JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2935

(alleys@vineyard.net)

The weekend weather was reasonable, allowing you time to dispose of the rusted old Christmas tree in the backyard and assess winter damage to your property. We had a modest influx of visitors over the President’s Day holiday weekend. Today is the beginning of a large exodus of folks from town as it is the beginning of school vacation week. This place will become a ghost town as it has in past years.

Perry Garfinkel returned home Saturday night after a 10-day assignment in Costa Rica for the New York Times Escapes section. He reports traveling up and down the northwest Pacific coast in the region called Guanacaste, interviewing real estate and hotel developers for a story about vacation homes. There is a trickle of sales, he says, especially in the condominium category. He didn’t have time to do the classic Costa Rica eco-stuff — like zip lining over the rainforests, cavorting with leatherback turtles, scuba diving or bird watching. But he did find the time to swim and stroll on some beautiful beaches and he met a gorgeous woman, whom he wined and dined on a full moon night at a beachside restaurant in Coco Beach, winning her over with a bottle of Moet salvaged from a welcome basket from one of the hotels he had stayed at. It was a really tough assignment and he just hopes they don’t make him go back . . . until he finishes writing the story, which will appear sometime in mid-March. Coincidentally this is just about when he plans to go back to Costa Rica.

Kathy Chaves reports that love was in the air over Valentine’s weekend. The Chaves family went off-Island on Feb. 15 to adopt a rescue puppy. Sammi found a puppy in need of a good home on the Web site petfinders.com. The dachshund-chihuahua mix was born in Louisiana. The connection was getting the dog shipped up north to a great place named Mutts4rescue which has a shelter in Fall River. Ernie and Kathy brought Mitchell and Sammi over to meet the puppy. The Chaves family visited the five-month-old puppy and fell in love at first sight. This puppy is Mitchell’s dog and you will see them together at baseball games and fishing spots this spring. The Chaves family has adopted dogs before from the MSPCA on Island and are sad to see it closing. If they can be of help to anyone who would like to rescue a dog, they are happy to share their happy story and experience. A dog to love, she says, comes close to beating flowers and chocolates on Valentine’s Day.

The political season is beginning to take shape although you may obtain nomination papers until Tuesday. Greg Orcutt has declared his intent to seek a term on the finance committee and Jonathan Revere may be running against incumbent Michael Colaneri for a seat on the board of assessors. Ike Russell and Laura Marchard seek to fill the two open seats on the board of library trustees. Tara Whiting seeks the post of town clerk, as her aunt Prudy is retiring. It appears there may be articles seeking to purchase the former Waldron property on State Road, and another tract of land for affordable housing. Although the warrant has not been set, it is likely we will have to act on two dozen or more articles.

Lois Craine reports that the VTA annual bus passes are available. You can obtain them at the VTA office in the airport business park from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Seniors, please stop in at the up-Island Council on Aging or call them at 508-693-2896.

Erik Claussen and Rebecca Palmer were united in marriage last Sunday. Congratulations!

Cathy Minkiewicz reports that they went down to Washington, D.C., to play with their grandchildren this weekend. When they get home it will be time to start thinking about cleaning the garden.

Betsy Burmeister of the recreation department at Windemere reports that students at the Chilmark School who participate in the intergenerational program are having a show of their photographs at the Chilmark branch of Sovereign Bank. The photographs will be on display starting today and running through March 6. Stop by and enjoy the show.

On this date 217 years ago President George Washington signed the Postal Service Act. We know that in May the price of a stamp will go up two cents and the post office is finalizing details of a postal holiday during the week; the question is what day will they select.

Colleen Morris over at the library reports that tomorrow the crafts group will be making Mardi Gras masks. Next Tuesday is Mardi Gras followed by Ash Wednesday and Lent.

On Feb. 21, 1945, the weekly meeting of the Congregational Church Youth Fellowship Society was held at the home of Albion and Mary Alley and the Rev. William Thompson led the discussion. The subject of the evening was drinking alcohol. Mary Alley served home baked refreshments after the meeting.

Happy birthday to: Charlene Kelly today; Lila Fischer, Richard Johnson and Gaston Vadasz tomorrow; Samantha Church and Roy Cavanaugh on Sunday; Ellen Wolfe, Sally Segall, Stuart Gardner and Lukas Higgins on Monday; Brenda McMorrow, Ernie Mendenhall, Kevin Carr, Tom Ronan and Diane Wall on Tuesday; Steve Gallagher, Alison Welles, Kelly Arruda and Susie Bowman on Wednesday; Katherine Athearn, Ann Nevin, Mason Fisc-her and Natasha Taylor on Thursday. Belated anniversary wishes to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Mavro and belated birthday greetings to Jean Morton Fischer O’Reilly and Gayle Stiller.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or e-mail me. Have a great week.