CELEBRATE JUNETEENTH VOICES on its meaning to the Island B1 Full calendar of events on B9
Thursday, June 18, 2026
THE MARTHA’S VINEYARD TIMES
Volume 43, Issue No. 24
2 Sections
A ‘momentous’ gathering of town and tribe
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In Aquinnah, tribe invites select board to meet for first time in decades. BY HAYLEY DUFFY
BY NICHOLAS VUKOTA
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First singles Laina Dubin meets the team at the net after defeating Dover-Sherborn‘s Leah Hills, far right, to win the championship.
A perfect record and a state title The Martha’s Vineyard girls’ varsity tennis brings home trophy and avenges last year’s championship loss. SEE A16
Bigger and better: Pride Parade champions LGBTQ community
A whole picture of health Reports highlight Islanders’ needs as multiple new initiatives are launched to address them. BY SARAH SHAW DAWSON
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ew health reports and public surveys of Island residents published this year have shown that tick-borne conditions are rising rapidly, behavioral and mental health markers are worsening, and locals are feeling an increasing strain in regard to housing and affordability. The data provide a baseline for understanding the health of the Island community and a new path along which people have advocated for healthcare. It has inspired new programs and initiatives that are rising to meet those needs. A recent report by Island Health Care in partnership with the Martha’s Vineyard Continued on A3
here wasn’t a cloud in the sky when the Wampanoag Tribal Council of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and the Aquinnah Select Board met around a table in the main tribal offices on Black Brook Road in what was called a momentous and historic moment by officials. It was the first time that the governing bodies of both the town and the tribe had officially met in decades. “It’s been a long time,” Kevin Devine, chairman of the Wampanoag tribe, said to The Times. The session on Saturday between the two governments was largely symbolic, but offered a practical way forward to heal a divide between the town and tribe that’s faintly lingered since the 1970s. There were specific projects touched upon — a long-term solution to sand buildup at the West Basin, new life for properties at Aquinnah Circle North near the Cliffs, and an assessment of current agreements between the town and the tribe — but the general goal was simply to establish next steps for deeper cooperation between the two entities, which have operated in parallel but separately for years. After a prayer led by tribal members started around noon, Devine said, “This is a momentous moment for us.” Tom Murphy, current chairman of the Aquinnah Select Board, shared the sentiment in a speech: “This gathering, to my knowledge, is the first time the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head has formally invited the Aquinnah Select Board to sit with you in this way, not across the table of dispute, but in the spirit of open dialogue and shared words. That is no small thing. We receive it with gratitude and genuine hope.” Murphy thanked Devine and the rest of the council for the invitation to meet, and said there are challenges ahead that Continued on A9
Organizers say they noticed increases in parade participation and attendance this year. BY SARA CREATO
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ibrant rainbow hues and upbeat tempos washed over downtown Oak Bluffs on Saturday afternoon for the fifth annual Martha’s Vineyard Pride Parade. Hundreds of spectators of all ages gathered on the sidewalks to watch the procession of decorated golf carts, trucks, marchers, and animals as they departed from the Island Queen ferry terminal and proceeded up Seaview Avenue and Circuit Avenue, took a left onto Narragansett Avenue, and down Niantic Avenue before concluding at Ocean Park. As the crowd enthusiastically cheered, parade participants sang, danced, and threw candy and merchandise in celebration. The Oak Bluffs library and the M.V. Continued on A8
DENA PORTER
The Parade lineup began on Seaview Avenue.
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