-
2 weeks ago | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff |Katrina Liu
The days of gas-powered leaf blowers on Martha’s Vineyard are numbered after three towns voted to phase out the lawn equipment at their annual town meetings Tuesday night. The bylaws are being proposed across the Island in an attempt to reduce noise and emissions, according to proponents. The articles drew some concerns from landscaping businesses in the lead-up to Tuesday, but passed at the first three town meetings of the season in Oak Bluffs, Edgartown and West Tisbury.
-
Jan 16, 2025 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
The vibrant yellow petals of goldenrod are the place to be for Island pollinators, according to a three-year study concluded this fall. Going back to 2021, Island naturalists from BiodiversityWorks conducted a study of several different plants in order to find what species supported biodiversity on Island farms. Pollinators are integral to the environment and to the success of farms.
-
Jan 14, 2025 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
The retired Oak Bluffs fire chief could be returning in an advisory role this year to aid the department as it searches for a new deputy chief. The fire department asked the town’s select board on Thursday to appoint former Chief Nelson Wirtz as a technical advisor. The role would allow Mr. Wirtz to help firefighters keep up with the department’s day-to-day workload. The deputy chief position opened when former deputy chief Stephen Foster was appointed as the fire chief in late October.
-
Jan 9, 2025 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
As temperatures dropped into the teens this week organizations around the Vineyard have stepped up to meet the needs of at-risk Islanders. Harbor Homes, an Island homelessness prevention nonprofit which runs an overnight winter shelter, increased their outreach this week by opening rotating warming centers during the day. Monday through Thursday, three churches and the Red House Recovery Center opened their doors to give people a warm place to stay.
-
Dec 5, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
Over 300 families will have gifts under the tree this year thanks to the work of the Red Stocking Fund. The Island group provides gifts to children of families in need, including toys and necessities such as clothing and school supplies. This year, backpacks have been added to the list of items available to help families who have to move frequently due to the Vineyard’s housing crisis.
-
Dec 5, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
The Laughing Bear property on Circuit avenue, which has hosted the Oak Bluffs women’s clothing store for about 40 years, is changing hands. Erin Tiernan, the co-owner of the Oak Bluffs clothing stores Eastaway and Basics Clothing Company, purchased the Oak Bluffs maintstay for $1.36 million on November 20. She plans to open her own women’s clothing store in May. “The store is going to be called Oso, which is bear in Spanish, as an homage to the Laughing Bear,” Ms. Tiernan said.
-
Dec 3, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
The Martha’s Vineyard Land Bank goatherd will be sold off for $10 a head this week after the herd became plagued with parasitic worms. The land bank commission voted unanimously Monday to approve the sale. The goats will be taken off-Island, where they will be butchered. The herd was put up for auction following a recommendation made by the land bank’s livestock manager Winston Bell in late August.
-
Dec 2, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
Children and snowflakes alike swirled around Healey Square Saturday evening as Oak Bluffs celebrated the start of the Christmas season. Although the snow didn’t stick, the tradition certainly has. Gary Buckley said that the tree lighting has been a family event for years. Making a list. — Ray Ewing “It’s something I’ve done with my wife even before I had kids. Obviously, it’s become more important since then,” he said.
-
Nov 27, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
Last year’s bay scallop season ended with mixed results, but fishermen had a reason to be hopeful. In the water there was a large amount of immature scallops that were too young to be harvested. Those scallops have now grown up, and this year is shaping up to be a good one for the fishery. David Berube, an Edgartown scalloper, said that in 50 years he had never seen so much seed. “Last winter when we fished we saw a lot of small ones that would be adults this year,” he said.
-
Nov 27, 2024 | 
vineyardgazette.com | Addison Antonoff
Santa visits Oak Bluffs this Saturday to help the town celebrate the beginning of the holiday season. The annual lighting of the tree in Healey Square takes place at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, but the fun begins much earlier thanks to planning by the Oak Bluffs Association. Saturday’s events start at noon when Saint Nick arrives for photos. Throughout the afternoon, there will be hot chocolate, live music and reindeer games — sack races and the like — in Ocean Park.
