LATEST NEWS

What’s the difference between a lightship basket and a friendship basket? You may have seen both terms applied to the famous wood and rattan woven baskets made in Nantucket. Lightship baskets, the original name given to this distinctive style, were originally made by the crews of lightships, which were essentially floating lighthouses, in the late 1800s. The work left the crew with long stretches of time with little to do, so they turned their attention to making baskets in the time-honored tradition of sailors making crafts to pass the time at sea.

The Dreamland is offering half-price tickets this summer to Nantucket year-round residents for a handful of in-concert events that include legendary singer/songwriter Patty Griffin on Friday, August 2nd, internationally famous actor and comedian T.J. Miller on Saturday, August 17th, and one-half of the highest-grossing rock duo of all time John Oates (Hall & Oates) on Sunday, August 25th.

Avangrid (NYSE: AGR) now has full federal approval of the Construction and Operations Plan (COP) for the New England Wind 1 and 2 offshore wind farms. The approval of the COP follows the favorable Record of Decision (ROD) issued by the Biden Administration in April 2024. The milestone approval largely completes the federal, state, and local permitting process for sustainable energy company Avangrid’s 791-megawatt (MW) New England Wind 1 project.

So today while I was at Millie’s on Nantucket waiting for my pickup order I was attacked by an unhinged lunatic. A lady walked into the restaurant and marched right up to me and said “I’m Sue Costello!” She kind of lowered her shades so I could get a good look at her face. I could tell she thought I would instantly recognize her and tremble in fear. It was as though she had been waiting all her life for this confrontation. It was her mic drop moment. I of course had no clue who she was. This is the conversation that then ensued almost word for word after I said I didn’t know who she was;

The twin New England Wind 1 and 2 projects off Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, Mass., won final federal approval July 1 of construction and operations plans. The latest in the Biden administration’s accelerating pace of approvals clears a path for for up to 129 turbines with a nameplate rating of 2,600 megawatts.

The annual Nantucket Comedy Festival, which brings top comedic talent to Nantucket Island opens Thursday, July 11 at 7 pm with Ladies of Laughter, featuring nationally headlining female comedians, including Marina Franklin, Casey Balsham, Emma Willmann, and Jessica Casciano. This event is for both ladies and gentlemen, so make it a date night or bring your friends. Don’t miss this rousing night of comedy with these very funny women!

The Nantucket Dance Festival has entered a new era—with new leaders, big goals, and even bigger impact. Founded in 2007 as a fundraiser for the Nantucket Atheneum, the festival has now embraced a whole new identity as a nonprofit organization with increased dance education ranging from a few master classes to two full days of classes, as well as connections with the Nantucket Dance Theater to support year-round opportunities.

Director of Research & Education at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation. A theme of many of my articles is how special and unique Nantucket’s flora and fauna are. Often I highlight rare species that call the island home: endangered plants, rare butterflies, insects, threatened birds… life on-island that makes Nantucket’s ecology unique. Today, however, I am going to discuss the absence of a group of species which gives the island species character: mammals.

Artists Association of Nantucket (AAN) is pleased to invite the public to its annual Sidewalk Art Show, Saturday, July 6, 9 am to 2 pm in the dappled summer sun of the Nantucket Atheneum Garden on India Street. This is the first of three shows to be held this year. More than twenty AAN artist members will display their work, and the outdoor art show is free and open to the public.

In 2017 a trio of dynamic women on Nantucket—Meryl Bralower, Melanie Sablehaus, and Jeanine Borthwick—engaged with Nantucket Cottage Hospital to spearhead an effort to empower women on the island, visitors and residents, to take charge of their healthcare. “Did you know that 80% of all healthcare decisions are...

In scientific circles there is an increasing awareness that research data and findings should be more accessible to the general public. Often visual aids such as graphs, tables and images are used to help explain concepts or impart information. While these approaches work for those in the sighted community, they’re not so helpful for those with visual impairments. On The Point, we discuss Accessible Oceans, a project turning ocean science data into auditory displays. It’s a joint project with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, University of Oregon and Georgia Tech, with funding from the National Science Foundation.

The Warrant for the 2024 Special Town Meeting is now available to the public. The 2024 Special Town Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 17, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. in the Nantucket High School Mary P. Walker Auditorium.

NANTUCKET, MASS. (WHDH) - Nantucket Police had to wrangle a horse hanging out near some trees at the island’s airport. Locals also pulled over and got out of their cars to help, everyone trying to lure the animal out of the brush. The horse’s name is Jazzy and according...

(July 2, 2024) Barrett Enterprises moved the old Nantucket Railroad ticket booth building, also the former Maria Mitchell aquarium, from its longtime home at 28 Washington Street across the street to 33 Washington Street Thursday. The nonprofit plans to reuse the historic building as part of their new aquarium and...

July jumps forth in stunning fashion as the summer heat sets in. Sweet fragrances of swamp azalea waft on the breeze and beckon you toward wetland wandering. Journey with me once again into the heart of Nantucket’s Middle Moors to find the brilliant shine of summer sun off the series of kettle hole ponds known as the Pout Ponds.

(July 3, 2024) The first article Robert Bryce ever published was an anti-nuclear-power piece. Now, more than 40 years later, he says he is “100 percent pro-nuclear.” What changed?. “I bought a calculator,” Bryce said. “Anyone with even a modicum of understanding about energy and power knows that...

Beth Ann (Bentz) Bond, of North Andover and formerly of Nantucket, passed away peacefully at High Pointe Hospice House in Haverhill Monday, April 29, 2024. She was 89. Beth was born in York, Pa. Nov. 24, 1934 to Alfred Charles Bentz and Dorcas May (Slothower) Bentz, and grew up in the Hillcroft area of York.

“Stay crispy,” says Hayden Arnot, his jokey way of saying goodbye. It’s a fitting phrase for Arnot, the co-owner of Nantucket Crisps, encouraging you to try his delicious potato crisps. Nearly two years ago, he and his childhood friend, Sara Jemison, launched the company. As kids, they spent summers playing together on Nantucket’s beaches. Years later they reconnected while living and working in New York City. “We wanted to find a way to embody the island,” says Arnot. They decided on potato chips, a beach staple, and began making them in their own kitchens. Now, the duo has a line they call crisps because the snack is flakier and has a softer crunch than most potato chips. Initially, Arnot and Jemison manufactured the crisps on Nantucket, but to scale up, they moved production to New York. Made in small batches and slow-fried at lower temperatures using sunflower and safflower oils, the snacks are gluten- and- dairy-free, and non-GMO. The lineup includes eight regular flavors and seasonal ones, with each bag featuring clever names and artwork inspired by Nantucket’s iconic beaches and landmarks. There’s the salty Sconset Sea Salt, Brant Point Black Pepper with a sting from the spice, Madaket Sweet Onion with true onion flavor. South Wharf Cocktail Sauce has a hint of the sauce, and Cisco Beach BBQ is smoky, tangy, and salty. If you’re familiar with Nantucket, you might chuckle at the names of the varieties; if not, you’ll still enjoy the crisps (about $4 for 2 ounces). A portion of the profits goes to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a nod to Nantucket’s whaling history. Available at Roche Bros. and other stores, or at nantucketcrisps.com.

(July 3, 2024) Stocking the local food pantry is a good start, but it takes more than that to build a program that will help lessen food insecurity and provide people in need with access to decent meals. “The long-term goal in building a food security system is to not...