Nice to hear the return of song birds in the neighborhood as they have started to arrive. School vacation week across the Vineyard was a fun time for many families. Rodeo Langer and his parents Dr. Curtis Langer and Molly Purves have been to California for rest and relaxation.

Robbie Manning spent his week volunteering at Chicken Alley Thrift Shop and at Serving Hands while fulfilling his requirements for eighth grade volunteerism. Erick and Lewis Moore went to Maine with their paternal grandparents Bob and Kim Moore for the week.

Woody and Jamie Sue Vanderhoop and their sons Sowanash, Kuhpay and Mataquahas returned over the weekend after spending more than a week in Florida with their Spears grandparents.

My sincerest condolences to the family and friends of former Aquinnah police chief Douglas A. Fortes who passed away in Chicago this week where he had resided for the past few years following his retirement. Doug was a tribal elder, the son of the late John and Jennie (Andrada) Fortes, a descendant of the Manning and Vanderhoop families and great grandson of whaler Antone Fortes and his wife. Doug had started his career at the youth center at the Educomp building with Tom Bennett and the late Shirley Tankard Robinson. He then served on several police departments across the Vineyard and ultimately became police chief in Gay Head. Services will be held on the Vineyard on March 14.

My sincerest condolences to the family and many friends of Hannah L. Malkin who passed away at her home in Lantana, Fla. this week. Hannah was 99 years of age. She was a staunch Democrat who read the New York Times from cover to cover. Hannah and her late husband Moses “Mo” were very generous benefactors to many nonprofits along the East coast, especially educational institutions. They attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hannah and Mo very generously offered their swimming pool for the children of Aquinnah to learn to swim and those lessons continued until she sold their summer home in September 2018. Her neighbors were also always welcome at the pool where many new friendships were formed. What happened around the pool stayed around the pool. She is survived by many nieces and nephews including Karl and his twin sister Lisa Buchberg of California and her daughters Emma and Nora, as well as Eric and Bobbie Malkin of Florida who have cared for her over the past 10 years, as well as numerous other Malkin family members. She has been cared for by Nicole for the past five years both in Aquinnah and in Lantana. Rest in peace dear Hannah.

Happy first birthday to Charley Josephine Dlabaj, daughter of USCG MK1 Nathan Dlabaj and his wife Janay, who celebrates on March 6. David and Doug Seward celebrate on March 6.

Happy Birthday wishes this week to USCG FN Christian Ortega-Santiago as he celebrates on March 8, as will Alice Russell. Aron Jackson parties on March 9. Juliette Fay will observe her special day on March 10, USCG SK2 Timothy Bihansky will celebrate on March 10 as will Beth Seabourne. Eileen Maley will observe a milestone on March 11. Tiffany Smalley parties on March 11. Nancy Edwards Thompson and Janice Rose share the day on March 12. Ken Wentworth and Lisa Bibko-Vanderhoop will party on March 13.