Chilmark is peaceful and calm as the President’s vacation proceeds. We are hoping he is enjoying the weather, and his surroundings, and getting some of that reading done.

There are more flags than usual flying in town in celebration of the President’s visit. There is a large poster on the Home Port Restaurant and Jay Lagemann has completed a special sculpture, Presidential Welcome, that is traveling around town on a trailer platform. Other than those things, I haven’t noticed much else in the way of public displays.

One of the perks of the presidential visit has been the increased areas of cell phone reception. We will miss that when things go back to Chilmark-normal again.

Congratulations to the many Chilmark ribbon winners at the Agricultural Fair this year. The Freed Boardman children, Shoshana, Miriam and Jonah, went all out to compete and, together, won 23 ribbons with eight firsts, 11 seconds and four thirds plus three honorable mentions. They won in some 14 categories. The three are the grandchildren of Norman and Diana Freed with whom the family spends the summer. Congratulations to all!

Arnie Reisman and Paula Lyons entertained friends from Los Angeles this week. Cheryl Bentyne, a jazz singer from Manhattan Transfer and Corey Allen, keyboardist for Chuck Mangione, and their daughter Zoe came east for this visit. Corey wrote the music for Arnie’s film, the Powder and the Glory that was released last year.

Bill and Lorraine Kirkland enjoyed a recent visit from Bill’s daughter, Christina and her cousin Rita de la Guardia of Panama. Rita is a second year law student at Cornell. Christina is in business in Panama.

Welcome to the new owners of Rainbow Farm, Eric and Molly Glasgow and their sons Noah, 6, and Jakie, 4, who will attend the Chilmark School in the fall. The title of the farm will be changed to Gray Barn and Farm and the cows will arrive next spring. They intend to produce milk products in glass bottles and eventually include cheeses. We wish them every success and look forward to their production!

Weddings continue on Larsen Lane! Congratulations to Benjamin Ramsay and Nisa Councel who were married at the groom’s parents home on Larsen Lane on August 22. Attendees were the bride’s two brothers, Chris and Leif Councel of Denver, Colo. and the groom’s grandfather, Bill Gilmour of Wayland and Chilmark. A reception followed at Abel’s Hill.

Erika Hirsch will preach on August 30 at the Chilmark Community Church. She is a student at Boston University studying for a Doctor of Philosophy in History of Christianity. She has studied music at the Prague Conservatory in Prague, Czech Republic, The service begins at 9 a.m.

Tom Dresser has cancelled his program for Sept. 2 at the Chilmark Library. He will be out of town welcoming a grandchild and hopes to reschedule his program for another time.

The library reminds us that the off-season hours will begin again on Sept. 1. They return to two half-days, Tuesday and Thursday and will be closed on Fridays and Sundays.

Chilmark joins the rest of Massachusetts in mourning the death of our Senator Ted Kennedy. He and his family were familiar to us all as they often shared their vacation time with us and he often worked on concerns of the Vineyard and the rest of the state. We send condolences to all.