Nantucket Current

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A proposed ban on artificial turf on Nantucket now appears to be off the table after one of the most bizarre government meetings on the island in recent memory. nantucketcurrent.com/news/ban-on-tu…

The cause of death of the 46-foot sperm whale that washed up along Nantucket’s north shore last November is being categorized as suspected vessel strike trauma, the Marine Mammal Alliance Nantucket (MMAN) announced on Wednesday. nantucketcurrent.com/news/ship-stri…

The fence at the Sankaty Head Lighthouse property was recently moved westward, retreating from the edge of the bluff due to erosion, according to the Sconset Trust. “It was moved to keep ahead of the erosion,” said Rob Benchley, who serves as the lighthouse keeper for the Sconset Trust. “We’ve been keeping an eye on it since the lighthouse was moved in 2007, and I’ve calculated that there’s been at least 30 feet of erosion since then. Two months ago I measured two feet from the edge of the bluff to the fence at its very closest.” Photo by Shane Riley

Following several tumultuous years of construction, including the infamous blade failure in July 2024 and stop-work orders by President Donald Trump's administration, Vineyard Wind's 62-turbine wind farm off Nantucket has been completed. nantucketcurrent.com/news/vineyard-…

Another island resident has been arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine after a months-long investigation by the Cape & Island’s District Attorney’s office and Barnstable Police Department following a fatal overdose in Barnstable County in November. nantucketcurrent.com/crime/island-r…

It was a joyous day at the Nantucket Lighthouse School on Tuesday, as four-year-old Rhys Vollans was welcomed back to school by his classmates and teachers. Rhys had been away for 252 days receiving treatment for Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia, an aggressive form of childhood cancer. He rejoined the Lighthouse’s Small School this week, reuniting with his friends and big sister Liandri. They welcomed him back to campus with a handmade sign, smiles, hugs, and high-fives. ❤️ Welcome home, Rhys!

Are National Grid’s smart meters causing electricity bills to increase? Dozens of Nantucket homeowners think so, but National Grid denies their claims. Over the phone, via email, and on social media, many homeowners have told the Current that their energy bills soared immediately after the installation of the new electricity meters: nantucketcurrent.com/news/after-sma…

An island resident with gang ties who was the target of a drug bust by federal agents at a Hooper Farm Road residence in November 2024 has been sentenced to two years in federal prison on drug distribution charges. nantucketcurrent.com/crime/island-r…

Here’s what the Select Board did on Wednesday: nantucketcurrent.com/news/select-bo…

“I have neighbors on the Bluff Walk who told me they woke up one morning and a couple were making love on their front porch.” Here’s John Shea, a Sconset resident and well-known actor, speaking on the Bluff Walk controversy before the Nantucket Select Board this week:

Did social media influencers ruin one of Nantucket’s hidden gems? The Sconset Bluff Walk will have new recommended hours this summer - 8:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. - following a vote by the Select Board on Wednesday intended to manage the impacts of increased usage of the popular public walking path that runs in front of private properties along the bluff. nantucketcurrent.com/news/select-bo…

Asked about the odds of having four million-dollar winners in less than two years at one location, Rachel Guerra, the Massachusetts Lottery's deputy director of communications, told the Current:  "The more tickets a store sells, the more likely they are to have a big winner. Old South Diner has consistently been among the top 10 percent of agents in recent years. Several other locations have had multiple prizes of $1 million or more in a short span of time, including Silk’s Variety located in Sheffield (three in 2024), Pride Station in East Longmeadow (two in 2024) and Ted’s Stateline Mobil located in Methuen (two in 2022)."

This is insane. The Old South Diner on Nantucket just sold its FOURTH million-dollar scratch ticket in less than two years: nantucketcurrent.com/news/fourth-mi…

A box truck went up in flames early Thursday morning at a property on Blueberry Lane off South Shore Road. There were no injuries reported, but the truck was destroyed and several other nearby vehicles sustained damage. The fire broke out around 2 a.m., prompting a response by a dozen Nantucket firefighters as well as Nantucket police officers. The box truck was owned by ACK Energy Savers. “We had a box truck catch fire and it was completely destroyed,” Nantucket Fire Department Chief Michael Cranson told the Current. “The box truck contained spray on insulation materials and was part of a business. I do not know the name of the business. There were no injuries. People in the home heard the fire and woke up. A couple of other vehicles were in close proximity to the box truck were also damaged. We do not yet have a cause of the fire but it’s under investigation.” “Twelve people responded in total,” Cranson added. “We stayed on scene for two hours but we did leave two firefighters there with an engine to make sure the product in the box truck stayed cool.” The property owner, who fought the blaze with a garden hose before firefighters arrived, said it was lucky there was no wind when the fire broke out. Cranson added that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection was notified and is working with the property owner to properly mitigate the area.

Weak enforcement is one of the most commonly cited causes of nearly every contentious issue on Nantucket. Read our special report published this morning: nantucketcurrent.com/news/nantucket…

The Nantucket Regional Transit Authority (NRTA) is currently using propane-powered generators to charge a portion of its fleet of new electric buses and vans, reducing the environmental benefits and emissions advantages provided by the vehicles. nantucketcurrent.com/news/for-now-n…

@ChristinaPivir1 @kitnoble We’ve still got some snow on the ground but we didn’t get nearly as much as the mainland during the nor’easter (maybe six inches?) and we’ve had some melting

@ACKCurrent @kitnoble It’s so weird to not see huge amounts of snow in pictures these days since we have been buried on the mainland for months haha

A view of the partial lunar eclipse from Nantucket. Unfortunately it became obscured by clouds before the total eclipse could be seen. The next total lunar eclipse. - when the moon travels into the shadow of the Earth - won't happen until 2028. 📸: @kitnoble

The worm moon bringing a super low tide in Nantucket Harbor 🪱🌕 📸: Shane Riley

The Sconset Civic Association is proposing a set of restrictive regulations for the Bluff Walk along the Sconset Bluff that would limit the public’s use of the iconic walking trail. nantucketcurrent.com/news/civic-ass…