Well, winter is officially over and spring has arrived. Maybe we had six or seven inches of snow the entire winter but most of it quickly turned to slush and was gone the same day! The March weather score sheet is complete: it was a little colder than normal.

The mill pond has been stocked with trout and kids are fishing there each day. Stores have started to aggressively merchandise Easter baskets. The congregational church enters the final month of Wednesday night suppers for this season. Remember Monday is April fool’s day so beware of practical jokes.

Tara Whiting-Wells, town clerk, reports that the annual town meeting warrant this year contains 62 articles, most all of them recommended by the finance committee. There will be one contest on this year’s election ballot. Joe Gervais, Clark Raskin and incumbent Douglas Raskin seek the two seats available on the finance committee, and Jane Dreeben is a candidate for the one-year term. Jessica Miller is running for the open seat on the board of health. All the other incumbents are running unopposed.

Town meeting will be held on April 9. The library and elementary school are working together to provide free on-site childcare for kids of all ages. This service will be provided by teachers from the school, students from the charter school, and sixth to eighth grade honor students. The library wants to thank the school principals and the West Tisbury Library Foundation for making this service possible.

Peter and Beatrice Nessen of Boston are spending sometime at their Old County Road property. Naomi and Ava Plakins, of Doylestown, Pa. are in town getting their Middle Road estate ready for summer.

Richard Rooney reports that The Heath Hen Yarn & Quilt Shop in Vineyard Haven will close its doors tomorrow for the final time. For the past seven years, his wife, Jan Paul, has dedicated herself to carrying on the legacy of one of the Island’s oldest yarn retailers.

The Agricultural Society is planning a potluck dinner and fundraiser on April 6 to help the Fischer family rebuild the farm barn that was destroyed by a tragic fire recently. For more information, please call the hall at 508-693-9549.

On May 3, 1948 Manuel Sylvia started work on restoring the Mill Pond. He had devised his own adaptation of a drag line to remove the weeds and marine growth that have entirely covered the surface of the pond. The dredging operation began about two weeks ago, and he has only been able to get in two days of work because of the heavy rain. In this short time the scraper has made a clean sweep several yards wide that has made a noticeable difference already. It appears that it will be a comparatively short job to restore the pond to its original depth and beauty, and at a moderate cost. Manuel estimates he has removed a depth of 18 inches of mud from the bottom of the pond so far. Despite the fact that the sluice gates are open on the south shore bordering the road, the heavy rain has raised the surface of the pond. It has been helpful in carrying off bits of weeds and small pieces of debris that his bucket has dislodged. When it is again dammed the waters are expected to rise another six inches making the pond twenty four inches deep.

Happy birthday to Karen Medeiros, Charles Deary, Irene Fox and Mike Michalski today; Todd Estrella, Marin Street and Alan Bilzerian tomorrow; Nancy Cole, Mary Keenan, Carl Van Rooyen and Emily Cohan on Sunday; Alison Barrett, Linda Fischer, Mickey Stone, Heikki Soikkeli, Bob Woodruff and Claudia Taylor on Monday; John Stanwood, Silas Andrews, Randi Sylvia and Nancy Brennan on Tuesday,;Stacey Gouldrup, Rise Terney, Emily Gadd, Doris Day and Wyatt Jenkinson on Wednesday; Omar Johnson, Marlene DiStefano, Morgan Michalski, John Hoff, Deborah Mayhew and Andrew Worlock on Thursday. Belated birthday wishes to Janice Goldklang and Doris Clark.

Well that is all of the social news for this week’s edition. Please call or email me with your news. Have a great week.