JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-9087

(alleys@vineyard.net)

Well, unlike last year February brought very little snow and severe cold. It sure has been like a ghost town all week largely because it is the school’s winter vacation and many families are on the move. Some people have left Dodge for a warmer climate while others have gone up north to ski. Even the usually busy Reliable Market down in Oak Bluffs has suffered a slow-down from their normally brisk pace. As we head into March next Saturday brings us National Pig Day and the craft group at the library will be making piggy crafts. Also daylight saving time will begin in 10 days, and spring arrives on March 20.

The political season this year will exhibit several choices for elective offices. Tara Whiting and Jemima James both seek the position of town clerk. Prudy Whiting the incumbent is retiring after12 years. Isaac Russell, Sarah Carr, Melissa Hackney and Hal Garneau seek to fill the two open seats on the library board, Greg Orcutt is running for a full term on the finance committee, James Powell seeks to fill the vacancy on the planning board, Jonathan Revere is challenging incumbent Michael Colaneri for a seat on the board of assessors and Nicole Cabot, in her first elective try, is seeking to become a park commissioner. The selectmen will present the town meeting with a 48-article warrant. The annual town meeting will be held on April 14; the election is April 16.

Kern Grimes of Boston spent the weekend at his home on Waldron’s Bottom Road. He visited with friends and attended to business matters. He returned home on Monday.

Phyllis Meras returned home to Music street on Saturday after spending two days in Boston on business.

Chantale Legare says to save the evening of Saturday, April 4 on your calendars now. Parents of fifth grade students are planning a cake walk at the Grange Hall. They are still developing ideas for the event and welcome volunteers to help out. Some of the ideas so far are an April fool’s cake, sports, Vineyard cakes and so on. If you would like to contribute ideas or cakes, contact Chantale or Sheila Morse.

Peggy Stone reports that the park and recreation department is sponsoring a family skate on Sunday March 8 from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at the Martha’s Vineyard Arena. Please bring a dessert or snack to share, drinks will be provided. Also there are two spots open for the winter yoga session on Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. at the church. Call 508-696-0147 to register.

Colleen Morris over at the library reports that March will be a busy month with activities for the community. The library, in collaboration with the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, will be hosting a five-week Wednesday reading series. The readings will take place Wednesdays March 4, 11, 18, 25 and April 1 at 5:30 p.m. The program is supported in part by a grant from the Martha’s Vineyard Cultural Council.

March is Fred Astaire movie month every Monday evening at 7 p.m. at the library. It begins with the classic Flying Down to Rio. Popcorn is served. For more information, call 508-693-3366. This afternoon they invite you to come and listen to songs from the great American songbook at 4 p.m. with the J.C. Trio.

History Notebook

On Feb. 28, 1946, “Willis Gifford of Laconia, N.H., arrived in town and spent several days preparing his house located directly across from the Grange Hall for rental. Mr. and Mrs. Grafton King and their family of New Bedford, former residents, are planning to return on the first of April and have agreed to occupy the house. They will have a next door neighbor by the fall as Albion Alley has purchased the former Sanderson Mayhew house owned by his daughter Mabel Mayhew Watkins. Grafton will again be employed as the lead mechanic at Donaldson’s Garage, owned and operated by Bert and Inez Cahoon, just two doors up the street. He will also drive the school bus, with students in the fifth through the twelfth grades, to the Tisbury School.”

Happy Birthday to: Kevin McFarland, Kathryn Sullivan and Shawn Emin today; Sam Alley, Tom Thatcher, Susan Osborne and George Brush tomorrow; Susan Phelps, Donnie Mills and Anna Christensen, on Sunday; Josh Emin and Greg Drake on Monday; Tom Church, Francine Fischer and Roger Sylva on Tuesday; Vicki Broscheit, Diana DeBlase and Valentine Estabrook on Wednesday; and Ira Lowe, Kenneth Vincent, Glenn Andrews and Sofi Thanhauser on Thursday.

Well that is all of the social news for this week. I don’t want to miss the news about your vacation so please call or e-mail me with details. Have a great week.