Chilmark moves into the new year with a waning moon and not much of a winter underway. We may regret these words before long! Things seem pretty much as they were last year; at least some of us want to think so. Cheers to all of you and may your new year be healthy and happy.

Christmas day was warm and cheery with many people at all the beaches, many in swimming . . . or at least getting wet! It was quite a sight when we remembered what day it was!

Work goes on. The dredging of the Menemsha channel is underway and the sand is being piped all the way to Lobsterville beach. It seems to be quite a project and it has a deadline of the end of January so we hope all goes well.

Josh Aronie will be selling lunch from his food truck all month in the parking lot of the Home Port Restaurant. It has been a popular lunch destination for many workers and visitors to town.

We have no news as yet about the health of Jackie Morgan who is still at a Boston hospital as I write. Her sister, Karen Flynn, is with her and we hope for good news from her soon.

John and Sue Larsen were happy to have their daughter, Abigail, home for the Christmas festivities.

Jessica Bradlee and her son, Parker, traveled to Maine to spend the holiday with Will and Madeline Holtham. Michael Holtham with Jessica and Jolene joined the reunion.

There will be a music and potluck supper at the Chilmark Community Center on Jan. 9. There is no admission and all are welcome.

There will be a visioning session at the town hall on Jan. 12 at 6:30 p.m. The subject under discussion will be the parking, pedestrian and traffic problems of Menemsha. All are urged to attend. There was a similar session on Dec. 22 to discuss the condition and the future of the comfort station in Menemsha. Although not many were in attendance the subject was well discussed and many suggestions were offered.

Samantha Bunker joined her parents, Rodney and Pam Bunker, for Christmas. She is a student at Clark University and will be returning there.

Soup suppers continue at the Chilmark Community Church. All are invited to supper at 5:30 p.m. every Tuesday at the church. Contributions to the meal are always welcome but not required.

We send condolences to all who knew and loved Marianne Goldberg who died unexpectedly in Chilmark on Dec. 21. She was the founder and guiding light of the winter arts program called Pathways that met regularly at the Chilmark Tavern. The program offered opportunities to artists in music, word and paint/sculpture and more to work with each other and to offer their talents to the public. They have invited us all to their New Year’s Drop-in at Pathways on Dec. 31 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. that will be held as planned. A funeral service at the Martha’s Vineyard Hebrew Center was held on Dec. 29 with interment at the Abel’s Hill Cemetery in Chilmark.

Send Chilmark news to slaterjn@comcast.net.