Bad form by the church
We were disappointed to learn that Joe Capobianco, whose food distribution program we’ve featured on several occasions, was recently terminated by Good Shepherd Parish. The church, of course, its...
View ArticleGalibois for DA
When you go to the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 8, you’ll be asked to cast ballots on a lot of races, from governor to congressman to county commissioners. It could be easy to overlook one of the most...
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Will Martha’s Vineyard continue to ignore the future?
One year ago, this newspaper published my photo essay on the sad condition of the Island’s neglected bike and pedestrian paths, most of which have continued to deteriorate without intervention. The...
View ArticleNo question how to vote
There are two ballot questions on the Nov. 8 ballot that are specific to voters in Tisbury, and another for Oak Bluffs, and one of the four statewide ballot questions has some specific interest for the...
View ArticleEnding affirmative action?
Like the debate over abortion rights, affirmative action in college admissions procedures is one of the most controversial political and cultural issues in the U.S. today. Most observers believe that...
View ArticleLet there be lights
Watching the video of a man being struck by a Vineyard Transit Authority bus is jarring to see. We were pleased to learn that Skip Bailey was out of the hospital within a couple of days, and is at home...
View ArticleNow comes the hard part
Five years ago, the leaders of our town energy committees came together to establish an all-Island energy committee to address the climate crisis. Focused on joint projects and sharing of best...
View ArticleToo many cooks
The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School building committee is likely to be unwieldy with 25 members. While we understand the reasoning behind the committee size, we worry that it’s going to become...
View ArticleA Frankensteinian solution
Gone are the days when you could put the carcass of a dead bird on the table and have everybody ooh and aah at the sight of the shiny, crackling, crisp skin. Remember the Charles Lamb essay,...
View ArticleOld is not historic
The Martha’s Vineyard Commission misfired when it decided to say no to the demolition of 43 Look St. in Vineyard Haven. The house is old, built circa 1900, but in no way can anyone point to it and say...
View ArticleThe court and the death penalty
The Supreme Court, in the week of Nov. 13, declined to hear or halt the execution of four prisoners on death row in Arizona, Texas, Oklahoma, and Alabama, respectively.This sets a record, allowing so...
View ArticleTime to find a better solution
We doubt the homeless problem on Martha’s Vineyard is going away anytime soon. The lack of affordable housing and rental apartments has been well-documented in recent years, and even with a Housing...
View ArticleCharge ahead
We are talking a good game on the Island when it comes to dealing with climate change and sea level rise, and the impacts both could have on the Vineyard moving forward. All six towns endorsed a...
View ArticleEqual rights, fair elections, and the court
This past June, the Supreme Court’s conservative majority made a huge mark: It ended the constitutional right to abortion, restricted the states’ ability to enforce gun safety laws, narrowed the...
View ArticleExit, stage left
Katharine Cornell must be rolling over in her grave. Cornell, a star of theatrical performances during the 20th century and a seasonal resident of the Island, was the benefactor for the Katharine...
View ArticleChanukah, Christmas, and Chwanza?
Maybe if Kwanza was spelled with a “C”, it would not be considered an exclusively “Black” holiday. It is one of the kindest and least mythological of all the winter solstice holidays. It says flat out...
View ArticleStop the bleeding — regionalize
Someone dared utter the word “regionalize” on the Vineyard, and fires did not ignite spontaneously, massive waves did not crash over the Island, and locusts did not emerge to terrorize us. At a recent...
View ArticleNever let them forget
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis is riding a red wave of his own, no doubt in part due to his political stunt involving the 50 migrants he manipulated into taking flights to Martha’s Vineyard on Sept. 14....
View ArticleNotes from a snowbird
Today is a typical Florida day. The sun is shining, the temperature warm and balmy, and lizards are scampering about. Warmth is pervasive, and ocean walks beckon. Here in mid-winter, residents go to...
View Article-30-
If you know, you know. That symbol above alerts an editor that he’s reached “the end” of a story. Friday marks the end of my 42-year journalism story — a career that spans parts of five decades. Yes,...
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