Gwyn Skiles

Betty White Postage Stamp Has Vineyard Roots On Saturday at the Nobnocket Inn, Emily Texeira, the Vineyard Haven postmaster, presented Dale Stephanos with a plaque thanking him for his dedication to honoring one of the country’s most cherished i...

The random, fun summer events are back!!💜

Out of Sight for Three Years, Right Whale Calvin Makes a Cameo off the Vineyard More than 60 right whales were sighted 55 miles south of the Island in an aerial survey conducted by the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life on April 23.

Researchers last week spotted one of the largest aggregations of critically endangered right whales south of the Vineyard. 🐋

Southern Pine Beetles Could Slowly Reshape Island Forests The southern pine beetle has devastated parts of some of the Island's forests. Conservation groups are in the early stages of fighting back.

“You’re dealing with a force of nature [and] that’s the first thing to learn when working with the southern pine beetle — humility,” said Adam Moore, the executive director of Sheriff’s Meadow.

Edgartown Election Signals Generational Shift Alex Morrison's win over seven-term incumbent select board member Michael Donaroma heralds the arrival of a younger generation in town politics.

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As New England waters warm, invasive sea squirts move in Researchers say they're seeing more of these colorful blobs growing on docks, but they're not the only invasive marine species that could be spreading along New England coasts. And climate change may ...

Neat science story out of Buzzards Bay by my friend and fellow midwesterner @vivianla.bsky.social

Morrison Beats Donaroma for Edgartown Select Board Seat Alexander Morrison is headed to the Edgartown select board after beating out a longtime incumbent at Thursday’s annual town election. Mr. Morrison, the owner of a landscaping and construction company,...

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Incumbent Mike Donaroma received the least amount of votes, taking only 200. Retired firefighter Glen Searle got 251.

For the first time in over 20 years, the Edgartown select board will have a new face. Alex Morrison won by a landslide, bringing in a total of 469 votes.

Voters to Decide on Future of Gas Leaf Blowers As the Vineyard approaches its annual town meeting season, a highly-debated bylaw aimed at curbing the noise of leaf blowers is on nearly every town’s warrant.

As several U.S. municipalities ban gas leaf blowers, Martha’s Vineyard makes its decision in the coming weeks.

The contentious question feels personal for many on-Island, where a booming landscaping industry could take a hit. But others argue curbing toxic emissions takes precedence.

I created an RSS feed of local Island #news. I read it with an #AppleShortcut, and pass it to #ChatGPT to turn into a #haiku

vineyardgazette.com/news/2025/03... @gwynskiles.bsky.social

Bird Flu Detected in Vineyard Chickens The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported positive results for a homeowner’s flock on Feb. 26.

The Vineyard had its second outbreak of the bird flu, this time in backyard chickens.

Local Marine Research Takes a Hit, Following Federal Firing Edict The mass firing of probationary employees at federal agencies and other cuts by the Trump administration reached the epicenter of marine research for the Cape and Islands last week.

“The body of knowledge and expertise that these agencies hold, and the staff within them, is immense…” said Emily Reddington, the executive director of the Great Pond Foundation here on the Vineyard. “We couldn’t do our work to help protect the ponds without them.”

✍️with my editor, Ethan Genter

Study Finds Mill Pond Temperatures are Reaching Dangerous Heights A new multi-year study to determine the health of the Mill Brook in West Tisbury has found the system is struggling, prompting consideration of how to aid the nearly 3,000-acre watershed that feeds Mi...

High water temps and low dissolved oxygen rates mean the future of Mill Pond looks grim for the hundreds of species, some endangered, that live there. Now the town of West Tisbury is tasked with settling a decades-long debate. 💧

After First Cases, Vineyarders Remain Vigilant for Avian Flu The Vineyard’s first cases of avian flu found in dead birds last week have Island officials urging the community to do its part to stop the spread of the disease.

I’ve been following the bird flu on Martha’s Vineyard closely the past month. Here’s the latest news🪶

Hardy Surfers Answer the Call of Winter Waves Frigid temperatures didn’t deter the Island’s surfing community, which took to the water in 6-mm thick wet suits, resembling seals more than people as they paddled out in search of waves.

*Says cowabunga through chattering teeth*🤙

My latest ✍️
Ray Ewing 📸

First Baby of the New Year Arrives Maisie Rose was born on Jan. 1 at 6:26 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital, the first baby born on the Island in 2025. Maisie weighed six pounds and six ounces.

Maria (📸) and I were the first people to meet Maisie other than her parents/doctors. An honor! Just another day in local news ✨

Btw, I just learned she’s one of the world’s first gen beta!

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Going home for the holidays meant I was constantly saying “no, Martha’s Vineyard is not named after Martha Stewart,” “there is no vineyard” and “yes it is where they filmed Jaws.”

This week’s skyline honors poet Nikki Giovanni who died Monday. She’s remembered for her fervent writings on Black Joy and charismatic frame of mind. From the poem “Resignation”:

I love you
Because no two snowflakes are alike
And it is possible
If you stand tippy-toe
To walk between the raindrops

Today I watched a 5th grader visiting us at the Vineyard Gazette go up to her teacher and ask “can I go interview random people outside right now?” 🥹💞

Tracking Sea Creature Stress Related to Wind Turbine Construction As regulators consider projects up and down the east coast, researchers at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution have been simulating the booming sound of pile driving turbine monopiles to see if i...

How is wind farm construction affecting the fishery?

Research out of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution shows scallops clam up and squid have a flare for the dramatics.

🦞🐠🦪🦑🐟

Tracing the Source of Pond Nitrogen The Marine Biological Laboratory and Great Pond Foundation are collecting water samples along Edgartown Great Pond in hopes of unlocking the source of nitrogen that has been polluting the pond.

MV’s ponds have seen high levels of nitrogen for years and warnings over algal blooms have become regular events. While Edgartown Great Pond is not the most polluted on the Island, Great Pond Foundation executive director Emily Reddington said she’s seen a rapid decline of its ecosystem.