palliative care for symptom and disease management is for people dealing with serious illness, who may or may not be dealing with end of life. Patterson explains, “Palliative services are for those folks who aren’t quite ready yet. Either they aren’t ready, or the disease presents itself as something that will be longer than six months to a year. They are likely still seeking curative treatment as well.” Palliative care is about helping patients achieve the best possible quality of life. HPCMV’s palliative-care team works closely with the patient, caregivers, and doctors to help manage the patient’s condition, with a focus on living well. The team, consisting of a so-

2

‘It’s about l i v i n g’ Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard. BY ABBY REMER

“The majority of palliative care and our bereavement services are not funded through insurance. The rest of that funding comes through the generosity of donors, our community, and grant funding.” –CHANTALE PATTERSON cial worker, spiritual care counselor, nurse, and medical director, helps oversee and streamline medications, communicate with multiple providers, and identify overlapping or unnecessary appointments that may add stress or risk for the patient and family. HPCMV’s grief support is robust, offering grief and bereavement services for adults, children, and families coping with the death of someone close to them

— whether or not they were an HPCMV patient. “For a lot of hospices, grief services will be a newsletter or a call after someone passes away. What’s unique is that we offer one-on-one counseling for 13 months to any hospice family we’ve cared for, as well as anyone on the Island who has had a loss in the past three years,” says Patterson. “We recognize that there isn’t a huge service available for folks facing grief, and mental

1. Hospice & Palliative Care of MV staff. 2. Hospice patient Rob Berkley with Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha's Vineyard Executive Director Chantale Patterson.

illness is such a huge issue these days. To try and meet the needs of the Island, we have kept it open to everyone here.” HPCMV also offers preparatory grief support to patients as they navigate the emotional impact of serious illness while approaching the end of life. And for families and caregivers, grief support can ease the transition both before and after a death. Patterson adds, “We’ve expanded our services to kids as well. We not only offer children’s grief counseling but children’s bereavement and grief events.” There is Camp by the Sea, a one-day family grief camp at Slough Farm for children in grades K-8 who have experienced the death of someone close to them. HPCMV also holds events with expressive activities that offer opportunities to connect and make memories. There are Sweets by the Sea, a supervised Valentine’s candy-making and crafting session, and Seedlings by the Sea, a facilitated planting workshop. For the Island at large, HPCMV is holding a community remembrance event on Oct. 3 at State Beach, at the handicap entrance, at 5:30 pm. “We do remembrance events internally because it’s so important to deal with cumulative grief with our staff and families. It occurred to us to do one for the entire community. If there is someone you would like to remember, meet us on the beach. We’ll have rocks to paint and sign. There will be a short ceremony honoring those who have left us, and then we will release the rocks into the ocean.” Patterson notes that HPCMV’s extensive offerings extend beyond the hospice services covered by Medicare: “Up until 2022, we were one of only two hospices in the entire country that had a fully paid staff that was funded only through philanthropic efforts and grants. That wouldn’t happen in every community. The majority of palliative care and our bereavement services are not funded through insurance. The rest of that funding comes through the generosity of donors, our community, and grant funding.” Patterson says, “I think one of the most common myths of hospice is that it’s for the final days of life, so people often wait too long to call. You are not alone, and truthfully you always think it’s too soon until it’s too late.” View Circuit Films’ PSA for Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard at bit.ly/CF_HPC. For more information, go to hospiceofmv.org.

A Monthly Newsletter from your local Councils on Aging and the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living Find helpful information on Veterans Services, Travel News, Activities, Individual Town Councils on Aging and more! To place your ad email, adsales@mvtimes.com or call 508-693-61 0.

community & calendar B13

October 1, 2026

BUSINESSDIRECTORY S

P

O

T

L

I

G

H

BONJOUR HOME IMPROVEMENT

T

LANDSCAPING

· LAWN MOWING · LAWN MAINTENANCE · FLOWER BED DESIGN & UPKEEP · SEASONAL YARD CLEANUPS

Full Service Landscape Design, Build, & Maintenance

Spring & Fall Clean-ups Native Planting • Renovations Mulching • Fertilizing Brushcutting Vegetable & Herb Gardens

RESTORATION & PAINTING

· KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION · DECKING · CARPENTRY · ROOFING & SIDING

Stonework • Walls • Paths Patios • Trenching • Drainage Road & Parking • Bobcat Services • Water Features Light Excavation

508-560-0464 BONJOURPAINTING.COM HEATING

Tree Work ISA Certified Arborist Tree & Shrub Pruning Hand & Tree Spade Removal Transplants • Chipping

HEATING

FRANK’S

Floor Radiant Heat

High Efficiency Heating & Air Conditioning

Concrete & Masonry

508-560-3234 FENCING

· Oil Burner Service · Boiler, Furnace and Tank Installations · 24/7 Emergency Service

islandenergyinc.net 508-696-5959

The Good Neighbor Fence Company 508-693-1008

FineMetalwork.com

What’s IN YOUR WATER?

Custom railings, gates, fireplace screens and hardware in wrought iron, bronze and stainless steel

Wampanoag Environmental Laboratory

508-696-6984 Whit Hanschka

Full service water testing for your home or business

Herring Creek Road, Aquinnah Phone: 508-645-2903 Fax: 508-645-9421 wtghalaboratory@comcast.net

OFFICE SUPPLIES

WATER TREATMENT

www.indigofarm.com

Heating Oil Delivery ... and More!

WATER TESTING

508.696.6114

·

METAL WORK

Build

RELIABLE, FAST AND PRECISE.

CONCRETE & MASONRY

info@millerspros.com

Maintenance

NOW ACCEPTING NEW CLIENTS Leonardo Bonjour

ROOFING

INDIGO FARM

GARDEN & LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING

BRENNAN & CO., LLC. Sales · Service · Installation 508-696-0043 • Fax 508-696-6874

HOME IMPROVEMENT Organic Gardening and Landscaping, Inc.

· Flowers, Shrubs, Trees · Lawn Mowing & Pruning · Fertilizer Programs · Organic Deep Root Fertilizer · Stone and Brick Work · Driveway & Lawn Installations · Bobcat Services

BONJOUR

HOME IMPROVEMENT RESTORATION & PAINTING

KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION DECKING · CARPENTRY ·ROOFING· SIDING

ROOFING

Leonardo Bonjour

508-560-0464 BONJOURPAINTING.COM

508-627-7094

­

Island news daily Three Generations of Roofers

OVER 25,000 REFERENCES ACROSS THE SOUTH SHORE AND MARTHA’S VINEYARD. LOCAL REFERENCES AVAILABLE

A FEW LOCAL REFERENCES: YMCA, Old Whaling Church, The Black Dog, Lambert’s Cove Inn, Edgartown School, Giordano’s & Alley’s General Store

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

· Asphalt Shingles · Flat Rubber Specialist · Slate Shingles & Cedar Shingles · Copper Gutters & Custom · Sheet Metal Work

ASSOCIATE ROOFING.COM

READ ONLINE: MVTIMES.COM

508-645-3228 Licensed & Insured

The free daily MV Times newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.

Sign up today at mvtimes.com/newsletter

Advertise in the BUSINESS DIRECTORY STARTING AT

$40/WEEK!

Run your ad for four months and receive a

FREE business spotlight T L I G H S P O T

S P O T L I G H T S Comprehensive, prom construction servic pt and professional We are lead safe certifie es on Martha’s Viney ard. in remodeling, repairs, andd and specialize

Adjuncts of expertise includenew design-build. guttering, roofing special seamless replacement, full restora ization, window tion and renovation. For over 40 years we have in delivering prompt, professtaken pride quality products to ensure ional and property’s longevity, while our clients latest technologies and utilizing the product systems.

Owned and operated since 1981 by Chris Lic# CS6911/HIC# topher W. Cottrell 106568 • 508 627 2895 • eastcoastm v@gmail.com

P

O

T

L

I

G

H

T

ER R.M. PACK

Your Vineyard Solar COMPANY INC. Connection care. fort and quality

e heating com 1930, Providing hom ha‘s Vineyard since fellow to company on Mart

heating quality care s, home comfort and The premier home itted to providing t recommendation R.M. Packer is comm fair prices, great service, and hones air conditioning n for central nal islanders. Know water heaters, R.M. Packer for By evaluating your home and perso trust ers island and heating systems. suggest products new can and icians ms, techn syste t. r‘s home comfort , and your budge needs, R.M. Packe right for your home services that are Haven

fullersenergy.com · 508-696-3006 info@fullersenergy.com

508-693-0900 ·

199 Beach Rd.

, Vineyard

508-693-6100 · mvtclassifieds@mvtimes.com

B14

community & calendar

October 1, 2026

gallery

"Oh Rats"

Eleanor Hubbard

PAINTINGS: ELEANOR HUBBARD; PHOTOS: GEOFFREY WHITE

Eleanor Hubbard saves and memorializes animals. BY ABBY REMER

“Menagerie of Marvels: Paintings by Eleanor Hubbard,” at the M.V. Museum through Jan. 17, offers art that wil delight your eye and warm your heart. Entering the show, we are greeted by bright portraits of animals in appealing colors, each looking at us with an endearing countenance. From lamb to kitten, to turtle, to flying squirrel, each has a moving rescue story — a chance encounter with the right person at the right time saved their life.

"Peter"

Hubbard, a full-time Islander, has loved art for as long as she can remember: “I had a great interest in looking at images from the beginning, and in how to make them myself. My mother and father were also extraordinarily compassionate people. My father was more active in the rescue department, and my mother, of course, would take care of whatever he had brought in. Rescuing was just a normal part of life. And I could draw them.” Hubbard first intentionally began painting rescued animals after saving Magnus the Magnificent in 1973. Young boys were stoning the dog, justifying their actions by saying, “He’s just an old street dog.” With his endearing countenance, we see why Hubbard adopted what turned out to be an 8-monthold pup, and enjoyed him for 19 years. Hubbard pours her heart into her paintings. For instance, each portrait of José the ox is tender, revealing his soulful eyes. His story begins when a Vineyard restaurant manager bought a young José for veal, but ended up raising him as a pet. A few years later, a much larger José tangled with the law when he escaped, frightening tourists, who called the police. Ordered to settle José on a farm, his rescuer placed a newspaper ad seeking a safe home. By chance, Hubbard saw the ad and offered to take José to Continued on B15

community & calendar B15

October 1, 2026

gallery

"Lucky"

"Magnus the Magnificent"

"Madam Prufrock"

"Just One Look"

“In 2018, Hubbard created ‘Hubbard’s Cupboard,’ a community fund that helps Islanders with veterinary care for their pets through the Martha’s Vineyard Animal Shelter.” –DONNA HASSLER live on her ¼-acre plot. Told he needed 100 acres, she happened to have friends who had just bought such a farm in Lenox, which began José’s long career as Hubbard’s model, inspiring a giant pyramid constructed from many individual images of the bovine. Hubbard says, “I chose the triangle, a symbol of transformation, to celebrate the mystery of his life and his 5,987 extra days. Within the triangle are identical ox cutouts, each colored differently, just as each of José’s additional days was experienced differently, each a unique gift with no explanation but compassion.” When you think of rescued animals, a lobster might not immediately jump to mind. But the story behind Madam Prufrock tells a different tale. Hubbard depicts this lobster in rich strokes of paint, each one a different color, so the lobster becomes a jigsaw puzzle of intense hues. Madam Prufrock comes from a tradition that began in 1979. A friend of Hubbard’s planned Continued from B14

to host a Lobster Newburg dinner and asked her if she’d like a lobster as a birthday gift. Accepting the offer, the artist and her friend acquired two female lobsters loaded with eggs from a Menemsha fish market. Hubbard surprised her friend by releasing her lobster, which moved the friend to do the same, and a birthday rescue-and-release tradition was born. Lucky, the bright yellow canary with a regal garland of orchids, has a remarkable story. The bird flew through a thunderstorm down one of Philadelphia’s busiest streets through the open door of a beauty salon. When it collapsed on the floor, clients thought the bird was dead. Fortunately, the owner, who had worked for a famous canary breeder in Tokyo, knew the way to save the avian was feeding it a bit of cake. Once recovered, Lucky perched in the orchid-filled window, attracting new customers into the shop, making the coincidence lucky for the bird and owner alike. “It’s one of those stories,” says Hubbard, “that you can’t make up. You can

never imagine it, but serendipitously it did happen.” The exhibition curator, Donna Hassler, writes in her introductory panel to the show, “Hubbard’s commitment to animals extends beyond the studio. In 2018, she created ‘Hubbard’s Cupboard,’ a community fund that helps Islanders with veterinary care for their pets through the Martha’s Vineyard Animal Shelter.” Hassler hopes visitors resonate with the humanitarian aspect of the exhibit, citing “the idea of caring for animals in the wild that need help and need to be adopted to continue their lives.” Hubbard says, “I’m fascinated by the marvels that exist in everyday, ordinary life. When you pay attention and listen to what’s going on, you can hear some of them.” She continues, “The show’s underlying theme came together by serendipity. I’ve had so many serendipitous moments, and so have all these animals. To me, that is how we are all connected.” Speaking about the animals in her artwork, Hubbard notes, “They are ushering in the renewed era of compassion. That’s extremely important. These all existed because someone reached out a hand.” “Menagerie of Marvels: Paintings by Eleanor Hubbard” is on view at the M.V. Museum through Jan. 17.

B16

community & calendar

October 1, 2026

Wild Side BY MATT PELIKAN

Sunset Lake, an ecological Less is more time capsule.

I

interesting to start with. Hisn ecological land management, as in many oth- torical photographs of the area show a remarkably similar er things, less is somehillside a century or more times more. Doing little ago. The habitat here, that is or nothing is a manageto say, has remained relatively ment decision, even if it’s unchanged for a very long one made from laziness or lack of resources. Sometimes it’s Sunset Lake Park no-mow zone. the best choice to make. This is a principle that needs to be invoked with caution. For example, if a habitat depends on periodic disturbance to retain its characteristics, doing nothing can be disastrous. time, making the site a sort of ecological time capsule from This circumstance pertains to when Martha’s Vineyard was the Vineyard’s grassland and a very different, much less barren habitats, which rely on grazing, salt spray, fire, or oth- developed, much less forested place. Often in such circumer interventions to keep taller, woody vegetation from taking stances, plant and animal populations can persist long over. Without periodic manafter they’ve been eradicated agement of some kind, these habitats slowly but relentlessly in surrounding areas where conditions have changed. evolve into oak woodland. With lean soil, regular exBut in some other cirposure to salt spray during cumstances, reducing mannortheast gales, and unrelentagement or suspending it ing sun during the summer, altogether can produce a gratifying ecological response. the hillside as a whole has retained a largely native mix A fine illustration exists near my home in Oak Bluffs, where of plant species that are welladapted to these harsh condiO.B. parks and recreation tions. Several of our tough has designated a “no-mow” native grass species flourish zone on the sandy hillside there, notably little bluestem, overlooking Sunset Lake. which is a key component of The affected area is not large, the Vineyard’s arid grasslands. occupying perhaps a fifth of Sickle-leaved golden aster, a the total area of the hillside. delightful, yellow-bloomed But I’ve watched with interest wildflower with thin, needleas native plants and animals like leaves, also does well here. respond to this reduction in It’s a familiar, even charactermanagement frequency. istic species of Vineyard grassThis park was, to be sure,

Female Colletes thoracicus in her concealed nest burrow.

GOOGLE EARTH

PHOTOS: MATHEW PELIKAN

… sometimes

Orphulella pelidna on a goldenrod leaf at Sunset Lake.

Sickle-leaved golden aster is a common wildflower on the hillside.

The habitat here … has remained relatively unchanged for a very long time, making the site a sort of ecological time capsule from when Martha’s Vineyard was a very different, much less developed, much less forested place. land, which hides the fact that from a regional perspective, it’s a highly specialized and generally rare plant. Suspending growing-season mowing on part of the hillside doesn’t seem to have changed the mix of species very much; I find roughly the same plants in the no-mow zone as I do on

the broader hillside. But the effect is quite different. The suspension of mowing during the growing season allows more plants to mature and drop seeds, allowing some species to persist at much greater density than they exhibit in the regularly mowed area. And the taller, more fully

developed vegetation translates into greater structural complexity, affording more opportunities for insects to shelter and forage. The no-mow zone is now the epicenter of a huge population of the grasshopper Orphulella pelidna. Rather local on the Vineyard, though often

abundant where it does occur, this inch-long insect occurred on this hillside even when the entire area was being frequently mowed; the population may well have persisted here for a century or more, even as development and reforestation reduced its options elsewhere on the Island. But the no-mow zone has converted Orphulella from something I encounter occasionally on the hillside into a species that is truly abundant here. Likewise, the no-mow zone is one of only three places on Martha’s Vineyard where I’ve found the ground-nesting bee Colletes thoracicus. Digging nest burrows in exposed, sandy soil, the females of this species seem to prefer to nest in settings where their burrows can be partially concealed under clumps of grass or other vegetation. The nomow zone apparently offers ideal conditions, with small patches of open sand tucked in among the maturing grasses and wildflowers. In a typical year, several hundred female bees make this their home, and while the colony occasionally spills out in the frequently mowed area, it is clearly the no-mow zone that most interests these insects. I wish I knew how long the colony has been here; I didn’t discover it until a couple of years ago, and I wonder if the no-mow policy attracted a new colony or merely allowed an existing colony, perhaps one that has been here for decades, to become more successful. But in any case, a locally uncommon bee is breeding happily and prolifically among the dog-walkers and runners who frequent this little park. I don’t wish to overstate the case: its modest size limits the ecological benefits of the no-mow zone, and the heavy human use and densely developed surroundings of the hillside as a whole inevitably limit the site’s potential for supporting rarities or extremely high diversity. But by simply doing less instead of more, the town Parks and Recreation department has substantially increased the ecological value of this interesting park, allowing a longstanding mix of well-adapted native species to flourish alongside a popular recreational resource. This is what thoughtful land management looks like.

Now on Special!

Fall Lawn Care Made easy. With quality products from Jonathan Green. Select Trees, Shrubs, Raise pH of soil for optimal nutrient absorption when fertilizing (Step 2)

1

Give your soil & lawn a boost to help protect from winter stress.

2

& Perennials now

Overseed thinned out areas to help crowd out weeds and promote a dense, lush lawn in spring.

3

50% off original price.

*

All Fruit Trees, Roses & Rhododendrons

now 50% off original price.* *50% off items are final sale. While supplies last.

45 Edgartown/ VH Rd., OB - 508.693.3511 - jardinmahoneymv.com - Open Mon-Sat 8am-5pm, Sun 9am-4pm