Opinion
Even when the snow flies and there is a bitter cold blast of wind from the north, when icicles hang from the roofs, Island workshops are busy.
At John Thayer’s Vineyard Haven workshop near the shore of Lagoon Pond, the garage door rattles loudly when a cold easterly breeze blows across the pond. A westerly wind rattles the back door. Mr. Thayer makes custom furniture and cabinetry.
Ice Bound
From the Gazette editions of February, 1934:
GEOGRAPHY AND STRIPED BASS
Editors, Vineyard Gazette:
When considering the current state of the striped bass fishery, it is interesting to note that geography plays an important role in assessing how much trouble the species is in. While Massachusetts and Maine have experienced subpar bass fishing for several years, states to the south of us have enjoyed exactly the opposite.
Jobless Island
How many Islanders are out of work? No one knows for certain, but we know the numbers are rising to near record levels, mirroring the rest of the country and now apparently the world. The New York Times reported last weekend that fifty million people are forecast to be out of work by the end of this year, as unemployment spreads around the globe like wildfire.
And the year has just begun.
Wind turbines are coming.
That statement is not just a hopeful vision for a cleaner and more efficient energy future — it is also a statement of fact. It is happening, and happening quickly.
Our newly inaugurated chief executive wants more electricity from renewable energy. In his inaugural address, President Obama declared that we must harness “the sun and the winds” to power our lives. Our governor wants more wind power. Deval Patrick has set a goal for the state to generate 2,000 megawatts of wind power by the year 2020.
By 5:30 p.m. on a midwinter evening, the traffic into and out of Vineyard Haven had thinned; there wasn’t much anyway, the whole day had been blustery, with snow squalls off and on. No strollers and not many shoppers. The stores got ready to close, and people hurried about their business, finishing errands, getting to their cars and leaving town. It was dusk, and snowy, with just a tiny bit of pink sunset showing through the black clouds in the west. Red sky at night sailor’s delight; maybe the weather would be clearing tomorrow.