Friday's Minute: 05.20.22: Smith is acting super; Navigator takes important step; and politicians invade the Island

All politics is local
Vice President Kamala Harris will be making a visit to the Island soon, sources have told The Times. While the White House has not confirmed the visit, a large military plane is expected to land at Martha’s Vineyard Airport this evening to begin the logistics. Reporter Rich Saltzberg has this story. Airport officials confirmed the plane but referred any questions about the operation to the White House. Meanwhile, Charles Booker, who is running for U.S. Senate in Kentucky against Rand Paul, is on-Island. Booker was on the Island at meet and greets to raise money for what’s expected to be a race that gets a lot of national attention. Booker is appearing tonight at 5 pm at the First Congregational Church in West Tisbury for a showing of "From the Hood to the Holler." Reporter Abigail Rosen got a chance to speak with Booker during a stop in Oak Bluffs today. Here’s her story.

Quote of the Day
"I believe this is the beginning of a larger discussion, of which food trucks are definitely a hot topic subset, and maybe really serve as the impetus to get this moving as, you know, summer is coming. I am hearing, and I am also hearing from town counsel, that the quicker we get it together the fewer one-time events we’ll need to approve under old practices."–West Tisbury select board member Cynthia Mitchell during a discussion of food trucks and fast food regulations in town

Hot Topic Comment
Marsha Shufrin commented on the story about Richie Smith being named interim superintendent. "I believe the AISC has the best candidate possible for the superintendent’s position. Richie Smith should be the strong in-house candidate when the job is advertised. Aside from his long history and experience in the the MV Public School System, his knowledge of the nuances of island life and politics, as well as, his hard-working ethic and amicable personality, leaves no doubt in anyone’s mind that he is the best suited for our community."

Hot Topic Letter
Damien Kuffler wrote about the SSA allowing barge service from New Bedford only for UPS deliveries to Nantucket. "The only reason the SSA has made this concession, which is only a concession, is to avoid the ugly stain on the SSA that would develop if it did not allow UPS to deliver its packages to the Islands. Probably if any less "important" company (in the eyes of the SSA) found itself in the same situation as UPS, no such arrangement would have been accommodated."

Today: The "Magic: The Gathering" gaming club meets tonight from 6 to 8 pm. Players of all skill levels will gather at the Oak Bluffs library and duel each other for the chance to be the champion. Children under 14 should be accompanied by an adult. –Lucas Thors

Why not watch the sunset tonight? The weather is getting warmer and the days are getting longer — a perfect opportunity to get outside and find a nice scenic vista at one of the many trails and beaches available through Sheriff’s Meadow, The Trustees, the Land Bank, and the State Forest. –L.T.

This weekend: Local bird expert Robert Culbert will kick off the weekend on Saturday with a guided birding excursion at one of his favorite avian hot spots in Edgartown. The Edgartown library facilitates this event from 9 to 10 am. Historian Tom Dresser knows a lot about the Vineyard, particularly when it comes to the central figures who lived here in the past and made the community what it is today. Join Dresser for a historic cemetery tour from 10 to 11 am. Don’t worry, the only thing that might be scary is the amount of cool stuff you’ll learn. Made possible by the Oak Bluffs library. The group will meet on Pacific Avenue. Legendary angler and author Janet Messineo will be signing copies of her book, "Casting Into the Light," at Edgartown Books from 2 to 4 pm. The book is essentially a memoir of Messineo’s life, and how fishing changed her entire outlook on the world. Celebrate the beauty of Lagoon Pond with the Lagoon Pond Association’s "Light up the lagoon" starting at 9 pm. Folks can bring their lights down to Lagoon Pond, either by beach or boat, to create a stunning after-dark display for the whole community to enjoy.

Sunday marks the last day of the Martha’s Vineyard Rod and Gun Club Fly Rod Catch and Release Tournament, which goes from 9 to 11:30 am. There will be a tasty breakfast followed by an awards ceremony held at the club, where everyone in attendance will have the opportunity to win some cool prizes out of a raffle. Cost to participate is $45. Editor of the book "Covid Monologues MV," Jennifer Knight, will be at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard chapel (and online on Zoom) for a discussion on the book, and the stories it tells about the pandemic on-Island. Join in on the chat from 11 am to 12:30 pm. –L.T.

Movies! Check out what’s playing this weekend at Island theaters here.

Real Estate Confidential:
A bit of market relief Sponsored
Real Estate Confidential is a biweekly chit-chat about new listings, sales, or other insider info on the Martha’s Vineyard Real Estate market, presented by Fred Roven, owner/broker of Martha’s Vineyard Buyer Agents. It appears every other Friday in The Minute.

Maybe, just maybe, there are signs that buyers can take a moderate sigh of relief. In the past week, there were over 20 new properties listed for sale, and now over 150 properties are on the market. Days on market have settled up to an average 144 days from a low of, well you know, one. The best news might be that the past 30 days saw a 5% decrease in median price for all sold properties month-over-month back to January.

There’s a beach lot at $155,000, condos starting at $299,900, a quarter-acre building lot for $595,000, and a three-bedroom, two-bath cape for $895,000. At the high end are two spectacular Lambert’s Cove estates for $26,500,000 and $28,500,000. My preferences normally go towards classic, old Vineyard and not a $28 million Biophilic Design, but this contemporary on Lambert’s Cove will be like owning an incredible piece of art for generations to come. (Biophilic means considering you and nature).

Rather than descriptions of a few properties at length, this week I wanted to present examples for each Vineyard town with a short description. There are many more to choose from, including 12 with price reductions this month that are still available.

394 Lighthouse Road, Aquinnah: Breathtaking active water views of Vineyard Sound, Naushon, and the Elizabeth Islands. You will not want to leave this contemporary, spacious villa set on seven acres with access to some of the finest beaches on the Island, including private deeded access to, and parking at, the beach at Dogfish Bar . . .

For the rest of this Real Estate Confidential, click here. For more Real Estate Confidentials, click here.

Dining out?

The Barn Open for lunch & dinner Tuesday through Saturday 11:30 am to 9:30 pm. Bowling available Tuesday through Saturday at 5 pm. Text Barnmv to 508/696/9800 to receive deals & specials.

The Sweet Life Open year round! Serving dinner Wednesday through Saturday, and brunch on Sunday. Featuring a pre-fixe 3 course dinner for $50 on Wednesdays!
@sweet_life_mv 508/696/0200 sweetlifemv.com.

Click here for more details and specials

Restaurant owners: Are you open? Let our readers know, and support local journalism while doing so!

Contact jenna@mvtimes.com to discuss promoting your dining specials with the MV Times.

Do you know this craftsperson? Submit your best guess to newsletters@mvtimes.com within 24 hours and check the next Minute for the correct answer. That’s right, you asked and we listened. You won’t have to wait until the end of the month to find the answers. We’ll throw all winning guesses into a pot at the end of the month and someone will win their choice of a $100 Lift certificate to an Island business or $100 to go toward an Island charity of their choice. For previous Do You Knows, see our archive.

Thursday’s answer:
Elise LeBovit

Sprouting a passion
Ava Castro is the preschool farm-to-school educator at Island Grown Schools, one of the first and most essential programs of the Island Grown Initiative. Castro loves nothing more than planting the seed of passion for gardening in young minds, and teaching them the value of hard work and dedication. But now she’s stepping down from her role to care for her young daughter, and prepare for the birth of her second child. Read Louise O'Donnell’s story on Castro and her work here.

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