News
Luther Tacknash Madison died peacefully at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Thursday night, March 12, after a long illness, during which, as Medicine Man of the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) he never complained. His final happy words, according to his great-nephew Jason Baird, now Medicine Man, were that “My beautiful sunset is coming.”
Luther Madison was born at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital on Nov. 9, 1924, the son of Napoleon Bonaparte and Nanetta Cassaundra Wilhelmina Vanderhoop Madison.
Vineyard officials testified before the state legislature yesterday in support of a bill that would merge the Dukes County Sheriff’s Department into the state system and place it under control of the Executive Office of Public Safety.
Dukes County sheriff Michael McCormack, who would see a 27 per cent increase in his salary if the bill passes, appeared at the hearing, along with county manager Russell Smith and county treasurer Noreen Mavro Flanders.
Today is the first day of spring. Last Saturday, Tom Hodgson of West Tisbury reports, he pulled back some leaf litter at the base of a white oak in his yard to find these mayflower blooms awaiting the light of day.
Tisbury selectmen have dropped an article from the warrant for next month’s town meeting which would have proposed taking private land near the Tashmoo overlook, to preserve the view from disappearing behind a wall of trees. At least, for now.
In executive session on Tuesday night, selectmen Tristan Israel and Jeff Kristal decided to drop the idea while the town continued to negotiate with the owners of the trees, Thomas and Ginny Payette, of Tashmoo Farm.
West Tisbury History Club
Peace Rally
The Martha’s Vineyard Peace invites all to a peace rally in support of President Obama tomorrow, Saturday, March 21, which is the six-year anniversary of our invasion of Iraq. Organizers pointed to historian Howard Zinn’s contention that Mr. Obama “is going to need demonstrations and protests and letters and petitions.”