JOHN S. ALLEY

508-693-2950

(alleys@vineyard.net)

We had our first snowstorm of the winter last Friday and it deposited about three inches, but with sun and warm weather it was mostly all gone on Monday. That was just in time for a fresh coating of five inches of fluffy white snow along with a bitter blast of cold weather. We had temperatures that reached 52 last Sunday then dropped 20 degrees as we watched the Patriots lose to the Ravens for the AFC championship. We are just over a month away from the start of daylight saving time in March.

Cynthia Riggs extends an open invitation to everyone to attend her annual Groundhog Day party at the Cleaveland House on Edgartown Road from 5 to 7 p.m. on Feb. 2. Please bring your favorite hors d’oeuvre to share. The party is the kickoff event for the local political season.

Phyllis Meras returned home last Sunday after a business trip to New York city and Providence, R.I.

Lynne Whiting recently returned from a winter visit to Salt Lake City, Utah where she stayed with her mother, Mary Erickson. They attended a funeral for Mary’s sister, Anne Wright Smith, and enjoyed reconnecting with other extended family. Lynne also attended a high school basketball game managed by her nephew Louis Franciose. On Saturday, Jan, 19 the Whiting family and friends gathered at the Davis House to celebrate Davis Solon and Will Whiting’s birthdays. Davis turned 30 on Jan. 8 and Will was 40 on Jan. 9. A festive Mexican potluck was enjoyed by all.

Louis Jack Kaplan a longtime visitor to Lambert’s Cove, died recently. It’s been said that his work dramatically improved Yale Medical School and Yale-New Haven Hospital. His friend Joel Wilensky unofficially named him the mayor of Lambert’s Cove. He said the beach, one of his favorite spots, will not be the same without him this year.

Jennifer Tseng over at the library says now is the time to join the library’s winter poetry workshop. Every Friday in February from 3:30 to 5 p.m. the library will host a free poetry workshop for intermediate and advanced writers. The focus is primarily on critique. The workshop is limited to five participants. Preregister at the library or e-mail programs@westtisburylibrary.org. The location will be announced shortly.

History notes: On the night of Jan. 22, 1951 the home of George and Lillian Magnuson was bulging at the seams as 43 people attended a penny auction put on by the home and community service committee of the Grange for the benefit of the March of Dimes. George Magnuson and John Forbes, master of the Grange, were the auctioneers assisted by Natalie Vincent and Alma Benson. Home-cooked foods were auctioned off after the penny sale. The net proceeds of the sale were $63, the largest single sum ever collected for the charity.

Happy birthday to: Abigail Higgins, Tony Omer, Mitchell Gordon and Liane Thomas today; Harold Lawry, Melissa Clay, Karen Coffey, Clara Marshall and Edward Sylvia tomorrow; Kristen Zern, Tim Mathiesen, Susan Sigel Goldsmith, Taggart Young and Tom Engley on Sunday; Susannah Tilton-Clancy, Jamie Alley, Abigail Stanwood, and John Barkin on Monday; Janice Ovios, Joshua Rich, Pamelia Speir and Charlotte Cole on Tuesday; Adele Schonbrun, Dr. Charles Silberstein, Jack Wilson and Tallia Emily Annese on Wednesday; John Hough, Gordon McArthur, Jaqueline Balaschak and Brinn Schaffner on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Celeste Polagruto, Catherine Deese and Bob Luskin.

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

A trivia report that could come in handy at your next social gathering: Our Market in Oak Bluffs received its first shipment of Krueger’s canned beer and ale 78 years ago Monday. Krueger was the first brewery to try this new method of marketing their product. Have a great week.