Well, after an average January that ended with temperatures in the teens and about 30 inches of snow, it seems we are caught in a vicious storm pattern. Our average winter snowfall is about 26 inches, so we already have exceeded that. There was about as much preparation for the big game as a weather event, grocery stores were crowded, adult beverage places did a brisk business. What a game we witnessed! It was fantastic and kept everyone riveted to their television set. It was the most watched sports event in U.S. television history. Our congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots.

On Monday it snowed then rained hard most of the day, setting us up for a flash freeze that night. Just five years ago we had the coldest February in 115 years, please don’t repeat that horrible experience, This year the groundhog saw his shadow, so we are in for six more weeks of winter. However, the days are getting longer and now it is light until 5:30 p.m. Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8, so we have just one more month of standard time before the switch and to thoughts of spring, which begins on March 20.

Cynthia Riggs wisely cancelled the 27th annual Groundhog Day party at her house due to the poor weather conditions.

Paul Karasik reports that the charter school is a free kindergarten through 12th grade public school with students from every Island town. Learn more about the school at an open house and fill out an application for next year on Tuesday, Feb. 10, at 5:30 p.m. For information, call 508-693-9900.

Lois Craine of the Vineyard Transit Authority is pleased to report that their annual bus passes have been available since last month. You can obtain yours at the VTA office building in the Airport Business Park from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Seniors can call the Up-Island Council on Aging at 508-693-2896 or stop in during normal business hours. She also tells us that the Islandwide bus system carried nearly one million passengers last year.

Amy Hoff over at the library reports that on Monday, Feb. 9, at 7 p.m. they will host their first Writers Read evening. This event features community members reading short original prose pieces. Both fiction and nonfiction readings are welcome. Each reader is allotted six minutes to read. A critique following the reading is optional. It’s free and open to the public. Sign up to read in advance by calling 508-693-4307 or take a chance and sign up that day. Also, during the month of February, the work of photographer Johanna Wooden will be on display in the community room of the West Tisbury Public Library. An artist reception will be held today at 3:30 p.m. Both the reception and the exhibit are free and open to the public.

Ed Konicki of Webster was browsing in a bookstore in his neck of the woods recently and discovered a July 9, 1955 edition of “Your weekly Cape Cod Guide including Martha’s Vineyard,” it cost four cents to mail it to your home. It is much like a chamber of commerce guide loaded with information about the Cape. The Island page is listed under the heading of North Tisbury. It recommends visitors to the Cape take a side trip to the Island. You had three options to get here from the Cape: the steamer from Woods Hole operated by the Massachusetts Steamship Authority, the Catherine Tek from Hyannis, or you could fly over from the Barnstable airport for $5.95 per person.

On this day in 1942 Congress moved ahead standard time in the U.S. by one hour in each time zone, imposing Daylight Saving Time and called it war time. The idea was suggested by President Franklin D. Roosevelt as a means to conserve fuel. Its origin could be traced back to temporary World War I legislation.

History note: On Feb. 10, 1948 the annual town meeting voted to accept a gift from Donald R. Campbell of Old County Road of the Mill Pond by a standing vote of 56 yes, 16 no. It had been owned and maintained by his family for more than 100 years. Ancient records show that because of its central location and water power it attracted the farmers to grind their grists of grain. It later became the site of the only textile mill on the Island, producing the celebrated satinet cloth. It has also been a favorite spot for skaters for many generations, who cut figure eights beneath the light of bonfires kindled on danger spots where the big brook empties into the pond. The pond consists of two acres of water and the acceptance contained one condition; the town must clean the pond, repair the damn and raise the water level. After considerable debate by the voters, a letter from Rev. William Thompson, Master of the Grange, was read urging its acceptance and pledging the Grange’s full cooperation and assistance in the cleanup work.

Happy birthday to Jean Fischer O’Reilly, Maggie Brenham and Lisa Van Horn Friday; John Scanlon, Ken Campbell, Richard Olsen and Jill Napier Saturday; Elaine Barnett, Elizabeth Carr, Kate Warner and Dianne McDonough on Sunday; Paul Thurlow, Alley Estrella, and Harold Lawry on Monday; Mabel Madawaska, Al Davit, Catherine Minkiewicz, Lynn Heft and Nicolas Peters on Tuesday; Bevy Bergeron, Deirdre Ling, Anne Parker and Karenna Hammarlund on Wednesday, and Debbie Otto, Ken Kram, Malcolm Young, Brad Tucker, Sandra Polleys and Jill Amado on Thursday.

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 great week.

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