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VOICES: The power of August B2

Thursday, September 17, 2026

M.V. Songwriters Festival 2026 B7

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD TIMES

Volume 43, Issue No. 37

2 Sections

Police investigating sexual assault at O.B. barracks

Price $1.00

No charges announced; local and state police declined to comment on ongoing investigation. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

DOMENICK PANDISCIA

CHASING DERBY DREAMS

assachusetts State Police said they are cooperating with a local investigation into a reported sexual assault by suspects who allegedly stayed a night at the state agency’s Oak Bluffs barracks when the incident occurred late last month. The two individuals involved in the incident remain unnamed, and State Police said the two aren’t affiliated with the department. According to State Police, an individual alleged that a woman was assaulted by someone who was visiting a trooper assigned to the Island for the summer. The agency has opened an internal affairs investigation that will follow the results of the criminal process. “At the end of August, the Massachusetts State Police became aware of a reported sexual assault involving two people not affiliated with the department,” a State Police spokesperson said in a statement on Thursday. “We are fully cooperating with the local police’s investigation into the matter, and remain committed to pursuing justice in every sexual assault case. To protect the integrity of the investigation, we will have no further comment at this time.” Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle confirmed in a Thursday afternoon statement that the town department had launched an investigation. Searle said his department “responded to a report involving a woman in distress and immediately initiated an investigation.” “Through the course of the investigation, officers determined that the matter involved an alleged sexual assault and developed information indicating that the alleged assault occurred at the Massachusetts State Police barracks in Oak Bluffs,” the statement shared with The Times reads. Searle clarified that the investigation by Continued on A6

At opening weigh-in, Cooper Gilkes, a local legend, shares story of purchasing Derby in the ’80s. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

nglers set out across the Island this week, lining beaches and the surrounding waters at all hours of the day, guided by the tides and a feverish passion to catch a keeper worthy of the weighin for the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby grand prize this season.

Last year, the winning fish was an 18.66-pound false albacore caught in the opening days of the Derby that earned 37-year-old Island angler Sam Bell the keys to a brand-new 22-foot boat. This year, the grand prize is a custom Derby-themed Jeep Gladiator

BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON

s more Islanders than ever seek food assistance, several local organizations have risen up to meet the demand in new ways. These emergent collaborative efforts have put the Vineyard on the map as a model for food systems that contribute to better health outcomes, according to experts in the field. The model is called “Food Is Medicine,” a programmatic integration of nutrition and healthcare. Subsidized community-supported agricultural shares (CSA) of fresh, farm-grown produce with optional cooking classes are one facet of the model; doctors’ Continued on A8 See editorial on food insecurity on A4.

See Lisa Belcastro’s fishing column on start of Derby on A15.

Island steps up its processing capacity as hunting season nears

Emergent model of food and health New centers underway for Island Health Care and Island Grown Initiative.

Mojave X, provided by Vineyard Vines. For fishermen like Charlie Hall, who was out on State Beach at sunset on Tuesday Continued on A7

Tick Free MV and Agricultural Society in partnership to upgrade deer cooler to full-fledged meat processing facility. BY HAYLEY DUFFY

s an expanded hunting season approaches, an offensive aimed at managing the deer herd is bracing and hoping that the Island harvests and processes more venison. New plans for the bold initiative, which is led by Tick Free MV and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society, were announced this week. It is aimed at confronting the public health crisis caused by a surging deer population that serves as a primary vector for ticks and tick-borne conditions, including alpha-gal syndrome. The strategy has the added benefit of addressing another crisis — increasing food insecurity on-Island and across the state. The two lead organizations announced Continued on A9

Cole Powers, Phil Hale, and Reece Lodder onsite at Friesla facilities.

08805 93096

news

September 17, 2026

he beating of drums and resounding vocals reverberated in the air during the 21st annual Aquinnah Powwow on Saturday and Sunday afternoon at the Aquinnah Circle, near the Cliffs. The event, which celebrates Wampanoag and indigenous culture for the general public through music, dance, food, and goods, was originally started in 2005 by members of the Aquinnah Tribal Youth Group to revive an ancient tradition that hadn’t been practiced on the Island for at least 75 years. The word “powwow” stems from the term “Pau Wau” in Narrtick — a language spoken by the Algonquian people of Massachusetts and Rhode Island — that means “medicine man.” Powwows were originally gatherings for native tribes to share and preserve their heritage through spiritual song and dance rituals during a time when forced assimilation policies were enacted by the U.S. government. On Saturday, the event began with a Grand Entry, a ceremonial procession of music and dance. Indigenous tribe members crouched low and then rose up to the blue sky, their steps bouncing with the drumbeats. The dancers wore traditional garments — animal hides, eagle wings splayed across their backs, and colorful beaded jewelry — as they glided in a circle across the grass. Cassie Averett, a member of the San Carlos Apache Tribe, was raised within the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. She participated in the Women’s Fancy Shawl Dance, which involves quick footwork and vibrant dresses resembling butterflies. Averett, who works as a teacher at the Weetumuw School — a Wampanoag Montessori school in Mashpee — said that dance is a form of medicine. “I like to dance for my children. I like to create a lot of medicine for the future generations,” Averett said. “So I dance to heal myself and heal the ones who can’t.” James Moreis of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) carried the traditional Eagle Staff — a piece of wood adorned with sacred eagle feathers — during the Grand Entry. He describes powwow as “a way of life.” “A lot of people need to be in the circle and dance,” Moreis said to The Times. “A lot of times it’s where people come to get their medicine and come to get their healing.” Josh Dini of the Walker River Paiute Tribe carried the Prayer Horse Staff, composed of painted willow wood, eagle feathers, and horsetail, with a split at the end. Dini, the founder of Prayer Horse, Inc., a native-led organization dedicated to preserving indigenous culture and environmental health, based in Nevada, said that he attended this year’s powwow after speaking at the Martha’s Vineyard Museum on Sept. 8. Dini explained that the staff, which has a split at one end, symbolizes gender equality and was inspired by the Paiute Ghost Dance, a 19th century spiritual movement that used dancing rituals to prepare for the return of the spirits of tribal ancestors to Earth. “[The staff] is what helps us lead with our prayers,” Dini said. “The split [is] because what it represents is equality for man and woman.” On Saturday, the Aquinnah tribe honored its oldest living member, Edith Andrews, 97. Andrews, who resides in Dartmouth, formerly served as a representative to the National Congress of American Indians, the nation’s oldest tribal advocacy group, and worked as a bilingual paraprofessional in the New Bedford school system. Cheryl Andrews-Maltais, Andrews’ daughter and the former chairwoman of the Aquinnah Wampanoag Tribe, emphasized her mother’s positive and wide-reaching impact among native people. “They always say if they can get to Dartmouth or if they can get to the Island, they really would like to see her and give thanks for all the information, the kindness, and the wisdom that she shared with them,” Andrews-Maltais said. “So thank you, Mommy.” Following speeches made by Edith’s loved ones, the Black Brook Singers, a traditional Wampanoag singing and drumming group based in Aquinnah, performed an Honor Song as audience mem-

Dance as medicine Aquinnah Powwow celebrates and teaches indigenous culture.

“Returning to Sassafras or to the land or to my tribe, I feel like I get a moment to pause. I get a moment to stop and reset, and just center on my spirit inside,” Madison said. Inside the main tent, there were tables for organizations ranging from Harvard Dental School to the Federation for Children with Special Needs. Also present was Brad Lopes, education director for the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). During powwow, Lopes shared information about the tribe’s initiatives, such as a scholarship program he hopes to establish for Wampanoag high school students on the Island. Lopes said that powwow is about building relationships with those outside of his tribe. “It’s really about community. It’s about seeing the smiling faces, seeing some people I haven’t seen in a couple months, and feeling whole. It’s way closer to where our life should be more often than not as Wampanoag people,” he said. “It’s also that age-old diplomacy and relational aspect too. We’ve been doing that for thousands of years, so you keep it going.”

BY SARA CREATO

N E W S

C O R P O R A T I O N

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Charles M. Sennott

NEWS + EDITORIAL

SARAH SHAW DAWSON

Top, members of tribes danced together at the Aquinnah Wampanoag Powwow on Saturday. Bottom left, Marcus Mills and his daughter, Nashoni. Bottom right, Denisse Mercado and Hector Lebau at the Aquinnah Powwow.

bers were invited to speak with Edith. Emcee Justin Beatty of the Ojibwe and Occaneechi Saponi tribes shared personal commentary between the dance performances. Following a rendition of the Jingle Dress Dance — a healing dance ritual of the Ojibwe Tribe based in the Great Lakes region and Southern Canada, where dancers wear dresses adorned with tinkling metal cones — Beatty said that the dance’s benefits are for native and non-native people. “This dance is for healing for anybody who needs it, regardless of race, creed, color, financial situation, background, or orientation,” Beatty said. Near the crest of the hill at Aquinnah Circle, tribal elder Sharon Araujo of the Aquinnah tribe sold homemade jars of beach plum jelly, clay harvested from the Aquinnah Cliffs, and handmade tobacco-pouch keychains made from rawhide and decorated with wampum and sea glass. In Wampanoag culture, tobacco is used to facilitate communication with the spiritual world. Araujo, who hasn’t operated her own stand at the Aquinnah Powwow in about 20 years, said that the powwow allows her to reunite with some of her family members. “It’s a big, big gathering,” Araujo said. “I haven’t seen a lot of my relatives for years.” Heath Widdiss, Aquinnah Wampanoag, sold pottery made from clay from the Aquinnah Cliffs. Widdiss, who now uses a pottery wheel to make his creations, said that he grew up making pinch pots with his grandmother, Gladys Widdiss. It’s against state, federal, and tribal laws for anyone outside of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to take or use clay from the Cliffs. Widdiss said that along with cultural traditions, his pottery is rooted in familial memories. “Growing up, my grandmother doing her pottery and bribing me with hot chocolate to help her with her pots — It’s more a personal thing to me than more of a traditional,” he said. Widdiss also said he enjoys seeing nonnative people appreciate indigenous culture during powwow.

“It’s neat to sit here and be able to see other people who haven’t experienced anything like this to be able to come here and enjoy it and appreciate it,” he said. Douglas Vanderhoop, Aquinnah Wamponoag, sold sailor-rope bracelets and dream catchers at his stand. He explained how his dream catchers — a traditional craft composed of a hoop with a net to ward off negative dreams — work: “The dream travels in, goes up to the wampum, swirls around, and passes on to you, the dreamer. But if it’s a bad dream, it will come down, and it’ll get caught in the web and disappear in the morning sunlight.” The powwow featured several Wampanoag food vendors, such as Aquila MV and Sly Fox Den, a New England–based catering business serving authentic Northeast indigenous cuisine. Sly Fox Den’s menu consists of traditional dishes, such as smoked fish, venison, and butternut squash, alongside modern twists on tradition, like the “Three Sisters Rice” (corn, beans, and squash) and Indian tacos (Indian frybread topped with chili). Jade Galvin, Mashpee Wampanoag, runs the business, which was started by her mother, Sherry Pocknett, and is named after her grandfather, Chief Vernon “Sly Fox” Pocknett. Galvin told The Times that powwow is about “keeping the traditions alive and letting people know we’re still here.” There were many stands, such as Kinship Heals, a native-run domestic violence relief organization, distributing educational materials at the powwow. They also gave out breathalyzer keychains and fragrant shower steamers to help individuals with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. Taj Madison, Aquinnah Wampanoag, represented Sassafras Earth Education, a Wampanoag nonprofit dedicated to restoring indigenous environmental practices. The stand featured Wampanoag tools, such as a bow drill set (used to make fires by friction) and a digging stick (a sharpened wooden stick used for tilling soil and foraging). Madison, who lives in Boston, said that coming back to the Island refocuses him.

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news A3

September 17, 2026

More details emerge on SSA paperwork lapse An employee was terminated for the issues; the Barnstable’s rear gates fell into the sea. BY EUNKI SEONWOO

he Steamship Authority’s (SSA) issues that led to the Island Home being sidelined this week had a wider impact on the fleet than initially reported by The Times on Monday, and an SSA staff member was terminated as a result. “The past few weeks have been very challenging,” Alex Kryska, SSA general manager, said during the ferry line’s board meeting on Tuesday. The Island Home was sidelined from Saturday to Tuesday afternoon due to an expired 10-year radiotelephony certificate from the Federal Communications Commission, a requirement for the ferry to operate. The Island Home is the largest vessel in the SSA fleet, and a smaller ferry, the Martha’s Vineyard, needed to fill in the route, leaving the ferry line scrambling to accom-

modate impacted vehicle reservations. “We should’ve known about it coming for a long time,” Kryska said. Kryska sent out a letter Saturday detailing the issues that stated they stemmed from a scheduling issue of a U.S. Coast Guard inspection of the freight ferry Monomoy, which sidelined the boat for a day and prompted a fleetwide review of regulatory compliance. But on Tuesday, Kryska expanded that an internal audit that was conducted in the beginning of the month revealed the Island Home also had a lapsed Coast Guard inspection, and the first vessel to have been found with regulatory issues was actually the freight ferry Woods Hole. “We found that the Woods Hole had not had those inspections done this year,”

Kryska said. “The Coast Guard being on board [Sept. 1] was able to rectify that immediately, and let that boat sail.” According to Kryska, the SSA Safety Quality Management System, which the ferry line website states is for “policies, plans, and procedures to manage operational safety and customer experience,” requires Coast Guard inspections to be done four times a year. On top of the regulatory issues, Kryska shared that recently the rear gates of the freight ferry Barnstable weren’t secured properly, and fell into the water as it got “hit by some waves” passing through Quicks Hole on Sept. 10. The pieces have been located by divers, and the SSA “will be raising those [Tuesday].” But the vessel temporarily switched from the Nantucket route to the Vineyard route as a result. The SSA is working to rectify the administrative problems. The ferry line’s captains have been asked to submit photos of vessel documents to its maritime operations department to be categorized into a document that tracks deadlines. “This was a major downfall on our part,” Kryska said. He noted the possibility that extra duties for the reservation system development could’ve taken staff ’s attention away from regular duties. “We need to take a step back and look at our entire operation

from soup to nuts, and that’s something we’re going to start immediately.” The employee responsible for the paperwork issues wasn’t identified, but Kryska confirmed that the individual had been terminated, and this employee was also not a part of the development of the new reservation system. Ted Gavin, the Vineyard board representative, said it seems the proper steps were taken after the slew of issues. The responses of some ferry officials, however, underscored the seriousness of the matter as multiple vessels were grounded. SSA COO Mark Amundsen said it “is indefensible,” and claimed responsibility as head of operations. Peter Jeffrey, board chair and Falmouth representative, said the recent lapses were “preventable and unacceptable.” “Required inspections and operating certificates are not mere paperwork,” Jeffrey said. “They are prerequisites to lawful and reliable service.” He noted that the issues were allowed by a single person, and called on a written report to be issued. “Considering the seriousness of this, I think it deserves a written report,” Jeffrey said. “I think the public needs that.” Kryska said a report will be available by the next board meeting, which is scheduled to be held on Oct. 20 in Tisbury.

news in brief Shenandoah embarks on final voyage Chilmark School fourth- and fifth-graders ran down the Owen Park docks with luggage in hand and excitement in their eyes as families trailed not far behind, Monday morning around 9:30. The students piled into Capt. Ian Ridgeway’s dinghy for a short ride to the Shenandoah, beginning what Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy (MVOA), which took over ownership of the vessel from the late Capt. Bob Douglas in 2020, said is the topsail schooner’s last student voyage after 63 summers sailing and welcoming more than 15,000 Island students aboard for hands-on maritime experience. MVOA is currently fundraising to get started on building a Shenandoah II. Ridgeway asked everyone on the docks to start passing luggage down to him, and he began loading them onto his dinghy, which is a small white workboat with a short boxy cabin and open cockpit surrounded by benches where children sat bunched together. Bags were piled up in the middle of the large floor. “Is the new Shenandoah going to be fun?” a fourth-grade student asked Ridgeway as he steered the dinghy over to the Shenandoah, floating at a mooring in front of the Martha’s Vineyard Shipyard. “Yes! It’s going to be made of steel!” Ridgeway said. Once aboard, some fifth-graders familiar with the ship from last year’s trip pointed out fun locations to climb and explore, and eager to learn, fourth-graders followed, climbing and sitting on the main gaff and hanging off the cargo netting that leads to the top of the sails. Crew members asked them to get down, at least during the boarding process, because they needed all hands on deck. MVOA will end the Shenandoah’s final season with a three-day community farewell. Ridgeway and co-executive director Casey Blum have said continued repairs on the vessel are no longer financially practical. “Shenandoah has been the stage for peak life moments and transformational experiences for thousands of Vineyarders across generations. The experience of setting out on a voyage aboard her is indescribable, and has a lasting effect on participants. We’re excited to amplify that for future children with Shenandoah II,” Ridgeway said. The Shenandoah II is a steel-hulled successor designed by Douglas himself. The current captain, Ridgeway, who is executive director of the MVOA, has previously said that they plan to preserve the original hull

from the Shenandoah as a waterfront exhibit to ensure her legacy as a piece of history that lives on for future generations. On Friday, Shenandoah is scheduled to sail home, after a week of students out on the water, from Tarpaulin Cove on Naushon Island around noon. Boats of every kind are invited to join the parade of sail. She will come alongside Black Dog Wharf on Saturday, when the students will disembark for a dockside potluck from 5 to 7 pm, and her cannons will be fired at sunset. The gathering is planned in concert with Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway’s annual Pat West gaff-rig and schooner race. On Sunday, the decks will be open to the public from 11 am to 5 pm. Ridgeway said the nonprofit is about $900,000 short of finishing construction funding for the steel-hulled Shenandoah II, which is expected to cost about $9.85 million total and take roughly two years. Builders have not been chosen; a round of bids is still ahead. “I am [excited]. It’s been challenging to raise the money for it. It’ll be a great project and a great program if it’s well-capitalized,” Ridgeway said in an interview with The Times. As he rode his dinghy over to pick up students at Owen Park, he said he wished the historic wooden schooner could still keep sailing. “I love the Shenandoah. It was the stage of some of the most important moments of growth in my life. It’s a wonderful boat, and I wish it made sense to keep sailing it,” Ridgeway said. The original plan after MVOA took over in 2020, he said, was to sail her two to four more years. “This has been a long time coming,” he said.

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

Hauling food on board.

Veteran duo wins Creative Living Award Friends Tom Bennett and Dr. Robert Tankard, veterans and advocates for veterans’ rights, were selected as the recipients of Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation’s (MVCF) 43rd Creative Living Award. The award, created by Islander Ruth Bedding to honor Oak Bluffs resident Ruth Bogan in 1983, recognizes people “whose leadership, artistic vision, innovation, generosity, or community service help make Martha’s Vineyard a more vibrant and caring place to live,” a press release from MVCF stated. The duo are being recognized for their years of service on the Island, particularly to the local veterans’ community. Bennett and Tankard will be celebrated on a date that will be announced in the future. “Tom and Bob have made such a strong impact on our community, both individually and together,” Paul Schulz, executive director of Martha’s Vineyard Community Foundation, said in the release. “They embody the principles of the Creative Living Award, and we are honored to celebrate their achievements.” The release gave an introduction for the two men. Bennett served Martha’s Vineyard Community Services for years as the associate executive director and senior clinical advisor for the nonprofit’s Island Counseling Center. He is currently director of veteran services, but has served in various other roles over the years, such as leader of its youth center and Daybreak programs. Bennett grew up on Chappaquiddick before moving to Edgartown. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1965 and served as a medic, “supporting soldiers who were wounded in and returning from the Vietnam War.” He returned to the Vineyard in 1969 and resumed work with local youth, coaching baseball for 16 years, and became one of the first two graduates of Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) to be elected to the school committee. He used the GI Bill to earn his graduate degree from Antioch College. In 1984, Bennett joined fellow Islander U.S. Marine veteran Woody Williams’ “grassroots veterans group that counseled returning war veterans,” which was established into a program supported by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs in 1986. Although this program lost federal funding last year, fundraising efforts preserved it, and Bennett continues to lead it. Tankard is the Martha’s Vineyard veterans’ outreach advocate. He is known

NATALIE AYMOND

Tom Bennett, left, and Bob Tankard at a veterans’ picnic in 2022.

to many as “Coach,” “Tank,” or simply “Bob,” and he has served in various roles on the Island. He was the principal of the West Tisbury School, co-founded the Martha’s Vineyard Diversity Coalition, and has been a member or chair of various boards, including of Martha’s Vineyard Community Television, where he hosts the popular show “Tank Talk,” and on school committees. Tankard served in the U.S. Army in Korea. He obtained a doctoral degree from Fielding Graduate University, a master’s from the former Bridgewater State College, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts. He also has a certificate of leadership from the Principals’ Center at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The release noted Bennett and Tankard’s partnership extends “far beyond the work they do in the Island-wide community of veterans.” They’re also lifelong friends who played football together at MVRHS, where they graduated as a part of the class of 1964. After graduation, they joined the military “under a time of significant social, political, and racial pressure.” “While their lifelong contributions to the community are too numerous to list, their most recent foray into housing for veterans is noteworthy. Their tireless advocacy and fundraising on behalf of Island veterans has resulted in a soon-to-be-constructed building [on Bellevue Ave.] in Oak Bluffs, with 12 apartments designed specifically for veterans,” the release states. Continued on A14

news

September 17, 2026

EDITORIAL Tragedy transformed on the 9/11 Day of Service BOSTON — As the country marked the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, more than 1,200 volunteers turned remembrance into action in a coordinated effort to pack 400,000 meals for individuals facing food insecurity, to be distributed by the Greater Boston Food Bank. It was part of an initiative across the state and the U.S. to pack a total of 18 million meals. The local effort in Boston took place Friday, Sept. 11, inside the cavernous Track at New Balance in Brighton, where large folding tables were set up with packing stations at which volunteers assembled breakfast meals that included oatmeal packs, apples, cinnamon, and protein powders.

region and across the country. And here on Martha’s Vineyard, we are far from immune to this problem. Indeed, there are thousands of people on the Island who require food assistance. Rising grocery and living costs, high inflation, and disruptions to assistance programs caused by the Trump administration have exacerbated an ongoing crisis. The Greater Boston Food Bank, in partnership with Mass General Brigham, produced a new study that revealed a doubling of the number of food-insecure in Massachusetts since 2019. The report found that 40 percent of households face food insecurity, meaning they lack consistent, reliable access to enough healthy food. Our community has also faced its own rise in food insecurity over the years. The Island Food Pantry, which receives 7,000 pounds of produce weekly from the Greater Boston Food

Rising grocery and living costs, high inflation, and disruptions to assistance programs caused by the Trump administration have exacerbated an ongoing crisis.

Bank, had 5,700 registered clients in 2024, a steady rise since 2,200 clients in 2019, while more than 1,000 Islanders use SNAP benefits as of 2023. A more dramatic display of the growing need may be from the ready-made meals delivered by Island Grown Initiative, which runs the pantry: 56,353 (IGI) deliveries so far this year, a nearly 25-fold jump from the 2,304 deliveries in 2018. And although the 9/11 remembrance for the 25th anniversary of the attacks offered a great deal of attention and energy to fuel the volunteers to address this problem, the truth is there are many causes that are inspiring

small armies of volunteers to deploy in a myriad of ways. One of the efforts here on the Island seeks to combine a fight against the scourge of ticks and the illness they can spread, exacerbated by the vector of an abundant deer population, with an effort to feed those who are food-insecure. The idea is to increase the processing capacity in harvesting venison from donations as a part of managing the deer population. Tick Free MV, a nonprofit that launched last December, and the Agricultural Society are teaming up to expand the processing capability on the Island in a phased project that

should start this hunting season. It can be read about on A1. At the same time, IGI and Island Health Care (IHC) are leading the effort to build a local “food is medicine” model on Martha’s Vineyard, in part through two new centers. IGI, which already serves almost a quarter of Islanders through its year-round food pantry, has plans in the works for a center for education and outreach, and IHC is designing a new healthcare space in Edgartown, both through the lens that food is actually medicine. It can also be read about on A1. We applaud these initiatives and all efforts that serve the neediest in terms of food insecurity. We want to encourage all Islanders to find a way to roll up their sleeves and pitch in to help feed the food-insecure, to help house those who are living without a home, and to offer services that are needed. Our Island is given an unusual bounty of abundance and beauty, which makes it all the more important for those of us lucky enough to live here to step up and help those who are less fortunate. No one should be left hungry in the commonwealth, or anywhere in the country, and certainly not on an Island like ours, with so many people willing to help and so much wealth available to be transformed into philanthropy.

accident was avoided last Saturday evening in Menemsha thanks to Carl the parking officer. When guiding me out from my parking space, he noticed my back wheel was about to fall off.

The kindness that followed is memorable. Fortunately, I have a son who lives on-Island who called a tow truck, which arrived promptly. The kindness of the two Chilmark Police officers in

making sure that two elderly ladies got home safely was admirable. Kindness still flourishes in Chilmark. Jennifer Riseborough-Coor Chilmark and Cambridge

COURTESY: UNIITE FOR GOOD

Across 50 cities, more than 50,000 people volunteered their time to pack 18 million meals on 9/11.

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

The breakfasts were then bagged and sealed before being shipped out to a network of the Greater Boston Food Bank, of which there are six partner agencies onIsland. Across the 50 cities, more than 50,000 people volunteered their time. The impressive and highly organized operation was led by UNIITE for Good, started by David Paine and Jay Winuk, who lost his brother in the collapse of the World Trade Center, because they wanted something good to come out of that day. It provided a chance to both honor the fallen on 9/11 and ponder the actual depth of food insecurity in our

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.

LETTER ‘Kindness still flourishes in Chilmark’ To the Editor: What could have been a nasty

news A5

September 17, 2026

Twenty-five years later, Islanders commemorate 9/11

what happened on 9/11.” Randy said that the painting, which used to hang in his office in New York, will now remain displayed on the Vineyard. Peggy, whose grandparents died in the Holocaust, emFirst responders and community members gathered for the phasized to The Times the annual ceremony and artwork showcase. BY SARA CREATO power of images depicting tragic events, such as 9/11 and the Holocaust. fighter’s Prayer,” a traditional The American flag was n American flag hung “Imagery really brings poem recited by firefighters lowered to half-staff, and suspended in the air the crowd solemnly listened asking for strength and protec- back the feelings. You can tell from a fire engine ladsomebody over and over again to the speeches and prayers tion while on duty. der as local first responders that they used gas chambers delivered by various comOn display at the ceremony and community members was a painting by artist Peggy and put people into it, but munity members. gathered outside the Oak Weis. The work depicts news- when you see the pictures and Father Joseph Pasala, Bluffs Fire Station Friday movies of the people actupastor of Good Shepherd paper images of victims of morning to commemorate ally doing it, it makes it all so Parish on the Island, led the the attack, as well as Osama and remember the 25th anmuch more real,” she said. audience with a prayer. bin Laden — founder of the niversary of 9/11. Hall, who was a senior “God of love, you place in terrorist group al-Qaeda, reThe ceremony started with in high school during 9/11, sponsible for the 9/11 attacks a moment of silence, followed your loving arms thousands told The Times that the of innocent lives that were on the Twin Towers at the by the tolling of the bell, attacks spurred him to belost on that unforgettable World Trade Center and the which honored the nearly come a firefighter. Pentagon in Arlington, Va. 3,000 victims, including 343 morning of September 11, 2001. We all remember the “It’s a terrible tragedy, but — against the backdrop of an firefighters, who lost their courage of the countless men American flag. Randy Weis, it brought our country tolives in the terrorist attacks and women who put their Peggy’s husband, recalled how gether, and we got through it on September 11, 2001. she created the painting imtogether,” Hall said. The tolling of the bell holds lives at risk,” Pasala said. “Help us to continue to work mediately after the attacks. Oak Bluffs Police Chief extra significance for fireJonathan Searle was at home “In that evening, she fighters. Before telephones or for a world free from every form of hatred, violence, and disappeared to the upper on paternity leave with his radios, the toll of a bell was 17-day-old daughter, Emma, floor of our house, where used to announce the begin- ignorance; may terrorism she had a small studio, and during the attacks. He recalled ning of a shift, summon fire- and all its forms disappear she didn’t emerge for about the unsettling quiet of that fighters to the station, signal from the face of the Earth.” Brian Patrick Hall, a senior day: “Beautiful day, probably a a week,” he said. “She was when a job was complete, and firefighter for the Oak Bluffs bluer sky than today, but still up there creating, and it notify neighboring departdepartment, recited the “Fire- was her way of dealing with no wind. It was eerily quiet ments for help.

ELLA MUNNELY

First responders underneath an American flag at the Oak Bluffs Fire Station.

until we heard the roar of the fighter jets leaving Otis Air [National Guard] Base [in Sandwich], flying over the Island, full afterburners in effect. It put a shiver down your spine and it was like, “Are we at war? Are we not at war? What is actually going on here?” Searle said. Twenty-five years later, Sear-

le expressed his worries about people no longer remembering 9/11. “We all said we’ll never forget, and it just seems to me that a lot of people have forgotten or just never even were taught about it,” Searle said. “History repeats itself, and that’s something that concerns me in this day and age.”

In addition to her husband, mother-in-law, and parents, Connie was predeceased by her sister and brother-inlaw, Jean and Joe Pacheco; and sisters-in-law Celeste Willette and Tammy Ashley. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Lions Club of Dighton, P.O. Box 204, Dighton, MA 02715, or to your favorite animal rescue group, in Connie’s name would be greatly appreciated. Connie’s celebration of life will take place on Oct. 3, from 11 am to 1 pm at her childhood home in Dighton. Family and friends are all invited. Please email Angela Ashley at 29windyhill@ gmail.com for further details.

David Federowicz

obituaries Nancy enjoyed taking part in family musicales with her beloved uncles Gale and Willie Huntington. Everyone sang along to old tunes, with Hub on banjo, Gale on fiddle, and Willie on guitar. In 1973, while living year-round in Chilmark, the couple began publishing the Banjo Newsletter, a monthly periodical devoted to the fivestring banjo. As the magazine grew, Nancy took charge of circulation and answering the phone. The newsletter widened their circle of friends and On Sept. 7, 2026, Nancy Nitchie musicians, and for many years of Edgartown passed away. She circulated worldwide. was 96, a mother, grandmother, In 1992 her husband passed wife, sister, teacher, and beloved away, and Nancy gave the magafriend — along with an avid zine to her two sons, Donald berry picker, barefoot clam and Spencer. In 2007, Nancy digger, gardener, quilter, moved to her house on Quitmonologist, do-gooder, singer, sa Pond — the one right on and repository of family lore. State Road with hydrangeas, Nancy M. Huntington roses, and daylilies. In recent Nitchie was born on Dec. 20, years, she lived in Vineyard 1929, in Montclair, N.J., the Haven, then Oak Bluffs, and oldest of four. Her parents, Fred finally Edgartown. and Mary Lee Huntington, met Nancy Nitchie is survived by while teenagers in Chilmark, her brother, Tom Huntington of where both families spent sum- Los Angeles, Calif.; and sister, mers on Quitsa Pond. Nancy Jane Huntington of Greenbelt, grew up in Montclair, and Md.; son Donald and wife stayed near Quitsa each sumBeth Parker of Chilmark, and mer as well. She attended Bostheir two sons Nigel Smith of ton University and graduated Gardener, and Tucker Smith of from Newark State Teacher’s West Tisbury; daughter Emily College. While teaching and husband William Meegan school in Maryland, she met of Chilmark, and their son Jake her future husband, Hubbard Meegan of Vineyard Haven, Nitchie, who was stationed at and daughter Delilah Meegan of the Naval Academy. Fairfield, Conn.; granddaughter The couple settled in AnSofia Nitchie, of Madison, Wis., napolis, Md., and worked as and great-grandson Silvio; schoolteachers while raising and the wife of her late son their three children. Nancy Spencer, Tara Boyle, of Baltitaught kindergarten and first more, Md. grade for many years, and develShe is also survived by the oped a rousing version of “We’re many daffodils, azaleas, and Going on a Bear Hunt!” daylilies she planted on her variThe family spent sumous properties on the Vineyard, mers on the Vineyard, where or shared with other gardeners.

Nancy Nitchie

The family thanks the staff of Windemere and Navigator Homes for their loving care of Nancy.

David Alton

A celebration of life for David Michael Alton, husband of Coreen Alton, will be held on Sunday, Sept. 27, at the P.A. Club in Oak Bluffs from 1 to 4 pm.

Connie Ashley

Constance (“Connie”) Atwood Ashley, 79, passed away

peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2025, in her home, surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of the late Walter C. Ashley, with whom she shared 39 years of marriage before his passing in 2014.

She was born in Taunton, daughter of Leslie and Alice (Waller) Atwood. Connie graduated in 1964 from Dighton Rehoboth High School, and received an associate’s degree from Northeastern University in 1966. Connie led a life marked by dedication, humor, and a deep love for her family. In her early years, she worked as an x-ray technician. After moving to Martha’s Vineyard in the late ’70s, she worked alongside her husband at C&W Power Equipment, where she served as the bookkeeper and an integral part of their shared endeavor. Connie had a vibrant personality and a quick wit. She often joked about being a “hooker” on the side — clarifying with a smile that she meant rug hooking, one of her many creative hobbies. Her sense of humor was matched by her warmth and generosity. A voracious reader, Connie found joy in baking, books, and gardening. She was also an avid birdwatcher and animal lover in general. She is lovingly remembered by her daughters, Angela Ashley and Jacquelyn Ashley; her sister, Katherine Courtemanche; and her sisters-in-law, Edna Hopkins and Laurie Ashley; and her brothers-in-law, Lenny Courtemanche, Clyde Ashley, Milton Ashley, Lewis Ashley, Wayne Hopkins, and Gary Willette. She also leaves behind nieces and nephews Michael Pacheco and Jeff Pacheco, Rachael LaFleur, Gary Willette Jr., Nicolas Ashley, Danielle Ashley, Sara Hopkins, and Scott Hopkins.

A celebration of life for David F. Federowicz, husband of Judith Anne Federowicz, will be held on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, from 11 am to 2 pm.

news

September 17, 2026

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Investigation into gun photo at high school football game No gun recovered yet; administration says there’s no credible threat to school safety.

photo of a gun, sent by one Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) student to another, launched an investigation during a football game against Mashpee High School on Friday. According to the Oak Bluffs Police Department, officials began the investigation in coordination with the school’s administration after learning that a photograph depicting a handgun had been shared with another student at the game at McCarthy Stadium. “We want to emphasize that we take incidents of this nature extremely seriously. Our priority is always to ensure the safety and security of our students, staff, and all attendees at school events,” a statement from Oak Bluffs Police released Saturday stated. The Oak Bluffs Police School Resource Officers initiated an investigation on Friday and requested additional resources from on-duty officers, who “were ultimately instrumental in helping to ensure the safety of our community,” the press release stated. According to the statement by the MVRHS administration issued Saturday, at approximately 7:30 pm, school staff and a school resource officer became aware that

BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

An investigation began during an MVRHS football game into a student who allegedly had a gun. NICHOLAS VUKOTA

“At this time, law enforcement and school officials have determined that there is no credible threat to the safety of our school community.” —MVRHS STATEMENT IN PART a student at the school had received an image of a handgun through social media, allegedly taken and sent by another MVRHS student. The student who allegedly sent the image was identified by MVRHS administration. The student, who was not named, was not located on school grounds, but information gathered during the initial response revealed that he had just left.

“Throughout the response, administration maintained ongoing communication and coordination with the school resource officer and multiple Island police departments,” the MVRHS statement reads. According to the statement, police made contact with the student at his parents’ home. “The student was cooperative, and law enforcement reports that no weapon

Police investigating sexual assault at O.B. barracks Continued from A1

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Oak Bluffs Police is independent from the Massachusetts State Police’s internal investigation. “The Oak Bluffs Police Department is a separate and independent law enforcement agency from the Massachusetts State Police and, from the beginning, has conducted this investigation independently and in accordance with the department’s established poli-

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will conduct a public input session in order to solicit comment on future land acquisition priorities and any other matters which the public may wish to discuss. The session will take place at 4:00PM on Monday, October 19th in the second-floor meeting room of the Vineyard Transit Authority office, located at 11 A Street in Edgartown (in the airport business park).

Police launched an investigation into the incident at the Oak Bluffs barracks.

MV TIMES

cies and procedures,” Searle said in the statement. The Oak Bluffs Police received a warrant for the investigation, including a warrant executed at the State Police barracks. “The Massachusetts State Police General Headquarters has cooperated with matters related to the investigation. The department also has been in communication with the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s

Office regarding the investigation and findings,” Searle said in the statement. “The Oak Bluffs Police Department takes allegations of sexual assault extremely seriously. Our investigators have followed the facts and evidence in this case, and we will continue to conduct this investigation thoroughly and independently,” he continued. The official State Police website page for the Oak

was located. The matter remains under investigation,” the statement said. “At this time, law enforcement and school officials have determined that there is no credible threat to the safety of our school community.” The high school said it will address the matter with the student directly, in compliance with the MVRHS student handbook. MVRHS administration also said in its statement that additional safety measures, including increased law enforcement presence, enhanced monitoring of events, and continued coordination among school officials and local law enforcement, were put in place for other sports games, such as soccer, field hockey, and cross-country, on Saturday as a result of the incident. “These precautions are intended to provide a safe and welcoming environment for our students, families, staff, and visitors,” the MVRHS administration’s statement said. “We understand that information of this nature can be concerning, particularly when it involves a school event. We ask our community to avoid sharing unverified information, photographs, or speculation on social media, and to allow law enforcement to complete its investigation.”

Bluffs barracks, which functions as living quarters for officers stationed on Island, located at 51 Temahigan Road, states that there is guest parking and directs the public to call for hours of operation at the station, but doesn’t clarify whether guest civilians are allowed to stay overnight or not. A Boston Globe article from 2018 said that sergeants have lived at the Oak Bluffs barracks, and on Nantucket, station commanders have occupied their building with family as official employee housing. Officials haven’t responded to requests for comment regarding barracks policy on overnight visitors. Departments involved in the case, including the Cape and Islands District Attorney’s Office, declined to comment further as investigations are ongoing. State law around sexual assault investigations prohibit what the agency can disclose in order to protect the parties involved as well as the integrity of the investigation and criminal process. No charges have been announced in the case.

news A7

September 17, 2026

Chasing Derby dreams Continued from A1 night, the Derby is about more than winning, it’s the most exciting time of the season. Not only does the local fishing competition bring a wave of fish that the Island’s fishing population gets only a small window to target — like false albacore, which come to the Island from late August through the end of October — but the season also fills the beaches and storefronts with likeminded anglers, bringing the community together for one of the Island’s legendary dances, known locally as simply the Derby. The Derby officially opened on Sunday, Sept. 13, at 12:01 am, and at the opening weigh-in, which took place at the Derby headquarters in Edgartown later that morning at 8 am, a few anglers who had fished through the night were already waiting in line to weigh in their catch. With a huge smile, John Custer, president of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, opened the headquarters doors Sunday to a crowd that he said was the largest he’s ever seen. Alongside him was a beloved guest and legend in the fishing community, Cooper Gilkes. Custer attributed the large turnout for the 81st Derby to how much Gilkes is loved

“A couple generations now have grown up knowing Coop as synonymous with fishing, and he’s a humble, understated guy. People showed up because we love that man, and they know what he has given,” Custer told The Times in an interview. “Looking out there, seeing all those people, was satisfying.” Gilkes recalled the day they made the transfer. Gilkes said he, Medeiros, and Jerome were “like little kids chirping in the truck” on the ride from Edgartown to the Chamber of Commerce. They walked upstairs into the office of Derby founder and longtime organizer Ben Morton and

Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby opening ceremony. NICHOLAS VUKOTA

From left to right, Richard Mann, John O’Connell, and Buddy D’Agostino, at the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby opening weigh in. NICHOLAS VUKOTA

A fisherman silhouette at State Beach bridge. DOMENICK PANDISCIA

John Custer weighs in the first fish of the Derby on Sunday morning. NICHOLAS VUKOTA

and respected in the fishing community on-Island. “This is easily the biggest crowd we’ve had for the opening bell, and I know why you’re here — it’s the gentleman standing to my right,” Custer, gesturing to Gilkes as he opened the ceremony, said. Gilkes, who founded Coop’s Bait and Tackle in Edgartown after moving to the Island in 1971, was instrumental in developing the local Derby into the 3,000-plus-person fishing tournament it is today. “The three amigos,” as Gilkes described them at the ceremony, who purchased the Derby from the Martha’s Vineyard Chamber of Commerce in 1987, included himself, Eddie Medeiros, and Ed Jerome. Gilkes is particularly known for his role in running the Kids’ Derby in the early days of their tenure as Derby owners.

purchased the Derby for $1. “On the way home, nobody said a word. All the guys in the car were just saying, ‘We did it. We finally did it, and now it’s on us,’” Gilkes said. The trio, he said, went over to Gilkes’ house, where they thought about what had happened. “I’m sitting at the table and looking around the table, and Ed Jerome is sitting there, and I made [eye] contact with Ed, and it’s racing through my mind what we did and what’s happening, and Ed winked at me and smiled,” Gilkes said. Three fish were weighed immediately after the opening bell Sunday, rung three times by Gilkes this year, “once for me, once for Ed, and once for Eddie Medeiros,” he said. First was a bluefish that came in at 3.7 pounds, caught by Richard

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Mann. The second fish, a 3.65-pound bluefish, was caught by his teammate, Buddy D’Agostino. Their team name is the Paws Paws. The third fish weighed in was the biggest. Brought in by John O’Connell, the large bluefish came in at 7.25 pounds and was approximately 29 inches long. As of Monday morning, Gustavo B. Souza leads boat

bluefish at 14.54 pounds, with Tyler Poole atop the shore bluefish standings at 8.80 pounds. Dylan Kadison holds the lead for boat bonito at 7.46 pounds, and Derek Bergeron for bonito from the shore at 5.05 pounds. Scarlett Stedman’s 18.73-pound albacore leads the boat rankings, and J.R. Magee’s 6.75-pound albacore leads the shore.

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September 17, 2026

Emergent model of food and health Continued from A1 prescriptions of healthier food options are another; and there are more. Island Grown Initiative (IGI) and Island Health Care (IHC) are leading an effort to build a local Food Is Medicine model on Martha’s Vineyard — through programs, free food practices, nutritional guidance, and two new centers — to address challenges the community faces. Food Is Medicine uses modern applications of ancient practices that are deeply rooted in traditional farming, harvesting, and cooking methods by indigenous communities, including the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah). IGI and IHC co-hosted a panel discussion on Thursday, Sept. 3, in Katama called “Food Is Medicine” to teach attendees about feeding a community facing higher grocery, housing, transportation, and home insurance costs than those on the mainland. One in five Islanders faces food insecurity, with more than 7,000 pounds of produce delivered to the IGI food pantry in Oak Bluffs from the Greater Boston Food Bank each week. IGI states on its website that it produces 85,000 readymade meals every year with financial assistance from Slough Farm. This year so far, IGI has delivered 56,353 readymade meals, nearly 25 times higher than the 2,304 delivered in 2018. Plus, federal cuts to programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in the fall of 2025 threw low-income families and individuals into food-related flux, with the repercussions continuing to unfold legislatively and increasing reli-

be better together. We can heal together. We can grow together,’” Dolan said. Under a white tent at the Katama waterfront property before the panel discussion, locals and national food experts excitedly mingled. Large posters were set up that detailed two new centers proposed for the Vineyard: IGI has had plans in the works for a building for education and outreach since 2022, with $1.2 million left to reach its fundraising goal of $2.3 million, and IHC is designing a new healthcare space in Edgartown, across the street from its current campus. The education center design for IGI includes a teaching kitchen, workshop spaces, and offices. It’s set to be located in Vineyard Haven near IGI’s 42-acre farm. A project description on the IGI website described the proposed center as a “vibrant hub where our community comes together to learn about, advance, and celebrate regenerative farming, nutritious food, and cooking.” The IHC plans include a nutrition office, wellness class space, primary care, pediatrics, dental offices, and more. The new space sprawls across 9,000 square feet, compared to the current IHC location, which is 760 square feet. Both IHC’s and IGI’s spaces are geared toward the Food Is Medicine model on the Vineyard. The panelists on Thursday, who included Dolan; food equity director Merrick Carreiro at IGI; Christina Economos, dean of the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy; and Joshua Faller, the co-executive director of Easthampton-based food organization Just Roots, sat on a small stage with the

where squash, beans, and corn — called by indigenous tribes the “three sisters” — are interlaced from the soil to the sky. Another event, held in August at Stillpoint in West Tisbury, was a cli-

the modern movement began in the 1980s during the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Nonprofit organizations started offering medically tailored meals to address nutritional deficiencies among those living with the illness. Since then, the movement has grown through collaborative nonprofit efforts, state and

From left to right: Merrick Carreiro, Haley Dolan, Christina Economos, Joshua Faller.

Chilmark Select Board member Rebecca Haag asks a question during the panel.

PHOTOS: SARAH SHAW DAWSON

mate conference focused on the regenerative farming practices at IGI and Whippoorwill Farm, run by Andrew Woodruff. “This has been around forever,” Economos said of

federal support, and partnerships with farms. And the evidence for healthy food being medicinal is overwhelming, Economos said at the panel: Access to fresh and organic produce

“People don’t want processed food. They want quality proteins, produce, to feed their families.” —MERRICK CARREIRO, IGI FOOD EQUITY DIRECTOR ance on the food pantry. The “whole picture of health,” as Haley Dolan, the director of community health at IHC, said during the panel, includes food and housing security at a time when the minimum wage doesn’t even begin to cover basic needs. “Food is community. Food is connection. Of course, it’s the nutrient value that you have when you eat well. But even more than that, it’s taking people out of isolation and bringing them to the table and saying, ‘We can

Edgartown Harbor in the distance behind them. They explained to several dozen attendees that while daunting concerns about cost, climate change, and food insecurity are rising, Food Is Medicine is a budding archetype that addresses all three of those worries. It was not the only event this summer regarding Food Is Medicine. The practice was referenced in relation to a community garden plot at the IGI farm, planted by the Aquinnah Cultural Center,

The idea is that if an IHC provider recognizes nutritional deficiencies or lack of food access for a patient under their care, that provider can prescribe a CSA of farm-fresh produce from IGI. The patient can pick up the CSA share weekly and attend cooking classes to learn about potential recipes

the concept behind Food Is Medicine during the discussion. “If you talk to people who are from other cultures or indigenous populations, people have been thinking about food as medicine for a long time. But we’re thinking about it a little bit differently now as an adjunct to medicine and to healthcare.” While Food Is Medicine takes inspiration from multiple historical references, like indigenous practices and texts from ancient Egypt, China, and Greece,

improves health outcomes and reduces doctor visits, reducing resource strain and cost. She added that she is currently leading a national study that aims to show that patients enrolled in a Food Is Medicine program would have improved health outcomes as a result. On the Island, Food Is Medicine goes beyond medically tailored meals, and includes CSA shares, food pantry access, and produce prescriptions through IGI and IHC.

with those food items. The Food Is Medicine model is also closely linked to regenerative farming, which prioritizes soil health and growing more nutrientrich produce, contributing to a more balanced ecological system overall. While agriculture is a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, regenerative farming focuses on healing the earth rather than harming it by reducing tillage of soil and rotating crops and grazing animals. “Agriculture has been a huge part of the problem, and that is … a cause of climate change, losing greenhouse gasses from agricultural soils and agricultural practices,” Chris Neill of Woodwell Climate Research Center told The Times at Stillpoint. “But a cool thing about agriculture is with better practices, you can flip

A monthly newsletter dedicated to Martha’s Vineyard events and eats.

that arrow around and start to pull back some of that carbon that you’ve lost over the last 100 or 200 years.” Dolan and Carreiro said the entire program is not only beneficial for the environment; the community has demonstrated a clear desire for more fresh food. “People don’t want fast food. Thankfully, we don’t have any here,” Carreiro said during the panel in Katama. “People don’t want processed food. They want quality proteins, produce, to feed their families.” At the August conference at Stillpoint, co-executive director of IGI Noli Taylor explained that the tie-in to regenerative agriculture is essential, too. “Communities everywhere are going to be grappling with ‘How do we create food security in a changing climate when there’s more and more supply chain disruptions, when it’s getting more and more difficult to grow food in times of drought and times of extreme rainfall events?’” Taylor said. “I feel like there’s going to be a national drive towards figuring out community food security in this more holistic way, and every community is going to have to figure it out. But we can create these regional networks to share what we’re seeing works [and] practices that could be shared.” According to Economos, the outlook is similar in Washington, where Food Is Medicine has bipartisan support. And panelists added that Massachusetts is at the forefront of that effort. “This is on the MAHA agenda, Make America Healthy Again,” Economos told the attendees. She said legislators from across the aisle “care about the fact that we spend over $4 trillion on healthcare in this country, and about $1.2 trillion is diet-related chronic disease, meaning we can prevent it.” Faller, who runs a similar operation to IGI in Easthampton, said there are multiple farms in the state leading a working example of food as medicine, and IGI and IHC are at the forefront of that visibility. He said the model in Massachusetts is helping in more ways than one by “creating jobs and creating economic stability in the communities where the patients live [and] effectively impacting the social determinants of health.” “Everybody has our eyes on what we’re doing right now, and so I think it’s just a really important time to elevate the role of farmers,” Faller said.

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news A9

September 17, 2026

Island steps up its processing capacity as hunting season nears Continued from A1 this week that they used $1.5 million in philanthropic funds to expand the Island’s meat-processing capacity — for both deer and eventually livestock — year-round. Phase one of the project, a tangible touchpoint of Tick Free MV’s mission from the start, includes a temporary network of four trailers, two of which were customdesigned on the West Coast to process as many as 20 to 30 deer a day, a step up from what is currently available on the Island. The local nonprofit, which is less than a year old, also purchased a refrigerated cooler trailer and another trailer for office space. All four trailers will be located on the Agricultural Society’s grounds in West Tisbury, and those involved are hopeful that they will be operational for this

Virginia Barbatti and Lauren Lynch at the Agricultural Society grounds.

and 2012, joined his father in the effort to do custom manufacturing of what was previously called a mobile slaughter unit to restore local meat processing after he came back from his service. Friesla is the only company in the country, Lodder said, that provides both mobile and modular meat processing systems. The company also aids in project planning, facility design, coordination, and regulatory compliance. Lodder said the plan is that a team from Friesla comes to Martha’s Vineyard in October to train Islanders on how to use its equipment, what Lodder called “wrap-around services.” Barbatti and Lynch emphasized that the project is a job creator for butchers. Philip Hale of the M.V. Shipyard and on the board of Tick Free MV, Rob McCarron, chair of the Agricultural Society’s board of trustees, and Cole Powers, who con-

HAYLEY DUFFY

A Friesla mobile harvest unit.

PHOTOS: FRIESLA

coming hunting season. Tick Free MV fundraised for the entire project, and is gifting the equipment to the society. This year, there is an early hunting season that starts on Sept. 21 and ends on Oct. 1. The rest of the hunting season continues throughout the fall and winter. The program won’t be up and running by the early season, but the trailers should arrive on the Island in early October. “It’s come together really quickly,” Virginia Barbatti, executive director of Tick Free MV, said about the project she said the two organizations see as “an investment in the community.” The expanded-capacity project aims to not only aid a public health crisis caused by ticks, perpetuated by their hosts like deer, but also increase donations to the food pantry and promote job creation. The long-term goal is to also expand cold-storage capacity for local farmers. Phase one is temporary and limited to processing donated deer as part of a state program that started on the Island, but the hope is that in phase two, which would include a more permanent facility on the society’s grounds, anyone could process deer, donated or kept, and local farmers, of livestock and flowers, could utilize cold-storage space for their products. Tick Free MV

plans to continue to hand out cash incentives to hunters for donated deer ($100 per buck, $150 per doe), on which Barbatti said they spent $12,000 last season. “It’s really food systems infrastructure, and because of this two-phase vision that we have, having this permanent facility, it’s quite exciting to think about the opportunities that are created for our Island long-term,” Barbatti said. Phase two, which is still to be determined, both in scale and timeline, is part of what Lauren Lynch, president of the Agricultural Society, terms the “master site plan” for the entire grounds. But the recently procured trailers are planned to go inside a future permanent structure. “This is actually good timing that we are partnering on this, because we’re at a point where we want to look and see … what do we want these grounds to look like, and what do we want to get out of them,” Lynch said. There is currently a deer cooler on the society’s ground, operated by Patrick Roden-Reynolds, a tick biologist for the MV Tick Program, and a senior advisor for Tick Free MV, for society members, but there isn’t any equipment or capacity to process the deer. The deer must be “field-dressed, skin on, legs cut off at the knees, and properly tagged,” ac-

cording to the society, to go in the cooler. Though still planned to be used this year, the cooler “needs some love,” Lynch said, and a decade after being built by the MV Hunt Club, has started to tilt into the earth. But that will all change with phase one of this project. The refrigerated cooler, outfitted with custom racking for hanging deer, and office trailers were separately sourced, and the two meat-harvest units come from a company called Friesla in Washington that aims to restore local meat processing, a lack of which

is a problem country-wide, not just on the Island. The two trailers purchased from Friesla were specifically designed in a configuration optimal for venison processing, Barbatti said. The first unit will be used for the harvest process, and then the second is outfitted with meat-processing equipment to get the meat to a finished product. Reece Lodder, head of marketing and sales for Friesla, who worked as a combat correspondent with the Marine Corps and was deployed in Afghanistan between 2001

tracted to do the electrical for the project, flew out to Washington recently to see the units in person. It’s the first time that Friesla’s worked with an organization like Tick Free MV, where the sole goal isn’t food processing, and involves deer population management and then finding “a way to feed less fortunate within the community,” Lodder said. The donated deer from phase one of this project will be distributed by Island Grown Initiative (IGI), one of only two facilities on the Island that are equipped and permitted to donate meat

through the state Share the Harvest program, through its Food Pantry, which feeds one in five Islanders. The MV Hunt Club is the other processing facility, and Joseph Capace, president of the club and on the board of the Agricultural Society, said the entities are all collaborating on this project. The project is currently in the permitting process with the town of West Tisbury’s planning board for phase one. The select board is also aware, Barbatti said, and they are working through wastedisposal concerns raised by the town’s board of health. Barbatti said they also self-referred the project to the Martha’s Vineyard Commission, which didn’t see a problem. There have been concerns in the past that there aren’t enough hunters, due to a loss of tradition and barriers to entry, on the Island to have a real impact on the deer population. But an initiative called Deer Damage Permits, issued by the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), allow agricultural property owners, such as working farms, conservation land, and some large private estates to call in hunters to treat deer as pests on their property, outside the regulated deer hunting season. The program was created in 2024, but only recently gained traction on the Island. Martin Feehan, a deer biologist for the state who oversees 18 processors throughout the state, and has helped advise development of this project, said he’s seen use of these permits and need for processing grow. The facility is designed to meet capacity no matter what level of deer management occurs on the Island, he said; Tick Free MV’s goal is to reduce the number of deer by 70 percent after an Island-wide mapping confirmed that the population exceeded state standards by a long shot. In fact, 35 deer were removed so far this year via one of these permits, and 33 of those deer were then donated. Processing is a limiting factor to deer management, he said, and this project removes that limiting factor. Barbatti said, “Because this year for phase one we’re focused on donations, we’re confident that these trailers … will have the capacity that we need to support an increased number of donations on the Island … And the trailers do have enough capacity to handle significant volume if at any point we need to scale up.” The trailer network can be utilized yearround due to the permits. “While we’re addressing the tick crisis, we’re also addressing food insecurity, and it’s a piece of infrastructure that’s really food-systems infrastructure that can serve us in multiple ways,” Lynch said.

A10 classifieds

September 17, 2026

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

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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.

Jobs

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

CASHIERS NEEDED RELIABLE MARKET is seeking associates in all departments beginning as soon as possible, for the FALL or WINTER season. FULL or PARTTIME. Please see Donna in person for an application. DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT VINEYARD CONSERVATION SOCIETY VCS seeks an entrepreneurial fundraising leader to build a dynamic development program on Martha’s Vineyard. Major gifts, annual giving, grants, events & campaigns. 10+ years’ experience required. Full description & application: vineyardconservation.org/career-opportunities HELP WANTED DIRECT SUPPORT CAREGIVER MULTIPLE SHIFTS AVAILABLE FULL-TIME WEEKEND & LIVE-IN DO YOU HAVE A CALLING TO ENRICH THE LIVES OF OTHERS WITH DISABILITIES? IF YOU ARE ABLE TO MAKE A LONG TERM COMMITMENT AND JOIN OUR TEAM, WE HAVE SEVERAL OPENINGS FOR ENERGETIC DIRECT CARE GIVERS! APPLICANTS MUST POSESS A STRONG DESIRE FOR LOVING KINDNESS & JOY, BE A POSITIVE TEAM PLAYER & HAVE A VALID MASS DRIVERS LIC. POSITIONS OFFER PAID TRAINING, HOURLY RATE OF PAY,BENEFITS, PAID VACATION TIME AND MORE. IN THIS PEACEFUL,LOVING SETTING

FOR THE RIGHT TEAM PLAYER, THERE IS POSSIBLE PRIVATE STAFF HOUSING AVAILABLE. IF THIS IS YOUR CALLING GIVE US A CALL! CALL 774-487-4392 FOR MORE INFORMATION JOB POSTING: CHILDREN’S AND YOUNG ADULT LIBRARY ASSISTANT The Edgartown Library is excited to launch a brand-new role in our Youth Services Department! If you love working with kids and teens, enjoy creative program support, and want to help shape a welcoming, vibrant library space for young people and their families, this job is for you. What You’ll Do: • Welcome kids, teens, and caregivers into the library with warmth, enthusiasm, and helpful guidance. • Provide friendly, knowledgeable, hands-on assistance to children, teens, and caregivers. • Support story times, crafts and workshops, and summer reading. • Accurately maintain youth programming data for internal and state reporting. • Create engaging displays and help maintain the children’s and teen collections. Design ﬂyers, signage, social media content and other creative marketing materials for youth programs. • Staff public service points—including the children’s room, circulation desk, and reference desk—with friendliness, professionalism, and top-notch service.

• Help with shelving, catalog navigation, troubleshooting public tech needs, answering questions, and much more. The details: This full-time (37.5 hours/week) year-round position requires a Bachelor’s degree and 1-3 years of experience working with children, teens, or families—or relevant experience in public service or education. Any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered. Hourly wage range is $31.22-$44.44 in 10 steps, plus full beneﬁts package. Interested applicants may submit a cover letter, Town of Edgartown employment application, and resume to Library Director Lisa Sherman at director@edgartownlibrary.org, or mail to Edgartown Public Library, 26 West Tisbury Rd, Edgartown, MA, 02539. Full job description and application are available at edgartownlibrary.org. Applications accepted until position is ﬁlled. TOE is EOE. MARTHA’S VINEYARD CONSTRUCTION CO. IS HIRING AN EXPERIENCED SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER/PROJECT MANAGER. 10+ years of construction project management experience preferred; high-end residential experience a plus. Strong candidates with slightly less experience considered. Competitive pay, benefits, bonuses, retirement, PTO, and premier Vineyard projects. Send resume to anne@marthasvineyardconstruction.com

MARTHA’S VINEYARD SHIPYARD IS SEEKING AN ORGANIZED AND DEPENDABLE TEMPORARY OFFICE ASSISTANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM IMMEDIATELY. 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 & help the office team with other basic admin tasks as needed, If you have great attention to detail & love keeping things organized, have proven experience in data entry, office admin & strong time-management skills, we can teach you how to do the rest. Please send your resume & a brief note about your availability to jhale@mvshipyard.com , with the subject line “Office Admin”

SERVICE WRITER / CUSTOMER LIAISON MARTHA’S VINEYARD SHIPYARD This is a full-time, year-round position with beneﬁts. We are a growing, family-owned shipyard built on quality craftsmanship, strong customer relationships and a passion for the water. We pride ourselves on creating a workplace where team members are supported, challenged and appreciated. We are currently looking for a Service Writer who thrives in a fastpaced environment and is ready to be the face of our service operations. WHAT YOU’LL DO First Contact: Act as the main point of contact for our customers, offering top-tier communication and welcoming service. Estimates & Planning: Prepare detailed, accurate written estimates for labor, parts & repairs. Project tracking: follow work closely through every stage to ensure deadlines & high-quality standards are met. Customer Follow-up: Maintain proactive, timely communication with boat owners regarding updates, approvals & completion timelines.

VINEYARD CONSERVATION SOCIETY COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR PART-TIME. This position will help advance environmental community action and education consistent with the VCS mission by building and executing a communications plan across social media, internal publications, and community platforms. https://vineyardconservation.org/ career-opportunities jobs@vineyardconservationsociety. org 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 MVPCS LEARNING FACILITATOR The Martha’s Vineyard Public Charter School has an opening for a paraprofessional in our student services department. Please email resume, letter of interest, and completed application to Chris Nace, Director, cnace@mvpcs.org. Applications can be found on the school website: mvpcs.org

E.C. COTTLE, INC. IS HIRING FOR THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS: • FRONT DESK • YARD HAND • CDL & DELIVERY DRIVERS

WILLING TO TRAIN THE RIGHT CANDIDATE $2,500 SIGN ON BONUS • Positions are full-time, year-round. • Monday thru Friday hours with immediate start. • Competitive pay. Plus, E.C. Cottle offers full benefits including, Health Insurance, Dental Insurance, matched 401k, paid time off and paid holidays. All benefits earned after completion of probationary period.

Stop by a branch and ask for an application, or email resume to ecottle3@yahoo.com.

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 ﬂexibility. 25/hr ( 26k/yr) plus bonus and commission potential. 1-2 years of sales or marketing experience preferred. To apply, email your resume to sean@mvtimes.com. SEEKING A GENERAL MANAGER FOR A BUSY RESTAURANT IN NEWPORT RI. Strong knowledge of food and beverage P&L, deep understanding of back of house. Ideal for someone who has a solid and proven experience in restaurant business management. Year round position in Newport Rhode Island. email resume newportagm@gmail.com

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR Boat Knowledge: Solid understanding of boats, marine systems & terminology required. Tech-Savvy: Comfortable navigating digital management software, inventory systems & modern communication tools. Detail-Oriented & organized, adaptable & driven to take on new challenges & adjust as daily shipyard priorities evolve. High level of patience, exceptional customer service skills & a good sense of humor! What we offer is year-round stability, competitive compensation & beneﬁts package and a supportive, team-oriented, family friendly working environment. Ready to take on the challenge? Send resume to jhale@mvshipyard. com with subject line “Service Writer Application”

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, have effective oral and written communications skills, flexibility and willingness to adapt to changing environment and priorities; positive attitude, integrity, and excellent judgment. Work schedule includes assignments to the day, evening and night, weekend, and holiday shifts. Paid Correction Academy training (may be hosted on or off-island) with a strong commitment to supporting employees’ ongoing professional growth. Full-time position with a generous benefit package, including paid leave, insurance, state pe nsion and deferred compensation matching. Full time pay range is $65,516.88- $70,933.46 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

classifieds A11

September 17, 2026

Jobs

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

THE DUKES COUNTY REGIONAL HOUSING AUTHORITY (DCRHA) SEEKS QUALIFIED APPLICANTS FOR THE OPERATIONS COORDINATOR POSITION. The position is responsible for coordinating the front office at the DCRHA office, managing and overseeing apartments and tenants. The applicant should have experience in public interaction, strong verbal and written communication skills, office administration experience, and proficiency with Microsoft Office products. Forty hours weekly, a starting pay rate range of $37.64/ hr. to $38.58/hr. with a full-time benefits package. Job description available upon request. Submit cover letter and resume to dcrha@housingauthoritymv.org by 5 pm September 25, 2026.

GREENHOUSE ASSISTANT PHA seeks a Greenhouse Assistant to propagate and care for plants, trees and shrubs in our greenhouse and nursery. This is a part-time, seasonal position from March thru November (ﬂexible) and pays 25/ hour. Job description and application instructions found at www. pollyhillarboretum.org/get-involved/ employmentopportunities/.

VINEYARD DECORATORS IS HIRING FRONT DESK MANAGER Vineyard Decorators is seeking a highly organized, detail-oriented Front Desk Manager to oversee incoming calls, calendars, replenishment, and general front desk operations. This position will also support our Bookkeeper with daily administrative tasks including scanning, filing, copying, and organization. Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Googl e Workspace required. Must be availbel to work Saturdays. Opportunity to grow into a full-time Operations Assistant role for the right candidate. 401(k), paid vacation, health insurance, and housing available if needed. Email resume to sophia@vineyarddecorators.com DESIGN CONSULTANT | HOUSING AVAILABLE Start building a career in Interior Design from the ground up. This fulltime, year-round position combines furniture showroom sales with interior design and is ideal for someone with a strong eye for color and design and an eagerness to learn. No previous design experience required. After the 27 season, employees have the opportunity to take online Interior Design courses to further develop their skills and career. Competitive compensation package, 401(k), paid vacation, health insurance, and housing available. Email resume to sophia@vineyarddecorators.com SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER | HOUSING AVAILABLE Vineyard Decorators is seeking an experienced Senior Interior Designer to join our growing Interior Design Studio. Qualified candidates should have a bachelor’s degree in Interior Design or Architecture and a minimum of 8 years of experience in construction-based interior design. Strong proje ct, time, and client management skills, with the ability to independently lead projects, are required. Must be proficient in AutoCAD. Full-time, year-round position with competitive compensation, benefits, and housing available. Learn more about our company and design team at our website. Email resume to sophia@vineyarddecorators.com

Join the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Team!

Classifieds

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. ualiﬁcations: 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

STAFF GENERALIST AT DAYBREAK CLUBHOUSE ($23.00 - $27.60 PER HOUR) Love supporting others as they grow, learn and connect? We’re looking for a dynamic team member to provide vocational, educational, and social support to members in our Daybreak Clubhouse. We value lived experience and strongly encourage individuals with personal experience of mental health illness to apply. Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

FAMILY SUPPORT CENTER SERVICE NAVIGATOR ($23.07-$27.40 PER HOUR) Do you love helping families thrive? We’re seeking a compassionate and resourceful Service Navigator to support families in identifying resources, solving problems, and building strong community connections. Join a team that values family strengths, diversity, and self-direction across the lifespan. Experience preferred but paid on the job training may be provided. Sign-On Bonus available to employees in good standing Apply at: mvcommunityservices.org/ employment

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

APARTMENTS/ROOMS

WINTER RENTALS

MARTHA'S VINEYARD REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL PAD Accompanist MVRHS PAD seeks a piano accompanist for the 2026-2027 school year. This person would play for the four department concerts (October, December, March, May), Graduation (June), and possibly more events. Rehearsals are held during the school day, depending on class schedules, ahead of each concert. Classes to be played for may include choruses, orchestra, band, and/or theater classes. $50/hr, 2,500 for the year. Email interest and qualifications to achandler@ mvyps.org. Minnesingers Costumer The MVRHS Minnesingers seeks a costumer for the 2026-2027 school year. Ideal candidate is organized, has sewing ability, and interest in working with teenagers in a sometimes intense performance setting. Availability leading up to concerts (December and May) for fittings, organizing, and help during the shows. Work with the director and student costumer on concepts for each show and ordering of pieces. This is an Appendix A position. Email interest and qualifications to achandler@mvyps.org. GARDENER WANTED INDIGO FARM We’re looking for a seasonal gardener. Experience in organic methods helpful. Must speak fluent English, have valid working papers and a valid driver’s license. Please contact info.@vineyard.net VAN DRIVER - $28.10/HR, UP TO 15 HOURS/WK Enjoy beautiful MV by providing essential morning & afternoon transportation services for the Supportive Day Program at MV Center for Living. Applicants must submit to a CORI and have a clean driving record. Drug and alcohol testing is required. Training is provided. Please contact Mary Holmes, 508939-9440, maryh@mvcenter4living. org for more information or to apply. 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, efficient, and observant. Weekend availability is required. Interested candidates should send a resume and cover letter to aduricpm@allianceanimal.vet.

YEAR ROUND HOUSE SHARE Bedroom in a residential neighborhood near bus line and VH. $1000/ mo plus electricity. Golden retrievers and owner in residence.. Text Susan 973-879-9814.

SHORT-TERM 3 BR HOUSE FOR RENT SEPTEMBER 2026MAY 2027 ONLY. Large lot private Oak Bluffs neighborhood. Excellent references - application, background check, security deposit. Vacate May 30. Professional Single or Couple. No pets, or extra guests. $3000/month plus utilities. 508-696-6296 leave message. WINTER RENTAL 10/1-6/15. VINEYARD HAVEN-10MIN WALK TO FERRY. Large furnished bedroom with private attached full bath, walk in closet. Utilities/Wiﬁ included. Shared entrance and kitchen. 1800/month, First and last months rent to move in. (508) 560-0632

WINTER RENTALS

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 WEST TISBURY LAMBERT’S COVE AREA Beautifu apartment, one bedroom with oﬃce. Apx 900 S . FT. Living space. Prefer one person Utilities included. Washer/dryer. Patio. Full kitchen. 3500/month. Possibly year round. 508-939-1414 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. VINEYARD HAVEN WINTER RENTAL Furnished one bedroom for two people maximum. Scenic water view close to town. Laundry facility on premises. $1,900 per month not including utilities. One month security deposit required. Call 860-558-5193 or 860-550-3198. 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 4-BD, 3-BATH HOME FOR RENT OCT 1 - JUNE 15. $3500/month including utilities, exclusive of trash & recycling pick up. No pets. 1 month security, references. Text 347-380-1713. **WEST TISBURY WINTER RENTAL** Two-bedroom, one-bath garage apartment. Furnished. September 15–May 15. $3,300/month plus utilities. First and last month required. No smoking. No pets. Email wtwinterrental@gmail.com for inquiries. OAK BLUFFS WINTER RENTAL Walk to town Sweet cottage style home good for 1-3 people. uiet area. Newer kitchen/ sunporch. $2600/mo + utilities. References/no smoking/no pets. TEXT Austin RE Properties of MV 508-314-5833. OB. BRIGHT AND SPACIOUS FURNISHED ONE-BEDROOM APARTMENT WITH KITCHENETTE Laundry & parking. 1,150. per month. October-May 2027. Call or text 508280-6650

READ ONLINE MVTIMES.COM Join the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Team! Executive Assistant to the President & CEO

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.

YARD SALES

ESTATE SALE Historic Farmhouse, 10 Dan’ls Way, W.T.SATURDAY & SUNDAY 10am-4pm. Collectables, antiques, art, linnens, furniture, kitchenware, home decor, outdoor furniture, rental essentials. Early appointments text 774-563-8043

BOAT SALES

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

SERVICES

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 PAINT, DUMP RUN, TILE/STONE WORK, CARPENTRY, WINDOWS/ DOORS, SHINGLES, GUTTER CLEANUP, DECK REJUVENATE, POWER WASHER, ROOFS, BASEMENT/ GARAGE CLEAN UP, Certiﬁed Mold Inspector & Remediator, TENNIS COURT CLEANING, French Drain Installation. 508-684-0242., RENATO myhandymaninmv@gmail.com

2026 HOLIDAY ADVERTISING!

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

Publishing 11/19

Publishing 12/3

Book Both +

SAVE! Call 508-693-6100 or email adsales@mvtimes.com

P L A C E Y O U R C L A S S I F I E D A D T O D AY ! E M A I L VA L E R I E @ M V T I M E S . C O M .

A12 classifieds

COMMERCIAL VINEYARD HAVEN

10,000 SF WAREHOUSE FOR SALE AT AIRPORT BUSINESS PARK

$2,650,000, plus assume ground lease. Email: jim@bigskytent.com.

COMMERCIAL - EDGARTOWN

400 SQ. FT. OFFICE SPACE PERFECT EDGARTOWN LOCATION

$1000 / Utilities Included Sept. 1 2026 Availability Call 401-633-4104 Staged Photo

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September 17, 2026

Real Estate

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

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

$1,150,000 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.

$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 thoughtf ully 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 walking 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!

$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 mahogany 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 move-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 investors seeking both lifestyle and return an affordable gem in a highly desirable location.

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 miles 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.

$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.

LAND BANK

Real Estate Transactions

WEEKLY INCOME

Sept. 7 – 11, 2026

Edgartown Sept. 9, David P. Padulo, Rachel E. Padulo, and Rachel B. Padulo sold 28 Deacon Vincent Way to Bradley A. Moran and Pamela L. Slatcher, trustees of Moran Slatcher Trust, for $2,595,000. Sept. 10, P&C Corgis LLC sold 17 Katama Point Road to Michael P. Gray and Christine M. Gray, trustees of Gray Edgartown Nominee Trust, for $6,400,000. Sept. 10, Branch Martha’s Vineyard LLC sold 6 Kent Harbor Road to Six Kent Harbor Road LLC for $2,950,000. Sept. 10, Mel Lederman and Leslie J. Lederman sold 82 Oyster Pond Road to Christopher Scott Bell and Victoria Bell for $2,100,000. Sept. 11, Nicholas M. Catt sold 1 Dodgers Hole Road to Zachary Cekala and Jamie Cekala for $1,050,000. Sept. 11, Robert T. Moriarty, trustee of Meetinghouse Seven Realty Trust, sold 0 Meetinghouse Village Condo Unit 7

and 0 Meetinghouse Road to David G. Dickinson Jr. for $1,450,000. Sept. 11, 15 Mill Street LLC sold 15 Mill St. Unit 24 to Sodamnlucky LLC for $495,000.

Oak Bluffs Sept. 8, Kathy Gordon Talvitie sold 66 Canonicus Ave. to Rebecca Hawley for $710,000. Sept. 9, Laurel E. Beretta sold 27 Laurel Ave. to Paris Rentals LLC for $1,375,000. Sept. 11, Thomas Hjerp and Mary Jo Hjerp sold 61D Ocean Ave. to Renee Gosline for $1,185,000. Sept. 11, Shirley E. Edmondson sold a portion of 22 Franklin Ave. to Steel & Vine LLC for $200,000. Sept. 11, Phillip Sellers sold a portion of 22 Franklin Ave. to Steel & Vine LLC for $90,000.

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.

FY 2027, Year to Date:

$4,143,164.24

Tisbury Sept. 10, Lenetta Lee, trustee of Martha’s Vineyard Harbor Landing Condominium Trust, sold 0 MV Harbor Landing Condo Unit 67 Week 18 to Harlis Feimster, Chelsea Feimster, and H.K. Feimster II for $600. Sept. 10, Lenetta Lee, trustee of Martha’s Vineyard Harbor Landing Condominium Trust, sold 0 MV Harbor Landing Condo Unit 68 Week 24 to Jante T. Mullin for $300. Sept. 10, Lenetta Lee, trustee of Martha’s Vineyard Harbor Landing Condominium Trust, sold 0 MV Harbor Landing Condo Unit 30 Week 24 to George J. Connolly Jr. and Christine Connolly for $400. Sept. 11, Nicholas A. Barbera and the Estate of Laura Lee Barbera, also known as Laura L. Barbera, sold 15 Goah Way to Ricardo Souza and Selma Souza for $925,000.

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Weekly Registrar’s Report: Sept 11, 2026

$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.

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 27 ISLAND INN UNIT 10C $310,000.00 CALL OR TEXT RENE BEN DAVID,508-847-4864 OCEAN PARK REALTY INC. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 10C, a comfortable one-bedroom, one-bath 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 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 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.

classifieds A13

September 17, 2026

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 21 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 38G $527,500.00 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 courts, outd oor 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 maintenance. Just br ing 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 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

Real Estate

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

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.

PRIVACY MEETS CONVENIENCE IN OAK BLUFFS JAYNE ISFORD | 203-962-4317 $1,795,000 Nestled at the end of a quiet street, this roomy and spacious Cape-style home offers privacy and convenience just a short distance to the Oak Bluffs School, town center, and within walking distance to the Lagoon. Sun-filled main level with open floor plan, large windows, and a generous kitchen with ample counter space, openin g to the dining area. Sliders lead to a back deck, yard, and bluestone patio ..perfect for entertaining or relaxing. Radiant heated floors in the primary suite and lower-level playroom. Twocar garage with bonus space above. Beautiful stonework driveway. Updated furnace (2020) and water heater (2024).

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

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.

LAND-OAK BLUFFS

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-WEST TISBURY

LAND-OAK BLUFFS

BargainBox 2 SOFAS 78”; red convertible sofa - $50. 58”; green sofa - $25. Very comfortable. CALL or TEXT 203434-3509 2000-2006 NEW TUNDRA/SEQUOIA PARTS, Moog ball joints, left/right $50 each, Driver side Brake caliper $50, Rear Brake shoes (one wheel) $20. 203-984-3995 FREE Hard, small, pears -still on the tree- perhaps use them in baking or canning? If interested, please call 774 521 8173. 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. Sink, 19”x17”. $40. Contact DM Allen, davidmiltonallen@gmail.com. JIGSAW PUZZLES SCRABBLE, PARCHEESI, ETC. Good/Excellent condition. $3-$12. 508-693-7472 -Call anytime, 7:30am-12:30pm is best.

NICE, WOOD, GLASS-TOP JEWELRY RETAIL DISPLAY CASE. 25.5”; L X 25.5”; W X 45”; H. Two available. $100 each. hctsun603@gmail.com 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 WOODEN DRESSER REPAINTED WHITE WITH GOLD KNOBS. FREE. Must pick up from second story - 1 ﬂight of stairs. 774-521-5448. TWO PRINTERS HP desk jet 1000, 110 series. Free. Epson XP 8800, almost new. $25 508-696-7980. ANTIQUE FULL SIZE BED with clean mattress and box spring and oak dresser with mirror. $25 for both. Watcha Path Edgartown. Call 802-688-3506 ATARI SYSTEM OC2600A model With Games $100. Vintage Vinyl Records Make offer. 774-563-2260 COMPOUND BOWS $75.00 each. Bear white tail, 5060. Martin eagle, 45-60. mounted sights and quivers. 774 53 8473

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. BUSINESSES MAY LIST FREE ITEMS ONLY. NO LISTINGS FOR ANIMALS. LISTED FLOWERS, GARDEN PLANTS, FIREWOOD, AND MANURE MUST BE FREE.

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 embra ces 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 preapprov al or proof of funds with offer. Seller is offering a buyers broker consideration.

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.

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September September 17, 17, 2026 2026

Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

EDGARTOWN LEGAL NOTICES

COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS COUNTY OF DUKES THE SUPERIOR COURT CIVIL DOCKET# 2674CV00047 RE: The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank v. Stephen C. Araujo, and All Persons Entitled to the Benefit of the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act of 2003, or 50 USCC §3901 et sec. ORDER OF NOTICE BY PUBLICATION TO: Stephen C. Araujo AND TO ALL PERSONS ENTITLED TO THE BENEFIT OF THE SERVICEMEMBERS’ CIVIL RELIEF ACT OF 2003 as amended, or 50 USCC §3901 et sec: The Cape Cod Five Cents Savings Bank, a banking corporation with a usual place of business in Hyannis, Barnstable County, Massachusetts, claiming to be the holder of a mortgage covering property situated at Lot 1, Pine Hill Road, a/k/a 138 Pine Hill Road, West Tisbury, Dukes County, Massachusetts, being Lot 1 as shown on a plan of land entitled “Plan of Land in West Tisbury, Mass. Prepared for Huseby Mountain Farm LLC Scale: 1” = 100’ June 7, 2010 Schofield, Barbini & Hoehn Inc. Land Surveying Civil Engineering” recorded with the Dukes County Registry of Deeds in Plan Book 17, Page 42 (the “Plan”), to which reference is hereby made for a more particular description and containing 3.02 acres ± according to the Plan, has filed with said court a Complaint for authority to foreclose said mortgage in the manner following: by entry on and possession of the premises therein described and by exercise of the power of sale contained in said mortgage, for determination of Defendant’s Servicemembers status. If you now are, or recently have been, in the active military service of the United States of America, then you may be entitled to the benefits of the Servicemembers’ Civil Relief Act of 2003 as amended. If you object to a foreclosure of the above-mentioned property on that basis, then you or your attorney should file a written appearance and answer in said court at 81 Main Street, P.O. Box 1267, Edgartown, Massachusetts 02539 in said County on or before November 6, 2026 or you may lose the opportunity to challenge the foreclosure on the ground of noncompliance with the Act. Witness, Michael D. Ricciuti, Esquire, Chief Justice of the Superior Court, at Barnstable, Massachusetts, this 9th day of September, 2026. T. George Davis, Clerk of the Courts By: /s/ T. George Davis T. George Davis, Clerk

The Martha’s Vineyard land bank will conduct a public input session in order to solicit comment on future land acquisition priorities and any other matters that the public may wish to discuss. The session will take place at 4:00 pm on Monday, October 19 in the second-ﬂoor meeting room of the Vineyard Transit Authority oﬃce, located at 11 A Street in Edgartown (in the airport business park).

OAK BLUFFS CONSERVATION COMMISSION Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 40, the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, and the Oak Bluffs Wetlands Bylaw, the Oak Bluffs Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing for a Notice of Intent filed by Doug Hoehn of Schofield, Barbini, & Hoehn on behalf of Jeffrey & Claudia Leidinger for the renovation and addition to an existing dwelling. This is located within the 100 year flood zone at 51 Katama Avenue, Oak Bluffs, Map 18 Parcel 13. The hearing will take place at 3:30PM on Thursday October 1, 2026. The hearing will take place at Oak Bluffs Town Hall, 56 School Street, Oak Bluffs. OAK BLUFFS CONSERVATION COMMISSION Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 40, the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, and the Oak Bluffs Wetlands Bylaw, the Oak Bluffs Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing for a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by Edward Pesce of Pesce Engineering & Associates, Inc. on behalf of Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Inc. for the partial demolition of the existing 1929 Building at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the relocation of utilities, and removal of 2 old underground tanks. This is located within the 100 year flood zone, and its buffer zone and the buffer to a wetland at 1 Hospital Road, Oak Bluffs, Map 7 Parcel 1. The hearing will take place at 3:30PM on Thursday September 17, 2026. The hearing will take place at Oak Bluffs Town Hall, 56 School Street, Oak Bluffs. TOWN OF OAK BLUFFS, MA PLANNING BOARD NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO TOWN OF OAK BLUFFS ZONING BYLAWS Pursuant to the provisions of MGL ch. 40A §5, the Oak Bluffs Planning Board will open a virtual public hearing at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026, for the purpose of accepting public comments on the following proposed additions and amendments to the Town of Oak Bluffs Zoning By-laws: Proposed Amendments to Town of Oak Bluffs Zoning By-laws Pursuant to the provisions of MGL ch. 40A §5, the Oak Bluffs Planning Board will open a virtual public hearing at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, September 24, 2026, for the purpose of accepting public comments on

the following proposed additions and amendments to the Town of Oak Bluffs Zoning By-laws:

CDTUf2ebv7SiXnlCfXf.1 Meeting ID: 847 8887 6176 Passcode: 306964 One tap mobile +13092053325,,84788876176# US +13126266799,,84788876176# US (Chicago)

with a section of split rail fence installed to prevent inadvertent mowing or clearing. The new staircase will be constructed using the same & Alummikon & design and installation method, with 1-½”; Schedule 40 galvanized steel pipes driven into the bluff. The property is located at 25 North Neck Road (AP Map 18, Lot 19). For a copy of the application or for questions related to participating in the meeting via Zoom, please contact: conservation@ edgartown-ma.us

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

WEST TISBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING On Thursday, September 24, 2026, at 5:45pm the ZBA will hold a public hearing at the TOWN HALL-2nd ﬂoor meeting room on an application for a Special Permit from Sourati Engineering Group, LLC on behalf of Alyssa M. Halisky to allow the construction of a 12’x25’ inground swimming pool requiring 26 ft. of side yard setback relief and to allow a 6’x8’ pool shed to be located 5’ from the south property line instead of 10’ under Sections 8.5-4C and 4.2-2D4 of the West Tisbury Zoning Bylaw at 152 Vineyard Meadow Farms Rd., Map 37 Lot 33, in the RU district. Interested parties are invited to send comments via email to: zba@westtisbury-ma.gov or mail comments to: Zoning Board of Appeals, PO Box 278, West Tisbury, MA 02575. Please call 508-6960107 for information on the application.

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

OAK BLUFFS CONSERVATION COMMISSION Pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 131, Section 40, the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, and the Oak Bluffs Wetlands Bylaw, the Oak Bluffs Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing for a Request for Determination of Applicability filed by William Sullivan of Sullivan + Associates Architects on behalf of Elizabeth Masterson for an addition/renovation, including a new foundation to an existing campground cottage. The project includes rebuilding an existing wraparound porch, renovating an existing shed and rebuilding a small deck connecting the main house and the shed. This is located within the buffer to the 100 year flood zone at 1 Rustic Avenue, Oak Bluffs, Map 81 Parcel 7. The hearing will take place at 3:30PM on Thursday October 1, 2026. The hearing will take place at Oak Bluffs Town Hall, 56 School Street, Oak Bluffs.

Item 1: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 11 of the Zoning By-laws governing Definitions concerning the word “Structure”. Item 2: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 11 of the Zoning Bylaws governing Definitions by adding the word “Equipment”. Item 3: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 11 of the Zoning Bylaws governing Definitions by adding the word “Footprint” Item 4: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 11 of the Zoning By-laws governing Definitions concerning the term “Building Height”. Item 5: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 5.0 GENERAL REGULATIONS of the Zoning By-laws governing “noise from mechanical equipment in residential zones”. Item 6: To see if the Town will vote to amend Section 3.2.3.6 of the Zoning By-laws governing overnight commercial vehicle parking regulations to include regulations for high-density, multi-unit housing. Item 7: To see if the Town will vote to amend the Zoning By-laws by: a.) adding Section 3.2.3.5 governing boat storage, repair, maintenance and/or construction; b.) adopting a revised definition of “boat yard or boat service”; and c.) changing the table of uses for boats and boat service. Item 8: To see if the Town will vote to amend Appendix A of the Zoning By-Laws to provide for by-right short term rental Relevant documents are available online. See: https://www.oakbluffsma.gov/594/Proposed-Zoning-ByLaw-Changes—-STM-202 Please forward written comments to Planning Board Administrator, PO Box 1327, Oak Bluffs MA 02557 or via email: planningboard@oakbluffsma.gov . Join Zoom Meeting https://oakbluffs.zoom.us/ j/84788876176?pwd=4pPHJTi0pDK-

EDGARTOWN LEGAL NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 4:30 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing via Zoom on a Request for Determination of Applicability ﬁled by Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution under the Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant is seeking a determination regarding the periodic deployment of LiDAR (wind validation) buoys at two pre-identified locations in coastal waters off the south coast of Martha’s Vineyard, in proximity to the Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory’s Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT). Each buoy will be single-anchored to the seafloor for a maximum of 90 days per deployment, resulting in a maximum temporary alteration of approximately 43 square feet per deployment. The property is located in coastal waters offshore of Edgartown’s south shore (Latitude 41.32427, Longitude -70.56573). For a copy of the application or for questions related to participating in the meeting via Zoom, please contact: conservation@edgartown-ma. us NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING EDGARTOWN CONSERVATION COMMISSION On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 4:35 p.m., the Edgartown Conservation Commission will hold a public hearing via Zoom on a Notice of Intent (DEP File No. SE20-1852) ﬁled by MV Engineering & Design on behalf of Craig Carswell under the Edgartown Wetlands Protection Bylaw and the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act. The applicant is proposing to construct an aluminum beach access staircase at a new location on the bluff, following storm damage during the winter of 2025-2026 that destroyed the original stair and altered the bluff topography, rendering the original location and layout no longer suitable. Existing material at the top and bottom of the bank will be reused where possible or otherwise removed by hand; the end of the abandoned path will be allowed to revegetate naturally,

LEGAL NOTICES WEST TISBURY

TOWN OF WEST TISBURY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #20260909 Disposal of Surplus Real Property Mill Pond Building General Information: The West Tisbury Select Board has declared the building located at 681 Edgartown Road (M32 L 96), formerly the West Tisbury Police Station, surplus for the needs of the town. The town wishes to rent this building to a qualified entity for the purpose of providing a public service to both the town and the Island. The successful proposal will be one that offers a service to enhance and encourage the cultural, environmental, sociological, historical, and recreational assets and needs, among others, of both the town and the Island, subject to the restrictions of zoning, septic and parking limitations. No residential use is permitted. The property is in West Tisbury’s Historic District, and is subject to its rules and regulations. Rules: Complete RFP will be available September 9, 2026 on the town’s website at www.westtisbury-ma.gov or in the office of the Select Board at 1059 State Rd, West Tisbury. Four sealed proposals shall be delivered to the office of the Select Board no later than 2:00 pm on October 14, 2026. PO Box 278, West Tisbury, MA 02575. Proposals shall be marked “Mill Pond Building” on the outside of the sealed envelope. Proposals may be corrected, modified or withdrawn by written notice to the Board of Selectmen until 2:00 pm on October 13, 2026. Such corrections and modifications shall be in sealed envelopes clearly marked “Changes to Mill Pond Building”. The Selectmen reserve the right to reject any or all bids. J. Skipper Manter Cynthia E. Mitchell Jessica Miller SELECT BOARD

news in brief Continued from A3

The conflict was prompted by the board’s by the U.S. Coast Guard at Peaked Hill, January denial of Verizon’s request to install and is utilized by first responders. The the antennas, mostly on North and Middle matter will need support by Chilmark roads, in which town officials cited concern voters, and the select board is asking the about the company gaining a competitive planning board to adjust the language to advantage over other carriers. Verizon filed a allow for a lease term longer than 10 years No decision was made on the massive, controfederal lawsuit in March, accusing the town and potentially increase the 70-foot height versial Katama Meadows project undergoing of making an arbitrary decision in its denial. restriction for antennas. review by the Martha’s Vineyard Commission “The town has no regulations or written (MVC) last Thursday, but some conditions policies establishing standards for the board’s were approved for the 54-acre subdivision dereview of proposed attachments to utility velopment proposed for Edgartown. poles in town rights of way,” the suit reads. Commissioners passed a limit of any Matthew Poole, a board member, said the fertilized gardens to 1,000 square feet, and A plume of smoke was spotted from Faltown fell in line with federal regulations after required the usage of organic fertilizer. No mouth above the Island in the Vineyard Halearning it couldn’t legally back the vote. fertilizers can be used on lawns, and herbiven area last Saturday. “We learned we did not have the authorTisbury Fire Department Chief Patrick cides and pesticides must be used minimally Rolston said the smoke cloud seen from the and in accordance with state law. Another ity under the Federal Telecommunications Cape was the result of a car fire in the area limit regarded energy usage and solar arrays, Act to support the decision we earlier of State Road. and mandated that they be installed on each made,” Poole said during the meeting. The vehicle, which was stationary in a parkhome. A condition that banned swimming According to the settlement agreement, pools for market-rate homes was also passed signed by a Verizon representative on August ing area, was fully engulfed when Tisbury Know what’s happening The MV Sportsletter interested Celebrating by commissioners. They voted that no more Dedicated to our local events, 10, the town has 14 days afterForitspeople new decision firefighters arrived at the Islanders scene. of on-Island. Delivered every delivering the latest on the in writing and the writing life color who shape the vibrant, diverse culinary scene, and than three market-rate lots can be sold until to issue its written approval on to Martha’s the company. “Crews worked quickly and extinWith a legal dispute between Chilmark week day by 4 pm. Island's versatile sports scene. Vineyard. fabric of Martha’s Vineyard. hospitality industry. the four community housing lots, the three While major cell carriers have made infraguished the fire,” Rolston said in a mesand Verizon over denied infrastructure Habitat for Humanity lots, and all attainimprovements laid to rest, the town is now structure improvements to boost connectivity sage to The Times. Rolston said the cause of the fire is still on the Island, gaps in service have been called able lots are sold. The commissioners argued focusing again on where improvements to undetermined because of the extent of the connectivity can be made. a public safety risk in Chilmark. this ensures that the benefit of affordable damage it caused. Rolston added that the The Chilmark Select Board unanimously The town shares a distributed antenna housing happens within an acceptable time fire spread to a fence next to the vehicle, voted during a Sept. 1 meeting to enter system with Aquinnah, which places frame. If the project is eventually approved but firefighters knocked it out before there into a settlement agreement with Verizon nodes to enhance signal strength for cell by the MVC, then these conditions will be and approve the cell carrier’s application phones, and Chilmark is looking to amend was any extension past the fence. imposed on the developer. No injuries were reported as a result of to install 14 small cell wireless facilities on its zoning bylaws to allow cell towers. The The commission will return to the matter the incident. existing utility poles. only cell tower in Chilmark was installed on Oct. 1.

Katama Meadows trudges forward, SSA cancels reservation sessions

Also in Edgartown and under MVC review is a project called Housing Behind the Dairy Queen. The town is in talks with the developer to potentially use four of the 15 units for affordable housing as a way to augment its subsidized housing inventory, and also to achieve temporary, one-year “safe harbor” status, which can block developments proposed under Chapter 40B, a state statute that gives developers more leeway in local zoning. Meanwhile, the Steamship Authority (SSA) canceled all of its reservation sessions that were planned this month. Sean Driscoll, the ferry line’s communications director, said the decision was made following the SSA board meeting, where questions were raised about the delays to the development of the reservation system alongside the costs.

Personalize your Island news

Car fire creates smoke cloud seen from Falmouth

Verizon comes out on top in Chilmark settlement

news A15

September 17, 2026

fishing report

Let the fun begin BY LISA BELCASTRO

in-tastic! If I had to choose one word to describe the Sunday opening of the 81st Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby, I would have to say “fin-tastic.” I began the day at State Beach with the intention of going to the first weigh-in at 8 am. While I hoped I’d have a fish to weigh in, I simply had to watch Cooper Gilkes ring the bell for the official start of the Derby. Though rain and thunderstorms were predicted, the morning dawned with a beautiful sunrise. As the sky turned from pinks to shades of orange and rays of yellow, lures were reeled in and sprays of bait created magical fountains of silvery minnows. With so much bait in the water, we all hoped fish would show. They did, though none of us hooked up before I left. When I arrived at Derby Headquarters, I was thrilled to see Rich Mann and Buddy D’Agostino standing on the ramp with a couple of bluefish, the first and second fish of the 81st Derby. “You catch that this morning?” I asked Rich. “Last night,” said Rich. “I caught a bigger one before midnight and released it. I got this one around 12:15 [in the morning].” Rich is no stranger to nighttime fishing. Two years ago, also on the first day of the Derby, Rich was out fishing at night and hooked a big fish. A really big fish. When he finally got it to shore, Rich was staring in awe at a six-foot tarpon. Miracles happen! His bluefish was a little shy of six feet. “It was 23 and a quarter last night. I’m hoping it’s still 22 this morning,” said Rich, talking about inches, not feet. Rich’s teammate Buddy D’Agostino held a nearly twin bluefish. “Did you catch it at the same time?” I asked Buddy.

“No, at sunrise,” said Buddy. “I woke up at 5:15, then woke up Rich at 5:30. We were on the beach by 5:45, and I caught it a few minutes later.” We were about to take a few pictures when the headquarters’ door rolled open. The crowd quieted and pressed in. Derby President John Custer began, “Cooper Gilkes needs no introduction, so I won’t.” John mentioned a few of the many gifts Coop has given to the Island community, including the Kids’ Derby, which is this coming Sunday, and the Kids’ Trout Derby in May. John concluded with, “Coop has done more for fishing on the Island than anyone.” As heads nodded, Coop was visibly moved. “This is an honor,” Coop said, choked up. Coop shared the story of buying the Derby, his voice filled with emotion. “This Derby has meant so much to so many people,” Coop said, adding, “We are so lucky.” Looking out at the audience, his friends, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren, Coop held the opening bell and said, “I’m going to ring the bell three times: once for me, once for Ed Jerome, and once for Eddie Medeiros.” I had tears in my eyes, and looking around at all the people who love Coop, noticed I wasn’t alone. After Rich and Buddy weighed in, I headed out to Chappy. The rain began pretty much the minute I parked my truck. I chatted with friends, all of us smiling at the start of another Derby, another five weeks straight of friends and fishing, another promise of great memories that we’ll talk about for years to come. I started casting as the rain picked up. I moved a bit to the right, cast more, then moved a little more to the right. Then the line tugged. I was on. My first fish of the 2026 Derby. When I pulled it onto the beach, I saw that the bluefish was snagged. He’d swum into

my lure and hooked his back. He was 21 inches, an inch short, so I released him and went back to casting. My buddy Oliver Valdes arrived. Fifteen minutes later, he was on. The rain alternated from steady to downpour to flood. The group of us out there were drenched. And I do mean drenched. Even in our rain gear, seven hours later when the rain ended we didn’t have a dry inch on our bodies. It was fin-tastic! We laughed. We caught fish, not often but consistently. Hey, the fish are already wet, so the rain didn’t bother them one bit. I caught a small weighable blue and texted Dave (Balon, my teammate, stuck off-Island) that I was going to weigh in. I went home first to change into dry clothes. As I drove past Oak Bluffs Harbor toward Edgartown, the sun shone on the water and the restaurants, casting the waterfront in a golden glow that reminded me yet again how blessed I am to live here. At the headquarters, I chatted with friends, took sunset pictures as we all had our first Derby weighables, and then the door opened. I handed my bluefish to Mike Cassidy, watched the scale total 4.68 pounds, and smiled. I’d officially weighed in and could turn my Derby pin right side up. After Martha Klein and I took pictures of each other with our catches and the Derby sign, my phone rang. Tyler Poole was calling. He was in the parking lot — with two, not one, but two fish. I walked over to his truck. Kevin Seger pulled up beside us. Kevin also had a fish to weigh in. The already great day was getting even better. We heard cheers coming from headquarters, but stayed focused on the three fish for these two awesome

LISA BELCASTRO

Scarlett Stedman, center, holds the record-breaking junior boat false albacore along with her bonito and bluefish. Uncle Matt Stedman and cousin Calvin Stedman, with his triple crown, are on Scarlett’s left. Brother Colton Stedman, with his triple crown, and dad Zach Stedman celebrate Day One of the 81st Derby.

guys. I grabbed a scale out of my truck, and we held our breaths for a minute as we realized all three fish could be daily pin winners. Tyler weighed in his bonito first. At 4.77 pounds, he moved into first-place shore bonito. Cassidy weighed Tyler’s bluefish next. It tipped the scale at 8.80 pounds. Tyler now had two first-place fish. As Tyler and I walked out of Derby Headquarters to take pictures, we saw the Stedman family and their three children holding three triple crowns with some giant fish. Now we knew what all the cheering was about. Scarlett Stedman held the record-breaking Derby junior boat false albacore, an incredible 18.73-pound hardtail. “I’m just so happy,” said 13-year-old Scarlett. “We were trolling. It was my turn on the rod. It hit, and it ripped the line. It ran and ran and ran. My muscles were burning. It was amazing, that feeling when I got it on the boat.” Scarlett attends the West Tisbury School and plays center-back on an Island soccer team. She has practice twice a week after school and games every Saturday, including Derby Saturdays. “Sometimes after games, we go straight to the boat and go fishing,” said Scarlett with a grin. “I love fishing. I go out as much as I can. I love fishing with my dad, my brother, my cousins, and my uncle.”

Martha’s Vineyard tide table Edgartown

Gay Head

Cedar Tree Neck

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(Wasque Point)

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Data sourced from tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov and compiled by The MV Times.

Scarlett is now the Boat False Albacore Grand Leader. Last year, also on the first day of Derby, Sam Bell weighed in an 18.66-pound boat false albacore that held the lead throughout all five weeks. Will we see Scarlett onstage? As of Tuesday morning, we have 33 days of weigh-ins to go before we have that answer. After I chatted with Scarlett, Kevin weighed in his bonito, moving into third place (4.65 pounds) behind Tyler and Curtis Farrell. We smiled, we cheered, we laughed, and we watched the board. When headquarters closed at 9 pm on Sunday, Tyler had two first-place pins and Kevin had a third. If you don’t know Tyler and Kevin, you should. They are kind. They’re funny. They’ll offer you a smile every day. They love fishing. They love the Vineyard. And they love the Derby. Great guys! Kevin and his family are my neighbors (lucky me). Tyler lives in Maryland and counts the days between his visits to the Island. “I moved off the Island in 2022 to relocate for my wife’s job in Maryland. I worked a lot of overtime this season. When I asked for time off for two and a half weeks, my boss told me, ‘Why not a full three?’ I guess the harder the work, the luckier you get,” said Tyler. I asked Tyler how he felt fishing in the torrential rain. “Miserable, wet, soaked. I thought to myself,

‘I should have stayed in bed.’” But Tyler didn’t stay in bed. He fished through the storm. “Surfcasters are a special kind of crazy. You know how it goes, the famous ‘one more cast’ turns into 20, and two hours later, you’re still there. You never know when something will happen. It only takes one cast,” said Tyler. Tyler’s persistence certainly paid off. And he knows how fortunate he is: “I’m very excited. I know they probably won’t hold, but it’s a strong start. Only thing to do now is to keep looking for the bigger ones. And an elusive albie.” On Monday, Derek Bergeron and Keith McArt bumped Tyler out of first with their 5.05-pound bonitos. Tyler’s bluefish was still leading. After fishing State Beach on Monday morning, I was driving through Edgartown, and I saw Buddy D’Agostino coming toward me. He slowed his truck to yell across the distance that he’d caught fish and had his triple crown. I shouted with joy and headed to the beach for an afternoon of sun, friends, and laughter. I look forward to seeing Buddy onstage on Sunday, Oct. 18, as he collects the Abe Williams Memorial Award for the first Shore Triple Crown. Go, Buddy! I hope to see you on the beach, hopefully at weighin too, and definitely at the Kids’ Derby at 6 am on Sunday morning.

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.

A16

sports

news

September 17, 2026

sports@mvtimes.com

Vineyard football loses home opener Injuries and mistakes burdened the first half for the young Vineyard team. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

he Martha’s Vineyard football team fell in its home opener to the Mashpee High School Falcons 38–12 on Friday. It was the Island team’s home opener, and the stands and surrounding field were packed with local fans dressed in cowboy hats and boots for the “Wild, Wild West”–themed game that started at 6 pm. It was also First Responder Night, so popcorn and hotdogs were free for all first responders. On the field, the Vineyarders struggled throughout the game with simple mistakes: too many men on the field, confusion among players that led to delay of game calls, safeties, and fumbles. The Falcons also recovered an onside kick and successfully made two-point conversions against the Vineyarders, causing the Island team to fall behind by nearly 40 points before the half. “Mashpee’s a tough team; they’re always tough. They’re always big and physical,” Head Coach Zeke Vought told The Times. Mashpee scored on its first four possessions, adding a safety and two more touchdowns before halftime to earn a 38–0 lead.

The Vineyarders were also plagued with injuries, which Vought said will cause some shifts in the lineup. The Vineyarders will have some time to heal, though, as their next game is scheduled for Sept. 24 at 5:30 pm, away against Sharon High School. “All of it [will impact the lineup] of course. I lost my kicker. But … we have time to heal up and get back at it,” Vought said. As for the early mistakes, Vought said the team is young and was experiencing some “first-half jitters,” but added that repetition in coming practices and game experience will help going forward. There are three freshmen, 12 sophomores, 14 juniors, and seven seniors on this year’s roster. There is no junior varsity team at the high school this year. “I’m really proud of our kids for not quitting and sticking it out. We’ve got some young talent here, but we are young. Experience is really what’s going to help them,” Vought said. “These guys really don’t have any reps under their belts, so we just got to get them reps and keep practicing.” In the first quarter, Mashpee received the opening kickoff and scored on its first offen-

Vineyard football tackles a Mashpee player.

sive drive. The Falcons converted a two-point conversion and then recovered an onside kick at the Vineyard’s 34-yard line after the ball bobbled in Vineyard hands. The Falcons scored again with 6:08 left in the first quarter, and the Vineyard stuffed its second two-point conversion to hold the Falcons at 14–0. Mashpee continued with onside kicks, which the Vineyarders recovered in their second attempt, but they were driven back and forced to punt from their own 15-yard line. Mashpee took over at the Vineyard’s 28-yard line after recovering the kick with a strong run upfield, and on the first drive, hit Aarian Brown (No. 3) with a long touchdown pass. The Falcons’ successful two-point conversion made it 22–0 with 3:03 left in the first quarter. On their next offensive chance, a fumble on a handoff by the Vineyarders gave

Zebra takes the Moffett BY RAWSON CLOUGH

he 49th annual running of the George Moffett Race unfolded on Saturday under a clear blue September sky. The Moffett has always been a celebratory cap-off to Holmes Hole’s summer season, and is an opportunity for sailors from all over the Island and beyond, in sailboats of different classes and sizes, to race one another around Vineyard Sound. This year’s fleet was made up of 23 boats, ranging from Joy, a Rhodes 19, to the iconic 65-foot Gannon and Benjamin–built schooner Juno. Eight mainland boats made the trip across to join in on the action.

The racing kicked off in a gentle east-southeasterly breeze around eight knots. Though the wind proved to be an improvement from the forecast, it didn’t shift south as early as predicted, which left the course lacking a true upwind leg. The upwind leg, or beat, typically separates the fleet the most. Instead, the roughly 11-mile course was largely made up of reaches and downwind legs. “The current was the story,” remarked Roger Becker, race officer for the Moffett and the skipper of Gloria, of his 39th Moffett. The tide was flowing east through the early part of the race before beginning Zebra racing in Holmes Hole this summer.

CHACE LEWIS

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

Mashpee the ball at the Vineyard’s 38-yard line. The Falcons were still driving as the first quarter ended. The second quarter opened on the Vineyard’s two-yard line, where Mashpee continued its drive. The Vineyarders recovered a fumble and sparked some life into local fans, but Mashpee forced a safety, tackling the Vineyard’s sophomore quarterback Adam Parchment (No. 8) deep in the end zone. After tacking on the two points earned from the safety, the Vineyard kicked off again, and Mashpee converted a long pass from the 37-yard line to make it 32–0 with 8:41 left in the second quarter. Mashpee scored again at 3:05 left in the quarter but failed on the twopoint conversion, making it 38–0 over the Vineyarders. The Vineyarders showed their first offensive spark with 2:34 left in the half: a 55-yard completion from Parchment

tinued to build, and several were unable to finish the race. Leading the fleet was Après, a J/120 owned and raced by Steve Besse, completing the to turn west after 1 pm. This course in under two hours became particularly imporwith the fastest elapsed time of the day. However, in this tant as the fleet approached West Chop. The course called multi-class racing system, the first boat across the finish line for a short beat from the red doesn’t necessarily win the navigational buoy R2 toward race. Besse is used to being Nun 4, and by the time the middle of the fleet arrived, the the quickest one around the current was ripping westward. course without taking home the hardware to show for it. In the light air, there simply Under the association’s wasn’t enough wind to overhandicap system, boats give or come it, especially for those receive time from one another toward the back of the fleet. based on a number of factors, Karena Hammarlund, who skippered an all-female allowing boats of varying sizes crew aboard her Herreshoff and designs to compete on relatively even footing. Once Buzzards Bay 25 Maitland, handicaps were assessed, said the easterly current Zebra, the sleek black 46-foot early in the race was easW Class, won the day with a ily compensated for. By the corrected time of time they reached Nun 4, 2:14:07. Gloria folhowever, the situation had changed considerably. “We lowed less than two made it around N4 with minutes behind in just two tacks,” she recalled. second, with Art“The current at that point ful Dodger, Maitwas ripping westerly at a land, and Penelope clip, and we managed to rounding out the make it by, but just.” top five, separated The boats farther back by mere minutes. in the fleet didn’t find The results were themselves so lucky. Some another good struggled to make it around example of the as the westward current con- variety that makes

to Griffin Buehler (No. 5), who pulled in the long ball from overhead while running between two Mashpee defenders. A 20-yard run by Parchment brought the Vineyarders to the 10-yard line, but the clock ran out, and the half ended 38–0. The third quarter opened with another Vineyard fumble on the first play after receiving the kick. The Vineyard’s defense answered with an interception of its own. Senior Captain Matt Macmillan (No. 17) had a long run wiped out by a holding call, but on the next play, he made another 34-yard gain. A sneak by Parchment brought the Vineyard upfield, and then a short pass to Buehler ran the Vineyard in for its first touchdown with 44 seconds left in the third quarter. The Vineyard missed the extra point, and the quarter ended 38–6. In the fourth, the Vineyarders did not let up a single Mashpee touchdown, and Parchment scored on a 70yard run with six minutes left in the fourth quarter. The extra point was no good, and the final score was 38–12. The Vineyarders outscored Mashpee 12–0 in the second half but could not erase the deficit from earlier slip-ups. The captains for the Vineyard football team are junior Matthew Alves (No. 1) and seniors Buehler and Macmillan. Macmillan said the young Vineyard team has a lot to learn from the loss. “When you’re down a lot, it just matters to keep playing. It’s an important lesson,” he said.

He also acknowledged that there has been a lot of change to the program since last year. “It’s a very young team — a lot of guys who are new to the game — and we have a new head coach, and he’s brought some guys in, too,” Macmillan said. “They have a different philosophy. The culture has changed a lot. The emphasis is more on building a program. Even if there’s no initial success, there’s a more ultimate goal: long-term success for the program.” For the Vineyard football team, the next coming weeks are about repetition, learning from game film, and recovery. The next game, against Sharon High School, may be a good rebound point for the team. The Vineyarders beat Sharon 38–12 last year. Also at the Martha’s Vineyard football game against Mashpee, an investigation was launched after a student received a photo of a handgun from another student attending the game. After Oak Bluffs Police and school administration officials searched the school grounds, it was discovered the student had gone home. Officers found the student at his parents’ house later that night and said he was cooperative and that there was no credible threat to the safety of the school community. The high school said it would address the matter with the student directly, in compliance with the MVRHS student handbook.

up the Moffett fleet. Après, the fastest boat around the course, finished seventh on corrected time after handicaps were applied. For a fleet that includes everything from a 19-foot Rhodes to a schooner over three times her length, that is what makes the racing so compelling. Strong currents are nothing new for the Moffett. September tides can run particularly hard in Vineyard Sound, reaching more than four knots in places. Becker recalled the 2003 running of the race, when roughly half of a 60-boat fleet became caught in a westward current near the Woods Hole Bell 26 and were unable to finish. This year’s race offered a smaller version of the same lesson. For those who made

it around, the Moffett was a beautiful final day on the water and a fitting conclusion to the Holmes Hole summer season. For those caught in the current, it was a reminder that when racing in the Sound, the water beneath the boat’s hull can sometimes play just as much of a factor as the wind above it. Congratulations to the crew of Zebra on taking home this year’s prize! Readers interested in learning more about the race, its history, and the Holmes Hole Sailing Association can visit holmeshole.org/moffett-race. With next year marking the 50th annual running of the Moffett, all sailors are encouraged to join for what promises to be a special golden anniversary race.

sports round-up

Girls’ soccer MVRHS 3–1 Nantucket Cross-country* MVRHS 23–38 Nantucket Field hockey MVRHS 0–0 Nantucket

Boys’ soccer MVRHS 1–2 Nantucket Vineyarders’ overall record on the weekend was 2–1–1. * A low score in cross-country wins.

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, S E P T E M B E R 1 7, 2026

NATURE AND ART AT PLAY TOGETHER Turpentine Gallery’s Mitch Gordon. SEE B8

DENA PORTER

VOICES BYSHARISSE SEE B2 M.V. SONGWRITERS FESTIVAL SEE B7

community & calendar

September 17, 2026

C E L E B R A T I N G

D I V E R S I T Y

SHARISSE SCOTT-RAWLINS

bySharisse

President's Roundtable and Brunch 2026. DANTE CORBETT

month after August’s crowds have faded, HBCU Legacy Week and the Martha’s Vineyard African American Film Festival reveal what Black gathering on the Vineyard creates — and what remains after everyone goes home. There is a particular kind of recognition that happens between people who discover they belong to the same community. It is more than familiarity. There is an ease in knowing you are in a space where your presence does not require explanation — where you can focus less on proving why you belong and more on what you came there to create, contribute, or experience. To be understood without having to first explain yourself is its own kind of freedom. Sometimes it is a school name across a sweatshirt. Familiar colors. Greek letters. A chant you haven't heard in years. You can be hundreds of miles from the campus where it all began, meet someone you have never seen before, and within seconds, recognize something of yourself in them. I felt that recognition everywhere this summer. Now, a month after HBCU Legacy Week and the African American Film Festival brought thousands together across the Island, the crowds have thinned. Screenings have ended. Alumni have returned home. Martha’s Vineyard has begun its familiar transition out of summer. The significance of some gatherings only becomes clear after they are over. As a proud Howard Bison, I experienced HBCU Legacy Week through something familiar: Being among people connected by institutions and traditions that have shaped generations of Black life. Moving from those gatherings into MVAAFF, I began thinking about recognition differently. There is power in being part of spaces that shape how you see yourself — what you believe you can become, where you belong, and what possibilities you imagine for your life. And there is power in shaping how the world sees you, by telling your own stories on your own terms. One nurtures possibility. The other makes possibility visible. This August, historically Black colleges and universities (HBCU) Legacy Week — more commonly known as Legacy Week on the Vineyard — marked its 10th anniversary. Created by Sheryl Wesley, founder of HBCU Brand Partners and a Howard University alumna, what began as a gathering has grown into something much larger. “HBCU Legacy Week began as an idea,” Wesley reflected after this year’s anniversary. “Somewhere along the way, it became a community. And now, I believe it has become part of the Island’s story.”

I S L A N D

Cream of Nature.

DANTE CORBETT

Cream of Nature.

Recognizing community Where we become, how we are seen. BY SHARISSE SCOTT-RAWLINS

The week moved from mornings at the Inkwell alongside the Polar Bears to conversations about HBCU history, Black men’s health, leadership and legacy, alongside networking, wellness, music, and celebration. That range was intentional. “I wanted Legacy Week to reflect the full breadth of who we are,” Wesley said. “Because an HBCU is not simply a school you attended. For many of us, it is a place that helped teach us how to see ourselves, how to lead, how to serve, how to create, and how to understand the responsibility that comes with succeeding.” For those of us who attended Howard University, we are Bisons — a nod to the university’s bison mascot — and sometimes all it takes is an “HU!” followed instinctively by “You Know!” for a stranger to no longer feel quite like a stranger. During Legacy Week, I watched versions of that recognition happen across HBCUs: school colors, Greek letters, graduation years, and embraces between people who had only just met. Wesley described it simply: “The feeling that you can come to the Vineyard and find your people.” That belonging has roots

extending far beyond any single week. This summer also marked the 20th anniversary of Bison on the Vineyard, a separate initiative founded in 2006 by Howard alumni Margo Bouchet, Sarah Davidson, Donald Thigpen, the late Father Darryl James, and Lydia Padilla. Wesley became involved with Bison on the Vineyard before launching Legacy Week, which grew from a desire to recognize the wider HBCU alumni community already gathering here. An annual Howard alumni tradition, Bison on the Vineyard brings the spirit of Howard to the Island through reunions, social gatherings, networking, and community — turning Martha’s Vineyard into an extension of homecoming for generations of Bisons. “Martha’s Vineyard felt right because Black people already had a story here,” Wesley said. “Long before HBCU Legacy Week, generations of Black families had made Martha’s Vineyard a place of gathering, refuge, entrepreneurship, creativity, friendship, and joy. So I wasn’t trying to create something out of nothing,” she continued. “I was adding another layer to a story that was already being written. Legacy Week

is not something that happens on Martha’s Vineyard,” Wesley said. “It has become something that happens with Martha’s Vineyard.” And what happens here does not necessarily end here: “Friendships have become partnerships. Introductions have become opportunities. Conversations that began on the Vineyard have continued long after people left the Island.” That same intentionality could be seen at the HBCU

ity, sharing, and for magical things to happen.” There is meaning in that kind of care. It says, You are worthy of beauty. Your work is worthy of ceremony. This conversation matters. But what happens when possibility that has been nurtured within spaces like these is ready to meet the world? Sometimes, we take control of the lens. At MVAAFF, the medium changed, but the question re-

“I was surrounded by people where I didn’t have to explain why my story mattered. I just got to tell it.” –KIAH CLINGMAN, FILMMAKER Presidents Roundtable and Brunch. Designer Kristi Riggs, founder and creative director of Kristi Love Creative LLC, described HBCUs as “incubators for greatness and safe spaces where potential can be developed and dreams realized.” For the roundtable, she wanted a setting “worthy of the occasion, worthy of the important conversations being had,” describing beauty as a “psychological exhale” that “sets the tone for possibil-

mained: What becomes possible when Black people have space to tell their own stories? Throughout this year’s festival, Blackness was never asked to be one thing. Stories moved through sports and fatherhood, art and history, fantasy and adventure, politics, beauty, and identity. Black life could simply be expansive. And the ecosystem stretched beyond the screen. For Oshantay Waite of Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine, participating meant sharing

her family’s story through food. “I have been able to meet so many talented people and share my family’s stories with them through the food we’ve been able to vend at the festival,” Waite told me. “I’ve gained friendships that will last my lifetime, and been able to connect with opportunities that have propelled Vineyard Caribbean Cuisine forward.” Film. Food. Fashion. Art. Conversation. Culture is rarely experienced through one medium. We watch it. Hear it. Wear it. Taste it. Gather around it. Because culture is not simply what a community creates — it is how a community recognizes itself. For filmmaker Kiah Clingman, that space was the theater. Clingman came to Martha’s Vineyard for the first time this summer to premiere her directorial debut. What she found was an audience that did not require her to justify her story before telling it. “I was surrounded by people where I didn’t have to explain why my story mattered,” she said. “I just got to tell it.” Then Clingman made the connection I had been feeling all summer. “For a week, I got to soak up Martha’s magic and feel a sense of community and Black joy that I honestly haven’t felt in a long time,” Clingman said. “The closest thing I can compare it to is my time at Howard University. Being surrounded by so much Black excellence, creativity, and love filled my cup in a way I didn’t realize I needed.” There it was. The institution and the screen. Different spaces creating a remarkably similar freedom: not having to explain why you belong before contributing something to the room. The Rance Family Foundation, established by festival founders Floyd A.B. Rance III and Stephanie Tavares-Rance, grounds its mission in a striking belief: “Talent is universal, but opportunity is not.” That is why these spaces matter beyond the weeks in which they take place. HBCUs created places where generations of Black people could develop their potential. MVAAFF creates another kind of space, where Black storytellers can turn that potential outward and show us who we are through their own lenses. One creates room to become. The other creates room to be seen. Now September is here. The films have reached their credits. School sweatshirts have been folded into suitcases, flights have been boarded, and the Island has begun to quiet. But legacy was never meant to exist only while the room was full. August gave us the gathering. What remains is what we carry forward: the spaces we create to become, and the stories we tell the world about whom we have become.

community & calendar B3

September 17, 2026

D I N E breakfast, one for lunch and the specials. There are plenty of beverages to choose from: Have coffee, tea, or a selection of wines, spirits, and beers; in a large glass refrigerator, you can grab and go from a large selection of beverages. The day we went, the lunch choices were fried chicken sandwich, veggie burger,

Rosewater Market Kindness in a small-town eatery. ALLISON ROBERTS

BY ALLISON ROBERTS

2 COURTESY ROSEWATER MARKET

Christine Brissette Hands in the earth. BY MARGE HARRIS

1. Eat-in area and merchandise. 2. Entrance to Rosewater Market on South Summer Street in Edgartown. 3. Dessert case filled with goodies.

Celebrating Our MVRHS Grads

hristine Brissette, class of 2003, liked the high school very much. She played soccer, participated in the school plays, and was a Minnesinger. She had a broad range of friends across all class levels, and was a well-rounded student. She chose to go to McGill University in Montreal. However, after a year, Christine wanted to travel, to “get out of my academic head,” as she put it. She volunteered with a

spicy peanut noodle bowl, chicken wrap, B.L.T. grilled cheese,and kimchi fried rice. The menu also notes local food by emphasizing and listing: M.V. corn, M.V. kimchi. There are options for people like me who are glutenintolerant. There are also premade sandwich options, ready to grab and go.

ALLISON ROBERTS

ecently my coworker Nicole Galland and I decided to hit Edgartown for our next “Dine” article. We chose Rosewater Market. I’d only ever been there for morning coffee and a treat, but not for lunch. I’m so glad I did. It was a great choice. According to its website, “The Rosewater name was inspired by the fictional lead character, Eliot Rosewater, from Kurt Vonnegut’s classic ‘God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater,’ who chose to forgo his family fortune in favor of spreading kindness in his small hometown.” The name is apropos. When you walk in, it’s light, roomy, and very inviting — hard to be unkind in such a serene space. To the left is a dine-in area with a variety of fun merchandise curated by Rosewater Market’s owner, Julie Celeste. This is a sort of upscale “general store” filled with water bottles, T shirts, cutting boards, hats, interactive things for kids, mugs, crockery, books, cards, and banners with uplifting messages like “read more books.” To the right is where you order your food. But before you get there, you are greeted by a glass case filled with treats, like scones, muffins, cookies, etc. “There are such yummy ready-to-go offerings that you almost forget to order from the actual menu,” Galland said. If you can tear yourself away from the treat case, the counter where you order has a glass display case with an assortment of fresh salads, chicken breasts, and on the day we went, salmon. There are also menu boards. One for

service organization in Guatemala, followed by a studyabroad program in India. For those 18 months, she worked in teams of locals and volunteers, “learning by doing,” using whatever resources were available, and helping communities to help themselves. In 2006, Christine received a fellowship from M.V. Vision Fellowship, a nonprofit that “empowers promising Islanders who are committed to the environmental and so-

cial sustainability of Martha’s Vineyard.” This allowed her to continue her education at the University of Vermont in ecological community development and design. She would return to the Vineyard in the summers to waitress and clean houses. Through the fellowship, Christine was able to do internships at Polly Hill Arboretum, focusing on native plants for restoration and conservation. These experiences introduced her to ecological restoration, which has since been the focus of Christine’s life’s work. After graduation, Christine headed West to explore the ecology of that vast area. Her brother, Jarret, had a house in Missoula, Mont., and Christine moved in, with the understanding that she would have to work for him one day a week, primarily building a stone wall. She had no idea how to build a stone wall, but she gathered the information, taught herself, and did it. She found that she loved working outside, and working in the earth, especially with native plants. She found

I chose to get a small container of broccoli sesame salad and a piece of salmon. Galland got the spicy peanut noodle bowl. We both ordered house ice teas, and decided to eat outside at the cafe tables on the brick patio. The broccoli sesame salad was delicious — fresh and flavorful — and the salmon was cooked to perfection, not at all dry, and seasoned with something wonderful-tasting. Galland’s spicy peanut noodle bowl was also tasty. I know this because I took a big mouthful. “My meal was amazing,” Galland said. “It was alpha-gal safe and so incredibly flavorful and healthy. The fried tofu is just crispy enough without feeling fried, fresh veggies cut thin enough that it’s easy to eat mixed with the softer texture of the tofu and noodles, excellent M.V. kimchi — hot but not too hot — and OMG, the peanut sauce! I would have drunk it if I could, and I almost could have, because the serving was very generous.” We also got dessert, because life is not complete without a treat. I was so happy to see that they had glutenfree dessert options, and chose a slice of gluten-free coffee cake. Galland got a chocolate chip cookie.The coffee cake was a good-size portion, and I was thrilled to have enough to bring home for later. Gluten-free food can be dry, but the coffee cake was moist and yummy. Rosewater is the perfect place for breakfast or lunch, and is open 7 am to 3 pm (kitchen open 7 am to 2 pm). They close for a brief stint from mid-December to mid-January. 20 South Summer St., Edgartown, rosewatermv.com.

work at a native plant nursery, and was then hired to work with a planting crew in Montana and Idaho. Over time, her job grew to designing and bidding projects. Christine felt that she needed more knowledge about the work that she was doing, so she took classes at the University of Montana in hydrology, and acquired her master’s degree. This gave her both the academic and experiential knowledge to work in river/ stream restoration projects. During this time she met her husband, Kit, who is also part of the conservation world. They now have two little girls, Eliza and Hazel, and are deeply committed to conservation. In 2018, Christine was hired by Trout Unlimited in Missoula, as a project manager, leading stream restoration projects. Thanks, Christine, for your continued efforts to make our world a better place. Marge Harris was a teacher at MVRHS for 27 years. You can contact her at margeharris@comcast.net. This column appears twice a month.

POET’S CORNER TWO POEMS

By Warren Woessner CAPE POGE Snapshots of sun Silhouette scoters close to shore. We duck buckshot sand and pick off an eider with the scope. Farther out, gannets wheel and dive, show fish how to fly. We watch the sea-spears at 30 power, wind, birds, waves blowing straight in our eyes.

NORTON POINT By late August, big tires have worn deep tracks in the sand roads and on the beach — one lane out and one lane back — even some exit ramps gouged through the dunes to the bay. If you get out of the van to walk, it’s like wading through hot snow. Past the dunes, the point widens and the tracks spread out, explore both sides, go where they please. Sometimes wind-grounded birds take shelter in them. Sometimes leaving only footprints is leaving too much. A well-known Vineyard poet, Warren Woessner’s eighth collection of poetry, What Flies, is coming soon from Main Street Rag Press. He has won fellowships from the NEA, the McKnight Foundation, the Wisconsin Arts Board and the Many Voices Competition sponsored by New Rivers Press. 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 include a two-to-three sentence bio at the end of your poem.

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community & calendar

Tisbury By Taylor Stone tisburycolumnist@gmail.com

ast Saturday marked the final Chilmark Flea Market of the summer, meaning my Wednesdays and Saturdays are now returned to me! My goal is to leave at least one of those days each week to make art, play, catch up with friends, or go for a walk: to do something that my friend Althea would say “nourishes my artist heart.” Sometimes it is easier to come up with an excuse about why now isn’t the time to enjoy doing something outdoors: ticks, sharks, weather, traffic. But really, these shoulder-season

moments are my very favorite times to explore Martha’s Vineyard. Last week I spent a day playing tourist in my own town. Shopping along Main Street, saying, “Yes, I would like a bag” when purchasing so that I can show off my fa-

By Marnely Murray marnely@gmail.com

columns. So, email me at marnely@gmail.com and I’ll be sure to include it in this column whenever possible! On to what’s happening in Edgartown. First up, the Derby is in its first week, for the 81st time. The opening bell was rung by Cooper Gilkes, and they were off to the races. For the next five weeks, you

Oak Bluffs By Joanne Lambert joannelamber@gmail.com “On Martha’s Vineyard, community is a verb.” –Island Grown Initiative

hout-out and big thanks to our parks and recreation department for all their hard work creating beautiful new plantings in town parks! Chris Joyce and crew have been spotted all over town digging in new shrubs and plants — it really makes a difference. My favorite community event is coming up on Saturday, Sept. 19 — Tivoli Day! I just read a great article by Ken Goldberg

C vorite stores as I walk home. If you haven’t walked Main Street in Vineyard Haven for yourself recently, the new art flags for our lampposts are now on display! With 13 beautiful new flags, each highlighting a different local artist and focusing on Tisbury-forward imagery and subject matter, walking along Main and Union streets now shows you a taste of our town’s history through art. Shout-out to the Tisbury Select Board, department of public works, and our incredible jurors who selected each

piece so carefully in a blind vote — narrowing 70 submissions down to just 16 flags. This was an initiative led by the Vineyard Haven Harbor Cultural District. Note: There are three flags that did not make it up for this initial display. These include art by Althea Freeman-Miller, Basia Jaworska, and Alison Shaw. Now closed for the season: Fish MV, Grace Church’s famed Friday lobster rolls, and Lani Beach Club. Martha’s Vineyard Living Legends, Black, Indigenous, People of Color and Im-

migrant Elders Oral History Project is holding an upcoming free event at the M.V. Museum Thursday, Sept. 17, from 5 to 6:30 pm. Hear from 15 Martha’s Vineyard BIPOC and immigrant elders as they tell their stories in conversations with Island students. The next Open Mic Night, now held at the Vineyard Haven Public Library, is Thursday, Sept. 17, as well, at 6 pm. The Martha's Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby has begun its 81st

Sometimes it is easier to come up with an excuse about why now isn’t the time to enjoy doing something outdoors: ticks, sharks, weather, traffic. But really, these shoulderseason moments are my very favorite times to explore Martha’s Vineyard.

Edgartown

need to repeat this, so here we go: This is a community newspaper with community-driven town columns. Columns are written by columnists who live in each of the towns, work in said towns, and try to keep their eyes and ears open for moments, updates, and events to include in these

September 17, 2026

about the origin of Tivoli Day in 1978. The characters involved in beginning Tivoli Day include Ed Coogan and Michael Wild, and at the start, the main event was a bicycle race around the Island. That race was then managed by Bill and Margaret Stafur-

can spot anglers lining the shores of Edgartown beaches and casting their lines by boat, hoping for the biggest catch. For those needing their early caffeine intake, Rosewater Market is back to its shoulder-season hours, open every day except Sundays, so make sure to grab a coffee before getting out there! September is a great time

to support our Edgartown shops, most of them running some great sales this time of year. Stop into Katydid, Lilly Pulitzer, and Soft as a Grape, three shops that come to mind with end-of-summer sales, but if you see others with sales, make sure to send them my way. This month is also prime wedding season in town,

with happy couples getting married every weekend this month. Local wedding and event-planning companies like KG Events and Designs, as well as Plan It Martha’s Vineyard, are at their busiest, and I want to give them a round of applause. Two women-owned businesses that truly create some of the most memorable moments in town:

event! I may not have competed in the fishing side of this annual staple, but have been lucky enough to previously participate in the “Bass in the Grass” fundraiser and art auction held at the same time. These almost four-foot-long fish cutouts are turned into art pieces by island artists and auctioned off to support the artists, the Derby, and the Edgartown Board of Trade. Good luck to everyone participating in any part of this year’s Derby: May your casts be true and your fish be plenty. 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.

Cheers to them! Happiest of birthdays to those celebrating: Joan Dunayer and Celine Segel on Sept. 17, Guinevere Cramer, Mark Winters, and Shanni Murray on Sept. 19, and Melissa Norton on Sept. 24! Hoping you all have a delicious slice of cake and wonderful moments awaiting you on your special day!

For those needing their early caffeine intake, Rosewater Market is back to its shoulder-season hours, open every day except Sundays, so make sure to grab a coffee before getting out there! sky, with 425 registered racers in the final year! These days Tivoli Day is a great all-day street fair, with vendors, music, and food taking over Circuit Avenue. It is a great chance to catch up with friends you haven’t seen all summer, find bargains, and dance in the street. See you there! Galaxy Arts MV is holding an art sale for Habitat for Humanity on Friday and Saturday, the 18th and 19th, up at the Grange Hall from 10 am to 6 pm. Works by Island artists, plus a silent auction with all kinds of offerings, will be

included: galaxyartsmv.org. The Strand Theatre is the home for country music this weekend, presenting the M.V. Songwriters Festival, with the Nashville “Hitmakers” on Friday, in a concert featuring the songwriters of the hits performing their own songs. On Saturday, it is Music City’s “Rising Stars,” showcasing the newest talent on the scene in Nashville. Both shows start at 7 pm, and I’m looking forward to it! The 24th annual George V. Tankard Jr. Memorial Road Race is Saturday, Sept. 19. Proceeds support the

NAACP MV Scholarship Fund. The Fun Run starts at 9 am in front of Summercamp Hotel, and the 5K Run/Walk starts at 9:30 am from Ocean Park. Info and registration at naacp.org. The library continues Maritime Month activities with “Touch-a-Boat” on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 4 to 5 pm at Oak Bluffs Harbor. Bring your kids ages 4-plus to explore different types of boats hands-on. Sundays in the Park features the JayWalkers this Sunday, from 5 to 7 pm. Bring your chairs and a

The library continues Maritime Month activities with “Touch-a-Boat” on Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 4 to 5 pm at Oak Bluffs Harbor. Bring your kids ages 4-plus to explore different types of boats hands-on.

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picnic to enjoy another outdoor concert. Happy birthday on Sept. 18 to my firstborn, J.J. Cheney! I’m not going to tell you how old he is, but some of you might remember him as that skateboarding kid always getting in trouble for practicing his ollies down by the Steamship terminal in the ‘80s. He’s a responsible adult now with kids of his own, but his skateboard is never far away! Happy birthday to Mary Lombardi on Sept. 20! Mary shares the day with another amazing young woman, Hallie MacCormack. Kim Serpa and Michael Blanchard celebrate on Sept. 21. SuperGrandma Katrina Araujo celebrates on the 22nd, and so does Mike Magaraci. Birthday balloons go to Sean Conley on the 23rd! Send me your news!

community & calendar B5

September 17, 2026

Aquinnah By Kathie Olsen aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com

t’s definitely fall-ish. We’re cleaning out our woodstove in preparation for colder mornings. Shorts and T shirts are getting washed and packed away, while sweaters and sweats and leggings are getting unpacked and gratefully worn. In our crafty house, we are already thinking about endof-year holidays. The Derby is upon us. I have no idea how this all has happened so fast. It seems that I just get used to one season, and here comes the next. For several years now the Aquinnah Cultural Center has been working on creation of a Food Forest, and the Aquinnah parks and recreation committee has been working on creating a beautiful playground, all behind town offices on

State Road. Phase 2 of the playground will begin on Oct. 19, adding a new play area designed for children ages 2-5, and completing installation of the plan made collaboratively with town children back in 2020. To prepare for construction, the entire playground will be closed beginning Oct. 1 and remain closed through early November. Meanwhile, the parks

By Claire Ganz cganz@live.com

Rosh Hashanah dinner with family, we climbed a hill, and through the clouds beheld the fourmile-tall beams of light rising from Manhattan. A tribute that asks us not to forget what has happened,

West Tisbury By Hermine Hull hermine.hull@gmail.com

e couldn’t have a more perfect afternoon than last Saturday for the Fire Department picnic at Flat Point Farm. The sun was shining. The air was dry. The temperature was comfortable. The drive down is part of the experience, along a dirt road that meanders through thick woods with glimpses of water. It still looks like it always did, and I treasure the places that haven’t changed. Gradually, family houses and broad fields appear. At the very end, colorful tents sheltered tables of food and diners, surrounded by grills, ice chests, and games. There were separate grills this year to accommodate the

and rec committee is also hard at work on creation of a new and safer basketball court there. They need to raise $60,000 by Oct. 1 to complete fencing and sealcoating/court lines. It’s a lot of money, but here’s the great news. An anonymous local family has offered to match every donation, dollar for dollar, up to $25,000, and then, if we can get there, will also give the final $10,000. Every donation, no matter the size, is therefore crucially important right now this minute, so dig out your checkbook, empty your piggie banks, step on up, and help. Address your donation to town of Aquinnah, marked “basketball

court,” drop it off at Town Hall, or mail it to Aquinnah Town Hall, 955 State Road, Aquinnah. If you have questions or ideas, contact the committee via ruthfolchman@me.com. Our kids deserve this. It’s time. On Thursday, Sept. 17 at 5 pm, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum will be showing a video that will include the indefatigable Beverly Wright, Aquinnah Wampanoag elder. Titled “Generations of Stories/One Island,” the video features 15 elders from Martha’s Vineyard’s BIPOC and immigrant communities telling their stories in conversation with Island students. The program is sponsored by

the M.V. Diversity Coalition education committee and the Association for the Study of African American Life and History, MV Branch, and reflects the work of the Martha’s Vineyard Living Legends Oral History program. The video will be followed by a panel discussion, including teachers, students, elders, and video professionals. Admission is free. The name of the new program coordinator at the Aquinnah library is Callie Brust. She’s the one responsible for the colorful signage out front, and for so much of the activity going on inside the building. She has rolled up her sleeves

On Sept. 17 at 5 pm, the Martha’s Vineyard Museum will be showing a video that will include the indefatigable Beverly Wright, Aquinnah Wampanoag elder. Titled “Generations of Stories/One Island,” the video features 15 elders from Martha’s Vineyard’s BIPOC and immigrant communities telling their stories.

Chilmark

eading back to the Island after a week of gatherings and celebrations with close and extended family in Virginia, New Jersey, and New York. On September 11, after

number of department members and their families who have alpha-gal. The Fischer family has hosted the picnic since the department was formed 75 years ago, as noted on the back of new T shirts most of the firemen wore. Arnie Fischer Sr. was West Tisbury’s first chief. Mike and I sat at a table with Arnie Jr. and Christa Fischer, Bill and Betty Haynes, Manny and Sharon Estrella, their daughter,

but to begin with the memory intact and firm resolve. May we pay attention to what we are carrying, release what constricts us, the belief we cannot change, and choose what we carry forward. We are refreshed and ea-

ger to be returning to our lives and Liz and Kevin Oliver’s Menemsha Store, Iggy’s, Squid Roe and the Menemsha Texaco, the Galley, Larsen’s and the Menemsha Fish Market. Wishing everyone tight lines as the M.V. Striped

Bass Derby opens. Dropping into the library to try painting with watercolors, Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Finishing a blanket with help from the Community Knitting Circle, Thursdays 3 to 5 pm.

Wishing everyone tight lines as the M.V. Striped Bass Derby opens. Dropping into the library to try painting with watercolors, Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4:30 pm. Heidi Pachico, with her daughter, Amanda, and Eleanor (Fischer) Neubert. I looked around at so many people I have known since I moved here more than half of my life ago. There are new people, too, who moved here like I did, and became part of the town. Joining us were Fred and Linda Lewis, Betty Haynes’s brother and sister-in-law, who are visiting for a few days. I commented to several people that afternoon that my columns have gotten increasingly sentimental. No apologies, just gratitude, which is no minor thing. One of the EMTs at the picnic was Henry Bassett. Henry is Suzi and Bob Wasserman’s grandson, so he

grew up spending summers and holidays here, and was especially well-known to everyone who worked on the Friends of the Library Book Sale. I enjoyed reconnecting with Henry, and catching up on Wasserman/ Bassett family news. They adopted a young Siamese kitten named Eleanor, who is ruling home and occupants with insistent meows. Living on Music Street, she has to be an indoor cat, but has learned to be an escape artist. Henry said she can jump from the back of the sofa, then out through the top sash of an open double-hung window. I hope that will stop once it gets chilly enough to shut the windows. Be safe, Eleanor. They are

already smitten, and don’t want to lose you. There will be two memorial gatherings at the Ag Hall this weekend. The life of Fran Bradley will be celebrated on Friday, Sept. 18, 4 to 7 pm. Saturday afternoon at 5 pm is the occasion to honor the memory of Dianne Powers. Mitch Gordon of Turpentine Gallery postponed the reception he had planned for this past Sunday because of the weather report predicting heavy rain. A good thing he did, as it poured all day. “Autumn Art: Monumental Coastal Studies and Stone Constructions by Mitch Gordon, and Wire Sculptures by Steve Lohman” will open on Sunday, Sept. 20, at 4 pm.

Rose Willett was going to New Bedford to meet Vivian, her new granddaughter, who was born Thursday evening. Welcome to the world, Vivian. What fun you will have playing in your grandmother’s garden.

S and gotten to work, and has lots of exciting programs already planned. One of the programs is co-sponsored with the Aquinnah Cultural Center. It takes place on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 1 pm, featuring the fabulous Brad Lopes, education coordinator at the ACC, reading “Cranberry Day” by Jannette Vanderhoop and “A First Clay Gathering” by Nora Naranjo-Morse. While you’re there, check out the bulletin board for news about other upcoming events, and then give Callie a warm welcome. Laura Jordan is again offering performing-arts classes at the Town Hall for children in preschool all the way to teens. Sessions run for 12 weeks, with a small community showcase at the end. Reach out to Laura at laurajordandecker@gmail. com for scheduling and other information. Birthday greetings this week go to Nadia Aiguier on Sept. 18, Jay Bodnar on Sept. 21, and Haoa Vanderhoop on Sept. 22.

Meeting the painter Harriet Bernstein and learning about her while viewing “The Big Painting,” Friday, Sept. 18, at 4 pm. Lunch-and-learn events return to the Chilmark library next week Friday, Sept. 25, from 11:30 am to 1 pm. The topic is “Seasonal Affective Disorder,” which hits many in the winter months. We can join the virtual call or come to the library to watch on Zoom and have lunch provided by the Menemsha Store. Registration is required.

Holly Alaimo is organizing “Habitat Art Show” to be held at the Grange Hall Friday and Saturday, Sept. 18 and 19. It is a benefit for Habitat for Humanity of Martha’s Vineyard. I wrote last week about the changing atmosphere of the Island as it quiets down from the overwhelming energy of summer. That feeling has continued through this week. Once again, I recognize people, and they recognize me. When I stopped into North Tisbury Market last Friday morning, the offerings were rather spare, not the abundant displays that Rose Willett has conditioned us to expect. When I asked Rose about it, she said she was closing early, so she hadn’t put much out. She was going to New Bedford to meet Vivian, her new granddaughter, who was born Thursday evening. Welcome to the world, Vivian. What fun you will have playing in your grandmother’s garden.

community & calendar

September 17, 2026

“Vestiges.”

“Naval Ode.”

"Man in the City."

"A Kiss.”

PHOTOS COURTESY CIRCUIT ARTS

he third annual Dance Film Festival by Circuit Arts is a triple hit, bringing dance to the screen, stage, and community, where you can experience the joy of movement yourself. The three-day festival runs Thursday, Sept. 24 through Saturday, Sept. 26, with programs taking place at the Grange Hall in West Tisbury and the Yard in Chilmark. Lisa Gross, programmer for the festival, notes about this year’s theme, “Every year reveals itself to me as I’m doing my programming. This time I was focused on how the camera works with the dancer in a very different way, which might be because we are doing a dance film workshop.” Working with co-creator Sophia Attebery, a dancer and filmmaker, and Danielle Mulcahy, creative director and filmmaker at Circuit Arts, they have been running dance film labs all summer, with dancers from the community coming in to explore how the camera and choreography work together, and, in particular, how the camera can become one of the dancers. The festival kicks off Thursday, Sept. 24, at 7 pm at Grange Hall with the Dance Shorts Program, “The Dancing Camera,” a 51-minute collection of 10 international dance films exploring movement, emotion, human connection, conflict, memory, competition, technology, and joy. The program includes films from the U.K., U.S., Portugal, France, the Netherlands, Canada, and Israel, showcasing a wide range of approaches to dance filmmaking. Highlights include “Spoken Movement Family Honour,” winner of

Third annual Dance Film Festival 2026 When the camera is a dancer too. BY ABBY REMER multiple international dance-film awards; “JA Robot Club,” which pairs six dancers with six programmable robots; “MASS,” featuring 40 dancers moving as a collective force in formations; and “Podium,” a joyful, playful work featuring 19 dancers from the Batsheva Ensemble. “I was focused on films that took the camera and

long-form program pairing of David Hinton’s acclaimed short dance film “Touched” with the feature documentary “Last Dance at the Sundance Stompede.” The 12-minute-long “Touched” transforms an ordinary night at a North London bar into an intimate choreography of faces, hands, bodies, conversations, dancing, laughter, conflict, and touch, exploring the powerful emotional impact of movement. “It’s very close-up in this sort of boozy, party atmosphere, and from that, these stylized movements happen throughout.” The 2026 documentary “Last Dance at the Sundance Stompede” chronicles the closing of a beloved LGBTQ countrywestern bar in San Francisco after nearly three decades. Through the memories of the people who found community there, the film celebrates the bar’s legacy, and the queer cowboys and cowgirls who made it

The festival concludes on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 am to 1 pm, with a dance film workshop at the Yard for participants ages 16 and up, open to all experience levels. choreography to a higher level of integration,” says Gross. “Each film has a very individual way of using the camera.” Abby Bender, co-founder and director of the Built on Stilts Dance Festival, and friends will emcee the event, with short live performances woven throughout the film program. On Friday, Sept. 25, at 7 pm at the Grange Hall, the festival presents “Gatherings,” a

BY SAMANTHA BURNS The Vineyard Cribbage Club brought out 20 players for our second tournament of the season as we bid a

friendly "see ya next season" to our summer residents. The results were as follows:

First, Jack Silvia with an 11/5 +76 card Second, newcomer Joe Rock with a 10/4 +89 card Third, Frank Fenner with a 9/4 +50 card Fourth, Collin Evanson with a 9/4 +48 card

Fifth, Merrily Fenner with an 8/4 +33 card We had four 24-point hands, Joe Rock snagging two, Sharon Barba and Ed Roman grabbing one each. Merrily Fenner was dealt the

a cherished gathering place. “They’ve had this weekend event for 27 years, and it’s the last time before it’s closed down. It’s a beautiful comment on acceptance, community, and the collective joy of dance and movement. It just opens your heart. It’s about people coming together, and I think that’s one of the beautiful things about dance — it does bring joy collectively to everybody when you’re in a room together and moving,” Gross says. Appropriately, following the films, audience members are invited downstairs to put what they’ve seen into motion with a line-dancing class, led by Jill Gross. The festival concludes on Saturday, Sept. 26, from 9 am to 1 pm, with a dance film workshop at the Yard for participants ages 16 and up, open to all experience levels. Gross says, “We’ll be using ideas from the films we’ll be showing in the shorts screening as a basis for creating the dance. It will be a chance to learn what goes into making a dance film, and how choreography for film differs from choreography for the stage. Instead of thinking about being an audience member, you have to think about you being the camera.” Presented by Circuit Arts and the Yard with support from the Mass Cultural Council, the workshop will have participants create and film a “shorter than short” dance film — a small, focused work that uses movement, framing, location, and editing to discover what becomes possible when choreography moves from the stage to the screen. Gross stresses that the festival is not just for dancers: “I want it to be universal. I want everybody to feel that joy of movement through film, and for people to see something they’ve never seen before and think, ‘Wow, that was fun!’” Pay-what-you-can tickets are available at circuitarts.org/mvdff. A full listing of Circuit Arts events can be found at circuitarts.org/events.

infamous, rare flush crib. Nine players rang the bell as they got skunked (a loss by greater than 30 points). If you are interested in cribbage, give us a try! We meet at the American Legion in Katama at 6 pm on

Wednesdays. Games begin at 6 pm sharp! Feel free to check us out! Call or text Mary Alice Russell at 508-524-1220, or email her at maonmv@mac. com, for more information.

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September 17, 2026

They write the songs Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival 2026. BY ABBY REMER

artha’s Vineyard has a rich music history. The Wampanoag, of course, were the first to grace the Island with musical expressions, as they do today, and there were sea chanteys during the whaling era. Singer-songwriters Carly Simon, James Taylor, and others jump to mind during the heyday of the coffeehouse era in the mid- to late-20th century. Today, there is a rich musical ecosystem of bands, solo acts, and open-mics. In 2012, Matt Casey, who has a house in West Tisbury, started adding to the Island’s musical wealth with his Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival. From the very start, Casey brought Nashville songwriters to the Island: “I grew up coming to the Vineyard from age 7. It’s my favorite place in the world. Add that to the fact that I was a songwriter in Nashville, and the festival combined my two loves.” Casey continues, “It started at my house. People who had never written songs, or who had just started, learned from professionals who’d written songs for huge stars. That’s how it works in Nashville. It’s not always the artists who write the songs themselves, but they work with these songwriters.” The festival has grown into a multi-venue event, running Sept. 17-20 this year, with three ticketed shows at the Strand and smaller free events at Nomans, the Port Hunter, Sandbar and Grille, and Midnight Taco. The heart of the festival lies in its unique “writer rounds,” as they are known in Nashville, where the masterminds behind favorite radio hits share the stage with the industry’s brightest emerging talent. Similar to Nash-

ville, here on the Vineyard, audiences won’t just hear the music; they will hear the songwriter’s personal struggles, road miles, and the exact moments that shaped the lyrics. This year’s roster brings an elite group of storytellers to the Island. The Friday and Sunday shows feature “Hit Makers.” This tier features seasoned Nashville giants who have penned chart-topping tracks for massive artists like Morgan Wallen, Ella Langley, Blake Shelton, and

Kenny Chesney. Some of the artists include CJ Solar, who co-wrote the first of Morgan Wallen’s more than 20 no. 1 songs, “Up Down.” There will also be Johnny Clawson, who wrote one of Ella Langley’s first No. 1 songs, “Weren’t for the Wind.” Sunday’s performance will also include the Vineyard’s own Wolftrap, Seán McMahon, and Alex Karalekas. Saturday night features “Rising Stars,” spotlighting the next generation of musical powerhouses. These

artists will perform their own material and mingle with fans afterward. Among them is Morgan Johnston, who grew up on her family farm on Cape Cod. Morgan’s passion for songwriting and performing was evident early on, and she showcased her ability at shows around town before moving to Nashville in 2016. Fuller will also perform, showcasing versatility in a style similar to Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Tyler Childers. Another is Presley Tennant, who has performed for crowds exceeding 30,000, and shared the stage with some of country music’s biggest names, including Tim McGraw, Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, Cole Swindell and Post Malone. Martha’s Vineyard’s own Dock Street Fight Club will likewise be appearing. Casey is proud of the festival’s local angle. “Way more local acts are participating this year, in addition to Nashville acts. Along with Dock Street Fight Club, Seán McMahon,

Wolftrap, and Alex Karalekas, there are Jodi Trealoar and Martin and Kelly, who tour most of the year nationally, but have a home on the Island and play on their off days. I’m really happy that Martin and Kelly are such a big part of the festival, because they have been involved since it was just a songwriter’s workshop in my family home in West Tisbury, helping run and grow it through the years.” Casey explains that the festival offers a different kind of country music experience: “It focuses not only on polished performances, but also on the people, ideas, and experiences that shape a song before it reaches the radio. For fans, the event offers a chance to hear music up close, and learn how songs are created. For aspiring writers, it provides an inside look at Nashville’s songwriting process. And for the Island community, it brings together visitors and residents around live music in some of Martha’s Vine-

yard’s most recognizable towns and venues.” He adds, “Most importantly, I want people to have a great time and hear some songs they know and sing along and dance. But I also want to give people a more intimate view. To learn about the process and the artists. It’s also showing the ‘Hit Makers’ and ‘Rising Stars’ what Martha’s Vineyard is all about. Some have never even heard of it. Some believe what they see on TV about it being an enclave for the rich, and don’t realize the year-round community consists of regular, down-to-earth people. So, it’s educating both sides and bringing people together through music.” Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival 2026 runs from Sept. 17 to 20. For tickets, visit marthasvineyardsongwritersfest.com/ shows. (Strand ticketholders will get preferred seating, no lines, and VIP gifts at the other venues.)

Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival “Rising Star” Fuller. ROBERT DEBES

“Rising Star” Presley Tennant. COURTESY PRESLEY TENANT

“Hit Makers” in the round at a previous Martha’s Vineyard Songwriters Festival. CAPTURE CORE PHOTOGRAPHY

Nashville recording artist and Cape Cod’s own Morgan Johnston.

Johnny Clawson COURTESY JOHNNY CLAWSON

COURTESY MORGAN JOHNSTON

“It focuses not only on polished performances, but also on the people, ideas, and experiences that shape a song before it reaches the radio.” - MATT CASEY

B I R T H A N NOU NC E M E N T Aysha Fernandes de Carvalho Vanessa Dos Santos and Gabriel de Carvalho of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Aysha Fernandes de Carvalho, born on Sept. 12, 2026, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Aysha weighed 4 pounds, 0.2 ounces.

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calendar & community

September 17, 2026

The Turpentine Gallery, nestled just a bit

PHOTOS: DENA PORTER

off State Road in West Tisbury, exudes a welcoming warmth. With large paintings displayed inside and out, and sculptures dotting the grounds, it’s an enticing blend of art and land, quintessential to the Vineyard. The beautifully hewn, exposed-wood gallery is the brainchild of artist Mitch Gordon: “I first came here from Boston in 1980 to be an artist, because I’d heard there was an island with clay cliffs. I quickly realized the clay was not for digging out to make pottery. Within the first week, I met a guy who was managing Kennedy Studios in Edgartown. I dove into being a Vineyard landscape watercolor artist.” After some time back in Boston, in art school and then as a successful artist at the Tepper Takayama gallery, he returned to the Island in 1988. He worked as a contractor, designing and building houses. But after a serious health scare, Gordon decided to follow his dream and devote himself to being a full-time artist. Gordon opened Turpentine in 2021, and says, “It’s been growing as I’ve been developing. Now I’m 65, and I’m just getting started. It’s a wonderful place to be. Every day you’re excited to chase your dreams, get up in the morning, and make that painting and beautiful sculptures, which were my original passion.”

Turpentine Galler

BY ABBY The sculptures have an intuitive quality. Gordon works with large pieces of driftwood, allowing their natural surfaces to create textures that invite us to run our hands over them. He crafts metal and stone into, around, and between the

“I get this feeling when I’m in the open ocean in a kayak because I’m a very small thing connected to a much larger universe. When I’m on land, it’s busy, and I lose that connection to the rest of the world.” –MITCH GORDON

Entrance to Turpentine Gallery on State Road in West Tisbury.

Mitch Gordon Mitch Gordon

wood, to create a dance between nature and human-made materials. Gordon says, “I’m influenced by Japanese sculptors who take the spirit of living stone and wood, meaning they are unworked or minimally worked. This means the spirit of the stone

calendar & community B9

ry’s Mitch Gordon.

Y REMER ‘speaks,’ and the wood does the ‘talking.’” Gordon’s landscape paintings are transportive in both their scale and subject matter. There is a Zen-like quality to “36 Meditations: Kayak Dreams at Sea Level.” The paintings, read from left to right in three rows, draw on his years kayaking the waters around the Vineyard, and the deep serenity and peace found in the wild sea along this ribbon of land. Taken together, the separate panels tell a symphonic story as we drift through time across the seascape. Depicted from the perspective of being on the water, looking back at the shoreline, we seem to drift peacefully along. Standing before the installation, a meditative, spiritual sensibility washes over us. Gordon notes, “I get this feeling when I’m in the open ocean in a kayak because I’m a very small thing connected to a much larger universe. When I’m on land, it’s busy, and I lose that connection to the rest of the world. “I dove into painting because it was a much larger challenge than sculpture. It comes from a very different place. It’s a much slower process than sculpting, which is much more intuitive and playful. The

roots of my painting are a very deep thought process.” The works are inspired by Mark Rothko, a color-field artist of the 1940s and ‘50s who painted in an abstract style defined by large, flat expanses of solid color across giant canvases. Look at Gordon’s artwork long enough, and swathes of color emerge in the sky and water. Gordon says, “I feel that with Rothko, people generate the emotion in his pieces. They are filled with these big, calm, sacred spaces where you can feel safe letting your emotions go. I use the land as rhythm, but you can dive into the big, quiet areas of color and let your own emotions fall into a space evoked by the sky, Vineyard, and light we have here.” Gordon adds, “At this time in history, and in my own place in life, I want to create a space that is peaceful and evokes nature, so that when we step away from the news, we have everything we need around us. Thus, I’m hoping that when I’m working on the paintings, they evoke that in the viewers.” The current Turpentine Gallery exhibition runs through Oct. 12 at 554 State Road, West Tisbury. The gallery will host a reception this Sunday, Sept. 20, from 4 to 7 pm. For more information, visit turpentinegallery.art, contact mitch@ turpentinegallery.art, or call 508-693-5963.

A canvas panel from the "36 Meditations: Kayak Dreams at Sea Level, Poge Pond."

Gordon's sculptures flank his latest work “36 Meditations: Kayak Dreams at Sea Level, Poge Pond.”

A portion of the soil-on-canvas panels from the “36 Meditations: Kayak Dreams at Sea Level, Poge Pond.”

Gordon's "Kayak Dreams at Sea Level" is comprised of a collection of 36 oil-on-canvas panels.

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calendar & community

September 17, 2026

Event spotlight for the week of 9•18 — 9•24

FRI 9/18

SAT 9/19

SUN 9/20

‘Behind the Curtain’: Nashville Hit Makers

xperience an unforgettable night of music with Nashville hitmakers CJ Solar, Phil Barton, Joe Fox, and Johnny Clawson.

Tickets are on sale now. $23.18 to $103.22. 7 pm. The Strand Theater, Oak Bluffs Ave., Oak Bluffs, marthasvineyardsongwritersfest.com/shows.

Darkness into Vineyard Light suicide prevention walk

ome together one final time for the Darkness into Vineyard Light Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk. This final walk will be the most meaningful and well-attended yet — a celebration of everything they have accomplished together and a reminder that the conversation about mental health and suicide prevention

must continue. 5 to 7 am, $25. To register for the walk, become a sponsor, or register to volunteer, go to runsignup. com/9thannualdvlwalk.

Lamoreaux Memorial Golf Classic

oin Hospice and Palliative Care for a day of golf and philanthropy — breakfast, lunch, open bar, and an online auction featuring sports packages and Island vacation stays. All proceeds support hospice, palliative, and bereavement care on Martha's Vineyard. 7:30 am to 5 pm. $200. Mink Meadows Golf

Club. 320 Golf Club Road, Vineyard Haven. Golfer registration is now open. bit.ly/Hospice_MinkMeadowsGolf.

MV TIMES

MON 9/21

‘MVAA All Members Show’

e sure to check out Martha's Vineyard Art Association members’ work. The “All Members

Show” runs Sept. 12 through Oct. 12. Old Sculpin Gallery, 58 Dock St., Edgartown, oldsculpingallery.org.

TUES 9/22 WED 9/23 ‘Preparing Your Garden for Winter’

he colder months are soon upon us, so learn how to put your garden to bed. This talk with Rosemary Confalone will cover basic cover cropping, mulching and other soil covers, crop storage, seed storage, and preliminary planning for next spring. 5:30 to 7 pm,

free, registration appreciated. Agricultural Hall, 35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury, marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org.

Felix Neck Nature Strol

oin a naturalist from Felix Neck for a guided stroll in nature. Learn about the Island's plants and animals that thrive in

Felix Neck's diverse coastal habitats. 10 am to 11:30 am. Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, 100 Felix Neck Drive, Edgartown, massaudubon.org.

MV TIMES

Events THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17 Dance Fitness and Strength Training with Kris Martin

7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A creative blend of rhythmic resistance, cardio conditioning, manageable mobility and core strength exercises all set to crazy-FUN music. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

and injuries, general aches and stiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-563-8282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com.

Balletics

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

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.

arts columnist Juliet Ehrlich's diversely themed Clay Wall Reliefs can be seen by appointment by calling 502-936-3599. Ehrlich’s clients include corporate, public, and private commissions and have been placed both in the United States and internationally.

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

Island sculptor, master potter, and published Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

Early Birders Walk

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

Kaiut Yoga

8:30-9:30 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga works through chronic pain

Tennis Morning Clinic Level 3.5+

9-10:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. 1.5 hours of group instruction with a focus on strokes, volleying, strategy and drills. Advance registration required, please call to reserve spot 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.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. Carnegie Heritage Center 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com. 10 am-3 pm, the carnegie heritage Docent-Led Arboretum Tours center, Edgartown. Admission: $5 (ages 9:30-10:30 am, The Polly Hill Arboretum, 12+). vineyardtrust.org/events/ 774-549West Tisbury. Learn about the incred9107, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org. ible history, people, and plants that make Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings the Polly Hill Arboretum a local and 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE, Edgartown. global landmark. Free with admission! Inspired by the Island around him, Leo 508-693-9426, info@pollyhillarboretum.org. transforms wood into striped bass, Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar 10 am-5:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Have fun creatures of the Vineyard. 774-549-9107, while celebrating OBPL’s Maritime Month. THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. Search for photographs of ocean animals. Find Mah Jongg for Beginners all the pictures and get a prize. For kids all 10:15 am-12:15 pm, Vineyard Haven ages. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org. Public Library, Vineyard Haven. Learn to play Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator American Mah Jongg with Rosemary Chalk. 10 am-3 pm, THE CARNEGIE HERITAGE CENTER, Please bring your Mah Jongg card. Register Edgartown. This exhibition highlights the on VH library event calendar. 508-696creative process of muralist Margot Datz, 4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. whose work transformed the Old Whaling Tech help Church and Flying Horses Carousel. 774-54911 am-1 pm, Up Island Council on Aging, 9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org. West Tisbury. Free tach help 508-693Art Exhibition: MVAA All 2896, coa-staff@westtisbury-ma.gov.

Members Show

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

Texture: Created & Found

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Free CPR Class

1-2:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Led by Alan Ganapol. Gain valuable skills that can help save a life. Not a certification course. Email wt_mail@clamsnet.org to sign up. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Substance Use Disorder and Behavioral Health needs assessment

1-2 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. BUS, Public Health students present findings from their needs assessment. 508-6932900, jtau@mvcommunityservices.org.

Great Reads Community Discussion: “Nothing More of This Land” by Joseph Lee

2 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library, Vineyard Haven. Join VHPL Book Club and Aquinnah Cultural Center for 2026 Great Reads Community Discussion. Register on VH Library event calendar. 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Chair Caning Workshop Series with Fred Thornbrugh

Blackout Poetry Party

3-4:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Choose a poem and transform it into something new at this weekly poetry station! 508-6274221, programs@edgartownlibrary.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! 508-645-3360, chil.programs@gmail.com.

Kids Crafts & Crunch - Make Your Own Eraser

3:30-5 pm, Vineyard Haven library. Make your own polymer clay erasers and enjoy snacks provided by MV Community Servicesjrapuano@clamsnet.org.

Pokemon Club

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.

Edgartown Old Westside

Graveyard Walking Tour 2:30-5 pm, West Tisbury Library. Email gwilbur@clamsnet.org for more information or 4-5:15 pm, Old Westside Graveyard, Edgartown. to register. 508-693-3366, gwilbur@clamsnet.org. Gravestones are a window into the past. Walk Continued on B11

community & calendar B11

September 17, 2026

You be the judge! The annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. BY ABBY REMER

ear up your inner critic. It’s time again for the 29th annual Manhattan Short Film Festival. Starting on Sept. 24, join audience members in more than 500 venues worldwide to vote for the Best Film and Best Actor awards among the 10 finalists that screened simultaneously over one week. The winners will be announced at manhattanshort.com on Monday, Oct 5, at 10 am. The U.S. entry, “Small Talk,” directed by Eduardo Moral, explores loneliness and alienation in a decaying city. In an eerie, neon-drenched future where AI has consumed nearly every profession, a seemingly compassionate taxi driver picks up human passengers, whom AI has replaced in their jobs. As they enter his cab, each passenger — a mechanic, a teacher, and a doctor — tells him how much they appreciate the small talk. “It’s what makes us human, after all,” he says, leaving us to wonder whether this is actually true. The psychological thriller “Mary Is Missing,” from Ireland, is directed by Aisling Byrne. It opens with the words on screen: “Based on a true story.” In the next second, the word “true” disappears. In fact, the disappearance is of Mary, a care worker at the Yellow Tree Day Service for adults with intellectual disabilities. The cast is an ensemble of actors from the company Run of the Mill, an Irish arts organization that provides a platform for the talents of people with intellectual disabilities. The cast devised the film’s narrative. In “Mary Is Missing,” each actor tells a piece of the story — some true, some not — to the irritated facility director and the detective, who try to get to the bottom of the mystery. Byrne says, “I hope audiences leave feeling that cinema is richer when we invite new voices into the creative process. Every twist of the cover story, every emotional beat, is shaped by the imagination, humor, and instincts of 13 artists whose perspectives are still rarely represented in mainstream filmmaking.” In the Australian short “Candy Bar,” by Nash Edgerton, a young girl tells a man in the movie theater’s candy bar line that he looks like her dad. Initially touched by

the exchange, he comes to learn that not everything a young, innocent child says may be true. The South African entry, “Vultures,” by Dian Weys, is a suspense thriller based on his own experience in a car accident and its aftermath. The film unfolds in the volatile moments after a car crash, before the authorities arrive. In this case, the vulture is a hotheaded yet desperate tow-truck driver who fiercely protects his tow from a competitor at the scene. The situation quickly spirals out of control, raising emotional and moral questions about right and wrong. Weys says, “I spoke to many tow-truck drivers, and they have to navigate a ruthless and competitive industry. They are also the ones who secure scenes and put themselves at risk when helping victims. I therefore hope that the characters’ actions challenge the title, and that it becomes a question for the audience.” The dark comedy “Life Goes On,” from the U.K., is directed by Daniel Audritt and Kat Butterfield, the latter of whom says, “It’s about finding hope in unexpected places and the preciousness of time.” Bill, a curmudgeonly, acerbic patient, is in end-of-life care, waiting for the sweet release of death, but unfortunately for him, he’s stuck in an infinite time loop. The unexpected repetition gives Bill an extension as time runs out, leaving him options to make different choices while he’s still living. “Hai Davai,” from Moldova, is directed by Vlad Gradescu. Before the story begins, we learn that 40 percent of the population of Moldova has left in search of opportunities since it gained independence in 1991. In the film, Nina, on the cusp of leaving her village for a new life abroad, is stopped, quite literally, by an old superstition about a black cat crossing the road. Citing bad luck, her worried grandmother refuses to let her pass. Instead, they sit and wait for someone else to cross the road first. Slowly, a collection of potential walkers gathers, each refusing to cross the path, creating a humorous folk tale. Colloquially, “hai davai” can mean many things, such as “let’s go,” “hurry up,” and “goodbye.” Gradescu says, “For this film, it carries a double meaning. On the surface, it’s Nina’s urgency to leave, to finally go. But under-

Continued from B10

Events

through Old Westside graveyard with histo- pieces in a genre of their choice: music, rian Elizabeth Villard. Fee $20. Information. dance, drama, the spoken word. All are Text 508 627 2529. evillardmv@gmail.com. welcome! Sign up on arrival. 508-6964211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org. Author Talk: Noepe: A Geological

Overview of Martha’s Vineyard

4:30-5:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Dr. Giorgio Caramanna will discuss his recently released book, Noepe: A Geological Overview of Martha’s Vineyard. Free and open to the public. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Community Sound Bath

Bossa Nova & Brazilian Jazz: Presentation with Allen Morrison 6-7 pm, Edgartown Library. Registration is required. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Meditation

6-7 pm, Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, 4:30-5:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Community West Tisbury. Group meditation availSound Bath 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org. able both in person at Bodhi Path in West Tisbury, and online via Zoom. Table Tennis marthasvineyard@bodhipath.org. 5 pm, Tisbury Senior Center, Vineyard Haven. Table tennis for all ages and skill ‘TONY’ at the Edgartown Cinema levels. 508-728-5898, raeobmv@gmail.com. 6:45 pm, Edgartown Cinema. A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown Sunset Kayak Tour and stumbles into the chaotic world 5:15-7:15 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, of a restaurant kitchen. 508-627-8008, Edgartown. Paddle into the golden hour as yourneighborhoodtheatre.com. the sun sets over Sengekontacket Pond. Naturalists will highlight wildlife activity for ‘PRACTICAL MAGIC 2’ at a memorable way to end the day 508-627the Edgartown Cinema 4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org. 6:45 pm, Edgartown Cinema. A multi Open Mic Night: Where generational family of witches, cursed to be loveless for centuries, attempts Dreams Come True 6 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Each to break the spell. 508-627-8008, yourneighborhoodtheatre.com. performer may perform 1-2 songs or

Bass in the Grass

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.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

Barre Fusion with Kris Martin

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

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

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. Ehrlich’s clients include corporate, public, and private commissions and have been placed both in the United States and internationally.

Pumped Up Intervals with Maria McFarland

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A class alternating cardio

The Manhattan Short Film Festival screens at the M.V. Film Center on Thursday, Sept. 24. For tickets and information, visit mvfilmsociety.com. neath, it’s also an invitation to the audience to experience something purely Moldovan, and see just how much they can relate to it.” The comedy “Pickup” is the Russian entry, from Viktoriia Lapushkina. We meet Di, the shyest woman in the room, at a pickup workshop where every girl gets a mission — flirt, charm, and win to make a man go crazy over her. Di’s task is simple: Ask a guy to buy her coffee. Passing by her more confident competitors, she ends up on a rooftop smoking area, where she meets Alex — a man about to end his life, or so it seems. Ana Alpizar directs the Cuban entry, “Norheimsund,” about a girl’s long-distance romance with an older Norwegian man that promises to pull her and her mother out of their austere life in Cuba. But her dreams are shaken when she realizes he isn’t as idyllic as he seems. Alpizar says, “Since I was a child, I grew up hearing stories about older European men who, essentially, bought young Cuban brides with the promise of a better life. These women were the Cinderellas of post–Soviet Cuba, seen as heroines not only because they had managed to leave the island, but also because they could potentially become providers for their families from abroad. Unfortunately, those stories aren’t just distant memories, and many of those dynamics are even more present today.” “When the Sea Was Calm,” a film from Georgia about a boy, a girl, and a little dog,

intervals and weight work intervals using heavier weights, body bars, loops bands, and weighted balls. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

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. 508-6931850, 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. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com. Continued on B12

is directed by Mamuka Tkeshelashvili. The silent, poignant, handcrafted animated short transforms memories of prewar Sokhumi into a transportive story of childhood, first love, painful exile, and the dream of return. For Tkeshelashvili and producer Vladimer Katcharava, the film is a way to remember and honor the people forced to leave their homes, who still live with the hope of returning one day. It is also for those who died without ever having that chance. The Mexican entry, “Never Give Up,” by Tamás Yvan Topolánszky, follows a young boy, alone in the desert, as he attempts to cross the U.S.-Mexico border, guided only by his mother’s final words: Never give up. In an ironic twist, an unexpected source of hope leads him toward a resolution that redefines survival. Topolánszky explains the film’s inspiration: “I looked for the smallest possible point of view — a child who knows nothing about the enormous political argument surrounding him. He doesn’t understand borders, ideology, or immigration policy. He only understands that he is alone, that he has to keep moving, and that his mother’s words may be the only thing guiding him forward.” The 10 entries are vastly different from one another, each offering a unique cinematic experience that will intrigue you, no matter which one you ultimately select as your favorite.

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

THURSDAY, SEPT. 17 · CLOSED FOR A PRIVATE EVENT

4:00 PM WILD INSIDE 7:30 PM TONY METROPOLITAN OPERA LIVE 1:00 PM

Fri 9/18

Sat Twenty Years of the Met in Cinemas: An Anniversary Celebration. 9/19

WILD INSIDE TONY Sun TONY 9/20 WILD INSIDE

4:00 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM

MONDAY & TUESDAY, SEPT. 21 & 22 · FILM CENTER IS CLOSED

Wed 9/23

KUROSAWA’S NOIR MASTERPIECE HIGH LOW

7:00 PM

TONY MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL

4:00 PM 7:30 PM

with Paul Karasik and musician Akira Satake

Thurs 9/24

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!

Information & Schedules

scan code for complete schedule

mvfilmsociety.com

508.69 6.9369

B12

calendar & community

September 17, 2026

Events

Continued from B11

Art Show and Sale to support Habitat for Humanity MV and all Island Artists

10 am-6 pm, The Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Art Show and Sale to support Habitat for Humanity MV and all Island Artists GalaxyArtsMV.org.

Polly Hill Arboretum Staff-Led Botanical Spotlight Tour

10-11 am, The Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury. Learn more about the Arboretum and its plant collections on guided walks led by PHA collections staff. Free with admission. 508-693-9426, info@pollyhillarboretum.org.

Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt

10 am-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Have fun while celebrating OBPL’s Maritime Month. Search for photographs of ocean animals. Find all the pictures and get a prize. For kids all ages. 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. 774-549-9107, 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.

Carnegie Heritage Center

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

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.

Bubbles & Beyond: Outdoor Sensory Play

10:30 am-12:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Bubble stations, water tables, kinetic sand, and more! 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

iPad Workshop with Kathy Lavieri 10:30-11:30 am, Edgartown Library. Registration is required. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Texture: Created & Found

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Toddler Time

11-11:30 am, Chilmark Library. 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 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.

Dungeons & Dragons: New Year, New Imaginary You

3-6 pm, Edgartown Library. School year long Dungeons and Dragons and Tabletop RPG campaign 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

The Giving Garden: Fall Tour, Taste, and Take-Home with Roxanne Kapitan 4-5:30 pm, MV Charter School, West Tisbury. Perennial Edible Garden Tour at the Charter School with Roxanne Kapitan 508-693-9549, programs@mvagsoc.org.

WILD INSIDE — at the MV Film Center

4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. WILD INSIDE — On February 2, 2023, Flaco was discovered missing from his cage at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. W 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Sound Bath

5-6 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. Relaxing and maditative waves of sound washing over you jtau@mvcommunityservices.org.

Magic the Gathering: Gaming Club

6-9 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. All skill levels are welcome. You can bring food and drink. Under age 14 should be with an adult. mdaniels@clamsnet.org, 508-693-9433.

Behind the Curtain With the Nashville Hit Makers

7-9:30 pm, The Strand Theatre, Oak Bluffs. An intimate night with Nashville hitmakers CJ Solar, Phil Barton, Joe Fox, and Johnny Clawson, sharing the stories behind the songs you love. J 617834-2506, mvsongandwritersfestival@gmail.com.

TONY — at the MV Film Center

7:30 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.

Bass in the Grass

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.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Darkness into Vineyard Light Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk

5-7 am, Bend in the road , Edgartown. Please join us on September 19th as we come together one final time for the Darkness into Vineyard Light Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk. 774-2632882, darknessintovineyardlight@gmail.com.

Dance Fitness with Kris Martin

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

24th Annual NAACP George V. Tankard Jr. Memorial 5K Road Race/Walk

9 am-12 pm, Summercamp (Fun Run) and Ocean Park (5K RUN/WALK:), Oak Bluffs. USATF-certified race benefitting the NAACP of MV Scholarship Fund for MV HS seniors who exemplify the ideals of civil rights and good citizenship. 917-385-8836, drakes.naacp@gmail.com.

Greenhouse Soil Therapy!

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

Vinyasa Power Yoga

9-10 am, Edgartown Library. Free and open to the public. Registration is required. Sign up at edgartownlibrary.org. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Beginner Pickleball Clinic

9-10 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Curious about pickleball? Join a session to learn the basics! Advance registration is required, call 508-696-8000 or go to our website to register. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

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.

Barnyard Buddies

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

Art Show and Sale to support Habitat for Humanity MV and all Island Artists

10 am-6 pm, The Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Art Show and Sale to support Habitat for Humanity MV and all Island Artists GalaxyArtsMV.org.

Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt

10 am-3:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Have fun while celebrating OBPL’s Maritime Month. Search for photographs of ocean animals. Find all the pictures and get a prize. For kids all ages. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator

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.

Carnegie Heritage Center

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

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

Family Kayak Adventure

10-11:30 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Fun for families and friends, paddle on Sengekontacket Pond for an active investigation of the Pond’s history, culture, and wild residents. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Saturday Storytime

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.

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.

Story Journeys

10:30 am, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Movement, stories, and music threaded together in an improvisational and participatory journey 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Enameling on Copper Workshops with David Kuchta

2-5 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Learn to sift, stencil, stamp and appliqué enamel to create a one-of-a-kind piece. This class is suitable for all levels! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

WILD INSIDE — at the MV Film Center

Community dockside celebration of Shenandoah

5-7 pm, Black Dog Wharf, Vineyard Haven. Potluck community celebration of our beloved Shenandoah after her final sail. Music, remembrances and a cannon fire at sunset. Bring a dish to share. 617-935-1993, mb561@yahoo.com.

An Evening With Music City’s Rising Stars

SIMON GALLERY

11 am-3 pm, SIMON GALLERY, Chilmark. Peter Simon Photo & Ronni Simon Designs. Open Sat. & Sun., 11-3. Open by appointment - 508 325-2242. In Chilmark, Tabor House Rd. Follow Simon signs. 508-325-2242, ronnisimondesigns@gmail.com.

Sound Bath with Trish Ginter

11:30 am-12:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Registration required. Sign up at edgartownlibrary.org. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Kirtan, Live Music - Call and Response Chanting with Bhakti

12-1 pm, West Tisbury Free Library, Side Porch (or Community Room in inclement weather), West Tisbury. Experience the transformative power of Kirtan - Live Music, Call and Response Chanting with yogic band Bhakti. Come sing, dance, chant with us. 802-989-9992, rachelbaird9@gmail.com.

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. 508-693-3366, gwilbur@clamsnet.org.

METROPOLITAN OPERA LIVE— at the MV Film Center

1 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. METROPOLITAN OPERA LIVE: Twenty Years of the Met in Cinemas: An Anniversary Celebration. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.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.

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.

1-4 pm, Edgartown Library. Heldentenor Jon Vickers as Samson scales the heights of the score 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

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.

Bass in the Grass

Texture: Created & Found

11 am, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Heather Pillar’s photographic collaboration with Morrie Schwartz, subject of the best-selling memoir “Tuesdays with Morrie” by Mitch Albom. 508696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

TONY — at the MV Film Center

7:30 am-5 pm, Mink Meadows Golf Club, Vineyard Haven. Hospice Golf Classic will be held 9/20/26 from 7:30 am-5:00 PM at Mink Meadows. Proceeds support HPCMV. Sign up at hospiceofmv.org 508-693-0189, hospiceofmv.org.

Memento Morrie with photographer Heather Pillar

SIMON GALLERY

FOOTBALL AT NOMANS

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

11 am-5 pm, Black Dog Wharf, Vineyard Haven. Come aboard the iconic Shenandoah for open boat tours. Revisit old memories and learn about the future with Shenandoah II. 617-935-1993, mb561@yahoo.com.

7-10 pm, The Strand Theatre, Oak Bluffs. An evening with Music City’s Rising Stars at The Strand Theatre! Join us for a memorable night of live music. 617-834-2506, mvsongandwritersfestival@gmail.com.

Maritime Felting

10:30 am-12:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Join us for a whale of a time doing our Maritime Themed Felting Craft led by Laura Hearn. Ages 15 and up! 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Shenandoah open boat tours

Hospice Golf Classic - 16th Annual Bud Lamoreaux Memorial Golf Classic

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

29th Annual Vineyard Artisans Summer Festival

10 am-2 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 website- vineyardartisans.com artisan02557@yahoo.com.

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

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.

1-5 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. FOOTBALL @ Nomans ON THE BIG SCREENS | FOOD | DRINKS | FUN FOR ALL AGES 508-338-2474, events@nomansmv.com.

Opera Club: Saint-Saëns’s “Samson et Dalila”

Open Writing Hours

Balance with Alyson Parker

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Core stabilization, strength and balance, targeting all the major muscle groups with some intermittent cardio. Have fun and go at your own pace! 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.Kayak

& Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

Beginner Tennis Clinic: Levels 3.0 - 3.5 9-10 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Tennis clinic for 3.0-level players focusing on footwork, shot placement, and point construction. Advanced registration is required, call to reserve. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Beginner Pickleball Clinic

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

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. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Papermaking with Seaweed

4-7 pm, Turpentine Gallery, West Tisbury. Monumental coastal studies and stone constructions by Mitch Gordon. Wire and steel linear sculptures by Steve Lohman. 508-693-5963, mitch@turpentinegallery.art.

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

September Artist Reception

Restorative Sound Journey

4-5:15 pm, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Relax and Reset with an intimate Restorative Sound Journey. 774-563-8282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com.

Community Sing

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

Behind The Curtain: Sunday Edition with The Nashville Hit Makers 7-10 pm, The Strand Threatre , Oak Bluffs. Behind The Curtain: Sunday Edition with The Nashville Hit Makers 617-834-2506, mvsongandwritersfestival@gmail.com.

WILD INSIDE — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. WILD INSIDE — On February 2, 2023, Flaco was discovered missing from his cage at the Central Park Zoo in Manhattan. W 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

TONY — at the MV Film Center

Bass in the Grass

9:30 am-1 pm, Seastone Papers, West Tisbury. Create realistic or abstract scenes with seaweed on wet pulp. 508-6935786, sandy@seastonepapers.com.

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

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.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22 Cardio and Conditioning with Alyson Parker

7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Cardio and strength work with weights and conditioning using your own body weight for resistance. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

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

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

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

Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

SoulStrength with Kris Martin

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 7-8 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A creative blend of rhythmic resistance, cardio conditioning, manageable mobility and core strength exercises all set to crazy-FUN music. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com. 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. Ehrlich’s clients include corporate, public, and private commissions and have been placed both in the United States and internationally.

Core Stability, Strength and

Tennis Morning Clinic Level 3.5+

Docent-Led Arboretum Tours

9:30-10:30 am, The Polly Hill Arboretum, West Tisbury. Learn about the incredible history, people, and plants that make the Polly Hill Arboretum a local and global landmark. Free with admission! 508-693-9426, info@pollyhillarboretum.org. Continued on B14

community & calendar B13

September 17, 2026

BUSINESSDIRECTORY S

LANDSCAPING

HEADLINE INDIGO FARM

Full Service Landscape Design, Build, & Maintenance

info@indigofarm.com

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

Landscape Design • Build Organic Methods Native Plantings Perennial & Vegetable Gardens Pruning • Fertilizing

Build

Ponds & Pools • Stonework

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

Bobcat Services • Chipping

www.indigofarm.com Creating landscapes inspired by the spirit of the Vineyard

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

WATER TESTING

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!

METAL WORK

508.696.6114

info@millerspros.com

Maintenance

Lawn & Garden Maintenance

CONCRETE & MASONRY

ROOFING

INDIGO FARM

Full service landscape design, build and maintenance 508.696.6114

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

ROOFING

KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION DECKING · CARPENTRY ·ROOFING· SIDING

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.

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community & calendar

B14

September 17, 2026

Events

Continued from B12

Play Kitchen and Store

Basics of Metalsmithing with Liam McGorman

10 am-12 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Come enjoy watching your kids be creative and solve problems! Play is the primary way kids learn and express themselves. For ages 2-6. Drop in. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

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.

Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt

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.

Play Kitchen and Store

10 am-12 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Come enjoy watching your kids be creative and solve problems! Play is the primary way kids learn and express themselves. Ages 2-6. Drop in 10amnoon. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Artist Reception – Dakota LeBeau Maltese

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator

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

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

Assisted Knitting Open Studio

5:30-7 pm, Agricultural Hall, West Tisbury. Get your garden ready for the cold winter ahead! 508-693-9549, programs@mvagsoc.org.

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.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.

Lego Club

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

Creator Club

At Stillpoint // Social Security Demystified w/ Grant Joiner

3-4:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Each week we’ll have a different hands-on craft to try 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org.

Mindfulness & Meditation Open Practice Group

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.

At Stillpoint // EFF’n Move Series with Tuni

8:30 am-4:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Have fun while celebrating OBPL’s Maritime Month. Search for photographs of ocean animals. Find all the pictures and get a prize. For kids all ages. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Preparing Your Garden for Winter

Texture: Created & Found

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

5 pm, Tisbury Senior Center, Vineyard Haven. Table tennis for all ages and skill levels. 508-728-5898, raeobmv@gmail.com. 5-6 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. conscious breathing techniques promoting relaxation, clarity, healing, and wellbeing 508-693-2900, jtau@mvcommunityservices.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.

Watercolor Wednesday for Kids!

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.

kundalini

Story Circle

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

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

Table Tennis

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.

ASL Practice Group

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

Bass in the Grass

4-5 pm, Oak Bluffs Town Marina, Oak Bluffs. Kids 4+ and their families will be able to explore the OB Shellfish boat, OB Harbormaster boat, a Commercial Fisherman boat, and more! 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org. 4:30-5:30 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. Peaceful environment while immersed in calming chants 508-6932900, jtau@mvcommunityservices.org.

Carnegie Heritage Center

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.

2:30 am-4:30 pm, Chilmark Library. Watercolor painting at the library 508-6453360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com.

kundalini

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

Meditation

4-5:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Artist Reception – Dakota LeBeau Maltese 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Touch-A-Boat at Oak Bluffs Harbor

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

simplify and explain the social security system for us info@stillpointmv.org.

6-7 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Island financial planner Grant Joiner will

Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt

Barre Fusion with Maria McFarland

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. Ballet styled flows, barre work, balance and weights incorporating disks, loop bands and Bender balls. Come with sneakers, barre sox, or bare feet 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

At Stillpoint // Pilates Flow with Camille Beauzile

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

Play Reading at Tisbury Senior Center 9 am-12 pm, Tisbury Council on Aging, Vineyard Haven. Play Reading for Artistic, Literary and Dramatic Pleasure 201-2077568, monahennessy1@gmail.com.

Greenhouse Soil Therapy!

SEPTEMBER 18 and I9

FRIDAY and SATURDAY | I0 AM - 6 PM

GRANGE HALL | WEST TISBURY

to Support

A RT SHOW & SALE Habitat for Humanity

and All Island Artists

Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest 9 am-3:30 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Enjoy Sengekontacket on this self-guided kayak tour. Clues lead you through the pond. Call to reserve for up to 3 hours; returning the boats by 3:30. 508627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Beginner Pickleball Clinic

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

GALAXX ARTSMV

NONPROFIT SUPPORTING ISLAND ARTISTS

www.GalaxyArtsMV.org 508-364-5061 GALAXYGALLERYMV.ORG

HOLLY ALAIMO, Director | 508.693.5444 | hollyalaimo@gmail.com PO Box 168, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557

Island Artists | Sale of New Art Plus a Silent Art Auction Second Hand Art

Pulp Senciled Paper

Memory Infusion Support Group

Memory Support Group

Barney Zeitz Open Studios

10 am-12:30 pm, Seastone Papers, West Tisbury. Apply finely beaten pigmented pulp with stencils to create decorative designs on newly made isheets of paper. 508-6935786, sandy@seastonepapers.com. 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

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

Felix Neck Nature Stroll

10-11:30 am, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Walk the nature walk and talk the nature talk with a naturalist. Learn about the island’s plants and animals in Felix Neck’s diverse habitats. 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Outside Storytime

10:15-10:45 am, Oak Bluffs Library. A fun-filled storytime with stories, songs, scarves and a parachute. Geared toward ages 1.5 to 5 years old, but all welcome. Inside if poor weather. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Children’s Storytime

10:30-11 am, West Tisbury Library. 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.

Hello/Hola/Oi! Bilingual Storytime

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.

Texture: Created & Found

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

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 508-693-2896, 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.

Drop-in Knitting Group with Cindy Bonnell

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

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.

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. 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

3:30-4:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living, Vineyard Haven. Memory Infusion Support Group, 3:30-4:30 at MV Center for Living. Contact Mary Holmes to register. 508-939-9440 maryh@mvcenter4living.org 4-6 pm, Zeitz’s Art Studios , Vineyard Haven. Forged and welded stainless steel sculptures, fused stained glass and drawings on display as well as works in progress. 508-560-0116, barneyzeitz@yahoo.com.

[Hybrid] Architecture and Reverie, presented by Bruce MacNelly

4:30-5:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Join Bruce MacNelly in person or virtually on Zoom for Three Poems: Architecture and Reverie, a lecture. Email wt_mail@clamsnet.org for more info. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

Memoir Book Club

5:30-6:30 pm, West Tisbury Library, West Tisbury. This month, the book club is reading A Million Fragile Bones by Connie May Fowler. Check out your copy at the front desk. Free & all are welcome. 508-693-3366, westtisburylibrary.org.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

Docent-Led Arboretum Tours

Maritime Month Scavenger Hunt

10 am-5:30 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Have fun while celebrating OBPL’s Maritime Month. Search for photographs of ocean animals. Find all the pictures and get a prize. For kids all ages. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org.

Exhibit: Margot Datz: Recreator

6-8 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Beginner Improv Classes! boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

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.

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

Advanced Improv Classes

6-8 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Advanced Improv Classes boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Beginner Improv Quilting Circle

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

HIGH AND LOW – preceded by a live music performance from Akira Satake— at the MV Film Center

Carnegie Heritage Center

7 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. HIGH AND LOW – preceded by a live music performance from Akira Satake 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

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.

Essential Oil Roller Class for Kids

10:30-11:30 pm, Chilmark Library. Essential Oil Roller class for kids 508-645-3360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com.

Bass in the Grass

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 Dance Fitness and Strength Training with Kris Martin

Master potter Juliet Ehrich

Kaiut Yoga

Balletics

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

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

Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carvings

Mah Jongg for Beginners

10:15 am-12:15 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Learn to play American Mah Jongg with Rosemary Chalk. Please bring your Mah Jongg card. Register on VH library event calendar. 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

Tech help

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

Texture: Created & Found

11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

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.

Blackout Poetry Party

3-4:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Choose a poem and transform it into something new at this weekly poetry station! 508-6274221, programs@edgartownlibrary.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! 508-645-3360, chil.programs@gmail.com.

Ukulele Jam

3:30-5 pm, West Tisbury Library, West Tisbury. 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.

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.

Tennis Morning Clinic Level 3.5+

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

community & calendar B15

September 17, 2026

BOOKS

y any stretch of the go without a fight.” Through Teresa, we learn imagination, Terewhat daily life was like under sa Jaworska was a the Nazis. The Polish popucourageous young lation faced daily assaults, woman, and her arrests, and death, yet we are daughter, longswept up in Teresa and her time Vineyarder comrades’ resolve as they Basia Jaworska, writes her true-life undertake nerve-racking, brave acts. Teresa, trained as tale in “Days of the Owl.” The book’s title refers to Te- a medic, retrieved wounded and dead soldiers from the resa’s wartime pseudonym rubble and delivered mesin the Polish resistance as sages and supplies. Tales of a teenager fighting the Nazis in her homeland during her narrowly escaping death read like episodes in suspense World War II. novels, but are sobering beWe are dropped into cause they were real. the story immediately, as Teresa’s participation in the 15-year-old Teresa is awakWarsaw Uprising is gripping, ened by her cousin, who says, “The Germans bombed bringing the Nazi horror home, as well as Poland. We’re the betrayal by at war!” Rather the Russians, who than fearful, Tehad promised to resa is resolute. drive the invaders “Now it’s my out if the Poles turn,” she says. helped defend the Jaworska USSR. Jaworska continues, “She writes, “Stalin … made her vow had other plans to the armies of for Poland. After ancestors who joint battles were fought off infought, he quietly vaders throughhad the patriotic out Polish hisBasia Jaworska Polish fighters tory. She would murdered, elimifollow in their nating any possible opposifootsteps to reclaim their pride and the country, which tion to his ultimate scheme of annexing Poland into the had seen only 21 years of Soviet Union.” independence from the After the Nazis finally, German, Austro-Hungarbrutally end the uprising, ian, and Russian empires. we follow Teresa through The country’s short-lived her harrowing experience freedom was gifted to Terein a prisoner of war camp. sa and her generation after Once freed, Teresa tries to centuries without a nation, and she wasn’t about to let it build a life without a coun-

‘Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carving’ The Vineyard Preservation Trust’s Carnegie Heritage Center presents “Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carving,” a special exhibition celebrating the work and remarkable Island life of 93-year-old Edgartown resident, businessman, craftsman, and award-winning woodcarver Leo Convery. On view in the Carnegie’s Dickinson Reading Room, the exhibition showcases Convery’s hand-carved birds and fish, award-winning Agricultural Fair entries, tools from his workshop, and personal stories that reveal the inspiration behind his work. Convery has spent more than nine decades carving out a life on Martha’s Vineyard. Raised in Edgartown, he grew up working at his family’s Harborside Inn, and went on to a career in hospitality, real estate, development, and community service. But it was later in life that he found what became a true artistic calling: woodcarving. Today his snug workshop, tucked just off the kitchen of the Down Harbor home he shares with his wife, Alison, is filled with the tools and works of a crafts-

man who still delights in the process of making something with his hands. “Do you see how much fun I’m having?!” Convery says. Convery’s carvings have earned numerous blue ribbons and first-place honors at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society Fair. And he is still winning. In August 2026, at age 93, he brought home two first-place prizes. “Winning a blue ribbon at the fair just adds to the fun of creating a carving and knowing it is appreciated by others,” Convery says. “How would I know if what I am creating is giving others some fun, too?” The exhibition coincides with “Bass in the Grass,” presented at the Carnegie with the Edgartown Board of Trade, in conjunction with the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. Convery’s 2026 contribution, “Bass N’ Blue,” brings together two enduring parts of his Vineyard life, carving and fishing. The piece is included in the “Bass in the Grass” online auction, with proceeds supporting the Derby’s scholarship program. Through Oct. 17, “Leo Convery: A Lifetime of Carving” is on view in the Dickinson

A voice from the Polish resistance “Days of the Owl” by Basia Jaworska. BY ABBY REMER

Reading Room at the Carnegie Heritage Center, 58 North Water St., Edgartown.

Aquinnah playgroundconstruction and basketball-court fundraising Phase 2 of the Aquinnah Town Playground will begin on Oct. 19. This final phase of construction will add a new play area designed for children ages 2 to 5, and will complete the installation of the plan that was collaboratively planned with town children in 2020, as part of the Aquinnah town center planning process. To prepare for construction, the playground will be closed beginning Oct. 1, and will remain closed through early November. The parks and recreation committee will begin working to renovate the town basketball court this fall, with demo/reconstruction of the court surface to happen in late September. Currently, the Aquinnah parks and recreation committee needs to raise an additional $60,000 to complete this much-needed community project. A generous local family has offered to match donations, dollar-for-dollar, up to $25,000. If the $25,000 is

raised by Oct. 1, they will donate the last $10,000 to the fall installation. Donations of any amount are greatly appreciated. Checks can be made payable to the town of Aquinnah, with “basketball court” written in the memo line, and sent to or dropped off at the town hall, 955 State Road, Aquinnah MA 02535. The Aquinnah parks and recreation committee thanks the community for its support as they continue to create welcoming community recreation spaces that can help bring people together and give Aquinnah children safe and fun play spaces to enjoy for many years to come. For more information, email the committee via ruthfolchman@me.com.

Author talk: 'Ripple Effects' by Lesley Mahoney O’Connell The Vineyard Haven library will welcome Lesley Mahoney O’Connell for a discussion of her newly released story collection, “Ripple Effects and Other Stories.” O’Connell’s landscapes and seascapes help readers rec-

try to return to, which takes her to Italy and England before her eventual immigration to America. The strength of Teresa’s friendships, as well as her various love interests over the years, creates a narrative that is more than a war story, and rather one of a resilient young woman coming of age under extraordinary circumstances. Interestingly, Jaworska writes in the prologue that she grew up with these tales of both her parents, never considering them unusual: “But as we came to find out, their war experiences were anything but commonplace outside the small New Jersey Polish community where we grew up. It wasn’t until my adult life that I realized how extraordinary they were, and how lucky we were that they not only survived, but chose to share their stories rather than bury them, as many survivors had.” Jaworska relied on both the recollections she grew up with and various interviews with those interested in her experiences, as well as conversations she had with her mother’s girlfriends, whom Teresa had fought alongside in Poland, at a 50th reunion honoring the Warsaw Uprising. Speaking about her choice to write the book as what is termed a “creative memoir,” Jaworska says, “I didn’t want it to be a history lesson, but I still wanted to get the mes-

ognize and feel the strengths, flaws, and compromises her characters are developing as they navigate their life choices. “Ripple Effects” features mostly quiet but intelligent characters who see themselves as outsiders in their own worlds. Some swim through currents of parental self-centeredness; others, lacking ordinary filters, dream impossible dreams as they ignore career crises and marital ennui. O’Connell is especially good at exploring the interior lives, the caves and cliffs carved by deep losses, and creating empathy and often a sense of peace in readers. O’Connell’s stories are connected by nuanced water motifs, and explore the dynamics of both ripples and riptides. Several feature empowered women, or women on the road to empowerment. At their core, most of these stories hint at the strength and hope which can arise in disheartening circumstances. O'Connell lives on the South Shore of Massachusetts with her husband and son. Her fiction has appeared in Post Road, Psychopomp, and Solstice. She co-ran a reading series in Jamaica Plain, and regularly takes classes at Boston’s GrubStreet and Provincetown’s Fine Arts Work Cen-

sage across by embedding the history in a story. Also, [it allowed me] to include dialogue that shows the dynamic between the people, including that which I translated from Polish to English to try to give people a more immersive experience of the culture.” “Days of the Owl” captures often unknown stories about the Polish resistance, especially women’s role in fighting fascism during the war. Jaworska writes in the preface, “With democracies threatened worldwide, heroic stories of resistance seem more instructive than ever. Polish hasn’t been given a fair shake. I’m very proud of my Polish heritage through my parents; both of them went through such amazing trauma, but turned it into an adventure in an empowering way.” Having completed her mother’s tale, Jaworska is now at work on her father’s story in “Everything It’s Okay: Surviving Siberia and 20th Century Authoritarians,” which is sure to add another important perspective, reminding us that those who forget history are doomed to repeat it. “Days of the Owl” by Basia Jaworska. Available at Edgartown Books, and Bunch of Grapes and Off Main in Vineyard Haven. An interview with Jaworska about her publishing process is available online in the Islanders Write July 10 newsletter: bit. ly/MVT_JaworskaStory.

ter. She works with healthcare in communications, marketing, and digital strategy. This event will be held at 4 pm on Friday, Sept. 25, at the Vineyard Haven library, 200 Main St. in Vineyard Haven. Free and open to the public, no registration required. For more information, contact the library at vhpl_programs@ clamsnet.org or 508-696-4211.

‘Three Poems: Architecture and Reverie’ Join Bruce MacNelly at the West Tisbury library, or virtually on Zoom, for “Three Poems: Architecture and Reverie,” a lecture exploring the idea of architecture as poetry. MacNelly will examine three chapels, and consider how each embodies the qualities of an architectural poem. The talk will also explore the way architecture, like poetry, can invite reflection, imagination, and contemplation. Wednesday, Sept.23 at 4:30 pm. This program is free and open to all. For more information or to receive the Zoom link, please email wt_mail@ clamsnet.org.

B16

community & calendar

Wild Side BY MATT PELIKAN

From nectar to berry, it’s a The nonstop bountiful buffet.

sumac

velvet of developing deer antlers, which cover its twigs. Smooth and shining sumacs both lack that feature, and are distinguished by the structure of their

leaves: On shining, but not on smooth sumac, the leaflets are connected by flanges of leaf tissue that run along the rib of the leaf. All three species can be found in open and edge habitats, and all three play multiple roles in supporting the Island’s ecology. Flowers of our common sumacs are dull yellow, appearing in large, conical clusters at the ends of branches. These clusters are unremarkable except for their size, but the individual flowers, when fully developed, turn out to be highly attractive to insects. Bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and beetles visit sumac flowers in large numbers, and it’s not unusual to find dozens of individuals representing multiple species sharing a single flower cluster. In settings in which sumac is abundant, the total volume of pollen and nectar that these flowers represent must be astronomical. For many sumac plants, the peak of bloom falls in mid-

to late July, a period when relatively few other native flowers are blooming. So these shrubs offer an important resource to a wide range of pollinators. Fewer insects eat the plant itself, as opposed to the pollen; I don’t often notice leaf damage from herbivory on sumacs. But one interesting butterfly uses a curious strategy to feed on sumac leaves. Larvae of the red-banded hairstreak, a primarily Southern butterfly that has colonized the Vineyard over the past decade or so, feed on sumac leaves — but generally on decomposing ones on the ground, not living leaves. I speculate that this approach makes the leaves more consumable and digestible by breaking them down partially before they’re eaten. And this ground-feeding strategy may allow the caterpillars to feed actively and constantly, while staying concealed from most predators. In any case, red-banded hairstreak produces three

PHOTOS: MATTHEW PELIKAN

artha’s Vineyard is so endowed with notable wild species — the rare, the beautiful, the specialized — that I sometimes lose sight of ordinary things. But common and unspectacular plants and animals have their stories to tell, and in many cases, these overlooked residents play major ecological roles The sumacs provide a fine example. Members of the genus Rhus, sumacs are generally medium-size shrubs or trees characterized by pithy wood, large leaves featuring two rows of leaflets, and clusters of berries that, in most of our species, ripen to red in autumn. Taxonomically, our sumacs are related both to poison ivy and, oddly, mangoes and cashews. Five sumac species are known on the Vineyard. One, the nonnative fragrant sumac, turns up occasionally as a cultivated ornamental and, perhaps, as an escape into the wild. Another, poison sumac, is a wetland species, white-berried and scarce on the Vineyard. But the other three, staghorn, smooth, and shining sumacs, are common, and indeed can be dominant where conditions favor them. Staghorn sumac gets its name from brownish fuzz, resembling the

September 17, 2026

generations per year on the Vineyard, and numbers have steadily grown since this butterfly was first detected here in September 2016. Banded hairstreak, a related butterfly, is also known to use sumac as a larval host plant, though they may not do so on the Vineyard, where oaks appear to be the usual choice. While the subject has not been studied here, sumacs undoubtedly offer nesting sites to a variety of bees, wasps, and flies. The wood of sumac branches and twigs is soft, with a foamlike pith that must be easy to burrow into. A surprising number of insects nest inside stems, a choice that offers relative safety from predators as well as insulation from extremes of temperature or moisture, and sumacs offer a congenial substrate. Finally, as sumac flowers mature, morph into berries, and then ripen into clusters of red, beadlike fruit, these shrubs offer an important late fall and winter resource for birds. A quirky but useful volume published in

1951, “American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits,” has some details. Alexander Martin and his two co-authors point out that sumac berries remain firmly attached to the plant deep into the winter, making them accessible at a season when many other avian food sources have become hard to locate. Dozens of game and songbird species are listed as known to feed on sumac berries, along with mammals including chipmunks, rabbits, and deer. Its ecological value notwithstanding, I can’t wholly endorse sumac as a choice for eco-friendly landscaping. These vigorous shrubs can be aggressive to the point of invasiveness, and are hard to eradicate if you decide you’ve made a mistake. But in their natural setting, that vigor is just one more factor making these plants an indispensable part of our local ecology. Keep an eye on them and watch how much they contribute.

Bees, butterflies, wasps, flies, and beetles visit sumac flowers in large numbers, and it’s not unusual to find dozens of individuals representing multiple species sharing a single flower cluster.

Honeybees and bumblebees share a shining sumac flower cluster.

A carpenter bee and a Sphecid wasp feed on smooth sumac.

A Bombus griseocollis queen collects pollen from shining sumac flowers.

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