All articles tagged with #marthas vineyard
After JFK Jr., Carolyn Bessette, and Lauren Bessette died in a 1999 plane crash, their families chose cremation and a sea burial off Martha’s Vineyard so the sisters could stay together. The ashes were scattered a day after recovery, a decision documented in the Hulu limited series Love Story and met with mixed reactions, including criticism from JFK Jr.’s nephew.
Aviation analyst Kyle Bailey, the last person to see JFK Jr. alive, says Kennedy’s doomed night flight off Martha’s Vineyard was hampered by hazy, hot, humid conditions and darkness, raising the risk of spatial disorientation and a so‑called ‘graveyard spiral.’ Bailey canceled his own flight earlier that day due to weather, but Kennedy proceeded in a Piper Saratoga with limited night experience and possibly without an instructor. The tragedy, later attributed by the NTSB to the pilot’s loss of control over water at night amid haze and darkness, ended with the plane crashing into the Atlantic and the passengers’ deaths.
A newly released DOJ document contains the first known photo showing Prince Andrew, Peter Mandelson and Jeffrey Epstein together, likely taken in Martha's Vineyard around 1999–2000; the image does not imply wrongdoing. Both Andrew and Mandelson have faced misconduct investigations over Epstein ties, and the broader Epstein saga—his 2019 death and Maxwell's sentence—frames the ongoing public record.
A Rolling Stone profile of JFK Jr. and Carolyn Bessette’s time on Cape Cod shows Hyannis Port as their quiet home base, where Carolyn loved visiting the Kennedy Compound, hosted dinners with New York friends, and considered the Cape a calmer alternative to Palm Beach; John and Carolyn discussed future plans, including expanding the Hyannis Port home, with John proposing on Martha’s Vineyard. The piece also notes differences from the Love Story portrayal and ends with the couple’s tragic 1999 plane crash.
Gov. Maura Healey partially lifts the blizzard state of emergency for Berkshire, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, while the emergency remains in effect elsewhere. The travel ban is extended to Dukes County (Martha’s Vineyard) in addition to Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable. An extra 150 Massachusetts National Guard members are activated for storm response, and non-emergency state employees are advised not to report to work on Feb. 24; numerous exemptions apply for essential personnel and critical operations.
Grammy-nominated musician John Forté, known for helping shape the Fugees’ hit The Score, has died at age 50 at his home in Chilmark, Massachusetts; there is no readily identified cause of death, and the medical examiner is investigating. Forté rose from Brooklyn poverty to musical prominence, later serving 14 years in federal prison for aiding and abetting possession with intent to distribute cocaine before receiving clemency from President George W. Bush in 2008. After his release, he continued making music and scoring films, built a family on Martha’s Vineyard, and remained connected to the Fugees as tributes poured in from former collaborators like Wyclef Jean.
Belle Burden recounts in a Modern Love interview how her seemingly flawless 20‑year marriage collapsed in March 2020 when her husband abruptly left after an affair, during Covid lockdown in Martha’s Vineyard. She later published a candid essay and a forthcoming memoir, Strangers, detailing the upheaval, telling their three children, navigating a divided social circle, and pursuing 50-50 custody despite pushback. Burden describes the complex emotions of being discarded by both her husband and an insular elite community, choosing honesty over discreet silence, reclaiming her identity by reverting to her maiden name, and confronting the mystery of why the marriage ended as she encounters her ex at the end. The interview also highlights readers’ and strangers’ responses, and the ongoing challenge of understanding a spouse who won’t explain the “switch” that flipped.
Grammy-nominated recording artist John Forté died suddenly at his Chilmark home on Martha’s Vineyard at age 50; the cause is not yet known and authorities say there is no foul play. Forté was a beloved Island musician who contributed to The Fugees’ The Score, collaborated with Carly Simon and Ben Taylor, and recently scored HBO’s Eyes on the Prize, leaving behind two young children and a close-knit creative community.
Residents of Martha’s Vineyard are adopting vegan diets and altering their social habits due to a surge in tick-borne alpha-gal syndrome, which causes severe allergic reactions to red meat and dairy after tick bites, leading to a rise in plant-based eating and menu modifications on the island.
A rare allergy called alpha-gal syndrome, caused by tick bites, has led residents of Martha's Vineyard to avoid red meat and dairy, transforming their social and dietary habits due to the risk of severe allergic reactions.
On Martha's Vineyard, a surge in Lone Star ticks has led to a significant increase in alpha-gal syndrome, an allergy to mammal meat and dairy, with positive allergy tests rising from 32 in 2021 to over 500 in 2024, prompting changes in public health awareness and restaurant menus.
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser left the city for Martha's Vineyard amid tensions with the Trump administration's efforts to take control of Washington, D.C.'s law enforcement agencies, including federal law enforcement operations and a temporary surge of federal forces in the city.
Martha's Vineyard is experiencing a rise in tick bites due to the spread of the lone star tick, leading to an increase in alpha-gal syndrome, a meat and dairy allergy, which is prompting some islanders to adopt vegan diets for health reasons.
Michelle Obama and Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson drew crowds on Martha’s Vineyard during a series of cultural events, including a film festival and book discussions, celebrating Black culture and community, with notable appearances by celebrities and politicians.
A 1-month-old infant on Martha’s Vineyard contracted a rare but serious tick-borne Powassan virus, which can cause severe neurological diseases. The virus, transmitted by deer ticks, is increasingly detected in the area, with a small percentage of ticks infected. The infant suffered brain damage from meningitis and encephalitis caused by the virus, highlighting the rising risk of tick-borne illnesses during the season.