The first blizzard of 2016 is over and done with. Weather reports throughout the week were rather misleading, even right up to the day before when it was reported to be perhaps one to three inches. Saturday morning it all began and by early Sunday there was more than a foot of snow in most places across the Vineyard. Of course by Tuesday it was 50 degrees as we await the next storm. Thank you to all the snow plowers and sanders, and all the emergency personnel on standby. As always, great teamwork.

Thank you to Mrs. Nancy Kohlberg for hostessing our annual Vineyard Gazette not holiday party on Friday evening at the Harbor View Hotel. Unfortunately, Mrs. Kohlberg was not able to attend due to the impending blizzard but sent her best wishes to the entire staff. The UPIS LAND correspondents just happened to congregate at one table that included Jane Slater, John Alley, Phyllis Meras and her guest Sal Laterra, and yours truly — a collective total of 399 years of history and we discussed it! Steve Durkee and his wife Liz were greatly missed as it is our annual get-together. We were very appreciative of our publisher Jane Seagrave acknowledging the work of correspondents as we often times feel as though we are just a faint memory to those in the newsroom.

The Aquinnah Public Library staff will assist with making caterpillars Saturday. The after-school program is back on schedule on Tuesday afternoons at 4 p.m. and Wiggle Worms storytime is on Thursdays at 3:30. Stop in to find a good book or CD in time for the next storm. Amnesty — all those long overdue books, periodicals, CDs, etc. may be returned through Feb. 27 with the donation of non-perishable food items that will be donated to the Island Food Pantry.

Martha’s Vineyard Museum will present Pecha Kucha Friday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Harbor View Hotel in the Menemsha Room. Free and open to all. View 20 images that are 20 seconds each on a variety of subjects. Reservations are only required for those making a presentation. Please call Katy Fuller at 508-627-444, ext. 123 or email kfuller@mvmuseum.org. Always a fun evening that will leave you with ideas to make a presentation at some point on any subject you wish.

On Thursday, Feb. 4, Martha’s Vineyard Museum development director Dan Waters will present Island Stories from the Museum at the West Tisbury library at 4 p.m. You will learn about 10 fascinating objects from the Island Stories book that was recently published. Books will be available for sale. The event is free and open to all.

Would you believe — election year is here. Please register to vote by Feb. 10 and make any changes you will need in designating your party affiliation. There will be a presidential preference primary on Tuesday, March 1 from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Please be sure you are registered, especially if your residence has changed in the past few years. For further information, please call Aquinnah town clerk Carolyn Feltz at 508-645-2304. All requests for absentee ballots must be submitted in writing to the town clerk and forms are available on line at mass.gov.

Sincerest condolences to longtime family friend Otis Rogers, who passed away Tuesday at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital. His services were held Thursday at Saint Augustine’s Church with interment at Oak Grove Cemetery. Otis was the widower of Mary Kidder Rogers, who passed away in November. It was a pleasure to see Otis and Mary on their sentimental journeys each day when they enjoyed their ride up-Island. Otis is survived by his children Russel Rogers and Nancy Rogers Giordano and her husband Richard Giordano, as well as by his grandchildren Daniel Rogers and his wife Kimberly, Leanne Giordano Bartkowski and her husband Jeffrey, and Michael Giordano, as well as by many nieces and nephews and their families.

Happy 60th anniversary wishes to Peter and Cora Weiss who have just returned from a fantastic family trip that will be noted in the column next week.

Happy birthday wishes to Lois Craine as she celebrates her special day on Jan. 30. Bethany DeBettencourt parties on the 31st. Christine Murphy will celebrate on Feb. 1 and shares the day with Andrew Fischer and Angela Waldron. Feb. 2 will be a day of celebration for Emmett Carroll, Dr. Ronald Low, Betty Joslow, Mark Shea, Adam Gebb, and four-year-old Logan James Manning. Laurie Thompson parties on the 4th. John Born and Blair Hill celebrate Feb. 5.

Send Aquinnah news to junemanning152@gmail.com.