– Gale Barkley Vineyard was born on Dec into the happy household of Katherine and Ben Vineyard At an icebreaker in college when asked to introduce herself using an adjective starting with the same letter as her first name she didn’t miss a beat Nobody who knew her before or after would disagree She pursued lots of interests always – competitive swimming and horseback riding in her early days swim team coaching and adventure travel later on – but the through line of Gale’s life was friendship at every job and in every one of her neighborhoods These friendships were close and lasted her entire life But all the friends and all the fun are no match for her love and pride of wonderful Johnny She was a fierce supporter of his brilliant swimming and academic careers Amazingly the diagnosis of brain cancer didn’t dampen her spirit She ‘fought forward’ (another Gale motto) through treatment and rehab with remarkable courage; committed always to keeping a positive attitude Her Flying Fish swimmers called it “Gale Force” Gale leaves us to remember her radiant smile brilliant sense of the ridiculous and playful spirit Ben (Abby Lerner) and Greg Scott (Kate); niece Myles and Benny; lots of cousins and tons and tons of friends Donations can be made in Gale’s name to the YWCA North Shore Flying Fish Aquatics Program A memorial gathering will be held in early June Coast Guard plan to remove hundreds of navigation buoys in the northeast has raised concerns with some Island mariners.  Of the 4,700 buoys that line the waterways from New York to Quoddy Head at the Canadian border the federal agency is proposing to pull 350 navigation buoys The effort has been in the works for the last two years and is being done in an attempt to “rightsize” the number of navigation aids at a time when nearly every boat has a GPS electronic navigation charts and other technically advanced aids.  the Coast Guard’s first district chief of waterways management said that some of the first wooden navigation markers off the coast of New England were put in place in the late 1600s and the number of buoys has grown over the centuries he said it is time to rethink how many buoys are necessary in the water.  “Those things have all changed,” Mr Stuck said in an interview with the Gazette the Coast Guard looks at all the ways to rightsize the system to the ways mariners navigate.” The Coast Guard is targeting buoys that it deems less essential to navigation Among these are seven in the waters between Woods Hole harbor and the beginning of the Elizabeth Islands chain the Squash Meadow East End Bell Buoy off Oak Bluffs a buoy off Menemsha at the entrance to Vineyard Sound several others around Cuttyhunk and a buoy that marks the end of the Muskeget Channel commonly referred to as the “Hooter” for the sound it makes as it bobs up and down.  Stuck said that fewer buoys would also make it easier and more econmical for the Coast Guard to maintain the rest of the aids to navigation across the east coast “[Navigation aids] tend to accumulate rather than optimize,” he said.  The Coast Guard is soliciting public comment on the proposal and some Islanders are wary of taking out buoys in the name of efficiency.  “I think it’s a bad idea,” said Kurt Freund who runs Fishsticks Charters on the Vineyard “I think that some of the buoys are absolutely essential.”  He worried about creating an overreliance on electronic navigation aids and said that these markers can be helpful when calamity strikes and GPSs fail.  “I know people think they can rely on GPS for everything but that’s probably not a good idea,” Mr the charter fishing captain behind Martha’s Vineyard Outfitters worried most about removing any buoys out of Woods Hole a busy port with a lot of shallow water.  “It’s asking for trouble,” he said “I think that there’s probably a lot of ways that the Coast Guard could make amendments to their budget but I don’t think taking the buoys out of Woods Hole is one of them.” The Steamship Authority is aware of the proposal and is still considering the potential ramifications before weighing in Chilmark harbor master Ryan Rossi wasn’t too concerned about the idea saying it doesn’t affect any buoys near the town harbor The closest buoy to his port that is marked for removal is more of a shipping aid than anything for pleasure boats that frequent his harbor.  “It doesn’t concern me in the least,” he said.  While it may affect boaters who come to the Vineyard said it likely wouldn’t cause any issues for the town.  “There’s not really much in Edgartown’s area of responsibility that will be affected,” he said before adding that people should pay attention to the changes to make sure they are prepared.  The Coast Guard is urging mariners to give feedback on the proposal by June 13 There is no timeline for removal right now “If we get feedback that leads us to determine that we want to change up the proposal… those are all things that we want to be intentional about,” he said.  A map of the proposed buoys can be found here Comments need to be sent via email to D01-SMB-DPWPublicComments@uscg.mil Subscribe or become a Friend of the Vineyard Gazette and receive our free newsletters and free and discounted tickets to Gazette events along with our award-winning news and photography The Chautauqua County Department of Planning & Development invites community members and stakeholders to a public presentation and open house to review and provide input on the Complete Streets Conceptual Design Project for Vineyard and Millard Fillmore drives County officials say that community participation is key to shaping a transportation network that is safe and welcoming for everyone — whether walking The Complete Streets initiative aims to redesign Vineyard and Millard Fillmore Drive with a focus on safety The conceptual design includes improvements such as enhanced pedestrian crossings The goal is to create a street environment that supports all users and modes of transportation – View conceptual design plans and illustrations – Listen to a short project presentation – Speak directly with project planners and engineers – Ask questions and share feedback on the proposed improvements – Learn about next steps and the project timeline “This project has been a priority that our Chautauqua County Complete Streets Work Group has been developing over the past year We are excited to unveil the preliminary concepts and hear from residents and commuters who use this corridor every day,” said Rebecca Wurster Planning Coordinator of the County’s Department of Planning & Development “Community input helps ensure the final design reflects local needs and priorities.” the formal presentation will take place at 6 p.m Copyright © 2025 Ogden Newspapers of New York | https://www.observertoday.com | PO Box 391 The cost of a property that will become the location of a wastewater treatment plant on Finley Lake has been revealed The Post-Journal and OBSERVER have been analyzing real estate sales in Chautauqua County and recently looked at the transactions from March 3-7 Todd and Patricia Briggs sold 3093 Route 426 This property was the site of Findley Lake Landscape Supply and was identified by the sewer district engineering firm The town of Mina has been awarded $36 million in grant funds for the project – half from the state and half from the federal government Mina Town Supervisor Rebecca Brumagin said because of the grants no part of the construction will be borne by the taxpayers Mina residents voted to create a sewer district and wastewater treatment plant For several years the town has experienced high levels of phosphorus going into Findley Lake Samuel and Thomas LaPorte sold eight parcels to R and Academy Street and total around 112 acres of land They’re labeled on the county’s parcel viewer as vineyards/field crop land LLC of Westfield purchased about 98 acres of land on Munson and West Main Road Westfield from a different seller for $647,400 there were two business buildings sold in the southern end of the county Part of the parcel is in the town of Ellicott No changes in operation have been announced The Don Gage Family Trust sold 3263 Fluvanna Ave Ext. This building is described on line as “an intense elongated warehouse” and has “Nelson Golf Cars” painted on it there were five sales that were $250,000 or higher The full list of sales higher than $1 is as follows: Gary and Cheryl Vacanti sold a parcel on Ellicott Road Jamestown to Leslie Hunter and Charles Smith for $80,000 James and Christine Christy sold 5042 West Main Road The executor of the Estate of Laura Cimino sold 76 Shady Lane Luis Aparicio and Luis Felipe Aparicio sold Lot No The administrator of the Estate Robert Burlett sold three parcels on Chautauqua Road and Webster Road Dunkirk to Moises Salvador Ane Lebron for $25,000 A referee for David and Ashley Zapata sold 6743 Finley Road Jamestown to Charles Albert Grinnen V for $47,500 Silver Creek to Justin and Kaylie Dubois for $180,000 Ellington to Kaden Bianco and Erika Russell for $90,000 Robert and Amie Davis sold 11487 Alleghany Road Linda McMillen sold 3559 Sprague Hill Road Harmony to the Daryl and Christine Mattoon Revocable Living Trust for $160,000 The Lang Family Trust sold 28A Polder Road Harmony to the Daryl and Christine Mattoon Revocable Living Trust for $240,000 Samuel and Thomas LaPorte sold a parcel near Hardenburg Road Westfield to Michael and Brandy Cochrane for $5,200 The administrator of the Estate of Michael Gullotti sold 227 McKinley Ave. Jamestown to MD Solomon Hossain for $10,000 Scott and Miriam Washington sold 2642 Old Chautauqua Road Gerry to Thomas Washington and Lauren Sharp for $82,000 The guardian of Nora Shreve sold 22 Valmeere St. LLC of Silver Creek for $112,500 and 59 Central Ave. Stockton to Ronee Emerson and Joseph Kasprzycki for $129,000 Joseph Dolce sold 10464 and part of 10458 Center Road Sheridan to Sean and Christine Gibson for $12,000 Dunkirk to T&J Cybart Family Trust for $175,000 North Harmony to Kenneth Schoetz for $375,000 Phillip and Linda Lombardo sold 30 Almet Ave. Falconer to Nicholas and Annamarie Bennett for $110,000 The executors of the Estate of Sally Gage sold a 14-acre parcel on Fluvanna Avenue Extension The executor of the Last Will and Testament of Evelyn Ostrom sold 2417 Peck Settlement Road PANAMA — As the search for an official new superintendent for Panama Central School continues | https://www.post-journal.com | PO Box 3386 Researchers last week spotted one of the largest aggregations of right whales south of 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 A second survey on April 28 found another group of 40 whales which included a whale that hasn’t been seen in several years were welcomed by researchers as the species has been teetering on the edge of extinction The whales were swimming in shipping lanes prompting the National Marine Fisheries Service to designate a voluntary slow zone on April 24 which urges mariners to slow down to 10 knots or less Approaching a right whale closer than 500 yards is a violation of federal and state law Ship strikes are one of the leading causes of injuries and deaths for right whales The survey team alerted  several large commercial ships in the area at the time which shifted course to avoid potential collisions with the whales North Atlantic right whales have been listed on the Endangered Species Act since 1970 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries estimated there are only 370 individuals remaining in 2023 The winter and spring seasons are the peak time of year for right whale sightings in New England waters The aquarium said a large number of right whales are also currently feeding in Cape Cod Bay Nearly half of the total estimated right whale population was documented in New England since December by the aerial survey team a female who was orphaned when she was eight months-old after her mother was killed by a vessel strike in 1992 Calvin has survived eight entanglements and given birth to four calves of her own But researchers have worried about her because she hasn’t been spotted for almost three years she had severe entanglement wounds that were new,” said Katherine McKenna an associate research scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center in a statement “A lot of people had given up hope that she was still alive after not being seen for so long.” McKenna said her story illustrates the resiliency of the species “Their resiliency alone is not enough for this species to recover,” Ms “We must reduce the sources of human-caused mortality and injury that are preventing the right whale population from thriving.” By Niina H. Farah | 05/05/2025 01:46 PM EDT Fishing industry groups failed to convince the high court to reconsider federal approvals for the New England wind farm currently under construction. The Supreme Court in Washington on June 30, 2024. Susan Walsh/AP The Supreme Court has declined to reconsider the Biden administration’s approval of a major offshore wind project off the Massachusetts coast, in a reprieve for an industry facing rising political headwinds. On Monday morning, the justices denied the parallel petitions led by the fishing company Seafreeze Shoreside and the fishing industry trade group Responsible Offshore Development Alliance (RODA) challenging agencies’ approvals for the Vineyard Wind 1 project. The 62-turbine wind farm is under construction 15 miles off the coast of Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard and is expected to be completed this year. Vineyard Wind’s joint developers Avangrid and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners declined through their attorney to comment on the Supreme Court’s decision. The petition denial comes as President Donald Trump sharply changed course from his predecessor, who had championed new offshore wind development along the Eastern seaboard. Trump, meanwhile, issued an executive order on his first day back in office halting new offshore wind permits and directing agencies to review existing approvals. Request a FREE trial to receive unlimited access to The leader in energy and environment news. Communication, community, and education are our top priorities. The team of Jonathan Smith and Travis Ransom won overall low net The Chapman-Alternate shot format was used Five teams per flight by team playing handicap and 9-hole round robin match were played with two 9-hole matches per day Here are the results (team can only win gross or net for each category): You must be logged in to post a comment. The new facility and courtyard will be the heart of a new MVCS. With more than a dozen blue hardhats, a shovel for every hand, and standing in front of a pile of dirt, the Islands community gathered on Friday for the Martha’s Vineyard Community Services (MVCS) celebratory groundbreaking of its new facility, which will include a wing named in honor of two prominent Islanders.   The larger $17.5 million construction project — which will include the William and Rose Styron Center for Wellness and Recovery on Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road in Oak Bluffs — will include a new, main building and courtyard which will be considered “the heart” of the MVCS’s larger 13,700-square-foot project scheduled to be complete in 2026.  When finished, the building will consolidate all mental health, substance abuse, and other services into a modern, spacious, two-story building, adjacent to the Paul and Sandra Pimental Early Childhood Center, which was constructed in 2021.  “We are building a brand new campus,” Carl Folta, Vice President of the MVCS board of directors, told the Times Friday. “All our administration and most programs we housed are going in a brand spanking new, modern, environmentally safe, two story building that will value patient privacy.”   “The ability to move services into the same building is amazing and it’s going to be beautiful,” added campaign chair, Gary Foster.  At the ceremony on Friday, Tobias and Durwood Vanderhoop of the Black Brook Singers of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) welcomed guests into the groundbreaking ceremony with a drumming and singing performance. Rose Styron — local legend, renowned poet, journalist, and human rights activist — was at the ceremony on Friday, and said her late husband, Bill, would have been so honored to see this dedication in their name.  “My husband would’ve been just thrilled. His hundredth Birthday is coming up and our 72nd anniversary is this weekend,” said Styron to the Times on Friday prior to the ceremony. The center aims to honor Styron’s legacy surrounding the destigmatization of mental health, particularly through William Styron’s 1990 memoir “Darkness Visible,” which detailed his personal struggle with mental health. “The response to his book saved him — through that, he got to talk to so many people who he helped,” said Styron.   The new building is designed by South Mountain Architecture’s Ryan Bushey. Bushey said that the planned courtyard will become the heart of the campus. They are also replacing “uncomfortable noisy spaces” now at the Community Center with quieter and more resilient space. He said they are also getting rid of fossil fuels completely; the building will be run on electricity. “We hope to make a safe, healthy place not only that meets the community’s needs but one that meets the Island’s needs,” said Bushey from the podium on Friday. “But right now it’s just a big hole and a lot of optimism,” he lightheartedly added.  Dean Teague, CEO of MVCS who spoke at the podium on Friday, said he was thankful for the overwhelming Island support since he started as CEO in February.  “The island has been fantastic,” he said. “I have never met a more generous group of people,” said Teague following the ceremony on Friday. “Even the ones who don’t have the ability to give too much find a way to give what they can.”  He said that the new facility is a big need on the Island. “It’s significant because we are going to open up a new era about how we handle mental health patients.” The MVCS has raised a total of $13 million so far for the construction project, which is enough to complete construction before upkeep and other costs. MVCS officials also said they were proud that more than one million of the total raised for the project was done so through smaller, local donations.   “It was done in a way that was really inspiring, with fellow islanders coming together to raise more than a million dollars to build the center that will have the job of housing our mental health  and substance abuse services,” said Foster. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The MV Times comment policy requires first and last name for all comments. 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-wjxay9-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-152q15n-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-x340e0-SquareButton{margin:0;padding:0;display:inline-grid;-webkit-column-gap:8px;column-gap:8px;grid-template-columns:repeat(3 1);}}@media screen and (prefers-reduced-motion: reduce){.css-x340e0-SquareButton{transition-property:background-color;transition-duration:0ms;transition-timing-function:cubic-bezier(0 1);}}.css-v6oqvx{margin:0;font-family:Lato,Helvetica,Arial,sans-serif;font-size:12px;line-height:20px;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:0px;font-style:normal;text-transform:none;font-stretch:normal;padding:0.5px 0px;}.css-v6oqvx::before{content:'';margin-bottom:-0.4973em;display:block;}.css-v6oqvx::after{content:'';margin-top:-0.4463em;display:block;}Listen the sprawling Massachusetts property paid host to the Obamas for three consecutive summers starting in 2009 with reports at the time suggesting that the family paid a staggering $50,000 a week to rent the abode Farm of the Future California Ag Today Southeast Regional Ag News Cattle Hybrid Coming to Supply Chain US Cattle and Pork Producers Losers in China Trade War Estate Tax Exemption Lorrie Boyer Tim Hammerich Years before Barack and Michelle Obama were home owners on Martha's Vineyard they were summer renters of a stunning 30-acre property in Chilmark the Obama family rented this amazing estate known as Blue Heron Farm for a reported $50,000 per week each summer that property was sold in 2011 to British architect Norman Foster for $22.4 million who did not want to keep renting to the Obamas during the summer season But now Foster is selling Blue Heron Farm for an asking price of $39 million and the former summer haven of a U.S President is about to get another new owner For a few summers the Obamas spent their summer's at Blue Heron Farm on Cobbs Hill Road in Chilmark The house sits on a 28.5-acre property overlooking Tisbury Great Pond that also includes an apple orchard a golf course and a barn brought in from Pennsylvania It also once welcomed Bill and Hillary Clinton who attended a party at the home back in 1998 Blue Heron Farm was never actually owned by a former president The Obamas only rented the estate for three summers but they clearly fell in love with life on Martha's Vineyard because the did buy themselves a property there eventually the couple finally put down permanent roots in their favorite vacation spot buying a seven-bedroom, 6,892-square-foot home for $11.75 million That home was used for Barack's 60th birthday party in 2021 and is still reportedly owned by a trust that the Obamas are part of See inside home on Martha's Vineyard's South Shore below Years before Barack and Michelle Obama were home owners on Martha's Vineyard, they were summer renters of a beautiful property in Chilmark that's now for sale.\nRead More For a few summers the Obamas spent their summer's at Blue Heron Farm on Cobbs Hill Road in Chilmark Blue Heron Farm, the Martha's Vineyard estate where former President Barack Obama and his family vacationed, is set to be listed for sale, according to Brian Dougherty of Corcoran on Wednesday Dougherty will be co-agent on the listing of Blue Heron Farm on Cobbs Hill Road with Maggie Gold Seelig from MSG Group Real Estate Five properties combine to make the 30-acre farm according to the town of Chilmark's assessors database The total property value is assessed at approximately $36 million Blue Heron Farm Properties LLC sold the property to Blue Sky MV LTD for $19,940,000 the farm sold to Blue Heron LLC for $21,925,000 Alex Salomon and Hume Steyer are listed as managers for the LLC President Obama arrivesIn July 2009, the Vineyard Gazette reported that then-President Obama would vacation at the the farm in August In 2014, the Obamas returned to the Vineyard to stay at 72 Gosnold's Way in Chilmark Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans.       I feel like it’s been windy for weeks on end The warm days at the beginning of the week are drying out the baby plants and seedlings at an alarming rate This is because I have yet to haul out the sprinklers It’s better to water heavily than to give just a sip every day A good soaking once a week will cause the roots to go deeper and thus survive droughty conditions All winter I complained about lack of writing material there is so much spring happening I hardly know where to start Folks have been out sprucing up their yards some of the daffodils have seen better days I don’t recall a spring on the Vineyard with so many fabulous displays I noticed the lilies-of-the-valley are just about to pop Even thrown upside down into the woods will not stop them I only say some things from personal experience I’m late getting some of the vegetables into the open ground broccoli and celeriac looking at me accusingly One fun thing we’ve been picking boatloads of is asparagus the picking time can increase up to six weeks or so I also have a patch that is at least 50 years old I planted it when I was only renting the property I hoped someone else would plant a patch that I would inherit somewhere else and a new renter would discover and appreciate what I had done While trying to avoid the traffic on the Edgartown-Vineyard Haven Road The ground phlox at Abby Burt’s is in full and glorious bloom I realized that my own did not come back this year The large boxes at the entrance to Morrice the Florist are stunning They have lived in those containers for a few seasons I’ve been noticing honey bees for several weeks but this warm weather has brought out the bumblebees the white cabbage moths are hovering around the wintered-over collards and kales This advice probably falls under the “do as I say It’s time to cover the cold crops with some sort of netting It worked for about five minutes until it got holes and blew around so imagine my alarm and disappointment to follow the ideas of Bobby Junior How he is running the nation’s health is just another example of Trump’s either incompetence or willful destruction of what we have long held dear I guess making America healthy again is bringing back measles removing free breakfast and lunch from school children and cutting funding for Meals-on-Wheels for those children’s grandparents I see some grave rolling with advocates of social justice and moral values The Chilmark property that the Obama family stayed in for a number of summers is up for sale for nearly $40 million The Wall Street Journal first reported earlier this week that a high-end New York City real estate broker is listing the sale of The Blue Heron Farm for $39 million Former president Barack Obama and his family rented the 28.5-acre compound on Tisbury Great Pond several times starting in the beginning of his presidency in 2008 If the property sells for the asking price it would be the most expensive residential sale on the Vineyard The Dukes County Registry of Deeds reports that former Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham’s 186-acre West Tisbury property sold for $32.5 million in 2019 The property includes 4-bedrooms that front Town Cove an arm of Tisbury Great Pond and on the Tiasquam River The owners are listed as British architect Norman Foster and his wife the owners were William and Molly Van Devender of Mississippi The Van Devenders purchased the property in September 2005 for $19.94 million from Richard Fisher et al. Anthony Fisher to Blue Heron Properties LLC The Obamas became landowners on the Vineyard in 2019 after purchasing a home in Edgartown on Turkeyland Cove Road for $11 million better if some massively rich entity buys it and contributes to the town’s tax base… and website in this browser for the next time I comment The MV Times comment policy requires first and last name for all comments who first discovered his passion for cooking as a teenager at Alchemy in Edgartown was eliminated from the reality cooking show on Thursday The Vineyard-raised chef cooked his way to the final six on Gordon Ramsay’s hit competition produced by FOX He was competing in the professional category and vying for the $250,000 prize that comes with a year-long mentorship Scanlon said on the show that steaks are his expertise but his comfortability with the filet was ultimately what hurt him “It’s just me getting in my own way which is crushing me,” Mr Scanlon said before he headed into the elimination round Scanlon proceeded into a 25-minute cookoff against competitor Megan Keno who as a teenager cooked many fish caught in Vineyard’s waters Scanlon accidentally ripped the tail off a sea bream he was searing in a pan with garlic “I’ve never done that in any restaurant or even at home with friends and family,” Mr While the judges thought the fish was cooked well the broken tail and use of rosemary ultimately cost him his spot on the show Scanlon that he would put him in touch with his restaurants in Boston to open a door for the young talent “I’d love to get you in for a start so we can actually continue this journey and literally work together and see what’s on the horizon,” Mr I’m going to help you after this competition to get where you want to go.” gave birth to their baby Stasia just two weeks before he headed to Ireland to film the show He said his family was his main inspiration during the competition Scanlon for his team at the start of the competition but at 22-years of age you have this heart of gold that is destined for success,” Mr The Martha’s Vineyard Commission is fast-tracking its review of a proposal by the Martha’s Vineyard Airport to renovate and expand the terminal in West Tisbury Commissioners held a public hearing on the airport plan Thursday night and will deliberate on May 8 Written comments are being accepted until noon on May 5 The airport is seeking to renovate 5,000 square feet of its existing 16,800-square-foot terminal and to add 15,000 square feet of new space The larger terminal is designed to improve the experience for commercial passengers and airport workers — not to accommodate larger numbers of them “We’re not anticipating growth here,” he said noting that the airport is hemmed in by roads properties and easements that prevent it from expanding its operations “Our apron space does not allow us to expand,” Mr The airport is in line for a $15 million Federal Aviation Administration grant to update the terminal — if it acts promptly “They gave us a strict timeline that we needed to meet in order to seek that [funding],” Mr The airport has until July 1 to submit its application thanking commissioners for their willingness to accelerate the project review Built at the site of a former World War II air training base the airport was last updated in the 1990s and the terminal building has been obsolete since the attacks of Sept 2001 led to heightened airport security measures across the country Transportation Security Administration agents and their equipment have been using space that wasn’t designed for them while passengers in the busy travel season often wait outside under a tent It was pretty much a makeshift of trying to meet standards,” Mr The proposed renovation and addition would do away with the tented waiting area as well as a portable restroom that serves it The new terminal also would streamline the traffic flow for arriving and departing passengers which tends to back up on West Tisbury and Barnes roads will be a tougher challenge to solve because the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation has conservation easements on both sides of the airport entrance “[The airport] can’t change Airport Road at all until they get cooperation,” commissioner and hearing officer Douglas Sederholm said airport management has agreed to work with the MVC the airport towns and the state transportation department on solutions for the congestion including paying a share of the cost for a traffic consultant commissioners began their public review of Cat Hollow in Vineyard Haven where Island Housing Trust is applying to build three mixed-income condominium duplexes on a 2.7-acre property near Veterans Memorial Park in Tisbury The trust bought the land at 25 Lobster Alley in 2022 including an existing three-bedroom house it leases to the Martha’s Vineyard Transportation Agency for employee housing The six ownership units in the three proposed duplexes would be deed-restricted in perpetuity with two of them restricted to owners earning up to 80 per cent of the area median income two to owners earning up to 150 per cent of the median and two to year-round Island owners who would be required to live there for 11 months out of the year Earlier this year, residents in the Causeway Road area collected more than 50 signatures on a petition opposing the development for its potential impact on neighborhood traffic and safety Testimony from the neighbors is expected when the public hearing on Cat Hollow continues May 22 the Martha’s Vineyard Commission opened and closed a hearing on the Flanders family’s request to demolish an antique barn on their Chilmark farm is partially collapsed and beyond the point of restoration “This is probably a good candidate for some salvage pieces to be reused — which is what the applicant is planning to do — but not a good candidate for restoration,” Mr Architect Joseph Dick said he has designed a replacement building for the family that evokes the lines of the old barn There was no public comment on the Flanders’s application during the public hearing Thursday Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m A ground-breaking ceremony for the new building under construction at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services in Oak Bluffs drew close to 100 people Friday afternoon to be named for major donor Jacqui Morby’s family will house the William and Rose Styron Center for Wellness and Recovery a dedicated hub for mental health and substance use disorder services “I’m just so proud,” said Ms who attended the ceremony with the couple’s daughters “It would have been my husband’s and my 72nd anniversary this weekend and I’m sure somewhere he’s smiling and thinking this is absolutely wonderful,” she said Styron’s 1990 book Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness is widely considered to have broken a pervasive cultural silence on the subject of mental illness and how it can be treated Another new community services building will be home to the Paul and Sandra Pimentel Early Childhood Center named in the couple’s honor by donors Jim and Susan Swartz The Martha’s Vineyard Bank Charitable Foundation supported the building campaign with a $500,000 challenge grant that drew a matching donation which included bank president James Anthony Martha’s Vineyard Community Services still has about $4 million to raise to complete the project The new building replaces one that formerly housed the community services pre-school The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School committee allowed the vacated pre-school to be used as an overnight homeless shelter over the past three winters The nonprofit Harbor Homes of Martha’s Vineyard is actively searching for property to re-establish the winter shelter which included addressing the nation about Hurricane Irene and issuing press statements following the death of Senator Ted Kennedy The classic clapboard home is nestled in the heart of the island A long gated driveway ushers guests to the seven-bedroom a rounded dining room boasts picturesque views of the Atlantic Ocean Get a year of unlimited access for $25 $20 per month A living area in the home Elsewhere on the property is a five-bedroom guesthouse. There is also a 150-year-old barn, relocated from Pennsylvania, which is outfitted with traditional Cape Cod–style cedar shingles and a wraparound porch. Down by the waterfront is a boathouse equipped with a private dock on a secluded stretch of Tisbury Great Pond. Additional amenities include a pool and an accompanying poolhouse and equestrian riding rings are found around the plot Maggie Gold Seelig of MGS Group Real Estate and Brian Dougherty of Corcoran Property Advisors hold the listing An aerial shot of the estate’s tennis court The Studio Has Tons of A-List Cameos—Including Some of the Best Midcentury-Modern Architecture in LA 50 Cent’s Houses: Exploring the Rapper’s Over-The-Top Real Estate Portfolio The Full House Victorian in San Francisco Sells for $6 Million The Residence Offers a Peek Inside the White House—but What Really Goes Into Running the President’s Private Quarters? Severance Twists the Mundane Trappings of the Office Into a Mind-Bending Hellscape Inside Lana Condor’s Completely Transformed Dream Home Actor Walton Goggins and Director Nadia Conners Imagine a New Life in the Hudson Valley 5 Secrets of the SNL Sets You Probably Didn’t Know Not a subscriber? Join AD for print and digital access now Browse the AD PRO Directory to find an AD-approved design expert for your next project. It is soon time to mount a mini road trip to Oregon vineyards and wineries the hopeful march toward the new vintage; the vistas are beautiful; Mother Nature is seductive .. go before the busy Memorial Day weekend when open houses offer new vintages art exhibits Another activity of the season is the ritual of spring cleaning starting with a high shelf in my garage that contained a row of anonymous boxes that had gathered dust for longer than I could remember They were both confirmations of invitations to visit two of California’s most storied vineyard estates: Jordan Vineyard and Winery and Guenoc Winery The memories that came flooding out of those two envelopes put spring cleaning on hold for another day but few could upstage the wild and incredible experiences from those back-to-back visits that remain with me today Our adventure begin when our Newport attorney and good friend flew us in his four-seat Cessna down to Healdsburg Airport where we were met by Bay Area friends who drove us to Guenoc which is a 4,200-acre cattle ranch and vineyard part of which crossed over Napa County’s northeastern border Our host was Orville Magoon — his real name — whose family traded a downtown block in Honolulu for 23,000 acres that included the ranch and vineyard that had been owned by legendary 1880s superstar actress Lille Langtry Lillie had hoped to spend more time at Guenoc when she moved “to the country” from her home in San Francisco but her heavy touring schedule of the world’s stages made it difficult Lillie Langtry’s friends and admirers included the cream of society and the arts She was alleged to be a mistress of the Prince of Wales Oscar Wilde and George Bernard Shaw highly praised her talent and intelligence Lillie brought in a French winemaker who planted her vineyard partnered in breeding prize thoroughbred racehorses When our party of six presented ourselves to Orville Magoon we met a man almost is colorful as his name and his famous actress predecessor Orville put me in his battered pickup and told my crew to follow behind in our car to a section of the vineyard There he bounded out and pointed to a line of metal poles rising out of the vine rows at regular intervals he had an arrangement with the Department of Agriculture’s experimental farm across the country in Beltsville The daily reports he received back allowed him to make adjustments needed to benefit his grape growing I thought to myself that’s why I enjoyed and sold so much of Guenoc’s excellent red Petit Sirah since you arrived late due to headwinds and an extra fuel stop that your corporate pilot reported I had to give your sleeping accommodations in Lillie’s bedroom in her Victorian mansion He said you will be more comfortable across the meadow in Freddy’s hunting lodge and tour Lillie’s place the next morning before the winery tasting The lodge was more comfortable than sleeping in a museum The next day we motored southwest to Jordan Vineyard and Winery in Alexander Valley near Healdsburg Denver oilman Tom Jordan had long wanted to buy a French wine château he came to California and built his own spectacular version The guest suite where Christina and I stayed was furnished with fine authentic antiques from French wine country We tasted the excellent Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay added bottles to our Guenoc Petit Sirah and then let Evan fly us home But I couldn’t stop thinking how close I came to being able to say Joseph Swafford — jcswaff56@gmail.com We're always interested in hearing about news in our community Have the headlines delivered Monday through Friday so you don't miss out on updates View our Subscription offers and specials here Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account The aggregation was observed in active shipping lanes increasing the risk of ship strikes — one of the leading causes of injury and death for the species Researchers say large groups of feeding right whales — along with sei whales — have been appearing more frequently in the area during spring migrations The recent gathering is one of the largest they've seen the team alerted several large commercial ships about the whales’ presence since right whales feed near the surface and are difficult to spot especially in areas with heavy maritime traffic “While the location of the whales in the shipping lanes was concerning our survey team was able to successfully alert a ship in real time and have them shift course to avoid the right whales gathered together and feeding,” said aerial survey team leader and associate research scientist Orla O’Brien with another 15 joining by the second survey “This was the first time Calvin had been seen in almost three years she had severe entanglement wounds that were new A lot of people had given up hope that she was still alive after not being seen for so long,” said Katherine McKenna Spring is peak season for right whale activity in New England waters, particularly in Cape Cod Bay, where researchers from the aquarium and the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown continue to document large feeding groups the aquarium had identified more than 168 individual right whales over 32 flights since December — nearly half the estimated remaining population of 370 the Center for Coastal Studies reported having identified as many as 180 of the whales About a third of the whales seen south of the Vineyard were also spotted in January near Jeffreys Ledge off the coasts of Maine and New Hampshire highlighting how whales are shifting their habitat in response to changing ocean conditions Scientists stress the need for continued collaboration among researchers scientists urge mariners to monitor NOAA Fisheries alerts and slow down in both voluntary and seasonal speed-restricted zones Heather McCarron writes about climate change, environment, energy, science and the natural world, in addition to news and features in Barnstable and Brewster. Reach her at hmccarron@capecodonline.com Thanks to our subscribers, who help make this coverage possible. If you are not a subscriber, please consider supporting quality local journalism with a Cape Cod Times subscription. Here are our subscription plans. a historic vessel that has fished out of Menemsha for decades wooden western-rig dragger in New England — journeyed to Vineyard Haven More photo galleries... The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School boys and girls tennis teams are both on heaters The two are both undefeated about midway through the spring season both ranked number 1 in Massachusetts in their division But it was the girls team that was shining on Wednesday as they took down Falmouth under a hot sun The girls team won in a hard fought match 3-2 “We are always competitive with Falmouth,” said Head Coach Bill Rigali during the match “They are always well coached and it’s going to be close Vineyard senior Ellie Pennington won against Falmouth’s Victoria Chbash sophomore Laina Dubin fell in a hard fought match to Maia Ledwell 4-6 and Freshman Charlotte Marshard lost a close one to Falmouth’s Geneviere Maranchie 4-6 But it was on the doubles court that secured the win for the Vinearyd Sophomores Leah Thomson and Zoe Treitman won their match against Falmouth’s Alexis Christian and Phoebe Hodgson 6-2 and Senior Ella Moran and sophomore Tessa Schulz took victory over Falmouth’s Kirkland O’leary and Liliana Pariseae “We have a more experienced lineup this year,” said coach Rigali All the other stuff like wins and losses and where you go in the playoffs will take care of itself when we take those smaller steps.”  “The Island has a great tennis community and we want to uphold that and show we appreciate the support we get from the Island,” added Rigali The recent release of MIAA girls and boys tennis power rankings placed both the Vineyard tennis teams as number one in division two The girls are 6-0 and the boys are 7-0 through the half way point The Vineyard girls tennis team’s next matchup is against Monomoy on Friday and the boys will face-off against Monomoy at home on Friday on the high school’s Fennessy Courts wooden western-rig dragger in New England — journeyed to Vineyard Haven The boat has fished for fluke off the coast of Chilmark for three generations it was first purchased by his grandfather Leonard Jason Sr The Little Lady had an escort on Thursday: Sirius, one of Ralph Packer’s tugboats, and Hillary Ann 2, which belongs to John Keene, the president of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust. The trust is working with Gannon and Benjamin Marine Railway and Mr. Jason to restore the historic vessel. About an hour after Little Lady headed out Nat Benjamin set off from the dock at Gannon and Benjamin in Vineyard Haven in his boat which will be restoring the boat once the funds are raised the man who purchased the boat and brought it to Menemsha Bight “It’s a project that’s so meaningful,” Mr plus it’s a beautiful design.” Although fundraising has not begun in earnest the town of Chilmark has already designated $100,000 of Community Preservation Act funds for the project the executive director of the Martha’s Vineyard Fishermen’s Preservation Trust She checked her phone to note the progress of Sirius and Hillary Ann 2 Just after Patrol rounded the West Chop lighthouse Little Lady and her escorts appeared on the horizon Benjamin guided his boat alongside Little Lady Jason stepped out from behind the helm and waved Becker will document the restoration process of Little Lady Benjamin followed behind Little Lady as the group neared land passing many wooden sailboats that were past projects of Gannon and Benjamin Benjamin said that traditionally built wooden boats are infinitely repairable and ones with a history and character like Little Lady are the type that he and his team are eager to restore “It’s got this very authentic feel and vibe about it The boat will be dry docked at Packer’s wharf before repairs More Pictures. The TimesA lavish holiday home where Barack and Michelle Obama escaped on summer retreat has come up for sale for a cool $39 million a sprawling 30-acre estate on Martha’s Vineyard is owned by the acclaimed British architect Lord Foster of Thames Bank and his wife the visionary behind the Gherkin and Wembley Stadium in London is also designing a new stadium for Manchester United The property on Martha’s Vineyard features a 7,000 sq ft main house a horseback riding ring and basketball and tennis courts Martha’s Vineyard Community Services will formally break ground Friday on construction of a new building that will include a wing named for author William Styron and his widow who still lives in the couple’s Vineyard Haven home The William and Rose Styron Center for Wellness and Recovery will be announced at a ceremony beginning at 3 p.m and the award-winning author of Sophie’s Choice and The Confessions of Nat Turner He also made literary history in 1990 with the publication of Darkness Visible: A Memoir of Madness.  Styron’s battles with clinical depression after he stopped drinking in the 1980s the best-selling book opened up public dialogue on a subject that had traditionally been taboo: mental illness Adapted from a 1989 essay in Vanity Fair magazine the memoir has helped immeasurably to destigmatize mental illness in America medical director for Island Counseling at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services “People still come into my practice and talk to me about Darkness Visible It’s really quite remarkable,” Dr the new center will be more welcoming for clients and staff alike “People who come in there will have a sense of being in a building that’s respectful and kind,” he said Naming the new center for the Styrons acknowledges both the groundbreaking nature of Darkness Visible and Ms Styron’s role in supporting and caring for her husband “This is a family illness [that] affects family members as much as it does the people that are suffering,” he said “Rose was an incredibly devoted and kind partner through Bill’s mental illness.”  who chairs the capital campaign for community services said donors contributed more than $1.5 million in the Styrons’ name out of about $17 million for the entire building “We had a fabulous response,” said Mr Styron’s willingness to discuss his mental illness “He was public about it because he wanted people to understand that if you feel unhealthy or there’s issues.. you need be able to ask for help,” Mr “Too many people have gone without care because they were afraid to publicize that they have a problem.” At her home on Vineyard Haven harbor Wednesday Styron recalled the grim days and nights of her husband’s illness at a time when mental health woes were considered dirty laundry Styron developed a sweet tooth and started eating their children’s candy But the first real sign of trouble was when his publisher told her that her husband’s writing had gone so far downhill that it couldn’t be printed “Then I began to read what he was writing and then I began trying to get him medical help,” Ms recounting a tale that may resonate with others who have sought help for their troubled loved ones: “The first doctor turned out to be.. wrong and gave us quite bad advice,” she said.  and we were on our way to treatment and recovery — ups and downs When community services leaders gather Friday for the shovel ceremony Styron said she will be there with the couple’s children “I think he would be honored and very pleased,” she said and very pleased that there’s going to be a place that’s easily accessible to those who need it.” It wasn’t love at first sight for David Behnke and Paul Doherty—who met over drinks in New York and have been together for more than 40 years—at least not when it came to their home in the conservation area of West Tisbury in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts. “We both realized that it needed a lot of work,” David recalls. “It was completely brown—inside and out—and nothing much had been done to it since it was built in 1988. The primary bedroom was too small, the living room didn’t have space for my piano and the kitchen and bathrooms needed to be ripped out. It had several things going for it though—good bones, a massive kitchen, four acres of land and, most importantly, a view of the gorgeous pond. We both love being on water.” Owners David Behnke and Paul Doherty may have dropped anchor on the island in 2013, but their Vineyard credentials stretch back decades. But dissent was rippling through the ranks. David thought it was exactly the right house, while Paul threatened divorce. “Luckily, with a little coaxing and an agreed list of things we’d renovate, he eventually decided it was the right house,” David says with a sigh of relief. A new five‑foot island reconfigured the kitchen’s flow, turning pass‑through space into the home’s magnetic north. David says: “The first property we bought here was a 100-year-old house on William Street in Vineyard Haven. When I began thinking about ‘real’ retirement, we decided our next move would be to downsize and move out of the town into the countryside. We were just about to list the house when Covid hit. But a broker for one of the properties we had looked at prior noted that we were selling and told our agent that he had a buyer.” A newly vaulted ceiling elevates the bedroom with a grander sense of space. Following a dramatic renovation, the primary bath pairs a deep soaking tub with basketweave tile underfoot and walls clad in crisp shiplap. The transformation of the interiors is an inspiration for anyone considering a renovation. While the couple’s tastes and style have naturally evolved over their four decades together, David admits that their preferred look is “still pretty classic. One thing that’s remained consistent is the color of our favorite wall paint, Benjamin Moore HC 1529 Gray. It changes in different light and is perfect for art.” Formal gardens weave specimen trees from Polly Hill with 5,000 spring daffodils, keeping every season in bloom. untamed fields and wild‑blueberry meadows wander down to a mirror‑still pond The couple have loved living in the home they’ve so meticulously created—and curated—whether it’s cooking in the kitchen gathering for dinner with friends on the back deck or retreating to the den with Rufus David and Paul are turning the page to their next chapter in Essex Their message for the next custodians of their beautiful art-filled home surrounded by daffodils this spring “Love it as much as we have and build on what we’ve done changing it to reflect who you are and how you want to use it.” an invitation-only network of top-tier brokerages worldwide and the exclusive real estate partner of Forbes "Jaws," the legendary film about a man-eating shark, was released in 1975 and filmed on Martha's Vineyard from May through October 1974 In the film, Martha's Vineyard is called "Amity." Hence, "Amity Week." There are many locations from the film that can still be seen on the Vineyard to this day Here's what to know. According to The Daily Jaws website some of the beach scenes in the movie were shot at South Beach in Edgartown That's where the beach party in the opening scene of the movie was filmed One of the more iconic scenes where a boy is attacked in the water on a raft was filmed at Joseph A Sylvia State Beach in Oak Bluffs, The Daily Jaws noted More: Are Vineyard rentals, hotels available for 'Jaws' anniversary in June? Here's what to know The first movie was filmed on Martha's Vineyard. Many of the places can still be visited The American Legion Memorial Bridge: In the movie, the shark swims under a bridge to what was supposed to be a‘ safe’ inlet, Sengekontacket Pond. This bridge Edgartown Town Hall: Used as the town hall in the movie The Brody House: Located at 265 East Chop Dr. Vineyard Haven The town center: This is where Chief Brody (played by Roy Scheider) gets materials for beach-closed signs It is at the junction of Water and Main streets in Edgartown The ferry launch: In the north section of Edgartown, at the end of Daggett Street, the Ferry to Chappaquiddick Island can be found. This is where the Mayor of Amity (played by Murray Hamilton) has a talk with Brody about the potential for disaster in revealing the recent shark attacks to the public A lot of the sequel was filmed in Martha's Vineyard as well, with Edgartown being the central location once again. Some of the places they shot that film, include the following, according to movie-locations.com: Oak Bluffs MenemshaAquinnahEast Chop SquibnocketVineyard HavenSengekontacketHarthaven Katama Mattekeeset Takemmy TrailChilmarkPohognut Mayhew Lane Worth noting, not all of the beach scenes are filmed in Martha's Vineyard. The film suffered from production setbacks that meant many of the scenes were shot at Navarre Beach in the Florida panhandle Here's what to know Will 'Jaws' be back in theaters this summer? "Jaws 3" involves another great white shark, except this time, it's attacking an underwater park in Florida. Movie-locations.com stated that the aquatic park is Sea World, in Orlando, Florida There are no scenes in Martha's Vineyard in this movie 'Jaws' is celebrating 50th anniversary What's happening on Martha's Vineyard The Amity scenes were shot on location at Martha's Vineyard for this movie The recent news that the Nobel Prize-winning writer Mario Vargas Llosa had died immediately transported me back through space and time to Vineyard Haven It was a fine summer day in 1994 and I was looking through the kitchen pass at The Dry Town Café when I spotted the Peruvian writer eating lunch Carlos Fuentes and Gabriel Garcia Márquez The copies of their books that I had read and reread sat on a bookshelf 10 miles away in Chilmark so I quickly dashed next door to The Bunch of Grapes and bought whatever I could lay my hands on before returning with books for each to sign I summoned a sort of cocky confidence that enabled me to approach the table and say to the four titans of literature that it’s not every day you find four of your favorite authors eating lunch together in your restaurant They were wonderfully gracious and signed the books for me that day My only regret was that One Hundred Years of Solitude was in paperback That incredible day coincided with what I believe was the heyday of Vineyard Haven People came into town in the evenings just to stroll kids congregated in loose groups and ate ice cream buskers played music under the Linden Tree and it felt like a movie set from a Peter Bogdanovich film reached out in all directions and seemed to embrace and shelter the entire town after the dinner rush had begun to wind down I would go sit under the tree to enjoy the sultry night and look over at the illuminated windows of my restaurant where people were still dining and marvel at a tableau that reminded me of a less austere version of an Edward Hopper painting The following summer I was struck with an odd feeling as we were preparing to open for another busy lunch I looked across the street at the venerable Linden Tree and saw that its branches were shedding their leaves in July and the leafy bower and dappled shade that usually spread beneath the tree was disappearing before my eyes Repeated efforts to coax it back to health had failed and it was deemed a hazard the street was closed and the work commenced From a safe distance a crowd gathered throughout the course of the day I sold the Dry Town Café the following year The Capawock had already gone dark by then and the town never felt the same the little building that was lost in the Great Fire of 1883 rebuilt to become Billy Andrews’ Barber Shop after World War I and eventually The Dry Town Café caught fire a second time and burned to the ground just days before it was scheduled to reopen under new ownership when the Linden Tree felt like the center of my world but I always try to leave something behind When I returned to visit the Island two years ago I stopped in Vineyard Haven to pay a visit to an elm sapling I planted in that little alleyway off Main street fifteen years before and the area has already become a shady oasis It was a heartening sight to see and to imagine that one day that tree might become part of a new heyday Maybe like that remarkable time I still miss so much renowned designer and captain of the topsail schooner Shenandoah — as well as a teacher and mentor and businessman who founded the Black Dog apparel company — died early Wednesday morning at the family’s home at Arrowhead Farm in West Tisbury In the 56 years between the launch of Shenandoah in 1964 and her donation to an Island educational nonprofit in 2020 perhaps no other person in the United States owned and commanded a passenger-carrying sailing ship longer than Mr no one parlayed the business of sailing into a trademark as widely recognized around the world as the Black Dog Tall Ships brand his uniform generally consisted of a baseball cap Whether at the wheel of Shenandoah or leaning back at a table with family and friends at the Black Dog Tavern which he built on the Vineyard Haven waterfront in 1971 one could tell from a distance that he was man of reserve more given to watching and listening than to talking.  and some friends described Bob Douglas as shy. With that in mind his accomplishments and legacies at sea and ashore appear all the more adventurous his ties to the Island and to Vineyard Haven began in 1947 and mother Grace Farwell Douglas of Chicago and Lake Forest Douglas served as secretary of the Air Force and deputy secretary of defense under President Dwight D and worked in private life as a lawyer and businessman John and David lived energetic summertime lives on the Island and when asked to trace the events that led him to design Captain Douglas always looked back to a moment on Vineyard Haven harbor In a 2004 interview with Martha’s Vineyard Magazine he said that when he was about 20 he saw a Friendship sloop sail into the harbor towing a sharp-ended Peapod dory “all painted up like the proverbial little red wagon: dark green hull white guards.” He rowed over to find out where the owners had found it The sailors told Bob that Havilah (Buds) Hawkins of Sedgewick but also in the summer of 1960 signed on to sail with Captain Hawkins as mate aboard two 19th-century sailing vessels — the Stephen Taber and Alice S Wentworth — that had shifted from the world of hauling freight to carrying passengers on cruises along the coast.  Douglas began to think about earning a living at the helm of a sailing ship but felt he needed more experience before he took over an old vessel of his own or built one from the keel up he served as a seaman aboard a replica of HMS Bounty which had been built for a remake of Mutiny on the Bounty He sailed with the new Bounty from Lunenburg where he worked for three months as a sailor on the film Douglas rejoined Buds Hawkins as the veteran captain began a new enterprise From the Harvey Gamage shipyard in South Bristol the first windjammer to be built new for the cruising business in North America.  Douglas ran errands and helped a bit with construction he took note of a 19th-century revenue cutter in a book by Howard I The sailing ship he saw in the Chappelle book was the revenue cutter Joe Lane He decided the Joe Lane was not only the sort of sailing ship he wanted to build Yet he also knew that the design of the Joe Lane a vessel that chased down seagoing tax cheats and coastal pirates more than a hundred years before was imperfectly suited to carry passengers in the present era Although he had no formal training as a marine architect Douglas redrafted her lines — raising her sides making the hull more symmetrical from bow to stern — to conform to his modern day purposes The topsail schooner Shenandoah was launched Feb and sailed into Vineyard Haven on her maiden voyage on July 15 and her two steeply raked masts rose 94 feet above the water She carried square topsails and a gaff-rigged foresail and main the Vineyard Gazette wrote that the new vessel “symbolizes all that was beautiful judicious and distinct in the sailing craft that made America famous on the seven seas.” Shenandoah and the Mary Day were said to be the first two commercial sailing ships to be built in the United States without engines since 1921 Hawkins both felt that they could handle their boats perfectly well without them When auxiliary power was needed around wharves or other tight places Douglas used a small yawl boat with an engine to nudge his schooner here and there Douglas was so devoted to his vessel that only once in a career lasting more than five decades did he ever step into an auxiliary boat for a moment to see her sail himself.  Shenandoah began sailing out of Vineyard Haven as her homeport in 1964 adding a new and the schooner did her part to help keep the waterfront of Tisbury a place where a variety of people and enterprises thrive Douglas figured that some 400 young adults had worked aboard Shenandoah either as deckhands or mates.  herself a sailor and a leader of the waterborne girl scout program known as the Mariner Scouts where she boards horses and gives riding lessons to students of all ages Morgan and Brooke — and six grandchildren Douglas began to change the mission of his schooner He had come to believe that adults were too impatient to deal with the sort of cruising Shenandoah did sailing wherever favorable winds and seas drew her “They want to know where they’re going to be and when they’re going to get there,” Mr they tend to lose their resiliency.” he began to take children on seven-day voyages at the start of the school year and on overnight trips during the summer sharing the duties and camaraderie of a 19th-century sailing ship brought forward into their own world Douglas donated Shenandoah to a nonprofit group now known as the Martha’s Vineyard Ocean Academy whose purpose is to help youngsters develop skills in the realms of environmental stewardship mariner competency and personal development “I would strongly approve of bonsai-ing people right around 11,” he told the Vineyard Gazette in 2013 Youngsters that age are “just great big sponges one that is entirely different from anything they have ever experienced.”  It is now reckoned that more than 5,000 children have sailed aboard Shenandoah at least once Douglas also began to buy properties along the Vineyard Haven waterfront that today make up much of what was originally called the Coastwise Packet Company and is known now as Black Dog Tall Ships Inc.  Douglas added a building of his own.  Douglas began to sketch a gambrel tavern on napkins after he realized that there was no place in Vineyard Haven where one could buy three meals a day year-round The mascot of the new tavern was a Labrador-boxer mix named Black Dog after a character in Treasure Island and incorporated into the business in 1976 looking proud and expectant at the same time.  The mail order business began in the late 1980s when the company sent out a catalog of T-shirts The simplicity and stateliness of the Black Dog imprint began to draw attention The logo traveled the country on the backs and caps of residents and visitors The business took off in 1991 after Rolling Stone proclaimed the emblem cool and ran a photo of three attractive women wearing sunglasses and long-billed Black Dog caps.  “All hell broke loose,” said Elaine Sullivan who was running the mail order operation then “The tail started wagging the dog,” Mr “It started as a restaurant and it turned into a dry goods business.” The national and international growth of the Black Dog logo and brand was an impressive given the size of the place where it all began Douglas purchased what would become the second flagship of the family fleet of sailing ships and she was built in 1926 to serve as a vessel housing pilots who helped crews navigate the ship channel at Mobile renowned for his designs of Gloucester fishing schooners was never given a sailing rig and had only engines she had spent most of her life riding at anchor off Mobile and for the next 27 years Alabama lay moored next to Shenandoah he sent her to Kelly’s shipyard at Fairhaven and began to restore her As he had with Shenandoah three decades before Douglas designed a schooner rig for the vessel.  to oversee the rebuilding and rigging of the schooner departed Fairhaven and on her arrival at Vineyard Haven Shenandoah greeted her with a 21-gun salute Today Alabama sails on short cruises out of Vineyard Haven harbor In Sea History magazine in the winter of 1986-1987 he described the pleasure he took from his life cruising the southern New England coastline: “... And there is one adage I have found to be true Proportion and rig are contributing factors to the excitement a big vessel can produce: seven thousand square feet of canvas straining overhead the view from aloft on the crosstrees seventy feet above the decks the slow determined response of a one hundred and seventy ton hull to two or three spokes the wheel sharply braced yards and tapering topmasts outlined against a star-filled sky “This whole sailing ship ethos is powerful and many faceted The Industry's Leading Publication for Wineries and Growers 2025) -- Booker Vineyard today announced the hiring of Molly Lonborg as Senior Winemaker in charge of daily winemaking operations at this iconic estate in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles Lonborg's appointment is the culmination of a 15-year winemaking career in Paso Robles with deep experience in crafting Rhône-style wines and practicing organic farming--two specialties that go to the heart of the Booker Vineyard experience "I have been consistently impressed with Molly's work over many years," said General Manager and Director of Winemaking Pete Turrone "She is an earth sciences graduate whose vineyard expertise goes well beyond that of a typical winemaker encompassing extensive experience in the organic and regenerative farming that we are so passionate about at Booker Molly embodies the Booker culture through her unwavering commitment to excellence and scientific rigor and her deep respect for traditional winemaking She is a genuinely wonderful person whose radiant positivity and mentorship will be invaluable to our team." Lonborg will work closely with Turrone and Senior Vineyard Manager Hilary Graves to advance a storied winemaking program that is rooted in excellence "I was drawn to Booker because the wines the terroir and the people are incredible," Lonborg said and the culture is one of continual collaboration and experimentation It's an incredible foundation to build upon and an exciting challenge to see where we can go next elegance and terroir will remain the focus." A native of Mendocino in Northern California Lonborg graduated from California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo with a degree in Earth Sciences and a concentration in Wine and Viticulture After gaining experience at two local wineries she joined Halter Ranch in Paso Robles in 2011 and rose through the ranks to the position of Associate Winemaker Lonborg took the head winemaker position at Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery in Paso Robles where she became renowned for producing dynamic Rhône-style wines with a passion for clean farming and for combining technical precision with artistic flair Lonborg lives on a ranch in Paso Robles with her husband Regenerative Vineyard Consultant Jordan Lonborg "I've had the pleasure to walk vineyards and purchase fruit from Molly during the past 15 years and I knew early on that she was going to be a star in Paso Robles and throughout the wine world as a true vigneron," said Booker Founder Eric Jensen and I was equally impressed when we started comparing early notes on phenolics and a true standout in the world of winemaking." www.bookerwines.com If you want to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the movie Hotels and rentals are filling up and ferry service is sure to be extra busy during the week-long celebration in June "Jaws," the Steven Spielberg classic about a man-eating shark, was released in 1975 and filmed on Martha's Vineyard from May through October 1974 and went on to reach legendary film status To mark the milestone, the Edgartown Board of Trade is hosting "Amity Week," a week of events on Martha's Vineyard in June, coinciding with when the movie was released. The Martha's Vineyard Chamber of Commerce is also hosting and publicizing a slew of events with its Jaws 50th Anniversary celebration Is it too late to find a hotel? Is trying to get on a ferry to the island on the weekend of June 20-22 a lost cause Here's what to know. Amity Week lasts from June 20-29 in Edgartown The Chamber of Commerce lists events from May 24 into July When was 'Jaws' released in theaters around the country?It was released on June 20 According to the website, WeNeedaVacation.com there are still several places to stay on the island if you're heading to the Vineyard for the weekend "While some locations might be more popular and book up faster, options remain," WeNeedaVacation.com stated on its website and Vineyard Haven are good areas to consider You can check the website for an array of options The website focuses on rentals on Martha's Vineyard You can also look for hotels at the following websites: The Woods Hole, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority - the primary ferry operator for Martha's Vineyard - stated on its website that people should be able to get ferries on the weekend of June 20-22 noting that it offers regular ferry service to the island year-round While the Jaws anniversary may lead to more traffic on the dates in question, multiple daily trips between Woods Hole and Vineyard Haven are available to people, according to the Steamship Authority.  Ferries will also be available via Hy-Line Cruises which leave Hyannis for the Vineyard at 9:25 a.m Round trips for adults on the cruises cost $72 What are some events planned for Amity Week?Here are some of the events planned for Amity Week For more information, check out www.amityweek.org What are some spots in the first 'Jaws' film that can be recognized?If you head to Martha's Vineyard for Amity Week you can visit some of the spots where the movie was filmed The first movie was filmed mostly on this island A new year-round Indian and Mediterranean restaurant could soon be opening in Edgartown plans to open in the former Sharky’s Cantina on Upper Main street by the start of summer The town’s select board voted to approve the restaurant’s liquor license application on Monday with a condition that the restaurant passes all inspections “We’re looking forward to some wonderful vindaloo,” said select board member Art Smadbeck said the restaurant is wrapping up renovations and hopes to open by the end of May The restaurant plans to have a full open bar and a menu featuring traditional Indian and Mediterranean foods with options for burgers and pizza Kognati said in an interview after the meeting that the atmosphere will be cozy and casual with a private venue space and seasonal patio He said menu prices will range from $15 to $30 including Madras Dosa Co and Vaanga in Boston Gyro & Kebab House in Norwood and Godavari in Woburn The former Sharky’s location has been empty since the Mexican restaurant closed in 2022 A proposal last April by Carlos Gomes Teles Filho to open a sports bar and arcade called Seagrass Bar and Grill never came to fruition Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This is an installment of CNBC Make It's Millennial Money series, which profiles people across the globe and details how they earn, spend and save their money. Learn more about the world of CNBC Make It THE PAST HARVEST HAD been widely expected to be light but the crush report took many by surprise-if not by shock-when the preliminary 2024 California crush report came in at 2.84 million tons and the 2024 WineBusiness Monthly Vineyard Survey objective data on how small the crop was and the pains felt by growers of those surveyed said they had to sell grapes at prices that were less than the previous year's average the share of those who had to accept less than what they received last year was 41% While all growers are contending with rising costs only a minority has seen revenue keep pace 17% of those surveyed reported lower revenue from the most recent growing season than the previous year Sixty-four percent of all growers claim the prices in their existing contracts for the 2025 harvest and beyond do not cover the costs of farming to provide a sustainable return That share was the lowest in Napa County at 53% and highest at 74% among growers in the "Rest of California" category that includes the Sierra Foothills growers across the United States had to sell nearly half their crop for prices less than the average paid last year The survey found the highest share of grapes sold for less than last year's average was in Sonoma County with 54% while the lowest was in the Central Coast at 30% A significant number of growers reported being unable to sell a large portion of their crop at all the average amount growers were unable to sell was 29% ranging from the low of 14% for the Rest of the U.S Small Crop Arrives in Very Different Market The last time California produced such a small crop was in 2004 when growers produced 2.76 million tons in what was a hot vintage with a compressed picking window across much of the state That small harvest came at a very different time for the U.S In Santa Barbara County in California's Central Coast growers had been particularly rushed to complete picking during a heat wave that threatened their average-sized crop of thin-skinned Pinot Noir grapes the signature grape of Burgundy would account for just 70,000 tons But the variety had found a home in Santa Barbara County; and as that year's early harvest came to an end in October the film sent demand for two key varieties Given the 2024 harvest is the smallest since 2004 and while the weather did affect yields-particularly on the Central Coast-that small pick also reflects entrenched market challenges Last year's Pinot harvest totaled more than 218,000 tons (more than 7% of the state total) The loss in Pinot tonnage between 2023 and 2024 is roughly the same that was grown in the entire state in 2004 The "Sideways effect" has been well documented but the similarities in crop size between 2004 and 2024 illustrate the need for a new social effect to galvanize the next generation of wine drinkers Grape growers are typically the first to feel the effects of changing consumer sentiment and today when Sauvignon Blanc is expected to save the bottom line growers acutely felt the pain of a market undergoing a major correction because of weak consumer demand for wine As the industry seeks its next Sideways moment growers are taking the time to redevelop and replant vineyards for when demand swings back in their favor When the Bordeaux variety picking started in Napa Valley last year was aware of significantly more grapes unsold than normal and the number of phone calls he received from growers looking for buyers was also abnormally high didn't see that many grapes go unharvested in Napa Valley the fruit is still highly sought after," Allen commented in a post-harvest webinar hosted by the Napa Valley Grapegrowers president of the vineyard management firm Stornetta Made works with wineries and growers in Napa and Sonoma counties and said that he has been collaborating with winery partners on pricing contract terms and even marketing support to address the weak market "We've had to really address the situation with our partners," he noted "Wine sales aren't what they used to be so how can we work together to find something to allow us to weather the storm mutually." executive director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers said in an email that based on the group's own estimates "only a small percentage of contracted grapes was left on the vine with a vast majority of uncontracted fruit sold at negotiated prices." it's estimated that 400,000 to 500,000 tons went unharvested in 2024 given that 73% of the growers who were unable to sell grapes left them on the vine or harvested them to the ground A similar number of grapes is thought to also have been left on the vine in 2023 Eleven percent of those surveyed made wine to sell on the bulk market while 13% produced wine for their own label and the remaining 3% sold the grapes for distillation Nearly all those surveyed on the Central Coast reported leaving their unsold grapes on the vine while Napa had the highest share of growers that made wine for the bulk market with 25% The share of producing more wine under their own label was highest in the Rest of the U.S only 12% of growers surveyed will be permanently removing vineyard acreage this year That share was highest in Sonoma County at 18% and the lowest in the Pacific Northwest at 2% 59% say it's because they can't find a buyer for the grapes with an additional 14% blaming weak demand in the U.S Several of those who selected "other" for why they are removing acres never should have been planted on the site in the first place or are diseased Nearly a quarter of survey participants will be replanting or redeveloping a vineyard this year with that share being the highest in Napa County at 36% and the lowest in Rest of California at 13% the top reason for redevelopment was disease and pest pressure followed by the age of vines 40% of those who are redeveloping vineyards are doing so to change varieties and the share was even higher among those in the Rest of the U.S The weak wine market has only compounded the business challenges that growers have been dealing with for years labor was the top concern among 62% of the growers surveyed While grape pricing has since replaced it as growers' top worry labor remains the top concern for 32% of those surveyed Considering the future and where they will need to allocate additional capital over the next three years 74% of all growers identified increased labor costs as the biggest need followed by replanting at 49% New tractors and equipment fell to just 42% of those surveyed 52% of growers across all regions use a labor contractor The use of contractors was highest in the Central Coast where 82% of those surveyed work with the companies and the lowest in the Rest of the U.S This region also accounted for the highest share of using "guest/ foreign" workers at 26% Growers in Sonoma County had the highest rate of ROBUST C full-time having focused for years on building relationships with restaurant groups sports teams and more," said Sonoma Winegrowers President Karissa Kruse in an email we remain optimistic as 95% of our vineyards are still family-owned with many multi-generational that possess decades of experience in successfully managing the ups and downs in farming." Sonoma County did not see as significant a drop in tonnage or average price as some other major regions and she attributed that to the strength of the county's climate and brand some growers fared better than others," she noted Kruse said the county's growers are taking the time to replant or pursue a lease with a vineyard management firm while others are looking to secure new contracts with wineries the Napa Valley Grapegrowers issued an alert advising their members that an unstable market may well mean spot prices for grapes which their members could find unsustainable The group organized a market task force to help their members understand what was driving the market and find opportunities for their crop Executive director of the Napa Valley Grapegrowers said the group is still evaluating alternative markets and distribution channels for surplus grapes as well as mitigating price fluctuations and working to reduce overhead costs In addition to hosting regular webinars on the market the task force has also developed grape purchase agreement templates as a tool to calculate and manage farming costs along with connecting members with potential buyers in bulk wine and custom crush "Growers are using this as an opportunity to re-evaluate their vineyards including removing older blocks that were previously considered for redevelopment," Mosley explained the local market reflected the wider grape market in that demand was much stronger for white grapes said one of the nation's largest wine companies was an eager and active buyer of Chardonnay at "bargain" prices in 2024 "Something like 25% of chard in Mendocino was this scenario," he commented either sold at normal prices or went unsold while Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc appeared unaffected by the weak market "I see lots of blocks that were ripped out so there was definitely a culling of the herd," he said when asked if growers were pulling vines in response to the market Many of the vines that have been removed were "flawed" due to virus "I think the overall quality of Mendocino reds will improve in future years because the mediocre stuff is gone now." Even if the reset and rebalancing of the supply side of the business needed to occur Robinson believes the overall market is still facing considerable challenges "The aging of the Baby Boomer bubble presents an intractable problem for wine sales Even if the next generation enjoys wine at the same per capita rate there aren't enough bodies in this cohort to replace the consumption of the Boomers," he said there's the challenge of national media "misrepresenting" the risk of alcohol consumption there's a growing diversity of beverage options The wine world is going to change tons in the years ahead The WBM study was conducted between November 5 and 29 The data are compiled by WineBusiness Analytics The survey participants include vineyard managers and owners throughout the U.S. from a total universe of 8,800 vineyards and wineries with vineyards The responses were structured to enable reporting by vineyard region allowing us to accurately report activity for the total market Accepted statistical techniques are employed to allow segmentation as indicated in the data presented This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page The days of gas-powered leaf blowers on the Vineyard may be 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 The articles drew some concerns from landscaping businesses in the lead-up to Tuesday but passed at the first town meetings of the season in Oak Bluffs landscapers and homeowners will have to stop using gas-powered leaf blowers by the spring of 2028 giving people time to switch over to electric-powered blowers or old-fashioned rakes The articles were backed by the Vineyard Conservation Society and drew considerable debate on town meeting floor The landscaping industry is one of the largest on Martha’s Vineyard During the spring and fall clean-up seasons the chorus of blowers can be heard throughout the Island “As much as we want to be able to do our spring cleanup we also should be able to enjoy time outside with our kids the executive director of Vineyard Conservation Society Each of the articles designated periods in the spring and fall to allow the use of gas leaf blowers until the phaseout date All blowers would also be subject to restrictions during certain times of day which was the first town to take up the issue via a rejected citizen’s petition last year The article was amended to change the dates leaf blowers are permitted in the fall from Sept A second citizen’s petition to ban gas-powered leaf blowers as early as July 1 was postponed indefinitely a real estate broker who lives full-time in Edgartown and was behind the petition told the town floor he may have been too harsh.  “All I really wanted to do was make America rake again,” Mr said gas-powered leaf blowers are more efficient than electric and are essential to clearing goose feces and stray sand off the 62-acre course “There’s no question that gas-powered leaf blowers are overused,” Mr they are essential to some operations.” Affordable housing committee member Justin Kush proposed amending the article to exempt recreational facilities from the article’s provisions but it did not carry the bylaw passed narrowly by a vote of 98-79 The article carried after an amendment allowing the use of non-commercial leaf blowers on Sundays between the hours of 10 a.m “I’m somebody who works six days a week,” said resident Ashley Van Murphy said that he worried about the fact that the bylaw will be enforced by the police department when many of the landscaping company owners are immigrants “My main concern at this point becomes not really the bylaw about the noise but the police department enforcing this bylaw,” he said “Police are meant to keep the harmony among the town.” Sanabria also said that because many small landscaping companies are owned by immigrants not all of the owners could vote on the issue that pertained to them Oak Bluffs Police Chief Jonathan Searle also expressed concern about uniformed armed police officers being the ones to enforce the restrictions “I don’t believe it’s a legitimate use of police resources,” he said The chief also worried leaf blower calls could take time away from the regional communication center which also handles calls about medical emergencies and motor vehicle accidents.  he highlighted the potential impact of what would happen if the fines associated with the restrictions were not paid Subsequent violations come with a $200 fine.  “If someone does not pay that bylaw ticket it turns into an arrest warrant,” Chief Searle said the leaf blower article drew the most discussion of the evening Amendments changing the phase-out date and other pieces of the bylaw failed Landscaper Justin Kelleher brought the amendment forward citing that he wasn’t against the restrictions but was worried about potential price increases and the durability of electric leaf blowers issues he had experienced having used similar equipment maybe you can send it back to the actual manufacturer and eventually get it repaired and [have them] send it back,” he said.  The bylaws will now head to Tisbury and Chilmark later this spring Aquinnah town administrator Jeffrey Madison said that there is not a ban on his town meeting warrant Katrina Liu and Gwyn Skiles contributed to this report.  Any day now it will be hot and dry with non-stop work so I’m enjoying the end of down time The witch hazel has gone by but just in time the forsythia replaced it with more cheerful yellow I have one that has spread to the size of a small house The crocuses are gone but replaced with scilla and puschkinia is a native of Russia and spreads like crazy There is a decent-sized patch of it on the side of the parking lot at the Martha’s Vineyard Bank Check it out while waiting in the drive-thru Also breaking ground are the Virginia blue bells (mertensia virginica) a personal favorite It reliably comes up every year with zero attention from me where I talked smack about the Vineyard Haven post office’s whiskey barrels I think skunks or some other varmints have been digging them up I’ve noticed honey bees hovering around little puddles of water They are probably thirsty after a long winter They can travel two miles so it’s anyone’s guess He seems particularly interested in the spot where we tapped the tree last month I cut the calicarpa within an inch of its life It produces beautiful purple berries in late summer I hauled out an old jug of Bobbex and ran it through a strainer I have two health-related issues to share with my fellow old people Probably years of running barefoot has resulted in a toenail situation (maybe a fungus?) I began painting them twice a day with a Q-tip dipped into tea tree oil it has worked and I’m happy to report I’ll be back in sandals by summer I’ve been driving for 63 years and one would imagine that I would know how to get into a car But last week I threw myself into the dumptruck and nearly dislocated my hip one should sit first then swing both legs in at the same time After a week of hobbling around on a shovel handle I received my only D in my high school/college career in Introduction to Economics We were required to read the Wall Street Journal daily (kill me!) His harebrained ideas about tariffs are causing world-wide panic It’s becoming increasingly difficult to maintain a cheerful attitude Folks are greeting one another with: “Are we going to be okay?” – Booker Vineyard has named Molly Lonborg as senior winemaker placing her in charge of daily winemaking operations at the estate vineyard in the Willow Creek District of Paso Robles The appointment follows Lonborg’s 15-year winemaking career in Paso Robles with experience in producing Rhône-style wines and practicing organic farming These areas are central to Booker Vineyard’s production focus “I have been consistently impressed with Molly’s work over many years,” said General Manager and Director of Winemaking Pete Turrone “She is an earth sciences graduate whose vineyard expertise goes well beyond that of a typical winemaker She is a genuinely wonderful person whose radiant positivity and mentorship will be invaluable to our team.” Lonborg will collaborate with Turrone and Senior Vineyard Manager Hilary Graves as part of the winemaking program at the estate the terroir and the people are incredible,” Lonborg said It’s an incredible foundation to build upon and an exciting challenge to see where we can go next elegance and terroir will remain the focus.” Lonborg earned a degree in Earth Sciences with a concentration in Wine and Viticulture from California Polytechnic State University She began her career at two Paso Robles wineries before joining Halter Ranch in 2011 where she rose to the role of associate winemaker she became head winemaker at Alta Colina Vineyard & Winery in Paso Robles “I’ve had the pleasure to walk vineyards and purchase fruit from Molly during the past 15 years and I knew early on that she was going to be a star in Paso Robles and throughout the wine world as a true vigneron,” said Booker Founder Eric Jensen and a true standout in the world of winemaking.”  ​​ The news staff of the Paso Robles Daily News wrote or edited this story from local contributors and press releases The news staff can be reached at info@pasoroblesdailynews.com Vineyard Professional Real Estate, LLC is a Paso Robles luxury real estate agency Owner and operator Jenny Heizen is PRWCA Wine Industry 2024 Person of the Year Flagstaff Business News Northern Arizona’s premier source for business May 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment Annual celebration returns to Cottonwood’s Riverfront Park with wineries the popular event will bring together more than 20 wineries from across the Verde Valley and beyond Attendees can sip their way through some of Arizona’s finest wine selections while enjoying craft beer live music and artisan shopping – all set against the scenic backdrop of Riverfront Park at 1284 E “This event is the best way to celebrate Mother’s Day,” said Festival Organizer Paula Woolsey “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to celebrate mothers while enjoying local wines and delicious food The chance to meet the winemakers adds a personal touch allowing attendees to learn more about their favorite wines directly from the source.” The festival is co-sponsored by the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the City of Cottonwood Organizers expect a strong turnout of wine enthusiasts from across the state and region Participating wineries include well-known names such as Page Springs Cellars Caduceus Cellars/Merkin Vineyards and Chateau Tumbleweed Here is the full list of participating wineries: Other libations will be offered by Desert Diamond Distillery which will serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic kombucha options an array of food trucks will be on site serving everything from wood-fired pizza and crepes to gourmet kettle corn and handcrafted chocolates Tickets start at $20 for early birds and include a commemorative wine glass and six tasting tickets and non-drinker tickets are available for $10 For more information or to purchase tickets, visit verdevalleywinefestival.com/tickets or Stride Events Courtesy Photo: More than 20 Arizona wineries are pouring into the Verde Valley Wine Festival in Cottonwood