Summer has arrived with temperatures in the 80s in Aquinnah with a couple of days of fog lingering along the south shore. I awoke the other morning to many birds singing in the neighborhood but one distinguishable one we had not heard in a long time was a bobwhite.

Many of our summer residents have arrived for the season, despite Covid-19 still affecting so many. Everyone is wearing a mask and socially distancing.

The USCG Menemsha Spouses Association would like to congratulate the 2020 Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School graduates who were the recipients of the scholarship for this year: Solon Oliver, son of Kevin and Elizabeth Oliver and Carly Uva, daughter of Joseph and Lara Uva.

The first recipients in 2019 of the Coast Guard Menemsha Spouses Association were Kelly Klaren, daughter of Jonathan and Kim Klaren, as well as Jacob Maccaferri, son of Scott and Madeline Maccaferri.

The 19th annual Aquinnah Fourth of July (socially-distanced) parade through town will be held this year in honor of our essential workers. Families are encouraged to decorate their vehicles and one will be awarded a prize for the best float. The vehicles may line up at 9:30 a.m. at the corner of Old South Road and Moshup Trail to head toward the cliffs. Masks must be worn. Radios should be tuned in to WMVY 88.7 for a special parade soundtrack.

The Outermost Inn will be open for outdoor dining as well as picnic foods for take out. The Taylor family’s Menemsha bike ferry is scheduled to begin the summer schedule over the weekend. For further information regarding the OMI or the MBF, please call 508-645-3511.

The mobile market will begin on July 7, from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the tribal housing parking lot. They will have a variety of fresh produce available every Tuesday evening for Aquinnah residents to purchase. Enjoy.

Noah Manning celebrated his 14th birthday with a party on the front lawn. About 20 of his friends and their parents enjoyed watching a Star Wars movie. Each family sat around a hay bale table with their food while socially distancing themselves. All had a great time.

Sunday morning, it was a Father’s Day celebration on the front lawn. Now that Noah is of the age to be gainfully employed, he was hired by Jack O’Malley and Antonio Saccoccia to work at the Menemsha Galley. Of course, his skills learned at Cliffhangers helped the process along.

Martha’s Vineyard Community Services will be auctioning the MV number one license plate. This most coveted number one plate will be auctioned during the annual Art Buchwald Possible Dreams auction on July 26, at 5 p.m. The auction will be a virtual one this year, with Seth Meyers as the host.

Chicken Alley Thrift Shop reopened to the public on June 23 with a little fanfare. Theresa Manning won the raffle for the opportunity to be the first customer to cut the ribbon and enter for fifteen minutes of shopping alone. Nice to have Chicken Alley open once again after closure for the past three months due to Covid-19.

Congratulations to Timothy J. Lepore, M.D., the surgeon on the other island, upon his 50th anniversary of his profession as a physician and his 50th year since graduation from Tufts Medical School. On occasion, Tim and yours truly have the chance to meet up with each other at the Martha’s Vineyard/Nantucket football game. Looking forward to the next one.

Sincerest condolences to the family and friends of Katherine Manning who passed away on June 23, following a brief illness. She was a multi-generational family friend of more than half a century. We shared a lot over the years. Kay is survived by her son, Rick Manning, and her daughter Marilyn Manning, as well as her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Services will be held in September due to the Covid-19 crisis.

Happy 39th anniversary wishes to Barry and Dorothy Sullivan on June 27.

Happy birthday wishes to Kathie Carroll on June 27, sharing the day with Anna Cotton; Beth Mayhew parties on the June 28; Marilyn Maynard observes her special day on June 29; Lyle Vanderhoop will be 7 on July 1, sharing the day with Kenneth Ivory and Stephanie Devine; USCG Station Menemsha senior chief Justin Longval will celebrate his special day on July 2; Robbie Manning will be 14 years old on July 3; Deborah Ratcliff and Marissa Kaeka will party on July 3.