This July proved to be cooler than last year, with storms we thankfully missed and the season’s first hurricane. Let me say hello to all of our August visitors. The traffic has been a nightmare everywhere, more cars this year than I think I have ever seen. The last two Saturday farmers’ markets found traffic on Edgartown Road backed up to Old County Road. Our son Sam has tended to the lawn (as Anna broke her ankle a month ago) and the plants very carefully.

Stephen Polagruto and his family from Grafton visited his father Frank and his wife Minnie for a week. Frank reports that they had good weather and enjoyed themselves very much.

Democratic state committee members Leon and Brenda Brathwaite of Vineyard Meadow Farms hosted a barbecue fundraiser for the Massachusetts Democratic Party last Saturday. Nearly 60 Demacratic activists were there, including state party chair Tommy McGee, Stan Rosenberg, State Sen. Dan Wolf and others. The Brathwaites recently traveled to Meredith, N.H., to attend the wedding of Maura Roosevelt and Joshua Fisher. Maura is the daughter of friends Jim and Ann Roosevelt. Visiting them this week for her annual trip is Brenda's sister Sandy Wilson from Tewksbury, and her grandniece Meta-Lily Astles from Sherman Oaks, Calif.

Bill and Betty Haynes of North Tisbury recently returned from a wonderful vacation. They flew to Seattle and took a Norwegian cruise ship from there up the Inland Passage to ports in Alaska, Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay (beautiful) Ketchikan, and Victoria, B.C. Bill reports that he really enjoyed Seattle, and even rode the ferry! It is much bigger than ours and takes about half as many people to operate it.

August is peach season! On Saturday, August 16, from noon to 4 p.m. the First Congregational Church holds its fifth annual Peach Festival. It is a delicious family and community event. Come and enjoy peach treats on the lawn with neighbors and meet new friends and enter their raffle for a delightful peach tree. They will be serving fresh peaches, peach smoothies, peaches with ice cream and peach shortcake. Baked goods to go will also be there to enjoy. All proceeds go to the support of the church, its missions and outreach.

Susan and Sherm Goldstein report that tomorrow from 5 to 7 p.m. they will host a reception at their home for the CEO of the Ms. Foundation; Teresa Younger. A large host committee is welcoming Ms. Younger to Martha’s Vineyard and will attend the event, including the foundation’s board chair, Heather Arnet, and vice chair Susan Dickler, who is a Music street summer resident. Other host committee members include Mike Campbell, Jeanette Demeestere, Marilyn Ford, Carol Gilligan, Sara Gould, Katie Grover, Sandra Grymes, Robin Leeds, Regan Maund, Goldstein Morgan, David Shumway, Dr. Sig VanRaan and Nancy and Milt Washington. Ms. Younger, who took the post at the Ms. Foundation last month, has been on the frontline of some of the most important battles for women’s health, safety and economic security. For more information contact Loretta Kane at 212-709-4436.

Amy Hoff over at the library reports that on Monday at 7 p.m. Carolina Cooney will lead a discussion of Essex County Vol. 1: Tales from the Farm by Jeff Lemire. Whether you’re new to comics/graphic novels or a lifelong fan, you’ll enjoy their monthly meetings. Also every Monday at 6:30 p.m. the library will host a film series, Life as We Know It, featuring documentaries made by Island filmmakers. On Monday at 6:30 p.m. two films by Marjory and Robert Potts, Making Music: The Emerson String Quartet, and Their Lives in Art: Robert Henry and Selina Trieff will be shown.

Word has just arrived from Pennsylvania that longtime seasonal resident Carey Rosenthal has died.

History note: On July 30, 1926 Fred Vincent of New Lane suffered fractures and other internal injuries as the result of an accident he had with the car of Miss Letha Martin of Vineyard Haven. Vincent was riding home and Martin was traveling in the opposite direction. They collided where the old dirt road intersects with the state highway. He was taken to the Marine Hospital by Frank Look, who happened on the scene shortly after the accident. His injuries were treated, but he will be hospitalized for a while. Fred has had a run of hard luck lately. His house burned to the ground last spring. While moving a building to the foundation of his old house and fitting it for a dwelling, he strained his back and was obliged to stop his work and seek medical treatment. It was while returning home from the doctor and the drug store that he met with the accident that further crippled him. It was thought that because he was suffering pain, he did not notice the approaching car. Someone remarked that if it wasn’t for bad luck, he would have no luck at all.

Happy birthday to Ben Cabot, Cherry Powell and Sarah Carr today; Dick Goodell, Ashley Mackey and Lauren Gigilo tomorrow; Joel Weintraub, Carole Hunter and Laura Silber on Sunday; Kristen Kinsler, Troy Maciel and Tessa Permar on Monday, Carrie Smith, Ariel Dickerman, Janet Alley and John Kelleher on Tuesday, Donna Diaz, Mary Donlavey, Patricia Cliggott and Colleen Barnett on Wednesday, and Martha Moore and Warren Morse on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Karen Flynn.

Well, that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. If you have any news please call or email me. Have a good week.

Send your West Tisbury news to: alleys@vineyard.net.