MV Times September 24, 2026

Editorial: Flooding at Five Corners A4

Thursday, September 24, 2026

Housing solutions: ADUs A15

THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD TIMES

Volume 43, Issue No. 38

2 Sections

Bracing for a nor’easter

Price $1.00

Super El Niño shields Atlantic from hurricanes but is expected to bring heavy rain and high winds. BY EUNKI SEONWOO

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MICHAEL BLANCHARD

FOND FAREWELL, SHENANDOAH

head of predictions for an early season nor’easter that is expected to pound New England, Islanders and transportation services are bracing for the possibility of heavy wind and rain. As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service (NWS) was forecasting a gradual increase in powerful winds, with gusts up to 34 mph expected through Thursday. The “heart of the storm” is expected to hit the Island Friday, according to Hayden Frank, meteorologist at NWS’ Norton Office. The NWS site currently forecasts heavy rain and gusts up to 44 mph on Friday and Saturday. While Frank noted that the forecast could change, he warned Islanders to keep an eye out for the possibility that the winds could blow more strongly than predicted in the current forecast and advised keeping a careful eye on the storm’s trajectory. He said gusts of 45 mph or even more than 60 mph are a possibility, and Island officials were already announcing the likelihood of ferry and flight cancellations as early as Monday and Tuesday. These cancellations are concerning for local businesses and Island visitors during the height of the wedding season and the middle of the Derby. “It depends on how close the storm gets to us,” Frank said. The rain and “persistent northeast winds” mean some of the expected impacts to the Island from the storm include coastal flooding, beach erosion, tree damage, and potential power outages. Frank said in an interview on Tuesday that the storm’s strength will become more clear as it continues to gather into the weekend. Winds are expected to go down starting Sunday, which is currently forecast to see gusts of up to 30 mph. While not rare, Frank said nor’easters are historically more frequent later in the fall and winter. Continued on A7

After 63 years, the original Shenandoah officially retired to cannon fire and lowering of flags. BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA

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he sun was setting on Vineyard Haven Harbor Saturday as Islanders gathered to say a fond farewell to Shenandoah, a one-of-a-kind, 108-foot wooden topsail schooner. The beloved vessel has been a proud

fixture of the harbor, and carried generations of Island youth who have embarked on weeklong adventures that offered hands-on lessons of maritime work. The last students lucky enough to experience this tradition were welcomed home by

teachers, administrators, and their families on Saturday morning. Colin Ruel said having his son Razmus Ruel, a fourth grader at Chilmark School, on Shenandoah for the final Continued on A8

Questions in the crosshairs

Frustrations brew over delayed SSA reservation system replacement

Deer hunters raise concerns about a public health crisis that hinges on their buy-in. BY HAYLEY DUFFY

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Firm managing IT overhaul, paid $2 million so far and concerns linger. BY EUNKI SEONWOO

T Cody Chandler, local hunter, asks state and local biologists about plan to reduce deer.

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

hese are men capable being perfectly still in a tree stand, in the cold and silent air. But they aren’t as at home in meetings, and certainly not ones that last for hours. Many of them abandoned the uncomfortable metal chairs and instead lined the edges of the Agricultural Hall’s main room. Most stayed there, arms folded, as the forum went on for nearly three hours. This was last Thursday, and the group of hunters were gathered to hear from three biologists — Martin Feehan, Patrick RodenReynolds, and Richard Johnson — about recent changes to the regulatory landscape in which they hunt, as well as raise questions about the whole plan to reduce the amount of deer on the Island in an effort to curb ticks, amid a public health crisis. They brought forward valid concerns and important questions. They wanted to know what are the next steps in the Continued on A9

he specter of the Steamship Authority’s (SSA) website development, a failed project that wasted millions in taxpayer dollars with nothing to show for it, is haunting the development of the new reservation system. At the SSA board meeting on Sept. 15, ferry officials said that a repeat of the website project can’t happen with the replacement Continued on A6 © 2026

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news

September 24, 2026

A warm welcome in Menemsha

Ken and Liz Oliver, owners of the Menemsha Store.

Menemsha Store opened last Wednesday. BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON and then it just stopped abruptly.” An iteration of the Menemsha Store was first opened in 1948 by Liz’s grandparents, Barbara and Bill Seward, and was called the Menemsha Market. It was located near the Menemsha Galley, and included a Post Office and general store. The market was then run by Barbara and Bill’s sons, David and Doug, until they sold it in the 1980s to the Packer family. Several owners later, the Olivers took over the business, bringing it back into the family. Liz Oliver told The Times on Wednesday that the reopening of the general store came at the right time. “We have a rubbish business [Martha’s Vineyard Rubbish Disposal] ... and our kids work for us,” Oliver said. “But we’re transitioning to selling it to them, the business, and this became available. John Keene called up Kevin, and said, ‘What do you think about running another store?’ And so here we are.” The Preservation Trust and property owners Sarah Bernard and James Seppala are waiving rental fees for the Olivers, and putting those funds into the nonprofit and the working waterfront in Menemsha instead. And the Olivers, in turn, are donating 30 percent of net

Bringing the darkness to light

DAVE PLATH

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adiant, smiling faces ordered at the counter and perused the aisles of a new general store and cafe in the fishing village of Menemsha last Wednesday as the owners and operators opened their doors. The market, called Menemsha Store, opened at 7 am, and will remain open through the off-season. It’s now the only year-round food store in the town, and is the revival of a generational, family-run operation that was lost to the familiar fishing landscape in 2019 after a blaze destroyed the inside. The market is operated by Liz and Ken Oliver, with assistance from the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust. The Olivers are the former owners of a past version of the Menemsha Store, and on Wednesday, the couple opened newly painted blue doors to the public. Many of the customers were owners of other businesses in Menemsha, who expressed excitement that their break for lunch would be just a few steps away. “We’ve seen so many familiar faces from that time, and it’s just been really heartwarming to see our old friends,” Oliver said. “It’s just nice because [we] feel like [we’re] part of the community, because we were for so long,

Ninth annual Darkness into Vineyard Light walk speaks to strength of community. BY HAYLEY DUFFY

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etween 150 and 200 Islanders gathered at Bend in the Road at 5 am with only headlamps and small candles as sources of light for the ninth annual and possibly last suicide prevention awareness walk put on by Darkness into Vineyard Light Saturday. The walk started just after 5:30 am in Edgartown and lasted about an hour, including a few speeches. It began parallel to the first lifeguard stand, which was emblazoned with a lit-up sign that read “Hope.” “We have been surrounded by an incredible community of participants, sponsors, volunteers, and dedicated past and present board members,” Maria Ventura, co-founder of the event and of the nonprofit Darkness into Vineyard Light, said. “Together, we have raised awareness, encouraged open and honest conversations, helped break the stigma surrounding suicide, and most importantly, reminded so many people that they’re never alone.” It was the final walk with Ventura and John Murray as co-founders of the nonprofit and organizers of the event, which aims to break the stigma around suicide. The duo announced a few weeks ago that this would be the last year they would hold the annual walk, which started in 2018, due to family and health matters. Initially, they didn’t have anyone to take over the event, but since the news broke, Ventura said they’ve been

approached by individuals and organizations who want to carry on the torch. “It is with mixed emotions, deep gratitude, and heartfelt appreciation that we stand here today as we close this chapter of our lives,” Ventura said. “And while we know this was the right decision for us, that certainly doesn’t make it an easy one.” Ventura told The Times that she always knew the event was powerful and impactful but that the “outpouring of support was absolutely amazing.” She just hopes whoever does take on the event “keeps the heart behind it.” Ventura, who lost her father to suicide, said she had worked in law enforcement, where she had seen a large number of suicides in a short amount of time. Those experiences are what made her want to organize an event to raise suicide prevention awareness and break the stigma around suicide. Ventura was put in touch with Murray, who had a similar idea, by Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS). Murray, originally from the North side of Dublin, was inspired by Darkness into Light, an annual five-kilometer walk in Ireland that started in 2009 and now includes more than 80,000 participants from across the country. The idea of both walks is that people gather in the dark and finish the walk as the sun comes up. There is symbolism, Ventura

SARAH SHAW DAWSON

sales to the Preservation Trust. Menemsha Store’s opening day was bustling, with families and business owners milling about. “This place is glorious,” Felix Holdsworth, 8, the son of David Holdsworth and Meredith Sheldon, exclaimed as he walked through the aisles. “I didn’t know it would have all of my favorite foods in here.” Betsy Larsen, owner of Larsen’s Fish Market in Menemsha, said she’s been “driving by here every day, every morning all summer long, looking, looking, and today is finally the day.” said, and the sunrise is like “coming out of the darkness of mental health.” The Vineyard walk starts at Bend in the Road, wraps around Big Bridge where bagpipes are played, and ends in the same place everyone started. The original small idea, Ventura said to the crowd Saturday morning, “has become something far greater than one could have ever imagined.” In the first couple of years, Ventura and Murray raised funds for established organizations, such as MVCS and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, but three years ago, they became a nonprofit and formed an official board. The walk takes year-round planning, Ventura said, even though the event lasts only two hours. This year, they’ve supported the Hope Squad, a peer-to-peer suicide-prevention club started at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School in 2026 with 32 students nominated by their peers, with funds to travel off-Island for events, and have also supported Sharing Kindness, a nonprofit based in Harwich that works on suicide prevention. Lucas Martins, a senior at the high school and member of the Hope Squad, said, “Suicide doesn’t discriminate … It doesn’t matter what you are — anybody can suffer.” This was the third year that Chilmark the ox and his cart were available for those who couldn’t do the actual walk, and a “Banner of Hope” stood in front of the sunrise on State Beach to be signed by participants in honor of those they wanted to remember. Crystal Stewart, a live-in caretaker on the Vineyard, told The Times she has walked in memoriam of an ex-boyfriend who committed suicide about six years ago, and of her sister, who passed away in October of 2024 under similar circumstances. Stewart reminisced about the impact her loved ones made on her and those around them. Her sister “never forgot anyone’s birthday,” she said. “I’m just here for them,” she said as the sun rose over the horizon behind her. “They’re my angels shining up above. I’m so grateful … We were determined to make it this year, because this is just a beautiful cause.” Transportation from the Edgartown Park and Ride to Bend in the Road was provided by a Winnetu Oceanside Resort shuttle. Edgartown Police Department officers also help with co-ordination of the walk. Sarah Shaw Dawson contributed to this article.

“We’ve been waiting and waiting and waiting,” Kara Merry, owner of nearby clothing store Pandora’s Box, chimed in. The business owners said it meant a lot to them to have a food option close by, especially through the slower season. “I’m so excited for them. I really am. It’s so good to have them back in the neighborhood,” Larsen said. Members of the market team have been busy getting the store ready over the past few weeks: stocking shelves with produce and canned goods, purchasing ingredients for the cafe and lunch menu, and arranging the last bits and pieces. The result is an open space with large windows, wire shelves, and wooden tables, and a variety of goods available for sale. “It’s incredible. It’s a whole team effort,” Sam Eddy, who worked the general store counter, said of the opening. “All of the businesses complement each other, and I just think it’s going to be nice for there to be a place up-Island where you can come get a sandwich or a breakfast sandwich,” Oliver said. “That doesn’t really exist in the off-season.”

N E W S

C O R P O R A T I O N

PUBLISHER & EDITOR Charles M. Sennott

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news A3

September 24, 2026

news in brief Calendar fundraiser donates $5,000 to Vineyard House To honor National Recovery Month and his own sobriety journey, Vineyard photographer Michael Blanchard donated $5,000 to Vineyard House last Thursday from the proceeds of his annual calendar. Blanchard sold 2,500 copies of his 2027 “Inspirational Calendar” this year. It is the ninth year that he’s produced the calendar, which is a yearlong effort in photography by Blanchard, and incorporates community input on photo selection. It is also the second time calendar proceeds were donated to Vineyard House, for a total of $10,000.

COURTESY MICHAEL BLANCHARD

Michael Blanchard presents $5,000 check to Jennifer Vogel of Vineyard House.

Blanchard views the funds as not simply a personal donation but as contributions from the community. The Vineyard House, which was founded in 1997 as a stable and supportive transitional-living environment primarily for people from the Island in early recovery from substance use disorder, is located in Vineyard Haven on a permanent campus that can support 25 men and women. And the Vineyard House’s mission is personal to Blanchard, who celebrated 16 years of sobriety on July 26 this year. The timing is also meaningful, as September was designated by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, an agency in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, as National Recovery Month to celebrate “progress, recognize those who make recovery possible, and invite every American to be part of building recovery-ready communities,” according to the agency’s website. “We are so grateful to Michael Blanchard for generously dedicating proceeds from his calendar sales to Vineyard House,” Jennifer Vogel, executive director of Vineyard House, said in a statement. “During National Recovery Month, his generosity is a meaningful reminder of the importance of community support in helping Islanders rebuild their lives in recovery. We truly couldn’t do this work without you.” Readers can purchase Blanchard’s 2027 calendar at Edgartown Books, Coastal Supply Co., and Cronig’s Market, or on his website, blanchardphotomv.com, or Amazon.

Montessori locks up for mental health incident nearby The Vineyard Montessori School performed a “lock-up” procedure last Thursday around noon due to reports of a mental health incident occurring on nearby Daggett Avenue, according to school officials. The incident, which occurred around 12:15 pm, caused the local school to perform the drill as a precautionary measure. At Vineyard Montessori, a lock-up is different from a lockdown, Debbie Jernagan, head of school, said. A lockdown is performed for someone on the property, and a lock-up, for someone within the vicinity of the school’s property. The school heard about the incident from Tisbury Police Sgt. Max Sherman. Sherman

works with the school, and informs them when and where an incident occurs and recommends a course of action, Jernagan said. “We have an officer assigned to our school who’s our support person, and who calls us when something happens,” Jernagan said. “He tells us what to do, and where it is, so that we know.” “He said we should go inside and not have outside recess. We followed our lockout procedures and informed parents,” she added. Jernagan said a lock-up consists of calmly bringing the children inside, drawing the shades, and locking the door. Last Thursday, it lasted until a little after 12:30 pm. “We’ve been practicing it for so long that we just go into that procedure, and we work really well with Max,” Jernegan said. “For something that could be a scary situation, it went smoothly here, and we feel confident in the safety of our children.” Tisbury Police Lt. Bill Brigham said the apprehension went smoothly on Daggett Avenue, which is less than a mile from the school. “No weapons, and the individual cooperated and was transported to the hospital to receive care,” Brigham said. Brigham said there were no charges filed, and declined to provide further details about the incident, saying it’s “protected information.”

Attempted murder suspect indicted by grand jury A man who was charged with attempted murder in June on Martha’s Vineyard was indicted by a grand jury on Sept. 9. Brandao Geraldo Alves Caldeira, 38, is scheduled to be arraigned at 2 pm on Oct. 5 in Dukes County Superior Court before Judge Peter B. Krupp. Tisbury Police, assisted by Massachusetts State Police, arrested Caldeira after a reported domestic violence incident at a Cook Road home at 10:45 pm on June 21. His indicted charges include assault to murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, breaking and entering a building for nighttime felony, and witness, juror, police, or court official intimidation. After the initial incident, Caldeira was arraigned on June 22 at the Edgartown District Court on charges of attempted murder, assault and battery on a household member, threatening to commit a crime, intimidation of a witness, assault with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and malicious destruction of property valued over $1,200. Caldeira pleaded not guilty. Judge Benjamin Barnes ordered him to be held without bail at the Dukes County House of Correction, and have no contact with the alleged victim. According to a statement of facts filed in court, witnesses reported that Caldeira attacked the victim with a knife and threatened to kill others. Officers found the victim covered in blood and semiconscious. They reportedly had to physically separate Caldeira from the victim, and observed a deep laceration and stab wound on the inside of her left arm. Witnesses also reported that Caldeira grabbed the victim by the hair, brought her upstairs, broke down a neighbor’s door, swung the knife at neighbors, and caused property damage. Police said after the initial incident, the female victim was taken to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital with serious injuries, and was in stable condition. Officers recovered a knife at the scene. At a detention hearing at the Edgartown District Court on June 26, Caldeira was deemed to be dangerous, and his hold without bail was continued. A habeas corpus petition was also filed for Caldeira on June 26. Habeas petitions are used to challenge alleged unlawful detentions and prevent defendants from being moved out of a state or deported while court proceedings are underway. District court documents show that Caldeira was born in Brazil, and he re-

quired a Portuguese translator at his arraignment in June. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said in a statement that the agency had lodged a detainer request with Dukes County Jail and House of Correction on June 22. While the agency listed the same charges, ICE identified Caldeira as Geraldo Gomes-Alves. When asked about the discrepancy in June, an ICE spokesperson said in a statement at the time that the agency “does not comment on pending litigation.” They referred The Times to Edgartown District Court “regarding potential aliases being used.” Edgartown officials previously said they use names from arrest paperwork and identification given by the suspect to officers, while ICE likely uses identification from earlier encounters with the suspect.

High school committee prepares to borrow millions for building design The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) Committee plans to borrow $20.06 million for the design and development phase of the high school building project. During a committee meeting last Monday night, Lynne Welsh, financial advisor for the school district, said that the school is currently on track to secure the $22 million needed for this initial phase. To partially finance this design and development phase of the project, MVRHS is taking several short-term loans over the next few years. UniBank, financial advisory firm for Martha’s Vineyard Public Schools (MVYPS), is organizing a competitive bidding process to find the bank with the lowest interest rates. The bidding closed on Sept. 24. “Going back to our original financing plan, I can tell you it’s pretty much on schedule [with] what we had predicted,” Welsh said. The school began taking on short-term loans last month with a $1.39 million loan from UnibBank for Savings. Mark Friedman, MVYPS school business administrator, told The Times that the school will progress to long-term loans in the future. After bids close, the school committee plans to approve the winning bidder at a special meeting on Sept. 29. To complete the process, an acting treasurer will be appointed at the start of the special meeting to fill the space of Marylee Schroeder, treasurer for MVRHS and the Up-Island Regional School District, who will be absent for the Sept. 29 meeting. Under state Department of Revenue regulations, a treasurer is required to sign certain documents as part of the process for borrowing money publicly. Additionally at Monday’s meeting, Justine DeOliveira, MVRHS assistant principal, announced a three-day visit by officials from the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) as part of maintaining the school’s accreditation. During a selfassessment facilitated by NEASC in 2024, the association had deemed the school building as below standard due to mold, asbestos, and small classroom sizes. This classification, however, doesn’t jeopardize the school’s accreditation. The committee also agreed to meet twice a month during October and November in place of the numerous subcommittee meetings planned in the fall. Committee chair Jeffrey (“Skipper”) Manter argued that having two full committee meetings, an evening meeting at the start of the month and a morning meeting at the end, is a more time-efficient alternative. “I believe in this way, you’d be making decisions faster and very long-form, because you’re getting all the information from the get-go,” Manter said. “It’s watered down doing it the way we’re doing.” A topic that wasn’t discussed at the meeting was an incident involving an MVRHS student who sent a photo of a handgun to another student during a home football game. The school committee will next meet in regular session on Oct. 5.

Man charged in child pornography case held on $25,000 Andrew Carroll, 30, pleaded not guilty Sept. 17 in Edgartown District Court to a felony charge of possessing child pornography. Judge Benjamin C. Barnes set bail at $250,000 surety or $25,000 cash. Conditions include no unsupervised contact with anyone under 17 and staying away from the location of the arrest. Publicly available court documents did not state what town Carroll is from or where the arrest occurred. According to court documents, Carroll said he would hire a private attorney. A court-appointed lawyer appeared only for the bail hearing. A bail revocation warning was issued. A pretrial hearing is scheduled for 9:30 am on Nov. 12.

VTA drivers vote to ratify contract After weeks of a potential strike by Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) bus drivers, any protest has been called off, and the buses will keep rolling. Drivers who are members of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1548 voted to ratify a labor contract reached with Transit Connection, the company that trains and staffs the Island’s public bus line. The closed-door session took place Sept 17 at the Tisbury Fire Station, according to Charles Ryan, the union president. Ryan told The Times that only nine members voted in favor of the contract, which expires June 30, 2029, while the remaining 22 members didn’t vote at all. Ryan blamed the no-shows on details they read about the negotiations in the news that angered the drivers, such as the proposed contract. The contract that was ultimately accepted was based on proposals made by the VTA. The contract, agreed upon earlier this month, increased drivers’ pay by $1 per hour, with retroactive payments starting from August 1, with another $1 an hour increase in December. The $1-anhour increase will be applied annually each year until 2028. Additionally, Labor Day was proposed as a day drivers get paid double time. “My understanding is that the contract term is [three] years, retroactive to July 31, 2026,” Angie Gompert, VTA administrator, said in an email. “The VTA is pleased the membership voted in favor of ratification. We look [forward] to continuing to serve our community.” Ratification of the contract followed tense negotiations between the two parties. The union threatened to have its members go on strike if its demands weren’t met, such as even higher pay for drivers, allowance for vacations during the summer, and making Memorial Day and Independence Day holidays for unionized drivers. The dispute was even raised to Island select boards in letters. Ryan alleged that state funds were inappropriately used to raise Gompert’s salary, and called for her resignation. Gompert, meanwhile, pushed back on this claim, and stated the funding was used for other parts of the bus line’s operations other than employees’ pay, such as recovering the bus routes to their status before the COVID-19 pandemic. Ryan maintains the allegations in his letter, saying more money could have gone to drivers. “We took the offer, even though it completely stinks,” Ryan said, adding he plans to continue to inquire about the money distributed by the state. The last time drivers went on strike was in 2019, a monthlong summertime demonstration before an agreement was reached. The threat of a strike ahead of the vote worried those who depend on the free public transportation, like local riders and off-Island workers who commute to the Island workplaces.

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news

September 24, 2026

EDITORIAL This issue of our print edition has to make its way across a vicious chop in the Vineyard Sound amid serious warnings that a nor’easter is gathering force and about to slam the Island, bringing not only powerful winds and surging tides but also inland flooding, which is often caused on Vineyard roads by a lack of runoff. The delivery of the paper is just a glimpse of the challenges we all face when big storms head our way and transportation is disrupted. We are humbled to realize how dependent on weather we all are. And one place where that is felt acutely is at Five Corners, where our newsroom is located on Beach Road. We watch the huge pond that forms at Five Corners with just about any storm, and that can pose a true danger to the Island with heavy rains like the forecast predicts for this weekend. We watch cars and trucks stall out in the deep puddles; we have watched ambulances and fire trucks having to be rerouted. One year, we even saw an Islander traversing flooded Five Corners in a kayak! So the question is, Where are our town officials and where is the State Department of Transportation on the promise to fix Beach Road and the intersection at Five Corners, a critical thoroughfare that connects the ferry terminal in Vineyard Haven to the hospital in Oak Bluffs? Warnings have been issued for many years that this is a critical problem for critical infrastructure that severely disrupts traffic across the Island, and threatens lives.

The time is now to fix Five Corners

As we have been covering in print and will continue updating in our online edition, this storm is expected to arrive with powerful winds, currently forecast by the National Weather Service to blow gusts 44 mph at their strongest, and heavy rain. That, a Norton meteorologist with the National Weather Service told us, could bring coastal flooding, beach erosion, tree damage, and potential power outages. Nor’easters are nothing new for the Island, but this year is different. The global weather system is experiencing something called a “super El Niño,” a phenomenon caused by a temporary rise in surface water temperature in the Pacific by 5° Fahrenheit. It leads to a more active storm season in the Pacific, but provides the Atlantic with a so-called shield from hurricanes because of rerouted jet streams. In exchange, New England is expected to get a lot of rain, and whenever that happens, Five Corners becomes a flooded chokepoint that drastically reduces travel, or forces police to redirect drivers in other directions. The forecast of this global weather phenomenon could give us a foretaste of the future. A June 2025 Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) report highlighted Beach Road and Five Corners as areas that need infrastructural improvements in the face of rising sea levels and expectations of more intense storms. As of now, the study states, Five Corners could see near-daily flooding. That may not be what we see with the super El Niño–spurred increase in rain, but we could be

seeing more traffic disruptions this year. We understand infrastructure projects take time. John Goggin, MassDOT spokesperson, told The Times in July that a drainage project is being designed to “improve stormwater conveyance and reduce flooding at the Five Corners intersection in the near term.” The state is collaborating closely with Tisbury and the University of New Hampshire Stormwater Center on this effort. But this Island has grown frustrated by endless studies and revised plans. It is time for action to be taken on fixing Five Corners. We know it won’t be cheap. There aren’t construction costs or a timeline yet, and designs are, as always, still being worked out, but the total contract cost is estimated to be $1.59 million, with an estimated total “federal participating construction cost” of $1.69 million, according to MassDOT’s project info site. “As MassDOT continues its partnership with the town of Tisbury, the department anticipates working toward advancing for future consideration in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP),” Goggin said in July. Future consideration? Really? Islanders on the ground are the ones who take on the brunt of the disruption, and they need action, not “consideration” or more plans. We need the town and the state to readily inform residents about this project so feedback can be properly received and changes advanced. We’ll be watching closely. It is likely to be the most important piece of roadwork on the Island, and it happens to be right outside the window of our newsroom.

ESSAY ICE detentions, beatings, and us

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents came to the Island in May of last year, and they will BY JACK FRUCHTMAN return. Readers will recall that at the time ICE detained 20 Island residents. And then, this past May, ICE seized a father and son with Brazilian roots while they were fishing off Menemsha. As The Times reported, the Coast Guard stopped the father and son to examine their fishing licenses. The guardsmen delivered them to ICE agents in Woods Hole after they looked at the father’s passport. Initially held in Burlington, the son was released, but the father is now back in Brazil. He was fortunate. ICE could have sent him to a detention center, where life is not only harrowing, but intolerable. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security oversees more than 200 detention centers in the country. Most are operated by private companies; only eight are run by the federal government. The conditions are dreadful, and they could be the future of the Island’s immigrant population. National Public Radio reported that 57 people have died while held in ICE custody, 24 in this year alone. This does not count the horrid inhumane conditions in which they C O R P O R A T I O N are forced to live, including a lack 30 Beach Road of medical care, punitive treatment, P. O. Box 518, Vineyard Haven, MA 02568 508-693-6100 unhygienic conditions, spoiled food, e-mail: editor@mvtimes.com physical abuse, dirty water, and exposure to extreme temperatures. 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.

Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz,” the only state-run immigrant detention center in the country, closed in June after being open for over a year. The Homeland Security’s Office of the Inspector General concluded in a Sept. 11 report that detainees had often been held there in “small metal enclosures” measuring 18 square feet. Called “calming areas,” these cages held people anywhere from a few minutes to two hours. The report noted that “the use of such restrictive spaces is highly unconventional and does not align with standards for humane treatment.” In South Texas, conditions in the Dilley detention center are increasingly dreadful. In a Human Rights First report, life there is “unsafe and degrading, with inadequate access to food, water, personal hygiene, and basic care, particularly harming children.” The report outlined these factors that detainees face: “Families are routinely threatened with or subjected to separation to coerce them into abandoning asylum claims. Detention regularly exceeds the 20-day legal limit, with many families held for months. Families face serious due-process violations, including limited access to legal counsel and information. Many are deported without a meaningful opportunity to seek protection, raising concerns under U.S. and international law. Detention worsens physical and mental health, interrupts medical treat-

ment, and causes lasting trauma. Pregnant individuals face inadequate prenatal care and unsafe medical practices, putting them and their unborn babies at risk.” To make matters worse, Homeland Security is reportedly spending $20 million to supply ICE agents with gloves that deliver painful electric shocks. An American Civil Liberties Union spokesperson noted that given the violent history of ICE agents, the gloves will never be used appropriately. ICE agents have shot at least 24 people since last year, including two U.S. citizens shot and killed by agents in Minneapolis in January of this year. In July, agents killed a Mexican builder in Houston, and he wasn’t even the person they were looking for. He had been in the United States for over 30 years, building houses in the city. The same thing occurred in Biddeford, Maine, when an ICE agent killed a Columbian man who was not the person ICE sought. According to the Associated press, the agent “is an Army veteran who has struggled with serious mental health issues since early childhood and never should have been given a badge and gun to patrol American streets, several of his close relatives said.” On Sept. 20, ICE agents shot a Venezuelan immigrant in the back through the rear window of his car as he was delivering food for DoorDash. It is unclear whether the victim had an expired work permit or was even in the U.S. legally, and

he may not have been the target of the agents’ surveillance. Closer to home, in what a news report calls “a major operation,” ICE agents arrested eight people in New Bedford on Sept. 21. Thankfully, the agents did not shoot anyone. A local immigration attorney noted that the agents’ operation will not soon end: “I think it might carry on several days, so everyone is on high alert … We’re ready for it.” These real-life scenarios may be the fate that awaits our own immigrant community, which is why the Brazilian father who returned to his home country was so lucky. There are indications that ICE agents may well target U.S. citizens. According to news reports, in Texas, “two U.S. citizen teenagers who were on their way to file enlistment papers to join the Marine Corps were violently attacked by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.” They were detained for nearly eight hours before the agents released them. A video of the confrontation in Alamo shows “an agent repeatedly striking one teen, while the other says he was pepper-sprayed.” If this can happen to two innocent teenagers, all Americans are at risk. The teens were fortunate — they were finally released — but they could have wound up in Dilley, Texas. And so could any of us.

Island, and his practice extended from Massachusetts General Hospital to the Vineyard. He was not only your cardiologist, but a friend. Dr. Guiney and Dr. Russell Hoxsie created an intensive care unit in our small cottage hospital.

I came home in 1974 and worked that summer in that unit. This was the second summer I worked in the unit, and provided high quality of care. That year we moved to a new hospital with a four-bed, up-to-date intensive care unit.

I will always be grateful to have known Dr. Guiney as a friend and a fellow professional.

Jack Fruchtman, who lives in Aquinnah, taught constitutional law and politics for more than 40 years.

LETTER Remembering an Island doctor and friend To the Editor: Recently I attended a wonderful celebration for Dr. Timothy Guiney. He brought cardiac care to the

Mary Ellen Larsen, retired RN Tisbury

news A5

September 24, 2026

Marijuana business eyes Oak Bluffs zoning amid legal disputes Black Harbor Group is looking to open a Vineyard dispensary despite failed attempts. BY EUNKI SEONWOO

A

cannabis entrepreneur group’s plans to set up a dispensary on the Island fell through last year, and assets in 90 Dr. Fisher Road in West Tisbury, the former location of the Island’s only marijuana-growing facility, are being liquidated. But representatives of Black Harbor Group, which had rented the West Tisbury location, said they’re making preparations to open a dispensary on the Vineyard anyway, despite tensions between landowners and marijuana businesses — from lawsuits to a no-trespassing order — and a necessary ingredient is zoning amendments. “We’re actively going through the zoning process in Oak Bluffs,” Cornell Mills, a manager of Black Harbor Group, told The Times. Mills said they found a commercial property in Oak Bluffs, which the company’s representatives declined to share the address of until more details are ironed out, that was “ideal for a cannabis operation.” Jamahrl Crawford, a partner of Black Harbor Group, said, “It’s kind of off the beaten path, no man’s land.” But Black Harbor representatives said the property falls outside the overlay districts that allow retail cannabis shops, and they want to propose zoning amendments to expand where a dispensary can be opened. Adam Petkus, the Oak Bluffs building commissioner, said the overlay districts include parcels in the R3 district, a residential zone and the largest area that allows dispensaries, and parcels near Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, Goodale Construction Co., and Holmes Hole Road. If Black Harbor Group proposes the zoning amendments, it wouldn’t be Oak Bluffs’ first proposed expansion of locations in the town that allow retail cannabis. Geoff Rose, Patient Centric of Martha’s Vineyard CEO and owner of Island Time in Vineyard Haven, made a similar attempt through a citizens’

petition at the 2024 annual town meeting, an article that failed 99-51. Petkus noted a zoning amendment would require two-thirds voter approval at a town meeting to advance. Additionally, Amy Del Torto, Oak Bluffs town clerk, said being a registered Oak Bluffs voter is not a requirement to “initiate or prepare a citizen’s petition,” but signatories must be registered to vote in the town. Crawford is a Roxbury native, though he grew up summering on the Island at his grandmother’s house in Tisbury, and frequently visits. Crawford believes that fears around the “evils of marijuana” have been debunked over the years, and noted that multiple Oak Bluffs establishments sell alcohol, a contributor to substance addiction and vehicle accidents on the Vineyard, a “stone’s throw away from each other.” Black Harbor Group shifted its gaze to Oak Bluffs after what its representatives claimed was a sabotaged lease agreement in West Tisbury, specifically for 510 State Road, and an alleged attempt to block them as a competitor to Rose’s business. Last year, Crawford told The Times that Black Harbor Group had been in negotiations with the owners of 510 State Road, but were denied a lease in January 2025. The property lease had already been signed by Rose in July 2024, who sublet the property to a Pilates studio, and denied that there was any effort to block a competitor from entering the Vineyard cannabis market. The situation essentially gave Black Harbor Group access to 90 Dr. Fisher Road in West Tisbury, a place where marijuana could be grown, but nowhere to sell products on-Island, where most towns’ zoning restricts locations allowed for a dispensary. “That’s the crux to this whole thing,” Crawford said. Allegations of business damages also came from FFD Enterprises MA, which formerly operated a dispensary at

510 State Road and the growing facility as Fine Fettle. In February, the company sued Rose and the property owners, Travis and Ian Thurber, in Hampden County Superior Court seeking compensation for damages. The suit alleges Rose and the Thurbers “collaborated and colluded … to prevent plaintiff from renewing its lease or extending its option agreement and remove plaintiff (and anyone it chose to sell to) from the cannabis market in Martha’s Vineyard.” The complaint also alleges increased rent and new restrictions on renting the residential portion of the property. It also accused Rose of working with the Thurbers to compromise a license and lease transfer to Mills. The complaint also highlights that the state Cannabis Control Commission’s approval of the commercial transportation of cannabis products over water in 2024, which Rose helped expedite in a lawsuit, essentially nullified the cultivation facility, which was an expensive part of the business. Before, shipping over water was banned in Massachusetts, which led to the necessity of an on-Island growing facility. It is still banned federally. “Without an operational dispensary associated with the West Tisbury cultivation facility, and in light of the mainland prohibition ending, it would be next to impossible for the West Tisbury cultivation facility to be viable and continue to operate,” the complaint states. FFD repeatedly accused Rose of interfering in its operations in West Tisbury and breaking non-compete agreements, which allegedly led to hefty financial losses. Bruce A. Bierhans and James Paul Lucking, the Hyannis-based attorneys representing the Thurbers, were not immediately available for comment. But a counterclaim filed in April by Lucking alleges that the Thurbers didn’t pursue renewals with FFD because the company returned

A file photo of a marijuana operation. MV TIMES

the building “with significant structural alterations and in a state of disrepair,” incurring “substantial costs for repairs, restoration, and cleaning to make the property suitable for a new tenant.” Rose declined to comment on the lawsuit “on advice of counsel.” A counterclaim filed in May by Kyle Dutch, who was an attorney with Vicente LLP at the time, on behalf of Rose, denied FFD’s accusations of business wrongdoing. It also alleged that FFD had acted in bad faith by excessively charging Patient Centric, Rose’s company, and limiting supply it sold to him. The situation, the counterclaim states, forced Rose to temporarily close his Vineyard Haven dispensary Island Time, and pursue the overwater transportation route. An FFD representative was not immediately available for comment. Lease issues over the former West Tisbury growing facility also got Black Harbor Group, Patient Centric, and FFD Enterprises sued by Kaysky LLC, which is managed by Jim Eddy, owner of the property, who runs Big Sky Tent and Party Rentals. The complaint, filed in January, alleged that Black Harbor Group failed to pay a total of $157,814.17 in rent and taxes as of when the suit was filed.

According to the complaint, Patient Centric originally signed onto a 10-year commercial lease in 2017 and transferred its share to FFD. After deciding to shut down its West Tisbury dispensary in 2024, FFD assigned its interest to Black Harbor Group, which “assumed all obligations under the lease” in 2025. The complaint notes that Patient Centric and FFD were not released from their obligations under the lease. Crawford maintained that the lease issue with Rose and the Thurbers prevented them from raising money through a dispensary to pay Eddy. Crawford said he expects a settlement to be reached for the Kaysky’s Dukes County case, but it’s uncertain how this would impact Black Harbor Group in seeking damages for tortious interference allegedly committed by Patient Centric and FFD, including contractual breaches, collusion to “exclude [Black Harbor Group] from the transaction and capture the opportunity themselves,” and “unfair and deceptive acts.” The crossclaim filed in April states Black Harbor Group suffered more than $3.75 million in damages from lost profits, “out-of-pocket expenses,” and rent payments.

Eddy and Marilyn Vukota, the Edgartown attorney representing Eddy, declined to comment. The most recent issue occurred earlier this month when Black Harbor Group initiated a no-trespassing order against Rose through the West Tisbury Police Department, which was served Sept. 2. Crawford alleged Rose tried to gain access to 90 Dr. Fisher Road in August, before the liquidation began, through an employee who had a key. Crawford was irate at what he called a “sneaky, manipulative” way to access the property when Rose could’ve just asked them. Crawford said Rose hung up on him when he called about the situation, leading to the notrespassing order. “We have to protect ourselves from any further shenanigans,” Crawford said. Rose declined to comment, again “on advice of counsel.” As the legal and municipal processes roll, Crawford said Black Harbor Group is in the process of vacating the former growing facility. He said the process, including the liquidation of assets, is expected to be completed by Thanksgiving. “Nobody wants to be moving onto the Vineyard in the winter,” he said.

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A6

news

September 24, 2026

Frustrations brew over delayed SSA reservation system replacement Continued from A1 of the reservation system, a critical undertaking that will be the backbone of the information technology (IT) infrastructure overhaul that’s been in the works for years. It really started in 2023, when consultants told the ferry line that the IT infrastructure was underinvested. But the transition to a new reservation system has experienced delays, with the project missing its initial spring launch goal, and now forecast not to go live by the end of the year. Alex Kryska, SSA general manager, noted Tuesday that the “nuances” of the ferry line’s operations, such as Head Start reservations and Islanders’ discounted excursion fares, need extra work or new policies established in order to be configured with what’s currently available through the upgraded system offered by E-Dea, the Italian firm that specializes in software for maritime operations like ferries and ports. Ferry executives suggested a soft launch in which only the Iyannough, the fast ferry that carries passengers exclusively between Hyannis and Nantucket, employs the new system next year, while the rest of the fleet uses the current structure. “The more we lay on them, the longer it takes,” Kryka said. Ted Gavin, the Vineyard’s SSA board representative, said he didn’t fault ferry staff, some of whom helped in the system development on top of regular duties, for the situation. He called the delay a “project management failing,” and moved to terminate the ferry line’s contract with Gibbous LLC, the Boston-based consulting firm that’s been shepherding the IT overhaul since 2023, which has been paid $1.86 million so far. Gavin said during the meeting that the SSA could use the time to reassess what the ferry line needs for the management of the project, so that employees don’t “come apart at the seams.” No board members

“As a board, I can’t … get into the position of having indefinite uncertainty of when this system is going to launch. It can’t be like the website.” —PETER JEFFREY, SSA BOARD CHAIR AND FALMOUTH REPRESENTATIVE backed the contract termination, and the motion died on the floor. But Gavin’s call for a need to reassess the project was echoed by multiple ferry officials. Gavin even called for an outside, “objective” perspective by hiring a major consulting firm, like Klynveld Peat Marwick Goerdeler (KPMG), Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC), or Lions Gate, which has experience with system implementation for B.C. Ferries in Canada, to ensure the new SSA reservation system is “100 percent successful for our riders and our staff without trying to backward-schedule from a self-imposed go-live date that isn’t tethered to our reality any longer.” “This is a conversation we probably should have had a couple of months ago,” Gavin said. Gavin said there’s been no beta testing done so far, accompanied by a lack of communications from interested participants. He said the system is overall functional, but the process is “falling apart”

code owned by Saber Tech, rather than the website. The shelved development of a new website was blasted in a report from the state Office of the Inspector General issued in December, which said it wasted between $2 million and more than $4 million, and accused the board of not holding the former general manager, Robert Davis, and the SSA’s pursestrings for the project accountable. But the process hasn’t been cheap. According to the SSA accounting department, Gibbous has been paid $1.86 million, with $226,000 remaining in outstanding payments. E-Dea, meanwhile, was signed on with a five-year, $5.78 million contract last June. Beth O’Connor, cofounder of Steamship Authority Citizens’ Action Group and an accountant, raised the expenses during the board meeting, and also told The Times she is keeping an eye on the finances, including with public records requests. But she expressed worry that the IT executive steering commit-

The freight ferry Aquinnah sailing into Vineyard Haven. EUNKI SEONWOO

with SSA staff making preparations for next year, like a budget and boat schedule. “I’m really concerned we are resource-constrained,” Gavin said. “We’re approaching this as a bootstrap implementation, and we don’t need to be. Our existing system works. It’s not going away tomorrow. We don’t

need to be doing gymnastics to try and get this in.” Tom Innis of Gibbous, who’s been heading the firm’s activities with the SSA, declined to comment. The firm has guided the SSA in several ways, such as noting that the ferry line should have replaced its reservation system, an aging

tee was trying to pressure results from the SSA staff for the project. “Rather than helping, they’re bullying,” she said but acknowledged there was a tonal shift during the Tuesday meeting. She felt there should also be self-assessment among the committee and board members who

were pushing for the project to meet a self-imposed deadline. “Otherwise, we’re going in circles,” she said. In the meeting, Kryska said that while “great headway” was made while E-Dea representatives were in Massachusetts earlier this month, there were “serious constraints.” While there wasn’t a “100 percent plan” yet, Kryska called for a reevaluation of the project goals and timeline. “We need to be providing safe and reliable service to our customers,” he said. “If we can’t do that, we need to relook at what we’re doing. We’re not just a boat company, we’re a customer service company.” Robert Jones, Barnstable board representative, said the SSA should avoid overcomplicating an already complex project or rushing it. “I understand where we’re going, but we’re really digging ourselves into a hole trying to appease everybody,” Jones said. Peter Jeffrey, board chair and Falmouth representative, asked for a written report on E-Dea, including milestones, tests, the budget, and public accountability. He also said a recovery plan would need to be formulated. “As a board, I can’t … get into the position of having indefinite uncertainty of when this system is going to launch,” Jeffrey said. “It can’t be like the website.” Still, Jeffrey believes a successful launch is doable, but it needs a clear outline. “Let’s show the Washington State ferry system how to do it,” Jeffrey said, referencing a reservation system overhaul contract that the country’s largest ferry service abruptly terminated in March after nearly $3 million worth of work. The chair also said the board wants to support Kryska through the “weaknesses” he inherited from Davis, but underscored “transparency, verifiable controls, and early warnings are now conditions of continued board confidence,” saying the ferry line must be “unambiguously clear” to the public and its staff. “Accountability is a cultural priority,” Jeffrey said.

Supplementing Your Healthy Lifestyle S T A T E R O A D · Vineyard Haven 508-693-4457 · West Tisbury 508-693-2234

news A7

September 24, 2026

Bracing for a nor’easter Continued from A1 The storm also comes while the world is experiencing a weather phenomenon known as a “super El Niño,” which hasn’t been seen in a decade. An El Niño, according to the Columbia Climate School, occurs when a change in the tropical portions of the Pacific Ocean caused by weaker westerly trade winds along the equator leads to warmer-thanaverage surface water temperatures. The super, or very strong, version occurs when the water temperature rises by more than two degrees Celsius (35.6 degrees Fahrenheit) above long-term averages. In New England, this leads to more humid summers, and the higher atmospheric moisture leads to more frequent heavy rainstorms and afternoon thunderstorms. Boston radio station WBUR reported that in exchange for more rain, the Atlantic Ocean gets a “shield” to hurricanes because of the jetstreams being rerouted. Last month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast a “belownormal” hurricane season in the Atlantic. This means seven to 13 named storms, two to six hurricanes, and two or no major hurricanes. In turn, the Pacific gets a more active and dangerous hurricane season, as can be seen off the Pacific

coast of Mexico. Polo, the third Category 5 hurricane this year, reached the most powerful storm designation on Tuesday, whipping up wind speeds of around 215 mph. It is one of the strongest storms in the history of the Pacific Basin. Frank said the hurricane is expected to “brush” Mexico. The super El Niño’s more frequent, heavy rain in the Atlantic reflects the climatic changes that have contributed to more flooding on the Island, such as was seen this summer, especially during the chaos of Fourth of July weekend. The Island experienced exhausting heat waves, a series of incidents including car fires, and flooding that is all too familiar at Tisbury’s Five Corners and Beach Road during the holiday weekend. Meanwhile, local preparations are underway for the possible rough weather this weekend. “We’re monitoring the weather closely,” Michael Gately, the Tisbury harbormaster, told The Times, noting this nor’easter

Winds blowing 14 mph with gusts up to 25 mph Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. HAYLEY DUFFY

The Steamship Authority issued a travel advisory to customers that said there are possibilities of cancellations on both the Woods Hole–

new reservation system. “High-speed service on the Hyannis–Nantucket route and all service to Oak Bluffs on the Woods Hole–Martha’s

“It depends on how close the storm gets to us." —HAYDEN FRANK, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE METEOROLOGIST seems “pretty gusty.” Gately said some boaters had already moved their vessels off moorings in the harbor over to Lagoon Pond and Lake Tashmoo for shelter.

Martha’s Vineyard and Hyannis–Nantucket routes this week. Possible cancellations come just after the Steamship decided to reassess its approach in developing a

Vineyard route have the potential to be impacted the most,” the advisory reads. It also stated that all change and cancellation fees for reservations on Thursday, Sept.

24, and Friday, Sept. 25, are being waived. Reservation changes can be done online on the ferry line’s website, by phone at the reservation office (508-477-8600), or at one of the terminals. Other ferry lines that sail to the Vineyard are also canceling trips. The Island Queen in Falmouth canceled sailing Tuesday and Wednesday. Seastreak canceled all sailings on Wednesday and Thursday. Meanwhile, the Hy-Line canceled multiple

trips and is operating on a trip-by-trip basis. It’s not just the sea. Geoff Freeman, Martha’s Vineyard Airport director, said he expects delays during the “brunt of the storm” for Cape Air and JetBlue, with “potential traffic flow delays … going down to [New York].” “We are advising those who call us to contact your airline for possible rebooking to early or later flights over the next several days,” Freeman said.

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

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A8

news

September 24, 2026

Adrian Roche, 12, who sailed on the Shenandoah for 11 days in August, looks out across Vineyard Haven Harbor from the ship’s bowsprit.

go, had this incredible experience,” Ridgeway said. Blum, who spoke first at the potluck, thanked the crowd for supporting her and Ridgeway’s stewardship of the vessel over the past six years. “I’m really grateful to all of you for coming tonight and being here to celebrate Shenandoah and her remarkable history on this Island,” Blum said. Blum introduced Matthew Stackpole, who was the thirdever first mate for Douglas on Shenandoah. Stackpole said the vessel was a “portal to another world, another life, another set of values” for the Vineyard community and all who sailed it. “She has impacted so many lives on this Island, and has been both a way to understand and view the past, but also a transition to the future,” he said. Stackpole called the vessel “a place where you don’t have cell phones or noise; you just have each other, and you have to learn how to collaborate.” Jerry Goodale, one of the original crew members, attended the celebration. He was a deckhand and then a boatswain from 1964 to 1966.

PHOTOS: NICHOLAS VUKOTA

Shenandoah’s fond farewell Continued from A1 voyage was very special. “The anticipation of going to that school and waiting for when it’s your turn — there’s a lot of build-up,” said Ruel, an Island painter with a studio in Menemsha. “He definitely feels a greater sense of independence. There was a lot of growth … for all of them, really.” Ruel said his son Razmus was tired after the trip but after a day’s rest, the stories began flooding out. Ruel and his youngest son also attended the “Parade of Sail” from Tarpaulin Cove on Naushon Island to Vineyard Haven around noon on Friday. “[Razmus] talked a lot about jumping off the boat,

drawing while it was sailing. He really liked when they were off Cuttyhunk, and the final day, too. I took my youngest out of school; he’s in second grade, and we went over on a Whaler and followed the boat from Tarpaulin Cove to Vineyard Haven,” Ruel said. At a potluck on Saturday evening, with Shenandoah docked along the Black Dog Wharf, those families, friends, crew members, and stakeholders all gathered to remember the schooner’s lasting impact on the Island community. The event on Saturday was planned in concert with Gannon and Benjamin Marine

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

Ian Ridgeway and Casey Blum at the Shenandoah’s goodbye potluck.

Shenandoah’s dockside potluck on Saturday, Sept. 19.

“I really hope you can all feel proud of what Shenandoah has done for this community and feel excited about the future, because we’re going to sail this thing on into the future.” –CAPT. IAN RIDGEWAY Railway, which was celebrating its annual Pat West Gaff Rig and Schooner Race, a late summer favorite sailboat race on the local waterfront. Rose Guerin and Buck Shank performed on Shenandoah from 5 pm until 7 pm next to the Black Dog Wharf, where food and drinks were offered, and Dock Street Fight Club later played at the Gannon and Benjamin shop, where the fun continued into the night. Ian Ridgeway, captain of Shenandoah for the past six years, recalled his experience on the vessel in a speech to the crowd. He said he had first boarded Shenandoah 30 years earlier, when he was 11 years old and a student at the Tisbury School. “I was a high-energy kid that did not thrive in a classroom setting, like many young boys, and I came out on Shenandoah and was immediately enamored by

everything she offered to me,” Ridgeway, now 42, said. “It was a place where my energy was valuable, where there’s always something to do, always something to learn — a giant jungle gym that I could climb around on as much as I wanted.” Since 2020, Ridgeway, alongside Casey Blum, has co-captained Shenandoah and co-directed the Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy, the nonprofit organization that purchased the ship from Capt. Robert S. Douglas, who designed the ship in 1964 and was its captain for 56 years. Ridgeway recalled learning from Douglas, who died April 23, 2025. “[He was] an incredible mentor who took me under his wing and taught me so much about life and how to lead,” Ridgeway said. More than 15,000 students from all of the Island’s schools have spent weeklong trips on the vessel, and

Ridgeway said that for many Islanders, an excursion on Shenandoah is considered a rite of passage through the Island’s education system. Ridgeway said students who go on Shenandoah come back “taller, prouder, more resilient, and more ready to take on life’s challenges — the exact ingredients that kids today need so much.” He recalled a moment as the students departed from the final voyage on Saturday morning last week, when a young student ran to her mother in tears. “Her daughter came off the launch … her daughter was sobbing, and Mom said, ‘Oh my god, sweety, you missed me. I love you so much.’ And her daughter said, ‘No, Mom, I didn’t want to leave.’ I’m sure that was hard to hear, but her mom was very very proud at that moment, because her daughter, who she sent out on this big adventure and didn’t know how it would

“She has been valuable,” Goodale said. “Sad to see her have to retire, but I understand.” Captains Ridgeway and Blum announced last summer that the 2026 season would be Shenandoah’s last, as continued repairs aren’t financially practical anymore. The Ocean Academy is fundraising to build Shenandoah II and continue its maritime education programming for Island students. Ridgeway said they have $900,000 left to raise before they can begin construction of the steel-hulled Shenandoah II, also designed by Douglas. Ridgeway said he expects it to cost about $9.85 million in total. “I really hope you can all feel proud of what Shenandoah has done for this community and feel excited about the future, because we’re going to sail this thing on into the future,” Ridgeway said. After the speeches, Shenandoah’s crew fired off four cannons, which shook the docks and stirred the hearts of all attendants. It was a last show of the strength the old schooner still carried, and the crew lowered her flags, symbolizing the retirement of the vessel.

news A9

September 24, 2026

Questions in the crosshairs Continued from A1 Island-wide effort to address high deer densities, and health risks and damage to property that the deer pose. They expressed concerns about possible next steps, such as prescribed burns, chemical treatments, and sharpshooters, to rid the Island of ticks because as was discussed at the forum, fewer deer doesn’t immediately or necessarily mean fewer ticks. Their buy-in on this initiative is critical, and therefore the questions need answers. It was the end of June when Tick Free MV, a nonprofit less than a year old, announced a goal to reduce the Island’s deer population by 70 percent, from around 5,000 to 1,500 or less, based on numbers from an aerial deer survey conducted in February and March and state standards of a healthy deer herd. But there didn’t seem to be a single person in the room Thursday, even Martin Feehan, deer and moose biologist for the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife), who specializes in deer and hunter-harvest management, who thinks that hunters alone can get the Island down to that number. Cody Chandler, a local hunter who organized and moderated the forum, asked Feehan, “Do you think it’s possible for hunting methods alone to get the deer to the number that you’re targeting?” Feehan replied, “No.” There are 458 licensed hunters who live on Martha’s Vineyard, and 612 licensed hunters who live off-Island and purchased a permit to hunt antlerless deer on Martha’s Vineyard. “The honest truth is that there is enough public pressure that if we can’t very quickly show that hunting is very effective when coupled with deer damage permits, I think the public pressure is going to be insurmountable to not push aggressive actions … such as more commercial removal,” Feehan said. In other words, sharpshooters are possible. Deer damage permits were brought up in anger at the discussion after a large, antlered buck was recently killed on one of the permits. Some hunters maintain that the use of state-issued DDPs, introduced to the Island this year, undercuts the sport of hunting, and allows agricultural property owners to call in hunters outside the regulated season, when deer are more easily targeted. For most health officials, such a distinction is less important than the need to cull the herd as quickly and efficiently as possible. The tension between these two points of view hung in the air at the discussion. Feehan explained that hunting regulations don’t apply, and the permits are specifically issued for deer

management, not trophy hunting. So far, 43 deer have been taken under a DDP on the Island, three of which had antlers with more than four points. Chandler also asked Feehan whether or not there was a timeline when if Island hunters couldn’t get the herd down 70 percent, alternative methods would be used. Feehan didn’t give a straight answer, but said there is no current plan in place. “I don’t think it is that blackand-white for every group … But there are also many other folks on islands who are coming at this from other perspectives, and they also have a voice. And frankly, Martha’s Vineyard has a significant amount of pull just on the realities of being in a place with [a] unique set of constituents, and that also means that there are more pressures that come with that, and so there is an immense amount of community push to be able to do something about the situation,” Feehan said. Virginia Barbatti, executive director of Tick Free MV, who was unable to attend the forum, said when asked by The Times about alternative methods like prescribed burns and chemical treatments, that their goal this season is to kill more deer, and knows that there won’t be a 70 percent drop in one year. A manageable amount of deer is the start, she said. “Ultimately, we will need an integrated tick-management plan that includes multiple interventions, and we’ll monitor what’s available and feasible for our community to consider as we go,” she added. When asked about sharpshooters, she said, “We’re looking at every tool available under state law. MassWildlife regulates deer management in the commonwealth, and any additional methods would involve them and our community.” Sharpshooters, Feehan said, actually don’t work efficiently at low densities of deer. Though it’s counterintuitive, Feehan said, should they get the herd down 70 percent, that wouldn’t be a viable option. Monhegan Island, a small island in Maine where sharpshooters killed off every deer in a fight against Lyme disease, was brought up, but Patrick RodenReynolds, tick biologist and an advisor to Tick Free MV, said, “By no means are we talking about eliminating, eradicating deer.” Joseph Capece, president of the MV Hunt Club, said that he didn’t think prescribed burns would work, because that only works on large tracts of land, and the insurance is expensive. Ticks found in people’s yards are the problem, and logistically, they can’t “smoke out downtown Edgartown” in

Martin Feehan (on video), Richard “Dick” Johnson (left), and Patrick Roden-Reynolds at the forum.

Hunters gathered last Thursday at the Ag Hall. PHOTOS: NICHOLAS VUKOTA

the summer, and there are risks because “our ecosystem here is made to burn,” Capece said. Lone star ticks also have proven to increase after prescribed burns. Feehan also previously discussed at a talk on the Island that sterilization only works in areas smaller than Martha’s Vineyard, and is also very expensive. Chemical treatments on hosts, however, are on the table, and sprays that mitigate or kill ticks are already in use across the Island. And a reduction of deer would make treatments more efficient and effective, and mean fewer chemicals in the environment, Feehan said. Host-targeted strategies, like four-poster devices, moxidectin-treated baits, and other treatments still in development, are possible. “There’s no perfect solution, and a lot of what we’re having to do is think through a lot of imperfect solutions,” Feehan said at the end of the discussion. “What is the best combination available, and what are the worst solutions that we don’t want to be a part of the final package … hunting from our perspective is a critical part of this. [MassWildlife is going to] continue to advocate for it, and it’s critical from the local community side that you all do everything you can to also be successful, because you’re advocating for yourself in that regard as well.” “I think that’s probably the best I can say for this whole solution,” Feehan added. There are a variety of reasons that the state manages deer, and while that includes public safety, such as vehicle collisions and tick-borne diseases, the primary objective, Feehan said, is the impacts of

an overabundance of deer on the ecosystem, such as a loss of forest regeneration. It is not the propagation of ticks. Agricultural impacts and subsequent economic impacts to farmers are also objectives of the state. The state views 12 to 18 deer per square mile as ideal, especially in terms of forest ecology. Long-term, Feehan said, with more than 50 deer per square mile, an entire forest can be at risk, and on the Island, state and Tick Free MV numbers put the density between 53 and 55 deer per square mile. Though the 12-to-18 number isn’t necessarily used for ticks, that is the threshold in which Tick Free MV has based the goal. On the Island, coastal erosion impacts are also tracked. When a lot of deer browse coastal vegetation, like beach grass and salt marshes, they tear down the Island’s only defense against erosion from heavy storms and high tide, already driven by climate change, and put the Island at risk for events like the potential storm this weekend. Though that isn’t how it typically manages the deer herd, tick abundance might push MassWildlife to take actions it normally wouldn’t take, Feehan said at the discussion. Massachusetts, as well as every other state in the country, Feehan said, sees hunter harvest as the primary mode of management. “Hunting alone is the most efficient method for management, because you’re having hunters who are paying for the right, being able to spend an immense amount of time on their own, being able to harvest deer, and effectively will always make up the majority

of the harvest in Massachusetts,” Feehan said. And in an attempt to bolster the tradition, the state has added new seasons, and then extended seasons, and then made more permits available to Island hunters; they’ve also removed visibility requirements for transported deer and on-Island deer check, removed a daily bag limit, and removed a ban on use of decoys in archery season. Free replacement tags were also awarded to hunters who donated deer; this year, for every two deer donated, a hunter gets an either-sex tag, which is the first bonus buck incentive in the state. (Hunters are allowed an unlimited amount of does, and two bucks.) MassWildlife and Feehan also aided Tick Free MV and the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society in their efforts to increase the Island’s meat-processing capacity. And that’s so far seemed to help. Despite fewer and fewer hunters each year, Feehan said, there have been record harvests on the Island. “The harvests have been tracking upward for a very long time, and continuing to move upward as we’ve had increasing densities, even though the islands have been losing hunters actually at a faster clip than the mainland,” Feehan said. Last year, the first winter season approved for the Island, took place from Jan. 1 to Feb. 14; more than 330 deer were taken between Martha’s Vineyard (172) and Nantucket. It would’ve been the Island’s ninth highest harvest sans the extra month-anda-half, but through the additional season, last year was the second-highest season, behind only 2018.

So far, in the extended season that started Sept. 21, Roden-Reynolds, who administers the deer cooler at the Agricultural Society, already reports a strong season, and has had 18 deer dropped off, as of Wednesday, Sept. 23, around 11 am. The state and Tick Free MV are also behind efforts at the state legislature to make hunting more accessible, such as Sunday hunting, expanded access of crossbows, and reduced setbacks, or distance from a dwelling, for bowhunting, as well. The legislation requires statutory changes and a signature by the governor, who already publicly supported them. “On the legislative front, all I’d say is this is the furthest we’ve ever gotten,” Feehan said, and asked the room to keep his position in mind. “We have never even come close to having this actually have a vote, let alone actually pass in a chamber in Boston.” But there remain concerns that ticks won’t go away even if a majority of the deer herd does, and hunters in the room questioned why they are asked to kill so many when there might not be a direct result. Black-legged ticks, also known as deer ticks, don’t have a direct relationship to white-tailed deer, but “once you get to a certain threshold of deer density, there’s enough deer to be able to host them, for them to saturate the environment with new black-legged ticks via reproduction,” Feehan said. With black-legged ticks, you have to drop below 12 deer per square mile to see any reduction, Feehan said. But the same isn’t known for lone star ticks. “What’s not known at this point is how far you have to actually get densities to actually drop with lone stars,” Feehan said. “Even if you got rid of almost all of the deer on the Island, you got rid of 95 percent of the deer, there would likely be little to no reduction in terms of lone star ticks, unless there are other strategies, like treatment, included,” Feehan said at a talk in May. What is known is that lone stars almost exclusively reproduce on deer. The general idea, Roden-Reynolds said, “is [to] reduce that bottleneck of their reproductive cycle, where they require a large body host, typically deer. It reduces their success in producing new larvae, new nymphs that we’re experiencing year after year.” Chandler said that he understands that his perspective might be seen as biased because he is a hunter, but he still wants more science. “If you told me there was undeniable proof that ticks were eliminated forever, I would do it,” Chandler said to The Times about a complete eradication of deer. “I would support the effort. I don’t have it in me to do that much killing.”

A10 classifieds

September 24, 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.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES 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 GARDENER WANTED We’re looking for an experienced gardener. Knowledge of organic methods helpful. Must speak fluent english and have valid working papers. Please reply to info@indigo@vineyard.net. BOOKKEEPER-PART TIME Island Elderly Housing is looking for a bookkeeper to work 20-24 hours per week. This position is responsible for bookkeeping and accounting. Must have 3-5 years of accounting/ bookkeeping experience and be proficiency with computer accounting systems. For more information about Island Elderly Housing, visit our website, www.iehmv.org. Please send resume to leller@iehmv.org

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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/getinvolved/employmentopportunities/. 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

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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. 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 FULL-TIME OFFICE ASSISTANT TO JOIN OUR TEAM. Your prime focus will be managing employee timecard data to ensure our customers are billed accurately and on time. Key responsibilities will be to collect & review daily employee timecards for completeness: enter hours & work data into our billing system, verify accuracy and identify & resolve discrepancies quickly and help the office team with other basic admin tasks as needed. If you have great attention to detail

& love keeping things organized, have proven experience in data entry, office admin and strong time-management skills, we can teach you how to do the rest. This is a full-time, benefited position. Please send your resume & a brief note about your availability to jhale@mvshipyard.com with the subject line “Office Admin”.

and appreciated. We are currently looking for a Service Writer who thrives in a fast-paced 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. 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” 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, 508-939-9440, maryh@ mvcenter4living.org for more information or to apply. VINEYARD CONSERATION 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 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. 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. 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

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

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

PLACE YOUR AD, EMAIL VALERIE@MVTIMES.COM.

classifieds A11

September 24, 2026

Jobs

Real Estate

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

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 O cers 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 bene t 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 tness testing requirements. Apply today! Download applications and job descriptions at dukescountysheriff.com/careers

VINEYARD DECORATORS IS HIRING

#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 re ned 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.

$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 nal 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 xtures and nishes, and the second-floor suites may offer private balconies for added relaxation. Classic Oak Bluffs cottage architecture meets modern comfort and energy e ciency, 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 shing. 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 lled with natural light and offers an ideal blend of comfort, style, and e ciency. 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.

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, ling, copying, and organization. Pro ciency 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

FOOD PANTRY MANAGER, ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE. Full-time, year-round. Lead Pantry SENIOR INTERIOR DESIGNER | operations, supervise staff and HOUSING AVAILABLE volunteers serving island families. Vineyard Decorators is seeking an Portuguese/English preferred. Apply: experienced Senior Interior Designer igimv.org/employment to join our growing Interior Design CURRICULUM SPECIALIST, Studio. Quali ed candidates should ISLAND GROWN INITIATIVE have a bachelor’s degree in Interior Part-time, 20 hrs/wk, $30/hr, remote Design or Architecture and a option. Develop farm/garden educaminimum of 8 years of experience in tion curriculum for Island Schools. construction-based interior design. Apply: igimv.org/employment Strong proje ct, time, and client GLEANING & DISTRIBUTION management skills, with the ability ASSISTANT, ISLAND GROWN to independently lead projects, are INITIATIVE required. Must be pro cient in Oct–Dec, 40 hrs/wk, $25-26/hr. Harvest, glean, and deliver local food. AutoCAD. Full-time, year-round Valid driver’s license required. Apply: position with competitive igimv.org/employment compensation, bene ts, 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! Martha’s Vineyard Bank, a local community bank has some exciting opportunities available. If you are seeking a career with an organization that has a strong commitment to the communities we serve then we want to hear from you!

AVAILABLE OPPORTUNITIES: • Executive Assistant to the President & CEO • Financial Advisor Please visit www.mvbank.com for detailed information or to apply. We offer an exceptional benefits package including both 401k and pension plan, growth opportunities and competitive compensation. Equal Opportunity Employer: Minority/Female/Disability/Veteran.

Located at the southern end of Winemack Street, this inviting 3bedroom, 2-bath Oak Bluffs home offers a quiet residential setting in a neighborhood of both year-round and seasonal homes, while remaining remarkably close to everything Oak Bluffs has to offer. Just approximately 1.2 mile s from downtown, you’ll enjoy convenient access to the ferries, Oak Bluffs Harbor, beaches, shopping, restaurants, and all the attractions that make this area of Martha’s Vineyard so special. Martha’s Vineyard Hospital is also just a short two-minute drive away. Built in 1988, the home offers approximately 1,456 square feet of living area, with pre nished 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 o ce, 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 rst and second floors would bene t 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. Prequali cation 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 replace, 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.

$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 replace, creating a warm and spacious gathering space. The thoughtf ully designed layout offers a private rst-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.

VINEYARD PROPERTY VALUES

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LAND BANK

WEEKLY INCOME FY 2027, Year to Date:

$5,027,632.24

$900,000 $850,000 $800,000

$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.

$750,000 $700,000 $650,000 $600,000 $550,000 $500,000 $450,000 $400,000 $350,000 $300,000 $250,000 $200,000 $150,000 $100,000 $50,000 0

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A12 classifieds

September 24, 2026

Real Estate HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

HOUSES-OAK BLUFFS

LAND-OAK BLUFFS

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

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 27 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 10C $287,500.00 Call or text Rene Ben David 508-847-4864 Ocean Park Realty Inc. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 10C, a comfortable one-bedroom, onebath Martha’s Vineyard retreat offering an ideal combination of personal enjoyment and rental opportunity. Accommodating up to four guests, 10C features a queen bedroom, sofa bed, cozy living area, well-equipp ed kitchenette. A unique feature is the adjoining door to Unit 9C, a studio with two double beds, full bath and kitchenette. Units 9C and 10C are being offered for sale separately, with the opportunity to purchase both together—perfect for extended family, guests, or expanded rental possibilities while still allowing each unit to be used independently. Island Inn is a seasonal resort, open April t hrough October, offering a relaxed, petfriendly setting with a heated outdoor pool, 3 association clay tennis courts, grilling areas, re 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.

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, re 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 Viney ard getaway, investment, or combination of personal use and rental income. Showings during turnovers only

OAK BLUFFS CONDO FOR SALE 33 ISLAND INN RD, UNIT 25F $260,000.00 CALL OR TEXT RENE BEN DAVID 508-847-4864 OCEAN PARK REALTY INC. Welcome to 27 Island Inn, Unit 25F, a comfortable studio offering the perfect combination of a Martha’s Vineyard getaway and rental opportunity. Accommodating up to four guests, this inviting unit features two double beds, one full bath, a convenient kitchenette, cable TV and free WiFi. Island Inn is a seasonal resort, open April through October, offering a relaxed, petfriendly setting with a heated outdoor pool, 3 association clay tennis courts, grilling areas, re 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.

SOLD $1,150,000 MARILYN MOSES 617-462-0381 OCEAN PARK REALTY, OAK BLUFFS CLASSIC CAPE Charm meets modern e ciency in this move-in-ready 3-bedroom home. Thoughtfully maintained and beautifully presented, the home features sun- lled living spaces, an updated kitchen, and comfortable bedrooms designed for easy everyday living. Enjoy year-round comfort with energy-e cient minisplit systems providing both heating and air conditioning, offering costeffective climate control in every season. The nished basement adds valuable bonus space ideal for a media room, home o ce or workout room giving you the flexibility to t 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.

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.

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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.

Real Estate Transactions Sept. 14 – 18, 2026

Chilmark Sept. 16, New Red Hat LLC sold 6 Trails End to Peter Goldberg for $2,700,000. Sept. 18, Mitchell Kapor, trustee of 308 South Road Realty Trust, sold 308 South Road Beach Lot to Menemsha Meadow LLC for $6,500,000.

Edgartown Sept. 14, MVREALESTATE LLC sold 10 North Bog Road to Woodcrest Holdings LLC for $2,890,000. Sept. 15, Millers Unlimited Properties LLC sold 23 Pinehurst Road to 23 Tylo LLC for $4,700,000. Sept. 16, Lisa Bloch Rodwin, David Rodwin, and Benjamin Rodwin sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 414 Week 23 to Jeanette Price and Barry Price

for $6,000. Sept. 18, Carolyn Ann O’Daly sold 9 Plains Court to Brian J. Kolle and Emily M. Kolle for $2,095,000. Sept. 17, James O. Howell and April Howell sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 501 Week 43 to Victor H. De Yurre and Odalys De Yurre for $5,500. Sept. 17, Jeannette Taylor sold 0 Harborside Inn Condo Unit 463 Week 39 to Ralph Perricelli Jr. and Donna M. Perricelli for $1,400.

Gosnold Sept. 17, Bonnie D. Veeder, formerly known as Bonnie D. Leonard, sold 26 Road to the Cemetery to Russell H. Mason and Julie A. Mason, trustees of Veeder Hill Realty trust, for $1,000,000.

Oak Bluffs Sept. 14, Gregory Linn and Jason Linn, trustees of Linn Family Nominee Trust, sold 33 Windemere Road to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Inc. for $1,700,000. Sept. 15, Staffarita LLC sold 3 Kims Way to Diane Smith for $1,188,000.

Tisbury

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

LAND-OAK BLUFFS

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

Sept. 15, Fiduciary Trust Co. Trust and Allen B. Flanders Family Trust sold 51 Davis St. to Catherine Taylor and Amir Shahideh for $1,340,000. Sept. 16, Francis E. Piccione and Ann Milstein, trustees of Francis E. Piccione Trust and Ann Milstein Trust, sold 37 Old Hedge Row to Jessica Carless and Travis Carless for $1,680,000.

T H E I S L A N D’S O R I G I N A L T O U R I S T G U I D E

ADSALES@MVTIMES.COM · 508-693-6100

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

HOUSES-WEST TISBURY

WEST TISBURY $1,349,000 Call or Text Marilyn Moses 617-462-0381 Coastal contemporary residence is located on a private 1.60-acre lot in West Tisbury, with convenient access to Long Point Wildlife Refuge and access to "Coveted" Lambert's Cove Beach. The home features four bedrooms and two full bathrooms. On the rst floor, you'll nd 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 rstfloor 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 nishing 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.

classifieds A13

September 24, 2026

Legal Notices LEGAL NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

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 ineyard ransit Authority office, located at 11 A Street in Edgartown (in the airport business park).

The meeting will be held in the downstairs meeting room at the Oak Bluffs Town Hall, 56 School Street, Oak Bluffs MA or Join Zoom Meeting https://oakbluffs.zoom.us/j/82172512894?pwd=CfVaH8iCT5snXgtevpCRb4FKTaya8t.1 Meeting ID: 821 7251 2894 Passcode: 409794 Reconstruct ADU/bungalow on cinderblock foundation, add 2 windows, 1 rear door for egress. Allow for slight increase in building footprint due to placement of cinderblock foundation at the front right corner of building. Add skirt around porch/ foundation to match the main house. Extend ADU porch to the right front corner of the building. On the main house, adjust rear double door and two window locations. Replace preexisting window in kitchen, replace pre-existing door on enclosed

porch. Repair/rebuild as required to correct structural issues. Unify section of rear roof for structural support. Adjust wall height to accommodate new flooring system and 2 x 6 joists. Proposed plans are on file in the Building Department at Town Hall. Written correspondence can be addressed to: Copeland Plan District Review Board Attn: Lee Ann Tavares, PO Box 1327, Oak Bluffs – 02557 email: buildingadmin@oakbluffsma. gov

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 elect oard at 1059 State Rd, West Tisbury.

Four sealed proposals shall be delivered to the office of the elect oard 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

WEST TISBURY ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING On Thursday, October 8, 2026, at 5:15pm the ZBA will hold a public hearing at the OW A -2 nd floor meeting room on an application for a Special Permit from Harry Beach, to allow the removal of an existing shed and the construction of a new 120sf shed requiring 3 feet of side yard and 3 feet of rear yard setback relief under Section 4.2-2D4 of the West Tisbury Zoning Bylaw for property owned by Jim Feiner at 35 Music St., Map 32 Lot 44, in the VR district. Interested parties are invited to send comments via email to: zba@westtisbury-ma.gov or mail comments to: Zoning Board of Appeals, PO Box 278, West Tisbury, MA 02575. Please call 508696-0107 for information on the application.

LEGAL NOTICES OAK BLUFFS

COTTAGE CITY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMISSION NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 14, 2026 AT 5:30 PM RE: 3 UNCAS AV MAP 11 PARCEL 156 This is a HYBRID meeting with both in person & Zoom participation available.

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

Classifieds

BargainBox 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 JIGSAW PUZZLES SCRABBLE, PARCHEESI, ETC. Good/Excellent condition. $3-$12. 508-693-7472 -Call anytime, 7:30am-12:30pm is best. 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

LEGAL NOTICES W. TISBURY

TANDEM KAYAK With foot operated rudder. Pamlico 160T Wilderness Systems. $100. 603-494-2760. YELLOW ONE PERSON KAYAK FOR SALE Good condition. Must pick up in person at 127 Bernard Circle. $100. 508-693-3261. REGALO BED RAIL $ . arely used. yobi inch cordless drill with charger. $15. Text 508-326-2500. 1986 JEEP COMMANCHE $100.00. Needs some work. 508693-5702 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.

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WINTER RENTALS

**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. 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. 6179219552 leave message. 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. EDGARTOWN 3 B/R 2 BATHS $2900 + Utilities 2 B/R 1-1/2 baths $2700 + utilities no pets smoking Nov 1 - April 1 508-733-0672 LARGE STUDIO LAMBERTS COVE $1000 plus utilities. Very private. On the water. 508-693-5702 WINTER RENTAL 10/1-6/15. Vineyard Haven-10min walk to ferry. Large furnished bedroom with private attached full bath, walk in closet. tilities/Wifi included. hared entrance and kitchen. 1600/month, First and last months rent to move in. (508) 560-0632

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. 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.

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

RENTAL WANTED

IN OLD TRADITION OF PATRONS HOUSING WRITERS/SCHOLARS IN EXCHANGE FOR WORK. I’m a female Island-based writer/historian offering family/property histories, oral histories, memoir ghostwriting/ editing, archival research, or Vineyard-history chronicles for a house, room, cottage, or studio. Seeking Nov. 1–Apr. 30; year-round welcome. Samples/references. Looking for right match. 774-310-6871

BOAT SALES

SERVICES

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2003 HYDRA SPORTS 202DC. Great hull, trailer, Yamaha 200 is for parts. $7500. (413)320-9724

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CONTRACTOR’S YARD SALE Equipment, Power and Hand Tools. Staging, fastenings, wall brackets, air purifiers. Planer, ompressor, awstop job-site saw. Priced to move. Bring cash. No Venmo. Signs: 4 Catboat Lane, off Skiff’s Lane, West Tisbury. Friday 9/25 noon - 7pm ESTATE SALE Antiques, Vintage, Collectibles, Art, Furnishings, Kitchenware, Household Items, Outdoor Furniture, Something for Everyone. Sat/Sun 10/3 & 10/4 - 10a - 2p 61 Canonicus Ave - OB 850-293-4345

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A14

news

September 24, 2026

AG Campbell speaks at Women’s Recovery Court Session

other districts — including Malden, Plymouth, and Springfield — with the help of co-founders Judy Lawler, a retired probation officer, and Katie O’Leary, director of recovery services for North Suffolk Community Services. Barnes emphasized the importance of creating the program as a safe space for The annual celebration took place on the Island for the first time. women. “The power is simply in the freedom of expressing joy to God, and we need BY SARA CREATO to have those spaces,” Barnes said. “We need to have those opportunities.” importantly, an inner courage to do what assachusetts Attorney General Andrea Lawler underscored the program’s comCampbell spoke at the 15th annual Mas- you’re doing, I stand here in joy … of what is possible for every single woman in this mitment to caring for women in recovery sachusetts Women’s Recovery Court space. Don’t let anyone suggest otherwise,” across the state. Session — a celebration for participants and Campbell said. “All the things you had in “We are determined to continue on our alumni of a state-run program for women journey to provide specialized, traumarecovering from alcohol and drug addiction — your heart as a child and you envisioned for yourself, it is still very much possible.” informed pathways for women in the crimithis week on the Island. The Women’s Recovery Court Session was nal justice system,” Lawler said. “We will Roughly 60 women from throughout the co-founded in 2013 by Judge Benjamin Barnes, continue to create a community of hope and commonwealth gathered inside the Old presiding judge of the Edgartown District healing in a safe, supported, female-heavy Whaling Church in Edgartown last Thursday Court, while he worked as a district court environment across Massachusetts.” afternoon to hear speeches by chief justices, O’Leary, who previously struggled with adprogram leaders, and recovery court graduates, judge in Chelsea. He told the audience that he launched the program after noticing that many diction, and first met Barnes and Lawler while followed by a group lunch. women in the standard recovery courts felt un- facing drug charges in court, expressed her Campbell congratulated the program’s parfaith in the attendees’ capabilities. comfortable participating with men. ticipants and alumni in attendance. “This session exists because we see your “[The sessions] were 89 percent men. I’m sit“Because you choose to participate and be a strength, we honor your courage, and we fully ting there, and one or two females were there. part of a program like this, and to be vulnerbelieve in your future,” O’Leary said. They were quiet. They wouldn’t participate, able and to turn your pain into purpose, you The event also featured a brief moment of too are part of a fabric of making sure that our and I just knew distinctly something was silence to honor women in recovery court who wrong,” Barnes said. state remains the greatest state in the country The Women’s Recovery Court sessions serve have died. Shannon White, clinical manager to live and work in,” Campbell said. at Power of Recovery, who is recovering from Campbell spoke openly about losing the ma- women facing criminal drug charges, who substance abuse, highlighted the humanity jority of her immediate family, and encouraged share their personal stories, listen to guest of these individuals beyond their addictions. speakers, and participate in group activities, the participants to dream big. “They were more than just their addiction, and such as mindfulness sessions. “As a result of people who believed in me, their love will live on forever,” White said. The program has expanded into several my faith, a community of support, and most

M

The event concluded with several recovery court graduates sharing their personal testimonies. Lynne Eppel, a graduate of the Edgartown Recovery Court, spoke to the unconditional support of fellow court participants, even when she relapsed. “The most important thing that recovery court taught me is you’re going to go back, and people are going to clap for you. They’re going to be so happy to see you again,” Eppel said. “It’s a community that wants you to do well. It is not judgmental.” Caitlin Diblasi, a graduate of the Charlestown Recovery Court and co-founder of the Trailhead Treatment Center in Salem, N.H., recalled how O’Leary helped her to become a recovery coach after graduating herself. “When you have a history of addiction, arrests, and involvement with the courts, you get used to people knowing you by what you’ve done,” Diblasi said. “Having someone know where I’d been but still be willing to give me a chance was a really big thing.” After the event, Campbell told The Times that the state government has a responsibility to expand the Women’s Recovery Court Session to more parts of Massachusetts. “We have to look outside of just Boston,” she said, “So whether it is the Cape and Islands or Western Mass., the desire to be more intentional in expanding this program to ensure it’s available to everyone is a priority, and especially making sure that we don’t forget the Vineyard as a place that needs resources not only for recovery courts [but] for housing, climate justice, and so much more.””

obituaries Services Friday for Alison M. Convery

Orient Trader after its owner died unexpectedly, then she started the Bosun’s Locker. After Alison’s aunt passed away and left her a house stuffed with furniture, Alison gathered four of her friends, Jane Norton, Midge Simonds, Judy Brugeire, and Bess Flynn Stone, and together they formed an antiques cooperative called Auntie’s Attic near the Triangle, which later transformed into Past and Presents, with Jane Norton and Carol Berger, on Main Street in Edgartown. Alison served as a director of the Martha’s Vineyard PresAlison McFarlin Convery ervation Trust for more than passed away in her sleep on 40 years, and was its president September 19, 2026 at the when the trust purchased and age of 92. renovated the Flying Horses Alison was born August Carousel. She was instrumen1, 1934, and she spent most tal in assisting the trust in its reof her formative years in cent acquisition of the former Wellesley. In the summer of mill house in West Tisbury. She 1954, Alison and her friend, served as a director for the MarGail Cronin, signed up for tha’s Vineyard Art Association summer jobs as waitresses at (Old Sculpin Gallery) for more the Harborside Inn. On her than 40 years, she was on the second day there, she met the Edgartown finance board, and owners’ son, Leo Convery, was a director of the Vineyard and they were married in Museum. June 1956. Leo and Alison loved travelAlison added beauty to ing, and visited South America, everything she touched. She was New Zealand, Australia, China, an accomplished oil painter, and Japan. They sailed around specializing in Vineyard scenes the Caribbean with friends and and portraits of family and family, and saw Greece and Itfriends. Alison wrote and aly from the deck of the Flyillustrated “The Child’s Guide ing Cloud. They traveled with to Martha’s Vineyard” in 1970. Leonard and Joyce Green on The book has been reprinted their boat to Tonga and the four times. She also illustrated South Pacific. Dylan Thomas’ “A Child’s Alison is survived by her deChristmas in Wales” as a private voted husband, Leo P. Convery, edition for her family. whom she married more than Leo and Alison built their 70 years ago; her three children, home overlooking Katama Bay, Susan Convery, Leo P. Convand lived there for the next ery Jr., and Betsi Convery Luce; 50 years. She threw fabulous her eight grandchildren, Rachel parties, and hosted an annual Convery, Leo P. Convery III, Christmas Eve open house that Alex Luce, Brian Luce, Mackenis a treasured memory for all zie Luce, Matthew Luce, Danwho attended. iel Foltz, and Jack Foltz; and Alison was also a gifted busi- her brother, Peter McFarlin of nesswoman. She took over the Pomfret, Conn.

A memorial service will be held at St. Andrews Church in Edgartown, on Friday, Sept. 25, at 10 am, followed by a light luncheon in the Baylies Room of the Old Whaling Church at noon. In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to the Martha’s Vineyard Preservation Trust, her favorite charity, online at vineyardtrust. org/about/support-vpt. If you are on-Island for Alison’s funeral, please take the opportunity to view Leo’s wood carvings, on display at the Carnegie Museum in downtown Edgartown until Oct. 17. Follow this link for the Vineyard Gazette article: bit.ly/VG_ConveryCarvings. Please share photos and memories of Alison on this website: bit.ly/EL_AlisonConvery.

Albert William Richard

and in doing it well. Among the many Island buildings that bear Bill’s handiwork is the historic CorbinNorton House overlooking Ocean Park in Oak Bluffs. Bill served as foreman for both its painstaking historic restoration in the early 1990s and, after the landmark was destroyed by fire in 2001, its complete reconstruction — a rare opportunity to help build the same extraordinary house twice. Bill was also an avid gardener, fisherman, and model-airplane enthusiast. His love of building extended even to the skies: He served as president and safety officer of the Martha’s Vineyard Model Flying Club, helping grow a community of Island enthusiasts around the hobby. Over the years, Bill instilled in his children his love of gardening, fishing, history, world events, reading, building, and grilling. He loved sharing stories, a good laugh, and the things he knew with the people around him. Bill will be deeply missed by his family and by those who knew him. Bill is survived by his wife, Cynthia; his daughter, Rosemarie; his son, David; his daughter-in-law, Cheryl; and by his siblings, Phillip and Bonnie Richard; Denise (Richard) and Patrick Moquin; Roger and Ginger Richard; and Leanne Richard. If you would like to make a donation in his name, the family has chosen M.V. Community Services, online at mvcommunityservices.org or Island Grown Initiative, online at igimv.org. Services will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to either Featherstone, online at featherstoneart.org/donate.html, or to Martha’s Vineyard Bodhi Path Buddhist Center, online at bit. ly/MVBP_donate.

Lawrence Vance

Lawrence (“Kevin”) Vance

passed gently in his sleep on August 24, 2026. He was born in Baltimore City, Md., on April 30, 1962, to Dorothy Evelyn King. In his youth, the family moved to Florida, to a farm. Kevin really enjoyed working on the farm, especially with the milk cows. He always stated it was “hard work but fun.” Kevin moved to Martha’s Vineyard in 1984. Here he worked with John Hoy as a mason tender, built rock walls Albert William (“Bill”) with Gary Stead, worked Richard of Vineyard Haven construction with Rosbeck passed away on Sept. 16, 2026, at Construction, and then worked the age of 83. with Gardner Burgess and Joe Bill came to Martha’s VineGonsalves doing plumbing. In yard in the 1970s, and spent the early 2000s, Kevin and his much of the next five decades partner, Jessica Oliver, worked helping to build the Island, one with Bencion and Patricia house at a time. A master carMoscow, previous owners of penter and builder, he worked Thimble Farm, caretaking and on countless homes and buildliving on their property in West ings across the Vineyard, and Tisbury. his craftsmanship remains Kevin and Jessica moved to There will be a celebration of life part of the Island today. He for Marie-Louise Rouff on Sat- South Carolina in 2009. Kevin spent much of his career with started a business called Jack of urday, Oct. 17, at Featherstone Doyle Construction, taking All Trades, where he did everyCenter for the Arts at 1:30 pm. enormous pride in his work

Marie-Louise Rouff

thing from small-engine repair to building chimneys. Jessica and Kevin moved back to Martha’s Vineyard a few years later to caretake another property, until they both retired to Hillside Village. Kevin leaves behind his partner of 26 years, Jessica A. Oliver; his mother, Dorothy Evelyn King; his aunt, Ann DeGraff; his cousins, Louann Naylor, George Ann Baker, and Timothy DeGraff; and his niece and nephew, Megan and Timothy Vance. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Coy Evan and Elizabeth Grownaw Vance; his uncle, Coy Evan Vance Jr.; aunt, Louise Zachos; his brother, Robert James Vance; and stepfather, Thomas E.C. King.

David Federowicz services canceled

The celebration of life for David F. Federowicz, husband of Judith Anne Federowicz, scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, has been canceled due to weather conditions, and will be rescheduled for a later date.

Clarence A. Barnes III

A celebration of life and potluck in honor of Clarence A. (“Trip”) Barnes will be held at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Hall on Saturday, Nov. 21, at 4:30 pm.

news A15

September 24, 2026

Housing solutions: Accessory dwelling units An update on the small property additions a year after a state law passed that allows them by-right. BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON

O

n a windy day in August, architect Geoffrey White strolled to a 100-square-foot accessory dwelling unit (ADU) he had built near his home in West Tisbury. He’d designed the small building as a livable “garden shed” back in 1995. It’s a small structure, with a white wooden desk, a bike, and a lofted area for a bed; he calls it the “Writer’s Cottage.” The bright yellow shingled exterior can be seen from the main house on the property, where White lives seasonally with his wife, artist Eleanor Hubbard. White and Hubbard’s home — which was originally a 600-square-foot building when they bought it — is adorned with color and character in the same artistic flair he brings to the ADUs he designs. The Writer’s Cottage is one of four White has built, each with different square footage and intended use, such as an ADU apartment for a family member, or workplace housing for the caretaker of an elderly resident looking to age in place. Some of White’s sketches have been brought to life, by other homeowners or himself, while others remain on paper, nestled neatly in a laminated book. “I love doing these small houses. They’re sort of like a haiku,” White said of his ADU designs. “It’s a way of trying to boil things down to their essence, and also it means that to be successful in any of these houses, you have to boil your life down to your essence.” White is one example among many architects, builders, housing advocates, and business owners of the excitement around ADUs, which were allowed “by-right” through a new state law, meaning they cannot be overly restricted by municipalities in Massachusetts. The law went into effect in 2025. These small structures are referred to as “protected-use ADUs.” For many, ADUs are seen as a hopeful solution on the Vineyard, where there’s limited land to build on and a growing crisis in housing affordability. But homeowners here have had to grapple with regulatory hurdles like nonconforming homes, historic parcels, wetland bylaws, and generally a steeper price to build, which contractors and builders refer to as the “Island factor.” As a result, fewer ADUs have been built on the Island than expected since the state law went into effect, and many are constructed for

seasonal or family use, not for year-round rentals as many Islanders had hoped. And while all Island towns passed restrictions on ADUs so that they can’t be rented out for 30 days or less, to prevent them from being used as short-term rentals, those bylaws are difficult to enforce. “It’s really hard to regulate if someone’s using it as a short-term rental or not,” Reade Milne, Chilmark (and formerly Edgartown) building inspector, told The Times. “We already have a significant ADU inventory here,” Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC) housing planner Laura Silber told The Times. “The question is, How are they being utilized?” Other than the regulatory hoops, the driving issue that keeps coming up regarding ADUs is a familiar one for locals: their cost. While modularly built ADUs can be cheaper, building a 900-square-foot ADU from the ground up on the Vineyard can cost as much as $700,000 or more, according to real estate brokers and town building inspectors. All the while, year-round residents are increasingly priced out of the Island by seasonal visitors, secondhomeowners, and investment buyers, with a median home price of $1.7 million this year and over 60 percent of housing stock lived in for two months or less. In 2025, the MVC calculated that a person earning $168,615 a year, far more than the average Vineyarder, could not afford to buy a home here. The smaller space option of accessory units is upheld by housing officials as a potential solution, among many, for addressing those hurdles on the Island. Founding director of Island Housing Trust Philippe Jordi called ADUs a “great way to potentially create housing in a gentle way,” in an interview with The Times, but noted necessary “incentives” and pointed to affordability concerns, ease of permitting, and accessibility of tools and subsidies to assist homeowners. But as the state launches programs that address the cost of ADUs, such as mortgage assistance, a loan program for construction through MassHousing, and free designs, many Islanders are running into restrictions that financial help can’t solve. The Times has followed the progress of ADUs on the Island since the by-right law was passed on the state level in 2024 as part of the

Affordable Homes Act, a comprehensive housing bill signed by Gov. Maura Healey to increase housing supply. There was initial community engagement when the law was passed, but when people started to build ADUs, the local regulatory and zoning walls rose to meet them, too. Marilyn Moses, real estate broker at Ocean Park Realty, summed up the resulting tension in a statement to The Times: “ADUs could be an important part of addressing Martha’s Vineyard’s housing needs. They give homeowners more flexibility to create year-round housing for family members, caregivers, or residents while making better use of existing properties. On the Vineyard, however, septic capacity, wastewater regulations, and local permitting remain important considerations. It’s a positive step, but every property needs to be evaluated individually.” ADUs, also known as “granny flats,” can be interior, attached, or detached units on land previously zoned for single-family homes. They include a bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen, and are essentially smaller living spaces that can be utilized as rentals, workplace housing, living quarters for caretakers or family members, or simply an additional bedroom space. They can be up to half of the existing square footage of a home or 900 square feet, whichever is smaller. On the Island, many structures similar to ADUs have been constructed over the years through local zoning bylaw allowances as garden sheds, like White’s Writer’s Cottage, or as guesthouses. The smaller structures have long been used for intergenerational living; adult children of Islanders have lived in ADUs, or older locals have downsized on their own property. In May of 2025, The Times interviewed Islanders who had already built ADUs and guesthouses for the purpose of intergenerational living. At the time, those locals explained that ADUs provided their family with a less expensive option for housing their loved ones. Over the past year, ADU production has gone up and down, but ultimately, many have been built. According to data from the state collected from local building inspectors in July of 2025, January of 2026, and July of 2026, 53 ADUs have been approved on the Island since the law was passed. Seventy-two applications were submitted

PHOTOS SARAH SHAW DAWSON

Top, The “Writer’s Cottage,” a 100-square-foot ADU Geoffrey White has on his property. Left, Eleanor Hubbard and Geoffrey White stand in their West Tisbury home, which was originally a 600-square-foot ADU. Right, Geoffrey White shows the designs for the “Writer’s Cottage.”

and were either denied or haven’t yet been approved. According to building inspectors, one common challenge is the many Vineyarders who have nonconforming homes, meaning homes that do not comply with current zoning bylaws or building codes but are allowed because they were built before those bylaws existed. These homes cannot be made less conforming — any additions or renovations must make them more so. This could mean an ADU is denied for a home built in the early 1900s where the garage is over the setback limit — an ADU cannot be built above the garage, since it would also be over the setback. Some homeowners don’t know this to be the case about their home until they apply for a permit. On the Island, the ADU by-right law is far more complex than many homeowners expected, because so much of the Island is restricted by regulations that protect water, land, and resources. In Edgartown, for example, homeowners Ted and Roberta Scallet pushed back on restrictions regarding allowed setbacks and filed a lawsuit against the town in 2024. The couple was denied an ADU because their home was set back less than 25 feet, which is now a requirement in the town. The Scallets argued that the denial went against the by-right ruling by the Affordable Homes Act. This July, they wrote a letter to the editor to The Times that said

they had won the suit and were issued a permit to build. This ruling, they wrote, had “big implications” for all homeowners in Edgartown looking to build an ADU. “ADUs can be an important part of the Vineyard’s efforts to create affordable housing, and we hope that other towns will follow Edgartown’s lead and reexamine their zoning requirements and procedures under the new law to make that happen,” the Scallets wrote. Contractors hired to build ADUs also spoke up about the difficulties. In an interview with The Times in the summer of 2025, Bruno Oliveira, the president of B and B Home Improvements in Vineyard Haven, said he had received an influx of inquiries about ADUs, but when he set out to help the homeowners, he was met with regulatory roadblocks like wastewater capacity, cost, and a lack of education for homeowners hoping to embark on projects. Oliveira also acknowledged that the building departments across the Island are understaffed; in each town, it’s a one- to two-person department. Oliveira was concerned that without accessible information dispensed to year-round property owners, ADUs would be built primarily by seasonal secondhomeowners who have no intention of renting the accessory unit to locals. “I feel like the state gave us all the tools and now we need to put them to work here, but it’s been hard,” he

said last year. When reached this spring, Oliveira said the inquiries about building ADUs have since died down. “I think a big part of that may be the lack of clear information and guidance coming from building officials, which makes homeowners hesitant to even start the process,” Oliveira wrote in an email. In quiet office spaces and zoning board meetings, ADUs are still frequently discussed. According to multiple homeowners, building inspectors have taken the time to inform those who have approached them about ADUs, the new law, and the regulatory restraints facing each property. But as Milne told The Times, financial incentives and year-round restrictions are needed if local residents are to effectively build ADUs and add to the affordable rental and ownership inventory. Otherwise, the road forward is paved for higherincome residents and seasonal property owners. “If we want to create yearround housing opportunities, you have to limit it to year-round housing,” Milne said. Read full story online at mvtimes.com. This is the second in an ongoing series by housing and health reporter Sarah Shaw Dawson on proposed solutions for the Island community in the face of a housing crisis related to affordability, supply, policy, and the environment.

A16

news

September 24, 2026

fishing report BY LISA BELCASTRO

Sherry Countryman lands a new state record false albacore

and companionship are what’s important,” said Sherry. Sherry wasn’t the only new leader on Thursday. The Derby crew saw seven additional lead changes. Jason Kornalski carDick’s Bait and Tackle Shop. said Sherry. “I kept saying, s of Sept. 18 — Sherry ried in the first lead Countryman woke up ‘This is a huge fish. This is a “It was crazy!” change at 8:15 am with The previous record huge fish!’” last Thursday mornholder was Donald MacGil- his 4.22-pound junior Sherry weighed her albie ing and headed to her boat, shore bonito. Jay Brown on the boat and watched the livray, an Island fishing Surprise Catch, with her icon. Don caught his fish on arrived a few minutes bescale register 20.5 pounds. fiancé Steve Brink and fore 9 am and weighed in Sept. 27, 1990. Don’s false In that moment, she knew friend Mel BenDavid. The albacore weighed 19 pounds a new Shore Bonito Grand trio left with Derby dreams she had a Derby contender, Leader at 5.34 pounds. and five ounces. but she had no idea she had and returned home with The evening shift saw six Don caught his fish during the largest false albacore in a new state record. more lead changes. Sherry the 45th Derby. Thirty-six “I was talking to Chris Massachusetts history. was the first with her giyears later, Sherry walked Hall. I told him how much Sherry, Mel, and Steve ant albie. Then Ed Amaral up the ramp at Derby the fish weighed, and he were casting into the watook over the Shore BlueHeadquarters and placed said to call Steve Morris,” ters off Nantucket. Steve fish Grand Leader position her fish on the table before said Sherry, who hung up was at the helm, and got with a 9.63-pound blue. Weighmaster Mike Cassidy. and called Steve. She then the ladies on fish. Abe Pieciak walked in two drove over to Dick’s Bait and Mike put Sherry’s boat false “They were on top,” said Sherry. “We were casting into Tackle to weigh her albie on albacore on the scale, and we minutes later with a new leader (4.90 pounds) in the all cheered when the scale a state record official scale. them. Then they went deep. Flyrod Shore Bonito diviregistered 19.91 pounds. At 4:30 pm Thursday, I cast once more and saw the sion. Janna O’Shaughnessy When the official process Sherry Countryman claimed fish come up out of the water carried in a new Boat Bluewas complete, Sherry posed the Massachusetts state reand grab my lure. fish Grand Leader (14.61 for pictures with a group of “He took off for Ireland. I cord for false albacore with friends present to cheer her on. pounds) at 7:18 pm. Twenty tightened my drag. I wanted her 19.91-pound albie. minutes later, Zachary Hor“The state was just here an “The only thing that makes him to know I was there. rocks took the lead in the hour before and certified my fishing worthwhile is the It was a battle of wills. He Flyrod Boat Bonito division friendships. The camaraderie was holding. I was holding,” scale,” said Steve, owner of

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Smiles, shrieks, and giggles at the Kids’ Derby

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he biggest smiles, most joyful giggles, and enthusiastic shrieks abounded throughout the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby’s annual Kids’ Day on Sunday morning. The 35 days of the Derby are the best days in a year, and the Sunday of the Kids’ Derby is the best of the best. Why? How are kids catching scup more fun than catching a weighable blue? Simple: The kids are beyond cute; their enthusiasm is contagious, and as adults, we just don’t giggle often enough, or at all, when a fish is wiggling around as we try to measure it. I lost count of how many children carried a fish to the weigh-in tables and announced, “This is the first fish I’ve ever caught.” If someone could figure out how to bottle the happiness at the Kids’ Derby, we’d all be blissful, and that individual would be a gazillionaire. Until then, we can thank organizers Cooper and Lela Gilkes and the Derby for a fun-filled morning. The preparations began in full force the night before, when Coop and Lela divided and conquered the tasks. Coop went out to catch bait for the kids: this year, a cooler full of fresh silversides as well as some crabs and baggies of cut-up squid. Lela prepared the clipboards, packed the supply bags, coordinated the awards and tally sheets, and double-checked the checklist. On Sunday morning, families began lining up at the Oak

Bluffs Steamship Authority building a little after 5 am while Coop, Lela, and a group of volunteers set up tables for the makeshift weigh station. At 6 am, Coop and Mike Cassidy, Derby committee member, led the children and their families down the dock ramp to line up before Derby President John Custer. With words of encouragement and a few important rules, Mr. Custer, known as the Tisbury School principal to many of the children, sounded the bell to start the event. Little feet scurried across the Steamship dock looking, and hoping, for the best spot to drop a line and jig for the biggest fish. Those of us at the weigh-in tables watched and waited and enjoyed a spectacular sunrise. Not quite 10 minutes into the competition, smiling faces were carrying scups and black sea bass toward us. Ron McKee and Paula Sullivan measured the first scup of the day for the 6-and-under division. Caleb Kolb caught the first fish in the 10-to-14 age group, and proudly handed it off to Cooper Fersen and Molly Reed to be entered. Aron Cascone and I had a blast measuring all the fish for the ages 7 to 9 division. We saw lots of scup and sea bass, quite a few flukes, a couple of pufferfish, one sea bass with a full eel in its mouth, and a teeny, tiny baby shark, which immediately prompted me to sing “Baby Shark.” For two hours, children, or parents, baited hooks,

Who’s cuter: Payton Hoggan or her baby shark? Yes, you are now singing, “Baby Shark, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo.” LISA BELCASTRO

kids’ derby results Grand Overall Winner – Largest Fish Isabella DeFoe, 5, 18-in. black sea bass

6 and under 1. Miles Anderson, 6, 17.25-in. black sea bass 2. Quinn DeBettencourt, 4, 17-in. black sea bass 3. Liam Herrmann, 6, 17-in. black sea bass

7 to 9 1. Felix Hall, 8, 17.25-in. black sea bass 2. Finn McDonald, 7, 17.25-in. black sea bass 3. Rory Goeckel, 8, 16-in. black sea bass

10 to 14 1. Colby Vought, 12, 17-in. black sea bass 2. Tristan Rubiton, 10, 16.75-in. black sea bass 3. Ana Julia Garfela, 10, 16.5-in. black sea bass

dropped lines over the railing at the Steamship dock, and jigged until their line tugged. More than 200 fish were caught, and most were released, though a few scup and sea bass went home to be enjoyed again later for dinner. At 8 am, Coop beeped the horn on his truck repeatedly to signal the end of Kids’ Day. The awesome swag was handed out, while Lela Gilkes tabulated the winners. Every child went home with a Kids’ Derby T shirt, a Mad Martha’s gift card for a free scoop of ice cream, and a goody bag of fish gummies from Enchanted Chocolates. Cosmo Creanga, Derby

committee member, sounded the bullhorn and gathered everyone for the awards ceremony. Liam Herrmann, age 6, was called to the stage for his third-place 17-inch black sea bass. Quinn deBettencourt, the youngest winner, earned second place for her 17-inch black sea bass, weighed in before Liam’s fish. Miles Anderson, 6, smiling even broader, caught first place with his 17.25-inch black sea bass. All the winners received a new rod, a tackle box, and a plaque. In the ages 7 to 9 division, Rory Goeckel, 8, finished third with a 16-inch black sea bass. Finn McDonald and Felix Hall both caught

LISA BELCASTRO

Sherry Countryman with the new State Record Boat False Albacore.

with an 8.81-pound bone. Shortly before evening weigh-in closed, Nils Leaf claimed the Boat Bluefish Grand Leader (16.26 pounds) position from Janna O’Shaughnessy.

It was a fun night to be at weigh-in and hear the cheers and see the smiling faces. If you haven’t been to the weigh-in, this coming weekend could be exciting.

a 17.25-inch black sea bass. Felix weighed his fish in first, so Finn, 7, took home second place to Felix’s first. Finn had weighed in multiple fish; Felix had only weighed in the winner. “One. I caught one fish,” said Felix, who was carrying on a family tradition. Felix’s dad, Louis Hall, won the Kids’ Derby years ago, and his older brother Finnegan also won the Kids’ Derby. “It’s exciting,” said Felix, a third grader at Tisbury School who also plays lacrosse and soccer. I asked Felix what he wants to do next, and he grinned and said, “Catch a striper. I spent the whole time here trying to catch one of the five stripers under the pier.” Colby Vought won the hotly contested ages 10 to 14 division over Tristan Rubiton, 10, with a 16.75-inch black sea bass, and Ana Julia Garfela, 10, and her 16.5inch black sea bass. “This is the first time my family has ever placed in this Derby,” said Colby triumphantly. Colby, 12, a Tisbury School seventh grader, caught two scup and the winning black sea bass. “The scup was moving a lot more, jiggling around. The sea bass felt bigger,” said Colby, who when he saw the sea bass rise out of the water let out a loud, “Yes!” “I thought it might be 15 [inches], then it ended up 17, and I was really excited,” said Colby. “Me and my dad will freeze it, and maybe eat it for dinner on Wednesday night.” We all waited as Cosmo prepared to announce the overall winner: “Isabella Defoe with an 18-inch black sea bass.”

The crowd parted for an adorable little 5-year-old girl to walk to the stage. The cuteness meter maxed out when Isabella smiled at Cosmo and tried to juggle holding all her awards. Isabella is in kindergarten at Vineyard Montessori. She told me quite confidently, “This is my first Kids’ Derby. This is the third time I’ve gone fishing, and I haven’t really learned yet.” She went on to describe how she caught two big fish at the same time on her Hi-Lo rig. “I had two on at once!” Isabella said enthusiastically. “And my rod almost broke.” Fortunately, her rod held, and she reeled in the winning 18-inch fish and a 15.5inch. Two shore keepers, perfect for supper. Dad Dan Defoe said they were going to eat the fish later for dinner. Isabella shook her head and said, “Dad, remember, I’m going to have pizza.” I couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Kids are the absolute cutest! As we packed up, I asked Coop what he thought of the morning. “It was awesome,” he said. “We started with a great sunrise and the kids saw it, then the fish showed up and started biting. Everyone had a great time.” Now, it’s early Monday morning. It’s dark and gray, and I’m heading out to fish in the wind and rain. I’m going to channel the joy and enthusiasm of the children to keep the smile on my face while the ocean waves spray me with a chilly mist. The weather is looking gnarly this week. Stay safe, everyone! I hope to see you on the beach, and at Derby Headquarters for a weigh-in.

THE PEOPLE, TOWNS, AND STORIES OF ISLAND LIFE + RESTAURANTS, GALLERIES & ENTERTAINMENT

T H U R S D AY, S E P T E M B E R 24 , 2026

SARAH

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DAWSON

AND FRIENDS SEE B7 SIMON STRZEPEK

POET BILLY COLLINS AT FEATHERSTONE

SEE B6

PAINTER ANN BELL ROBB GOING STRONG AT 90

SEE B14

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community & calendar

September 24, 2026

BOOKS

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al Leone, the protagonist in Maria Anne Lenihan’s new novel, “Morning Glory Girl,” has a bit of a problem. Actually, it’s a career-threatening one, so it weighs heavily on her life. After six years on the partner track at a New York corporate law firm, Val is under a lot of pressure, sending her life into a spiral that takes her to Martha’s Vineyard to try to figure out her next step. Much like Val, Lenihan’s grandmother has a house on the Island and has spent time here every summer. In a recent interview, Lenihan explains, “Val’s arc was inspired by real life. I’m a corporate attorney who experienced burnout, and I had my own aha moment where I sat back and considered whether what I’m dedicating all my time, energy, mental health, and sleep to is worth it. Was that what I wanted out of my life and career? Is this what I really Maria Anne Lenihan want to do, or is it what society expects? I hope the book inspires people to reflect on their own decisions, and if you’re not happy, take a page out of Val’s book and re-evaluate, because it’s never too late.” The instigating event that kicks off the novel is when the grueling life gets to Val so much that she has a panic attack. It’s so intense that she faints in front of the head partner when he tells Val she hasn’t been producing her work fast enough, even though she’s virtually killing herself on the latest deal. Val keeps pushing, and in her exhaustion considers, “Didn’t I want to make partner? Didn’t I want to make that kind of money? The prestige, the recognition of my talent and intellect, the admiration of clients and other attorneys, and my family … It wasn’t just me that had sacrificed; my parents worked so hard to give me these opportunities. “I have to be successful. “I’d just have to get through this deal and then take a couple of days off to catch my breath. Like every other demanding deal I’d worked on in the past six years.” When Val burns to a crisp, she has no choice but to take a three-month medical

leave. She tells her parents, “I’m overweight and exhausted and — miserable … I haven’t gone to the gym in months. And even when I do have time to see my friends or do anything that’s not work, I don’t enjoy it … I don’t know what I want, but it’s not this.”

And what better place to go than her grandmother Mimi’s house on Martha’s Vineyard, where she’d spent every summer growing up? Lenihan lands us on-Island, with familiar Vineyard specifics, such as a picnic at Menemsha and visits to Morning

An Island respite “Morning Glory Girl” by Maria Anne Lenihan. BY ABBY REMER

Glory Farm. It’s there, in fact, that we first meet Luke, an extremely charming owner of a local construction company that builds affordable housing. Lenihan writes of Val’s first sighting of him, “I realized too late that I was staring. My options were to pretend I wasn’t and flee to another section of the store, or say something to justify why I was looking at him. “‘Hi,’ I blurted. “‘Hi,’ he replied, amusement dancing across his face. One of his dark eyebrows rose slightly. “Why was I saying hi? Why would someone say hi to a stranger in a store? “‘Um, so …’ I nodded toward the stacks of pie boxes he was scrutinizing. “What do you usually buy here? I haven’t been back in ages.” “His face changed to a friendly smile, white teeth appearing within his neatly trimmed, dark beard. Wow, he’s handsome.” Luke, a devoted single dad, reappears soon after, when Val, who is looking for a job, ends up babysitting his daughter, spunky 8-year-old Luna. But this isn’t the only person with whom sparks fly. There is also Max, high-powered and working in finance and wealth management. He wines and dines Val with champagne and the compliments she thirsts for.

“I hope the book inspires people to reflect on their own decisions, and if you’re not happy, take a page out of Val’s book and re-evaluate, because it’s never too late.” –MARIA ANNE LENIHAN The two men — Max, impressed by her corporate job, and Luke, who supports her desire to be a writer — reflect Val’s conflicting, seesawing feelings about whether to return to the fast-paced life of a lawyer she had her heart set on, or leave it all behind to follow a passion she’s had since college. With the end of her three-month leave fast approaching, the race is on for Val to determine her true heart’s desire. “Morning Glory Girl: A Novel,” by Amaria Anne Lenihan. Available at Edgartown Books and Bunch of Grapes.

WEDDING ANNOUNCEMENT Poggi + Fenimore

SERVING THE COMMUNITY, SAFELY & RELIABLY FOR OVER 100 YEARS cronigsmarket.com State Road, Vineyard Haven · 508-693-4457 Healthy Additions · 508-693-7097 West Tisbury · 508-693-2234

Davis Poggi of Edgartown and Gayle Poggi of West Tisbury are pleased to announce the wedding of their daughter, Taylor Rae Poggi, to Edward Christopher Fenimore on April 11, 2026. Parents of the

GAYLE POGGI

groom are Edward and Susan Fenimore of Berwyn, Pa. The bride is a labor and delivery RN at Scripps Healthcare in San Diego. The groom is a capital markets consultant at PricewaterhouseCoopers. The couple resides in San Diego.

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS Francisco Barbosa Abreu

Freya Jaynne Flanders

Fabiana Abreu and Romualdo Abreu of Oak Bluffs announce the birth of a son, Francisco Barbosa Abreu, on Sept. 14, 2026, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Francisco weighed 6 pounds, 12.5 ounces.

Ellise Flanders and Christian Flanders of West Tisbury announce the birth of a daughter, Freya Jaynne Flanders, on Sept. 16, 2026, at Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. Freya weighed 8 pounds, 4.8 ounces.

community & calendar B3

September 24, 2026

BY NANCY SLONIM ARONIE

Or, What the crows taught A matter me.

of perspective

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n 1999, I got a $25,000 advance from Hyperion Little Brown to write a book called “Writing from the Heart.” My husband and I had just gone completely broke. Our business of 20 years had gone under, and this money was manna from heaven. Finally, after staring at my computer for days, I went to the library and took out a bunch of books on writing, and figured I could just copy some of what they had written and then somehow make it my own. Many of them had chapters on “Perspective.” I sat down at my desk and began to write: “‘Rashomon’ was a movie told from the perspective of three …” So I'm sitting there, writing this drivel, and finally I decided to go for a walk

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and clear my head. I stepped out onto the deck, thinking, “Perspective, perspective. OK, what is perspective, actually?” I thought, “Well, there’s my perspective … which is right….. and then there’s everyone else's … And if I could just talk to them …” I waved a dismissive wave at a murder of crows who were circling and screeching in the meadow right next to my cabin, like, “Stop all that noise. I’m writing a book.” As I rounded the bend of the driveway, I noticed the crows were actually following me, screeching right over my head. I stopped and I thought, “OMG, ‘The Birds,’ Tippi Hedren, Alfred Hitchcock; I’m going to get pecked to death.” I almost raced back to the house. But I forced myself to keep going.

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I thought, “Pay attention. Something big is going on here.” So I made myself keep walking down Flanders Lane, a walk I have taken a thousand times. Then, suddenly, I looked to my left and there was an opening I had never seen before. It was like “Brigadoon.” Remember that Broadway show about a town that appeared every hundred years? That’s what it felt like. So I ducked in there and … OMG! The crows followed me and landed in a semicircle. And got completely quiet. I stood still. I said to myself, “OK, this is otherworldly.” I knew — my gut knew — something my brain hadn’t processed yet. Then all of a sudden, I remembered a secret I had never told anyone before, a secret I had buried so deeply my ego was able to override it, and I could continue thinking I was one healthy dudess. OK, deep breath. I don’t even know you people. OK, here goes. My senior project in college, in Spanish class, was to write a paper solamente en

‘Maintaining Our Sovereignty’ Check out the Aquinnah Cultural Center’s Wampanoag History Museum. The museum is located on ancestral homelands, and shares the long and ongoing story of the Wampanoag people on Noepe (Martha’s Vineyard). Through exhibits and interactive displays, visitors can connect with more than 12,000 years of Wampanoag history, culture, and continued presence on this Island. “Maintaining Our Sovereignty,” an Aquinnah Cul-

tural Center (ACC) public history project that centers contemporary Aquinnah Wampanoag struggles for sovereignty in their traditional territories, is currently on display. On the U.S.’ semiquincentennial and in anticipation of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah)’s 40th anniversary of receiving federal acknowledgment, ACC staff members are revitalizing the Aquinnah Wampanoag Oral History Project, and will be gathering oral histories from tribal members who have been central

some far-off chamber in the depths of my addled brain, I heard, “This paper is a disgrace. You are a disgrace. I have reported you to Dean Alvey, and you are to pack your things and leave immediately. You’re a disgrace to the whole university.” I think I was sobbing but I know I used every bit of courage I had left to apologize before melting out of that room when my actual ears heard; “Meees Sloneem. I am so hoppy you are writing about Saint John of the Cross, a beautiful man. So I am reading … he was born in 1542 and he was educated and he this and he that, and then now suddenly I am reading about Saint Joan of the Cross. Eeet’s a different person.” I hadn't even seen that the pronouns had changed. I had combined two peoples’ lives. I stood there completely busted and totally ashamed. And then he said, “Don’t worry. I don't throw you out of school. But now because I know you are a theater major, for me you go back to your room and write me a play solamente en español.” A play? Write a play? In

Creativity requires safety and integrity, cheating is the opposite of imagination, and everyone, everyone, everyone has the chance for redemption. español … solely in Spanish. Being a professional procrastinator, I had waited til the last minute to write it. I went to the college library and stood in front of a row of books about Saint John of the Cross. I checked them all out. I went back to my

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to fighting for Wampanoag political, cultural, and community survival. This rotating gallery places excerpts of oral histories into conversation with belongings from the ACC’s permanent collection, as well as newly commissioned works by Aquinnah Wampanoag artists.

MV TIMES

room and copied — lifted paragraph after paragraph. It’s funny when you cheat how you can lose all logic, how you are able to compartmentalize. There was a part of me that thought, Well, he won't notice that the stories don’t really connect. The part that used to be honest and would never do such a thing was apparently taking a long winter's nap. Now I wonder if that part ever did exist. Five days before graduation, Dr. DeSalvo called me to his office. From the second I got the message my heart started pounding. This is it. I'm getting thrown out of school. I left the dorm and was crossing the field to the administrative offices. My feet felt stuck in cement. I could just leave and tell people I decided a college degree was too bourgeois for my creative soul. Which was better? To be thrown out of school, which was about to happen, or to run away content to keep my secret hidden? But I thought about my mother and everything she had sacrificed to get me to college, and how proud she

Tuesday through Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm. Adults $10, seniors $8, children 7 to 17 $6, children 6 and under free. 35 Aquinnah Circle, Aquinnah.

Art show: Susan Bienen Johnson Catch the art show “Stone Walls, Graves, Fishing Shack Windows” by Susan Bienen Johnson at the West Tisbury library. A closing reception will be held Tuesday, Sept. 29, 12 to 2:30 pm. “This group of paintings celebrates lichen-covered landscapes and fishing shack windows, all of which make connections. The fishing shack windows connect and reflect views, and sometimes

was of me, the first college graduate in the family. So I dragged my guilt-ridden body across campus and shaking, I knocked on his door. There was my paper on his desk. I couldn't look at him. There was a long moment of thick silence. From

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suggest still lives — windowpanes jammed with dusty paraphernalia. Pale lichen connects stone walls and trees, and makes the world green, while golden lichen creates spiral patterns against somber gravestones, connecting and transforming a dying place into a living one. For many years, the beach was my favorite place for plein air drawing. Seated near the water’s edge (where all the natural elements connected), I drew rocks, seaweed, sand, and sea as the tide changed,” Johnson says.

Spanish? I'll write a play in Russian! In Sanskrit! In Aramaic! I wanted to jump into his arms and thank him for giving me my life back. I did write the play. Which he loved, and which got produced every year while he was head of the department.

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Sept. 25, 6:30 to 9 pm. Kismet Outfitters, 204 Upper Main St., Edgartown. Tickets at kismetoutfitters.com/pages. After purchasing tickets, please RSVP to stephen@ kismetoutfitters.com.

West Tisbury library, 1042 State Road, West Tisbury, westtisburylibrary. org/publiclibrary.

And the angel gave me a gift of a C− for the course. So there I am, back in the woods of Chilmark, remembering what I had done back in college, and the crows were still silent. Looking at me. And then, I’m not kidding, five of them hopped closer. And I know this is weird, but they looked like rabbis. And then I got this really strong feeling that they wanted me to turn around. So I very slowly turned in a full circle. And when I came back to my starting point, I realized I was in the middle of a beech tree grove with hundreds of spindly saplings. And every one of them had a different perspective, and EVERY ONE OF THEM WAS RIGHT. There wasn’t one tree looking across at another tree telling them that what they were seeing was wrong. In that powerful moment, I realized my arrogant self had always bent everyone I knew into a pretzel with my desperate need to be right. I got that creativity requires safety and integrity, that cheating is the opposite of imagination and that everyone, everyone, everyone has the chance for redemption. And that everyone, everyone, everyone has a different perspective. But most of all, standing there in the stillness, I realized forgiveness doesn't always come from professors or parents, or anyone outside of us — it has to come from within. I still argue for my take on things, but I made a promise that day that I would learn to listen. And now, at 85, I’m losing my hearing, haha.

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6th annual Living Local Harvest Festival Catch the annual Harvest Festival at the Agricultural Hall. Enjoy activities like pumpkin carving, visiting with animals, exploring the hay maze, crafts for kids, demos for adults, local bites, a piebaking contest, a pie-eating contest, music by the Flying Elbows, and more. Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 am to 2 pm. Free. 35 Panhandle Road, West Tisbury. marthasvineyardagriculturalsociety.org/ upcoming-events. Pumpkin carving from a previous Living Local Harvest Festival.

Kismet Outfitters celebrates saltwater fly-fishing Kismet Outfitters is celebrating saltwater fly-fishing by featuring the 20th anniversary Fly Fishing Film Tour (F3T), an all-new collection of films highlighting the people, places, and adven-

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tures that make fly-fishing so addictive. Before the films, Capt. Dave Steeves of Sage and RIO will offer a special rod and fly-line demo, giving anglers the chance to cast using the latest gear designed to handle the unique challenges of fall fishing on the Island.

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Writing From The Heart

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Tisbury By Taylor Stone tisburycolumnist@gmail.com

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ast Saturday, if you were anywhere near Tisbury Harbor a little before 7 pm, you may have heard a cannon blast out across the harbor! That was the historic Shenandoah celebrating the end of its very last sail after 63 years of service. This weekend-long retirement party brought people all across the Island together, sharing their memories of the Shenandoah over the years. I’m very proud to say: Since my family washed ashore before my fifth

grade, I was able to sail on this vessel way back in 2002 with my own Edgartown fifth grade class. And while I mostly remember swimming with jellyfish, learning to tie a monkey’s-fist knot, and playing so many games of cards, it does make me feel just a little more connected with our Island’s maritime history. Continuing the transition from summer to whatever you call this time of year: It is so much fun playing tourist on Martha’s Vine-

Edgartown By Marnely Murray marnely@gmail.com

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s I do my weekly research for this column, I’ve come across a lot of fish. Starting with the fall art initiative from the Edgartown Board of Trade, back for its ninth year. I’m talking about the Bass in the Grass Fundraiser, which kicks off this week on the 25th with the showcase at the Carnegie Heritage Center. The auction is going live online on its site, bassinthegrassmv.com. Edgartown’s Bass in the Grass 2026 is brought to you by presenting sponsors E.C. Cottle and Edgartown Meat & Fish Market. And you can’t talk about fish in September without

talking about the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. One thing I want to showcase is the Derby’s fillet program, which allows anglers to donate their catch to provide fresh, locally caught fish to the Island’s elderly. The program ensures that thousands of pounds of high-quality fish are processed and distributed in coordination with the

By Joanne Lambert joannelamber@gmail.com

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his September has been just the way we like it — the crowds have thinned, the days are mostly sunny, and the nights are cool. I have

C yard! My weekend itinerary started with dinner outside at Noman’s (where it seemed every single person was celebrating a birthday or anniversary of some kind), and the Habitat for Humanity art show at the Grange Hall, organized by Galaxy Gallery in Oak Bluffs. This being the first Saturday since the Chilmark Flea Market ended, of course I had to visit the West Tisbury Farmers Market at the Ag Hall on Saturday morning. (Did you know that the

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Farmer’s Market continues through all of October, with the last one taking place on Halloween day?) Then I was requested by some vendor friends to come visit them at last Saturday’s Tivoli Day in Oak Bluffs. Where us Tisburians have the Tisbury Street Fair, Oak Bluffs has Tivoli Day. From an attendee’s perspective, congratulations to those who make this event happen each year. From the live music to local vendors, cute puppies,

been in the water almost every day at Pay Beach — still feels warm to me! Although it’s raining as I write on Sunday, and the week ahead looks rainy. But I am not vacuuming the sand out of my car just yet! The Harvest Moon rises on Sept. 26. This full moon marks our transition from summer to fall, and unlike other full moons, this one rises at about the same time for three consecutive evenings. Besides symbolizing

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and incredible-smelling food all down Circuit Ave., It was a complete blast, and an extra-special shout-out to the weather for staying sunny and warm at a time of year when we’re not always so lucky. This event reminds us that it’s possible to close off a main street downtown and imagine for a moment what life might be like with just a few less cars on our little Island. I am always so impressed with the constant resources provided by all of our local

Continuing the transition from summer to whatever you call this time of year: It is so much fun playing tourist on Martha’s Vineyard! local senior centers. They partner with the Martha’s Vineyard Seafood Collaborative to quickly process and deliver a quality product, so if you’re fishing the Derby, make sure to ice your catch, as only fish that are properly cared for will be accepted for the senior center fillet program. On to events this week: The Erica Wilson shop on 21 Kelly St. hosts a “Sip ‘n Stitch” free event every Thursday night from 6 to 7:30 pm. All are welcome to join this fun night to socialize and share needlepoint tips and tricks! On Saturday the 26th, meet the friendly Icelandic

horses and enjoy a special opportunity to take a ride around Slough Farm! Children ages 4 and up will be accompanied by their equine manager, Sam Cooperrider, and guided through a gentle 15-minute ride. Preregistration is required; it cannot accommodate drop-ins. Full details and registration can be found at bit.ly/SF_IcelandicRides. Next up, Sunday the 27th is the last Sunday to take advantage of the “Family Flower You Pick” event, also at Slough Farm, where you can bring friends and family to pick flowers, arrange them, and take them

The [fillet] program ensures that thousands of pounds of high-quality fish are processed and distributed in coordination with the local senior centers.

Oak Bluffs

“There is a time in late September when the leaves are still green and the days are still warm, but somehow you know that it is all about to end, as if summer was holding its breath, and when it let it out again, it would be autumn.” –Sharyn McCrumb

September 24, 2026

the time of harvest, offering farmers more light in the day during harvest season, this moon brings thoughts of gratitude and preparedness for the darker months ahead. Hoping for clear skies to enjoy this big, bright moon! The Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center invites the community to welcome Sukkot on Friday, Sept. 25, with an evening of prayer, fellowship, and festive dining. Sukkot celebrates harvest, gratitude, and the

beauty of gathering together. Special guest Brad Lopes, education manager for the Wampanoag Tribe, will speak about celebrating the harvest in Wampanoag and Jewish culture. The evening begins at 5:30 pm; please register at mvhebrewcenter.org. Tivoli Day was amazing; many thanks to the Oak Bluffs Association for managing this fabulous end-of-summer party on Circuit Ave.! The street was filled with people, vendors,

S libraries on Martha’s Vineyard. If you have wondered how to get more involved in our local library, the Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library is holding its quarterly meeting this Saturday, Sept. 26 at 10:15 am on Zoom. This month is the annual meeting for the election of officers, so meet other Friends and learn how you can help volunteer yourself this Saturday. Biggest bunches of birthday balloons to Kathy Ivory on Sept. 27. 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.

home. For more details and to register ($10), go to bit.ly/ SF_FamilyFlowerpicking Heading into downtown again, the Carnegie Heritage Center is hosting an exhibit by lifelong Edgartown resident, businessman, craftsman, and community figure Leo Convery, who has spent more than nine decades carving out a remarkable life on Martha’s Vineyard. Later in life, Leo found his true artistic calling: woodcarving. Inspired by the Island around him, he transforms wood into striped bass, tuna, shorebirds, and other familiar creatures of Vineyard waters and skies. His work has earned numerous blue ribbons and first-place honors at the Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Fair, including two first-place awards this year. My condolences go out to the entire family, as Leo’s wife, Alison Convery, who shared a life deeply rooted in creativity, craftsmanship, family,

and Island community with him, passed away at the age of 92 this past week. Losing a loved one is one of life’s biggest trials, and that’s why Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard has organized a free, one-day grief camp for children in grades K-8 and their families at Slough Farm on Sept. 27 from 9 to 5 pm. Applications have been accepted, and continue to be on a rolling basis, until capacity is reached. To apply or learn more, email campbythesea@hospiceofmv.org. May we all continue to celebrate life, so birthday congratulations are in order. Cheers to Melissa Norton Vincent on Sept. 24, Susie Wallo on Sept. 26, Andrea McGroarty, Mariko Kawaguchi, Kathy Ivory, and Nathan Briggs on Sept. 27; and Sofia Tejeda on Sept. 29! May your days be filled with joy; happy birthday!

and music all day, with lots of great deals to be had. I bought a raffle ticket from three very persuasive young hockey players to support youth hockey. I was also able to enter C’est La Vie without waiting in line! It’s always so fun to see friends and neighbors again, after the summer crowds are gone. Oak Bluffs knows how to celebrate! We will celebrate the amazing life of Tripp Barnes on Sunday, Sept. 27 at the Ag Hall. It will be a

community potluck starting at 2 pm. I am sure this Vineyard Icon will be honored in style by the Island that loved him. The music continues at Ocean Park on Sundays, featuring Jessie Leaman and the Outskirts this Sunday, Sept. 27, from 5 to 7 pm. Happy birthday to Misty Araujo and Jeff St. Pierre on Sept. 25! Susie Wallo and Joan Walsh celebrate on Sept. 26. Beth Blankenship O’Connor has her day on the 27th. Birthday blessings to Connie Tarvis — she is blowing out 90 candles on the 28th! Island swimmer Eva Skibild will be dancing to celebrate her birthday on the 29th. We remember Cristy Grace on the 20th, and send a hug to Steve. Send me your news!

Brad Lopes, education manager for the Wampanoag Tribe, will speak about celebrating the harvest in Wampanoag and Jewish culture.

READ THE MV TIMES ONLINE MVTIMES.COM

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September 24, 2026

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Aquinnah By Kathie Olsen aquinnahcolumn@gmail.com

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e’ve got a hearty bunch of kids in Aquinnah who love basketball. Maybe you saw their marvelous performance at the Aquinnah Variety Show this last winter. They deserve a great place to play right here in Aquinnah, and they almost have it, but the basketball court behind the town offices needs a new court surface and a safe and secure fence, along with sealcoating and court lines. We must raise a total of $60,000 to get it done.

We’re so close. Right now, a local family has offered to match every donation up to $25,000, and we’re into the final week to meet that challenge. You can drop off your checks or mail them to Aquinnah Town Hall, 955 State Road, Aquinnah, MA 02535. Make it payable to town of Aquinnah, with “basketball court” indicated on the memo line, and know that its value will be doubled. Please step up, folks. Those kids surely deserve what kids in most other towns already have.

Chilmark By Claire Ganz cganz@live.com

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ast week, the traditional first week for the fourth and fifth graders at the Chilmark School sailing trip on the Shenandoah was her final voyage. She was joined by a parade of sails from Menemsha to Tarpaulin Cove on Naushon, and back to Vineyard Haven Harbor. Thank you, Lynne Whiting, for starting this tradition in 1992. The Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy is raising funds to build the Shenandoah II. Donate here: mvoa.org/campaign.

Tamara Weiss shares wonderful news: “Hi! I have just returned from my son, Jules Stuber’s mountaintop wedding in Montana. Jules grew up on the Vineyard, found love with Emily Madsen in Vermont, moved to Montana, and now lives in Portland, Maine. He is nev-

By Hermine Hull hermine.hull@gmail.com

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On Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2 pm, Brad Lopes, education and program manager for the Aquinnah Cultural Center, will be at Town Hall exploring the history of Noepe. Drawing from both oral traditions and historical sources, this presentation will examine the Island’s landscapes and history while highlighting the enduring presence of Wampanoag people. The program is free, and all are welcome. On Monday, Sept. 28, and again on Monday, Oct. 5, go to the Up-Island Council on Aging to pick up some free fish, courtesy

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of the M.V. Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. It’s first come, first served. Also, this month’s Up-Island Council on Aging luncheon for seniors will take place on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Aquinnah Town Hall. Give them a call at 508-693-2896 and let them know if you can be there. The Aquinnah Cultural Center also reminds us that Sept. 30 marks Orange Shirt Day, an observance of the atrocities committed at Canadian and American Indian boarding schools beginning in the 19th century. There are a few events

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coming up next weekend. On Saturday, Oct. 3, at 2 pm at the Chilmark library, there will be a presentation about “Menemsha’s Working Waterfront” by the M.V. Fishermen’s Preservation Trust and the Menemsha Commercial Dock Working Group. I suggest going for a coffee and treats at the new Menemsha Market, pick up a few groceries while you’re at it, and then attend this, the first Climate Conversation presented by the Vineyard Way “Climate Action Plan.” Callie Brust, the wonderful new program coordinator at the Aquin-

It turned cooler as the day progressed. By the time Iyla and her cohort competed, it had begun to rain. Those wiser than I had brought coats, raincoats, rainhats, umbrellas, and blankets. I was chilled through by the time I got home, grateful for a hot cup of tea as I settled down with my cat and notes to write this week’s column. From Jen Rand: The town of West Tisbury is offering the large pine at the intersection of Old County and State roads to anyone with a machine capable of moving it. Interested applicants must provide a certificate of insurance to the town, and must be able

S nah library, has announced a fun event presented by all the libraries on the Island. Taking place on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 3 to 4 pm, you have a chance to take a partner dance class right here at our own Town Hall. The class will be led by Ellen Brodsky, sponsored by the M.V. Ballroom Dancers. If you’d like more information, call Callie at the Aquinnah library, 508-645-2314, or just grab your favorite partner and attend. Birthday greetings to Lewis Moore on Sept.25, to Spa on Sept. 26, and to Paul O’Donnell on Sept. 27.

Sept. 30 marks Orange Shirt Day, an observance of the atrocities committed at Canadian and American Indian boarding schools beginning in the 19th century. er too far from North Road in Chilmark! The wedding was an intimate celebration of love and adventure. Sept. 10, 2026.” Wishing them an ocean of joy. Nancy Huntington Nitchie died on Sept. 7. She was a beloved friend who made us laugh, captivated us with stories, and generously shared flowers and bulbs. Holding her beloved family, Donald Nitchie, Beth Parker, Emily, Billy Jake, and Delilah Meegan, Sofia Nitchie, Tucker and Nigel Smith, and, of course, greatgrandson Silvio, in the light.

I encourage you to read her fine obit in this paper. Congratulations to Sarah Carr (40-49) and Gabby Carr (20-28) on running fast and winning your age group in the 24th annual NAACP George V. Tankard Jr. Memorial 5K Road Race/Walk. Jay Lageman was a delightful human. His sculptures capture happiness, and it is hard to accept the news that he died on Sept. 9 after a long illness. Deepest sympathy and condolences to his family and friends. On his website, lageman. com, you can watch videos

and read Jay’s “View”: an artist’s look at life. His sculptures are unmistable. His bronze “Swordfish Harpooner” commands attention from the dunes of Menemsha. Laurisa Rich, founder of Beachbefrienders, reminds us to bring a bag and clean up our beaches. Alison Convery died in her sleep on Friday, Sept. 18. Services will be at 10 am on Friday, Sept. 25, at St. Andrew’s Episcopal, on the corner of Winter St. and North Summer St. in Edgartown. The reception starts at noon in the Baylies room of the

On his website, lageman.com, you can watch videos and read Jay Lageman’s “View”: an artist’s look at life. His sculptures are unmistable. His bronze “Swordfish Harpooner” commands attention from the dunes of Menemsha.

West Tisbury

utumn will officially arrive this week. Colors have begun changing, fading, or intensifying, turning the landscape into something other than green. The shortening hours of daylight are already noticeable. The Horse Council held a show on the Ag Hall grounds this past Sunday morning. Horses had been braided and beribboned, brushed until their coats gleamed. Riders sat erect as they guided their horses through a series of walks, trots, canters, and jumps. I enjoyed watching the girls and their horses who had worked so hard to prepare for the show.

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to move the tree within two weeks of notification of the award. In the case of more than one applicant, the winner will be chosen by a blind drawing. If interested, please send an email to townadmin@westtisbury-ma.gov, and put “tree removal” in the subject line. If you don’t receive an email confirmation of receipt, please confirm the office got your email. All emails must be received by noon on Oct. 13. Yes, this is the tree lit with colored lights at Christmas, the tree the Estrella and Pachico children decorated with their grandparents, the tree that welcomes everyone coming from Vineyard Haven during the darkest nights

of December. I have sent an email to Jen asking for information, and was surprised by her response. Does anyone remember that an evergreen there has been removed and replaced four times over the years? I didn’t. Jen said a smaller tree will continue to light our way home every December. This Sunday, Sept. 27, the Barnes family invites everyone to celebrate the life of Trip Barnes. Arrive at 2 pm with a favorite potluck dish, and your best stories about Trip to share. There will be plenty of them. The Martha’s Vineyard Museum has just opened an exhibition, “The Two Worlds of Denys Wortman.” Wortman’s work

spanned his life in New York City, where he was a renowned cartoonist, and his life on the Vineyard, where he lived from 1941 until his death in 1958. He still mailed his daily “Metropolitan Movies” cartoons to the city, while also drawing, painting, and photographing people and places on the island. If you went to the Thomas Hart Benton show at the museum, you may remember seeing the portraits that Benton and Wortman painted of each other in their respective studios, a highlight of that exhibition. The show runs through Feb. 21. Also at the museum, 12 animal portraits painted by Eleanor Hubbard. It’s

Whaling Church. Happy birthday week to Marylin Hollinshead. Emma Tobin and her father, Matt Tobin, return home from a trip to New Mexico and Colorado. We can catch up with Emma and restock our supplies of her Tea Lane Apothecary natural products at the West Tisbury Farmers Market on Saturday, Sept. 26. All friends are invited to “The Final Trip,” a celebration of life and community potluck in honor of Clarence A. (“Trip”) Barnes III, at 2 pm, Sunday, Sept. 27, at the Agricultural Hall, West Tisbury. Pizza Night at the Chilmark Church returns Tuesday, Sept. 29, at 6pm. Anyone wishing to help set up can come at 5:30, and if you want to bring a side or dessert, please do so.

called “Menagerie of Marvels,” and tells a wonderful story of the artist’s commitment to the welfare of animals in her art. It remains on view through Jan. 17. At the West Tisbury library, artist Susan Bienem Johnson will speak about her work at the reception for her show, “Stone Walls, Graves, and Fishing Shack Windows,” on Tuesday, Sept. 29, noon to 2:30 pm. I was sad to read that Nancy Nitchie died earlier this month. Her obit mentioned the plantings of daffodils, azaleas, and daylilies she left behind. I can’t imagine a lovelier legacy. Condolences to the Nitchie/Parker and Meegan family.

The town of West Tisbury is offering the large pine at the intersection of Old County and State roads to anyone with a machine capable of moving it.

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September 24, 2026

MICHAEL WEST: What was the occasion of the first poem you remember writing? BILLY COLLINS: My mother would often remind me of events in my early childhood growing up in New York that I had forgotten, but this one I remember directly. I was about 8 or so, in the back of my parents’ car as we drove up the FDR Drive. I was watching a sailboat tacking up the East River. I asked my mother for a pencil and something to write on. I don’t remember what I wrote, but I think that qualifies as my first act of literature. When I looked up, the sailboat was gone. “If you see something, say

days would likely cost you your job. He took the comedians of his day very seriously. Loved Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason. Could not stand Jack Benny. I think he enjoyed his contempt for Benny. He would watch his show and yell from the “television room” about how unfunny he was. Me, I like George Carlin, Norm MacDonald, Andy Kaufman, Melissa McCarthy, Jay Golden, Dave Chappelle, Olivia Coleman, Richard Pryor, Jeff Altman, Redd Foxx ... oh, Fred Willard! MW: Who are your favorite artists? BC: Matisse and more Matisse. I want to move into one of his colorful rooms

Billy Collins is a tireless campaigner for making poetry accessible to everyday people. His work is witty, profound, and humane. Also, he loves dogs. something.” That caution after 9/11 is what the English Romantic poets began doing in the 1790s, and what much contemporary poetry still consists of. I guess that means my first theme was “Man versus Nature” — the man in the sailboat versus the force of the river.

Billy Collins

The funniest serious poet around An interview with Billy Collins.

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BY MICHAEL WEST

eatherstone Center for the Arts and Pathways Arts will present Billy Collins, reading his poems, at 6 pm on Saturday, Sept. 26 in Featherstone’s Francine Kelly Gallery. Collins will also be

teaching a one-day poetry workshop on Friday, Sept. 25. This year marks the 30th anniversary of Featherstone, and Collins has read his poems there every other year since 2007. One of the most popular poets in America, and a former U.S. poet laureate,

Billy Collins is a tireless campaigner for making poetry accessible to everyday people. His work is witty, profound, and humane. Also, he loves dogs. This interview emerged from an email exchange with Billy Collins in late August and early September.

MW: Your most recent book is “Dog Show.” Have you always loved dogs? BC: My first experience with dogs was purely literary. Along with the Hardy Boys series, I read all of the dog adventure books—really collie adventure books — by Albert Payson Terhune. We didn’t get an actual dog until we moved from the city to the Westchester suburbs, a rescue mutt who really looked like he needed to be rescued even after we brought him home from the pound. Sparky, named after a character on a children’s Saturday morning radio show. “We’re buying a heartache” was my father’s wise caution to me. I’ve had four dogs all told, four heartaches on four leashes, all returned by the vet. MW: People enjoy the humor in your poems. Who in the world of comics and comedians do you find funny? BC: My father was a very humorous guy, a wisecracker with lots of one-liners. And a puller of elaborate practical jokes, some of which these

and stay there. I wouldn’t add a thing except a really high-end sound system. MW: Your favorite jazz musicians? BC: I’m always embarrassed talking about jazz. It’s hard to avoid sounding like you’re flashing your hip credentials. Especially the namedropping requirement. Referring to “Miles,” “Bud,”and “Prez” as if you go to the beach with those cats all the time. Let’s just say I started listening to jazz when I was 14 (Benny Goodman’s 1938 “Carnegie Hall Jazz Concert”) and I pretty much

stopped keeping up after “Bitches Brew,” my favorite year for jazz being 1957. MW: What’s in the to-be-read pile next to your bed? BC: Night table occupants: Sophie Elmhirst, “A Marriage at Sea”; Marlon James, “The Disappearers”; Geoff Dyer, “The Last Days of Roger Federer”; Emily Wilson, “Crossing the Wine-Dark Sea.” And a glass of water. MW: It must be a massive task to publish 50 years and more than 500 pages of poems. That’s due in 2027, isn’t it? BC: A “Complete Poems” looks like a big item on a shelf at 500-plus pages, but it’s hardly a “massive task” to put together, largely because the poems have already been written. I can vouch for that because I was actually there. All the poems you’ve ever written get stacked up in chronological order, then covers are added, and on the truck they go. The plan is to publish in 2027 so the title can read “Complete Poems (1977-2027).” An even 50 years of writing poems. Gulp. I’ve heard that’s when they cover your lap with a blanket, wheel you out to a shady spot on the lawn, and leave you there, alone with your watercoloring kit. Poetry reading with Billy Collins, Saturday, Sept. 26, 6 pm at the Francine Kelly Gallery, Featherstone Center for the Arts. $30 general seating/$300 VIP seats as a fundraiser for Featherstone's 30th year! (These seats are within the first two rows, and include parking in the upper main lot.)

Hotel Rex By Billy Collins

Looming over the little sewing kit and the miniature bottles of shampoo and conditioner, I am a giant, a colossus, a king standing before the royal mirror in an enormous robe of terrycloth. As a sign of my benevolence, I will forego coffee, scrambled eggs, and toast from room service and check out early before my tiny subjects arrive to wash their hair and mend their simple attire. Copyright © Billy Collins from “Whale Day,” Random House, 2020

BY MARY ALICE RUSSELL

What a difference a day makes The daily MVTimes newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every weekday. Sign up today at mvtimes.com/newsletter

The Cribbage Club met on Sept. 16, with 24 members showing up to compete for the winning card. The results are as follows: First, Alan Michaels with an 11/5 +103 card Second, Jack Silvia

with an 11/5 +89 card Third, Ray Lincoln with a 10/5 +72 card Fourth, Byram Devine with a 10/5 +50 card Fifth, Mary Alice Russell with a 10/4 +44 card Sixth, Frank Fenner with a 9/4 + 56 card

We had two 24-point hands, played by Alan Michaels and Kathy Kinsman. Frank Fenner and George Giosmas had the rare 23-point hands, and 14 people rang the bell as they got skunked (a loss greater than 30 points). If you are interested in

cribbage, give us a try! We meet at the American Legion in Katama at 5:30 pm on Wednesdays. Feel free to check us out! For more info, call or text me at 508-524-1220, or email me at maonmv@mac.com.

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September 24, 2026

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arah Shaw Dawson applied to be a freelance reporter at the Martha’s Vineyard Times with a poem. The managing editor read the poetry, and was intrigued enough to request more material — perhaps some writing with more paragraphs and quotes — and that is how Shaw Dawson's story at The Times started. Shaw Dawson was born and raised on the Island, where she developed a passion for music and the written word. She is now a full-time beat reporter at The Times, with a love for informing the community she grew up in, covering health, housing, and education. She also performs across the Island, both with a band of musicians and as a solo act. She plays electric and acoustic guitar, and writes her own music. Her style is indie, with a rock flair. She describes her lyrics as ethereal, hopeful, and deeply rooted in the natural world. She was always a musical child, trying her hand at several instruments. In her youth, she grew to love piano. Eventually she taught herself guitar, and her background in piano heavily influenced her unique picking style: “I don't pick with discernment. I pick all notes, so it's a really fluid movement.” Up until recently, Shaw Dawson was embarrassed by this trait, but now she's embraced it as a strength, and realizes it's part of what makes her music distinctly hers. Her advice to other musicians: “If you have this belief in your abilities, or a weird thing that you do that you don't see other people doing, and that is embarrassing, lean in and do it more because it could be the exact thing that sets you apart.” Growing up, Shaw Dawson always thought that whatever she did would involve music; however, after leaving college, although she was still making music, she was unenthusiastic about sharing it. Her lyrics are her own, and express vulnerability, and she felt daunted by revealing that side of herself. Now when people say they relate to her lyrics, she is honored. “I wouldn't describe it as wanting people to know me, I would say more like I don't feel like I have anything to hide,” she said. Her lyrics aren’t written in the traditional sense you might imagine: A writer, sitting in a field with a journal, looking out over the horizon. Instead, Shaw Dawson presses “record” on her phone and improvises; later, when she revisits the recording, what sticks becomes the song. Shaw Dawson also used to view performing as creating a distance between the artist and the crowd, and something she wouldn’t want to do with her own music. Now she sees it as an open and flowing dialogue, connecting groups of people. “I don't feel like

SARAH SHAW DAWSON A N D F R I E N D S Sarah Shaw Dawson is curating an upcoming music and arts festival, HERitage. BY ELLA MUNNELLY

Sarah Shaw Dawson and Friends at Eisenhauer Gallery.

NICHOLAS VUKOTA

“If you have … a weird thing that you do that you don't see other people doing, and that is embarrassing, lean in and do it more, because it could be the exact thing that sets you apart.”

Jon Malone, drummer. ANTHONY ESPOSITO

–SARAH SHAW DAWSON I'm talking at them, singing at them. I feel like we're there together,” she said. “They're experiencing the music in a way that I'm not, but we're hearing the same thing, and like they're in their world, I'm in my world, but we’re in this together at the same time.” Shaw Dawson’s band includes Sean Clarke on bass and Jon Malone on drums. Sean Clarke is the sous-chef at Black Sheep. He came to the Island from the U.K. as a chef looking for work in 2020, after most kitchens in Europe shut their doors due to COVID. He had originally planned to go to Australia, but after they closed their borders, he caught wind of Martha's Vineyard, came for one summer, and fell in love. “I needed to make money, so I initially … was going to work two months and then leave, but it kind of dragged me in, and I'm still here six years later,” said Clarke. This summer he started a business called Nami, known for ceviche and Brazilian lemonade. Clarke described Shaw Dawson as the skeleton of the band that he and Jon are

filling out. “They’re literally all her sounds and her creations; she’s the foundation of it all,” said Clarke. Clarke spent last winter exploring Argentina, hiking, and living out of a backpack. When he got back, he met Malone, and they began playing together. He stated that when he performs with Malone and Shaw Dawson, their sound is always growing and changing. “Sometimes I'll do something like, ‘Oh, that was sick’, and then won't remember it. So we just kind of see what happens every time. I do like that kind of spontaneity of it,” said Clarke. Jon Malone joined the band this winter, after meeting Shaw Dawson at what began as a jazz jam session. The night ended with the group playing some of Shaw Dawson’s original music. Malone left intrigued by her work, and interested in exploring more. “My job initially was to come in and support her with her playing, her guitar and singing, just seeing what she naturally sounded like, and I think we're organically moving her music a little bit into a

Sean Clarke, bassist. ANTHONY ESPOSITO

Sarah Shaw Dawson, musician and reporter.

SIMON STRZEPEK

new direction,” said Malone. Malone is a self-described pandemic transplant, and credits the Island with his return to music after a 20-year hiatus. “The way things have unfolded here is continuing to unfold. It's allowed me to really get back into something I've been doing since I was a little kid,” said Malone. Malone described his job on the drums as something like solving a puzzle. “It's like

you're moving the pieces around, and all of a sudden it just clicks,” he said. “I think that's one of the things that drives me as a musician, is just trying to make it all click.” As the pieces of the music move around, the sound changes. Malone says intuition decides what works. “You get into a nice, we call it a flow state, where you're just all connected, and there's a synergy to it, and then that's

something completely different, where it's just absolutely pure joy and fun … I think each time we perform, it will just keep getting better, and I think there'll be some changes, and that part's up to Sarah with what she feels.” And Shaw Dawson has big feelings — passion for both her music and her work at the paper. “I’m a feeler,” she said. “When I report, I try to be empathetic and compassionate without oversaturating a piece with feeling. And in my music, I kind of do the opposite,” meaning she leans into her feelings in her music in a way that she can’t in her reporting. As for her band, Shaw Dawson said they aren’t looking for one specific sound, and some of their best work has come from experimentation. “What matters to me is that I respect and value their playing, and that they respect and value mine, and whatever comes from that, I'm excited to explore it,” she said. “Music is very much alive and changes with us, and I intend for that to be the case.” Shaw Dawson is grateful for the band, because they never make her feel like she has to fight to be heard; rather they are incredibly uplifting. “There's still a gap that exists in our society where women, people of color, indigenous people, lowerincome people have to fight to be believed, in their words and their art and who they are. I don't think that [gap] should exist. And I really appreciate that it doesn't exist in the practice rooms and performances with these guys. I feel respected,” she said. This is the reason that Shaw Dawson has decided to organize an event on Oct. 2 called HERitage, in solidarity with LadyFest, which is the following day, in Oak Bluffs. “I feel very passionately about uplifting the voices of people who are not as often in the spotlight for those societal reasons,” she said. “This festival is intentionally meant to be cozy and community-oriented — think warm lighting, accessible art, and good vibes — while also empowering, and putting out there artists and musicians who are women and nonbinary people, and to give a space for people to share their work as much as possible,” said Shaw Dawson. For HERitage, each artist was instructed to choose a historic woman in Island history, or a maternal figure in their own life, and create an open-ended piece of multimedia artwork inspired by whomever they choose. The prompt is rooted in honoring who came before, embodied by the creatives who live here now. HERitage will be held at Stillpoint in West Tisbury on Oct. 2, from 3 to 8 pm. The event is coordinated in solidarity with LadyFest, which is the following day in Oak Bluffs, from 1 to 9 pm.

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calendar & community

September 24, 2026

Event spotlight for the week of 9•25 — 9•30

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Haunted Edgartown

Bass in the Grass

ass in the Grass is a free event showcasing wooden fish created by local artists in celebration of the Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby, supporting scholarships for local students. Bass in the Grass is a collaboration between the Vineyard Preservation Trust and the Edgartown Board of Trade. The Carnegie Heritage Center, 58 North Water St., Edgartown, thecarnegie@mvpreservation.org.

MV TIMES

MON 9/28 Sgraffito Workshop with Frank Creney

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earn the art of sgraffito, a subtractive surface technique, with Frank Creney. Students will be provided an unfired greenware clay plate which they will paint with underglaze and then carve out their own surface design. This “scratched” carved surface reveals the bare clay, creating a beautiful contrast. These plates will be fired following the workshop, and available to pick up two weeks later. $80, 12:30 to 3:30 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, 30 Featherstone Lane, Oak Bluffs, featherstoneart.org. MV TIMES

aunted Edgartown is a walking tour of ghost stories, legends, and strange truths from one of the most historic (and haunted) corners of Martha’s Vineyard. Participants will explore the dark side of this charming town in this 90-minute, guided storytelling experience. Equal parts history, MV TIMES mystery, and theatrical flair, Haunted Edgartown is perfect for curious adults, brave teens, and anyone who enjoys a chill down the spine. Please wear walking shoes. $30, 7:30 to 9:30 pm, 58 North Water St., Edgartown, hauntededgartown.com.

SUN 9/27

May Oskan and Jeremy Berlin in Concert

V

ocalist May Oskan and pianist Jeremy Berlin, both veteran Island musicians, debut a collaboration celebrating the Great American Songbook. Their performance highlights the beauty and complexity of these classic songs, as well as the listening, trust, and spontaneous invention involved in their interpretation. $20 to $50 — email info@stillpointmv. org if cost is a barrier. 4 to 5 pm, doors open at 3:30 pm. Stillpoint, 20 Stillpoint Meadows Road, West Tisbury.

TUES 9/29 WED 9/30 MA Great Reads virtual Q and A with Joseph Lee Watch Party

P

articipate in an in-person Q and A at the Vineyard Haven library to watch the statewide, virtual session with Joseph Lee, author of “Nothing More of This Land: Community, Power, and the Search for Indigenous Identity.” Due to limited space in the Zoom meeting, Mass Center for the Book is encouraging participants to gather for "watch parties" in libraries across the state. If you are unable to join us in person at the library, please send an email to vhpl_programs@ clamsnet.org. Note: You do not need to have finished reading the book to attend the Q and A or submit a question. 6 pm, Vineyard Haven library, 200 Main St., Vineyard Haven.

Arnie's Poetry Café

A

rnie's Poetry Café is a once-a-month evening gathering featuring readings and recitations by Island poets and local poetry groups, followed by an open-mic session. These gatherings celebrate the vibrant literary community of Martha’s Vineyard and honor the legacy of former Island Poet Laureate Arnie Reisman, who was also a former chair of the Martha's Vineyard Playhouse board and a renowned journalist, playwright, television and film producer, and raconteur. Audience members are invited to share their own work during the evening's open-mic session. Sign up in person upon arrival, using the signup sheet at the door. 7 pm. Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, 24 Church St., Vineyard Haven, circuitarts.org/events.

Events THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24 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-FUmusic. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Kaiut Yoga

8:30-9:30 am, Peaked Hill Studio, Chilmark. Kaiut Yoga works through chronic pain and injuries, general aches and stiffness, and is good for the inflexible, hyper flexible and the aging body. 774-563-8282, valerie@peakedhillstudio.com.

Balletics

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

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

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. 508-955-9944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

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.

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

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. Admission: $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.

Bass in the Grass

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

Mah Jongg for Beginners

10:15 am-12:15 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library, Vineyard Haven. Learn to play American Mah Jongg with Rosemary Chalk. 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.

Center of Knowhere

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

Chair Caning Workshop Series with Fred Thornbrugh

Kids Crafts & Crunch Paint a Squishy

Blackout Poetry Party

Pokemon Club .

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

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.

3:30-5 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Paint a squishy and enjoy snacks provided by MV Community Servicesjrapuano@clamsnet.org 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.

Virtual Astrology Workshop: A Beginner’s Guide to Your Chart

4-5:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. To sign up or learn more please email gwilbur@clamsnet. org. Join us for one or both sessions. Geared toward adults. Free and open to the public. 508-693-3366, wt_mail@clamsnet.org.

TONY — at the MV Film Center

4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. TONY — A 19-year-old Anthony Bourdain travels to Provincetown, MA and stumbles into the chaotic world of a restaurant kitchen. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com. Continued on B9

calendar & community B9

September 24, 2026

What it means to have your greatness recognized:

‘Late Fame’ BY ABBY REMER

“L

ate Fame,” by Kent Jones, playing at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Sept. 25, is a quiet story adapted from an Arthur Schnitzler novella. It follows the aging Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe), a former poet working a humdrum Post Office job in New York City, who is “rediscovered” by a young admirer, Wilson Meyers (Edmund Donovan), after Meyers reads Saxberger’s long-out-of-print poetry book from the late 1970s, “Way Past Go.” Saxberger lives a simple existence, spending time with friends from work at an unassuming local bar after a day at the Post Office. His beat poet–like days are long forgotten until Meyers tracks him down outside his Soho apartment, having lived in the neighborhood since he was 17. Saxberger is bemused by Meyers’ admiration, as Meyers tries to convince him of his importance: “You wrote a masterpiece, whether people know about it or not. Nothing can alter that; that’s forever … It’s as if the poems were written yesterday … They just slap you across the face with their style and relevancy. They’re timeless.” Meyers, dotingly, implores Saxberger to visit with his literary group, the Enthusiasm Society, composed of young poets, artists, and intellectuals who pride themselves on the authenticity of their art and disdain

today’s social media influencers. When Saxberger joins the group at the local café, the members embrace him with reverence. To promote the society, Meyers, like a contemporary Diaghilev, convinces everyone to put on an old-fashioned reading. Titling it “What It Is Now,” Meyers states, “It says we’re standing up against negativity, vulgarization, the monetization of everything. The coarsening of culture.” As time passes, we grow uneasy with Meyers’ rhetoric, as he spouts pretentious lines such as, “The reverence for art is what binds us together.” And for all his disdain for capitalism, his ultra-modern downtown apartment, bought by his parents because it was cheaper than paying for the dorms while he was pursuing his master’s at NYU, speaks to a double standard echoed in the hyperprivileged lives of the other members. As the group prepares for the event, they convince Saxberger to write something new for one of their members to perform: the enigmatic, free-spirited Gloria (Greta Lee), an aspiring actor and singer in the circle who is the object of everyone’s infatuation. Despite their age differences, she and Saxberger develop an intriguing connection that defies easy classification. As the big literary showcase approaches, the question arises whether this latelife adoration can reignite Saxberger’s artistic spark, or if he is just a novelty to wealthy hipsters.

Events

Continued from B8

“What’s Past is Prologue: Writing Historical Fiction”

4-5:45 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. “What’s Past is Prologue: Writing Historical Fiction” 508-693-9433, cphelan@clamsnet.org.

Edgartown Old Westside Graveyard Walking Tour

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

Table Tennis

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

Sunset Kayak Tour

5-7 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Paddle into the golden hour as the sun sets over Sengekontacket Pond. Naturalists will highlight wildlife activity for a memorable way to end the day 508-627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

Actor” at the 29th annual Film Festival 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

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

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25 Barre Fusion with Kris Martin

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

Pumped Up Intervals with Maria McFarland

Meditation

8:30-9:30 am, Airport Fitness, West Tisbury. A class alternating cardio intervals and weight work intervals using heavier weights, body bars, loops bands, and weighted balls. 508-696-8000, workout568@aol.com.

Jazz piano at the Sweet Life with Jeremy Berlin

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

The Dancing Camera: Dance Shorts with Abby Bender and Friends

9 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for poetry and discussion with Billy Collins. Participants will submit one poem to read during the workshop for critique. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

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

Kayak & Stand Up Paddle Board Quest

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

Poetry Workshop with Billy Collins

7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Martha’s Vineyard Acrylic Painting with John Holladay 9 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Dance Film Festival boxoffice@circuitarts.org. Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival Bluffs. Perfect your painting techniques during this intermediate/advanced class. Bring an image for 7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Martha’s inspiration and learn to improve your composition. Vineyard Dance Film Festival 508-696508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org. 6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for “Best Film” and “Best

“Late Fame” screens at the M.V. Film Center on Friday, Sept. 25. For tickets and more information, visit mvfilmsociety.com.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

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

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. 774-5499107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

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

Carnegie Heritage Center

10 am-3 pm, the carnegie heritage center, Edgartown. Carnegie Heritage Center reopens Easter weekend, Friday and Saturday, 10 AM – 4 PM. Admission: $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.

Bass in the Grass

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

Landscape Sketching with M Colleen Harrigan

10 am-1 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. This class for all levels from beginners to more advanced participants. The goal is to guide students through basic technique develop their skills. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.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

[Online] Build It, Build It

10:30 am-4 pm, Oak Bluffs Library. Craft Better: Poetry Workshop projects for kids ages 3+. New craft each week! with Donald Nitchie Drop in. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org. 4:30-6 pm, Edgartown Library. RegBubbles & Beyond: Outdoor istration is required. 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org. Sensory Play 10:30 am-12:30 pm, Edgartown Library. Bubble Teen Smash Bros Tournament stations, water tables, kinetic sand, and more! and Pizza Party 508-627-4221, programs@edgartownlibrary.org. 5-7 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Switch Texture: Created & Found Smash Bros Battle for teens aged 13-17! 11 am-4 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, Pizza provided by MV Community Vineyard Haven. Art Exhibit: Texture: Created Servicesjrapuano@clamsnet.org. & Found boxoffice@circuitarts.org. Sound Bath Center of Knowhere 5-6 pm, The Red House PRSC, Vineyard Haven. 11 am-5 pm, Center of Knowhere, Oak Relaxing and maditative waves of sound washBluffs. Center of Knowhere Gallery Hours ing over you jtau@mvcommunityservices.org. 917-960-9344, info@knowhereart.com.

Gatherings: A Short Film, A Feature Film, and Line Dancing! 7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival 7 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival 508-6966300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — at the MV Film Center

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for “Best Film” and “Best Continued on B10

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 508645-3360, chilmarklibrarykids@gmail.com.

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.

BINGO for kids ages 6-18 years

3:30-4:30 pm, West Tisbury Library. Afterschool bingo for kids aged 6-18 years 508-693-3366, lhearn@clamsnet.org.

Author Talk: “Ripple Effects and Other Stories” by Lesley Mahoney O’Connell

4 pm, Vineyard Haven Public Library. Join author Lesley Mahoney O’Connell for a discussion of her newly released story collection. 508-696-4211, vhpl_programs@clamsnet.org.

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

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

TONY MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL LATE FAME Fri 9/25 MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL LATE FAME Sat 9/26 MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL LATE FAME Sun MANHATTAN SHORT 9/27 FILM FESTIVAL ELIE WIESEL: SOUL ON FIRE

Thurs 9/24

4:00 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM 1:00 PM 4:00 PM 7:30 PM

with a discussion with the director Oren Rudavsky and Rabbi Caryn Broitman

MONDAY & TUESDAY, SEPT. 28 & 29 · FILM CENTER IS CLOSED

EXHIBITION ON SCREEN: JAMES MCNEILL WHISTLER Thurs TONY 9/31 LATE FAME

7:30 PM

Wed 9/30

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

4:00 PM 7:30 PM

scan code for complete schedule

mvfilmsociety.com

508.69 6.9369

B10

calendar & community

September 24, 2026

Events

Continued from B8

Actor” at the 29th annual Film Festival 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

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

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26 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.

Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival

9 am-1 pm, Grange Hall, West Tisbury. Martha’s Vineyard Dance Film Festival 508-696-6300, boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

Greenhouse Soil Therapy!

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

Vinyasa Power Yoga

9-10 am, Edgartown Library. Free and open to the public. Registration is required. Sign up at edgartownlibrary.org. 508-6274221, 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. 508696-8000, 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. 508-9559944, islandfolkpottery@gmail.com.

A Dance Film Workshop

9 am-1 pm, The Yard, Chilmark. A Dance Film Workshop boxoffice@circuitarts.org.

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.

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

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

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

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

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

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.

Shibori Dyeing with Indigo Workshop with Rory Valentine

10 am-1 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Learn how to dye with indigo by binding, folding, twisting, and compression to make marks on a set of napkins to keep or gift! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Decoupage Mixed Media with Jenn Sherr

10 am-12 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Join us for a creative, hands-on mixed media workshop where you’ll reimagine a piece of furniture or a household item into a unique work of art! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Children’s Saturday Crafting with Helen Hall

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

Saturday Storytime

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.

Maritime Month Music Class

All Ages Chess Club

10:15-11 am, Oak Bluffs Library, Oak Bluffs. We are having a special maritime themed music class in place of our regular storytime. Enjoy a combination of songs, rhythms and movement. Ages 2-5. 508-693-9433, mlynch@clamsnet.org

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

At Stillpoint // Sound Bath with Anna Marden

4-5 pm, Stillpoint, West Tisbury. Experience a sonic journey featuring the ambient percussive sounds of multiple gongs, crystal singing bowls and more info@stillpointmv.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.

LATE FAME — at the MV Film Center

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.

Texture: Created & Found

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

Moonrise Kayak

5-7 pm, Felix Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, Edgartown. Nighttime is the right time for a Sengekontacket Pond Paddle with our naturalist guides. The full moon appears and shines the way! Ages 16+ only 508627-4850, felixneck@massaudubon.org.

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

Maritime Patch Craft

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

Poetry Reading with Billy Collins

Center of Knowhere

6 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. Please join us on Saturday, September 26th to hear U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins read from his work in the Francine Kelly Gallery! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

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

Oktoberfest Weekend at NOMANS

11 am-9 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. Celebrate OKTOBERFEST at NOMANS | September 26 - 27 | All Ages Welcome 508-3382474, events@nomansmv.com.

MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — at the MV Film Center

11-11:30 am, Chilmark Library. We’ll read classic and current children’s literature, and sing, move, and play together. Ideal for ages 3-6. adubno@clamsnet.org, 508-645-3360.

7:30 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. MANHATTAN SHORT FILM FESTIVAL — Discover your inner film critic by casting your vote for “Best Film” and “Best Actor” at the 29th annual Film Festival 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

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.

7:30-9 pm, The streets of Edgartown, Edgartown. Get ready to explore spooky stories and ghostly vibes in Edgartown! 508-212-3035, seamusrattigan@gmail.com.

Storytime

Haunted Edgartown

Mah Jongg Group

Cultivating a Writer’s Mindset Workshop with Allison Alsup

1-4 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. This workshop is for new and experienced writers alike. Engage in hands-on exercises to leave with fresh, actionable approaches to your work. 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

Master potter Juliet Ehrich’s work by appointment

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

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27 Camp by the Sea

9 am-5 pm, Slough Farm, Edgartown. Hospice & Palliative Care of Martha’s Vineyard is accepting applications for Camp by the Sea, a one-day grief camp, held 9/27/26 www.hospiceofmv. org 508-693-0189, hospiceofmv.org.

Free Fairy Sculpture Trail at Island Folk Pottery

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

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

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. 774549-9107, THECARNEGIE@mvpreservation.org.

Meditation

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

Softening Into Stillness

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

Oktoberfest Weekend at NOMANS 11 am-8:30 pm, Nomans, Oak Bluffs. Celebrate OKTOBERFEST at NOMANS | September 26 - 27 | All Ages Welcome 508-338-2474, events@nomansmv.com.

Center of Knowhere

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

Art Exhibition: MVAA All Members Show

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

Understanding Guitar with Shelly Jones

annual

Harvest

Festival

484 STATE ROAD WEST TISBURY www.vineyardgardens.net

Saturday Oct.10th 10am-2pm

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.

LATE FAME — at the MV Film Center 1 pm, Martha’s Vineyard Film Center, Vineyard Haven. LATE FAME — Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe) a forgotten New York poet works in the post office. 774-392-2972, rich@mvfilmsociety.com.

FOOTBALL AT NOMANS

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

Open Writing Hours

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

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

Seed Bead Basics Family Class (ages 8+)

1-3 pm, Featherstone Center for the Arts, Oak Bluffs. This foundational class is the perfect stepping stone for designing and constructing jewelry with larger beads and play with color! 508-693-1850, featherstone@featherstoneart.org.

*exclusions apply

Guess the weight of a giant pumpkin

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

community & calendar B11

September 24, 2026

BUSINESSDIRECTORY LANDSCAPING

LANDSCAPING

ROOFING

INDIGO FARM Full Service Landscape Design, Build, & Maintenance

info@millerspros.com

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

METAL WORK

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

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

Tree Work

CONCRETE & MASONRY

HEATING

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

OFFICE SUPPLIES

WATER TREATMENT

www.indigofarm.com

Heating Oil Delivery ... and More!

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

508.696.6114

·

508-696-6984 Whit Hanschka

Full service water testing for your home or business

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

HOME IMPROVEMENT Organic Gardening and Landscaping, Inc.

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

BONJOUR

HOME IMPROVEMENT RESTORATION & PAINTING

KITCHEN & BATHROOM RENOVATION DECKING · CARPENTRY ·ROOFING· SIDING

ROOFING

Leonardo Bonjour

508-560-0464 BONJOURPAINTING.COM

508-627-7094

­

Island news daily Three Generations of Roofers

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

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

RESIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL

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

ASSOCIATE ROOFING.COM

READ ONLINE: MVTIMES.COM

508-645-3228 Licensed & Insured

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B12

community & calendar

September 24, 2026

M.V. CENTER FOR LIVING

DEMENTIA AND CAREGIVER SUPPORT Mary Holmes, Executive Director • 508-939-9440 maryh@mcventer4living.org • mvcenter4living.org A monthly newsletter from your local Councils on Aging and the Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living PO Box 1729, Vineyard Haven, MA Tel: 508-939-9440. By Mary Holmes

October 2026 - Vol. 30, Issue 10

SHINE NEWS

Are you ready for Medicare Open Enrollment? SHINE can help! Medicare Open Enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7 — and it’s the perfect time to review your current coverage, explore new options, and potentially save money. Certified SHINE (Serving the Health Insurance Needs of Everyone) counselors are available by appointment at your local Council on Aging to guide you through the process. By Sept. 30, all Medicare beneficiaries receive an Annual Notice of Coverage. This document outlines any changes to your plan’s costs, benefits, or rules for the upcoming year. It’s important to review this information carefully. Meeting with a SHINE counselor can help you: • Understand your current Medicare coverage • Compare health and prescription drug plans • Identify cost-saving opportunities • Learn about public programs that may help with premiums, copayments, and other expenses based on your income and assets Don’t wait — appointments fill up fast! There is no cost to meet with a SHINE counselor, and the potential savings can be significant. To avoid last-minute decisions or staying in a plan that no

longer meets your needs, schedule your SHINE appointment early. Appointments are available in person, by phone, or virtually. What should you do now? 1. Call your local Council on Aging or Senior Center to book a SHINE appointment. 2. Gather the following items to bring to your appointment: • Your Medicare A/B card • Your Medigap or Medicare Advantage card • Your Part D Prescription Drug Plan card (if applicable) • A current list of medications and dosages (your pharmacy can help with this) • Your Medicare.gov username and password (if you have an account — this saves time!) Prefer to explore plans online? Visit www.medicare.gov and click on “Find Health & Drug Plans” to compare options on your own. Helpful contacts Medicare: medicare.gov, 800-633-4227 Social Security: ssa.gov, 800-772-1213 Prescription Advantage: prescriptionadvantagema.org, 800-243-4636 Cape Cod & Islands Regional SHINE Program: 508-375-6762

CORE

Announcements

• Mah Jongg Tournament to Support Dementia & Caregiver Services - Oct. 17, 10 am to 3 pm at the Grange Hall. NMJL rules and play. Register today at http://weblink.donorperfect.com/mahjongg4dementia, or scan the QR code. Space is limited! • Van driver wanted - $28.10/hr, up to 15 hours/week. Enjoy beautiful M.V. by providing essential morning and afternoon transportation services for the Supportive Day Program at M.V. Center for Living. Applicants must submit to a CORI. Training is provided. Please contact Mary Holmes, 508939-9440, maryh@mvcenter4living.org for more information or to apply. • The center is welcoming volunteers for all interests! Call or email today. • Free Memory Training with M..V Center for Living at Oak Bluffs library. Tuesdays, 2 to 4 pm. Oct. 6, 13, 20, and 27. Email oakb_ mail@clamsnet.org or call 508-693-9433 to register. (This course is not intended for those with a dementia or Alzheimer’s diagnosis, but we have other support for all needs.) • We will be closed on Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Indigenous Peoples’ Day.

Regular programs

Mon-Fri: 9 am – 3 pm, Supportive Day Program Wed: Memory Support Group, 10 to 11:30am Thu: Music & Memory Cafe, Oct. 15, 10:30 am-noon Fri: 11 am – noon, Open House: *Special Halloween Dance Party on 10/30 at 11am-12pm! Fri: 10 to 11:15 am, Dementia Caregiver Support Group on Zoom. Call for a link!

Services

Fees may apply. Call for more information. • Supportive Day Program, Activity and social program • Respite Innovations, Home visits • Dementia coaching, To make home life easier

• Support Groups, Professionally led for both caregivers and those experiencing memory changes • Resources and education, Remove stigma and learn strategies The Supportive Day Program (SDP) is a daily program for older adults who may experience memory challenges or disability. Enriching activities and a family-style lunch create a day of community engagement, purpose, and meaning. Equally important is the respite provided for caregivers. When a caregiver has time for rest and self-care, the quality of life for both the caregiver and care recipient improves. Call Stacey Northrop (ext. 102) to learn about registration. Respite Innovations Respite Innovations brings person-centered engagement into the home, and affords caregivers time to take care of themselves. Call Ann Baird at MVCL if you are a caregiver who would benefit from a break! 508-9399440, ext. 105. Resources and education The Family Caregiver Support Program advocates for caregivers, providing memory screenings, family meeting facilitation, ongoing Alzheimer’s and dementia education, and referrals to programs that can support your caregiving efforts. Our services at MVCL provide meaningful tools and tips for a better caregiving experience. We support any caregiver living on Martha’s Vineyard, or who is caring from afar for someone living here. Caregiver counseling: We can help you navigate the system of public and private care for the best plan to meet your needs. Consultation can be provided in the home, at our office, or over the phone. We can meet with caregivers individually or as a family. Dementia Friends: Dementia Friends USA is part of a global movement that is changing the way people think, act, and talk about dementia. By providing a free, one-hour Dementia Friends Information Session for your staff, you are helping the community better serve our neighbors. Contact Mary Holmes, Dementia Friends champion, at maryh@mvcenter4living.org or 508-939-9440 to arrange a free session today!

Ann Baird • 508-693-7900, ext. 210 • mvcommunityservices.org Counseling, Outreach, and Referral for the Elderly (CORE) at M.V. Community Services works with at-risk and mostly homebound seniors in the community,

addressing significant physical, behavioral health, social, and casemanagement needs of seniors age 60-plus, at no cost to the client.

VETERANS CORNER

LET US HELP YOU: · With a non-diet approach to weight loss · Lower your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol · Increase your energy and feel great · Navigate Alpha-Gal Syndrome (AGS) and other food allergies · Prevent diabetes, heart disease & chronic inflammation Prudence Athearn Levy, MS, RDN, LDN Josh Levy, MS, RDN, LDN

To learn more call 508-627-3235 or visit vineyardnutrition.com

The Dukes County Veterans Service Department serves the veterans of all seven towns within Dukes County. The Veterans Service Officer helps veterans obtain all the benefits to which they are entitled, keeps records of living and deceased veterans, and conceives programs to honor vets and promote patriotism. Veterans Services provides for the provision of federal Veterans Administration and general laws governing the financial support of local veterans, including the determination of eligibility, the disbursement of veterans benefits, and assisting local veterans and their families in obtaining financial and other counseling, advice and assistance. Dukes County Veterans Service Department Veterans Service Officer: George Pimentel Phone: 508-693-6887 Mailing Address: P.O. Box 190, Edgartown, MA 02539 Website: www.dukescounty.org/ veterans-services-officer

OCTOBER 2026 MVRHS Senior Luncheon

Enjoy a three-course, gourmet dining experience prepared by the Culinary Arts Department at M.V. Regional High School in their Culinary Dining Room, with live music. 11 am seating, lunch is served at 11:15 am. Reservations are required; call 508-939-9440. Reservations may be made for no more than four people at a time. $15 (cash/check). Oct. 15 menu TBD, coming soon to mvcenter4living.org.

Emergency Food Program

For emergency food, please contact your local Council on Aging.

M.V. Mediation

Serving our community by providing education, outreach, mediation, conflict coaching, facilitation and related services to help prevent and resolve conflicts. mvmediation.org, 508-693-2999.

Martha’s Vineyard Center for Living Supportive Day Program Mary Holmes, Executive Director Program hours: Monday through Friday 9 am - 3 pm.

Call 508-939-9440 for information and referrals.

community & calendar B13

September 24, 2026

HEALTHY AGING MARTHA’S VINEYARD

EDGARTOWN COUNCIL ON AGING

Cindy Trish, Executive director • 508-618-5134, ctrish@hamv.org

Lyndsay Famariss, Director • 508-627-4368

Tech Pro MV: Technology help for adults 55-plus Technology is an important part of everyday life, from staying connected with family and friends to accessing healthcare, managing finances, and finding information online. For adults 55 and older who need a little help navigating technology, Tech Pro MV offers local assistance throughout Martha’s Vineyard at no cost to you. The Call the Tech Pro program connects adults 55 and older with friendly, patient technology support at their local Council on Aging. No prior technology experience is required, and beginners are welcome. Tech Pro can help with a wide range of common technology needs, including using smartphones, tablets, and computers; setting up new devices; accessing email and video calls such as Zoom and FaceTime; navigating hospital portals; troubleshooting internet and Wi-Fi issues; printing and scanning; and learning how to stay safe online and avoid scams. The program is designed to provide assistance in a comfortable, easy-to-understand environment, without pressure or

confusing technical jargon. The goal is to help older adults use technology safely and confidently while staying connected and independent. Drop-in technology help is available during the first and third weeks of the month at the following locations: Tisbury Council on Aging: Tuesdays, 11:30 am to 1 pm. Up-Island Council on Aging: Thursdays, 11 am to 1 pm. Oak Bluffs Council on Aging: Fridays, 11 am to 1 pm. Edgartown Council on Aging: Second Friday of the month, noon to 1 pm. To get started, contact your local Council on Aging, or email Tech Pro MV at techpromvy@gmail.com. You can also learn more about the program and available resources at techpromv.org. Whether you are learning to use a new smartphone, trying to connect with loved ones online, or simply have a technology question, Tech Pro MV is available to help you build your skills and confidence.

UP-ISLAND COUNCIL ON AGING Bethany Hammond, Director • 508-693-2896 Mondays • Balletics, 9 am • Strength & Fitness, virtual, 9 and 9:35 am • Yoga, virtual, 9:15 am • Parkinsons Support Group, second and fourth Mondays at 1 pm Tuesdays • Strength and Fitness, virtual, 9 and 9:35 am • Keeping the Balance, 10 am • Duplicate Bridge, 1 to 4 pm Wednesday • Attorney Conni Baker, second Wednesday by appointment, 508-477-4502 • Yoga, virtual, 9:15 am • Fitness with Margarita, 10 am • Aging GREATfully, first and third Wednesdays, 10 am Thursday • Strength and Fitness, virtual, 9 and 9:35 am • Balletics, 9 am • Tech Pro Help, first and third Thursdays, 11 am to 1 pm • Weekly Luncheon, 12:30 pm (sign up

Monday before) • Wellness Clinic with VNA Nurse, third Thursday, 12:15 to 1:15 pm Friday • Strength and Fitness, virtual, 9 and 9:35 am • Yoga, virtual, 9:15 am • Keeping the Balance, 10 am • Fitness with Margarita, 10:30 am • Watercolor Painting, 1 pm OCTOBER SPECIAL EVENTS CLOSED MONDAY, OCT. 12, FOR INDIGINEOUS PEOPLES DAY • Soup Social, Wednesday, Oct.14, noon, at Howes House • Bowling and Lunch at the Barn,Tuesdays, 11:30 to 1 pm. Lunch and bowling: $10. Let them know you are from the Up-Island Council on Aging for a discount! • Cider and Sweets on the patio: Tuesday, Oct. 20, 2 to 3 pm • Aquinnah Luncheon: Wednesday, Oct. 28, at noon at the Aquinnah Town Hall

TISBURY COUNCIL ON AGING Catie Blake, Director • 508-696-4205 WEEKLY ACTIVITIES Mondays 8:15, Tai Chi with Shaka 9:30 - 10:30, Line Dancing with Catie 1-3, Silver Quilters 1-3, Mah Jong 11:30, Bowling at the Barn. Call Monday to make a lunch reservation for Thursday: 508-693-4393, ext. 466. Tuesdays 8:30 - 9:30, Earlybird Fitness 10 - 11, Fitness with Catie 11:05 - noon, Chair Volleyball Wednesdays 9, Playreaders with discussion 12, Knitting Studio 1, Shredding with Cynthia (Living Room) 1, Ukulele Players 1, Pick-Up Ping Pong (lower level) 1:30, Canasta Thursdays 8:30-9:30, Earlybird Fitness 10 -11, Fitness with Catie 11:05 - noon, Cornhole Lunch at 12. Reservations to be made on the prior Monday. Call 508-693-4393, ext. 466. $4 suggested donation.

Fridays 11:15 - 12:15, Chair Volleyball 1, Tai Chi with Shaka Announcements Visit our website, tisburycoa.com • Medicare A, B, C, and D, Thursday, Oct. 1, 1 pm. Contact amcdonough@tisburyme.gov for Zoom link. • Chef Doug’s famous Maryland Corn Chowder, Friday, Oct. 9, at noon. • Free Legal Advice with Atty, Bergeron, Thursday, Oct 8. Call 508-696-4205. • Festive Cardmaking with Anna-Marie. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1 pm • Blood Pressure Check, Friday, Oct. 16, at noon. (third Friday of each month) • Food Rescue, every day, 9:45 am • Help us transform our deck into a comfortable three-season space! Our goal is to raise $15,000, and thanks to matching funds, every dollar donated helps, and we are ¾ of the way there! Please make checks payable to Tisbury COA Friends, Inc. • Please call 508-696-4205 to borrow or donate and medical equipment. • Call for information on legal help, the home modification program, shopping assistance, and more.

The Anchors is closed on Monday, Oct. 12, for Indigenous People’s Day. Weekly Events Monday 12:30 pm: Bridge Tuesday Edgartown Shopping Shuttle, call to register. 9 am: Yoga with Carol Vega 10 am: Knitting 12 pm: Tuesday lunch 1:15 pm: Mah Jongg Wednesday 9:30 am: Tai Chi 12:30 pm: Bridge Thursday Morning SHINE Appointments with Silvia Vogt; call to schedule 9:30 am: Intro to Tai Chi 11 am: Armchair Travel 12-1 pm: Souper Thursday. Free! 2-4 pm: Canasta Friday 9-11 am: Men’s Group 12 pm: Friday Cafe 1:15 pm: Mah Jongg October calendar Please visit edgartowncoa.com for more information on programs and services. All are welcome! Register for programs in advance by calling 508-627-4368. • Tues. and Fri. lunches: Meals served at noon. Call by noon the day before to register. Visit edgartowncoa.com for our menu. • VTA/ECOA Shuttle on Tuesdays. The bus will pick up residents at their homes, take them to Stop & Shop, pharmacy, Post Office,

and/or the ECOA, and then take them home. Please sign up by Friday at noon. Oct. 1: 8:45 am, Nantucket Trip participants meet at the Hyline dock in O.B. to sign in for a 9:05 am departure. $54.50 group rate by advance registration only. Free entry to the Nantucket Whaling Museum. Return on 5:15 pm Hyline. Oct. 5 and 19: Cuts for Seniors by Dee Dee. By appointment only. Call the Anchors. Cuts for $20, or Cut and Blow-Dry for $30. Oct. 6: Wellness Clinic and blood pressure checks during lunch. Drop-in, 12 to 1pm Oct. 7, 14: 8:30 am, Doors open for Fish Distribution. Thanks to the generosity of the Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass & Bluefish Derby. Oct. 9: Drop-in Tech Help with Rizwan Malik. Oct. 9: 12:15 pm, Lunch n’ Learn. Lillian Moscato is the new mobility manager and transportation coordinator for the VTA. Oct. 13: 11 am, Coffee with a Cop. Come learn what’s new at the EPD. Oct. 14: Hearing checks with Shawn Woodbrey of At Home Hearing. Call for an appointment. Oct. 15: 12:30 pm, Adele Dreyer on piano. Bring a book, a knitting project, or just yourself. Oct. 21: SHINE virtual consultations with Bill Redmond at the Anchors. Oct. 23: 9:30 am, Friends of Edgartown Council on Aging meets. New members are always welcome. Oct. 30: 12 pm, Halloween Party & Birthday Cafe to celebrate October birthdays.

OAK BLUFFS COUNCIL ON AGING Rose Cogliano, Director • 508-693-4509 Weekly Activities Daily: Beverages and Snacks All Day, 9 am to 3 pm Mondays • Exercise with Patience Campell and Marilyn Miller. In person or on Zoom. 9 am. • Chair Volleyball, 1-2 pm • Blood Pressure Clinic with Nurse Faith Laskaris at 12pm, Oct. 5 and 26 Tuesdays • Cornhole, 1-2 pm • Crochet and Knitting,1-3 pm • Peticare with Debbie, biweekly at 10 am. Dates: Oct. 6 and 20. Call for a reservation. All pets must be leashed or crated. • Wellness Clinic, Oct. 13 at 12:30 pm. This wonderful program has returned to OBCOA in collaboration with the Oak Bluffs board of health and the VNA! • BOWLING IS BACK! The OBCOA Senior Bowling Program began for the season on Tuesday, Sept. 29! Contact Rose at rcogliano@ oakbluffsma.gov, or 508-693-4509, ext. 3. • OBCOA and OBPD Luncheon, Oct. 13 and 27, at noon. Call to make your reservations. • MATTER OF BALANCE. A collaboration between HAMV and Island Councils on Aging, this wonderful program is now at the OBCOA. Lauren Bagnall is our trainer, and will share her knowledge and expertise regarding balance, exercise, and health. We will be offering the program again in 2027. Please call to sign up if interested in joining! Wednesdays • Coffee with a Cop, Oct. 7 at 10:30 am. Come join Chief Searle for informative and interesting conversation! • Let’s Talk: Stroke and Memory Support Group, weekly 9:30 am Oct. 7, 10 am Oct. 14, 21, and 29 • Bingo, 1-3 pm, Oct. 7, 14, 21, and 29 Thursdays • Exercise with Bill White, 9 am in person or on Zoom. • Chair Volleyball, 1-3 pm • Crochet and Knitting, 1-3 pm • Pizza Party! Please call Rose at 508-

693-4509, ext. 3, to reserve your spot. No reservation, no pizza! Oct. 1 and 29 at 1 pm. Thursday, Oct. 29, is our Halloween Pizza Party! Come in costume! Fridays • Tai Chi with Floyd Lifton, 9 am in person or on Zoom • Back to OBCOA! Cell Phone Mastery at 11 am to 1 pm, dates to be determined. Monthly Programs • Oct. 7, Coffee, Tea, and Conversations with a Cop. Meet Chief Searle and his great team! Refreshments served. 10:30 am • Monthly board of directors meeting, 10:30 am in person on Thursday, Oct. 15 and on Zoom. • Social Security Video Display Program, Oct. 26 at 9:30 am. Call for an appointment. • Open Enrollment/SHINE begins on Oct. 15, ends on Dec. 7. Please contact us to schedule an appointment if you have any insurance needs, questions, updates. Call 508-693-4509, ext. 3. • Outreach with Susan von Steiger, 508-6934509, ext. 4, for Applications and forms preparation Durable medical equipment Fuel assistance, by appointment with Susan Insurance assistance Lifeline Monthly Social Security video display program SNAP Reassurance phone calls Rose’s Wish List We need adjustable metal canes with four prongs. Please consider donating them to us to provide them for our seniors’ use! Thank you for the donations of durable medical equipment that we have received! We will be closed Monday, Oct. 12, in observance of Columbus Day and Indigenous Peoples’ Day. We will reopen on Tuesday, Oct. 13, at 8:30 am. WELCOME OCTOBER 2026! HAPPY AUTUMN TO YOU AND YOURS!

B14

community & calendar

September 24, 2026

gallery

“Storm Coming”

“Princess”

Robb in front of her work. ABBY REMER

Small gems of splendor Anne Bell Robb is painting up a storm. BY ABBY REMER

A

t 90½ years old, Anne Bell Robb is going strong, painting up a storm as she’s done for most of her life. Working nearly every day, Robb creates intimate scenes with an appealing air of American primitive art. “I like [the style] because of their innocence, and in a way, my work picks up on that, because I don’t use a pencil or any guide. I go right to the paint, so things lean and tilt.” The result is immensely inviting. Robb greatly simplifies her scenes, letting our eyes linger on the remaining details. Houses are a particular favorite: “I was always painting them. Maybe it was because I lived in the Daniel Fisher house [now a Vineyard Preservation Trust property], starting at 6 months,

when my father’s first cousin owned it.” The distinctive building features prominently in several of her paintings, including “The Neighborhood,” which also includes the Old Whaling Church. A stylized tree splits the composition in half with its leaves spreading upward, drawing our gaze to the vinelike design carved into the picture frame. Robb’s frames are integral to the works, surrounding the small gems with splendor. She sometimes decorates them herself, or acquires vintage ones at thrift stores. The frames complement and often bring out the colors in the paintings. Her palette ranges from bold to subtler hues: “I started out painting very pale colors, and the paintings looked old when they were finished. Over the years, I’ve gotten more comfortable with

“Vizcaya”

brighter, deeper colors. I was a photographer, and my area was color, so it’s not surprising that I play with color a lot.” Robb began painting with watercolors, then turned to acrylics, which lent the images greater opacity: “I use acrylics instead of oil because they dry faster and I can do overlays. I usually do a painting in one sitting.” She works from photographs, and says, “I used to paint in situ, but the view I often wanted was from the middle of the street, so that didn’t work.”

The artist’s specialization has led her to work with many museums and colleges, creating paintings of their buildings that are turned into notecards. Clients have included Colonial Williamsburg, Monticello, and universities such as Dartmouth, Princeton, Brown, and Harvard. Robb, who lives in Sherborn in the off-season, has a generational house on East Chop that has been in the family since the 1950s. It, too, has architectural interest: “It’s Continued on B15

community & calendar B15

September 24, 2026

gallery

“Moon”

“The Cradle”

“Matibo Framed”

“Goodbye Saginaw”

“The Neighborhood” “Shenandoah Framed”

Continued from B14

called the Rope House by carpenters, because the corners are carved rope.” Although stylized, her Vineyard paintings definitely evoke the Island. “Storm Coming,” with cows in the pasture and

roiling clouds overhead, depicts the Keith Farm on Middle Road. “The Cradle” reflects a shipyard in Vineyard Haven, with a sailing ship center stage. In another iconic Vineyard image, Robb captures “The Shenandoah” in all her splendor, rigged with sails aloft.

“She goes by my house almost every day, so I treated myself to that,” Robb continues. “People tell me that my paintings have a sense of the Vineyard.”

Anne Bell Robb, who has been exhibiting on the Vineyard since she was 17, is thriving, painting intimate scenes that can be seen at the Granary Gallery in West Tisbury.

“I started out painting very pale colors, and the paintings looked old when they were finished. Over the years, I’ve gotten more comfortable with brighter, deeper colors. I was a photographer, and my area was color, so it’s not surprising that I play with color a lot.” —ANNE BELL ROBB

B16

community & calendar

Garden Notes BY ABIGAIL HIGGINS

And facts about fall leaves.

We’re past the equinox

T

he Sept. 22 equinox has come and gone. Now 2:30 in the afternoon feels like 4:30 just a couple of weeks ago. Less light on a daily basis puts all gardens and all growth onto a different footing. Leaves are coloring or dropping, and a lowly universe of fungi, snails, and slugs is emerging: nature’s breakdown crew. Found in a shady spot where carex, azalea, and oak seedlings grow in leaf litter, this colorful sprouting of pinesap, now Hypopitys lanuginosa (syn. Monotropa hypopitys), is unusual. Similar, and more familiar, are the whitish to pink Indian pipe flowers, Monotropa uniflora, that typically occur earlier in summer. The rosy-red coloration of pinesap flower clumps is surprising. I was able to get identification and more information from a botanically informed friend. This link for pinesap, bit.ly/Wiki_ Pinesap, explores this group of flowering plants in much greater detail. They are uncommon. Pinesaps benefit from woodsy habitat where fallen leaves and mycorrhizae support their requirements — another plus on the “leave” side of the Leave the Leaves debate.

Deer mating season

Deer mating season, called the rut, actually began in August. Bucks chasing does are just another fact of Island life for drivers here.

Buck-rubbing of slender saplings and branches is another. It occurs when bucks attempt to remove the velvet on new antlers. The behavior may also involve territorial marking. Bucks often return repeatedly to the same rubbed trees in more than one season. Girdling the bark puts their survival at risk; the plants require protecting. Place wire, plastic, or burlap wrapping around the trunks when you find buck-rubbed trees.

Early fall

The pretty goldenrodanemone combo growing together in part sun, part shade remains showy over a period lasting more than eight weeks. In the morning the plants are shaded. By noon they are in full sun and covered in pollinators. The goldenrod is native and self-planted. The anemones are Anemone tomentosa ‘Robustissima.’ Both are tough, tall, and late-blooming, with spreading tendencies. They pair well with the nearby cascading lespedeza, ‘Gibraltar.’ Solid information about anemones, comments, and good photos are at bit. ly/3DG_Anemones. Generalizing: Fall-blooming anemones prefer some shade, and good soil that is

September 24, 2026

moist but not boggy. It is often said that next year’s garden begins now, in the fall. We can begin cutting back and clearing the decks, restructuring in ways that were unthinkable in summer, while still enjoying late summer flower power. As long as transplanted and planted material is well-watered, fall conditions make a good time to plant. Now the light that reaches earth from the sun has changed. The wavelength is more to the infrared end of the spectrum. This penetrates soil, just as a cafe’s heat lamp keeps your order warm, and promotes the growth of root systems unseen and underground. Fall rains usually arrive; if not, watering is critical for transplanted and planted material. Leaves of deciduous trees are green during the warm part of the year, colored by the chlorophyll they use to absorb energy from sunlight during photosynthesis. A paragraph from the Smithsonian website describes it: “Most of the year, leaves on deciduous trees are a rich green color because of the abundance of chlorophyll within each of the many chloroplasts within a cell. But the yellow and orange pigments you see in autumn are actually always there. They are just masked until other changes happen.” However, leaves start to color when trees break down natural, recyclable sugars and send them down to root systems for storage, leaving behind other pigments. These may have been present, masked by chlorophyll, or produced late in the season. Please go to bit.ly/ SSEC_FallLeaves for a more complete look at these seasonal processes.

Garlicky thoughts

As garlic-planting season nears, garlic is in minds. Fall cooking becomes heartier, with garlic an indispensable ingredient.

Bucks often return repeatedly to the same rubbed trees in more than one season. Girdling the bark puts their survival at risk; the plants require protecting.

PHOTOS: ABIGAIL HIGGINS

Top, one native, one not: early fall combo of goldenrod and anemones in part sun, part shade. Left, Olive wood mortar and garlic. Right, Large black-and-yellow garden orb weaver spiders are harvesting insects.

Garlic beds must be prepped for best crops and results. Seed garlic, if ordered, is due to arrive any day. Cooking with garlic is widespread across continents, something that actually unites diverse peoples and cuisines, although each may have its preferred types and crops. Garlic is not only a flavor enhancer (and vegetable in its own right, usually roasted), but is also a medicinal food. When used as a medicinal food, and to get the most benefit of garlic (whether you grew it yourself or bought it at the store), bruise it before using; then wait a few minutes for the compound allicin to be released. Chefs use the flat of their knives to do this, using a forceful, downward push. I use a small olive wood mortar; it holds the cloves for bruising without their jumping around.

Allicin’s biological activity can be attributed to both its being an antioxidant and its reaction with thiol-containing proteins. It is not present in garlic unless tissue damage has occurred. Read more about the medicinal, chemical properties of garlic and allicin here: en.wikipedia. org/wiki/Allicin.

Worming mash

The season’s turning is a good time to worm poultry and clean chicken coops, where garlic also plays a role. These measures are prophylactic for flock health. Flocks are moulting, perches and nesting boxes need cleaning. Mix in food processor: · 7 Tbsp. cayenne pepper · 1 large head of garlic · 1 lb. pumpkin seed · dry rolled oats

In the garden

Large black-and-yellow garden orb weaver spiders are harvesting insects to fuel their reproductive purposes. It is easy to blunder into the webs of these “garden allies” if the locations are not noted. A large, tan, spherical egg case results once the mother has consumed sufficient food. She attaches it in a protected spot, where it remains over winter. Resist the temptation to deadhead mophead hydrangeas (H. macrophylla) now, and leave old flowers as protection against any weird weather the coming winter season may throw our way. Dead canes in congested crowns may be removed; they often pull or crack off easily. Dig and divide peonies, leaving three or four buds per crown.

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