It's So Old It's Almost Gone
According to an online outfit called Slot Tracker, the Vineyard is the sixth “most popular ‘old money’ destination,” somewhere behind Nantucket and the Hamptons and ahead of Newport. Of the top ten, they also noted, the Vineyard had by far the lowest median income.
Friends in High Places
Following up on its reporting that Justice Clarence Thomas failed to record gifts he received from persons with business before the courts, news organization ProPublica revealed that Justice Samuel Alito also received unreported gifts, including a private jet trip from Paul Singer to a luxury fishing excursion in Alaska. Singer, a billionaire hedge fund manager, is listed as a director of the nonprofit that owns Katama’s Slough Farm.
Speaking of New Money
Construction of swimming pools on the Island has skyrocketed in recent years, according to the Vineyard Gazette, much of it driven by real estate investors hoping to ratchet up their rental income. “In extreme cases like Edgartown, the reality is that when you put in a pool, the rental cost almost doubles,” explained Island realtor Jim Feiner.
Duly Noted
“If someone dropped off a pile of cash, we’re going to say no?” – Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School Committee member Mike Watts on why he doesn’t believe the names of people who donate more than $5,000 in support of the proposed artificial turf field at the school should be made public.
Under the Bus
“If this money was spent on the current drivers, there would be no shortage of drivers and no need to cut service on the Island.”
– Vineyard Transit Authority (VTA) union president Charles Ryan in a letter criticizing the VTA’s decision to spend $250,000 to pay off-Island drivers some $750 per day to make up for a shortfall in drivers.
Bad News Good News
Yet another new species of tick, the Asian longhorned, has been identified on the Vineyard. Worse news, for male longhorns at least, the females can reproduce without mating and have been known to lay eggs by the thousands. The good news, you ask? The species generally shies away from humans and prefers to feed on animals, such as vacationing dogs.
Waiter, There's a Fly in My Kibble
According to europuppy.com, the Vineyard is one of the ten “most dog friendly” vacation spots, citing our “dog-friendly beaches.” Never mind that dogs are banned in summer from virtually every public beach on the Island, Tisbury is moving the tennis ball forward by allowing pets in outdoor dining spaces, as long as they don’t get plated food.
